Fast Facts (A-Z)

Below you will find links to topics generally handled by our office. If you are having an issue with a product or service that is not listed below, we still may be able to assist you. Email us at consumerhelp@state.sd.us or call us at 1-800-300-1986. It is easier to educate and protect yourself against fraud than to repair the damage after it is done. Always be careful of anything that sounds too good to be true. Consumers across the country have learned far too often that this is true. Save yourself time and money by doing a thorough check before making purchases.

A

• Automotive

B

• Business to Business
• Buying Clubs

C

• Charity & Contributions
• Coins, Currency, Precious Metals, & Collectibles
• Construction & Home Improvement
• Credit, Debit, & ATM Cards
• Credit Reporting

D

• Debt Collection
• Door-to-Door Sales

F

• Funerals

G

• Gift Cards & Gift Certificates
• Grants

H

• Hearing Aids

I

• Identity Theft
• Internet Auctions
• Investments

J

• Junk Mail - Unsolicited Mail

L

• Lanlord/Tenant
• Lending & Mortgage

M

• Magazine Sales
• Mail & Telephone Order Sale
• Medicaid
• Medical Issues & Billing
• Medical Quackery
• Medicare
• Modeling & Talent
• Money Wiring Scams
• Moving Companies
• Multi-Level Marketing vs Pyramid Schemes

N

• Nursing Homes

O

• On-line Safety - Facebook
• On-line Safety - Google Plus
• On-line Safety - Linkedin 
• On-line Safety - Twitter
• Opt-Out

P

• Patents, Trademarks, & Copyrights
• Photography

R

• Raffles & Bingo
• Rebates

S

• Security Breaches
• Social Security
• Sweepstakes Scams

T

• Telemarketing Solicitations
• Transient Vendors
• Travel, Timeshares, & Vacations

U

• Unclaimed Property
• Utilities

W

• Wills, Trusts, & Living Wills

Become an informed consumer and always:

• Decide in advance exactly what you want and what you can afford. Do not buy on impulse or because of pressure.
• Carefully investigate offers made to you as a contest "winner." Such offers are usually gimmicks to persuade you to buy expensive products or services.
• Refuse to give your credit card number, card type or expiration date to an unfamiliar company.
• Sollicitations sometimes come in the form of a bill. Make sure you only pay bills for merchandise you've ordered and received.

Many problems commonly encountered by consumers can be avoided if the consumer will remember the following when purchasing items or services:

• Take the name of the salesperson and write it on your receipt. If it is a purchase with a salesperson over the phone, make sure you have the business' address,  phone number and the extension number of the salesperson.
• Keep all receipts until the product has proven satisfactory.
• Deal with established, reputable firms.
• Ask to have old and/or damaged parts returned when having them replaced with new parts.
• Read and thoroughly understand everything before you sign.
• Check guarantees to ensure what parts are guaranteed for a lifetime.
• Don't be pressured; ask questions.
• Check refund and return policies.

Tips to Remember

• Everyone, regardless of age, sex, education level, financial situation or where they live, is a potential victim - including seniors.
• Don't be afraid to hang up-it's okay to be rude.
• Seniors may be targeted more because they are perceived by scam artists to have more free time and tend to be alone more.
• Educate yourself and talk to others. These are the most effective ways to prevent scams.
• There will never be a solution to eliminate scam artists-they are constantly changing their methods to keep from getting caught.
• Don't be afraid to ask a neighbor, family member, friend, banker, or trusted advisor if you have doubts about an offer or business.
• Call law enforcement immediately if you think you have been victimized.
• Never accept the help of someone who calls you and offers to help recover the losses in a scam "for a small fee." Odds are, it's the same scam artist coming back for more.
• Protect your personal information by shredding the following:
  • Receipts
  • Credit card statements
  • Copies of all credit applications
  • Insurance Forms
  • Physician's statements
  • Bank checks and statements
  • Expired charge cards
  • Credit cards and other offers of credit
  • Mailing labels from magazines
  • Any item that might have account numbers, customer numbers, or membership numbers

This website is for informational purposes and should not be construed as legal advice or as a policy of the South Dakota Attorney General. If you need advice on a particular issue, you should consult a private attorney or other experts.