Let the buyer beware!
Consumer rights
The Consumer Action Handbook offers dozens of plain language pages summarizing your legal rights concerning all kinds of transactions. The following sites are most frequently requested:- New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs
- consumer news, alerts, and complaint forms
- Consumer Information Center
- consumer publications from the Federal Government...many are online full-text
- Cooling-off Rule
- FTC's rule may give you 3 days to cancel purchases of $25 or more
- Direct selling
- read the code of ethics from the Direct Selling Association
- Home ownership
- information from HUD includes section on housing discrimination
- Landlord/Tenant rights
- information on claims and restitution from the New Jersey Superior Court
- Shopping by phone or mail
- consumer tips from the Federal Trade Commission...also check out their page on cybershopping (ordering products through the Internet)
- Unsolicited merchandise
- your rights according to the U.S. Postal Service
- Opt Outs, from World Privacy Forum
- how to get off lists and out of databases
Automobiles
New Jersey state regulations (11 N.J.A.C 3-10.4) mandate sources to be used for valuing vehicles for insurance purposes. Drop us a note or call (973-285-6969) if you need the numbers from state-mandated (N.A.D.A. & The Automotive Red Book: A Primedia Digest [formerly National Market Reports' Automobile Blue Book] sources. What you should know about automobile insurance in New Jersey.
MCL's carguide page links you to pricing, safety/crash tests, technical service bulletins and recall information.
- Automobile buying tips
- how to evaluate sales contracts, leasing agreements and financing options
- New Jersey's Lemon Laws cover both new and used cars.
- overview of the current laws and restitution procedures
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- Prices, new and used and leasing primer
- Edmund's and Kelley Blue Books
- Better Business Bureau Auto Line
- how to file a lemon law/warranty complaint
Bankruptcy
- US Bankruptcy Court, NJ, forms
- US Bankruptcy Court, District of NJ
Checking on charities
Is an organization really a charitable (non-profit) group? Check the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) Cumulative List of Organizations (Publication 78). Most charities are also required to register with the NJ Charitable Registration Division. Many groups have similar names. Make sure you have the exact name of the charity you are researching.
- Charity Navigator
- 3,400 charities rated and ranked by efficiency. Includes summary financial data, executive compensation and donor privacy notes.
- American Philanthropy Institute
- Charities giving 75% or more of money raised to program costs.
- BBB Charity Reports
- check here for complaint records on hundreds of charities
- CBBB Standards for Charitable Solicitations
- guidelines for evaluating how charities spend their money
- Charity Checklist
- precautions you can take to ensure that a charity is legitimate
- Guidestar's Nonprofit Database
- search 600,000 tax exempt organizations by name, location and activity...incudes links to financial reports and home pages
- 990 Search, Foundation Center
- Financial forms filed by non-profits with the IRS (current and recent years)
- Wise Giving Alliance
- offers tips on charitable giving and links to 200+ reports on major charities
Class action lawsuits
- Securities Class Action Clearinghouse--active suits filed in the U.S. court system.
- sponsored by Stanford University School of Law
Health & food
- Consumer news
- the Federal Trade Commission warns about indoor tanning, health spas, sunscreens, diet fads and other common health concerns
- Cruise Ship Vessel Sanitation Program
- considering a cruise?...check out your ship's latest health rating
- Health Information for International Travel
- "Yellow Book"...health precautions, warnings and required immunizations by country; sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control
- Hospital fines & enforcement actions
- NJ Dept. of Health provides brief summary including reason for citation, list begins November 4, 1999
- Meat & Poultry Recalls
- latest news on the companies, contaminants and statistics
- MedWatch Alerts
- controversial medication news from the Food and Drug Administration
- New Jersey Licensed Physicians
- NJ Doctor List
- includes malpractice violations
- Toxic Release Inventory
- database maintained by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...search for toxic chemicals in your neighborhood (just enter your zip code!)
Insurance companies
Companies that have been cited by NJ for fines, license revocations and suspensions.
- A. M. Best
- free ratings online; MCL owns current directories
- Health Insurance in NJ, Consumer's Guide
- Fitch, (formerly Duff & Phelps)
- offers free ratings on the Web
- Mergent (formerly Moody's)
- offers free ratings on the Web--not comprehensive, these companies have requested ratings
- NJ Dept of Banking and Insurance--consumer guides, licensee information, online complaint forms
- Standard & Poors
- offers free ratings on the Web--not comprehensive, these companies have requested ratings
- TheStreet.com
- MCL owns print edition of TheStreet.com (formerly Weiss) ratings for HMO companies.
Investment advisors & financial planners
Make sure you are doing business with a registered broker or certified financial planner and that the stocks he wants you to purchase are legitimate.
Securities dealers
- New Jersey Bureau of Securities
- call (973) 504-3600 to make sure your broker is licensed to do business in our state, Web site includes online complaint form and list of recent disciplinary actions. The Investment Advisor Registration Depository (973) 504-3656 will verify a broker/dealer’s credentials. You can request a free report on any NJ investment advisor from this department. Requests must be made in writing and can be faxed (973) 504-3601. Turnaround time varies according to current workload.
- U. S. Securities & Exchange Commission-Investor education & assistance
- complaint center includes online forms...(202)942-7040
- Regulation Complaint Program (NASD)
- everything you need to know about broker ethics, federal regulation and disciplinary procedures from the National Association of Securities Dealers.
- Investor Alerts (SEC)
- read up on the latest scams
- Investment schemes (FTC)
- how to evaluate the legitimacy of Internet-based investment opportunities, rare coins, international lotteries, time-share resales...
Financial planners
Some financial planners are also investment managers and a regulated by the organizations listed above. Planners are not listed in industry-specific directories nor are they required to be licensed by the State of New Jersey. There are several organizations which certify financial planning specialists. Financial planners are listed in the local telephone book and in the Reference USA database.
Lawyers
Online security
Scams & frauds
Complaints & remedies
The Consumer Action Handbook, published by the Federal Citizen Information Center,
is the best place to find everything you need to know when it comes to solving consumer disputes. Looking for
company contact information? If you can't find it online, call your library. Need a
sample complaint letter?
Questions?