Consumer Issues & Services

Issues concerning the seeking to protect and inform the users of goods and services.

Sub-headings:

Automobiles

Includes pricing and related guides about the purchase of new and used vehicles as well as information about the repair and maintenance of automobiles and other motorized vehicles used for personal transportation

Food Safety

Issues such as food growth, additives and processing that affect consumer health.

House & Home

Consumer information and protection for home-buyers and home-owners.

Shopping

Resources intended to help those purchasing items or services.

Resources in this category:

Better Business Bureau
http://www.bbb.org/

Web server for the better business bureau. "The Council of Better Business Bureaus is committed to promoting and fostering the highest ethical relationship between businesses and the public through voluntary self-regulation, consumer andbusiness education, and service excellence." You can read BBB alerts, file a complaint online, get in touch with your local BBB, and access many online consumer publications through the BBB Library.

Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau of the Federal Communications Commission
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/

Consumer information from the United States FCC about telephones, the Internet, cellular phones, digital television, the National Do Not Call Registry, and more.

Consumer Information & Advocacy
http://www.ipl.org/div/pf/entry/48457

This IPL pathfinder is designed to help consumers locate information on the value, pricing, and reliability of goods and services with a focus on consumer advocacy. The main focus is on items and services that can be purchased in the United States, some links may lead to resources outside of the U.S.

Consumer Information Center
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/

Includes information about cars, health, and much more. They provide the full text of many of their pamphlets on these and other topics. One of the best consumer resources available at this time. Searchable.

Consumer Price Index
http://stats.bls.gov/cpi/

The Consumer Price Indexes (CPI) program produces data on the prices paid by consumers for a representative basket of goods and services. Get current and archived news releases (back to 1994) plus detailed CPI statistics.

Consumer Protection
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/consumer.shtm

"Consumer Protection is the online service of the Office of Consumer and Business Education of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. It offers the full text of consumer publications on a wide range of categories." Publications cover consumer issues such as homes and real estate, credit, investment, automobiles, health and fitness, and several other topics. They are especially good in the area of how to avoid scams (not just telemarketing, but loans, jobs, 900 numbers, etc.). The publications are also available in Spanish.

Consumer World
http://www.consumerworld.org/

"Consumer World has gathered over 1100 of the most useful consumer resources on the Internet. Whether you want to check an airfare, find an ATM machine anywhere in the world, file a consumer complaint with a state agency, read 100s of consumer booklets, find a low rate credit card or mortgage, research a law, look up the wholesale price of a car, locate a Better Business Bureau, find a toll-free number, listen (literally) to the latest news, contact a company's customer service department, comparison shop for bargains and last minute travel, check stock quotes or CD rates, read a movie review or see a preview, clip electronic coupons, or search the Internet, you can do it in Consumer World."

Federal Trade Commission: E-Commerce & Internet
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/tech.shtm

The Federal Trade Commission offers consumer and business information related to e-commerce and the Internet on subjects including automobiles, online shopping, spam email, web scams, credit reporting, privacy, health, education, energy, ID theft, investments and telemarketing.

Marketplace Money from American Public Media
http://marketplace.publicradio.org/

Daily radio show on National Public Radio (NPR) that discusses all matters financial, such as business news, retirement, home purchasing, asking for a raise, paying off credit card debt, and paying for college. All previous radio programs are available online, and be sure to check out features section.

Money - U.S. Government Consumer Information Center
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/results.tpl?id1=18&startat=1&--woS...

The Money section of the U.S. Government Consumer Information Center has online pamphlets covering money, credit and financial planning, such as credit protection laws, purchasing over the internet, investing wisely.

Ohio Consumers' Counsel Consumer Assistance Handbook
http://www.pickocc.org/publications/handbook/

"While the OCC Consumer Assistance Handbook is most specifically geared toward Ohio consumers, it contains information useful to people across the U.S. Topics include avoiding telephone scams such as slamming and cramming, reducing unwanted calls from telemarketers, deciphering utility bills, choosing long-distance providers and gas suppliers, reading gas/electric/water meters, home energy efficiency and more."

The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
http://www.privacyrights.org/

PRC is a nonprofit consumer information, research, and advocacy program, based in San Diego, California. PRC provides a variety of services and products to consumers, including a hotline for reporting privacy abuses, consumer advocacy, and educational materials. Their web site contains a variety resources that provide practical tips on safeguarding personal privacy, including privacy fact sheets (in English and Spanish), identity theft resources, speeches and testimony given by PRC, and links to the privacy-related Web sites.

Ram Research Group
http://www.ramresearch.com/

Ram Research Group surveys over 500 banks, credit unions and financial companies which provide consumer credit cards, accounting for over 97% of the U.S. market. Terms and rates are described. The site also includes consumer tips and news about the credit card industry.

Recall Warnings
http://www.recall-warnings.com/

A site sponsored by Nolo Press that categorizes and makes searchable different consumer products and goods that have had recall warnings.

Shidler Center for Law, Commerce & Technology
http://www.law.washington.edu/lct/

"The Shidler Center for Law, Commerce and Technology at the University of Washington is a leading center for collaborative research, teaching and scholarship related to the Internet and legal aspects of technology. One of our main focuses is on consumer protection and education...As part of our project "The Internet and the Global Citizen", we feature a new site each week." Info on current litigation and news related to technology included.

Strategis
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/engdoc/main.html

A website about Canadian business put out by the Minister of Industry. The site has sections on company information, international business, consumer information, technology, business support, human resources, small businesses, and more. Versions of the site are available in English or French.

U.S. Consumer Gateway
http://www.consumer.gov/

"A 'one-stop' link to a broad range of federal information resources available online. It is designed so that you can locate information by category -- such as Food, Health, Product Safety, Your Money, and Transportation. Each category has subcategories to direct you to areas within individual federal web sites containing related information. ScamAlert! provides current information on fraudulent and deceptive practices in the marketplace. This feature appears on each page, as necessary, and contains important law-enforcement information and tips to avoid scams. Of Special Interest showcases new education and consumer awareness campaigns and other items of significant interest."

The Utility Consumers' Action Network
http://www.ucan.org/

A consumer information center for the Internet community which keeps track of scams and rip-offs perpetrated on the Net, and tracks Internet-related consumer legislation.