Safety
AROUND YOUR HOME

Protect yourself from consumer fraud

Barbara Cooper

Consumers lose billions of dollars each year because of fraud. Legally, fraud is the intentional misrepresentation of an important fact made to influence the buyer. Consumers are solicited to take part in fraud schemes by mail, telephone or by door to door sales. The newest place to look for fraudulent offers is the Internet. Common swindles include home improvement fraud, sweepstakes and free prize offers, work-at-home schemes, travel offers, credit repair offers, investments, charities and 900 phone numbers.

Con artists tend to target older citizens. According to some research from Eastern Michigan University, elderly victims of confidence swindles are more likely to be female, age 65 to 79.

There are some general warning signs of fraud. One warning sign is an offer of something for nothing or free merchandise. You should be suspicious of promises of free prizes or awards; often there are strings attached and fees and other costs that may far exceed the value of the "free" merchandise.

A second warning sign is pressure to act now. In most situations, any legitimate offer that is good today should be good tomorrow. Beware of a sales person who runs down their own merchandise or another seller's merchandise. This technique is usually used to set you up to consider a more expensive good or service.

A fourth warning sign is a contract with vague or tricky wording. Don't sign any contract you don't understand or one with blanks that are not filled in. Take the time to have someone you trust review any legal documents before signing. Be suspicious when the seller's spoken promises are different from the contract.

Beware of exaggerated claims or lavish promises. Remember — if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If the seller makes claims that just don't seem likely, check it out before buying.

Several private and public agencies help protect consumers against fraud and may be able to help those who have been victims. The Illinois Attorney General is charged with protecting Illinois consumers against fraud and prosecuting those who practice fraud. If you have a question about a seller or an offer, contact an office of the Attorney General. There are offices in Springfield, Chicago and Carbondale. Your call may also help to warn other consumers.

Another helpful source of information about sellers are Better Business Bureaus (BBB). A BBB keeps track of complaints about sellers and will share that information with consumers. If a business doesn't treat consumers fairly, you won't learn that by calling a BBB if no one has called to complain. BBBs also will work with consumers to resolve complaints against sellers. There are two BBBs in Illinois (one in Chicago and one in Peoria); many consumers in southwest Illinois may also use the services of the BBB in St. Louis. You may also call a BBB in another state if you want information about a seller located elsewhere.

Consumers are their own best line of defense in protecting themselves against consumer fraud. To avoid becoming a victim of fraud, consumers should:

Take time to think through decisions. Get more than one estimate and ask a trusted friend to review the options with them before deciding. Politely but firmly say "no" to situations that appear suspicious. Exercise your consumer rights.

Consumers can also reduce the number of chances sellers have to contact them by removing their names from mail and telephone lists and asking magazine publishers and mail order firms not to sell their names to other marketers.

Barbara Cooper is a consumer & family economics educator at the Springfield Extension Center, Cooperative Extension Service. You may write to her in care of Illinois Country Living, P.O. Box 3787, Springfield, IL 62708. Telephone her at (217) 782-6515 or send e-mail to cooperb@Idea.ag.uiuc.edu.

14 ILLINOIS COUNTRY LIVING JUNE 1998