During Consumer Protection Week,

Take Care Of Basics

HARTFORD — Consumer Protection Week is the first week of March every year, and this year its all about using basic tools to protect your finances, Jerry Farrell, Jr, commissioner of the Department of Consumer Protection, said.

“With everyone’s attention focused on the economy and the job market, it’s easy to lose sight of some easy protections that we can do for ourselves,” Mr Farrell said. “Consumer Protection Week reminds us to get back on track.”

“Contracts often get people into trouble,” the commissioner said. “The laws are different depending on the type of contract, so buyers need to be clear about their rights before signing.”

Some contracts offer a three-day “cooling-off” period, and others do not. Consumers do have three days to cancel a contract for home improvement, dating services, health clubs, and diet programs.

But the cooling-off period does not apply to a contract signed for new or used automobiles, real estate, new home construction, or home heating fuel.

On any contract, be sure that both you and the seller sign it, and take a full, signed copy of the contract with you.

Stop annoying telemarketing calls with the Do Not Call List. Getting on the federal Do Not Call List is free and simple. You can sign up your home phones and cellphones at www.donotcall.gov. You can also sign up toll-free at 888-382-1222. Telemarketers are barred from calling registered numbers unless they are from charities, political groups, surveys, or companies with which you have ties. You are signed up indefinitely until you take yourself off.

“Once you’re on the list, telemarketing calls should stop or be greatly reduced, but if an unwanted call does come in, simply ask them not to call back, and hang up,” Mr Farrell said. “If the company continues to bother you, file a complaint with the department and we’ll investigate. We enforce this law in Connecticut, and we’re ready to go after companies that try get around it.”

Review Credit Report

Order and review a copy of your credit report. You can get one free credit history every year from each of the three major credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Order only from the www.annualcreditreport.com website or call 877-322-8228. Other sites may charge you for the report or for something else that you do not need.

Notify the credit bureaus in writing of any questionable entries that you find in your report and follow through until they are explained or removed.

A new study indicates that identity theft is still the biggest source of consumer fraud, costing United States companies and consumers $57 billion last year. Consumers can do a lot to prevent being a target.

“About a third of all known identity crimes involve a lost or stolen wallet, checkbook, or credit card, so in addition to keeping an eye on your purse or wallet, don’t keep any written passwords or PIN codes in your wallet or checkbook,” Mr Farrell said. “Likewise, store your Social Security card safe at home except when you absolutely need to use it.”

Do not throw away ATM receipts, credit receipts, credit statements, credit cards, or bank statements unless they have been shredded first. The same goes for any credit card “convenience checks” and new credit offers received in the mail.

Never give your credit card number or social security number over the telephone — unless you are the one initiating the call and you know how it will be used.

“Roadside mailboxes are favorite targets of identity thieves looking for checks and credit card numbers, so don’t let your mail sit in your mailbox all day,” Mr Farrell said. “Also, try to send your outgoing mail from a post office or official US mailbox, rather than leaving it in your mailbox with the flag up.”

The Department of Consumer Protection’s web page on identity theft offers additional information, including steps to take if your identity is stolen. Go to www.ct.gov/dcp and select the Identity Theft link on the right side of the page.

Junk Mail Opt Out

Spend less time sorting and shredding by opting out of offers for new credit cards, mortgages, and loans. Call the credit bureaus’ free opt-out service toll-free at 888-567-8688 from your home phone, or register online at www.optoutprescreen.com.

If you call, the automated voice-response system is going to ask for your name, telephone number, and Social Security number; it is ok in this case to provide the information because the credit bureaus already have it as part of your credit history. You can opt out of credit offers for five years or forever.

Great free websites for staying informed about consumer issues include:

*ConsumerAffairs.com is a private nonprofit site that offers The Daily Consumer, a free daily email newsletter on current consumer-related issues. The site also maintains a Rogues’ List of problem companies.

*Stay current with any and all government recalls at www.recalls.gov.

*MyMoney.gov is a federal government website that offers all kinds of tools for buying a home, investing, teaching young people about money, and planning for retirement.

*The Department of Consumer Protection’s website at www.ct.gov/dcp is updated daily with news releases, a wide range of publications, informative videos, links to all kinds of resources, and email addresses to people who can answer consumer questions.

Finally, Mr Farrell suggests that consumers practice listening to their internal radar. “If the offer appears too good to be true, it probably is,” the commissioner said. “Follow your instincts and use common sense. Know who you are dealing with, or learn more about them before you spend your money with them.”