Sunday, November 9, 2014

Fraud, Scams, Deceptive Practices You Can Fix Yourself Free or Inexpensively



Unassembled train parts are like incomplete jobs at your house
Don't Let the Bad Guys Ruin Your Work



If a company or contractor has scammed you and you don’t want to pay an attorney, there are alternatives. Solutions exist that don’t require hiring an attorney. 

If a contractor has ripped you off and particularly if several people are affected, the attorney general’s office for your state accepts complaints in the consumer protection division. You complete the complaint form and the consumer protection office contacts the company or person for a response. You get a reply from the AG’s office if the contractor or individual responds. If the consumer protection division receives several complaints, it may file suit, but usually the claims are settled.

Here are some instances when the consumer protection division of the attorney general’s office for the state has been helpful:

An item purchased from Arizona didn’t arrive within 30 days. Filing a claim with the consumer protection division of the Arizona attorney general’s office got the item and an apology.

A promise of a $50 bonus for financing a computer never arrived, and the financing company didn’t meet expectations. A complaint to the AG’s office in Texas brought a response and a credit.

A news report a few weeks ago showed a family with a roofing job that wasn’t completed. The couple said they couldn’t afford an attorney and thought that a news report would shed light on the issue and maybe get the roof completed. This couple could have filed a complaint with the consumer protection division of the AG’s office to get a response from the roofing company.

Sometimes the Better Business Bureau can be helpful as well. 

Also, if you’ve been defrauded on the Internet, file a complaint with http://www.ic3.gov, the Internet Crime Complaint Center. You can read more information about the ICCC here: http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/reporting.html
 
Your local Small Claims Court also accepts claims without an attorney, although there is usually a filing fee. Your County Attorney or Sheriff’s Department may also help you with ideas or information to get action or your money refunded.

Send all correspondence by mail and keep a copy for your records. 

If the activity takes place through the U.S. mail, you may file with the postal service for mail fraud. Here’s some information about filing with the USPS if you’ve been scammed or received deceptive information through the mail: https://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/contactus/filecomplaint.aspx
 
Don’t let the cost of an attorney or lack of knowledge make you a victim. Act immediately in writing and pursue all free or inexpensive avenues to get action. You can do this!

See you again soon,

Linda