Although the principle of caveat emptor has governed purchase choices since pre-Roman times, the modern buyer frequently lacks the background and expertise to judge the worth of merchandise. In addition, the products among which the consumer must choose are available in such diverse forms that only an expert can assess their relative merits. For that reason, most U.S. courts have shifted to the approach that the manufacturer, not the consumer, must accept primary responsibility for product safety. The consumer protection movement has emerged as a means of increasing consumer education so that consumers can recognize and correct frauds. In contributing to these educational efforts, the present manual discusses consumer frauds and swindles; consumer rights and advertising; mail order and door-to-door sales; guarantees and warranties; buyer precautions for sales and contracts; product safety issues; and means of coping with debt, delinquency, and loan defaults. Areas also covered are consumer credit problems, consumer rights in renting and owning housing, eviction and discrimination cases, consumer problems in buying a home or property, consumer choices in selecting a lawyer, the use of small claims court by consumers, and changes in th law resulting from changing consumer needs. Consumers are encouraged to obtain more knowledge of business, to lobby, and to work with government officials in order to assure effective legal protection. A glossary, footnotes, and index are supplied.