Where to get help: Consumer Ally's guide for consumers

By Mitch Lipka Posted 3:00PM 05/07/10 Consumer Complaints, Consumer Ally

2 Comments Print Text Size A A A

Having a problem with a business and don't know where to turn? WalletPop's Consumer Ally is here to help.
Below you will find places consumers can go for help in all 50 states. We also have links to some national complaint sites and information that could be of help to consumers. If you have a suggestion for a site we should add, please let us know.

Have a look at our guide to understanding food label claims and see what means something and what doesn't.

If you can't find what you need here, please email the Consumer Ally with your issue and he'll try to help.

Here are some links to sites operated by the federal government that can be of some help:

U.S. government sites

Recalls

You can get recall information from a variety of sites. But Recalls.gov connects you to all of them at once.

If you want to go directly to one of the recall agencies, here are some links to get you there:

Household products, toys, baby gear, tools and more...

Consumer Product Safety Commission

Food, medical equipment, cosmetics and drugs

Food and Drug Administration

Automobiles, tires and car seats

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Boats

U.S. Coast Guard

Other government consumer information

For general information on a variety of topics, the U.S. General Services Administration offers a helpful A-Z list of links to a variety of consumer topics.

Here are some additional links by topic:

Air travel issues

The U.S. Department of Transportation put together a site with information about air travel issues as well as a place for consumers to log complaints.

Banking

You'll find information about banking regulators in all 50 states here.

Complaints, where to lodge them

The feds did a nifty job of compiling contacts for unhappy consumers at hundreds of companies. The handbook with all that information and some guidance on crafting a complaint letter are available in a 182-page PDF of the Consumer Information Catalog linked here -- or you can order a hard copy for free.

Identity theft, scams, credit cards, deceptive marketing, etc.

The Federal Trade Commission has a ton of information on a wide variety of topics that can be of help to consumers. They don't handle individual complaints, but rather collect them to try to pursue issues on a broader scale. Here's a link to their consumer resource page.

Annoying sales calls

You can access the National Do Not Call Registry here.

Internet scams and crimes

OnGuard Online is a multi-agency site with some helpful information.
The Internet Crime Complaint Center is a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the National White Collar Crime Center and the Bureau of Justice Assistance where you can file a formal complaint and get information about ongoing scams.

Private resolution

The Better Business Bureau is an organization (not a government agency) that actively sells memberships to businesses that commit to certain ethical guidelines. Membership or lack of membership is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a business or its commitment to good customer service.

However, the BBB does provide insight into a business' willingness to resolve complaints (which can be a good indicator) through its complaint database. The BBB also provides a convenient conduit for consumers to lodge complaints.

How to hire a mover

If you're going to entrust all your household belongings to a company, it's a good idea to check them out before signing up. There also are a few things to keep in mind since many rogue operations are set up to appear legitimate, but offer low-ball prices only to boost them later when they have all your things.

Here are some tips:

Make sure to contact at least three companies and meet their representatives at your home
Be sure to get written estimates from them based on their observations of the goods you intend to transport
For interstate moves, check the company's record in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety database, which will show whether the company is licensed, insured and how many vehicles it operates (many rogue companies create the illusion on their web sites that they have a fleet of trucks, but often have one or none)
Consider the American Moving & Storage Association's ProMover program, which is intended to present only legitimate movers

Remember, the lowest price isn't always the best. Know who you are hiring and what they are offering for the money as well as what added costs you might have to pay.

Here are some additional tips from the Moving Association.

Some issues are more appropriately dealt with at a state level. Here are the links to agencies in all 50 states that deal with consumer issues.

ALABAMA