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Consumer protection is a matter of both laws and the action of various agencies to protect the rights of consumers while encouraging fair trade and competition between businesses. When businesses use fraudulent or unethical trade practices to take unfair advantage, these agencies are a major resource for complaint resolution. Given below are some common questions that are often asked about the role of consumer protection agencies. What are the options when a company is unwilling to honor the warranty on a part they have installed?
There are three possible courses of action. The first is to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Most businesses want to maintain their reputation and will act to make amends to an unhappy customer and keep a high BBB rating. Even if the complaint produces no results, other customers will be warned about the company’s failure to meet its obligations. The state Consumer Protection Agency is another resource. It is empowered to investigate such matters but unless multiple complaints are received for the same company, investigations are normally not undertaken. The third option is to sue the company in the small claims court for the cost of the part that should have been replaced under warranty. The normal procedure is to send a formal notice to the company that if the problem is not resolved within a fixed timeframe, legal action will be initiated. In most cases this is enough to motivate the company to act and settle the matter. A consumer has been contacted by people claiming to be from the Consumer Protection Agency in Virginia. The person was informed that he has won a large amount of money in a sweepstakes and is required to remit $2,500 as bond following which the winning will be delivered. Is this possible?
The Consumer Affairs Agency in Virginia is government agency that does not participate in sweepstakes. As such, this is obviously a scam designed to extract money fraudulently in the form of an upfront bond. A person received letters from an insurance provider that his group medical plan would stand cancelled from a specific date. The consumer therefore stopped payments. Subsequently the person was informed that the policy can only be cancelled after a request it in writing. He was told that payments are due from him and the matter has now been handed over to an attorney. What should he do?
He should send the provider a letter disputing the charges along with copies of the letters that were received informing him of the cancellation of the medical plan. This should be sent by certified mail so that he will know the letter has been received. If the provider is unwilling to resolve the situation, he should file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the state Consumer Protection Agency. He may also consider retaining an attorney to represent him. Normally, if there is proof that the provider gave notice of cancellation of a policy effective from a definite date, the provider will be agreeable to settle the matter. A group purchased bus tickets from a travel agency for a trip to Mexico. The bus dropped them off in a town 30 miles from their starting point after which they were forced to take a taxi to the nearest airport and then had to pay $400 for airline tickets to their destination. How do they get a refund?
They should file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the state Consumer Protection Agency who will try to persuade the company to make the appropriate refund. If the outcome is not satisfactory, a claim can be filed in the small claims court. The court will guide them on the documentation to be completed. When consumers are unsure about their rights under the law or the role of Consumer Protection Agencies, it is advisable to ask a consumer protection lawyer to examine the case and suggest the best course of action.
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