Knowing where to go when problems arise can prevent serious headaches. For the fifth tip of National Consumer Protection Week—or NCPW—Better Business Bureau serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington reminds consumers to turn to consumer protection groups.
Understand available resources. Find service organizations.
U.S. Federal Reserve—the central bank of the United States—provides advice on monetary matters at federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo.
U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or FDIC provides consumer protection tools for the nation's financial system at fdic.gov/consumers.
Annual Credit Report allows individuals to check free credit reports once per year from annualcreditreport.com.
Credit Reporting Bureaus let identity theft victims place fraud alerts on credit reports:
Federal Trade Commission or FTC is the nation's consumer advocacy group, which provides anti-fraud tools and other marketplace information at ftc.gov/bcp.
Internet Crime Complaint Center or IC3 allows users to learn about Internet crimes and file complaints at ic3.gov.
National Do Not Call Registry helps reduce telemarketing calls; add phone numbers to the registry at donotcall.gov or call 1-888-382-1222.
Alaska State Troopers are the "first line of defense in the last frontier" and can be reached at alaska.gov/ast.
Alaska Attorney General is a legal advisor and consumer protection agency that can be reached at law.state.ak.us or 907-269-5200.
Alaska Government Department Directory provides access to local government resources at alaska.gov/akdir1.
Oregon Department of Justice is a consumer protection agency that offers anti-fraud information and complaint assistance at doj.state.or.us.
Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services is a regulatory agency that offers statewide consumer protection resources at oregon.gov/dcbs.
Better Business Bureau provides free BBB Business Reviews, shopping advice for consumers, guidance for businesses and complaint services at
bbb.org.
National Consumer Protection Week:
National Consumer Protection Week: NCPW is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and make better-informed decisions.
About your BBB serving Alaska, Oregon and Western Washington:
Working to advance marketplace trust, BBB is a neutral not-for-profit organization supported by BBB Accredited Businesses. BBB provides ethical business standards, BBB Business Reviews, Charity Reviews, complaint handling, marketplace events and tips. For more information, contact BBB or visit www.bbb.org.
