Consumer Assistance & Scam Watch

How to Use -- Contents

Slightly Creaky does extensive research to find the links you would most likely need and provides them for you in an easy-to-find format. You can access the various categories from any of our web pages using the top or side menus. Each category has generalized headings, followed by more specific ones.

Categories

Updated November 11, 2008

Links to consumer assistance pages and scam alerts on the Internet where you can find product reviews and comparisons, safety suggestions, and product recalls.

Updates

We need your help

Although this list was complete on the date listed, many web sites change names or even close terminate their services. New ones start weekly. Should you discover a bad link or wish to suggest that we add one, please contact suggestions@slightlycreaky.com.

This listing is the result of more than 500 hours of research. It is the property of Slightly Creaky and may not be reproduced in any form. Every attempt has been made to provide an accurate description of each organization.

Additional Information


If you do not find what you are looking for, please suggest a new site for us to add to this section. We are always looking for viewer-suggested entries. You may also write to us at suggestions@slightlycreaky and let us know what you need. We will attempt to research the topic for you and, if successful, will send you several links by Email and add them to our site. We attempt to respond within 48 hours.

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Consumer Assistance & Research

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Consumer Assistance

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation The FDIC is a US Government agency that insures individual bank accounts. "EDIE the Estimator can calculate your FDIC insurance coverage for each FDIC-insured bank where you have deposit accounts. EDIE lets you know in a printable report for each bank whether your deposits are within or exceed coverage limits."
Consumer Search "Pricing information is approximate as of the time this report was written and is based on observed market selling prices and/or list prices. Actual selling prices may differ."
View Points "Viewpoints.com taps into the need for people to share their personal experiences. To voice their opinions. To share insight gained from personal experience. Viewpoints allows people to post reviews across the most comprehensive range of categories of any reviews site. From movies, to restaurants, to education, to health care, to travel and hundreds of other categories in between."
Ripoff Report "Ripoff Report® is a worldwide consumer reporting Web site and publication, by consumers, for consumers, to file and document complaints about companies or individuals. While we encourage and even require authors to only file truthful reports, Ripoff Report does not guarantee that all reports are authenic or accurate. Be an educated consumer. Read what you can and make your decision based upon an examination of all available information."
C Net Reviews "You've come to the right place for product reviews of the latest tech. Our editors review thousands of products each year, rating them from 1 (worst) to 10 (best)."
Wize Thousands of new products are released every year. Millions of dollars are spent advertising products to consumers like you. With all the choices and information available, it is challenging to know which products are best for you and your family. Wize makes finding the right product easier and faster by gathering all the information and opinions on the Web and making sense of it for you.
Rate It All "The best place on the Web to find and share consumer reviews on any topic. "
Consumer Democracy "Tens of thousands of Product Reviews in Hundreds of Categories"
iNods "iNods aggregates user reviews and expert opinions on products you buy, and drastically simplifies your product research."
eCoustics "The unbiased resource for reviews, buying guides and price comparisons on consumer electronics."
Photo- graphy Review "One of the oldest and richest camera review sources on the Internet! "
Idealware "Candid Consumer-Reports-style reviews and articles about software of interest to nonprofits"
Travel Insurance Reviewer "If you want to recommend a travel insurer, then spread the word right here. We've created a simple yet informative way to rate, review and rank travel insurance."
Sazze "Our aim is to offer more of a social, well-networked atmosphere for its users than the average consumer is likely to encounter through many existing services."
Online Consumer Reviews "If you're thinking about buying something, using a new service, or traveling, then find out what average consumers are saying. Though professional reviews are helpful, it's really nice to find out what the rank and file users can share."
RV Reviews "Latest new RV reviews with floor plans and readers' opinions "
Motor Home Advice "There are hundreds of RV Products out there that most people select through trial and error or by word of mouth. At this section you have the opportunity to tell other site visitors about your experiences with products you have tried. The good part is we all get to hear the good and bad."
Exercise Equipment Review "This is your one stop resource for articles and reviews about the home exercise equipment you need to stay in great physical shape."
My Reviews "Read thousands of consumer reviews and opinions on products such as videos games, diet plans, dating sites and more."
Global One Reviews "You've come to the right place for of the latest technology and consumer products. Our editors review thousands of products each year. Through testing and hands-on use, editors determine the products' quality, features, and value."
Measured Up "Where consumers share customer service experiences with each other and with companies "
Consumer Review "The leading source of user-generated buying advice for outdoor sporting goods and consumer electronics."
Planet Feedback "Helping Consumers Express Their Voice, Helping Companies Prime Their Ears"
Pleased Consumer "Consumer Reviews and Praises"
Bringo "Tired of dialing 1-800 numbers and not being able to get through to a human who can help you?BRINGO cuts through all of that so you don't have to. That's right, BRINGO has conquered phone trees."
Get Human "When you're tired of wasting money and time due to phone systems that require you to press 10 or more options in order to reach a real person and spending many minutes or even hours on hold, consult the GetHuman database of secret phone numbers and codes that immediately get an actual, live person on the line for customer service at nearly 1000 major companies."
My 3 Cents "A leading source of real consumer advice. Visitors come to learn, interact and voice opinions regarding companies, products and services in our open community."
DevLib "We publish reviews of gadgets for consumers and maintain an active technology forum for geeks."
ExpoTV " ExpoTV features thousands of Vide opinions reviews - short, unbiased, consumer-generated videos of products and services. "
Edmonds "Edmunds Inc. publishes four Web sites that empower, engage and educate automotive consumers, enthusiasts and insiders. "
Cars.com "Professional auto reviewers and real-world car owners rate new and used vehicles."
All Auto Reviews "We have compiled vehicle reviews on nearly all makes and models. These auto reviews contain spec data, pictures and information about the specific vehicle."
Consumer Health Reviews "Our research team has put together comparison charts and product reviews for many health products."
Review Center "Unbiased reviews written by consumers helping you make better choices. "
Pet Insurance Reviews "If you want to recommend a pet insurer, then spread the word right here. We've created a simple yet informative way to rate, review and rank pet insurance."
Review Mates "Review Mate provides a wide range of consumer reviews. Our team of professional reviewers check out every product or site in the database - we even monitor the customer reviews to ensure they are of the highest quality."
Pissed Consumer "The best consumer product reviews and complaints site. Write Review and share opinions about products or services."
Coffee Geek "Coffee Geek is the definitive source for comprehensive and detailed consumer reviews of coffee and espresso equipment, supplies and accessories. "
Cell Phone Reviews Cellphonedia.com is one of the latest online reviewing sites on cell phones and other technical communicating gadgets. The site's primary objective is to inform its visitors about the latest cell phones and their manufacturers market

Let's Talk

 "Looking to find the right cell phone and service plan for you? In our product review sections you can read cell phone reviews provided by our experts and from users like you."
FCC Federal Communications Commission. The place to go to complain about the practices of cable companies, telephone services, boradcast obscanity, or telemarketers.
TSA Transportation Security Administration. Responds to inquiries about air safety and airport procedures as well as to other transportation issues.
Food Safety A Federal Government site that provides information about consumer food products including rastaurant compaints, food illnesses, and water issues.
Product Reviews "At ConsumerSearch, you will not find reports that read like advertising copy or warmed-over press releases. We strive to make our content tough and precise, and at no point are our editors influenced by advertising or other commercial considerations. Our purpose is to report the truth about what the experts are really saying. You can also use our service as a search engine to find product reviews and information, as our name suggests. "
Consumer World "Consumer World is a public service, non-commercial* guide with over 2000 of the most useful consumer resources"
Consumer Reports The home page for the world fameous consumer magazine. "Published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, CU accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers."
Internet Crime Complaint Center " IC3's mission is to serve as a vehicle to receive, develop, and refer criminal complaints regarding the rapidly expanding arena of cyber crime. The IC3 gives the victims of cyber crime a convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of suspected criminal or civil violations. For law enforcement and regulatory agencies at the federal, state, local and international level, IC3 provides a central referral mechanism for complaints involving Internet related crimes."
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Recognizing & Avoiding Scams

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Recognizing & Avoiding Scams

Quicklinks:      Common Scams       Identity Theft     Telephone Scams

Work-at-Home Scams        Urban Legends       Greenwashing

Better Business Bureau "BBB sees trust as a function of two primary factors – integrity and performance. Integrity includes respect, ethics and intent. Performance speaks to a business’s track record of delivering results in accordance with BBB standards and/or addressing customer concerns in a timely, satisfactory manner."
Scam busters "Welcome to the #1 website dedicated to helping you protect yourself from clever scams -- online and offline! You'll find lots of great resources on how to avoid the most popular scams,identity theft threats, viruses and urban legends making the rounds.Plus, we have Resource Centers filled with suggestions for reducing spam, preventing identity theft, useful consumer tips, and our Scam Check Station"
Scam.com "If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit"
Federal Citizen Information Center "Here are some of the Scams, Frauds, and Consumer Abuse items in the news." This service is provided by the Federal Citizen Information Center of the U.S. General Services Administration.
Consumer Affairs' Scam Alerts Processing over 50,000 complaints a year, ConsumerAffairs.Com provides articles, videos, and information about a variety of scams.
HotScams "Collector of the hottest scams, news, videos and reports on the internet - lottery scam, inheritance scam, pet scam, lover scam, phishing scam, commercial scam, job scam and more scamS. You can forward any scam mails or links to us"
Frauds and Scams
Protect Yourself and Your Money		 From the Federal Reserve Bank. "Everyone is subject to fraudulent schemes and con games. Older people in particular seem to be frequently targeted, perhaps because as a group they tend to be more trusting of others and assume the same sincerity in return.This pamphlet will describe some typical financial frauds and scams and suggest how to protect yourself and your money."
Avoiding scams and fraud From Craigslist. "You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense rules."
Tips On How To Recognize Make Money Scam Sites "If you have been online for quite sometime then you probably came across make money opportunities. Here's two examples. <<Make $1000 per week in your sleep. Guaranteed.>> <<Make money without lifting a finger. Make $1000-$2000 per week. Secrets revealed at last.>> Most probably it is a scam. It is not that easy to make money. If it is so easy to make money then everyone on earth will be making money doing online investments and nothing else. Super affiliates and internet marketers knew that in order to make money online, it is all hard work and having sleepless nights fine tuning their online business. Learning curves is also high.They need to know of any changes in internet marketing techniques or new marketing techniques."
Common Scams "New credit cards are often mailed out with a sticker on them that asks you to call a number to activate the card. One of the requirements for this type of activation is that you call from your home number. The reason, of course, is that only the legitimate credit card owner can call from their own home number. However, that has changed. A new website allows credit card thieves to place phone calls and make the call appear as if it came from any phone number. So, credit card thieves can steal new cards from the mail and then find out what the card owner's home phone number is."
Credit Card Phone Activation Scam
Home Improvement Scams "American homeowners will spend over $100 billion on home renovation and improvement projects this year. Over $1 billion of that will be lost to scams and frauds. Since everyone likes to save some money on home improvement bills it is easy to fall for a bargain. Scam artists will try to hit on elderly people."
Money-Laundering and Reshipping Scams From Monster.com. "Money launderers often create job postings that say they're recruiting American citizens to "process payments" or "transfer funds," because as foreign nationals, they can't do it themselves. Their communications sometimes contain broken grammar but may include well-written prose from legitimate employers' postings."
Postal Money Order Scams From the USPS. "Genuine postal money orders contain design features that maximize their security. Here are some tips to help you recognize the difference between authentic postal money orders and counterfeits."
Junk Your Junk Mail "Is your mailbox filled with junk mail, the second and third-class promotional mail you do not wish to receive? Not only is junk mail a nuisance for those who do not wish to receive it, it contributes to the solid waste problem and drains natural resources."
Make Money Fast Scams A collection of articles on many types of money making scams.
About the Nigerian scam "The Nigerian Advance Fee Scam has been around for quite awhile, but despite many warnings, continues to draw in many victims. In fact, the Financial Crimes Division of the Secret Service receives approximately 100 telephone calls from victims/ potential victims and 300-500 pieces of related correspondence per day about this scam!"
Front Money Scams "A person looking for money to borrow may notice the ads offering quick financing at competitive rates. The ads imply that even people with shaky balance sheets can be helped. Unfortunately, the ad will turn out to be a front money scam in which the operator hopes to bilk the victim out of a "loan origination fee" for a loan that never materializes. The ads are aimed at the financially strapped who have given up on conventional financing. Those who place the ads hope that desperation will blind potential borrowers to the risk of loss. "
Is Your Home an "Easy Target" "Is your home or apartment an "easy target" for burglars? When planning a vacation or weekend get away, don't forget to think about your home and what you are leaving. The feeling of coming home to find your house burglarized or vandalized is not a good one. Not only would there be financial expenses to make repairs and replace missing items; but also emotional reactions, such as fear, depression, vulnerability and many more."
Tax Scams From the IRS. "Don't fall victim to tax scams. Remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
Identity Theft "Identity Theft is welt underway to becoming number one crime in America. Each many Americans fall victim to its predatory claws. Businesses can also fall to it. Identity theft occurs when someone steals key personal or business information and uses that information to commit theft or fraud. It is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years--and their hard-earned money--cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record." Be sure to read all five pages.
Identity Theft Your Worst Nightmare Coming True
FTC's Identity Theft Site "This website is a one-stop national resource to learn about the crime of identity theft. It provides detailed information to help you deter, detect, and defend against identity theft.  On this site, consumers can learn how to avoid identity theft – and learn what to do if their identity is stolen.  Businesses can learn how to help their customers deal with identity theft, as well as how to prevent problems in the first place.  Law enforcement can get resources and learn how to help victims of identity theft."
Identity Theft Prevention & Survival "Ms. Mari Frank knows firsthand as an attorney, sheriff reserve, and former identity theft victim, what it takes to protect your personal information, and how to successfully restore your identity if it is stolen. Her testimony, educational programs, and her books have been invaluable to victims and policymakers alike."
Identity Theft Resources A collection of dozens of "fact sheets" covering identity theft and related issues.
Identity Theft .com "We built IdentityTheft.com with three goals in mind:
    •    To be the best provider of comprehensive, fresh, and well researched identity theft related information.
    •    To provide the most comprehensive identity theft service in the market today.
    •    To be the source that you return to whenever you want guidance and updates on identity fraud.
For those of you who the best advice on what you can do (for free), we have provided very relevant content for you."
Identity Theft Resource Center "Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a nonprofit, nationally respected organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft.  The ITRC provides consumer and victim support as well as public education.  The ITRC also advises governmental agencies, legislators, law enforcement, and businesses about the evolving and growing problem of identity theft."
Identity Theft "ID theft is currently the fastest growing white collar crime in the U.S. Nearly 10 million Americans have been victims in the last year."
Telephone Scams


" There are many different kinds of scams that involve telephone services. Here are some to watch out for."
Tips on Telephone Service Scams
"809" Phone Scam From the FCC. "The scam works something like this: You get an e-mail, voicemail, or page telling you to call a phone number with an “809”, “284”, “876” (or some other three-digit) area code to collect a prize, find out about a sick relative, engage in sex talk, etc." It's actually an international and expensive call.
PayPal Phone Fraud From PayPal. An actual E-mail: "Dear sir/madam Please let me explain the situation 1st: I was planning to make a small birthday gift to my cousin who's currently studying in europe. However i had lots of paper work at my office, i haven't spent more than 2 days at home yet. I have some free time now, so i wouldn't like to miss a chance to fix that matter with birthday."
Phone Busters Canadian. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This is particularly true in the case of crime prevention through education and awareness. This guide, the Canadian Practical Guide, is a prevention tool. It builds on its successful predecessor, the Student Practical Guide."
Cell Phone Scams "Next time you use your credit card in a convenience store or restaurant, be aware that scammers can now use camera-equipped cell phones to snap pics of your card number and name. Frightening fact: It takes the scammer less than a minute to take the picture and transmit the account name and numbers -- locally or even overseas!"
"With the rise of the Internet and e-mail, getting a phony ad or message out to a vast audience is cheap and easy. Even though the old work-at-home scams have taken on a modern twist, the typical profile of victims who are most susceptible to these scams has changed very little. Work-at-home con artists have always preyed most heavily upon senior citizens, the disabled, mothers who want to stay at home with their children, people with low income and few job skills, and people who just want to get rich quick. Cyberspace is simply the newest arena that scam artists have entered to widen their hunt for more people to dupe. "
BBB Work-at-Home Scams
Top 10 Work At Home and Home Based Business Scams "The FBI reports Web fraud claims rose sharply in 2002. In fact, they *tripled* from a year earlier. Not a surprise to Internet ScamBusters readers.... Top 10 Work At Home and Home Based Business Scams and How to Avoid Them - Part 1 Home-based business and work-at-home opportunity scams rank very high on the list of the top types of Internet fraud."
Work-At-Home Scams From AARP. "Con artists pitching work-at-home schemes rake in $427 billion dollars a year. These scams are a favorite way for con artists to exploit people. They use appealing but unrealistic come-on's to lure unwary people into parting with their hard-earned money with the hope of hitting it big financially."
Work-At-Home Scams Just Don't Pay! From the USPS. "Con artists pitching work-at-home schemes rake in $427 billion dollars a year. These scams are a favorite way for con artists to exploit people. They use appealing but unrealistic come-on's to lure unwary people into parting with their hard-earned money with the hope of hitting it big financially." With links to other scam information sites.
Work At Home No Scams "Most of the answers we’ll put on this page in the comment section below. However the ones that are very unique or intriguing, we’ll write a whole article about and it will be posted on our homepage for all to see and learn from."
Infomercial Scams From the "Video Professor" to "Direct Buy" furniture to "lose an inch in 50 minutes," many of the infomercials and advertisements on television are scams.
Urban Legends Urban Legends are folklore than many people believe and are often used as scams. They include old wives' tales, misinformation, strange news stories, rumors and deliberate attempts to mislead people.
Urban Legends
Urban Legends & Superstitutions "What is an urban legend? According to Webster,
an urban legend is "an often lurid story or anecdote that is based on hearsay and widely circulated as true," and is sometimes called an urban myth."
Urban Legends and Hoaxes Resource Center

 

 "Internet ScamBusters Urban Legends and Hoaxes Resource Center lets you quickly find out whether popular (and usually 'urgent') emails are true -- or whether they are urban legends or hoaxes. What -- Exactly -- are Urban Legends? Urban legends are stories that are either funny and/or contain horrifying content that may or may not be true. They spread quickly, and often have many different variants."
Greenwashing "Greenwashing is what corporations do when they try to make themselves look more environmentally friendly than they really are." "For the sake of our future generations, we must immediately heed the inherent limits of Mother Earth and strive for a harmonious sustainability. The time is now for each and every one of us to fully understand and recognize that if we do not radically change our corporate driven consumptive and destructive way of life, we will go extinct. "
Greenwashing.net
Sourcewatch "Greenwashing is the unjustified appropriation of environmental virtue by a company, an industry, a government, a politician or even a non-government organization to create a pro-environmental image, sell a product or a policy, or to try and rehabilitate their standing with the public and decision makers after being embroiled in controversy."
Greenwashing Index "It’s greenwashing when a company or organization spends more time and money claiming to be “green” through advertising and marketing than actually implementing business practices that minimize environmental impact. It’s whitewashing, but with a green brush."
Stop Greenwash "Every day, Americans are bombarded with advertising about environmentally friendly goods and services. But how many really are green, and how many are just pretending?"
The Greenwash Brigade "Our hand-picked environmental professionals, each part of the Public Insight Network, are on the hunt for "greenwash" as they examine eco-friendly claims by companies, governments and other groups. "
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Personal Confidentiality

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Personal Confidentiality

Husband-Wife Privilege (PDF) "The spouse of a party has a privilege to refuse to testify against the party as to events occurring after the date of their marriage. A party has a privilege to prevent his or her spouse from testifying against the party as to events occurring after the date of their marriage."
Spousal Privilege "The marital confidences privilege is a form of privileged communication protecting the contents of confidential communications between husband and wife. This privilege applies in civil and criminal cases. When applied, a court may not force one spouse to testify against the other concerning confidential communications made during marriage."
Getting the Facts Straight: Spousal Privilege "he law holds that no one has a privilege to refuse to testify unless otherwise provided by constitution (e.g., the right to avoid self-incrimination), statute, or state or federal rules of evidence. The spousal privilege is a combination of two elements: 1) the right not to be compelled to testify against one's spouse, and 2) the protection of marital confidences. "
Medical Patient Confidentiality "Physicians have always had a duty to keep their patients' confidences. In essence, the physician's duty to maintain confidentiality means that a physician may not disclose any medical information revealed by a patient or discovered by a physician in connection with the treatment of a patient."
Medical Privacy "The regulatory regime for protecting privacy of health information is complex and fragmented. Some protections apply only to information held by government agencies. Some protections apply to specific groups, such as federal employees or school children. Some protections apply to specific medical conditions or types of information, such as information related to HIV/AIDS or substance abuse treatment."
Medical Confidentiality "Patient privacy has always been an important concept in the medical profession. New laws are taking this notion a step further, making it mandatory for medical facilities to protect individually identifiable health information."
Doctor-Patient Confidentiality "The duty of confidentiality continues even after patients stop seeing or being treated by their doctors. Once doctors are under a duty of confidentiality, they cannot divulge any medical information about their patients to third persons without patient consent. There are, however, exceptions to this rule."
Confidentiality and Coping with Law Enforcement Inquiries "Increased visits to libraries by law enforcement agents, including FBI agents and officers of state, county, and municipal police departments, are raising considerable concern among the public and the library community. "
Attorney-Client Privilege "Can a lawyer ever violate his/her duty of confidentiality to protect his/her own interests?"
Reflections on Confidentiality "Ethical standards regarding confidentiality vary from one profession to another, and the public may commonly expect a much different standard of privacy than is actually the case. That is especially true when it comes to religious leaders or to those entrusted by a religious group with the provision of pastoral care. "
Confidentiality - Christian Virtue or Christian Necessity? "Knowledge of a person's medical history can result in inappropriate judgments being made which reduce the patient as an individual. "
Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting: A False Dilemma? "The existence of state laws requiring clergy to report evidence of physical or sexual abuse of children has become a source of controversy. "
What is Attorney Client Privilege? "The attorney-client privilege is the foundation for which confidentiality issues lie in legal matters. It is everything in terms of how a case is handled and how it proceeds."
Silence is Golden "Generally, in order for the attorney-client privilege to apply, there must be an attorney-client relationship and the communication must be made by the client in confidence for the purpose of obtaining legal advice. It does not matter whether the information is communicated orally, in writing, or by nonverbal communication, such as nodding the head. The privilege also applies to information provided by the attorney to the client."
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Product Liability

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Product Liability

Product Liability "When individuals are harmed by an unsafe product, they may have a Cause of Action against the persons who designed, manufactured, sold, or furnished that product. In the United States, some consumers have hailed the rapid growth of product liability litigation as an effective tool for Consumer Protection. The law has changed from caveat emptor ("let the buyer beware") to Strict Liability for manufacturing defects that make a product unreasonably dangerous."
Product Liability "Products liability refers to the liability of any or all parties along the chain of manufacture of any product for damage caused by that product. "
Defective Products "A "defective product" is one that causes some injury or damage to person as a result of some flaw or weakness in the product, its labeling, or the way the product was used. The manufacturer of the product that caused the injury, as well as those involved in the chain of commerce, are often liable for injuries caused by defective products."
Product Liability Advisory Council "A non-profit association with over 120 corporate members representing a broad cross-section of American and international product manufacturers. These companies seek to contribute to the improvement and reform of law in the United States and elsewhere, with emphasis on the law governing the liability of manufacturers of products."
Strict Liability "Strict liability often applies when people engage in inherently hazardous activities, such as doing "blasting" in a city, or keeping wild circus animals. If the blasting damages you -- no matter how careful the blasting company was -- it is liable for the injury."
Strict Liability
Products Liability - Ultrahazardous Activity		 "Strict liability in tort is the concept that in certain situations a defendant is liable for plaintiff's damages without any requirement that the plaintiff prove that the defendant was negligent."
Alternative Rules for Determining Tort Liability "The doctrine of strict liability allocates the presumption of responsibility for certain types of accidents to the defendant instead of the plaintiff. This alleviates the burden of proof that usually rests on the plaintiff when trying a case."
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Price Research Sites

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Price Research Sites

Consumer Products        Coupons & Rebates

Gasoline Prices Submit the zip code and get not only a list of gas stations, but a quick glace at the highest and lowest prices and what each station is charging. Each entry is dated. At the bottom of the page is the national lowest and highest prices for regular gasoline throughout the country.
MSN Autos – Local Gas Prices
Gas Buddy Set up by community throughout the United States and Canada, and reported by community members.  Anyone can join and submit the current prices for stations in your community.
MapQuest National Gas Prices Input the type of fuel you need, regular, premium, diesel, or alternative, then put in the zip code. Starts off locally, then expands outward to nearby communities.  Place your mouse pointer over the listing and the station appears on the map.
AAA Daily Fuel Gauge Report While this does not list actual pump prices, you can see statewide trends, averages, and other useful information.
The Heritage Foundation "Based on a review of the energy legislation currently before the House of Representatives, the price of regular unleaded gasoline could rise from average August 1st prices of $2.09 per gallon to $5.58 in 2016. That is an increase of 167 percent. Analysts in the Center for Data Analysis developed this estimate and comparable ones at the state level from assumed effects of three major provisions in the legislation: continued mandates for biofuels content of gasoline, new taxes imposed on energy companies, and new regulations that will affect the oil producers. This estimate also takes into account price gouging legislation that was passed by the House earlier this year. To see state specific estimates, please move your mouse pointer over the state below”
Comparing World Gas Prices "It is a comparison of gasoline prices. Here is a sample of the data on what a gallon of gas costs:"
Motor Trend Gas Prices "Our gas price locator can help you find the cheapest gas prices in your area. Why waste money on expensive gas when you could be spending that money on a new car? Find cheap gas at local gas stations by making a selection below."
Gas Price Watch "Enter a location using the control panel above, or search directly in the map: Drag the map with your mouse, Double-Click to zoom in, Use the slider to zoom in and outZoom in to the 5th "notch" to see stations."
Home Heating Fuel. Most web sites in this category want a service fee to assist.  They contact local fuel companies and attempt to get them to bid on your needs.  In most cases, though, we find they have affiliate sites that win the bid ignoring whether they were the lowest price, best quality, or most reliable. Slightly Creaky suggests you find a listing of heating fuel sites in your area and contact them by telephone getting their current prices.
Home Heating Oil Prices.com Has contact information for local fuel companies.  On occasion they list recent prices.
Consumer Products. Slightly Creaky suggests that you do not depend on any one consumer product site as none of them are all-inclusive.  Check out these locations to find a product and to get an idea of current retail prices.  Then go to the web site for your favorite stores and check weekly advertisements to get the best deals.
Shopzilla Enter the product you are looking for and Shopzilla will produce a listing of current retail and online prices as well as pictures of the product and reviews.
Price Grabber Gives you the opportunity to select a product category or to input the product in a search engine. Includes product description and reviews.
BizRate "Welcome to our free comparison shopping site! We'll help you:Find the biggest selection from the Web's top-rated stores and Compare product features, prices & reviews!Get the best deal every time!"
Become Select a product category or to input the product in a search engine. Includes product description and reviews.
MySimon “A comparison shopping site for almost everything: Apparel, computers, electronics, jewelry, video games, and more. We gather prices on millions of products from thousands of stores, so you can compare products and find the lowest price before you buy.”
Shopping.com "A comprehensive comparison shopping service that helps you use the power of information to make the best shopping decisions. It is the only comparison shopping service that combines millions of consumer product reviews with detailed price information on millions of products from thousands of stores to help you find, compare and buy anything."
Smarter.com Includes information about rebates and discount coupons. "Come to Smarter.com before you buy online. Using an unbiased system to compare prices on products from thousands of different merchants, Smarter.com helps you shop and find the best prices, products and websites. As the leading price comparison shopping site online, Smarter.com carries top merchants including: Circuit City, Crutchfield, Buy.com, B&H and many other popular online stores."
My Triggers "If you like shopping online, get ready to like it a whole lot more. With the myTriggers.com comparison shopping search engine, all you have to do is enter the item you're shopping for and click Shop. myTriggers.com provides the best selection and the best savings online, we will search over 100 million items from more than a million sellers, and instantly provide you with a list of items that match your search criteria, including pictures, all in one neat and tidy results page! Browse the results, select the item description or image you want, and one click later, you'll be ready to make your purchase."
Ben's Bargins Includes coupons, rebates, and daily specials. "Ben is a fanatical online shopper and an online shopping expert. He has run BensBargains.net since the beginning of the year 2000, during the heydey of the internet boom and bubble."
Discount More "DiscountMore.com is a unique comparison shopping website that searches all of the top comparison shopping sites and the top shopping sites along with the top auction sites and gives you back results all on one page. With DiscountMore you can search over 25 websites and receive all of their results with pictures, description and price from each site in seconds! DiscountMore puts the power of 25 websites at your fingertips with one touch. Who really has the lowest price? You decide."
CNET Shopper " CNET Shopper.com will help you find the right product at the right price when you're shopping online. With pricing and merchant information for computers and electronics, a trusted merchant-certification program, and tools to compare prices, product reviews, and technical specs, CNET Shopper.com has everything you need to make your technology purchases. "
Best Web Buys "Best Web Buys provides a fundamentally better way for consumers to shop. Most people shopping on the web go from store to store to find the products they want at the right price. With thousands of online stores to choose from, this process is tedious and time consuming. Best Web Buys' service allows consumers to search for products they want across several stores at the same time."
Deal Catcher "DealCatcher is an online community that helps shoppers save money and make educated purchases. On the site you will find online coupons, products, sales, reviews, and rebates. The site is updated throughout the day by its staff and forum members. We are dedicated to providing you with the tools needed to find the best deals online. "
Deal News "Each day, dealnews reports the best deals available on computers, technology, gadgets, and other items you want to buy. dealnews is updated with as many as 200 new bargains, coupons, and sales in a single day. Each deal we list is by definition the lowest price available on that item from a reputable merchant, period."
Car Price Trends From J.D. Powers. "Predicted TMV® Pricing Trends is Edmunds.com's forecast of the likely price change for all car, truck, and SUV models over the 30-day period from the date this list was posted. Predicted TMV® Pricing Trends is generally updated during the second and last week of each month, and is calculated at the model level; accordingly, a style with a predicted change that is significantly different from the other styles of that model is separately identified."
Automotive Insurance Ratings From J.D. Powers. Ratings of the most popular automotive insurance companies based on five factors.
Homeowner's Insurance Ratings From J.D. Powers. Ratings of the most popular home owners insurance companies based on seven factors.
Couponing and Rebates. Not all these products can be used in stores. Some are specific for online purchases.
Free Coupons & Great Deals! "It really is incredible how much you can save with grocery coupons! Whether you're one of those people who consistently looks for coupons every week and uses them every time you go to the store, or the type who never remembers to use them at all—online printable grocery coupons are the best way to go. No clipping them out of the paper. No looking through all those different wasteful inserts in your mailbox. Just one stop, here at CoolSavings, gets the job done.?
Cents Off "In these tough times, $avings is the name of the game and Savings mean economic policies for the household. The policy is to pick coupons that give you the most value and savings on your  weekly grocery bill."
The Coupon Clippers "We are the nation’s largest online grocery coupon clipping service, offering more than a million national-brand coupons at any given time in our warehouse and shipping center. Browse our huge selection and start saving $$$ today!"
Smart Source "Select the coupons you want; click “Print Now” when you’re done!"
Coupons.com "Coupons, Inc.'s core couponing, customer acquisition, and e-mail marketing services provide clients with creation, distribution, tracking, and reporting of consumer-printed coupons that can be used for traditional in-store redemption."
Coupon Cabin Online usage only. "Online coupons reward shoppers who place orders over the internet. It's important to note that these exclusive discounts can not be used for in-store purchases."
EBates Must join. Receive rebates and store discounts.
Ultimate Coupons Includes online and product coupons.
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