Consumer Scams
This information comes from our friends at Nolo Press. For more information or to order this book, visit Nolo's site at http://www.nolo.com.
I think I was the victim of a scam. Can I get my money back?
Federal and state laws prohibit "unfair or deceptive trade acts or practices." If you think you've been cheated, immediately let the appropriate government offices know. Although any government investigation will take some time, these agencies often have the resources to go after unscrupulous merchants. Law enforcement in the consumer fraud area is poor in some parts of the country, but many hardworking investigators do their jobs superbly. The more agencies you notify, the more likely someone will take notice of your complaint and act on it.Unfortunately, government agencies are rarely able to get you your money back. If the business is a reputable one, however, it may refund your money when a consumer fraud law enforcement investigator shows up. It certainly can't hurt you to complain.
How to File a Complaint for Fraud
The National Fraud Information Center, a project of the National Consumer's League, can help you if you've been defrauded. NFIC provides:- assistance in filing a complaint with appropriate federal agencies
- recorded information on current fraud schemes
- tips on how to avoid becoming a fraud victim, and
- direct ordering of consumer publications in English or Spanish.
If you want to contact a federal agency directly but aren't sure which one, call the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs, 800-664-4435. Also contact your local prosecutor to find out if it investigates consumer fraud complaints. Your state consumer protection agency (see list below) can also provide advice. Finally, contact any local newspaper, radio station or television station "action line." Especially in metropolitan areas, these folks often have an army of volunteers ready to pursue consumer complaints.
State Consumer Protection Agencies
| State | Phone and Fax Numbers | State Consumer Protection Agencies |
| Alabama | 205-242-7334 800-392-5658 334-242 7458 (fax) |
Consumer Assistance, Office of Attorney General, 11 South Union Street, Montgomery, AL 36130 |
| Alaska | 907-465-3600 907-465-2075 (fax) |
Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box K-State Capitol, Juneau, AK 99811-0300 |
| Arizona | 602-542-5763 800-352-8431 602-542-4085 (fax) |
Consumer Information and Complaints, Office of Attorney General, 1275 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 |
| Arkansas | 501-682-2007 800-482-8982 501-682-8084 (fax) |
Advocacy Division of Attorney General's Office, 200 Tower Building, 323 Center Street, Little Rock, AR 72201 |
| California | 916-445-1254
800-952-5210 916-324-8084 (fax) |
Department of Consumer Affairs, Consumer Assistance Office, 400 R Street, Room 1040, Sacramento, CA 95814 |
| Colorado | 303-866-5189 800-332-2071 303-866-5691 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Unit, Office of Attorney General, 1525 Sherman Street, 5th Floor, Denver, CO 80203 |
| Connecticut | 860-566-2816 860-566-1531 (fax) |
Department of Consumer Protection, 165 Capitol Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106 |
| Delaware | 302-577-3250 302-577-2610 (fax) |
Department of Justice, Consumer Protection Unit, 820 North French Street, 4th Fl., Wilmington, DE 19801 |
| District of Columbia | 202-727-7170 202-727-8073 (fax) |
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, 614 H Street, NW, Room 1120, Washington, DC 20001 |
| Florida | 904-488-2226 800-435-7352 904-488-0863 (fax) |
Division of Consumer Services, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 235 Mayo Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399 |
| Georgia | 404-656-3383 404-651-9148 (fax) |
Consumer Affairs Division, Office of the Attorney General, 40 Capitol Square, SW, Atlanta, GA 30334-1300 |
| Hawaii | 808-586-2630 808-586-2640 (fax) |
Office of Consumer Protection, Dept. of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, 828 Fort Street, Room 600B, Honolulu, HI 96813 |
| Idaho | 208-334-2424 800-432-3545 208-334-2530 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 700 West Jefferson Street, P.O. Box 83720, Boise, ID 83720-0010 |
| Illinois | 217-782-9011 800-252-8666 217-785-2511 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 500 South Second Street, Springfield, IL 62706 |
| Indiana | 317-232-6205
800-382-5516 317-232-7979 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, Indiana Gov't Center South, 5th Floor, 402 West Washington,Indianapolis, IN 46204-2270 |
| Iowa | 515-281-5926 515-281-4209 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, Hoover State Office Building, Des Moines, IA 50319 |
| Kansas | 913-296-3751 800-432-2310 913-296-6296 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 301 West Tenth, Topeka, KS 66612 |
| Kentucky | 502-564-2200 800-432-9257 502-564-2894 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 2000, Frankfort, KY 40602-2000 |
| Louisiana | 504-342-9638 504-342-7901 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Section, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 94095, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9095 |
| Maine | 207-624-8527 800-332-8529 207-624-8690 (fax) |
Bureau of Consumer Credit Protection, State House, Station No. 35, Augusta, ME 04333-0035 |
| Maryland | 410-576-6550 410-576-7003 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 200 St. Paul Pl.,Baltimore, MD 21202-2022 |
| Massachusetts | 617-727-2200 617-727-5762 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Dept. of Attorney General, 1 Ashburton Place, Boston, MA 02111 |
| Michigan | 517-335-0855 517-373-4916 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 30213, Lansing, MI 48909 |
| Minnesota | 612-296-3353
800-657-3787 |
Citizen Assistance Center, Office of Attorney General, 1400 NCL Tower, 445 Minnesota Street, St. Paul, MN 55101 |
| Mississippi | 601-359-4230 601-359-3441 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 220, Jackson, MS 39205 |
| Missouri | 314-751-3321 800-392-8222 314-751-0774 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 899, Jefferson City, MO 65102 |
| Montana | 406-444-3553 406-444-2903 (fax) |
Consumer Affairs Unit, Dept. of Commerce, 1424 Ninth Avenue, Helena, MT 59620 |
| Nebraska | 402-471-2682
402-471-3297 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 2115 State Capitol Building, P.O. Box 98920, Lincoln, NB 68509-8920 |
| Nevada | 702-486-7355 702-486-2758 (fax) |
Consumer Affairs Division, State Mail Room Complex, Las Vegas, NV 89158 |
| New Hampshire | 603-271-3641 603-271-2110 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Bureau, Department of Justice, 33 Capitol Street, Concord, NH 03301 |
| New Jersey | 201-504-6200
201-648-3538 (fax) |
Division of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 45025, Newark, NJ 07101 |
| New Mexico | 505-827-6910 800-678-1508 |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Drawer 1508, Santa Fe, NM 87504 |
| New York | 518-474-8583 518-474-2474 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Board, 5 Empire State Plaza, Suite 2101, Albany, NY 12223-1556 |
| North Carolina | 919-733-7741 919-733-7491 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Section, Office of Attorney General, Department of Justice, P.O. Box 629, Raleigh, NC 27602 |
| North Dakota | 701-224-3404 800-472-2600 701-328-2226 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 600 East Boulevard, Bismarck, ND 58505 |
| Ohio | 614-466-3376 800-282-0515 614-466-5087 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, State Office Tower, 30 East Broad Street, 25th Floor, Columbus,OH 43215-3428 |
| Oklahoma | 405-521-4274 405-521-6246 (fax) |
Consumer Affairs Division, Office of Attorney General, 112 State Capitol Building,Oklahoma City, OK 73105-3498 |
| Oregon | 503-378-4320 503-378-3784 (fax) |
Financial Fraud, Department of Justice, 1162 Court Street, NE, Salem, OR 97310 |
| Pennsylvania | 717-787-9707 800-441-2555 717-787-1190 (fax) |
Bureau of Consumer Protection, Office of Attorney General, Strawberry Square, 14th Floor, Harrisburg, PA 17120 |
| Rhode Island | 401-274-4400 401-277-1331 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Department of Attorney General, 72 Pine Street, Providence, RI 02903 |
| South Carolina | 803-734-9452 800-922-1594 803-734-9365 (fax) |
Department of Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 5757, Columbia, SC 29250 |
| South Dakota | 605-773-4400 605-773-4106 (fax) |
Division of Consumer Affairs, Office of Attorney General, State Capitol Building, 500 East Capitol, Pierre, SD 57501 |
| Tennessee | 615-741-4737 800-342-8385 615-741-4000 |
Division of Consumer Affairs, Department of Commerce and Insurance, 500 James Robertson Parkway, 5th Floor, Nashville,TN 37243-0600 |
| Texas | 512-463-2070 512-463-2063 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin, TX 78711 |
| Utah | 801-530-6619 801-530-6001 (fax) |
Division of Consumer Protection, Commerce Department, P.O. Box 45802, Salt Lake City, UT 84145-0802 |
| Vermont | 802-828-3171 800-649-2424 802-828-2154 (fax) |
Consumer Assistance, Office of Attorney General, 109 State St., Montpelier, VT 05609-1001 |
| Virginia | 804-786-2042 800-552-9963 804-371-2945 (fax) |
Office of Consumer Affairs, Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, 1100 Bank St., Richmond, VA 23219 |
| Washington | 360-733-6200 800-551-4636 360-664-0228 (fax) |
Consumer Resource Center, Office of Attorney General, P.O. Box 40100, Olympia, WA 98504-0100 |
| West Virginia | 304-558-8986 800-368-8808 304-588-0140 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Division, Office of Attorney General, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Building 1, Charleston, WV 25305-0220 |
| Wisconsin | 608-266-1852 608-267-2223 (fax) |
Consumer Protection Agency, Department of Justice, 123 West Washington Avenue, Room 150, Madison, WI 53707 |
| Wyoming | 307-777-7891 307-777-6869 (fax) |
Consumer Affairs Division, Office of Attorney General, 123 State Capitol Building, Cheyenne, WY 82002 |
Bills for Unordered Merchandise
You don't owe any money if you receive an item you never ordered-it's considered a gift. If you get bills or collection letters from a seller who sent you something you never ordered, write to the the seller stating your intention to treat the item as a gift. If the bills continue, insist that the seller send you proof of your order. If this doesn't stop the bilss, notify the state consumer protection agency in the state where the merchant is located.If you sent for something in response to an advertisement claiming a "free" gift or "trial" period, but are now being billed, be sure to read the fine print of the ad. It may say something about chanrging shipping and handling, or worse, you may have inadvertently joined a club or subscribed to a magazine. Write the seller, offer to reurn the merchandise and state that you believe the ad was misleading.
