Read Up!
First, Read Up!
People in your community see you as a source of reliable information who can make a difference in their lives. To help them become better informed consumers, you can refer to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)'s comprehensive bilingual guide, Read Up! How to be an Informed Consumer. The guide is organized into five main sections:
- Managing Your Finances: Learn how to establish and use credit, request a free copy of your credit report, read your credit score, and avoid credit scams.
- Major Purchases and Investments: Learn the details of buying a house or a car, repairing or renovating your home, buying a franchise or starting a business, paying for a college education, and even funeral goods and services.
- Your Consumer Rights: Learn how to resolve disputes, correct billing errors, and reduce the number of unwanted telemarketing calls you get.
- Avoiding Scams and Rip-offs: Learn to recognize work-at-home scams, fake international driver's licenses, the green card lottery scam, vacation package scams, and misleading advertising claims for health and weight loss products.
- Information Security: Learn the basics about protecting your personal information to avoid identity theft, practicing online safety, and avoiding online scams.