Publications and Brochures

Attorney General Programs and Services

Advertising – General Provisions Retail Advertising

Auto Buying, Financing and Repair

Brochures and Pamphlets

Charity Issues

• The Savvy Consumer’s Checklist Donating Wisely (PDF)

Children and Youth Issues

• Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention (Engish) (Español)
• Safe Kids: Protecting Children from Unintentional Injury (PDF)
• Protecting Children from Unsafe Children's Products (PDF)
• Surfing Safely - Online Safety Tips (PDF)
• Youth Action Brochure (PDF)

Consumer Alerts and Warnings

Consumer Issue of the Month Archives in PDF

• August 2004 - Back to School
  
• September 2004 - Home Repair (English) (Español)
  
• October 2004 - Cutting Costs On Prescription Drugs
  
• November 2004 - About Your Checking Account
  
• December 2004 - Consumer Tips for the Holiday Season
  
• January 2005 - Changes in the Sale of Cold Tablets
  
• February 2005 - National Consumer Protection Week, February 6 - 12
  
• March 2005 - Refund Anticipation Loans
  
• April 2005 - Auto Financing
  
• May 2005 - Health Care Discount Plans
  
• June 2005 - Children’s Product Recalls
  
• July 2005 - Beware of 'Storm Chasers'
  
• September 2005 - Internet Employment Scams
  
• October 2005 - Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
  
• November 2005 - Payday Loan Reform Act of 2005
  
• December 2005 - Methamphetamine Precursor Control Act (MPCA)
  
• January 2006 - Two New ID Theft Laws
  
• March 2006 - ID Theft Hotline
  
• October 2006 - Buying an Annuity
  
• December 2006 - Counterfeit Checks Scam
  
• January 2007 - Law Allows Consumers to 'Freeze' Credit Reports
  
• February 2007 - Refund Anticipation Loans and Universal Default
• April 2007 - Protecting Your Identity: When Thieves Go “Phishing” for Information
• January 2008 - What You Need To Know About Internet Employment Scams
• March 2008 - Understanding Rebate Offers
• April 2008 - Toy Recalls: Ensuring the Safety of Your Children
• May 2008 - Your Rights Under The Fair Patient Billing Act
• June 2008 - CFLs - Reduce Energy Use and Save on Your Next Electric Bill
• August 2008 - Finances 101: College Students, Credit Cards, & ID Theft
• October 2008 - Teen Dating Violence: What You Need To Know

Credit and Lending Issues

• Advance Fee Loans (PDF)
  
• Bankruptcy (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Credit Cards (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Credit Reporting (HTML English) (PDF English) (PDF Polish)
  
• Informe Sobre el Credito (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Debt Collection (HTML) (PDF)
  
• FACT Act (Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act) (PDF)
  
• How to Obtain a Free Credit Report (HTML) (PDF English) (PDF Español)
  
• Looking for a Mortgage (PDF English) (PDF Español)
• Home Owner Rights (PDF English) (PDF Español)
• Mortgage Lending Guide (PDF English) (PDF Español)
• Mortgage Loan Tips (PDF) (PDF Español)
• Mortgage Loan Product Worksheet (PDF) (PDF Español)
• Mortgage Rescue Fraud (PDF)
  
• Mortgage Rescue Fraud Brochure (PDF) (PDF Español)
• Payday Loans (HTML) (PDF) (PDF Español)
  
• The Payday Loan Reform Act (PDF)
  
• Predatory Lending (PDF)
  
• Refund Anticipation Loans (Instant Tax Refund Loans) (HTML) (PDF)
  

Crime Victims Assistance Brochure

• English (PDF)
  
• Español (PDF)
  
• Polish Language (PDF)

Crime Victim Resources

Franchise Information and Publications

General Consumer Issues and Information on Common Scams

• Check 21 Facts (PDF)
  
• Consumer Tips Brochure (PDF)
  
• Electronic Checks, Substitue Checks, and Demand Drafts (PDF)
  
• Employment Services (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Electronic Check Conversion (PDF)
  
• Immigration Fraud (HTML)
  
• Immigration Fraud (PDF English)
  
• Immigration Fraud (PDF Español)
  
• Immigration Right Poster (PDF English)
  
• Immigration Fraud Poster (PDF Español)
  
• International Lottery Scams (PDF)
  
• Internet Employment Scams (PDF)
  
• Magazine Sales (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Multilevel Marketing (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Prevailing Wage Act Brochure (PDF)
  
• Pyramid Schemes (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Protecting Your Small Business (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Natural Gas Price Spiral Report (PDF)
  
• Scholarship Services (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Shopping (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Shopping for the Holidays (PDF)
  
• Small Claims Court (HTML)
  
• Sweepstakes and Contests (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Three Day Right to Cancel (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Derecho de Cancelar (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Travel (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Work-At-Home Schemes (HTML) (PDF)

Health Care Issues

• Health Care Discount Plan English     Español
  
• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (PDF)
  
• Illinois Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act - Continuity of Care (PDF)
  
• Illinois Managed Care Reform and Patient Rights Act - Appeals and Independent Reviews (PDF)
  
• Choosing a Medicare Drug Discount Card or Drug Discount Program (PDF)
  
• Cutting Costs On Prescription Drugs (PDF)
  
• Cutting Costs On Prescription Drugs Brochure (PDF)
  
• Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage and Illinois Cares Rx (PDF)
  
• Choosing A Drug Plan: It’s Not Just The Premium That Matters (PDF)
  
• Prescription Drug Discount Cards (PDF)
  
• Prescription Drug Prices (PDF)
  
• Protecting Yourself from Health Care Fraud Brochure (PDF English)
  (PDF Español)
  
• The Cost of Prescription Drugs in Illinois (PDF)
• Your Patient Rights - The Fair Patient Billing Act (PDF)
  
• Your Patient Rights - Fully Insured Employer Group Plan Brochure (PDF)
  
• Your Patient Rights - Individually Purchased Plan Brochure (PDF)
  
• Your Patient Rights - Managed Care Plan Brochure (PDF)
  
• Your Patient Rights - Self-Insured Employer Plan Brochure (PDF)

Home Repair and Housing Issues

• Disaster Recovery (PDF)
  
• Financing Home Repairs (PDF)
  
• Gas and Electric - Consumer Rights (PDF)
  
• Gas and Electric - Consumer Rights (PDF Español)
  
• Your Electric Bill Brochure (PDF)   (PDF Español)
  
• Home Equity (HTML) (PDF) (PDF Español)
  
• Home Heating Brochure (PDF English)  Español  Polish
  
• Home Repair and Construction (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Home Repair: Know Your Consumer Rights (PDF)
  
• Home Repair and Remodeling Act ( effective January 1, 2000 ) (HTML)
  
• Household Moves (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Landlord and Tenant Rights and Laws (PDF)
  
• The Natural Gas Price Spiral Report (PDF)
  
• The Savvy Consumer’s Checklist - Home Repair (PDF)
  
• Three Day Right to Cancel Home Repair (HTML) (PDF) Updated 9/04
  
• Tips To Avoid Home Repair Fraud (HTML)

Identity Theft

• Consumer’s Checklist Protecting Your Identity (PDF)
  
• Phishing (PDF)
  
• Identity Theft Hotline (HTML)
  
• Illinois Identity Theft Hotline brochure (PDF)
  
• Identity Theft (PDF)
  
• Placing A Security Freeze On Your Credit Report (PDF in English)
  
• Protecting Your Identity Brochure (PDF in English) (PDF en Español)
  
• Identity Theft Resource Guide for Illinois Consumers (PDF)
  
• Identity Theft Victim Kit (PDF)
  
• Reporting Identity Theft as a Victim (PDF)
  
• Carta de Robo de identidad (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Robo de identidad (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Federal Trade Commission – en Espanol
  
• Veterans Affairs Security Breach (PDF)

Internet Issues

• Online Auctions (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Online Safety Tips Brochure (PDF)
  
• Online Scams (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Shopping on the Internet (PDF)
  
• Holiday Shopping Online (PDF)

Student Issues

• Student Loan Fact Sheet (PDF)

Telecommunications

• Detariffing – What It Is and How It Will Affect Consumers (HTML)
  
• Pay-Per-Call Services (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Phone Scams (HTML) (PDF)
  
• Spamming (HTML) (PDF)
• Understanding Your Telephone Service (PDF)
  
• Unwanted Junk Mail and Telemarketing Calls (HTML) (PDF)

CONSUMER FRAUD HOTLINES

Spanish Language Hotline: 1-866-310-8398