Consumer ResourcesRecommended by Kevin Yezbick, FCL Reference ServicesPage Contents |
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Major Collections of Consumer Resources
Banks / Insurance / CreditState-by-state information about bank rates for mortgages,savings, credit cards, auto loans, and more. Consumer / Debt Education Center Credit and Debt Counseling links, credit and personal finance management education organizations, et al. ConsumerCreditRepair.com offers direct links to the three major U.S. Credit Bureaus. Although there over a thousand credit bureaus, there are only 3 Major Credit Bureaus in the United States, and nearly all of the smaller credit bureaus are tied into these 3 large credit bureaus. You will need to contact all three of them to get your credit bureau reports, to make sure that these credit reporting agencies have correct credit information on you. If you need to repair your credit, step one is to get your credit reports from all 3 of these credit bureaus.
Originally founded in 1984 as Quotesmith Corporation, Quotesmith.com owns and operates Insure.com, a comprehensive online consumer insurance information service that caters to the needs of self-directed insurance shoppers. Insure.com provides a comprehensive array of comparative auto, life and health quotes, including a vast library of originally authored insurance articles and decision-making tools that are not available from any other single source. A free service that lets you shop for auto, motorcycle, home, condo,renters insurance, etc. conveniently and securely without sales pressure. The site also offers a "Learning Center"—a set of FAQs and tools for educating yourself about various aspects of insurance.
Charities, Frauds & ScamsBilled as "The Donor's Guide to the NonProfit Universe", this is a free information service on the programs and finances of more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations. Over 49,000 nonprofit and community organizations in 165 countries, which you can search or browse by name, location or mission. Check the Best Nonprofit Guides link in particular. National Charities Information Bureau The BBB Wise Giving Alliance collects and distributes information on hundreds of nonprofit organizations that solicit nationally or have national or international program services. It routinely asks such organizations for information about their programs, governance, fund raising practices, and finances when the charities have been the subject of inquiries. National Fraud Information Center Provides checking into telephone solicitations and possible telemarketing fraud. Also facilitates reporting of scams to law enforcement agencies.
General Consumer ResourcesAttorney General, State of Michigan The Department of the Attorney General is committed to serving the citizens of Michigan. On this site you will find advice on safely surfing the Internet, tips on being a savvy consumer, links for filing a consumer complaint, environmental information, health care and insurance information, and so much more. Better Business Bureau (National Site) Allows you to check out a company, file a complaint, offers dispute resolution, and gives tips when donating to charities. Includes useful links for company / industry research, U.S., Canadian and International consumer resources, and links to State Attorney General offices. Better Business Bureau—Eastern MI Offers business and charity reports, local and national press releases, tips and scam alerts, and how to file complaints online.
Michigan Business Entity Search Engine Click on “Search Database by Name” and Search. Click on the name of the business. Click on “Images Available” in the box at the bottom of the screen to view a list by date of all documents on file pertaining to that business. Click on the camera icon, which will open an image viewer to view a document. Reviews on this web edition of the popular consumer magazine are broken down into three categories: Products, Automotive, and Travel. Within these categories, information can be found on "new car prices and reviews, used car facts and history, or consumer product reviews on televisions, digital cameras, DVD players, or washer and dryer combinations." Consumer reports, reviews, price quotes, and product comparisons are always available for free at Consumer Guide. (The Federal Citizen Information Center) For years, consumers have written to Pueblo, Colorado 81009 for timely, practical information they trust. FCIC provides, via this web site, the answers to questions about the Federal Government and everyday consumer issues. Full-text versions of hundreds of the best federal consumer publications.
A "know-your-rights" site consisting of articles, hundreds of free brochures, and a large collection of links to other sites. As its creators put it, "at ConsumerSearch, you will not find reports that read like advertising copy or warmed-over press releases. The site strives to make its content tough and precise, and at no point are our editors influenced by advertising or other commercial considerations. Our purpose is to report the truth about what the experts are really saying. You can also use our service as a search engine to find product reviews and information, as our name suggests." MI Business License/Registration Lookup Use this site to search for information on individuals or businesses licensed by or registered with the Bureau of Health Services or the Bureau of Commercial Services.
Public Interest Research Group—MI You must first select Michigan from a list of State PIRGs using the left-hand navigation panel.. The PIRGs are public-interest, consumer-oriented groups which lobby for consumer legislation and monitor trends dangerous to consumers. In Michigan, for example, the State PIRG reports on genetic engineering, urban sprawl, tracks the stance of Michigan's congressional delegation on consumer issues, and works against PACs. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission A large collection of information concerning unsafe products, recalls, etc.
House, Home & FamilyAdjustable Rate Mortgage (ARM) Buying Guide This fact sheet (from the Federal Reserve Board) explains adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs), loans for which "the interest rate changes periodically, usually in relation to an index, and payments may go up or down accordingly." Includes questions to consider, consumer cautions, ideas for reducing risk associated with ARMs, a glossary, and a mortgage checklist for comparing different types of mortgages. Also available in Spanish. Find an apartment by state, college, zip, address or property name from a listing of over 6,500,000 apartments in 6,000 cities.Includes a very useful Apartment Hunting Glossary to help you learn the code words used in real estate listing. Homes & Communities page, U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Over 500 toys and children's products selected, plus resources, articles, and links. EPA Ground Water & Drinking Water Information Standards, advice, regulations and guidance. Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) Michigan Dept. of Education's own MEAP office site.
Formerly RentNet, this is another site sponsored by Realtor.com, and is geared to finding apartments and corporate housing. An online guide for people on the move who are looking for an apartment. School Report Cards from The Center for Education Reform When relocating, you can use this site to identify school districts which meet your family's educational needs and goals.
Toy Manufacturers of America: Parents' Section Information for parents about popular toys, including an annual list of top-selling toys. Trulia a real estate search engine that helps you find homes for sale and provides real estate information at the local level to help you make better decisions in the process. W.A.T.C.H—World Against Toys Causing Harm, Inc. W.A.T.C.H., a Massachusetts charitable non-profit corporation, was founded by Edward M. Swartz, a nationally known trial lawyer and child safety consumer advocate. Since 1968, Swartz has worked to educate the public about life-threatening toys and other children's products, including children's furniture, clothing and playground equipment. Zillow provides a free Home Valuation Tool for Real Estate enthusiasts. Free Instant Valuations and Data for 65,000,000+ homes.
Product Evaluation & Comparison ShoppingThe site that rates other online shopping sites. A shopping and price comparison search engine. Reviews on this website are broken down into three categories: Products, Automotive, and Travel. Within these categories, information can be found on "new car prices and reviews, used car facts and history, or consumer product reviews on televisions, digital cameras, DVD players, or washer and dryer combinations." Consumer reports, reviews, price quotes, and product comparisons are always available for free at Consumer Guide. Product reviews by consumers for electronics,computers, autos, sports gear, and much more.
A mix of free information and for a small fee, access to reports and product comparisons found in the magazine. Offers multiple reviews of products to help you identify the best buys. Consumer World catalogs over 2,000 of the most useful consumer resources. Features car comparisons, discount store prices, and credit card rates. Unedited opinions and reviews about a broad range of products, services,and travel destinations, plus links to professional reviews and buying guides.
Froogle is Google’s shopping search engine, designed to help searchers find information about products for sale online. Froogle applies the power of Google's search technology to a very specific task: locating merchants that sell the item you want to find and pointing you directly to the place where you can make a purchase. Comparison shopping site for products, financial services, travel, automobiles, real estate, education and more. The buying service where you name the price. At PriceGrabber.com, savvy shoppers can instantly find and compare millions of unique products and services contained in 22 channels, such as Apparel, Autos, Babies & Kids, Books & Magazines, Cell Phones, Plans, & Accessories, Computers, Home & Garden, Photography and Travel.
Shop.com's stated mission is to make your life easier by organizing millions of products from thousands of trusted merchants and brands in a single location, allowing you to conveniently manage all your online shopping needs - start to finish - with one personal password-protected account. Shopzilla gives you product pictures, detailed descriptions and consumer reviews. You can even add all of the items you're shopping for to your Shopzilla List and compare their features side by side. Smarter.com empowers consumers worldwide to make smarter buying decisions. |
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Last modified on Thursday, 13-Mar-2008 12:48:51 EDT |
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