| Cases and Resources
Chapter
26: Deceptive Sales Practices
Door-to-Door
and Telephone Sales
Referral Sales
Advertising and the Consumer
Bait and Switch
Mail-Order Sales
Internet Commerce
Repairs and Estimates
Door-to-Door
and Telephone Sales
Door-to-Door
Sales: Protecting Yourself from Fraud (AARP)
This article teaches you the difference between honest and
dishonest door-to-door salespeople. Learn how to protect yourself
and identify who is legitimate.
Youth
and Door-to-Door Sales (Department of Labor)
Young people often go door-to-door to raise money or to sell
items. There are special laws for youths and door-to-door
sales activity. Read the federal and state laws about traveling
door-to-door as a minor.
Telemarketing
Information by the Federal Trade Commission
Take a closer look at what telemarketing is and how to identify a telemarketing scam. How do telemarketing scams work and who is a likely target for scams?
The
National Do Not Call Registry
The federal government has a registry for consumers who do
not wish to be contacted by certain telemarketers. Go to this
site and learn about the registry and what types of calls
this registry blocks.
Complying
with the Telemarketing Sales Rule
Learn what businesses must do to comply with federal laws
on telemarketing. What types of organizations must follow
telemarketing rules?
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Referral
Sales
Kentucky
State Statute on Referral Sales
Read the law of one state on referral sales. Now read an explanation of the law (scroll down to the paragraph titled “Referral Sales”). What is the principle behind this state law?
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Advertising
and the Consumer
FTC
Advertising Requirements
Read this policy statement by the Federal Trade Commission.
What do advertisers have to do to make advertisements acceptable?
Tobacco
Marketing and Kids
Young people are often the audience for advertisements. Tobacco
companies have been accused of advertising to young people
in order to attract young smokers who will be customers for
the tobacco companies for a long time. Visit this site to
take a closer look at this issue.
Children’s
Advertising Review Unit of the Better Business Bureau
Because young people are key targets for advertising, the
BBB has a special unit to monitor advertising during children’s
television programming. Read the guidelines established by
the BBB and find out which products are of concern when children
are the audience.
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Bait
and Switch
Automobile
Advertising and Bait and Switch
The bait and switch sales technique is often associated with
car sales. Read this guide warning consumers about this technique.
Internet
Bait and Switch
This news article describes a business prosecuted for a “bait
and switch” tactic in Internet advertising. What did
the business promise, and what did consumers receive?
Deceptive
Pricing
This FTC article explains deceptive pricing practices. Have
you ever encountered any of these pricing schemes?
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Mail-Order
Sales
FTC
Mail and Telephone Order Rules
Learn the proper way to conduct mail-order sales. What do
direct marketers have to do to comply with the FTC rules in
this field?
The
Direct Marketing Association
Visit this industry site to learn about the issues involved
in direct marketing and how disputes between businesses and
consumers are resolved.
Catch
the Bandit in Your Mailbox
Learn how to distinguish legitimate offers in your mailbox
from those that are unreliable. What is mail order fraud and
how can you protect yourself from such fraud?
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Internet
Commerce
Consumer
Jungle: eSmarts
You may already be familiar with the Internet, but be sure
you know how to surf the Internet responsibly and to protect
yourself when making purchases. This site is a good place
for young people to learn the basics.
Advertising
and Marketing on the Internet
Read the FTC guidelines on advertising and marketing on the
Internet. What federal rules protect you when you are buying
something online based on Internet advertisement information?
Fight
Spam
If you receive unwanted e-mail in your inbox, visit this site
about fighting spam. Learn what spam is and what consumers
can do to stop spam.
Shop
Safely Online
Read these recommendations by the federal government on protecting yourself
as you shop online. How do things go wrong for consumers when
they shop online?
Consumer
WebWatch
Consumer WebWatch evaluates Web sites to help consumers choose
trustworthy sites where they can gather information or make
purchases.
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Repairs
and Estimates
Repairs
to Your Home
Many people seek contractors and various estimates for major repairs needed to their homes. This is a time when some businesses might take advantage of customers by giving unfair estimates or doing a poor job. Read this article to learn how to protect yourself.
Auto
Repair Tips
Learn how to read an auto repair estimate and what questions
to ask at the repair shop.
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