South Carolina Code of Regulations › Chapter 28 - DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS › Section 28-3 - General Purposes of Department of Consumer Affairs

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 6, June 28, 2024
A. To further consumer understanding of the
		  terms of credit transactions and to foster competition among suppliers of
		  consumer credit so that consumers may obtain credit at reasonable
		  costs.
B. To protect consumer
		  buyers, lessees and borrowers against unfair practices by some suppliers of
		  consumer credit having due regard for the interests of legitimate and
		  scrupulous creditors.
C. To permit
		  and encourage the development of fair and economically sound consumer credit
		  practices.
D. To conform the
		  regulation of consumer credit transactions to the policies of the Federal
		  Consumer Credit Protection Act.
E.
		  To implement the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code in the State of South
		  Carolina in accordance with its terms and provisions.
F. To establish programs for the education of
		  consumers with respect to credit practices and problems.
G. To counsel persons and groups of their
		  rights and duties under the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code.
H. To make appropriate studies to effectuate
		  the purposes and policies of the South Carolina Consumer Protection Code and to
		  make the results of such studies available to the public.
I. To report on the use of consumer credit in
		  South Carolina and to report on the problems of persons of small means in
		  obtaining credit.
J. To receive and
		  process complaints of individuals pertaining to any consumer transaction
		  arising out of the production, promotion or sale of goods and
		  services.
K. To cooperate with and
		  assist the Attorney General and all state, local and federal agencies
		  performing consumer protection functions in carrying out their legal
		  enforcement responsibilities for the protection of consumers.
L. To initiate and encourage programs to
		  inform consumers of market practices and schemes which are fraudulent,
		  deceptive, unfair or illegal; how to detect and avoid abusive consumer
		  transactions; and of remedies and relief available to consumers.
M. To undertake activities to encourage
		  business and industry to maintain high standards of honesty, fair business
		  practices and public responsibility in the production, promotion and sale of
		  consumer goods and services.
N. To
		  study the operation of consumer protection laws and recommend to the Governor
		  and the Legislature new laws and amendments to laws which would promote the
		  protection of legitimate interest of consumers within this State.
O. To provide legal representation of the
		  consumer interest before the state and federal regulatory agencies or courts
		  when such regulatory agencies undertake to fix rates or prices for consumer
		  products or services or to enact regulations or establish policies relating to
		  rates or prices for consumer products or services.
P. To monitor existing regulations of such
		  regulatory agencies of special interest to consumers and report to the public
		  through the news media proposed changes under consideration and the effect of
		  such changes on the lives of the citizens of South Carolina.
Q. To simplify, clarify and modernize the law
		  governing retail installment sales, consumer credit and usury.
R. To implement and enforce provisions of the
		  Continuing Care Retirement Community Act.