Avoiding Consumer Fraud

ABA Guide to Consumer Law

Source: American Bar Association

Description:

Includes information on contracts, warranties, consumer rights


Avoiding Diet, Health, & Fitness Fraud

Source: Federal Trade Commission

Description:

Factsheets and alerts to help consumers spot fraudulent healthcare treatments, practitioners and devices.


Avoiding Health Care Fraud

Source: National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association

Description:

Founded in 1985 by several private health insurers and federal and state government officials, the National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association is the leading national organization focused exclusively on the fight against health care fraud. Their website offers information for consumers and providers.


Bureau of Consumer Protection

Source: Federal Trade Commission

Description:

Website offers a wide variety of information to help consumers avoid and report fraud and deception.


Consumer Sentinel

Source: U.S. Federal Trade Commission

Description:

Get the facts on consumer frauds from Internet cons, prize promotions, work-at-home schemes, and telemarketing scams to identity theft--and report fraud complaints so they can be shared with law enforcement.


Crime and Older People

Source: National Institute on Aging

Description:

Online factsheet covers crime, fraud, identity theft and elder abuse.


Fighting Fraud Against Older Consumers

Source: National Consumer League

Description:

Resources to help seniors identify and resist fraudulent marketing scams


Fraud Information from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service

Source: U.S. Post Office

Description:

Tips on recognizing telemarketing and mail fraud schemes


How to Spot Health Fraud (Video)

Source: U.S. Food and Drug Administration

Description:

Video helps consumers discriminate between legitimate healthcare practices and fraudulent practices and products.


National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA)

Source: U.S. Administration on Aging

Description:

National resource center dedicated to the prevention of elder mistreatment. Site offers information, resources and hotlines.


National Do Not Call Registry

Source: Federal Trade Commission

Description:

Once you register your phone number, telemarketers covered by the National Do Not Call Registry have up to 31 days from the date you register to stop calling. Violations can also be reported on this site.


National Health Care Anti-Fraud Association

Description:

Organization's goal is "to protect and serve the public interest by increasing awareness and improving the detection, investigation, civil and criminal prosecution and prevention of health care fraud."


OnGuard Online

Source: U.S. Government

Description:

Website developed by a consortium of government agencies (including the Federal Trade Commission, Homeland Security and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service). The site includes easy-to-understand information about safe auctions, phishing, spyware, etc.


Prevent Medical Identity Theft

Source: World Privacy Forum

Description:

Tips for preventing medical identity theft, including a detailed tutorial on what consumers should do if they suspect they have been victimized.


Senior Investor Resource Center

Source: North American Securities Administrators Association

Description:

Resources to protect seniors from investment fraud


Senior Medicare Patrol

Description:

Government-funded project involves professionals and senior volunteers to fight fraud, abuse and error in the Medicare and Medicaid programs


Seniors and Fraud

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

Description:

Information to help seniors and family caregivers avoid scams that target the elderly