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9 guides

Consumer rights & complaints

What the law actually gives you on refunds, chargebacks and warranties — and the federal agencies that take complaints seriously.

How to dispute an error on your credit reportDisputing is free, and the Fair Credit Reporting Act gives the bureau 30 days and a duty to delete anything it cannot verify. The …14 minverified 2026-08-06
How to check recalls and use a warrantyRecalls are split across four federal agencies and nobody tells you when your product is on the list. Warranties come with rights …12 minverified 2026-08-04
How to complain and actually winAmerica has no general ombudsman, but it has something almost as good: regulators whose complaints companies must answer, state at…9 minverified 2026-07-31
How to deal with debt collectorsFederal law limits when collectors can call, what they can say, and who they can tell. It also gives you a 30-day window to demand…10 minverified 2026-08-04
How to dispute a credit card chargeFederal law gives credit card users rights that debit card users do not have, including the ability to withhold payment on a dispu…11 minverified 2026-08-04
How to get legal help you cannot affordThere is no right to a free lawyer in civil cases, and legal aid turns away most people who qualify for it. This is how the system…12 minverified 2026-08-04
How to use small claims courtSmall claims court is deliberately built for people without lawyers — cheap to file, quick to hear, and simple to argue. The part …12 minverified 2026-08-04
What to do if a package is lost or stolenChase the seller, not the carrier — your contract is with whoever sold you the goods. The federal mail order rule, the USPS missin…15 minverified 2026-08-06
How to get your money back after a payment scamRecovery after a scam depends almost entirely on how you paid. What the federal rules give you on a credit card, a debit card, an …16 minverified 2026-08-06