TDCI Division of Consumer Affairs to Host Consumer Protection Day March 7

Tuesday, March 06, 2018 | 09:31am

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance’s (TDCI) Division of Consumer Affairs and its partners will host Consumer Protection Day on the Hill on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 in downtown Nashville. The event, planned to highlight National Consumer Protection Week (March 4 – March 10), aims to help people understand their consumer rights and make well-informed decisions about money.

Staff from the TDCI Division of Consumer Affairs and the Tennessee Department of Financial Institutions will host the consumer protection outreach event from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Legislative Plaza located in the Cordell Hull building in Nashville. Personnel from both agencies will be on hand to answer questions and offer educational materials on scam detection and fraud protection.

The Division of Consumer Affairs is the clearinghouse for consumer complaints about unfair or deceptive acts or practices conducted within Tennessee. Consumer Affairs strives to protect consumers and legitimate business enterprises from those who engage in illegal activity. The Division encourages the development of fair consumer practices and promotes statewide consumer education.

In honor of National Consumer Protection Week, the Division of Consumer Affairs reminds Tennesseans of the following consumer rights based on the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act of 1977 (T.C.A. §§ 47-18-101 et seq):

Tennessee consumers have the right to:

  • Not be charged by a credit reporting agencies to place or permanently remove a security freeze on their credit if they are a victim of identity theft with a police report or other acceptable documents detailing the I.D. theft. (47-18-2108(l))
  • Not repay unsolicited mail that resembles a check that is, actually, a loan on endorsement unless such unsolicited mail has written in bold and ½” in height: THIS IS A LOAN.  (47-18-2401)
  • Cancel a buyer’s club membership by written notice any time before midnight of the 3rd business day from starting the membership. (47-18-502(a))
  • A written receipt from a lessor for each payment made by cash or money order when paying rent. (47-18-608)
  • As a homeowner, cancel a written foreclosure-related rescue service agreement within 3 business days after signing the agreement without penalty or obligation. (47-18-5402(c))                                                                                  

In Tennessee, a business may not deceptively or unfairly:

  • Advertise a good or service in a way that it is not it is not intended to be sold. (47-18-104(b)(9))
  • Advertise a good or service without supply to reasonably meet public demand unless limited quantities is disclosed. (47-18-104(b)(10))
  • Advertise a sale by falsely claiming to be going out of business. (47-18-104(b)(17))
  • Advertise that it is “going out of business” 90 days or more before closing. (47-18-104(b)(29))
  • Initiate a preauthorized debit card transaction for more than 25 percent of the total transaction cost or $50, whichever is greater, without disclosure of the hold to the consumer at the time and point of sale. (47-18-128(a))

To access more consumer protection information, or to file a consumer complaint, visit the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at www.tn.gov/consumer.

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