Consumer Law
| Pine Tree Legal information |
Foreclosure Prevention Toolkit
(September 2007)
Home foreclosures are still on the rise in Maine. This area of the law is complicated, but we have posted
a toolkit to help you better understand what you are up against if you can't make your mortgage payments.
Bankruptcy in Maine
(January 2006)
Overwhelmed by debts? Wondering about how bankruptcy works? Here's a good place to start.
Maine Benefits Checklist (April 2006)
It's not easy to balance a household budget when you have a low income. But
you can supplement your income by claiming all of the benefits and supports
you have the right to claim. Here is a checklist. Make sure you are not
leaving money on the table!
Alternatives to Payday Loans
(December 2005)
Payday loans can look like a good deal. But they aren’t. Here is what
payday loans looks like, why you should avoid them, and some possible alternatives.
Don't Borrow Trouble! (December 2005)
Watch out for unfair home loan deals. Predatory lending is on the rise in Maine.
Learn some basic rules to protect yourself and your home.
N’empruntez pas les soucis! (Décembre 2005)
Si vous ne voulez pas rester bloqué par un mauvais emprunt, faites attention
à ce qui suit
¡No Tome Problemas Prestados! (diciembre de 2005)
¿Está buscando un préstamo con garantía inmobiliaria?
¿O está tratando de tomar dinero prestado para comprar una vivienda?
Hay buenos y malos negocios. Si no quiere quedar atado a uno malo, tenga cuidado.
Debt Collection
in the Maine Courts (updated July 2008)
What will happen if you're sued on a debt in Maine District Court.
El Cobro de Duedas en La Corte de Maine (revisado en junio 2005)
Student Loans
| Links to more legal information |
The Maine Attorney General's Consumer
Law Guide has the most comprehensive information for Maine consumers. This A to Z
consumer guide covers everything from the Maine Lemon Law to coping with tele-marketers and credit sales.
The AG's office also provides mediation on consumer issues through its
Consumer Mediation Service.
A Guide to Small Claims Proceedings
Offered by the Maine Court System, explains how to bring your
own small claims action and how to defend against one.
The United States
Bankruptcy Court for the District of Maine website is getting better all the time.
They now have a "self-filers" page,
explaining the basics of both Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 filings.
Guide to Defaulted Student Loans
This comprehensive guide from the U.S. Department of Education includes what you need to
know about loan consolidation and
loan cancellation for eligible debtors. The Legal Aid Network of Kentucky also posts a good
summary of the law on
student loan discharges. (This was written for lawyers; the language is rather dense.)
Volunteer Lawyers Project
Will advise you about consumer credit counseling and, if you qualify,
how to get a reduced-rate lawyer to help you file for bankruptcy.
The National Consumer Law Center
Posts helpful consumer education in English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and Russian. Topics
include:
- credit issues and pitfalls
- opening bank accounts
- phone slamming
- making wire transfers
- dishonest immigration consultants
- pay day loans
- forclosure rescue scams
Protection from Identity Theft and Internet-based Scams
As you must know by now,
many scammers have moved their operations to the web. For starters, read this Federal Trade Commission's
Consumer Alert on identity theft:
How Not to Get Hooked by a ‘Phishing’ Scam.
Several federal and state agencies post helpful information about avoiding and
responding to all forms of Identity Theft. We recommend:
Federal Trade Commisssion's
Avoid ID Theft site
Maine Attorney General
Message about Identity Theft
Maine Office of Consumer Credit Regulation
Identity Theft Basics
The Consumer's Union also
advises you about placing a
"security freeze"
on your credit reports. This is a Maine law that applies to Maine consumers only; however, many other
states have similar laws. If you have asked for a freeze on your credit records and believe that
a credit reporting agency is not honoring the freeze, contact the
Maine Office of Consumer Credit
Regulation or the
Maine Attorney General's Office.
Protection from Tele-Marketers
A federal appeals court has revived the national
Do-Not-Call list. Both the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have Do-Not-Call rules and enforcement powers.
Go the the FTC site to register if you do not want
for-profit tele-marketers to call you. Get more information from the
FTC
and the FCC. You can register a cell phone, as well as a
land line phone.
More on this from the FCC
Consumer Credit
Maine
Office of Consumer Credit Regulation
If you need help with a consumer
credit problem, this state agency provides an
online complaint form.
Also, get their online Downeaster
Guides:
- Downeaster Consumer Guide to Credit Bureaus and Credit Reports
- Downeaster Guide to Debt Collection and Repossession
- Downeaster Consumer Guide to Consumer Rights
Also available free by mail:
- Downeaster Pocket Credit Guide
- Downeater Guide to Cut-Rate Auto Financing
- Do You Need to Obtain a License or Registration?
Get Free Credit Report
You have the right to get your credit report
for free and to get clear information about how to make corrections. CCR posts these instructions
and a Credit Request Form. The three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies also sponsor
an online option for getting your credit report.
FTC Consumer Information: Credit
The Federal Trade Commission posts a lot of user-friendly information for consumers.
This page features links to information about credit
consolidation scams, credit records, ID theft, and many other
common credit issues.
Utilities
Maine Public Utilities
Commission Consumer Assistance Division
If you can't resolve your problem with a regulated utility service--like
your electric or telephone company--contact this state agency by phone or
fill out an on-line complaint form.
The Maine State Housing Authority,
sponsors several programs to help low-income consumers
with costs of utilities (LIHEAP, LIAP, Weatherization, Appliance Replacement). Apply for
most programs at your local CAP office.
Telephone
Assistance Program gives discounted phone rates to people who
get public assistance (TANF, SSI, Medicaid, food stamps, LIHEAP, or emergency
assistance).
The Maine Public Advocate
Office posts up-to-date information for utility consumers,
including phone rate comparisons.
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