| Are you an individual, a common man who toils | | | | details on phone. If you receive calls from |
| day and night, up and down to earn three | | | | unknown place that offers you some benefits |
| meals a day? If yes, then do you at times | | | | and asks for your particulars, don't be |
| come home depressed with a look of betrayal | | | | carried away by that. Tell your particulars |
| on your face? There can be reasons like | | | | only when you are sure that the call is |
| someone withdrew cash from your credit card | | | | genuine and that there is no other way out. |
| and you have no clue how; the television you | | | | |
| purchased for your family is not properly | | | | - Do not rely much on courier services. If |
| functioning, the shopkeeper refused to take | | | | you an access to the place where you have to |
| the onus even though the TV is in the | | | | deliver the parcel, take out some time and go |
| warranty period or somebody stole the | | | | yourself. |
| information from your email account by | | | | |
| hacking it?...this is the plight of today's | | | | - Do not hand over your credit or debit cards |
| consumer, who at the end of the day comes | | | | even to your friends. It is foolish to trust |
| back home defeated and cursing his fate and | | | | someone blindly nowadays. Never tell your |
| today's world. | | | | friends or colleagues to check your mails |
| | | | while you are holidaying with your family. It |
| But one should never forget that God only | | | | is not wise to let others know your password |
| helps those who help themselves. You can | | | | and mails. |
| never be beaten unless you admit that you | | | | |
| have lost; similarly no one can deceive you | | | | - When you are out for shopping in the |
| unless you let him do so. Thus, it is time | | | | market, do not carry much cash. Keep the |
| for the consumers to wake up and realize that | | | | tentative amount and credit or debit card in |
| nothing will happen by sitting hands on | | | | case of emergency. This will not only help |
| hands, more than talking of action, one | | | | you do a regulated shopping but will also |
| should believe in implementing or doing it. | | | | save you from many pitfalls. |
| Howsoever one may try it is impractical to | | | | |
| erase theft, fraud etc. form our society. In | | | | - Before purchasing any commodity, always |
| this case the only option left is to take | | | | read the manufacturing date, the expiry date |
| preventive measures. | | | | and the MRP carefully. |
| | | | |
| - The first and the foremost step for a | | | | - Never forget to take all the bills and an |
| consumer to prevent himself from cheating is | | | | assurance for the warranty period. Take the |
| to keep his eyes and ears open. Know or be | | | | bills for each and every thing you buy and it |
| aware of what is happening around you. Read | | | | is advisable to take things on a longer |
| the cases of various scams, thefts, | | | | warranty basis even if you have to pay a |
| burglaries, phishing scams etc. in that are | | | | little more for it. |
| highlighted in your local newspaper and also | | | | |
| seen on television. This will keep you | | | | - If while coming back home you lose your |
| informed and conscious of what is going on | | | | wallet, call up the police and register your |
| and what can unfortunately even happen with | | | | complaint. This can protect you from the |
| you. | | | | illegal use your documents by the one who |
| | | | picks them up. It is better that you de not |
| - Learn from the mistakes of your neighbors. | | | | carry your essentials every time you move out |
| If a shopkeeper has given a malfunctioning | | | | of the house. |
| gadget to your neighbor, do not make the | | | | |
| mistake of going to that shop. If somebody | | | | - Keep all the emergency numbers (like the |
| stole important mails from their mailbox, do | | | | social security unit of your area, the police |
| make it a point to collect all your crucial | | | | station number etc.) stored in your mobile |
| mails directly from the post office. | | | | phone. Also what is vital for your security |
| | | | is to keep a back up record in a diary of all |
| - Never reveal personal identity to a | | | | the essential numbers in your phone and |
| stranger. You go for a morning walk and a man | | | | addresses. This will facilitate you with all |
| over their tries to be extra amiable even | | | | the information in case you lose your mobile |
| asks you to come home for lunch etc. does not | | | | phone. |
| imply that he wants your friendship or that | | | | |
| he is a genuine person. So do not disclose | | | | Wake Up, Its Time to Retaliate by Being |
| your residence, telephone numbers, your | | | | Cautious and Not to Sit Quite. |
| workplace numbers etc. to him unless you | | | | |
| gather complete information from a known | | | | Mansi gupta writes about consumer awareness |
| person about him. Avoid giving personal | | | | . |