Some Helpful Organizations

National Association of Consumer Advocates  www.NACA.net

National Consumer Law Center www.NCLC.org

Ohio Association for Justice www.oajustice.org

Ohio Attorney General Consumer Protection Division

Federal Trade Commission Bureau of Consumer Protection

Links to Helpful Forms

Sample  Identity Theft Victim's Complaint & Affidavit

Form to Obtain a FREE annual credit report by mail

File a Complaint with the Ohio Attorney General

Links to Interesting Articles

Credit Error? It Pays to be on the VIP List, New York Times

Meet the folks re-evaluating the state's main consumer law

Legislative Update: Proposed Deconstruction of Ohio's UDAP Law - a National Trend?

Some Common Questions Consumers

Ask Us 

Question: What do the 2010 Credit CARD Act Rules mean for me?

Answer: Some of the primary changes include:

• Credit card companies can no longer jack up the interest rate of your existing balance unless you have a variable rate, a promotional rate, or are more than 60 days late. (Note, this does not apply to new purchases)
• You now have to opt-in for credit card companies to be permitted to charge over the limit fees. And even then, the number of over the limit fees are limited.
• In most cases, when you pay more than the minimum due, the credit card company must apply the excess to the highest balance first.
• Protection for consumers under 21 years old, by requiring a co-signor or information that shows they are able to repay on their own.

Question: Is there a place to get a free copy of my credit report, that is actually free?

Answer: Yes! Federal law requires that the major credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and Trans Union) provide you with a FREE copy of  your credit report one each year. The place to go is www.annualcreditreport.com. Ignore all the pop-ads and go right to your report. Attorney Wells highly suggests that you obtain your free report by mail. Yes, it will take a little longer, but if you ultimately have to pursue legal recourse, it is the preferred method amongst consumer advocates.

Review your report carefully for any errors that may prevent your access to favorable credit terms, employment or insurance. If you find any errors, contact our office for a free consultation to learn steps that you may take to fix the error.

Please bookmark our site and continue to check back as we update this page. And if you have a question you would like to have answered on our site, please contact us.