Right Column
Financial and Privacy Resources
Better Business Bureau
If you need assistance resolving a dispute with a business, or
checking on a company's consumer complaint track record,
the Better Business Bureau can be a great resource. They
also offer tips on a variety of consumer topics.
www.bbb.org/
California Department of Corporations
The California Department of Corporations is California's
investment and financing authority. Consumers can check out
money managers, financial planners or other investment advisors
on the Department's Investment Advisor Public Disclosure
Web site. The Department's Seniors Against Investment
Fraud (SAIF) Program is a statewide outreach campaign to alert
and educate all Californians over the age of 50 about investment
and telemarketing fraud crimes and how to avoid being victimized.
www.corp.ca.gov
California Department of Financial Institutions
The California Department of Financial Institutions is responsible
for administering state laws regulating state-licensed financial
institutions: banks, credit unions, industrial banks, savings
associations, trust companies, offices of foreign banks,
issuers of travelers checks and payment instruments (money
orders), and transmitters of money abroad. The Department's
Web site provides a link to the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation's (FDIC) Web site, which offers resources
to educate and protect consumers, revitalize communities,
and promote compliance with the Community Reinvestment Act
and fair lending laws.
www.dfi.ca.gov
www.fdic.gov
California Department of Insurance
The California Department of Insurance (DOI) protects consumers,
both through its investigative focus on fraud, and through
programs that inform and protect seniors from insurance scams.
DOI has launched major lawsuits, investigations and instituted
new regulations attacking corrupt sales practices in the
insurance industry. The department's Fraud Division
is charged with enforcing the provisions of Chapter 12 of
the California Insurance Code, commonly referred to as the
"Insurance Frauds Prevention Act." Cases investigated
by the Fraud Division most often involve criminal acts related
to automobile property and personal injury, workers' compensation,
health insurance and residential and commercial property claims.
www.insurance.ca.gov
California Office of Privacy Protection
The California Department of Consumer Affairs Office of Privacy
Protection is the home for the first state agency dedicated
to promoting and protecting the privacy rights of consumers.
The Office of Privacy Protection assists individuals with
identity theft and other privacy-related concerns; provides
consumer education and information on privacy issues; coordinates
with local, state and federal law enforcement on identity
theft investigations; and recommends policies and practices
that protect individual privacy rights.
www.privacy.ca.gov
California Department of Real Estate
The California Department of Real Estate protects the public
in real estate transactions and provides related services
to the real estate industry. It provides consumers with information
on predatory lending practices. The term "predatory
lending" encompasses a variety of home mortgage lending
practices. Predatory lenders often try to pressure consumers
into signing loan agreements that they cannot afford or that
simply are not in the consumers' best interest. Homeowners
in certain communities, particularly the elderly and minorities,
are especially likely to be targets of predatory lending,
but almost anyone can fall prey to abusive lending practices.
You can protect yourself by knowing what you can afford;
choosing a reputable, licensed broker/lender; understanding
the loan application and contract; and being aware of commonly
used predatory lending tactics.
www.dre.ca.gov
Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
The death of a loved one is undoubtedly the most traumatic
experience any of us will ever encounter. The California
Department of Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau
and itshave information that
can help seniors ask the right questions, compare prices and services,
and make informed decisions.
www.cfb.ca.gov
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Whether seniors are nearing -- or already enjoying -- retirement,
it pays to stay on top of finances. Nearly one-third of all
U.S. investors are between 50 and 64 years of age, and approximately
5 million senior citizens succumb to financial abuse each year.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Office of Investor
Education and Assistance has assembled key resources and links for
investors in the "For Seniors" section
of the SEC Web site.
www.sec.gov/investor/seniors.shtml
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces a variety of federal
antitrust and consumer protection laws to ensure that the
nation's markets function competitively. The commission also
works to enhance the smooth operation of the marketplace
by eliminating acts or practices that are unfair or deceptive.
In general, the FTC's efforts are directed toward stopping
actions that threaten consumers' opportunities to exercise
informed choice. You can reach the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP
(382-4375) or visit their Web site for publications and advice
on a variety of consumer topics. Available topics include:
avoiding scams and rip-offs; automobiles; credit; diet; health
and fitness; e-commerce and the Internet; energy and the
environment; franchise and business opportunities; identity
theft; investments; privacy; products and services; telemarketing;
telephone services; and travel.
www.ftc.gov
Senior Legal Hotline
The Senior Legal Hotline provides free, confidential legal
advice by phone on consumer issues and other subjects for
California residents over 60. Call Monday through Friday,
9 a.m. to noon, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., and until 7 p.m. on Thursdays:
(916) 551-2140 or (800) 222-1753. Or send an e-mail from
the Web site to schedule a phone appointment. The hotline
also operates a phone mediation program useful in resolving
small disputes before they escalate.
www.seniorlegalhotline.org
