Consumer Sourcebook

P IConsumer Sourcebook /I provides a comprehensive digest of accessible resources and advisory information for the American consumer. This new edition identifies and describes some 23,000 programs and services available to the general public at little or no cost. These services are provided by federal, state, county, and local governments and their agencies as well as by organizations and associations. PConsumer affairs and customer services departments for corporations are also listed as well as related publications, multimedia products, general tips and recommendations for consumers. The master index is arranged alphabetically by name and by subject term.

A comprehensive guide to approximately 28,000 federal, state, and local government agencies and offices, organizations, and related consumer resources in various fields including education, employment, insurance, healthcare, transportation, and environmental concerns.

A subject guide to over 26,500 federal, state, and local government agencies and offices, national, regional, and grassroots associations and organizations, information centers, clearinghouses, publications, Internet resources, multimedia resources, media contacts, corporate contacts and related consumer resources in the fields of general consumerism, automotive matters, credit and personal finance, education, employment, environmental concerns, food and drugs, government performance, health care and promotion, insurance, legal affairs, manufactured goods and product safety, mass communications, real estate and construction, retail and commercial concerns, transportation and travel, utilities.

This book addresses the questions of discrimination, vulnerable consumers, and financial inclusion in the light of the emerging legal, socioeconomic, and technological challenges. New technologies – such as artificial intelligence-driven consumer credit risk assessment and Fintech platforms, the changing nature of vulnerability due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the sophistication of digital technologies, which help circumvent legal barriers and protections – necessitate the continuous study of the existing legal frameworks and measures that are capable of tackling these challenges. Organized in two major parts, the first addresses, from multiple national angles, the idea of a human rights approach to consumer law, in order to replace the mantra of economic efficiency that characterizes financial services with those of human dignity and freedom from discrimination and from debt-induced servitude. The second tackles the challenges posed by increased usage of technology in connection with financial services, which tends to solve, but also creates, additional issues for consumers in general, and for vulnerable groups in particular.