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Consumer Focus: How to File A Consumer Complaint This is an archived document.

How to File A Consumer Complaint Did you know there are fourteen federal laws that deal with personal financial matters? Not to mention numerous other laws and regulations that address telemarketing, internet commerce, advertising, warranties and other consumer issues. When you have a problem with something you purchased or a service you contracted to receive, it is often a daunting task to find out what laws apply and who to contact to report and resolve the problem. But, filing a complaint doesn’t have to be intimidating; you simply need to know where to go. This guide will direct you to the appropriate resources for dealing with consumer complaints, and give you some helpful resources and tips to help you along the way. How to Resolve a Consumer Complaint After You Buy a Product or Service How to Avoid Consumer Problems Report Fraud Other Resources E-mail this Information to A Friend Other Topics in the Consumer Focus Archive Posted: February 1, 2005

How to Resolve a Consumer Complaint So, where do you start when you have a complaint about a product or service you received from a company? A great place to go when you are having a problem is the Consumer Action Handbook (referred to as the Handbook), developed by the Federal Citizen Information Center. The new web site provides a wide variety of resources and information to lead you through the process of resolving lots of different consumer problems. The Featured Links and Consumer News on the home page and under each Consumer Topic will let you know the latest information about the topic you are interested in. The main sections offer detailed advice about what to do Before You Buy and After You Buy, information about Filing a Complaint, and a Consumer Assistance Directory, where you can find the most appropriate places to file your complaint and ask a question. The newly-redesigned site offers four helpful resource sections: Consumer Topics, with information about specific products and services like automobiles, banking, credit, health care, housing, travel and more; The Contact Information section contains just that for hundreds of companies and organizations you can get in touch with to report your problem or get assistance at the local, state, and national levels; Under Resources you can find information for specific audiences like military personnel, teachers, and persons with disabilities; And if you Want More Help click to find links to other helpful government sites. Top

After You Buy a Product or Service The first step to take to resolve a problem with a product or service is to go back to the business that sold you the product or service. If the company that sold you an unsatisfactory product did not make that product, they may suggest that you contact the consumer affairs department at the manufacturer’s corporate headquarters. A list of corporate consumer contacts is available here. If the manufacturer is not listed in the Handbook, check the product label or warranty for contact information. Often, the best way to communicate your problem to the company is through a well written complaint letter, email or brief telephone conversation. Include the following information in the letter, email or conversation: A description of the purchase, and the name and serial number of the product, A concise summary of the problem, The specific action you would like the company to take, A timeline in which you would like to see the problem resolved before taking further action, Your contact information, and Copies of pertinent documents such as receipts, copies of warranties and any communication received to date. If you think a law has been broken, it is important that you contact your local or state consumer protection agency as soon as possible. Violations of federal law should be reported to the government agency responsible for enforcement. The Federal Citizen Information Center has compiled a list, arranged by topic, of federal agencies that allow you to document a complaint against a company. Please remember that these federal agencies will not take action on your behalf, although they do use the complaints to document a pattern of abuse by companies and may use that information to take law enforcement action. Don’t give up if you aren’t satisfied. If you feel you have given the company adequate time to respond to resolve the problem you can file a complaint with your local or state consumer protection office, the appropriate federal regulatory agency, Better Business Bureau, trade association, national consumer organization or media program, such as Call for Action. Many of these organizations specialize in helping consumers work out problems they are having with companies. There are also formal dispute resolution programs available and you always have the right to take your dispute to small claims court. There are also websites, such as the American Bar Association, www.freeadvice.com, and www.nolo.com, which offer answers to general legal questions. Top

How to Avoid Consumer Problems Consumer organizations annually survey government consumer protection offices to find out which transactions generate the most complaints. Regularly topping the list are auto sales, repair, and leasing along with home improvement, retail sales, credit and lending, and mail order transactions. In recent years, purchase of household goods like appliances, computers and furniture have been added. Here are some steps you can take to avoid problems when purchasing these and other goods. Top

Report Fraud More than 301,000 consumers lost over $400 million dollars in 2003 as a result of fraud. As our society relies more and more on technology, the types of fraud and methods crooks will use to steal from you become more complex. FCIC has compiled a list of government agencies you can report your problem to if you think a company has violated a law. If you have already been victimized, reporting your experiences helps federal authorities track patterns of abuse. Although these agencies do not act on your behalf, when a trend is discovered, law enforcement agencies are able to take action against delinquent companies. Here is some information about three of the most widely-used reporting organizations: Consumer Sentinel, administered by the FTC, helps you get the facts on consumer frauds from Internet cons to work-at-home schemes and telemarketing scams to identity theft. Report your fraud complaints on the web form so they can be shared with law enforcement officials across the U.S. and around the world. Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) combats internet fraud through a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). The IFCC offers a web form so consumers can report Internet fraud and also offers a long list of ways to prevent different types of fraud. The National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) offers resources on a wide array of fraud including telemarketing, elder fraud, counterfeit drugs, internet fraud and scams against businesses. They have a toll free hotline at 1-800-876-7060 and an online complaint form to help consumers report fraud. Top

Other Resources This is just a brief overview. For more information, check out these resources: *Websites:** How to Resolve Your Consumer Complaint Federal Citizen Information Center's Scams and Frauds Consumer.gov * Names of resources and organizations included in this online article are provided as examples only, and their inclusion does not mean that they are endorsed by the Federal Citizen Information Center or any other Government agency. Also, if a particular resource or organization is not mentioned, this does not mean or imply that it is unsatisfactory. If you click on these links, you are leaving FCIC's website. Please bookmark us before you leave so you can return easily. FCIC is not responsible for the content of these websites. Top*

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