Utah State Law Library http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/ Serving Utahns' legal research needs since 1852* en Copyright 2011 Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:28:06 -0700 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Online Shopping Resources present.jpgPlanning to buy holiday gifts online or through your smartphone this year? According to statistics available from the U.S. Census, online holiday shopping is becoming increasingly popular, with $30 billion in sales in 2009 alone.

Utah's Division of Consumer Protection recently released holiday online shopping tips, including the importance of researching the seller, keeping a paper trail of your online transactions, and making sure your antivirus software is up to date.

In addition to shopping safety tips, there are also tips from the Federal Trade Commission for finding the best deals online, including searching for product reviews and checking comparison shopping websites.

]]> http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/12/online_shopping_resources_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/12/online_shopping_resources_1.html Consumer Protection Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:28:06 -0700 Buyer Beware - Do Your Research Before Paying for Court Forms moneyThe Utah State Courts' website - www.utcourts.gov - provides a wealth of information and free forms.

Library staff feel terrible when patrons tell us they paid hundreds of dollars for divorce papers when we know they could have completed the paperwork using the courts' website. We feel even worse when they are told that their papers aren't sufficient. Before you pay for online forms, check our website to see whether a free, court-approved form is available.

Some of the forms provided on our website are fill-in-the-blank. You can either print a PDF version and neatly handwrite the information, or you can use the Word (in some cases WordPerfect) version and type the information. Remember, however, that there is not a form available for every situation. You may have to draft your own pleadings.

Our website also offers the Online Court Assistance Program (OCAP), which guides you through a series of questions and generates a packet of papers that you file with the court. While there is a $20 fee to file papers generated with the program, OCAP is otherwise free to use and is designed to be user-friendly. OCAP is available for these common court case types:

  • Divorce
  • Parentage (child custody, support and visitation, and paternity issues, but not as part of a divorce case)
  • Landlord-tenant (for both the landlord starting eviction proceedings, and the tenant responding to an eviction case)
  • Guardianship of a minor
  • Protective orders
  • Civil stalking

Helpful Resources

  • If you have questions about how to complete forms or want feedback on papers you put together, or if you need guidance on your case, we strongly encourage you to speak with a Utah attorney or visit one of Utah's free legal clinics, at which you can speak with an attorney for free for a short amount of time.
  • Watch our 8-minute presentation, How to Read a Legal Pleading in Utah, to get a tour of basic pleading format.
  • See Form 1, Caption & Signature Block, for the format for the top and bottom portions of a court pleading.

    ]]> http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/09/buyer_beware_do_your_research.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/09/buyer_beware_do_your_research.html Forms Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:39:11 -0700 Disposing of Electronic Waste in Utah Electronic_waste.jpgRapid advances in technology mean shorter life spans for many common electronics. According to Greenpeace, the average life span of a computer has fallen from 4-6 years in 1997 to 2 years in 2005. As a result we bear the burden of more and more hazardous electronic waste.

    The Utah legislature passed Senate Bill 184 during its 2011 session. The law, which becomes effective January 1, 2012, prohibits manufacturers from offering electronics for sale without establishing a public educational program on collecting and recycling for these products. It is still up to us consumers, however, to dispose of our e-waste responsibly.

    Cities and counties throughout Utah, including Logan City, the Sandy Public Works Department and Washington and Summit counties offer free electronic waste recycling to residents daily.

    For more information about e-waste, including how to plan your own e-waste recycling event, visit the Recycling Coalition of Utah.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/08/disposing_of_electronic_waste.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/08/disposing_of_electronic_waste.html Consumer Protection Mon, 15 Aug 2011 11:03:37 -0700     New Safety Recalls Database saferproducts.bmpThe U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has just launched a new safety recalls database, SaferProducts.Gov.

    The database is a one-stop site where consumers can both report and search safety incidents. The database was created pursuant to Section 212 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008.

    To learn how you can report a product safety issue online, watch the How To File a Report video. You can still report a safety issue by phone or fax, or download a form to report by postal mail or email.

    We have blogged in the past about sources of information about product safety recalls announced by the CPSC.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/coming_soon_new_safety_recalls.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/coming_soon_new_safety_recalls.html Consumer Protection Wed, 16 Mar 2011 09:17:52 -0700     National Consumer Protection Week
    National Consumer Protection WeekMarch 6 - 12 is National Consumer Protection Week.

    The National Consumer Protection Week website provides information on a variety of consumer topics including banking, business resources, credit and debt, health, identity theft and privacy, investing, mortgages, and scam and fraud alerts.

    The website also offers a blog and a Spanish-language page, Semana Nacional de Protección del Consumidor 2011.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/national_consumer_protection_w.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/03/national_consumer_protection_w.html Consumer Protection Mon, 07 Mar 2011 08:32:27 -0700     Scams Preying on the Lovelorn roses.jpgValentine's day is quickly approaching. For many people, that means buying gifts for a loved one, or finding a date.

    One of the most popular gifts for Valentine's Day is flowers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were over 18,000 florists in the United States in 2008. Be a smart consumer! The FTC has put together an alert of warning signs that the florist you're using might be a company posing as a local florist to scam you out of money.

    Another popular way of celebrating the holiday is by going on a date with your spouse or partner. Millions of Americans use dating websites to look for love. If you use these sites, watch out for scams. OnGuard Online, a tip center sponsored by several U.S. agencies including the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Department of Education, has created a list of tips to help you avoid dating scams. Requests for money or access to personal email accounts early in an online relationship could be warning signs.

    You can file a complaint online against an individual or business you might suspect is deceiving customers out of money or call the FTC at 1-877-FTC-HELP.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/02/avoiding_online_dating_scams.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2011/02/avoiding_online_dating_scams.html Consumer Protection Wed, 09 Feb 2011 13:58:17 -0700     Beware of Telemarketing & Charity Scams scam.bmpTelemarketing and charity scams are on the rise, including schemes where scam artists pose as employees of federal government agencies and charities like the Make A Wish Foundation (Read their fraud alert here.).

    The Federal Trade Commission provides information about this type of fraud and how to report it, including these red flag warnings if you think a phone call like this might be too good to be true:

    1) Don't pay to collect sweepstakes winnings.
    2) Hold on to your money.
    3) Look-alikes aren't the real thing.
    4) Phone numbers can deceive.

    More information about phone call scams is found at Who's Calling? Recognize & Report Phone Fraud. If you believe you have been a victim of one of these scams, file a complaint with the FTC. Sometimes other agencies get involved with investigating fraud claims -- in 2009 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement partnered with the Jamaican government to investigate and dismantle a telemarketing scam targeting U.S. Citizens. Read about their investigation here.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/10/beware_of_telemarketing_charit_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/10/beware_of_telemarketing_charit_1.html Consumer Protection Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:40:26 -0700     New Airline Passenger Protections Airlines.jpgSummer is just around the corner. If you're planning to travel for vacations, holidays, or family reunions, you should know there are new regulations introducing airline passenger protections that will go into effect on April 29th. These were issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

    The new regulations require airlines to make changes including:

    • adopting contingency plans for tarmac delays
    • publishing flight delay information on their websites
    • responding to and resolving consumer complaints within 60 days
    Consumers can file airline service complaints with the Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement division of the Department of Transportation or with the Better Business Bureau.


    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/04/new_airline_passenger_protecti.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/04/new_airline_passenger_protecti.html Consumer Protection Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:27:05 -0700     Avoid Census Scams census.gifYesterday, April 1st, was officially declared Census Day to help remind everyone to mail back their census forms. If you don't mail back your census form, a census taker will visit you up to three times to collect census information.

    The FTC has recently announced an alert to protect citizens from census scams, whether in person or online. Official census takers must show ID, and they will never ask to enter your home. Census takers are only allowed to ask questions that appear on the printed census forms. The U.S. Census provides some tips on what to do when a densus taker visits you.

    All U.S. Census correspondence is sent by mail and only has ten questions. None of these questions ask for credit card information, bank account numbers, passwords, or social security numbers. The census form will also be sent with an pre-paid postage return envelope.

    If you receive an email with attachments or links to websites claiming to be from the Census Bureau, be sure not to open the email, its attachments, or click on a link. You are encouraged to report suspicious emails or websites to the FTC or to the Census Bureau.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/04/avoid_census_scams.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/04/avoid_census_scams.html Consumer Protection Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:29:29 -0700     2009's Top Consumer Complaints The Federal Trade Commission, the nation's largest consumer protection agency, receives hundreds of thousands of complaints every year. They have recently issued a report documenting consumer complaints received in 2009. Identity theft tops the list of the fifteen most common complaints at 21% of all consumer complaints received.

    The FTC has created a new video, seen here, on how to file a complaint. There are many options for filing a complaint online. You can use the FTC's form (also available in Spanish). If you're serving any branch of the U.S. military, you can file a complaint through FTC's Consumer Sentinel. If you want to file a complaint against an organization located in another country, file your complaint with EConsumer.Gov.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/2009s_top_consumer_complaints.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/2009s_top_consumer_complaints.html Consumer Protection Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:22:08 -0700     Free Credit Reports creditrep.jpgEverybody should check their credit history to make sure the information is correct and to watch for suspicious activity. Identity theft can wreck havoc on your life. Stay on top of things by requesting a copy of your credit report each year.

    The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires that each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies - Equifax, Experian and TransUnion - provide you with a free copy of your credit report upon your request every 12 months. You can request your reports online, via a toll-free phone number or by mail.

    http://annualcreditreport.com

    Beware of imposter websites! This is the only authorized website to request your credit reports.

    1-877-322-8228

    Annual Credit Report Request Service
    P.O. Box 105281
    Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

    For more information about getting free credit reports, see the FTC's Your Rights: Credit Reporting page. The FTC website also provides information about Credit Reports & Scoring and Credit Cards & Consumer Loans, among many other consumer protection topics.


    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/free_credit_reports.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/free_credit_reports.html Consumer Protection Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:16:27 -0700     Craiglist Scams IC3.jpg If you've used Craigslist to rent an apartment, sell furniture, find a job or countless other things, you probably know you should look out for various scams. Craigslist has its own list of tips on how to avoid scams when using this service, especially when a transaction involves money. For a local Utah perspective, the Division of Consumer Protection has tips to stay safe when transacting business online based on an example of wire transfer fraud that happened here. In addition, in 2008 Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff signed an agreement with Craigslist to try to end illegal erotic ads. Per the agreement, posters who advertise erotic services must provide a real, working phone number and pay a fee that will be donated to charity.

    Other Craigslist scams have included the false promise of a Better Business Bureau buyer protection program, marriage fraud after a woman advertised for a spouse, and rental housing scams.

    Of course, these tips apply to any transaction made online, whether its through an online advertising site like Craigslist or KSL Classifieds or through an online merchant.

    So what should you do if you think you have been victimized by a scam or fraudulent transaction? Contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a joint venture between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/craiglist_scams.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/craiglist_scams.html Consumer Protection Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:07:28 -0700     Avoid Job Scams
    In today's tough economy, looking for a job can be difficult and stressful. If a job ad is offering the ability to work at home, be a mystery shopper, or is advertising the opportunity to own your own business, be aware that these advertisements may be job scams. The Federal Trade Commission provides tips on how to avoid job scams, such as avoiding any company that is promising you a job or will charge you money. The FTC has also recently begun Operation Bottom Dollar against several companies that have collectively scammed thousands of job seekers.

    If you're a Utah resident, you have a variety of ways to research a company offering work opportunities. Check with Utah's Better Business Bureau to find business ratings. Utah businesses are also registered with the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code--you can search for registered businesses, licensed professionals, and UCC filings.

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/avoid_job_scams.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/avoid_job_scams.html Consumer Protection Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:00:35 -0700     Utah Consumer Protection Resources Be a smart consumer and educate yourself! Start with Utah's Divison of Consumer Protection website, which provides a wide-range of useful resources including:


    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/utah_consumer_protection_resou_1.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/utah_consumer_protection_resou_1.html Consumer Protection Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:09:43 -0700     National Consumer Protection Week National Consumer Protection Week

    March 7 -13 is National Consumer Protection Week.

    In honor of this week, State Law Library staff will blog on consumer-related topics including Utah consumer protection resources, scams, free credit reports and consumer complaints. We hope you find these posts useful!

    ]]>     http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/natonal_consumer_protection_we.html http://www.utcourts.gov/lawlibrary/blog/2010/03/natonal_consumer_protection_we.html Consumer Protection Mon, 08 Mar 2010 07:42:09 -0700