Posts Tagged ‘Money’
What Have You Got to Complain About?
February 25th, 2010
by Amy
One of my favorite things about online shopping is reading user reviews, whether it’s for a pair of jeans or a digital camera. I still read articles and talk to friends, but it can be useful to see if a lot of people have the same kinds of complaints about the product I’m pondering. While there are obvious differences, I think filing a complaint with the FTC is similar — you’re helping the FTC and the 1,700 other federal, state and local law enforcement partners that have access to the information spot patterns and identify not only the scams and frauds that are happening, but the people behind them.
So what do you complain to the FTC about? And how do you do it? The FTC has a new animated video (also in Spanish and at the FTC’s YouTube channel) that shows just that, including examples of the kinds of experiences you might share with the FTC. Complaints can help stop scams, rip-offs and fraudsters, so I hope you’ll share this video and encourage people you know who’ve been ripped off or spotted a scam to file a complaint with the FTC.
On a related note, check out the FTC’s just-released top complaints from consumers for 2009.
Tags: complain, Federal Trade Commission, Money, scams
Posted in Scam Watch | 19 Comments »
It’s Never Too Early for Dollars and Sense
December 31st, 2009
by Lisa
A few weeks ago, my four-year-old was excitedly flipping through a department store circular filled with toy ads. As he sat there mesmerized by the brightly colored action figures, trucks and building blocks, I cautioned him to pick only three things that he wanted for Christmas.
I may as well have asked him to solve the Riemann hypothesis. When you’re four, it’s virtually impossible to fathom a world in which wallets have limits — especially when there’s something you really, really, really want.
For parents like me, National Consumer Protection Week is an ideal time to introduce kids to the concepts of money and budgeting. This year’s theme — Dollars & Sense: Rated A for All Ages — is a reminder that the lessons of responsible spending, budgeting and overall money management can never be taught too early — and never learned too late.
In fact, this year we have added a new section to the NCPW website just for kids and parents. As NCPW gets closer, we’ll be adding more resources to this page and highlighting some of them on the blog. After all, being a smart consumer isn’t something you get from your parents naturally, like hair color. And it doesn’t come with a diploma the way free chips (or a bag of carrots) come with the lunch special. It’s a skill that must be developed from an early age, and it helps to have cool websites and funny videos.
I still have a long way to go with my four-year-old, so I’ll be checking the kids page often. I hope you’ll join me!
Tags: budget, children, kids, Money, teaching
Posted in For Kids, Money | 6 Comments »