Monday, December 1, 2008

Consumer Scams - do your homework

The Internet can be a deceit-filled cauldron for on-line consumers.  Though there are plenty of reputable and reliable e-tailers and manufacturers on the net, don’t ignore that little voice in your head when it questions the veracity of a product’s claims.  One should always do a little research before leaping to buy that newfangled thingamajig.

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Here’s a list of some sites to help you do your detective work:

  • bbb.org - the old standby still gets the job done.  very good with local research.
  • complaints.com - not always loaded with info but easy to use and you can strike gold.
  • ripoffreport.com - has a very ‘America’s Most Wanted’ feel about it, if you go for that kind of thing.
  • peoples-law.info - consumer law site will help you get after ‘em.
  • consumerwebwatch.org - the folks at Consumer Reports take on web scams.
  • consumerfraudreporting.org - ad-supported site that can aid you in everything from locating your local FBI office, to helping you avoid getting scammed by a psychic.

Also, there’s no trusting those those internet suffixes anymore.  The .org, net, info, etc designation does NOT necessarily indicate non-profit status. Plenty of sites are misrepresenting themselves for fun and profit.  Be careful out there.

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