Consumer Law

Ever year money is forgotten in banks, retirement accounts, investment accounts, IRS refunds and other government and financial institutions. This forgotten money often goes unclaimed for years....

The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), which was enacted in 1966, provides any person or entity (U.S. citizen, foreign national, organization, association and university) the right to obtain...

The Rosenthal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, beginning at Section 1788 of the California Civil Code, regulates debt collectors' activities, including collection letters.

Fixing a medical bill is necessary when your medical provider has charged you for services or procedures you did not receive, or your insurance company is refusing to pay your claim. Even though...

Small claims court is an efficient, streamlined legal process for consumers and small businesses to settle disputes. The first concerns are usually about the size and nature of the claim--state...

If you are owed money you need to avail yourself of all legally available collection opportunities. You have the best opportunity to gain what is due to you by taking a comprehensive approach. On...

When a creditor sells a debt to a collection agency, it provides the company with the amount owed and all of the personal information it currently has on the debtor. The collection agency then...

The Federal Reserve regulates the nation's banks. Banks exist to make money like any other business, but they must also follow rules and regulations for the protection of the public. Consumers who...

Before President Barack Obama signed new legislation on May 20, 2009, you had few legal options if you were a tenant in a house that was in foreclosure. In some cases, you had to find another...

There's nothing like the joy and excitement of winning a contest or sweepstakes. Unfortunately, not all sweepstakes are held with forthright intentions. As a result of entering an unscrupulous...

A brute force credit card attack occurs when would-be thieves mechanically input random credit card numbers, hoping to find a valid number they can use. These attackers are merely guessing at...

Even if you didn't pay a debt, you have rights when contacted by a collection agency. The Federal Trade Commission is the primary governing body that regulates such companies, though other...

If there is a civil court judgment outstanding against you, it could seriously affect your credit, your ability to obtain a job, and your reputation. Should a creditor attempt to collect, you...

The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides legal protections for consumers and sets guidelines for the use of credit information.

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 - what the regulations mean.

Don't assume that your utility company has automated technology for monitoring the status of its lines, poles and lights. Likewise, it is not a safe bet that the company patrols its coverage area...

Your credit score is calculated using the information reflected in your credit report. If you have good debt management skills and review your credit report regularly for errors, your credit score...

It is now considered mandatory for a creditor to check a debtor's credit report before extending him any new line of credit. Many consumers do not realize, however, that their credit history is...

Medicaid is a health insurance program that receives funding from both the state and federal governments for the purpose of ensuring that low-income disabled individuals, children and families...

Energy efficiency is a top priority for many homeowners today. So is saving money. So when the United States government announces that it is continuing its program of offering a tax credit for...

Spain is a relaxed easy going kind of place but it can also be an infuriating place to be when things go wrong or you have been done an injustice. The problem is that complaints seem to go...

The Tissot watch company was established in 1853 in the small village of Le Locle, Switzerland. The company provides high-quality timepieces to consumers in 150 countries as of 2009. Because of...

Young people who are just beginning to establish credit have a difficult time since they have no credit history to help build scores. Some loan types will accept alternative credit sources in...

As a health care provider you not only confront the challenges of healing patients but those associated with getting paid for your services as well. Even patients with health insurance oftentimes...

While many people attempt to deal with credit card debt without outside assistance, there are times when a lawyer can be your only hope. Credit card companies may lower your credit line or raise...

If your address is part of a real estate agent's farm--that is, the area that the salesperson is targeting for business--as often as once a week, you open your mail box and find another real...

Considering paying off debt of a family member or a friend is not a course to be taken lightly. Taking on debt of another individual places an additional burden on your own finances. Moreover, by...

A common collection technique utilized by creditors is placing a levy on a consumer's checking account. Such a levy attaches to a checking account with no prior notice to a consumer and repeats...

Financial institutions and companies define unclaimed property as accounts where there has been no activity for a year or more. Unclaimed property can be savings or checking accounts, stocks,...

The Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) calculates people's credit worthiness, and their scores are used by most financial institutions in determining whether a person should be granted credit. It is...

A credit report contains a detailed summary of an individual's credit worthiness as reflected through his past and present borrowing and repaying history, payment history, and any filed...

Even a minor medical procedure or treatment potentially results in a significant amount in bills. Dealing with the wave of medical bills that follow a treatment or procedure can be enough to swamp...

One of the largest auction and online stores in the world is eBay, but the website is not without its faults. There are many complaints registered by buyers and sellers on the site, including...

A credit report contains information about a person's financial background, such as a history of their borrowing, a history of their residential addresses, their employment history, and a history...

The Fair Housing Act outlines regulations for equal-opportunity housing for people of protected classes. Tenants are given civil rights relating to dwellings under the federal law.

Finding a charge on your credit card statement that you did not make yourself or finding a bank account suddenly depleted of its funds can be a scary and frustrating experience. A consumer may...

In May 2009, President Barack Obama signed into law the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act, giving Americans new protections from some old credit-card company practices. Because the American...

Pyramid schemes are illegal marketing efforts where people are compensated for recruiting new members. The people who originally start the pyramid scheme generally do very well financially....

The Payday Loan Reform Act amends the Truth in Lending Act by establishing "payday loan disclosure requirements" and creating "protections for consumers."

Deception and illegal practices aren't uncommon in debt collection and credit reporting, which is why such practices are addressed in the Federal Trade Commission Act. The act, enforced by the...

Your credit report contains personal information about you that affects whether you can get credit, a loan, your interest rate on a loan, an apartment, a mortgage, a job, insurance, utilities or a...

According to EcoCycle.org, an average person spends eight months of their life taking care of junk mail. Instead of wasting time with all of it, try sending it back to the company it came from....

Credit card debt becomes uncollectible when the liabilities of a person who has a defaulted credit card account exceed his assets and ability to pay. Usually, this determination is made after a...

During tough economic times, debt collectors are generally more aggressive than ever in their efforts to collect debt from consumers. However, many debt collectors violate consumers' rights under...

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), gives individuals the right to sue companies and individuals that cause false information to be placed on a...