The following organizations can help you determine whether an offer is legitimate. They will tell you if they received any complaints about the company, or if the company is currently under investigation.
- Better Business Bureau (BBB): The BBB web page includes a directory of BBB's in the US and Canada and forms you
use to file a complaint. Send e-mail to bbb@bbb.org or call 703-276-0100 or 703-525-8277 for the telephone number of your local BBB.
When calling the BBB to get a report on a company, you should call both your local
BBB office as well as the BBB office closest to the company's headquarters.
- National Fraud Information Consumers League: This is a hotline operated by the National Consumers League. The NFIC passes information
along to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the appropriate Attorney General's
Office, so you don't need to contact the FTC directly. The telephone number to call
800-876-7060.
- State Bureau Of Consumer Protection
- State Attorney General's Office
- State Chamber Of Commerce
- Call For Action: 202-537-0585 or 202-537-1551 (TDD). Call for Action is an international network of radio and television consumer hotlines, based in Washington, DC. Their address is Call For Action, 3400 Idaho Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20006.
If the problem involves telemarketing fraud, the following organizations may be able to provide advice and assistance.
- Chief Postal Inspector:
US Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza, SW, Room 3021
Washington, DC 20260-2100
202-268-4267 - Postal Crime Hotline: 800-654-8896.