A to Z Resource Guide, page C - Division of Consumer Services, DOACS

Subject/Topic	Contact Name and Number	Comments
Cable Service
	Federal Communications Commission Cable 888-225-5322	Fact Sheet
--Complaints (Florida)	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Consumers may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for informal mediation.
--Complaints (Federal)	Federal Communications Commission 888-225-5322	Signal leakage from cable systems Cable home wiring questions Equipment compatibility Commercial limits for children’s' programming Indecency and obscenity
--Regulation of Rates	Federal Communications Commission 888-225-5322	Cable deregulation information.
--State-Issued Certificate of Franchise Authority	Florida Department of State 850-245-6010	Cable and/or Video Service
Campgrounds
	Search by County	Contact city, county or local Better Business Bureau.
--Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Consumers may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for informal mediation.
Cancer Information Center
	National Cancer Institute 800-422-6237	The National Cancer Institute coordinates the National Cancer Program, which conducts and supports research, training, health information dissemination, and other programs with respect to the cause, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of cancer, rehabilitation from cancer, and the continuing care of cancer patients and the families of cancer patients.
Captive Wildlife
--Questions	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 850-488-6253
--Regulations	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 850-488-6253
Car Ads
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	To entice consumers, many new car dealers typically advertise special promotions. These may include high trade-in allowances, free or low-cost options, dealer's invoice prices, free prizes, unusually low interest rates, no-payment grace periods and other "specials."
Car (New)
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	Next to a home, a new car purchase is the largest financial transaction for most consumers. Shopping for the best deal at an automobile dealership has historically been a mysterious, painful and often regrettably expensive experience for many consumers.
--Florida Lemon Law	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-321-5366	The dealer is required to provide you with a booklet published by the Florida Attorney General's office, which explains your rights under Florida's Lemon Law. Read this carefully, especially if you begin to experience chronic warranty problems with your new vehicle.
Car (Used)
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	A majority of Floridians seeking to acquire a vehicle will purchase a used car as opposed to a new one. But the dream of saving substantial cash and driving away in your beautiful "cream-puff" can quickly become a nightmare of breakdowns and expensive repairs.
Car Financing (New and Used)
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990
--Licensing	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9895	Chapter 520, Part I, F.S., covers the licensing and operating regulations of motor vehicle installment sellers. Maximum finance charges allowed on new and used automobiles are also established by statute. Motor Vehicle Sellers must be licensed by the office prior to conducting business.
--Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 800-848-3792 or 850-410-9805
Car Leasing
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	The Attorney General of Florida has received numerous complaints from consumers, many of whom have been pressured into auto leasing, not been credited for their trade-in vehicle, or have complained of being defrauded in other ways. Be aware that once you sign a lease, you have no automatic legal right to cancel.
Car Rental
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	Some car rental companies use questionable tactics, at times rising to the level of outright rip-offs. Last minute charges, and use of intimidation and scare tactics to coerce consumers into buying things they do not need are common practices used by car rental companies.
--Car Rental Tips	Federal Citizen Information Center Car Renting	Federal law does not cover short-term car and truck rentals.
--Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Consumers may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for informal mediation.
Car Safety Hotline
	United States Department of Transportation 800-327-4236	National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Car Theft
--Prevention	Auto-Theft .info	Information for prevention of auto theft and product reviews on devices that protect from threats.
Car Trouble (Persistent and Chronic)
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	Dealing with chronic and persistent automobile repairs can be frustrating. Consumers who have experienced chronic problems with their automobiles may be experiencing a substantial product defect or condition and might be entitled to reimbursement or another remedy.
--Florida Lemon Law	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-321-5366	The dealer is required to provide you with a booklet published by the Florida Attorney General's office, which explains your rights under Florida's Lemon Law. Read this carefully, especially if you begin to experience chronic warranty problems with your new vehicle.
Carcass Haulers
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-410-0900	(Transporting Animal Carcasses / Refuse) Division of Animal Industry
Carpet Cleaners
--Information and Consumer Tips	Florida Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990
Casino Gambling
	Attorney General's Online Complaint Form 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	Prohibited in Florida. Illegal activity should be reported to the Florida Attorney General.
Cat Fish Farming
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-488-0163	Division of Marketing and Development - Bureau of Seafood and Aquaculture
Cattle Brands
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-410-0945	Division of Animal Industry
Cattle Raising
	Florida Cooperative Extension Office	The state of Florida has 67 counties, divided into five IFAS districts. Each county has its own Cooperative Extension Service office.
Cattle Rustling
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-342-5869 or 850-245-1300	Agricultural Law Enforcement
Cellular Phones (Cell Phones)
	Federal Communications Commission 888-225-5322	The FCC does not regulate contractual arrangements with cellular providers, but does handle complaints about wireless service.
--Verizon	Verizon Wireless 800-922-0204	Try to work out the problem with the company first for a resolution.
--Verizon Bay County Consumers	Verizon for Bay County Consumers 866-442-7946	In July 2002 Verizon Wireless acquired the former Price Communications wireless properties which include Bay County, FL. Since that time Verizon has upgraded the Price network from analog/TDMA to the state of the art CDMA network, which is what the rest of the Verizon Wireless network is on.
--Nextel / Sprint	Nextel / Sprint 800-777-4681	Nextel has asked if the consumer is one of their customers, to call them first to try and work out the complaint. This department is called Executive Escalations.
--T-Mobile	T-Mobile 611 - From your T-Mobile Phone or 800-937-8997	T-Mobile Customer Relations: PO Box 37380 Albuquerque, NM 87176-7380
--Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Consumers may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for informal mediation.
Cemetery and Funeral Services
--Funeral and Cemetery	Florida Department of Financial Services 800-323-2627	F.S. 497 Takes questions and complaints about regulation of cemeteries in the state or "pre-need" requirements.
--Licensing and Registration	Florida Department of Financial Services 850-413-3039	Bureau of Funeral and Cemetery Services
	National Funeral Directors Association 800-228-6332	The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) provides advocacy, education, information, products, programs and services to help members enhance the quality of service to families.
--Consumer Arbitration	Funeral Service Consumer Assistance Program 800-662-7666	FSCAP is a nonprofit consumer service designed to help people understand funeral service and related topics and to help them resolve funeral service concerns. FSCAP service representatives and an intervener assist consumers in identifying needs, addressing complaints and resolving problems. Free brochures on funeral related topics are available.
Census Bureau (U.S.)
	U.S. Department of Commerce 301-763-4636	The Census Bureau serves as the leading source of quality data about the nation's people and economy.
Certificate of Origin and Free Sale, Fruit Shippers
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-487-0785
Certificate of Need
	Florida Agency for HealthCare Administration 850-488-8673	The Certificate of Need (CON) program is a regulatory process that requires certain health care providers to obtain state approval before offering certain new or expanded services.
Certified Financial Planners
	Certified Financial Planners (CFP) Board of Standards 202-379-2200 or 800-487-1497	The mission of the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) is to help people benefit from competent, professional and ethical financial planning.
Certified Food Manager Certification (Testing)
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-410-0718	Call for schedule testing times, get study materials and costs.
--Thomson Prometric	Thomson Prometric 800-624-2736	Formerly known as Experior Assessments
--National Registry of food safety professionals	National Registry of Food Safety Professionals 800-446-0257
--National Restaurant Association	National Restaurant Association 800-765-2122
--Florida Restaurant Association	Florida Restaurant Association 866-fra-exam
Chamber of Commerce
--Florida	Florida Chamber of Commerce Search for local listing	The Florida Chamber is Florida's largest federation of businesses, chambers of commerce and associations. The Federation's more than 137,000 member businesses represent three million employees in every legislative district in Florida. More than 80 percent of our members our small businesses, reflecting Florida's strength and spirit.
Charitable Solicitation of Contributions
--Regulation, Information and Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Often times, we are called upon to make a contribution or donation to a charity. We really want to make a difference in someone's life, but find it hard to choose between which organizations are going to benefit the most from our money. Learn more...
Charter Buses
	Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Department of Transportation	Charter bus drivers must carry a commercial driver's license (CDL).
Check Cashiers
--Licensing	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9895	Chapter 560, Part III, F.S., All persons who engage for consideration, or in any manner advertise that they engage, in the selling or issuing of payment instruments or in the activity of a funds transmitter, must register with the Office. All persons, unless exempt, who engage in, or in any manner advertise engagement in, the business of cashing payment instruments or the exchanging of foreign currency, must register with the Office.
--Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 800-342-2762
Check Writing
		F.S. 832.075; F.S. 832.05(2)
--Information	Check-Rite/ GlobalPayments Inc 800-638-4600
	Telecheck 800-366-2425	Find quick answers to questions about declined checks and our TeleCheck® ECA® service, including: Is TeleCheck telling the business that my check is not good? Does TeleCheck have access to my bank account balance? Why do you need my signature?
	SCAN 800-296-0170	SCAN is an acronym for the Shared Check Authorization Network, which is the most advanced, up-to-date database of bad check writers in the nation.
Chemical Residue Lab
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-488-9670	Division of Food Safety - Chemical Residue Lab
Child/Adult Abuse Hotline Crisis Intervention
	Florida Department of Children and Families 800-962-2873 (Press 1)	Complaints can also be faxed to 800-914-0004.
Child Safety
	Safe Kids 202-662-0600	Safe Kids Worldwide is a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury, a leading killer of children 14 and under.
Children Health Insurance
	Florida Kid Care 888-540-5437	Florida KidCare offers affordable, low-cost health insurance for the uninsured children of Florida from birth to age 18.
Child Support Enforcement
	Florida Department of Revenue 800-622-5437
Chiropractors
--Complaints	Florida Department of Health 888-419-3456	F.S. 460 General Health Care Professions Complaint
--Regulation	Florida Department of Health 850-488-0595	F.S. 460
Cigarettes
--Laws Licensing Taxes	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 850-488-3227
Citizens Complaints against State Agencies
	Florida Inspector Generals	If you have a complaint against a state agency then that complaint must be filed with that particular agency's inspector general. For a list of agency inspector general's, please visit the link to the left.
	Florida Governor's Office 850-922-4637	Office of the Chief Inspector General - If you've filed a complaint against a state agency (with that agency's inspector general) and are unsatisfied with the results, you can contact the Chief Inspector General within the Florida Governor's Office.
	Florida Department of Financial Services 800-438-5326	Answers calls from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, about waste, fraud and abuse in state government and accepts suggestions on how the state can save money. You can leave a message during non-working hours. Callers can remain anonymous. Names are kept confidential, when given.
Citrus
	Florida Department of Citrus 863-499-2500	The Florida Department of Citrus (FDOC) is an executive agency of Florida government charged with the marketing, research and regulation of the Florida citrus industry.
Citrus Canker
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 888-397-1517 or 352-372-3505	Residential property owners who have lost citrus trees as part of the Citrus Canker Eradication Program (CCEP) and are eligible for tree payment.
Civil Rights Commission
--Complaints	United States Commission on Civil Rights 800-552-6843	The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights' complaint referral service is designed to help place you in contact with the appropriate office for obtaining information about the complaint process.
--Regional Offices	United States Commission on Civil Rights	Use this link to search for regional offices and contact information.
Clean Indoor Air Act
	Florida Department of Health Florida 800-337-3742 (in state only) 850-245-4281 (out of state)	F.S. 386 Part II - Clean Indoor Act
Clean Outdoor Air Act
	Florida Department of Environmental Protection 850-488-0114
Clemency
	Florida Parole Commission 800-435-8286 or 850-487-3259	Clemency is a constitutionally authorized process that provides the means through which convicted felons may seek restoration of their civil rights (RCR) and may be considered for relief from punishment.
** Also see Parole and Probation
Clerks of Courts (County)
	Florida Department of State	Division of Library and Information Services - Clerk of court phone listing: Use this site to search for phone numbers for specific clerks of court by county.
Clinics - Health Care
--Licensing	Florida Agency for Health Care Administration 850-488-1365	Part XIII, Ch. 400, F.S.
--Laboratory Licensing	Florida Agency for Health Care Administration 850-487-3109	F.S. 483, Part I
Clothing
	Search by County	F.S. 715.03 There are no state laws or rules that say an item cannot be returned due to state health laws. While a store may have a policy of no returns if it wishes, that policy should not claim that health laws prohibit it.
Coast Guard U.S.
--Customer Information Line	United States Coast Guard 202-372-4620
COBRA
--Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act	United States Department of Labor 866-444-3272 954-424-4022	In 1986 with the passage of health benefit provisions in the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act terminated employees or their families who may lose coverage because of termination of employment, death, divorce or other life events may be able to continue the coverage under the employer's group health plan for themselves and their families for limited periods of time.
Codes and Standards, Building
--Florida	Florida Department of Community Affairs 850-487-1824	This website provides contractors, builders and the public an electronic method to keep informed about the new Florida building codes.
Code Enforcement
	Search by County
Coin Laundry
--Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Laundromats are not regulated in the State of Florida. Consumers may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for informal mediation.
Coin Operated (Amusement) Machines
--Taxes	Florida Department of Revenue 800-352-3671	Coin-operated Amusement Machine is any machine operated by coin, slug, token, coupon or other similar device for the purpose of entertainment or amusement, such as: coin-operated radios or televisions, telescopes, juke boxes or music machines, pool tables, mechanical rides, video games or pinball machines.
Collection Agencies (Commercial)
--Licensing	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9895	F.S. 559 Part V - This license authorizes the holder to collect or solicit for collection commercial claims, asserted to be owed or due to another person. Third party collectors of debts made by commercial business.
--Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 800-848-3792 or 850-410-9805
Collection Agencies (Consumer)
--Licensing	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9895	Chapter 559, Part VI, F.S., this license authorizes the holder to collect or attempt to collect consumer debts, asserted to be owed or due to another person. Third party collectors of debts made by individual consumers. A Consumer Collection Agency may also collect third party commercial debts as long as less than one-half of the collection revenue of such agency arises from the collection of commercial claims.
--Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 800-848-3792 or 850-410-9805
Colleges and Universities
--Community Colleges	Florida Department of Education 850-245-0407
--Florida Pre-paid Tuition	Florida Prepaid College Board 800-552-4723 or 850-488-8514
Commercial Code, Uniform
--Search, Inquiries	Florida Secured Transaction Registry 850-222-8526	The Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filing process was privatized effective October 1, 2001. The new vendor is Image API, Inc. All filings, photocopy and certification requests, forms, and database availability for searches is the responsibility of Image API, Inc.
Commercial Driving School
--Lively Tech	Lively Technical Center 850-487-7555	CDL Test Prep - CDL Driving Test.
Commercial Property Rental
--Court	Florida Department of State	F.S. 83 part I For landlord / tenant issues regarding commercial property please see F.S. 83.1. Commercial leasing is complicated and for information regarding these issues the landlord and/or tenant should speak to a lawyer.
--Lawyer / Attorney	Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service 800-342-8011	The Florida Bar Lawyer Referral Service (LRS), 800-342-8011 or 800-342-8060 extension 5844, provides referrals to attorneys who will conduct an initial one-half hour office consultation for $25.
Commodities
	National Futures Association 312-781-1300	NFA regulates every firm or individual who conducts futures trading business with public customers. The CFTC provides government oversight for the entire industry. Each U.S. futures exchange operates as a self-regulatory organization, governing its floor brokers, traders and member firms. -Complaints-
	Commodity Futures Trading Commission 202-418-5000	The mission of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is to protect market users and the public from fraud, manipulation, and abusive practices related to the sale of commodity and financial futures and options, and to foster open, competitive, and financially sound futures and option markets
Communications
	Federal Communications Commission 888-225-5322
--Pre-Recorded Messages	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	F.S. 501.059 No person shall make or knowingly allow a telephonic sales call to be made if such call involves an automated system for the selection or dialing of telephone numbers or the playing of a recorded message when a connection is completed to a number called. More.
--Operator Services	Public Service Commission (PSC) 800-342-3552	F.S. 364.3376 PSC licenses and regulates local, long distance, interexchange, and pay telephone companies. No agency has jurisdiction over the "yellow page" advertising. Cellular phones are not licensed or regulated by the State of Florida. FCC has limited authority.
--Complaints	Federal Communications Commission Complaint 888-225-5322
Comptroller's Office
	Florida Department of Financial Services 800-342-2762
Comprehensive Outpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
	Florida Agency for Health Care Administration 850-487-2717	42 CFR, Part 485 Subpart B
Computer Crimes
	Florida Department of Law Enforcement 850-617-1350	Computer crime can take many forms. It is an expanding criminal activity with new methods developing every day. Varieties of computer crime include anything from internet fraud, viruses, and cyberstalking.
Concealed Weapons License
	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 850-245-5691	Bureau of License and Inquiry; Click on link for regional offices.
Condominium
--Information and Complaints	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 800-226-9101 or 850-488-1122	Division of Land Sales Complaint Form English [PDF] Complaint Form Spanish [PDF]
--Associations		F.S. 617; F.S. 718 If you live in a condominium, Chapter 718 F.S. applies to your association, along with the Florida Administrative Code. Since your legal entity is usually a not-for-profit corporation, Chapter 617 F.S. will also apply.
Construction
--Licensing	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 800-226-9101 or 850-487-1395	F.S. 489
--Complaints	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 800-226-9101 or 850-487-1395
--Liens	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation Construction Lein Law [PDF] 800-226-9101 or 850-487-1395	F.S. 713, Part I Learn more about the Construction Lien Law, Chapter 713, Part I, F.S., and the meaning of this notice by contacting an attorney or the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.
Consulates and Embassies
	U.S. Department of State
Consumer Affairs
--Broward County	Broward County Consumer Affairs 954-357-5350	Ft. Lauderdale office serving Broward County.
--Dade County	Dade County Consumer Affairs 305-375-3677	Miami office serving Dade County.
--Palm Beach County	Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs 561-712-6600	West Palm Beach office serving Palm Beach County.
	Pinellas County Consumer Protection 727-464-6200	Clearwater office serving Pinellas County.
	Orange County Consumer Affairs 407-836-2490	Orlando office serving Orange County - Consumer Fraud Unit.
	Hillsborough County Consumer Protection 813-903-3430	Tampa office serving Hillsborough County.
Consumer Finance Company
--Licensing	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9895	Chapter 516, F.S., persons engaging in the business of making consumer finance loans, unless exempt, must be licensed by the office. Persons engaging in consumer finance transactions must maintain books and records as prescribed by statute.
--Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 800-848-3792 or 850-410-9805
Consumer Price Index
	United States Department of Labor 202-691-7000	Bureau of Labor Statistics
Consumer Product Safety
	United States Consumer Product Safety Commission 800-638-2772
Consumer Protection Week
--Florida	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008
--National	National Consumer Protection Week
Consumer Services (other states)
	Federal Citizen Information Center	State, county, and city consumer protection offices.
Contests
--Game Promotions	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	F.S. 849.094
--Bingo	Office of the Attorney General 866-966-7226 or 850-414-3990	F.S. 849.0931 Consumers should report illegal Bingo to the Florida Attorney General's Office.
--Betting	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 850-488-9130	F.S. 849.11
Contractors
	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 800-226-9101 or 850-487-1395
--Report Unlicensed Contractor Only	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 866-532-1440	Only use this number to report an unlicensed contractor.
Contributions - Solicitations of
--Regulation, Information and Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-922-2966	The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulates charities in the State of Florida.
Cooling-Off Rule
	Federal Trade Commission 877-382-4357	If you buy something at a store and later change your mind, you may not be able to return the merchandise. But if you buy an item in your home or at a location that is not the seller's permanent place of business, you may have that option. The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) Cooling-Off Rule gives you three days to cancel purchases of $25 or more. Under the Cooling-Off Rule, your right to cancel for a full refund extends until midnight of the third business day after the sale.
Copyrights
	United States Copyrights Office 202-707-3000
Corporations (and Corporation Annual Reports )
	Florida Department of State 800-755-5111	Florida Division of Corporations’ online information, research, and electronic processing service center. Here you can directly access the Division’s business entity, lien information, and image databases. You can also download and print copies of filed documents and forms to use when filing. Certificates of Status may also be requested.
Corporate Contacts
	Consumer Action Handbook	This link goes to the FCC online Consumer Action Handbook. This information includes corporate contacts, consumer organizations, Better Business Bureaus, federal agencies and much more!
Corrections / Prisons
	Florida Department of Corrections 850-488-7480
	Florida Department of Corrections 877-884-2846 or 850-488-9166	Victims Assistance
Correspondent Mortgage Lenders
--Licensing	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9895	Chapter 494, Part III F.S., Prior to conducting business, mortgage brokers, mortgage brokerage businesses, correspondent lenders, mortgage lenders, and branch offices must be licensed by the Office. The Office is authorized to conduct examinations and investigations of all licensees and to require submission of books and records to determine compliance with Florida Statutes.
--Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 800-848-3792 or 850-410-9805
Cosmetics
--Regulations	Florida Department of Health 850-487-1257	The Florida Department of Health's Bureau of Statewide Pharmaceutical Services is responsible for regulating and enforcing the Florida Drug and Cosmetic Act, Chapter 499 F.S. The purpose of this law is intended to safeguard public health and protect consumers from injury and merchandising deceit involving drugs, medical devices, and cosmetics.
--Report Violations	888-419-3456 or 850-487-1257
Cosmetologists
	Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation 800-226-9101 or 850-487-1395
Counseling
--Florida Hotline	Florida Alliance of Information and Referral Services (FLAIRS) 850-224-6333 (also 2-1-1 in participating counties)	What people call about: relationship issues, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, suicide, substance abuse, grief, pregnancy, rape/abuse, housing assistance, teen concerns, parenting, and much more!
County Clerks of Court
	Florida Department of State	Division of Library and Information Services phone listing - Click on website link for phone numbers to your local clerk of court.
County Extension Offices
	Search by County	The state of Florida has 67 counties, divided into five IFAS districts. Each county has its own Cooperative Extension Service office.
County Consumer Protection Offices
	Broward County Consumer Affairs 954-357-5350	Ft. Lauderdale office serving Broward County.
	Dade County Consumer Affairs 305-375-3677	Miami office serving Dade County.
	Palm Beach County Consumer Affairs 561-712-6600	West Palm Beach office serving Palm Beach County.
	Pinellas County Consumer Protection 727-464-6200	Clearwater office serving Pinellas County.
	Orange County Consumer Affairs 407-836-2490	Orlando office serving Orange County - Consumer Fraud Unit.
	Hillsborough County Consumer Protection 813-903-3430	Tampa office serving Hillsborough County.
County Code Enforcement
	Search by County
Court Reporters
	Search by County	No State Regulations; check city and county.
--Complaints	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	Consumers may file a complaint with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for informal mediation.
Crated Items
		F.S. 501.141 Buyer has 5 days to cancel if goods are not in satisfactory condition or operational. Must be done in writing and postmarked by midnight of the fifth business day.
Credit Bureaus
--Complaints	Federal Trade Commission 877-382-4357
	Equifax 800-685-1111
	TransUnion 800-916-8800
	Experian 888 397 3742
Credit Cards (General)
	Federal Trade Commission (FTC) 877-382-4357 TTY: 1-866-653-4261	The Federal Trade Commission enforces federal antitrust and consumer protection laws; as well as the Fair Credit Reporting Act.
--PreScreened Offer Opt Out Line	Federal Trade Commission 888-567-8688	Credit bureaus can release your credit information only to people with a legitimate business need, as recognized by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).
Credit Counseling Service
--Complaints	Florida Office of the Attorney General 850-414-3990 or 866-966-7226	Chapter 817, Part IV, F.S.
	Federal Trade Commission 877-382-4357
Credit Reports
--Free Credit Reports	www.AnnualCreditReport.com 877-322-8228	Eligibility for the annual free credit report is determined by your state of residence based on the rollout schedule set under Federal law.
--Credit Reporting Agencies	Equifax 800-685-1111 Experian 888-397-3742 TransUnion 800-888-4213
--Security Freeze	Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services 800-435-7352 or 850-488-2221	A security freeze is a notice that is placed in a consumer report (on request of the consumer) that prohibits a consumer reporting agency (such as Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) from releasing the consumer’s credit report, credit score or any information contained within the consumer report to a third party without the express authorization of the consumer.
Credit Reports (Fraud Units)
	Equifax 800-685-1111	Online Dispute - To report fraud contact these fraud units.
	Experian 888 397 3742	Credit Fraud - Fraud Victim Assistance.
Credit Unions
--State Chartered / Complaints	Office of Financial Regulation 850-410-9800 or 800-848-3792	The division charters, examines, and regulates state-chartered credit unions to ensure the institutions operate in a safe, sound, and legal manner.
--Federal	National Credit Union Administration 703-518-6300	The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the independent federal agency that charters and supervises federal credit unions.
Crisis Hotline
--Suicide Crisis Hotline	Kristin Brooks Hope Center 800-784-2433	If you - or someone you know - is having thoughts about suicide, call 1-800-SUICIDE (784-2433). Calls are connected to a certified crisis center nearest the caller's location. Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
--Florida 24-Hour Hotline	Florida Alliance of Information and Referral Services (FLAIRS) 850-224-6333	What people call about: relationship issues, domestic violence, HIV/AIDS, suicide, substance abuse, pregnancy, rape/abuse, housing assistance, teen concerns, parenting, and much much more!
Crisis Stabilization Units and Short Term Residential Treatment Facilities
	Florida Agency for Health Care Administration 850-487-2717	F.S. 394 Part ; F.S. 394 Parts IV Crisis Stabilization Units (CSUs) provide brief psychiatric intervention, primarily for low-income individuals with acute psychiatric conditions. Inpatient stays average 3 to 14 days, resulting in return to the patient's own home or placement in a long-term mental health facility or other living arrangements.
Critters
--Questions	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 850-488-4676	Got armadillos in your azaleas? Perhaps you have deer damaging your dogwoods? If critters have you in a quandary as to what to do, visit this site.

Charles H. Bronson, Commissioner - LuAnn Stiles, Director