Northeast COMBAT receives both telephone calls and mail from consumers with diverse problems. Here are several types of problems and our comments or advice on each.

We have volumes of complaints about mail orders, especially after the holiday season.

According to a Federal Trade Commission ruling, a mail order house must ship an order within the time promised in its ad or catalog. If no time is specified, the FTC says that the maximum allowance delay is 30 days after receipt of the order and payment. There are times when the item is not in stock. In that case, the seller must notify the consumer when the item will be shipped, and if it is to be more than 30 days beyond the promised date, the consumer can agree with the delay or cancel the order for a full refund.

Cancellation must be done in writing. Without a written cancellation, the business can assume the consumer accepts the delay. Cancellation letters should be sent by certified mail with return receipt requested. A copy should also be kept.

Consumers sometimes mail back the order blank with the business address on it. We are often contacted by consumers requesting a business address. We can usually find the address in our extensive files.

We are also contacted when a consumer has neither the name nor address of the business. We will request a copy of both front and back of cancelled checks, which may need to be obtained from the buyer’s bank.

We encourage consumers to keep good records of items purchased. Make note of the television station where the ad was run; make your check or money order payable to the business. Record the item order number, date of purchase, expected date of arrival and all the contact information for the company. If you do not wish to wait for a backordered item, send a cancellation letter and retain a copy. If you must contact the company, keep copies of written correspondence. Before returning an item, get authorization for the return and make sure that you send the item to the correct address and insure the package as proof. The volunteers at Northeast COMBAT will try to help even if you do not have all the records.

This past summer COMBAT received a call from a consumer in Southwest Harbor. She told us that her homeowner’s insurance company refused to renew her policy. We suggested she contact the Bureau of Insurance in Augusta and request a hearing. The insurance commission regulates the insurance industry in Maine. The consumer called us back several months later to thank us. She told us the outcome of the hearing was in her favor and her policy had been renewed.

Another complaint that we received was from a man in his mid-20s who had applied for a bank credit card and had been turned down. He told us that he made a practice of paying cash for everything. He had no credit history and we suspected that without a FICO score, developed by Fair Isaac Corp., banks would be reluctant to offer him credit.

We suggested that the man obtain a credit card with a local business or at one of the mall stores. Keep payments current. A gas credit card, a car loan or a personal loan is another way to develop a credit history. By demonstrating the willingness and ability to pay, the young man should find that an application for a bank card will be accepted.

Lately we have received a number of inquiries related to student loans. Remember: You do not have to pay large amounts of money to get a legitimate student loan.

Some prospective students are sending hundreds of dollars to companies that claim that $5,000 or $10,000 will be loaned to them, but first they must send a token “good faith” payment that will be kept “in escrow.” When no loan is forthcoming, the prospective student is told to send additional hundreds of dollars to speed up the paperwork. Generally the money is sent. In most cases, the business and the loans are bogus.

Northeast COMBAT has notified the attorneys general of the states involved in these student loan scams. Most responses note that our complaint is one of hundreds and the problem has been looked into. The name changes and the people move on to set up business elsewhere.

The Finance Authority of Maine, http://www.famemaine.com/, serves as the designated guaranty agency in Maine for federal student and parent loans used for higher education expenses. Additional information on loans, grants and scholarships can be obtained at the local library, public schools and college financial aid offices.

When choosing career training and before signing a contract, take the time to check the program being offered through distance learning or unfamiliar out-of-state schools. Compare the costs of similar programs at Maine institutions.

Before enrolling, check a school’s reputation carefully. If you are interested in the school’s placement service, ask to see its employment records. Determine if any special licensing is required for the work you are interested in. If so, ask the licensing agency if the school’s graduates qualify for licenses.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast COMBAT-Maine Center for the Public Interest, Maine’s membership-funded, nonprofit organization. For help, write: Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1329.