Consumer protection available

The consumer marketplace can be confusing, and in this day and age, you must spend your money wisely. It can sometimes be difficult to sort the scams from the bargains. You may wonder, how can card services keep calling me if I am on the Do-Not-Call list; does the lemon law apply to used car purchases; do all stores have to accept returns on goods for a full refund; would my bank really contact me via email about my account; or do I have the three-day right to cancel when I purchase a car? Answers to these questions are not hard to find, but you are not alone when it comes to dealing with the marketplace.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection and Antitrust Division is available to help. CPAT can tell you if it has received complaints about a particular company, and if and how those complaints were resolved. By contacting CPAT, you can learn from the experiences of others and avoid scams, saving you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

CPAT also has a great deal of information on various consumer issues. You can get concise information about wire fraud scams, do-not-call, identity theft and a variety of other scams and consumer education topics. Dozens of brochures produced by the Federal Trade Commission also are available from CPAT. All information and services are free and most of the information is on the attorney general’s website at www.ag.nd.gov.

In addition to the written information, CPAT staff members conduct a number of educational programs throughout the state. Various groups and organizations such as banks, service clubs, law enforcement, schools and senior organizations sponsor these programs, and they are offered free of charge to the participants.

CPAT’s four investigators help mediate complaints consumers have against businesses. Mediation is free and usually is effective. Consumers, however, do not have to agree to a proposed resolution through the Office of Attorney General and can pursue other relief, including private legal action. CPAT acts as a neutral third party to help mediate disputes. In 2011 CPAT helped return $561,822.75 to consumers. A total of 1,098 complaints were opened during 2011; another 1,064 complaints were closed during this same period.

CPAT may take legal action for fraudulent conduct if a scam’s impact is widespread and involves a pattern of fraudulent activity. CPAT collected another $1,654,078 during 2011 in civil penalties, attorneys’ fees and legal costs.

State law prohibits attorney general employees from giving legal advice to private citizens, but CPAT staff can assist you in gathering information to help you make informed decisions.

The best advice is to do your homework when you are considering conducting business with any company with which you are not familiar. The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division should be your first stop. Please contact the Consumer Protection Division toll free at 1-800-472-2600.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division investigates allegations of fraud in the marketplace. Investigators also mediate individual complaints against businesses. If you have a consumer problem or question, call the Consumer Protection Division at 328-3404, toll-free at 1 800-472-2600, or 1-800-366-6888 (w/TTY). This article and other consumer information is located on our website at www.ag.nd.gov.

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