The Ten Commandments of consumerism

6. Thou shalt not be pressured into buying
A good business doesn’t need to rush you into a decision. The high-pressure buy now approach is designed to keep you from comparison shopping. Don’t fall for it. If the sales person tells you the price won’t be good if you walk out the door, turn around and leave!

7. Thou shalt not assume a transaction can be undone
I am amazed at how many people think they can buy a car or some other expensive product, use it for a few days and bring it back if they don’t like it. They think everything is covered by the federal government’s 3-day cooling-off rule. Most purchases are not.

That cooling-off rule only applies to sales of $25 or more that take place at your home or away from the company’s normal place of business.

Some states have their own cooling-off periods for time share, health club or campground purchases.

The Cooling-Off Rule: When and How to Cancel a Sale

8. Thou shalt not buy a used car without an inspection
A mechanic can spot structural problems, odometer fraud and flood damage; things that won’t necessarily show up on a Car Fax report. Yes, you’ll pay $100 or so to have this done, but it’s worth the money.

REPORT FRAUD Scam victims are often embarrassed to admit they’ve been taken. If you’ve been swindled you need to report it to the National Fraud Information Center. This information is collected and reported to local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Filing a fraud report may not get your money back, but it could prevent others from becoming victims and help the authorities go after the bad guys.

I am amazed at how many people have a used vehicle inspected after they buy it. They think if they find a problem they can get the dealer to fix it for free. WRONG!

Buy that vehicle and in most cases, you are stuck dealing with those mechanical problems. That’s why you want to have the inspection done before you sign any paperwork. You need to do this even if you’re told the dealer inspected the vehicle. The Federal Trade Commission website offers some help.

9. Thou shalt guard all they personal information
Keep your private information private. Never give out passwords, pin codes or account numbers to an unknown caller, no matter who they claim to be. There’s no way you can verify that.

Never respond to an e-mail request for personal information, no matter how official it looks or how urgent it sounds. Any company you do business with already has all your personal information and will not send you an e-mail asking for it.

When in doubt, contact the company by phone — use the number you know to be legitimate —and ask them what’s up.

Always shred financial statements and records before throwing them out. The Federal Trade Commission website offers ways to fight back.

10. Thou shalt be more skeptical
We’ve all heard consumer advocates say, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” The expression has become cliché, but the advice is rock solid. If more people would follow this rule we could actually put a dent in consumer fraud.

With most scams the warning signs are there, we just tend to ignore them.  We let greed and gullibility replace common sense. Don’t give your hard-earned money to a con artist. Remember these rules:

• You can’t win a contest or lottery you didn’t enter — even if the prize winning notice says you did.
• If it’s a prize, it’s yours for free. You don’t have pay any money for anything or give out your credit card number.
• You can’t make lots of money doing virtually no work on a part time basis.
• You never have to pay money up front for a credit card or loan.
• No one can “guarantee” you a credit card despite your credit history.

FRAUD RESOURCES Con artist and swindlers are very good at what they do. They can make the bogus look legitimate. That’s why you need to stop, think and check it out, before you respond to any offer from any unknown company. A simple phone call or search on the Web could keep you from losing thousands of dollars. Remember: give your money to a con artist and chances are you’ll never see it again. You state’s Attorney General or Office of Consumer Protection is a good place to get information on phone, mail and e-mail solicitations. It’s also where you can report scams or bad business practices. Here are some other national resources. NATIONAL FRAUD INFORMATION CENTER: The center’s trained counselors help consumers identify the danger signs of possible fraud and direct them to the right places for more information, if needed. Consumers can also report suspected telemarketing or Internet fraud through the NFIC hotline or web site. These reports are relayed to a variety of local, state and federal law enforcement agencies, alerting them to problems that they may wish to investigate and providing them with the ammunition they need to stop fraud. Phone: (800) 876-7060 BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU: The BBB is not a government agency. It’s a private, not-for-profit organization that provides “reliability reports” on businesses and charities throughout the US and Canada. The BBB can help mediate or arbitrate disputes between buyers and sellers. This national site will also help you locate a Better Business Bureau office near you. CONSUMER-ACTION: Consumer Action is a national non-profit education and advocacy organization offering many free services to consumers across the country. Call the multi-lingual Consumer Hotline and talk to a counselor in English, Spanish or Chinese. This site offers numerous publications, including a guide on how to complain. Phone: (415) 777-9635 FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION: The FTC enforces a variety of federal consumer protection laws, which are designed to eliminate unfair or deceptive business practices. While the commission does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint will help them investigate fraud and could lead to law enforcement action. Phone: (877) 382-4357 The Web Site is loaded with consumer information. You can also file a complaint online. BBB’s WISE GIVING ALLIANCE: The Alliance reports on charitable organizations that solicit nationally. Find out about the group’s programs, fundraising and expenses. These reports also tell you if the organization meets the voluntary BBB charity standards. Phone: (703) 276-0100 CONSUMER ACTION HANDBOOK: This wonderful resource is now available online. It includes a wide range of consumer topics from buying a home to preventing ID theft. The Resource Directory makes it easy to contact a specific company or your local consumer protection office. There’s also information on how to complain, including a sample complaint letter. SNOPES: This site tracks urban legends new and old. If you get a mass e-mail and want to know if the information is real or a hoax, head to snopes.com.

MORE FROM CONSUMERMAN

ConsumerMan Section Front

ConsumerMan: Fed overdraft rule not enough Chinese drywall a big threat FTC nabs Moneygram Death in the digital age Free samples? Just say no ConsumerMan mailbag: Car rip-offs and more ConsumerMan Section Front   Add ConsumerMan headlines to your news reader: