SPRINGFIELD   I Want To ...  Info & Answers  Departments  Contact Us  Office of the Mayor City of Springfield COVID-19 (Coronavirus) Situational Updates Citizens Resource Guide Mayor Sarno's Staff Citizens with Disabilities Community Police Hearing Board TTY Telephone Numbers Consumer Information > Request a Certificate of Recognition from the Mayor Under-21-Night Rules Mayor's Office of Consumer Information (MOCI) City Hall, Room 315 36 Court Street Springfield, MA 01103 (map) M-F 8:15 am - 4:30 pm Phone: (413) 787-6437 TTY: (413) 787-6154 E-mail: moci@springfieldcityhall.com Office: 9am - 4pm Walk-ins: 10am - 3pm or by appointment City of Springfield homepage » Consumer Information Mayor's Office of Consumer Information (MOCI) Working in Cooperation with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office City Hall, Room 315 Tel: (413) 787-6437 - TTY: (413) 787-6154 Fax: (413) 787-7781 E-mail: moci@springfieldcityhall.com OUR VISION: To protect the good of consumers and ensure a safe and fair marketplace, free and clear of deceitful practices. OUR MISSION: To empower consumers with knowledge for them to make informed decisions, and to advocte for those who need assistance in resolving a consumer complaint. OUR MOTTO: "Education is the Best Prevention!" WHAT'S NEW? In September 2020, we launched our very own podcast, The Consumer Toolbox available to you on multiple platforms. We invite you to listen and subscribe! The Mayor’s Office of Consumer Information (“MOCI”) is a Local Consumer Program (LCP) funded by and working in cooperation with the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General to help consumers resolve complaints who otherwise have to seek legal recourse through the court system. It serves residents of the City of Springfield and its surrounding cities and towns throughout Hampden County, as well as parts of Worcester County.The MOCI cannot guarantee the outcome of a complaint but ensures that it will, with the cooperation of both parties, aim to effectively provide consumer advocacy assistance in hopes of reaching an amicable resolution. Since 2000 MOCI has handled tens of thousands of complaints, recovered over $12 million dollars for consumers in the form of a refund or credit, and held hundreds of community outreach events. The MOCI's services are provided throughout Hampden County, and the following Worcester County cities and towns: Brookfield, Charlton, Dudley, East Brookfield, Holden, Holland, North Brookfield, Oxford, Paxton, Southbridge, Spencer, Sturbridge, Tolland, Wales, Warren, Webster, and West Brookfield. It provides education, referral and consumer advocacy services at no cost to consumers. By advocating for consumers the MOCI allows consumers and businesses the opportunity to address and resolve disputes, although no legal advice or services are provided. The consumer specialists are trained and have many years of experience and knowledge on consumer protection rights. Spanish-speaking staff is available. The MOCI staff will educate consumers on their rights in many consumer-related areas and has an array of brochures readily available.Some of the areas the MOCI can assist with are: Lemon Laws Home Improvement Debt Collection Retail Rights Credit Landlord/Tenant Rights To speak to a case specialist to learn of your consumer rights, seek advice on how to resolve your dispute, or to request consumer assistance, call (413) 787-6437. We are ready to personally answer your question(s). TO FILE A COMPLAINT To request a printed version of the complaint form, or to speak with a case specialist about filing a consumer complaint, you may reach a Case Specialist at (413) 787-6437, Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. COMPLAINT FORM The MOCI brochure is available in English, Spanish and Russian. CONSUMER RESOURCES: Are you facing foreclosure? The MA Attorney General's Office may be able to help: Mortgage Lending and Foreclosures For additional consumer protection information (Lemon laws and home improvement) visit: Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. Learn how to deter, detect and defend against it, visit: Federal Trade Commission: Identity Theft Did you know that you are entitled to a free annual copy of your three credit reports, with no strings attached? When requesting your credit reports, be sure not to use a public computer or Wi-Fi and allow at least 20 minutes for the process. Securely request your free credit reports from Annual Credit Report. Are you feeling overwhelmed with pre-approved credit card offers in your mailbox? Did you know that they put you at risk of identity theft if they end up in the wrong hands? To stop receiving pre-approved credit card offers, click here: Opt-Out of pre-approved credit card offers Would you like to reduce the volume of junk mail in your mailbox? You can actually stop junk mail by simply requesting to opt-out: Stop Unsolicted Mail, Calls and Emails To stop telemarketing calls to your home or mobile telephone, register at: National Do Not Call Registry Are debt collectors harassing you at home or work? Learn what you can do to stop the calls your consumer rights: Fair Debt Collection Every household should have what's often referred to as the, "Consumer Bible." Here's how you can obtain yours: Consumer Action Handbook. There is now accountability for predatory lending. The CFPB will "Educate, Enforce and Study" consumer issues. Visit their website at: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Before doing business with a merchant, you may want to first check its ratings and complaint history with the Better Business Bureau Elder scams and financial exploitation are on the rise. The U.S. Department of Justice launched a website, Elder Justice to help protect seniors REMOTE OUTREACH IN ACTION While we are temporarily adjusting the way we do outreach, we are still committed to providing workshops and presentations, and their quality and effectiveness will remain the same. We are adding two-way communication platforms such as Zoom to bring events to you, in the comfort and safety of your home. If you want to stay informed of upcoming events, sign up for our emails at moci@springfieldcityhall.com. NOTE: We are looking for opportunities to partner with other service providers, community libraries, universities/colleges, high schools, civic organizations and churches to offer a series of workshops to consumers. If you are interested, please reach out to us via email at moci@springfieldcityhall.com. NEW: The Consumer Toolbox Podcast In September of 2020, we launched, "The Consumer Toolbox podcast available to you on multiple platforms. We invite to listen and subscribe. Hampden & Worcester County consumer outreach We continue to receive requests for outreach events thoughout Hampden County and parts of the Worcester community. If your school or organization is interested in getting empowered on a consumer topic (such as Scams & Fraud, Identity Theft, Credit, Buying a Car) complete the Speaker Request Form or contact us via email: moci@springfieldcityhall.com. We are prepared and committed to serve you FREE of charge. 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