The Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) has been a trusted one-stop source for answers to questions about consumer problems and government services for over 35 years. Consumers have contacted FCIC’s Pueblo, Colorado 81009 address for timely, practical information in print, over the phone, via email, or on the web.

FCIC hosts:

• National Contact Center;
• Consumer Information Catalog;
• Consumer Action Handbook; and
• FCIC on the Web (USA.gov, Kids.gov, Pueblo.gsa.gov, ConsumerAction.gov, GobiernoUSA.gov and Consumidor.gov).

National Contact Center

FCIC manages a toll-free national contact center with specially trained staff to answer questions in English and Spanish about all aspects of the federal government. The public can get help by calling toll-free 1 (800) FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636) between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time to speak to an information agent. Recorded information on popular topics is also available around the clock.

Consumer Information Catalog

The Consumer Information Catalog is published four times a year and contains descriptive listings of about 200 free or low-cost federal publications. The publications are also available online at Pueblo.gsa.gov. Topics include health, federal benefits, money management, housing, employment, small business, education, food and nutrition, cars, travel, consumer protection and more. The Catalog is available through schools, libraries, consumer groups, federal offices with large numbers of visitors, congressional offices and in response to individual requests.

Consumer Action Handbook

Published continuously since 1979, the Consumer Action Handbook is one of the most helpful and popular consumer resources. This 160-page guide is designed to help citizens find the best and most direct source for assistance with their consumer problems and questions. The Handbook offers tips on topics such as buying and leasing cars, protecting against fraud, and shopping from home. It also includes a sample complaint form that consumers can use as a guide for their own letter, fax or email. The Handbook also has thousands of names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses for Better Business Bureaus, corporate consumer contacts and state, county and city government consumer protection offices. FCIC also publishes the Guia Del Consumidor, and makes both the Handbook and Guia available online at ConsumerAction.gov and Consumidor.gov.

FCIC Assistance on the Web:

• USA.gov is the official U.S. gateway to government information, services, and transactions. This site pulls together more than 180 million federal, state and local government web pages. Here, citizens can get easy-to-understand information and services from the government 24 hours a day, seven days a week. They can use an email form to send questions and comments about any government program for an answer within two business days. And at GovGab.gov they can exchange comments with federal bloggers about practical, daily government news-you-can-use. Users can also access GobiernoUSA.gov with links to hundreds of federal Spanish-language websites.
• Pueblo.gsa.gov, publishes the current Consumer Information Catalog and the full text of all the publications listed in it. Consumers can access additional information on a wide range of subjects by clicking on different topic headings. Hundreds of publications, the latest product recalls and scams, updates of consumer news from various federal agencies, and a calendar of consumer-related events are also available. FCIC's Spanish resources are online at www.pueblo.gsa.gov/spanish. This page provides great information on a wide range of topics such as the latest product recalls and scams, updates of consumer news items from federal agencies, as well as publications available for ordering through FCIC.
• Kids.gov is the official interagency children's portal to the U.S. government. The site features more than 400 kid-friendly links in one easy-to-find place. Links are organized by topic area and by whether they are a government agency, school, private or commercial organization. The links are safe and age-appropriate.
• The ConsumerAction.gov is the web version of the Consumer Action Handbook. The website has easy-to-follow links to the most useful federal websites; state, local and county consumer agencies; consumer organizations; and corporations and trade associations with ongoing consumer programs. The Consumer Action Handbook is offered online in Spanish at www.consumidor.gov and provides tips on preventing identity theft, understanding credit and resolving post-purchase problems.