Econsumer.gov Consumer Basics Econsumer.gov Econsumer.gov, which was established in 2001, is a website where consumers can file complaints about online and related transactions with foreign companies.
U.S. Department of Justice Consumer Basics U.S. Department of Justice The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which is led by the Attorney General, is the federal executive department responsible for enforcing federal laws. Among other things, it works with other…
Direct Marketing Association Consumer Basics Direct Marketing Association The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) is a trade group made up of all those pesky companies we have to thank for telemarketing, spam, and junk mail, among others. The group…
Engagement Marketing Consumer Basics Engagement Marketing How companies get us to engage and form a relationship with the brand or product they are selling.
Better Business Bureau Consumer Basics Better Business Bureau The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is made up of several local chapters in the United States and Canada that all work through their parent corporation, the Council of Better Business…
Self-regulation in the Alcohol Industry Consumer Basics Self-regulation in the Alcohol Industry The alcohol industry’s self-regulation efforts have historically focused on three main areas – drunk driving, underage drinking, and problem drinking – and have achieved what many observers say is a…
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Consumer Basics Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), which was formed in 1933, is a U.S. government corporation that generally focuses on guaranteeing the safety of deposits in member banks.
Food and Drug Administration Consumer Basics Food and Drug Administration The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is the federal agency that is responsible for protecting public health through regulation and supervision of several different types of products, including food…
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Basics Federal Trade Commission The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which was created in 1914, is a federal agency that is tasked with promoting consumer protection. One of the central ways it does this is…
National Credit Union Administration Consumer Basics National Credit Union Administration Since 1970, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) has been the regulator and primary enforcement authority for federal credit unions. Among its many responsibilities, the NCUA is charged with enforcing…
Sweepstakes & Prizes Consumer Basics Sweepstakes & Prizes Sweepstakes and lotteries may be scams in disguise.
Truth is Not Always a Defense Consumer Basics Truth is Not Always a Defense The truth is bigger than the sum of an ad’s parts.
What to Know about Sponsored Content Consumer Basics What to Know about Sponsored Content It’s getting harder to distinguish advertisements from objective content.
Puffery – A Marketer’s Right To Lie Consumer Basics Puffery – A Marketer’s Right To Lie Ads can legally lie to you as long as the lie is so obvious an exaggeration that you know not to take it seriously.