WebJunction - Consumer Information

Filing a complaint
There are processes that you can use when you’ve been a victim of consumer fraud. Filing a complaint with the FTC is one piece of action http://www.ftc.gov/. Although not used to resolve individual problems, the FTC uses complaints to investigate fraud that could lead to law enforcement action. Your state Attorney General may also have a complaint process. The National Association of Attorneys General http://www.naag.org/ has a listing of Attorneys General for each state. For on-line scams and complaints, use the federal site econsumer.gov.

Identity Theft
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/index.html

Identity Theft was the number one consumer fraud complaint by the Federal Trade Commission. This is their web site informing consumers how to protect their identity. It also contains helpful information about what to do if you are a victim of identity theft.

Annual Credit Report
https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp

Especially after being a victim of identity theft, costumers should get a copy of their credit report every year. This is also a good idea in general. As mandated by Congress in the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, consumers are entitled to a free copy of their credit report, at their request, from each of the three companies once every 12 months. This is the official site for obtaining your credit report. Don’t be fooled by other sites.