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Education & Outreach Consumer Resource Guide

A A R P — A non-profit membership organization dedicated to addressing interests of people age 50 and older on issues such as consumer advocacy and healthcare, including fraud crimes such as telemarketing.

  • Toll Free :: (888) 687-2277

AARP Home Equity Information Center — A comprehensive web site exploring the benefits and risks of reverse mortgages. It includes links to information on high-risk equity home loans and predatory lending.

  • Phone :: (202) 434-6042

Adult Protective Services (APS) — Provides assistance to elderly and dependent adults, investigating reports of physical, emotional and/or financial abuse of those living in private homes, hotels, acute care hospitals, health care clinics, adult day care and social day care centers. For number in your area, please see your local listing under County Government.

American Association of Daily Money Managers — Provides assistance to those who have difficulty managing their personal financial affairs, and is particularly useful for senior victims of chronic fraud. Includes such functions as bill paying, balancing checkbooks, and making bank deposits. Many work in conjunction with Adult Protective Services.

  • Phone :: (301) 593-5462

Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) — An industrial and law enforcement membership association focused on eliminating fraud and identity theft that results from phishing, pharming, and e-mail spoofing. When appropriate, information is shared with law enforcement.

Better Business Bureau (BBB) — A member organization that provides information on complaints against businesses and charities and mediates complaints with businesses.

  • Southern California :: (703) 276-0100 or (909) 527-0680
  • Northern California :: (916) 443-6843

BBB Wise Giving Alliance — Helps consumers make wise decisions in making charitable contributions.

  • Phone :: (703) 276-0100

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform — Assists with:

  • Finding nursing homes
  • Lawyer referrals
  • Medi-Cal for long Term care
  • Locating residential care and assisted living facilities
  • Information on elder abuse
  • Toll Free :: (800) 474-1116 or (415) 974-5171

California Board of Accountancy (CBA) — Licenses & Regulates:

  • Certified Public Accountants
  • Public Accountants
  • Accounting Firms
  • Phone :: (916) 263-3680

California Department of Aging — Provides services to seniors and adults with disabilities such as supportive services, in-home services, congregate and home-delivered meals and a system of multipurpose senior centers.

  • Elder Care Locator
  • Toll Free :: Within California (800) 677-1116
  • Outside California (800) 510-2020

California Department of Consumer Affairs — Licenses & Regulates: various professions including doctors, dentists, contractors, funeral and cemetery providers, cosmetologists, and auto repair technicians and repair shops.

  • Public Inquiries
    Toll Free :: (800) 952-5210
    www.dca.ca.gov
  • Office of Privacy Protection (Identity Theft Resources)
    Toll Free :: (866) 785-9663
    www.privacy.ca.gov
  • Cemetery & Funeral Bureau
    (916) 322-7737

California Department of Corporations (DOC) — Licenses & Regulates: broker-dealers, investment advisors, offer & sale of securities, franchises, off-exchange commodities, independent escrow agents, consumer and commercial finance, lenders or mortgage bankers and check sellers.

  • Toll Free :: (866) ASK-CORP or (916) 275-2677

Seniors Against Investment Fraud (SAIF) Program — Provides information on licensing and warning signs associated with a possible fraudulent solicitation.

California Department of Financial Institutions — Licenses & Regulates: California licensed Savings & Loan banks, credit unions, industrial banks, offices of foreign banks, trust companies, business & industrial development corporations, issuers of traveler checks/money orders.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 622-0620

California Department of Health Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) — Assists individuals and families with Medicare problems and private insurance health concerns or billing problems.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 434-0222

California Department of Health Services — Provides a broad range of public and clinical health programs that provide health care services to Californians. Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse: Combating Medi-Cal fraud and elder abuse in California.

  • Medi-Cal Complaint Line
    Toll Free :: (800) 722-0432

California Department of Insurance (DOI) — Licenses & Regulates of: insurance agents and insurance brokers, insurance company financial profiles, viatical settlements and annuities.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 927-HELP or (800) 927-4357

California Department of Justice – Office of the Attorney General — Oversees charities and commercial fund raisers, medical fraud, sweepstakes, mail fraud, and identify theft.

  • Inquiry Unit (800) 952-5225
  • Identity Theft Victims (888) 880-0240

California Office of Immigrant Assistance — Under the Civil Rights Section of the California Department of Justice, helps protect the rights of recent immigrants, including information on avoiding fraudulent ‘green card’ and other immigration services.

  • Toll Free :: (888) 587-0557

California Department of Real Estate (DRE) — Licenses & Regulates: real estate brokers, real estate salespersons, and real estate mortgage lender/broker activities.

  • Fresno :: (559) 445-5009
  • Los Angeles :: (213) 620-2072
  • Oakland :: (510) 622-2552
  • San Diego :: (619) 525-4192
  • Legal & Recovery Unit :: (916) 227 –0789

CA Department of Veterans Affairs — Provides benefits and services to CA veterans, including benefits to dependents and survivors.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 952-5626
  • TDD :: (800) 324-5966

California Medical Board — Inquiries or complaints regarding physicians.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 633-2322

California Public Utilities Commission — Regulates privately-owned electric, telecommunications, natural gas, water and transportation companies, household goods movers, and rail safety.

  • Los Angeles :: (213) 576-7000
  • San Francisco :: (415) 703-2782
  • San Diego :: (619) 525-4217

California Registry — Information on various living arrangements for seniors.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 633-777-7575

California Secretary of State — Provides services to incorporating businesses and offers information such as:

  • Location address
  • Officers of the company
  • Registered agent
  • Incorporation date
  • Status
Also administers the Victims of Corporate Fraud Compensation Fund which provides restitution to victims who are unable to collect on a corporate fraud judgment.

California Department of Social Services — Provides information about social services, including cash aid, food, transportation, housing, health, residential care, day care, foster care, adoption, disaster services, refugee services, and in-home care.

  • Fraud Hotline :: (800) 344-TIPS (8477)
  • Elder Abuse Complaints :: (800) 722-0432
  • Report Medical Fraud :: (800) 822-6222

California State Contractors Licensing Board — Licenses & Regulates:43 classifications of contractors and home improvement salespersons.

Toll Free :: (800) 321-2752
www.cslb.ca.gov

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards (CFP) — A professional regulatory organization that fosters professional standards in personal financial planning, through certification. It includes voluntary mediation to resolve disputes.

  • Toll Free :: (888) 237-6275

Curtailing Abuse Related to the Elderly (CARE) — CARE is a division of Adult Protective Services that provides victim advocacy and education for elder victims of such crimes as telemarketing, investment fraud, and real estate scams.

  • Riverside County :: (909) 791-3447

Eldercare Locator Service — Provides nationwide assistance to help older persons, their families and caregivers. Referrals to your local Area Agency on Aging.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 677-1116

Elder Financial Protection Network (EFPN) — A coalition of financial institutions, law enforcement and social service agencies committed to preventing financial abuse of senior and dependent adults.

  • San Francisco area :: (415) 897-9555

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) — Investigates violations of federal financial laws as well as federal identity theft laws, usually where there is a significant dollar loss, cyber crime, or situations that crosses state or international boundaries. Contact your local FBI field office and local police department where the crime occurred.

  • Main line :: (310) 477-6565
  • Headquarters (Washington, DC) :: (202) 324-3000

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) — Enforcement of Consumer Protection Laws for:

  • Abusive Lending
  • Truth In Lending Act
  • Credit Cards
  • Identity Theft
  • Franchise & Business Opportunities
  • Telemarketing
  • Toll Free :: (877) 382-4357 or (877) FTC-HELP

“Do Not Call” Registry — Register your phone numbers to minimize calls from telemarketers.

Toll Free :: (888) 382-1222

CAN-SPAM reporting — A reporting site to report spam email that a consumer think is deceptive.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Identity Theft Hotline — Provides information to help victims resolve financial and other problems that result from identity theft. Also provides a place for victims to file a complaint.

  • ID Theft Hotline - Toll Free :: (877) 438-4388

California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) — Provides homeowner and renter assistance programs.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 338-0505

Internet Fraud Complaint Center — FBI web site that addresses internet fraud concerns.

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) — Provides information on a variety of tax-related fraud schemes, including fraudulent federal tax returns or other tax fraud. Contact your local IRS field office, Criminal Investigations Unit.

Medicare — Answers questions about the original Medicare Plan and provides up-to-date information regarding the health plans available in your area.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 633-4227

Consumer Credit Reporting – “Opt-Out” — Provides information and processes requests to remove your name from lists used by creditors and insurers to make offers of credit or insurance. All “Opt-Out” requests must be submitted through the web site or the toll-free number.

  • Toll Free :: (888) 567-8688
  • TDD :: (877)-730-4105

Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) — Licenses & Regulates: individuals and firms dealing in securities, establishes rules to govern their behavior, audits them for regulatory compliance and disciplines entities or individuals that fail to comply.FINRA also regulates trading in equities, corporate bonds, securities futures and options.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 289-9999

National Association of State Charity Officials (NASCO) — Association of state offices with oversight of charitable organizations. Provides information and links to state information and resources regarding charitable organizations, including laws regarding solicitations and fundraising.

National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) — Provides information and links to a variety of services and information on crimes against the elderly, including financial exploitation.

  • Phone :: (202) 898-2586

National Center for Victims of Crime — Provides national advocacy for victims of all crimes. Informative brochures and hotline numbers available.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 394-2255

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) — Supervises and insures: Federal Credit Unions and State-Chartered Credit Unions.

  • Phone :: (703) 518-6300

National Foundation for Consumer Credit — Provides assistance with credit problems and creditors.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 388-2227

National Futures Association (NFA) — Investigates complaints on futures and options trading investments, and provides disciplinary information on brokers.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 676-4632

National Insurance Crime Bureau Hotline — Association operated by the insurance industry to facilitate the identification, detection and prosecution of insurance crimes.

  • Toll Free :: (800) TEL-NICB or (835-6422)

Northern American Securities Administrator’s Association (NASAA) — Provides a comprehensive web site on various kinds of financial crime and investigative resources. Also provides extensive information on their Investor Education link.

  • Phone :: (202) 737-0900

Office for the Controller of the Currency (OCC) — Charters & Regulates: National Banks and ATM fraud.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 613-6743

Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS) — Regulates: all federal-chartered and state-chartered thrift institutions, such as savings banks and savings & Loan associations.

  • Phone :: (202) 906-6000

Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) — Provides information about the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), established to encourage the continuation and maintenance of private-sector pension plans (401k, IRA, and plans offered by small professional service firms and government agencies).

  • Toll Free :: (800) 400-7242

Privacy Rights Clearinghouse — A comprehensive web site and service providing information on privacy issues and identity theft.

  • Phone :: (619) 298-3396

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) — Regulates: national securities exchanges (e.g. NYSE and NASDAQ), Investment Companies (mutual funds), Investment Advisors (over $25M in client assets under management).

  • Toll Free :: (800) 732-0330

Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC) — SIPC replaces missing stocks and certain other securities that are held by a customer at a financially troubled brokerage firm. It does not provide blanket protection of losses, particularly due to changing market conditions.

  • Phone :: (202) 371-8300

Senior Legal Hotline — Provides seniors (over the age of 60) with fast, accurate advice on any legal subject, by phone and Internet and refers them elsewhere as needed.

  • Legal Assistance
    Toll Free :: (800) 222-1753
  • Other Inquiries (nonlegal)
    Phone :: (916) 551-2140 or (916) 551-2145
    www.seniorlegalhotline.org

Social Security Administration — Provides economic protection for all Americans, social security information, fraud prevention related to social security.

  • Information on Earnings/Benefit status
    Toll Free :: (800) 772-1213
  • Report Social Security Fraud
    Toll Free :: (800) 269-0271
    www.ssa.gov

State Bar of California — Provides information on:

  • Finding an attorney for legal advice
  • Filing a complaint against an attorney.
  • Reimbursement for attorney misconduct
  • Making a simple will.
  • License checks, complaints regarding attorney conduct.
    Toll Free :: (800) 843-9053
  • Senior Information Hotline
    Toll Free :: (888) 460-7364

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Fraud Hotline — Report fraud, waste or abuse in Agency programs, including Medicare, child support, and food stamps. Also investigates fraud committed by H&HS employees or contractors.

  • Inspector General Hotline
    Toll Free :: (800) 447-8477

U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPS) — Investigates identity theft that involves the U.S. mail. For example, if mail was stolen, someone has changed a mailing address on bank, credit card or other financial documents, or the mail was used as part of an identity theft scheme.

  • General Postal Information
  • Toll Free :: (800) 275-8777 Postal Service Inspector General Hotline - to report postal crimes involving waste, fraud, abuse or mismanagement.
  • Toll Free :: (800) 654-8896

U.S. Secret Service — Investigates financial crimes such as counterfeiting, identity theft through false identification documents, access device fraud, advance fee fraud, electronic funds transfers, and some money laundering.

  • Phone :: (202) 406-5850

U.S. Trustee’s Office — Part of US Department of Justice. Oversees bankruptcy filings. Has “Debtor ID Program” to minimize risk of identity theft in conjunction with bankruptcy filings.

US Department of Veterans Affairs — To provide benefits and services to US veterans, including benefits to dependents and survivors.

  • VA Benefits
    Toll Free :: (800) 827-1000
    TDD: :: 1-800-829-4833

Victims of Crime Resolve Center — Provides information and referrals statewide to victims, their families, victim service providers, and other interested parties. The Center publishes and distributes thousands of free informational materials yearly concerning victims' rights.

  • Toll Free :: (800) 842-8467 or (800) VICTIMS