Start with the transaction, the promise and the records

Begin with what happened

Write down what you bought, financed, subscribed to or were asked to pay; what the business promised; what happened instead; and what result you are seeking. Keep the agreement, advertisement, receipt, statements, notices, screenshots and a dated communication log together.

That record can separate the original problem from what followed—a denied refund, a collection contact or a new account entry, for example. Keeping these materials is practical preparation, not a guarantee that a legal claim exists.

Unfair or deceptive practices

Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act makes unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in or affecting commerce unlawful. It gives the FTC authority to act against covered people and businesses while listing exceptions and limits.

Those broad words do not decide a particular dispute. What was represented, what evidence exists, who is covered and which federal or state law applies still matter.

Debt collection has its own federal rules

Regulation F contains federal rules for covered debt collectors, including validation information, limits on when and where communications may occur, and a simple way to opt out of further electronic messages to an address or number.

Save the original notice and envelope, messages, dates and any response you send. Use the dates on your own documents rather than relying on a general article to calculate a personal deadline.

Choose the next question

If the problem concerns a sales promise or business practice, start with the Section 5 explanation and then check the state law that applies. If it concerns collection contact, use the debt-collection guide and the CFPB's consumer resources. If physical injury is involved, consumer law may not be the only legal framework that matters.