Pam Bondi releases holiday shopping guide for consumers

PamBondi_Trump (1)

Thanksgiving is a time for family, dodging political arguments and, of course, the start of holiday shopping season.

With that last note in mind, Attorney General Pam Bondi is out with her 2018 shopping guide to help consumers avoid getting scammed this holiday season.

“My holiday Consumer Protection Guide is full of great advice for making secure purchases online and tips on avoiding identity theft and charity scams,” Bondi said.

“The guide also includes safety information about toys and recalled items to better prepare shoppers to make wise purchases this holiday season.”

Some of the top tips from Bondi include:

— Pay with a credit card instead of a debit card when shopping online.

Both payment methods allow consumers to dispute a charge if the merchandise never arrives or is different from what was ordered. However, with a debit card, the purchase is already deducted from a bank account and it may take days or weeks for the bank to reverse the charge.

— Ensure that a web browser is secure before submitting payment information.

To identify a secure browser, look for a padlock symbol in the address bar.

— Keep receipts and be sure to understand retailers’ return policies and periods, so consumers can return any unwanted items for a full refund.

As Bondi mentioned, the lengthy guide also includes numerous toys flagged for defects so consumers know what they’re getting when they make a big purchase.

To skim through the guide, click here. Consumers who believe they’re the victim of a scam can call the Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline at 1 (866) 9NO-SCAM, or visit the AG’s website.

Ryan Nicol

Ryan Nicol covers news out of South Florida for Florida Politics. Ryan is a native Floridian who attended undergrad at Nova Southeastern University before moving on to law school at Florida State. After graduating with a law degree he moved into the news industry, working in TV News as a writer and producer, along with some freelance writing work. If you'd like to contact him, send an email to [email protected].


3 comments

  • Ray Tampa

    November 23, 2018 at 5:25 am

    This is Pam Bondi’s best service, by far, in an otherwise failed tenure as attorney general. Yes, being proactive in providing valuable information to our state’s consumers should be applauded.

  • Jeff Carter

    November 23, 2018 at 6:59 am

    Screw her, Bondi should be in jail over her dropping investigation of trump. After he donated to her campaign she decided all the Florida folks he screwed didn’t deserve justice so she took more $$ from him and ended the investigation. That’s fraud and bribery and Bondi should be in jail .

  • Karen Olson

    November 23, 2018 at 8:19 am

    Pam has done a great job as Florida Attorney General! She will do an even better job as US Attorney General!

Comments are closed.


#FlaPol

Florida Politics is a statewide, new media platform covering campaigns, elections, government, policy, and lobbying in Florida. This platform and all of its content are owned by Extensive Enterprises Media.

Publisher: Peter Schorsch @PeterSchorschFL

Contributors & reporters: Phil Ammann, Drew Dixon, Roseanne Dunkelberger, A.G. Gancarski, Anne Geggis, Ryan Nicol, Jacob Ogles, Cole Pepper, Gray Rohrer, Jesse Scheckner, Christine Sexton, Drew Wilson, and Mike Wright.

Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @PeterSchorschFL
Phone: (727) 642-3162
Address: 204 37th Avenue North #182
St. Petersburg, Florida 33704




Sign up for Sunburn


Categories