This everyday guide to being a smart shopper is hot off the press and chocked full of helpful tips about preventing identity theft, understanding credit, filing a consumer complaint, and much more. In the 2008 edition, you'll find updated information about filing for bankruptcy, finding a lawyer, and planning a funeral, along with many other useful topics.

Quick Consumer Tips:

As a savvy consumer, you should always be on the alert for shady deals and scams. To protect your money and avoid being a victim of fraud, keep these things in mind:

1. A deal that sounds too good to be true usually is! Offers that often fall into this category are promises to fix your credit problems (p. 14), low-interest credit cards (p. 12), deals that let you skip credit card payments (p. 12), business/job opportunities (p. 19), risk-free investments (p. 35), and free travel (p. 44).

2. E xtended warranties or service contracts are rarely worth what you pay for them. See page 2 for questions you should ask before you say yes to one of these contracts.

3. Say no to credit insurance offers. Often offered with credit cards, car loans and home mortgages, it is almost always better to purchase regular property, life, or disability insurance (p. 28).

4. There is no universal three-day cooling-off period. Don’t be misled into thinking that you have an automatic three days to cancel a purchase. Only a few types of contracts give you a right to cancel. See 3-Day Cooling-Off Rule (p. 42).

5. Think twice before sharing personal information. Protect your privacy and avoid unauthorized use of your personal information by following the advice on page 39.

6. Beware of payday and tax refund loans. Interest rates on these loans are usually excessive. Even a high-interest cash advance on a credit card could be a better option. For more information on these costly credit options, see page 16.

7. Not all plastic cards offer the same protections. Your liability for the unauthorized use of a gift card (prepaid cards p. 4) and debit/ATM card (p. 3) may be much higher than the $50 maximum on your credit card.

8. Real estate agents represent the seller, not the buyer. When buying, consider hiring an agent or lawyer who represents you (p. 23).

9. Home improvement (p. 25) and auto repairs (p. 10) are the subject of frequent complaints. Second opinions are especially important when you are dealing with a repair service you do not know.

10. Think twice before you rent-to-own. Interest rates on rent-to-own purchases can be very high. If you miss a payment, you could end up with nothing. Consider other options such as buying second-hand at a thrift shop or through ads in your local newspaper.

11. Don’t buy under stress. Research suggests senior citizens, people in crisis (e.g., coping with a death or debt), college students, small business owners, minorities, and immigrants are especially at risk of being victimized. Avoid making big-ticket purchases during times of duress.

12. Be cautious of Buy Here, Pay Here lots. If you decide to buy a car from a used car lot, be sure to read all of the papers before you sign. Don’t sign contracts that allow the dealership to change the finance rate AFTER you leave the lot.

13. Work-at-Home ads usually don’t pay off. Be especially wary of ads that promise huge annual salaries; they often require expensive upfront fees with no guarantee. You risk losing your money and wasting a lot of time and energy.

Download 2008 Consumer Action Handbook

PDF format, 9.3MB, 133Pages.

This is a .pdf of the entire 176 page Consumer Action Handbook, including the consumer topics, the directory listings, the sample complaint letter, and the index.

Table of Contents:
Tips for Using This Handbook. 2
Part I – Be a Savvy Consumer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
General Bu ying Tips . 2
Before You Buy. 2
Service Contracts & Extended Warranties . 2
Product Safety Recalls. 3
Identifying And Stopping Fraud. 3
After You Buy. 3
Banking. 3
ATM/Debit Cards . 3
Prepaid Cards. 4
Savings And Checking. 5
Unsolicited Checks And Credit Offers. 6
Cars. 6
Buying A New Car. 7
Buying A Used Car . 7
Dealer Versus Private Party Purchases. 8
Leasing. 9
Recalls, Lemon Laws And Secret Warranties . 9
Renting. 10
Repairs. 10
Repossessions . 10
Credit. 10
Credit Cards. 11
Credit Reports And Scores. 13
Dealing With Debt. 14
Loans . 16
Educ ation . 16
Choosing A School. 16
Financing Your Education. 18
Employment. 19
Employment Agencies. 19
Work-At-Home Companies. 19
Food And Nut rition. 20
Healthy Food Choices. 20
Food Safety. 20
Weight Loss . 20
HealthCare. 21
Choosing A Doctor. 21
Choosing A Healthcare Facility . 22
Prescription Drugs . 22
Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage. 23
Housing. 23
Buying A Home . 23
Avoiding Foreclosure. 24
Home Improvement And Repairs . 25
Renting/Leasing. 26
Insurance . 27
Auto Insurance. 27
Disability Insurance . 28
Health Insurance. 28
Healthcare Plans. 28
Homeowner/Renter’s Insurance. 29
Life Insurance. 29
Long-Term Care Insurance. 30
Other Insurance . 30
Internet. 30
Choosing Service Providers. 30
Online File Sharing. 31
Safer Computing. 32
Online Auctions And Sellers. 32
Spam. 33
Investing. 34
Financial Brokers And Advisors . 35
Phones. 36
900 Numbers. 37
Cell Phones And Wireless Devices . 37
Protect Your Identity. 38
Preventing Identity Theft. 39
Reporting Identity Theft. 39
Protect Your Privacy. 39
Financial Privacy. 40
Medical Privacy . 40
Online Privacy. 41
Shopping From Home. 41
Your Rights: Shopping From Home. 41
3-Day Cooling-Off Rule. 42
Telemarketing & UNWAN TED Mail. 43
Do Not Call Registry. 43
Pre-recorded Messages. 43
Sales Calls . 44
Vishing. 44
Travel . 44
Resolving Air Travel Problems. 45
Passports . 46
Travel Safety. 47
TV. 47
Cable/Satellite. 47
Digital Television (DTV) . 48
Utilities. 48
Electricity And Natural Gas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
Water . 48
Wills & Fu nerals. 48
Planning For The End Of Life. 48
Wills. 48
Choose An Executor. 49
Funerals. 49
Part II – Filing A Complaint. 51
Contact The Seller. 51
Contact Third parties. 51
Call For Action, Inc.. 52
Dispute Resolution Programs . 52
Small Claims Court. 53
Legal Help And Information. 53
Report Fraud & Safety Hazard. 54
Sample complaint lett er. 55
Part III – Key Consumer
RES ources. 56
General Resources. 56
For Persons With Disabilities. 56
For Military Personnel . 57
For Teachers. 59
Part IV – Consumer Assistance
Direct ory. 60
Index. 166

Order A Copy of  2008 Consumer Action Handbook

FREE. Order your very own copy of the 2008 Consumer Action Handbook. You can expect your new Handbook to arrive within 4 weeks.

Federal Citizen Information Center Official Website

For over 30 years, the Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) has been a trusted one-stop source for information about consumer problems and government services.

FCIC distributes and helps produce a variety of government publications, including the Consumer Action Handbook and its website.

To provide you with the most up-to-date information possible, FCIC watches emerging consumer issues and regularly reviews new information from Federal agencies and consumer organizations.

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