Featured Resources
- Consumer Information Web Guide
- Topics include: General Information, Agencies and Organizations, Business and Companies, New York State, Specific Consumer Interest Topics (Automotive, Classifieds, Computers, Credit, Elections, Energy, Environment, Freedom of Information, Health, Insurance, Job and Career, Law, Money and Investing, Privacy Issues, Recalls (Food / Products), Records and Certificates, Recycling and Trading, Social Security Cards, Seniors, Telecommunications, Travel). Directory from Middletown Thrall Library.
- Consumer Reports
- Free access for Thrall Library cardholders. "You can use this service to locate news, product reviews, and ratings for consumer products in the following categories: Appliances, Babies and Children, Cars (new and used), Electronics, Health, Home and Garden, Money / Credit / Insurance, and more." If you are not a cardholder, check with your own public library for full access, or visit Consumer Reports for limited free information.
Web Resources
- Better Business Bureau Serving Metropolitan New York
- Accedited business directory for businesses serving serving Metropolitan New York, Long Island, and the Mid-Hudson region.
- Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York
- Accedited business directory for businesses serving upstate New York.
- Consumer Federation of American
- Topics range from 'Banking and Credit' to 'Privacy' to 'Saving & Spending'.
- Consumer Information Blog
- "Consumer information, news, advisories, and other information on the web and in the library." Blog by Middletown Thrall Library.
- Food and Product Recalls
- Alerts and advisories from the FDA and others.
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- "The FTC deals with issues that touch the economic life of every American. It is the only federal agency with both consumer protection and competition jurisdiction in broad sectors of the economy. The FTC pursues vigorous and effective law enforcement; advances consumers' interests by sharing its expertise with federal and state legislatures and U.S. and international government agencies; develops policy and research tools through hearings, workshops, and conferences; and creates practical and plain-language educational programs for consumers and businesses in a global marketplace with constantly changing technologies."
Also from FTC:
- Consumer Information
- Topics: Money and Credit, Homes and Mortgages, Health and Fitness, Jobs and Making Money, and Privacy and Identity. From the Federal Trade Commission.
- Privacy, Identity and Online Security
- The Federal Trade Commission has links to articles and PDF documents about being safe on the internet. Topics include how to protect kids' privacy, web surfing frauds, safety tips for tweens and teens on social networking sites and more.
- Online Safety
- A list of official government web resources to help you report and learn about Internet fraud. Topics include: Online Security and Safety; Internet Fraud; and Phishing and Vishing. From USA.gov.
- SaferProducts.gov
- Consumers can submit and search product incident reports. From U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
