That present has just got to go back - but will the shop take it? »

Most are unlikely to push this point, but they may insist on a receipt or other proof, such as a credit card bill, that the goods were purchased there.?
However, if you just don’t like it, it doesn’t fit or you’ve changed your mind, you don’t have any rights at all.Take the example, says Field, of [...]

Domestic violence victims may also face identity theft »

The state Consumer Protection Board and the state Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence are working together to help victims of domestic violence become less vulnerable to identity theft by issuing an Identity Theft and Domestic Violence resource containing identity theft prevention and mitigation tips tailored to the specific needs of these individuals.Identity theft [...]

Hammered, then nailed, by debt »

Bankruptcy Court here and you’ll start to get the picture quickly enough.
More than $61,700 of it stems from charges on credit cards issued by banks, department stores and clothing retailers.You’ll also find plenty of couples with incomes many would consider comfortable, who apparently were derailed financially by a failed small business or a job loss [...]

Seminars will focus on finances, job searches »

A community educator with the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of the CSRA hopes to spread some fiscal knowledge during a program Thursday at the Columbia County Library in Evans.Cindy Tesch, the counseling service’s community outreach director, said she will discuss financial goals, personal money management, the importance of budgeting for a household, the three divisions [...]

For the new year, resolve to be a smarter consumer »

Besides resolving to lose weight, pay off your credit card debt and clean out the garage, pencil in a New Years resolution to be a smarter consumer in 2009.
As Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), I often work with the staff of our Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA) and have [...]

A Web of deceit »

AS more companies embrace the Internet to deliver their services, there is a marked increase in the threat of spamming from fraudsters.Spam often entices recipients with a range of products/services including discounted goods, job opportunities, contests and lottery wins.But to the uninformed, spam has become a front for cyber criminals to carry out malicious activities [...]

New credit card rule may not go far enough »

18 by the Federal Reserve, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union Administration seeks to restrict issuers’ ability to raise credit card interest rates for any reason and curb the fees charged to borrowers with tarnished credit records.Ken Clayton, senior vice president of card policy at the American Bankers Association, says the [...]

Mom took down the economy »

BY BRIAN DICKERSON FREE PRESS COLUMNIST January 4, 2009It’s taken some doing, but I’ve finally tracked down the individual most responsible for our current financial mess.Sorry, Mom — but you’re taking the fall.I know that many Free Press readers will find it hard to believe a widow living on her late husband’s pension [...]