Dear Consumer,
Thank you for contacting 12 On Your Side.
Everyone at some time will have a consumer complaint. Reputable businesses want to keep you happy so you'll be a repeat customer. That means they'll want to help you resolve your complaint if you can't get satisfaction after dealing with a company directly.
To see recent 12 On Your Side stories and for more consumer information, visit our website www.wrdw.com. And remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
News 12

FILING A COMPLAINT
If you've called the company and still can't get your problem corrected, file a written complaint with the company. It carries more weight than just calling. Send it to the company president. If it's a large or national company, send it to the customer service manager.
Make your letter brief. Type it or use neat hand writing. Include:
*Your name, address, home and work phone numbers, and account number (if applicable).
*The date and place where you made the purchase.
*What you purchased (including serial, model number of item, warranty terms, or service purchased).
*Explain what went wrong. Include the names and dates of the company representatives you contacted to get help with your complaint; and what you want done to correct the problem. Be specific.
*Include copies - not originals - of all documents (i.e. canceled checks, receipts, warranties or contracts etc.)
*You letter should be reasonable, not angry or threatening.

OTHER HELP
If you've been outright scammed, chances are slim that you'll ever get your money back. Complain to your local sheriff's department, the Better Business Bureau (706-210-7676) and the National Fraud Hotline (800-876-7060).
For a non-commercial complaint, try calling the company first. If that doesn't work, send a letter to the company's president or customer service manager.
If you're still unsuccessful, file a complaint with one of these agencies: the Better Business Bureau, State Office of Consumer Affairs, or take it to the Magistrate's Court. If your experience with one doesn't work, try another, but don't file with all three places at once.
Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia.........www.csra.bbb.org or 706-210-7676
*complaint resolution, report fraud
GA Office of Consumer Affairs..........(404) 821-2370 or (800) 869-1123
SC Office of Consumer Affairs...........(803) 734-4200 or (800) 922-1594
*complaint resolution. File with the state where the company is located.
Small Claims Court
Richmond County............(706) 821-2370
Columbia County.............(706) 868-3316
Aiken County...................(803) 642-1500
*For a small fee, you can sue a business in small claims court, also known as Magistrate's Court. You don't need a lawyer to do this. File in Magistrate's Court in the county in which the company does business. If the business is in a county not listed above, call that city hall for small claims court information.
Finally, find out if the business is regulated by a government agency. If it is, file a complaint with that agency. If you don't know what agency to file with, call the South Carolina or Georgia's Office of Consumer Affairs for help.

Animal Control
Columbia County   (706) 541-4077
Richmond County   (706) 790-6836
Aiken County   (803) 642-1537

Automobile
GA Used Car Dealers   (478) 207-1460
Autoline Arbitration Program (new car complaints)   
(800) 955-5100
National Highway Traffic Safety Commission
(recalls, report safety problems)   (800) 424-9393

Banking
GA State Banking Authority   (404) 986-1633
SC State Banking Authority   (803) 734-2001
Bankcard Holders of America   (540) 389-5445
Better Business Bureau   (706) 210-7676, www.csra.bbb.org

Consumer Product Recalls
Consumer Product Safety Commission
(800) 638-2772

Consumer Protection
Office of Consumer Protection - GA   
(404) 651-8600 or (800) 869-1123
Office of Consumer Protection - SC   
(803) 734-4200 or (800) 922-1594
GA Attorney General's Office   (404) 656-3300
SC Attorney General's Office   (803) 734-3970

Dry Cleaning Disputes
International Fabricare Institute   (301) 622-1900

Employment/Wage Issues
GA Dept. of Labor   (706) 721-3131
SC Dept. of Labor   (803) 765-5981
US Department of Labor   (706) 860-6557

Environment/Recycling
Environmental Protection Agency Hotline   (800) 424-9346
Richmond County Litter Task Force   (706) 821-2555
Columbia County Code Enforcement Division
(debris, abandoned cars, etc)   (706) 868-3375
Richmond County Code Enforcement Division   
(706) 312-4277

Finances
Federal Trade Commission Consumer Hotline   (877) 382-4357
Consumer Credit Counseling Services   (706) 736-2090
GA Secretary of State (securities complaints)   
(404) 656-3920
SC Attorney General Securities Division
(securities complaints)   (803) 734-9916

Fraud
National Fraud Information Center   (800) 876-7060

Health and Safety
Food and Drug Administration   (800) 463-6332
FDA - Georgia Office   (404) 347-2131
FDA - South Carolina Office   (800) 463-6332
Medicare/Medicaid   (706) 826-4480
Richmond County Health Department   (706) 667-4234

Housing
Better Business Bureau   (706) 210-7676
GA Legal Services (Public Housing)   
(706) 721-2327 or (800) 369-4706
SC Legal Services (Landlord-Tenant)   (803) 359-4154
GA Manufactured Housing   (404) 656-9498
SC Manufactured Housing   (803) 896-4682
GA Real Estate Commission   (404) 656-3916
SC Real Estate Commission   (803) 896-4400
Aiken County Code Enforcement   (803) 642-1518
Columbia County Code Enforcement   (706) 868-3400
North Augusta Code Enforcement   (803) 441-4258
Richmond County Code Enforcement   (706) 312-4277
Note: See "LEGAL" for landlord/tenant housing issues

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Insurance
Georgia Insurance Commissioner
(404) 656-2070 or (800) 656-2298
South Carolina Insurance Commissioner
(800) 768-3467
US Insurance Institute   (800) 331-9146

Legal
SC Ask-A-Lawyer (Free legal advice)   (888) 321-3644
GA Bar Association   (800) 334-6865
SC Bar Association   (803) 779-6653
SC Lawyer Referral Service
($25 Meeting with lawyer)   (803) 799-7100 or 800-868-2284

South Carolina Legal Services
(free legal help to the needy - SC residents)
Aiken County   (803) 359-4154
Barnwell & Orangeburg counties   (803) 533-0116
Edgefield County   (864) 223-4879
Hampton County   (843) 549-9581

Georgia Legal Services
(free legal help to the needy - GA residents)
Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Jenkins, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Screven, Taliaferro, Warren, Washington, Wilkes counties   (706) 721-2327
Hancock & Johnson counties   (912) 751-6261
Emanuel County   (912) 651-2180

Mail Fraud
Postal Inspection Service   (404) 608-4500

Medical/Dental
American Medical Association:   (800) 621-8335
GA State Pharmacy Licensing Board   (478) 207-1689
SC State Pharmacy Licensing Board   (803) 896-4700
GA State Board of Dentistry   (478) 207-1686
SC State Board of Dentistry   (803) 896-4599
GA Pharmacy Association   (404) 231-5074
GA State Medical Board   (404) 656-3913
SC State Medical Board   (803) 896-4500
MCG Dental Clinic   (706) 721-2371

Senior Citizens
American Association of Retired Persons:   
(202) 434-2277
GA State Agency on Aging (404) 657-5258
SC State Agnecy on Aging (800) 642-1500

Small Claims Court
Richmond County   (706) 821-2370
Columbia County   (706) 868-3316
Aiken County   (803) 642-1500

Utilities
GA Public Service Commission    (404) 656-4501 or (800) 282-5813
SC Public Service Commission    (803) 896-5260 or (800) 922-1531
Federal Communications Commission
(phone complaints)   (888) 225-5322

Veterans
Department of Veterans Affairs   (800) 827-1000

Miscellaneous
GA State Government Information   (706) 737-1852
Federal Information Center   (800) 688-9889
GA "No-Call" List   (877) 426-6225

Mailing List Removal
Write to:
Mail Preference Service
P.O. Box 900B
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008
Or Call: (800) 688-9889

Telephone List Removal
Write to:
Telephone Preference Service
P.O. Box 9014
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014

Credit bureaus: 1-888-567-8688
Georgia No Call List
Georgia Dept. of Consumer Affairs (800) 869-1123