Research FAQ's: Consumer Law

The Law Library Staff prepares "Research Frequently Asked Questions" (FAQs) for the convenience of our users to provide access to a variety of sources addressing particular points of law. These are general legal information sources, and are not to be construed as a substitute for personal legal advice from an attorney. Please seek legal counsel to help you determine the applicability of any of the information in these resources to your specific situation. The Law Library makes no recommendation as to whether you should purchase any services offered by the websites contained in this FAQ.

This website contains information on obtaining your credit report, motor vehicle lemon laws, home buying and home ownership, consumer tips for investors in securities and commodities, consumer credit, and other consumer law topics. Our FAQ on Consumer Credit Law & also has materials in this area.

Credit Reports

• AnnualCreditReport.com: To Order Your Credit Report For Free

• Federal Trade Commission, Your Rights: Credit Reporting

• Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: "Other" Consumer Reports: What You Should Know about "Specialty" Reports

Government Websites

• Ohio Attorney General: File a consumer complaint on-line; consumer sales practices act and lemon law, consumer tips, consumer litigation index. Includes Public Inspection File of consumer law cases, with summaries.

• USA.gov - Consumer Protection: Consumer information from the federal government.

• Federal Trade Commission: Enforces federal anti-trust and consumer protection laws. File a complaint online. FAQs.

• Consumer Product Safety Commission: Recalls and news, report an unsafe product, CPSC publications.

• National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration: Database of consumer complaints for automobiles, file a complaint online, star ratings and crash tests.

• Recalls.gov: A resource for federal recalls.

Statutes

Ohio Statutes

• Consumer Sales Practices Act: Chapter 1345

• Home Solicitation Sales Act: RC 1345.21-1345.28

• Prepaid Entertainment Contract Act: RC 1345.41-1345.51

• Lemon Law: Nonconforming new motor vehicles: RC 1345.71-1345.76, 1345.78

• Hearing Aids: RC 1345.30

• Replacement Parts for Automobiles: RC 1345.81

• Retail Installment Sales Act: R.C. Chapter 1317

• Monopolies, Anti-Trust: RC Chapter 1331

• Rent-to-Own Transactions: RC Chapter 1351

• Odometer Set Back: RC 1345.02(B)(1); RC 4549.41-4549.51

• Credit Services Organizations (Entities which offer to repair or improve a consumer's credit, or obtain credit for a consumer): RC Chapter 4712

• Telemarketers: RC Chapter 4719

• Predatory Lending: 124 HB 386

• Condominiums: RC 5311.08, 24-27

Federal Statutes:

• Consumer Leases: 15 USC § 1667 et seq.

• Credit Card Billing: 15 USC § 1666 et seq.

• Equal Opportunity Credit Act: 15 USC § 1691 et seq.

• Fair Credit Reporting Act: 15 USC § 1681 et seq.

• Fair Debt Collection Practices Act: 15 USC § 1692 et seq.

• Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act: 15 USC. § 2301 et seq.

• Odometers: 49 USC §§ 32701-32711

• Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act: 15 USC § 6101 to 6108

• Mailing of Unordered Merchandise: 39 USC § 3009

City Ordinances: City ordinances may also contain consumer protection provisions. Some cities post their ordinances on the internet.

See The Cleveland Law Library's Ohio Municipal Codes & Ordinances. Municipal Codes are also available at the Cleveland Public Library's Public Administration Library..

Articles/FAQs

• Business Credit Information from LexisNexis

• Credit Risk Management from LexisNexis

• Anti-Money Laundering from LexisNexis

• Bankruptcy from Lawyers.com (Martindale Hubell)

• Better Business Bureau of Cleveland

• Ohio Consumer's Counsel: Residential Utility Advocate

• Ohio State Bar: Law You Can Use:

• Ohio's Lemon Law Protects Consumers

• Holiday Spending with Credit Cards: How Much Do You Know about It?

• After Foreclosure: What You Should Know

• American Bar Association Section of Family Law

• American Bar Association Guide to Consumer Law

• American Bar Association Guide to Home Ownership

• National Association of Realtors: Research Reports on such issues as fair housing, credit scoring, lead paint, mold, etc.

• NOLO: Consumer Protection

• NOLO: Bankruptcy

• National Consumer Law Center

• Expert Law - Consumer Protection: Articles on various topics such as lemon laws, various scams, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

• Federal Trade Commission: Buying a Used Car From a Dealer

• Lemon Law America.com

• Financial Industry Regulatory Authority: Investment related complaint center, articles on securities fraud, find state securities regulator.

• BrokerCheck: Search engine to check a securities broker or dealer's background, investor complaint center, investor alert for common scams.

• Commodity Futures Trading Commission: Consumer advisories, enforcement actions, broker registration and background information.

Miscellaneous

• Cleveland State Legal Clinics