South Carolina Consumer Education

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs Education Section utilizes workshops, speeches, and media presentations to provide consumer education assistance to South Carolina consumers. The Consumer Education Section provides assistance to a wide cross-section of South Carolinians. Educational activities focus on "preventative consumerism" or how to avoid frauds and schemes through healthy skepticism. They also teach effective consumer practices in such areas as handling automobile repairs, mail order purchases, and just surviving in the marketplace. The staff will show you how to communicate effectively with businesses in the resolution of complaints arising out of consumer purchases of goods and services.

These educational programs take the Consumer Protection staff into schools where they talk to students K-12. The staff will also present their programs to colleges, health institutions, churches, educational programs, and senior citizens groups. Why not invite them to talk to your group. It doesn't cost anything and it might save you or someone else from losing their money.

Besides education, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs has "The List". The Buyer Beware List is of businesses in South Carolina that have not responded to consumer complaints filed through the Department of Consumer Affairs or have failed to live up to the agreement they reached during mediation. The list shows all businesses since October 1993 that have still not complied with Consumer Affairs requests or resolutions. The businesses are added to the list when they do not respond to a complaint or the business response is received but the resolution is not provided as promised. In order for a business to be removed from the list all their outstanding complaints must be answered in writing. The list contains the name and address of the business for both in and out-of-state businesses.