General Information
What Does Consumer Affairs Do?
- Investigates and mediates individual complaints.
- Investigates the business practices of a particular business or industry when patterns of fraud appear.
- Enforces the Consumer Fraud Act and state regulations.
- Refers complaints to the proper agency when necessary.
- Conducts educational programs through speaking engagements, radio and T.V.
- Distributes publications warning consumers of unfair and deceptive business practices.
What Consumer Affairs Cannot Do
- We cannot handle every kind of complaint. If we can't handle yours, we will put you in touch with someone who may be able to assist you.
- We cannot impose a resolution on either party.
- We cannot give legal advice or act as your lawyer.
- We cannot recommend one business or product over another.
- We cannot control the price for which a merchant sells his or her goods and services.
The NJ Division of Consumer Affairs mandates that county offices perform task force inspections several times a year. The purpose of these inspections is to verify that businesses are in compliance with State regulations. Other inspections are conducted to ascertain the whereabouts of a business, such as to confirm if a business has moved or to gather information from neighboring businesses. In addition, on-site inspections are conducted to confirm the validity of factual information received in a particular complaint.
This department serves as a source of information to consumers. You can obtain a complaint history on a business prior to doing business with a particular company. We are able to provide this very important information to the public.