Warning: Self-Help Resources are NOT legal advice and may not apply to your case. Please talk to a lawyer about the facts of your case.
There are 71 resources
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2011 Consumer Action Handbook
(Separate Website)
Includes how to be a savvy consumer, how to file a complaint, and the consumer assistance directory.
By: United States General Services Administration
A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act
(Separate Website)
By: Federal Trade Commission
A to Z Guide to Credit Cards
(Separate Website)
This guide explains how credit cards work, how credit card offers are made, how to deal with debt, how to resolve credit card disputes, and other credit card basics.
By: California Department of Consumer Affairs
Advance-Fee Loan Scams: "Easy" Cash Offers Teach Hard Lessons
(Separate Website)
If you're asked to pay a fee for the promise of a loan or credit card, you can count on the fact that you're dealing with a scam artist.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Advice for Consumers on the 2010 Credit CARD Act Protections
(Separate Website)
The new Credit CARD Act protects consumers against some of the worst abuses by credit card lenders.
By: National Consumer Law Center
Avoiding Credit and Charge Card Fraud
(Separate Website)
Steps to take to guard against credit or charge card fraud and information about reporting losses.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Banking Basics: You Can Bank On It
(Separate Website)
Building or Repairing Your Credit with a Secured Credit Card
(Separate Website)
This booklet explains what to look for when shopping for a secured credit card-and what to avoid.
By: Consumer Action
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Spanish / Español
California Immigrants and Credit
(Separate Website)
A fact sheet designed to explain credit to California immigrants.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Consumer Financial Rights
(Separate Website)
Glossary of Federal and State laws regulations covering many services offered by financial institutions.
By: FDIC
Consumer Form Letters and Opt Out Information
(Separate Website)
Sample letters for debt collection, credit reports, and credit disputes.
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Credit and Credit Repair
(Separate Website)
Information on getting and understanding credit reports.
By: Central California Legal Services, Inc.
Credit and Your Consumer Rights
(Separate Website)
This brochure explains your rights under the credit laws that protect your right to get, use and maintain credit, and offers practical tips to help you solve credit problems.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Credit Card Protections in California: Your Rights and How to Defend Them
(Separate Website)
Credit Cards: What You Need to Know
(Separate Website)
This brochure is designed to help readers understand the different types of cards available; sort through offers to choose the card that's right for them; understand credit card terms and conditions, and avoid fees and penalty rates.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Credit Repair Scams: They Make Your Money Disappear
(Separate Website)
Explains how to correct inaccurate information in your report and advises caution with credit repair companies and guaranteed credit claims.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Credit Repair: How to Help Yourself
(Separate Website)
The fact is there?s no quick fix for creditworthiness. You can improve your credit report legitimately, but it takes time, a conscious effort, and sticking to a personal debt repayment plan.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Credit Reports and Background Checks
(Separate Website)
Your legal rights
By: Legal Aid Society - Employment Law Center
Credit vs. Debit: Which Should You Use?
(Separate Website)
By: National Consumer Law Center
Debt Collection Form Letters
(Separate Website)
Sample letters for debt collection, credit reports, and credit disputes.
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Employment Background Checks: A Jobseeker's Guide
(Separate Website)
This guide explains the why and how of background checks. It also tells you what can be covered in a background report, your rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, and what you can do to prepare.
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
FACTA, The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act: Consumers Win Some, Lose Some
(Separate Website)
This guide is a summary and update of the new FACTA provisions.
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Fair Credit Billing
(Separate Website)
Have you ever been billed for merchandise you returned or never received? Has your credit card company ever charged you twice for the same item or failed to credit a payment to your account?Here is information about the dispute settlement procedures provided by the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA).
By: Federal Trade Commission
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
For People on Debt Management Plans: A Must Do-List
(Separate Website)
Glossary of Legal Terms
(Separate Website)
A Glossary of terms from the California Courts Self-Help Center
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Going to Court Without a Lawyer - Representing Yourself in Court
(Separate Website)
Whatever the reason, you have the right to represent yourself, to be your own lawyer in all cases in California. It is very important that you learn about what is at stake in your case.
By: Administrative Office of the Courts
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
'Gold' and 'Platinum' Cards: Facts for Consumers
(Separate Website)
If you're looking for credit, be wary of some "gold" or "platinum" card offers promising to get you credit cards or improve your credit rating.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Good Credit
(Separate Website)
Building and keeping good credit
By: Consumer Action
Guide to State Security Freeze Laws
(Separate Website)
A security freeze lets consumers stop thieves from getting credit in their names. A security freeze locks, or freezes, access to the consumer credit report and credit score.
By: Consumers Union
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
How Private Is My Credit Report?
(Separate Website)
Credit reports contain a lot of information about consumers: Social Security number, date of birth, current and previous addresses, telephone number (including unlisted numbers), credit payment status, employment, even legal information.
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
How to Deal with a Security Breach
(Separate Website)
Have you received a letter informing you that your personal information may have gotten into the wrong hands?
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
How to Dispute Credit Report Errors
(Separate Website)
ID Theft and Account Fraud
(Separate Website)
This publication can help you take steps to prevent ID theft, or if you are a victim, to clear up the problems created by ID theft and to lessen its impact on your life.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Identity Crisis... What to Do If Your Identity is Stolen
(Separate Website)
Identity Theft: What to Do if It Happens to You
(Separate Website)
This guide provides victims of identity theft with instructions on how to regain your financial health and who to contact for more help.
By: Privacy Rights Clearinghouse
Improve Your Credit: Put Bad Credit Behind You
(Separate Website)
An easy-to-read brochure that explains why having good credit is important, your rights, how to check your credit report, how to dispute mistakes, and how to begin to rebuild good credit.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Keeping Your Bank & Credit Card Accounts Safe from Fraud
(Separate Website)
Questions and Answers
By: Consumer Action
Military Personnel & Families Fighting Back Against Identity Theft
(Separate Website)
Informational brochure: If you are deployed away from your usual duty station and do not expect to seek new credit while you are deployed, consider placing an ?active duty alert? on your credit report.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Negative Credit Can Squeeze a Job Search
(Separate Website)
Information about bad credit affecting employment and your rights.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Poor Credit Means High Interest Rates: How to Avoid Bad Loans
(Separate Website)
This brochure covers illegal lending practices, warning signs of bad loans, how to avoid becoming a victim, filing a complaint and resources for advice and assistance.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Prescreened Offers of Credit and Insurance
(Separate Website)
How prescreened credit and insurance offers work and how it affects your credit score.
By: Federal Trade Commission
Preventing Credit Card Fraud: Learn How to Protect Yourself
(Separate Website)
A brochure that describes how crooks steal and use credit cards and card numbers, and also describes how to protect your card and what to do if your card has been stolen.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Privacy and Your Credit Report
(Separate Website)
Explains how California residents have strong privacy rights with new laws and an office of privacy protection.
By: Consumer Action
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Public Law Library of Alameda County
(Separate Website)
Open to the public, the county law library provides legal information material and resources held in its collection for your research.
By: Council of California County Law Librarians
Questions & Answers About Secured Credit Cards
(Separate Website)
This booklet gives in-depth background about secured credit cards, including how to find cards, features to avoid, costs and fees and how to successfully graduate to an unsecured credit card.
By: Consumer Action
Questions and Answers about Credit Card Fraud
(Separate Website)
Information about the many aspects of credit card fraud and offers tips for recognizing fraud and preventing it.
By: Consumer Action
Questions and Answers about Privacy and Your Credit Report
(Separate Website)
By: Consumer Action
Questions and Answers about Subprime Lending
(Separate Website)
The guide covers risk-based pricing of loans, subprime loans, credit scoring, predatory lending, illegal practices, and how consumers can protect themselves and fight back if they become victims.
By: Consumer Action
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