Consumer Resources


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BBB Wise Giving Alliance: The BBB Wise Giving Alliance collects and distributes information on hundreds of nonprofit organizations that solicit nationally or have national or international program services. It routinely asks such organizations for information about their programs, governance, fund raising practices, and finances when the charities have been the subject of inquiries.

Better Business Bureau: This site provides instant access to business and consumer alerts as well as helpful resources. File a complaint online or request a BBB report on a business or charity. Locate the nearest BBB.

Consumer Information Center: Full text versions of hundreds of the best federal consumer publications available. Read for free or order a printed copy online. Also available is the 1997 Consumer's Resources Handbook which offers pre-purchase information and ways to resolve marketplace problems. Lists all state, regional, and county office of the Consumer Protection Division.

Consumer Privacy Guide: PrivacyGuide gives you useful tips for protecting your privacy and helps you take control of the way your information is used. It attempts to answer your questions, in consumer friendly, practical terms, about what you can do to assure that information that you choose to share with companies is used in ways you believe are appropriate. This site will explain terms used on the Internet that may be unfamiliar to you, provide "how-to" guides to understanding privacy resources and technologies, and point you toward other helpful resources.

Consumer Protection from Federal Trade Commission: FTC information on protecting your identity and privacy by addressing issues such as telemarketing, e-commerce, credit, investments, children's issues, and Y2K consumer issues.

Consumer.gov: "Your resource for consumer information from the federal government." Read current consumer news or even file a complaint at this federal Government web site.

FDA Consumer: Web site of the Food and Drug Administration with information on foods, human drugs, cosmetics, children and tobacco regulations, and animal drugs. Links to consumer information and the FDA Consumer, an online magazine produced by the FDA.

How to Get a Free Credit Report: Under state law, residents of Maryland are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three Credit Reporting Agencies. This means that you can contact each Agency and request your personal credit report free of charge. Provided by State Library Resource Center staff.

Institute of Consumer Financial Education: ICFE is a consumer oriented, non-profit, tax exempt public education organization dedicated to helping people of all ages improve their spending habits, increase their savings and use credit more wisely. Site includes information to use with children in teaching about appropriate spending, obtaining credit reports, budgeting and saving.

Maryland Office of People's Counsel: The Office of People's Counsel (OPC) is an independent state agency that represents residential customers in utility matters. Created in 1924, OPC is the oldest consumer advocacy office of its kind in the United States. OPC works to ensure that Maryland's residential utility consumers of natural gas, electricity, telephone, water and sewer and transportation receive safe and reliable service at the lowest possible cost.

Maryland Office of the Attorney General--Consumer Protection Division: Provides mediation services to consumers to help resolve complaints against businesses, information about complaints filed against businesses, and publications for consumer education.

N.A.D.A. Guides: "Your site for free consumer pricing." Includes new and used cars, classic cars, marine, aircraft, recreational vehicles, manufactured housing, and power sports vehicles. The values published on our Web site are from the Consumer Edition of the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide., which is published quarterly and includes values for ten years of vehicles. All data contained in the Consumer Edition is based upon information collected nationwide. The guide should be used strictly as a reference source or guide for valuing vehicles. It is not, and should not be considered absolute. While the Consumer Edition of the N.A.D.A. Official Used Car Guide is similar to other N.A.D.A. publications, vehicle values may vary due to regional differences and the time frame necessary for publication.

National Fraud Information Center: The center provides information about telemarketing fraud, Internet fraud, and fraud against the elderly. Nationwide, toll-free hotline for consumers to get advice about telephone solicitations and to report possible fraud.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission: With jurisdiction over about 15,000 types of consumer products, CPSC develops, issues, and enforces industry standards, recalls unsafe products, and educates consumers. Web site includes a library of publications, information on current product recalls, and press releases. Consumers may also report unsafe products at the web site.

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