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.
The key to protecting yourself is education. You need to be aware of current scams, and be taught basic security disciplines to avoid being victimized. Much of this may seem like common sense, but scam artists are professionals, and they make their illegal money by being very convincing.
The old rule stills applies: If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.
The buttons below detail common scams and provide useful information. Click through the pages below, and share the information with your friends.