consumer.westchestergov.comConsumer Protection

Contrast Default mode Night mode High contrast black white mode High contrast black yellow mode High contrast yellow black mode Layout Fixed layout Wide layout Font Set smaller font Set larger font Make font more readable Set default font Menu Search County News Home Return to County home page Departments Look up County department Boards and Commissions Contacts and meeting schedules Alerts Goes to Emergency Services Calendar Look up County-wide events Contacts Consumer Information A - Z Alerts and Scams Find Lowest Gas and Oil Prices Home Energy Assistance Tips on Saving Energy Commercial Buildings Energy Saver Resources Energy Savers for Your Home Tips to Reduce Your Water Use Weights and Measures Read the Label for Pricing Pay Only for the Product Check the Price List Buying Heating Fuel Buying Gasoline Worker Wage Theft Complaints Consumer Laws Consumer Code Item Pricing Cell Phone Disposal Law Earned Sick Leave Home Contractor Licensing Leaf Blowers Non-Bank ATMs Wi-Fi Home Contractors and Trades Plumbers and Electricians Home Improvement Contractors Choosing a Contractor Find a Licensed Contractor Wage Underpayment and Theft Worker Wage Theft Complaints Renegade Renovators Home Heating Oil Spills Leaf Blowers Identity Theft Beware ATM Fraud Law to Register Non-Bank ATMs Credit Card Security Freeze law Mobile Shredder Identity Theft Resources Resources Online Resources Contact Us File A Consumer Complaint Publications Home Return to County home page Departments Look up County department Boards and Commissions Contacts and meeting schedules Alerts Goes to Emergency Services Calendar Look up County-wide events Contacts Consumer Information A - Z Alerts and Scams Find Lowest Gas and Oil Prices Home Energy Assistance Tips on Saving Energy Commercial Buildings Energy Saver Resources Energy Savers for Your Home Tips to Reduce Your Water Use Weights and Measures Read the Label for Pricing Pay Only for the Product Check the Price List Buying Heating Fuel Buying Gasoline Worker Wage Theft Complaints Consumer Laws Consumer Code Item Pricing Cell Phone Disposal Law Earned Sick Leave Home Contractor Licensing Leaf Blowers Non-Bank ATMs Wi-Fi Home Contractors and Trades Plumbers and Electricians Home Improvement Contractors Choosing a Contractor Find a Licensed Contractor Wage Underpayment and Theft Worker Wage Theft Complaints Renegade Renovators Home Heating Oil Spills Leaf Blowers Identity Theft Beware ATM Fraud Law to Register Non-Bank ATMs Credit Card Security Freeze law Mobile Shredder Identity Theft Resources Resources Online Resources Contact Us File A Consumer Complaint Publications Search Westchester County Health Department Offers Free Dunks to Combat Mosquitos May 14, 2024 | 18:15 pm Westchester County Department of Correction Swears in 35 New Correction Officers During National Correctional Officers Week May 13, 2024 | 15:19 pm Westchester County Executive George Latimer Celebrates Manhattanville’s New University Status and Inauguration of School’s First Latino President Frank D. Sánchez May 9, 2024 | 12:08 pm County Executive George Latimer Signs Amended Bond Act for the Restoration of Merestead Park Farm House May 8, 2024 | 20:05 pm Westchester County Department of Correction Receives Special Visit from Award-Winning Author and CNN Hero Susan Burton May 7, 2024 | 14:57 pm Read all the County news . Westchester County Department of Department of Print The Department of fights hard to ensure a fair and equitable marketplace for consumers. Check our office hours and if you need assistance, call us at (914) 995-2155. Please read our tips on how to select a contractor and review the home improvement sample contract . Do your homework before you hire a home improvement contractor . Complete a Freedom of Information Request (FOIL) form to check on the background of a company. Check whether your contractor has any outstanding judgments or liens filed against their business. Find out if the contractor is licensed and avoid hiring renegade renovators . Home Improvement Contractors can review the licensing law and download, utilize the fillable form and print the home improvement contractor application in English or Spanish . Robocalls are the most common complaint to consumer protection offices. During this time of uncertainty, knowing about possible scams is a good first step toward preventing them. More people than ever before are using credit and debit cards for payments in stores and restaurants, and some merchants are now seeking to add surcharges to bills to recover their transaction fees for these plastic payments. Home improvement contractors are required by law to declare on their licensing application any nonpayment or underpayment of wage actions against them. If contractors fail to abide by this law and you believe you are a victim of wage theft, file a Wage Underpayment and Theft Worker complaint with our office. Plumbers and electricians must obtain a trade license in order to work in Westchester County. Check licensing information for Plumbers and Electricians or call (914) 995-2657 if you need additional details. Westchester County’s Safe Time Leave Law became effective Oct. 30, 2019. Additionally, employees in Westchester County are entitled to earned sick leave . Internal Revenue Service’s consumer alert urges taxpayers to watch out for erroneous tax refunds and fake calls to return money to Collection Agency. The IRS provides additional tips on how to report tax-related schemes, scams, identity theft and fraud. Another initiative is Senior Crime Busters . This one-hour, elder fraud protection program, which is available to your group, provides tips on how seniors can stay safe and avoid financial exploitation. Senior citizens should also beware of the "grandparents" scam . File a complaint online or by mail in English or Spanish if you have a problem. Quick Links A to Z Consumer Alerts and Scams File A Complaint Find a Licensed Home Improvement Contractor Find a Licensed Plumber or Electrician Find Lowest Gas and Oil Prices Publications Weights and Measures | Important Info | Consumer Laws | Contractors and Trades | ID Theft | Resources | Contact Us Subscribe to the MyWestchester Newsletter Receive the County’s weekly e-mail newsletter, MyWestchester. Westchester County © 2023 148 Martine Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601 (914) 995-2000 Privacy /...