Thursday, April 25, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
SEVENTEEN state employees are proving that government can work effectively for the people.
The state Consumer Affairs Division last year returned about $800,000 to residents who believed they were cheated by businesses. Since its inception 25 years ago when it was a one-person office, the division has handled more than 150,000 complaints from those who had no other place to go to receive justice.
The division is important for that reason. Consumers who think they've been cheated often find filing civil suits impractical or unaffordable. They need help in recovering money from fraudulent or, at least, misunderstood contractual arrangements.
Last year, the division received additional powers for undercover operations, distributing information on scams, issuing cease-and-desist orders as well as conducting hearings on consumer issues. Four full-time deputy attorneys are now on staff to litigate disputes and file complaints.
Consumer complaints have included: signing misunderstood contracts, giving credit card and bank account information to unsolicited phone callers and, the largest category, car repair fraud.
The division plans to ask the next Legislature for authority to pursue disreputable car repair operations, the most frequent source of complaint.
We hope it receives that authority. Many people are not aware of their legal rights or that they can receive compensation as fraud victims. The division can guide them through the process to recover at least some of their losses.
The division performs an important service for consumers, one that should be strengthened to convince fraudulent operators to stop preying on consumers -- or pay the price. If a businessman knows he'll be forced to compensate a customer he defrauded, he might think twice about it.
Nevadans have come a long way from the "let the buyer beware" mentality in the marketplace and rightly expect help when they're fleeced by the unscrupulous. Sophisticated advertising techniques and sales pitches, with promises of free gifts, can entice even the most knowledgeable people.
And today, consumers don't have much access to information about the quality of products or services. Nor do many have expertise in legal contracts.
That leaves a large, innocent audience that is fair game to sales predators. Without state help, it would indeed be a world of "let the buyer beware."
The division is sending a clear signal to businesses that there's no substitute for honesty.
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