National Consumer Organizations

AARP: Consumer Affairs Section, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049; 888-687-2277; Web: www.aarp.org.

Offers information on housing, insurance, funeral practices, eligibility for public benefits, financial security, transportation, and consumer protection issues on behalf of midlife and older consumers.

American Council on Consumer Interests (ACCI): 415 South Duff, Suite C., Ames, IA 50010-6600; 515-956-4666; 515-233-3101 (fax); Web: www.consumerinterests.org.

Provides research-based information on topics of consumer interest. Provides information about consumer publications, policies, and resources.

American Council on Science and Health (ACSH): 1995 Broadway, 2nd Fl., New York, NY 10023-5860; 212-362-7044; 212-362-4919 (fax); Web: www.acsh.org.

A consumer education consortium concerned with issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment, and health.

American Savings Education Council (ASEC): 2121 K St. NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20037-1896; 202-659-0670; 202-775-6312 (fax); Web: www.asec.org.

Raises public awareness about what is needed to ensure long-term personal financial independence.

Better Business Bureau (BBB): 4200 Wilson Blvd., Suite 800, Arlington, VA 22203-1838; 703-276-0100; Web: www.bbb.org.

Offers a variety of consumer services including educational materials, information on charities and other organizations seeking public donations, and mediation and arbitration services.

Center for Auto Safety (CAS): 1825 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 330, Washington, DC 20009-5708; 202-328-7700; Web: www.autosafety.org.

Founded by Consumers Union and Ralph Nader in 1970 to advocate for auto safety and quality.

Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI): 1875 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009; 202-332-9110; 202-265-4954 (fax); Web: www.cspinet.org.

Provides research, education, and advocacy on nutrition, health, food safety, and related issues.

Center for the Study of Services/Consumers' Checkbook: Consumers' Checkbook Headquarters, 1625 K St. NW, 8th Fl., Washington, DC 20006; 800-213-7283; Web: www.checkbook.org.

Aids consumers in selecting doctors, hospitals, health plans, cars, and finding bargains.

Coalition Against Insurance Fraud: 1012 14th St. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20005; 202-393-7330; 202-393-7329 (fax); Web: www.insurancefraud.org.

Organization of consumers, government agencies, and insurers dedicated to combating all forms of insurance fraud.

Congress Watch: 215 Pennsylvania Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20003; 202-546-4996; 202-547-7392 (fax); Web: www.citizen.org/congress.

An arm of Public Citizen, Congress Watch works for consumer-related legislation, regulation, and policies in such areas as campaign financing and health and safety.

Consumer Action (CA): 221 Main St., Suite 480, San Francisco, CA 94105; 415-777-9635 (multilingual consumer complaint hotline); 415-777-5267 (fax); Web: www.consumer-action.org.

Advocates for credit, finance, HMO, and telecommunications issues.

Consumer Federation of America (CFA): 1620 I St. NW, Suite 200, Washington, DC 20006; 202-387-6121; Web: www.consumerfed.org.

Composed of more than 260 organizations, CFA is a consumer advocacy and education organization. CFA focuses much of its advocacy in the areas of financial service, utilities, product safety, transportation, health care, and food safety.

Consumers Union (CU): 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703-1057; 914-378-2000; Web: www.consumersunion.org.

Publisher of Consumer Reports. Researches and tests consumer goods and services.

Families USA: 1201 New York Ave. NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20005; 202-628-3030; 202-347-2417 (fax); Web: www.familiesusa.org.

Advocates for high-quality, affordable health care.

Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC): Pueblo, CO 81009; 800-FED-INFO (govt. information); 888-8-PUEBLO (publications); Web: www.pueblo.gsa.gov .

Answers questions about federal agencies, programs, and services, and provides hundreds of consumer publications.

Federal Communications Commission (FCC): 445 12th St. SW, Washington, DC 20554; 888-CALL-FCC; 866-418-0232 (fax); Web: www.fcc.gov.

Offers information to help consumers avoid unwanted telephone solicitations and to report other abusive techniques.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC): CRC-240, Washington, DC 20580; 1-877-FTC-HELP or 202-326-2222; Web: www.ftc.gov.

Enforces a variety of federal antitrust and consumer protection laws.

HALT: An Organization of Americans for Legal Reform: 1612 K St. NW, Suite 510, Washington, DC 20006; 202-887-8255, toll-free: 888-FOR-HALT; 202-887-9699 (fax); Web: www.halt.org.

Helps consumers handle their legal affairs.

Housing and Urban Development (HUD): 451 7th St. SW, Washington, DC 20410; 202-708-1112; 800-347-3735 (fraud, waste, abuse complaints); Web: www.hud.gov/consumer/index.cfm.

Enforces federal laws and regulations that protect citizens from discrimination, fraud, and unscrupulous practices in buying and renting a home.

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): Web: www.ic3.gov.

Provides victims of cyber crime a convenient, easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation. The IC3 is a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.

Military Sentinel: Web: www.consumer.gov/military.

Allows members of the U.S. Armed Forces to enter consumer complaints directly into a database that is immediately accessible by over 500 law enforcement organizations throughout the United States, Canada, and Australia.

National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA): Two Brentwood Commons, Suite 150, 750 Old Hickory Boulevard, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027; 1-866-SAY-NACAA or 615-371-6125; Web: www.nacaa.net.

A nonprofit association for administrators of government consumer-protection agencies. NACAA members work directly with consumers to solve problems, advance relevant legislation, and support consumer outreach and education.

National Association of State Utility Consumer Advocates (NASUCA): 8380 Colesville Road, Suite 101, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 301-589-6313; 301-589-6380 (fax); Web: www.nasuca.org.

A national organization of 44 advocate offices in 42 states and the District of Columbia, NASUCA members represent millions of consumers served by investor-owned gas, telephone, electric, and water companies. Its members represent the concerns of utility consumers by testifying before Congress and federal regulatory agencies.

National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC): 727 15th St. NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005; 202-628-8866; 202-628-9800 (fax); Web: www.ncrc.org.

Works toward ending discriminatory banking practices and increasing the flow of private capital and credit into underserved communities.

National Consumer Law Center (NCLC): 77 Summer St., 10th Fl., Boston, MA 02110-1006; 617-542-8010; 617-542-8028 (fax); Web: www.consumerlaw.org.

Focuses on the interests of low-income consumers in court, before administrative agencies, and before legislatures.

National Consumers League (NCL): 1701 K St. NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006; 202-835-3323; 202-835-0747 (fax); Web: nclnet.org.

Founded in 1899, NCL is America's pioneer consumer advocacy organization. It focuses on consumer health and safety protection as well as fairness in the marketplace and workplace.

National Council on Aging (NCOA): 300 D St. SW, Suite 801, Washington, DC 20024; 202-479-1200; 202-479-0735 (fax); Web: www.ncoa.org.

Advocates for public policies and provides programs and services that aid older persons.

National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC): 801 Roeder Rd., Suite 900, Silver Spring, MD 20910; 800-388-2227 or 301-589-5600; 301-495-5623 (fax); Web: www.nfcc.org.

Provides assistance with stressful financial situations.

National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch (NFIC/IFW): c/o National Consumers League, 1701 K St. NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20006; 800-876-7060; Web: www.fraud.org.

Helps to prevent telemarketing fraud and online and Internet fraud, and assists in filing complaints.

National Insurance Consumer Organization (NICO) See Consumer Federation of America (CFA)

National Senior Citizens Law Center (NSCLC): 1101 14th St. NW, Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005; 202-289-6976; 202-289-7224 (fax); Web: www.nsclc.org.

Helps low-income and older Americans with legal services.

Public Citizen: 1600 20th St. NW, Washington, DC 20009; 202-588-1000; Web: www.citizen.org.

Represents consumer interests in Congress, the courts, government agencies, and the media. Its divisions include Auto Safety, Congress Watch, Critical Mass (Energy & Environment Program), Global Trade Watch, Health Research Group, and the Litigation Group.

U.S. Public Interest Research Group (U.S. PIRG): 218 D St. SE, Washington, DC 20003; 202-546-9707; 202-546-2461 (fax); Web: www.uspirg.org .

Advocates on issues such as the environment, product safety, financial privacy, and identity theft.

Women's Bureau, Dept. of Labor: 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Room S-3002, Washington, DC 20210; 800-827-5335, 202-693-6710; 202-693-6725 (fax); Web: www.dol.gov/wb.

Advocates for work issues such as sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and child care.

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