The Bureau of Consumer Protection is operated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The bureau is an independent agency that works to stop fraudulent, unfair and deceptive business practices. It is imperative that consumer rights are protected. Government agencies like the bureau work alongside qualified consumer rights lawyers to make that happen.

Collects Complaints and Conducts Investigations

One of the most important roles of the Bureau of Consumer Protection is their widespread collection of consumer complaints. The bureau collects complaints pertaining to wide range of consumer issues. This includes:

• Data security
• Business scams
• False or deceptive advertising
• Unwanted SPAM or telemarketing
• Identity theft
• Do not call violations

If you wish you file a complaint with the Bureau of Consumer Protection you can now do so through a secure online portal. Filing a complaint helps consumers because it will help the agency detect trends and patterns of fraud.. Once patterns of consumer abuse are spotted, the agency can determine how to act to protect consumers. Filing a complaint is a good idea, but it is definitely not enough. Filing helps consumers collectively, but you also need to have your individual consumer rights protected. Protecting your individual consumer rights requires the professional services of an experienced consumer rights lawyer.

Develops Rules and Regulations to Ensure a Fair Marketplace

The bureau uses the information collected from complaints to enforce penalties on violators and develop new consumer protection rules when it becomes clear that new regulation is necessary. As an example of this process, earlier this month four large clothing retailers were hit with 1.3 million dollars in fines for deceiving customers. The retailers were mislabelling their clothing as bamboo, when the clothing was actually chemically processed rayon. The FTC warned the companies 5 years ago that this was deceptive and not legally permissible. The companies continue the practice and are now being hit with the fines. The Bureau has also sent letters to other clothing retailers highlighting this issue, and imploring them to make sure that the are compiling with fair labelling regulations.

Contact An Experienced Consumer Protection Lawyer

As a consumer, you have important legal rights. If you feel those rights have been violated you need to contact an experienced consumer protection lawyer immediately. The Bureau of Consumer Protection is a valuable resource, but the agency can not replace a lawyer. At the Keogh Law Firm, our attorneys have extensive experience working hard to fight for consumer rights. Call our office today at 866-726-1092 to schedule a legal consultation.