From jobs and housing, to loans and utilities, taking control of your credit is more important than ever. And, with the looming threat of identity theft, knowing how to monitor your credit is essential to protecting yourself from fraud. For National Consumer Protection Week, here is some information on your credit and collection rights under… Continue reading Credit reports and debt collection – What are your rights?

The phone rings, you pick it up and the caller launches into a well-rehearsed pitch. How do you know if this call is worth hanging on for? What happens if you agree to something over the phone and later change your mind? Under Vermont law, you have options! The Sales Pitch: First, you have a… Continue reading Sales calls, charity calls and scams

We all get them in our mailboxes and on our doorsteps – those colorful flyers advertising the “Biggest Sale Ever!” or the “Lowest Prices of the Year”. We may see signs for a big “Going out of business – Everything Must Go!” sale in the window of a local store. Sometimes the deals are real.… Continue reading Your consumer rights in Vermont: buying retail and rent-to-own

Do you know your consumer rights? National Consumer Protection Week is a collaboration among state, federal and non-government organizations and agencies to raise awareness about consumer rights in the marketplace. In addition to federal consumer protections, like the Do Not Call registry and the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act that puts limits on how third-party collection… Continue reading Welcome to National Consumer Protection Week!

Attorney General T.J. Donovan has been spearheading criminal justice reform, most recently calling for reforms to the bail system so low-income Vermonters don’t get stuck in jail for low-level crimes. In 2016 he created the Community Justice Division to protect public safety, increase fairness, promote equal access to justice, and reduce incarceration. He was also… Continue reading Q + A with Co-Chief of the Community Justice Division, David Scherr