NCJ Number
76324
Date Published
1978
Length
42 pages
Annotation
Prepared for Vermont consumers, this booklet describes State and Federal laws regarding consumer fraud, involving mail order and door-to-door sales, credit practices, and warranties.
Abstract
The discussion of Vermont's Consumer Fraud Act focuses on two commonly violated regulations -- prohibitions against bait advertising and deceptive advertising. Suggestions for identifying these tactics are given. Mail order complaints are then addressed, followed by purchases made from a door-to-door salesperson. Vermont law allows the buyer to cancel a door-to-door transaction of over $5 by midnight of the third business day after signing the contract. The section on credit begins by outlining the antidiscriminatory provisions of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act and considers how a woman can establish a credit history in her own name. Federal agencies which handle complaints about credit discrimination are listed. Rights afforded consumers regarding credit reports and correction of billing errors under the Fair Credit Billing Act are summarized, and procedures for disputing a bill are detailed. State and Federal laws which protect consumers from abusive debt collection practices are also covered, with attention to threats, harassment, unreasonable publication of debts, and deceptive representation or unconscionable means used by debt collectors. The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act requires that firms which give warranties meet certain standards and provide certain information. Full, limited, and implied warranties are defined. The booklet's final section explains the functions of Vermont's Consumer Protection Division and procedures for filing consumer complaints. Several State and Federal agencies which have jurisdiction over specific consumer matters are listed, along with their addresses and telephone numbers.