HOME IMPROVEMENT SWINDLES ALONE ARE SAID TO COST AMERICANS MORE THAN A BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR. COUNTERFEIT BRANDING OF MERCHANDISE IS SAID TO COST TWO BILLION DOLLARS. THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS RECEIVES 20,000 COMPLAINTS A YEAR, ALMOST ALL OF THEM JUSTIFIED. YET LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE VICTIMS OF CONSUMER FRAUD COMPLAIN TO A GOVERNMENT AGENCY. THESE FACTS FROM THIS BOOK INDICATE THE MAGNITUDE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE BOOK WAS WRITTEN BY A YOUNG NEW YORK LAWYER WHO HAS REPRESENTED MANY VICTIMS OF CONSUMER FRAUD. HE SUGGESTS THAT STIFFER GOVERNMENT PENALTIES WOULD HAVE A BIG EFFECT ON ALLEVIATING THE PROBLEM....BS