New Jersey Car Insurance Consumer Resources Help
Search auto insurance companies available in New Jersey available Online for cheap affordable car insurance rates.
Or use the NJ towns directory. Go to Towns | NJ Car Insurance Online Complaint Form.
QUICK CONSUMER Buying TIPS Sponsored by
GuardMyIdentity.Org
As a savvy consumer, you should always be on the alert for shady deals and
scams.
To protect your money and avoid being a victim of fraud, keep these things in
mind:
1. A deal that sounds too good to be true usually is! Offers that often fall into this category are promises to fix your credit problems, low-interest credit cards, deals that let you skip credit card payments , business/job opportunities , risk-free investments , and free travel.
2. Extended warranties or service contracts are rarely worth what you pay for
them. See page 1 for questions you should ask before you say yes to one of these
contracts.
3. Say no to credit insurance offers. Often offered with credit cards, car loans and home mortgages, it is almost always better to purchase regular property, life, or disability insurance.
4. There is no universal three-day cooling-off period. Don’t be misled into
thinking
that you have an automatic three-days for canceling a purchase. Only a few types
of contracts give you a right to cancel.
5. Think twice before sharing personal information. Protect your privacy and
avoid unauthorized use of your personal information.
6. Beware of payday and tax refund loans. Interest rates on these loans are
usually excessive. Even a high-interest cash advance on a credit card may be a
better option than these these costly credit options.
7. Not all plastic cards offer the same protections. Your liability for the
unauthorized
use of a gift card and debit/ATM card may
be much higher than the $50 maximum on your credit card.
8. Real estate agents represent the seller—not the buyer. When buying, consider
hiring a buyer-broker who represents you.
9. Home improvement and auto repairs are the subject of frequent
complaints. Second opinions are especially important when you are dealing with a
repair
service you do not know.
10. Think twice before you rent-to-own. Interest rates on rent-to-own purchases
can be very high. If you miss a payment, you could end up with nothing. Consider
other
options such as buying second-hand at a thrift shop or through ads in your local
newspaper.
11. Don't buy under stress. Research suggests senior citizens, people in crisis
(e.g.,coping with a death or debt), college students, small business owners,
minorities, and
immigrants are especially at risk of being victimized. Avoid making big-ticket
purchases
during times of duress.
12. Be cautious of Buy Here, Pay Here lots. If you decide to buy a car from a
used
car lot, be sure to read all of the papers before you sign. Don't sign contracts
that allow
the dealership to change the finance rate AFTER you leave the lot.
13. Work-at-Home ads usually don't payoff. Be especially wary of ads that
promise
huge annual salaries; they often require expensive upfront fees with no
guarantee. You
risk losing your money and wasting a lot of time and energy. To see if a home
based business is for you visit
HomeBusinessSupersite.Com
Other factors affecting insurance territory rates include time and efficiency of police response and law enforcement, local road and traffic conditions and the quality of local medical services. Auto insurance companies in NJ even factor in the litigation rates in a given area, how many lawsuits are filed, go to trial, are settled out of court, and for how much money.
ONLINE AUCTIONS AND SELLERS
Many private sellers sell items on the Internet
through auctions, classified ads, newsgroups,
and chat rooms. Unfortunately, these types of
sales are a very common type of Internet fraud.
Resolving disputes can be difficult when the
seller is in a different part of the country. Be
aware that government agencies may not be able
to help you since many laws don’t apply to sales
between individuals. Follow this advice as well
as the general tips on shopping from home.
• Check how the auction works. Can you
cancel a bid? Don’t assume that the rules used
by one auction site apply to another. Some sites
offer step-by-step instructions that will take
you through the bidding process.
• Find out what protections you have.
Does the site provide free insurance or guarantees
for items that are not delivered or what the
seller claimed?
• Follow the strategies used in any auction.
Learn the value of the item you are bidding
on. Establish your top price and stick to
it.
• Don’t bid on an item you don’t intend
to buy. If you’re the highest bidder, you have
bought it. Auction companies often bar those
who back out of a deal from future bidding.
• If the seller can’t accept payment
by credit card, use an escrow service.
Your money is held by a third-party until
you get your purchase and approve release
of your payment to the seller. There is a
small fee, but the peace of mind is worth it.
YOUR RIGHTS: SHOPPING FROM HOME
When you order something by mail, phone, fax or computer, the Federal Trade
Commission requires the company to:
• Ship the merchandise within the time promised, or if no specific delivery time
was stated, within 30 days of receiving your order; • Notify you if the shipment
cannot be made on time and give you the choice of waiting longer or getting a
refund; and
• Cancel your order and return your payment if the new shipping date cannot be
met—unless you agree to another delay. If you cancel, your money must be
refunded within 7 days (or your account must be credited within one billing
cycle if you charged the order). The company can’t substitute a credit for other
merchandise. If you applied for a charge account with the merchant at the same
time that you placed your order, the company has an extra 20 days to ship the
merchandise to allow time for processing your application.
BEWARE: YOUTH PEDDLING
Some for-profit companies use young salespersons to sell magazines and other
items door-to-door. They trick consumers into believing they are giving money to
legitimate charities because consumers tend to support young persons and youth
programs. If a young person solicits you, ask for identification verifying the
organization’s name, address and purpose. If the representative can’t provide
this information, ask them to leave. Report suspicious people to your local
police department and/or contact the child labor division of your state labor
department listed in the phone book. Even if you are satisfied with the
information provided, don’t feel pressured to make a purchase or contribute.
SPAM
E-mail spam is not just unwanted—it can be offensive. Pornographic spam causes
many consumer complaints. Decrease the number of spam e-mails you receive by
making it difficult for spammers to get and use your e-mail address.
• Don’t use an obvious-mail-like “JackDaniels@
doe.com.” Instead use one with numbers or
other digits such as JackDaniels@
doe.com.
• Use one e-mail address for close friends and family and another for everyone
else. Free addresses are available from Yahoo! and Hotmail. You can also get a
disposable forwarding address from various site online. If an address attracts
too much spam, get rid of it and establish a new one.
