Consumer Information
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Consumer Information Guide
Local
- Boone Electric Cooperative
Boone Electric Cooperative serves Boone and portions of Randolph, Callaway, Howard, Audrain and Monroe counties. - Callaway Electric Cooperative
Callaway Electric Cooperative serves rural Callaway and southern Montgomery counties. - Centralia Utilities
Provides electric, water, sewer and refuse collection services to the residents of Centralia. - City of Ashland
Information about city government, events, maps, services, schools, utilities and more. - Columbia and Boone County – Ratings of Food Service Locations
Department inspection ratings of all food service establishments in Columbia and Boone County. Ratings include convenience stores, daycares, grocery stores, restaurants, schools and taverns. - Columbia Utilities
Information about utilities in Columbia, including payment options and utility assistance programs. - Fulton Utilities
Provides electricity, natural gas, water and sewer service to residents of Fulton. - Holts Summit Utilities
Information about electricity, water, natural gas, sewer and refuse collection services in Holts Summit. - Sturgeon Utilities
Information about electricity, water, natural gas, sewer and refuse collection services in Sturgeon.
State
- Missouri Attorney General’s Office
Consumer Protection Hotline (800) 392-8222
Comprehensive site for consumer information, publications, and services, such as the Missouri No-Call List, Check a Charity, Consumer Complaints, Protecting Seniors, Identity Theft & Data Security and Landlord-Tenant Law. - Missouri Cold Weather Rule
The Cold Weather Rule prohibits disconnection of registered low-income elderly or disabled customers’ utility service from November 1 through March 31 when the temperature is forecasted to be below 32 degrees. - Missouri Department of Insurance
Insurance Consumer Hotline (800) 726-7390
Handles complaints against insurance companies and will verify credentials of insurance agents. This site provides a vast amount of information on auto, homeowners, health, life, long-term care and workers’ compensation insurance. - Missouri Division of Finance
Handles complaints concerning mortgage bankers, debt collection and harassment, credit bureaus, finance companies and state banks. - Missouri Investment Protection Center
Investor Protection Hotline (800) 721-7996
The Secretary of State’s office will answer questions about investment companies, their agents, broker-dealers and investment products. Complaint forms are also available via this website. - Missouri Public Service Commission
Utility Consumer Hotline (800) 392-4211
Manufactured Housing Hotline (800) 819-3180
The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas, water and sewer and telephone companies. The commission will investigate complaints against public utilities including service problems, overcharges and manufactured housing defects.
Regional and National
- Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports features unbiased ratings and recommendations on thousands of products and services in categories including Cars, Electronics, Appliances, Home & Garden, Babies & Kids, Money and Health. - Better Business Bureau – St. Louis Bureau
The St. Louis Bureau provides service for Boone and Callaway Counties. The Better Business Bureau handles formal complaints about businesses and offers a free consumer arbitration service to settle disputes between businesses and consumers. - Consumer Search
This comprehensive website contains reviews and articles on a wide variety of consumer products in the categories of Home and Garden, Fitness and Sports, Technology, Family and Pets, Health and Beauty and Kitchen. - Report Fraud
This is the federal government’s website where you can report fraud, scams, and bad business practices. - Consumer Finance Emergency Resources
This is a collection of tips and advice to protect from, recover from, or avoid scams targeting your finances in relation to natural disasters. - USA.gov Consumer Product and Service Complaints
This is a website with information on how to file complaints about products, services, and online purchases.
Consumer Alerts and Recalls
- Recalls.gov
This is the comprehensive site for all government recalls. Six federal agencies have joined to provide recall information for consumer products, motor vehicles, boats, food, medicine, cosmetics and environmental products. - U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
Established to protect the public from risks associated with consumer products. This site includes product safety alerts, recalls and a Product Incident Report Form.
Credit Information and Identity Theft
- Credit Cards
A comprehensive site for credit card information from Bankrate.com allows you to compare rates of all major credit cards. - Credit Repair for Bad Credit
Credit repair articles from Nolo Press, a respected publisher of legal self-help books. Topics include credit and debit cards, dealing with creditors, repaying debts and student loans. - Credit Reports
Annual Credit Report Request (877) 322-8228
The official free website to help consumers obtain a copy of their credit report. This site allows an individual to request a free credit report once every 12 months from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. - Identity Theft Resource Guide
This publication from the Missouri Attorney General’s office provides information on how to protect against identity theft and what victims of identity theft should do. - IdentityTheft.gov
The Federal Trade Commission’s step-by-step guide to recovering from identity theft. - Missouri Attorney General – Credit Repair
Advice from the Missouri Attorney General’s office on how to avoid becoming a victim of credit-repair scams.
Unwanted Mail and No Call List
- Catalog Choice
This free service allows consumers to decline receiving unwanted paper catalogs. - Missouri No-Call List
Register for the No-Call List (866) 289-9633
The No-Call law allows Missourians to reduce unwanted telemarketing calls made to their homes or cell phones by signing up for the No-Call list, which is managed by the Attorney General’s Office. There is no cost to be added to the list.
Consumer Reports
LOG IN TO THIS RESOURCE. Get unbiased ratings and recommendations on thousands of products and services like appliances, cars, electronics, healthcare, food, travel, products for children and more. Read selections from the latest issue of the magazine or search through four years of archives.
Recycling & Reusing Guide
Recycling
- City of Columbia Recycling
Information about Columbia’s curbside recycling service and drop-off bins, as well as a “Waste Wizard” search tool to find out if an item is recyclable. - Household Hazardous Waste Disposal – Columbia
Information on where to dispose of hazardous household waste and a list of common hazardous products, such as batteries, paint, aerosol cans, etc. - Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management
Provides “A Guide to Recycling in Mid-Missouri,” plus information on upcoming tire and electronic waste collection days in the region. There is a small fee for tires and some electronic waste items. - Ryan Enterprise
This family-owned business outside Millersburg accepts plastic (except plastic bags) for recycling into fence posts and bird feeders.
Recycling Electronics
- Advantage Metals Recycling
Buys scrap metal, including junk cars. - Best Buy Electronics and Appliances Recycling
Includes televisions, DVD players, computer monitors, cell phones and more. - Columbia Computer Center
Accepts computer equipment for recycling. - Electronics Donation and Recycling – Environmental Protection Agency
EPA guidelines and information on the reuse and recycling of electronic products. - Fusselman Salvage Co. – Moberly
Buys scrap metal. - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Missouri Department of Natural Resources
A statewide directory of recycling, reuse and disposal service vendors as well as general tips and resources for reducing, reusing and recycling.
Reusing
- Area-Wide Thrift Shops
Directory search for thrift shops in the area. - Area-Wide Vintage Clothing Stores
Directory search for vintage clothing stores in the area. - Goodwill Stores
Locate stores by zip code and view maps and directions. - Habitat Re-Store – Columbia
Accepts new and used construction materials and fixtures for use in new construction by Habitat for Humanity volunteers. Pick-up service and donations may be tax-deductible. - Habitat Re-Store – Jefferson City
Accepts new and used construction materials and fixtures for use in new construction by Habitat for Humanity volunteers. Pick-up service and donations may be tax-deductible. - Maude Vintage Clothing – Columbia
Men’s and women’s vintage clothing, accessories and furniture. - Salvation Army
Information, including maps, about stores in Columbia and Jefferson City. - Upscale Resale – Assistance League of Mid-Missouri
Proceeds from the store benefit the philanthropic projects of the League. - The Wardrobe – Columbia
Volunteer-run non-profit thrift store.
Utility Bill Assistance & Energy Saving Guide
Cooling Assistance
- Air Conditioner Exchange
This program allows low-income Columbia Water and Light and Boone Electric Cooperative customers to swap their older, less efficient, or broken window air conditioner units for new ones that are more energy efficient. - KOMU Fan Club
Fans are donated at different locations, and are distributed to those in need by the Voluntary Action Center, United Way and SERVE, Inc.
Utility Bill Assistance
- Ameren Missouri Clean Slate Electric and Gas Program
Multiple community partners and agencies will participate in administering this program and determining income eligibility. Once the agency determines your eligibility, the program can help you clear the remaining balance on your account after you make a down payment of 10% of your current balance owed. - Boone Electric Cooperative – Filing for an Extension
Information on filing for an extension for bill payment. - C.A.S.H. (Citizens Assisting Seniors and Handicapped) – City of Columbia
Provides emergency assistance to low-income senior citizens and persons with disabilities. Call 573-817-6430 for assistance. Application forms for this program are available online. - H.E.L.P. (Heat Energy and Light Program) – City of Columbia
Provides one-time emergency assistance to low-income families with young children in the home. Call 573-817-6430 for assistance. Application forms for this program are available online. - Missouri Department of Social Service – Energy Assistance
Information on the Missouri Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, including Energy Assistance and Energy Crisis Intervention Program. - State of Missouri Cold Weather Rule
Prohibits disconnection of registered low-income elderly or disabled customers’ utility service from November 1 through March 31 when the temperature is forecasted to be below 32 degrees. - United Way 2-1-1
Call 800-427-4626 or dial 211 from a land-line phone. Also provides a searchable database of services and providers. - Utility Assistance- Boone County
A guide to resources for utility bill assistance in Boone County compiled by Central Missouri Community Action. - Utility Assistance- Callaway County
A guide to resources for utility bill assistance in Callaway County compiled by Central Missouri Community Action.
Energy Saving Measures
- Be Energy Efficient – BEE
Heating and cooling tips from the Missouri Public Service Commission and the Division of Energy. - Callaway Electric Cooperative
Information on energy-saving programs and incentives in Callaway County. - Central Missouri Community Action Weatherization Program
The goal of CMCA’s weatherization program is to help those persons least able to afford high-energy costs to conserve energy, thereby allowing families to use the money saved for more pressing family needs. - Columbia Water and Light
Includes information on free energy audits, rebates for high efficiency appliances, free shade trees, solar water heaters, compact fluorescent bulbs and more. - Columbia Water and Light Publications
- 2020 Renewable Energy Report
- Integrated Resource Plan
Outlines the city’s plans for power supplies and energy efficient measures. - Greener Gadgets
Provides a list of retailers and certified eCycling locations by area, energy use calculator and information about buying green. - Home Performance with Energy Star – Columbia
National program for existing homes designed to help homeowners bring their homes up to Energy Star standards for comfort, safety, health, durability and energy efficiency. - Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy
Energy tips from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE).
- Free Energy Audits- City of Fulton
Fulton residents should contact the utility administration office to schedule an appointment. An electric department employee will visit with an infrared device to detect cold air flow entering a home. To make an appointment, contact Trisha Reno, Admin of Utilities, (573) 592-3170.