Provides recreational boating safety tips, investigates consumer complaints about boats, issues product safety recalls, and maintains a database of boats that have been recalled. This agency regulates recreational watercraft. Boating recalls are NOT covered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Investigates complaints and advocates for residents of long term care facilities. Assists nursing home and group home residents with asserting their rights and with problems concerning Medicare, Medicaid, and social security. Handles complaints of long term care services provided in home and community settings. Promotes volunteer visitation and advocacy services.

Investigates and attempts to resolve all types of complaints about care provided to residents in licensed nursing homes and adult care facilities, and consumers of home care services. Ombudsman volunteers are present in nursing homes to speak with residents, observe conditions, and resolve simple complaints. The Ombudsman Program provides information on long-term care options, laws, and regulations.

Advocates for long-term care consumers, including residents of nursing homes, assisted living facilities, group homes, as well as clients receiving in-home or community-based care services. Services include: complaint investigation regarding client rights violations, poor care and services, etc.; advocacy services; and general information and education.

Regulates and provides information on groups that may solicit funds for charitable purposes in the State of Ohio. Keeps records of charitable organizations that are licensed with the State of Ohio and may provide financial statements of these organizations. Handles complaints about charities and provides information about which groups may raise funds for other agencies. Licenses charitable bingo games and offers information about them.

Accepts complaints and concerns about child care providers in the state of Ohio. Provides information, referrals and assistance on policy questions. Answers questions regarding all child care rules, researched issues concerning child care providers and assists with resolution. Can document complaints for investigation by ODJFS staff or local county agencies.

Has jurisdiction over 15,000 consumer products and accepts complaints regarding the safety of these products. Does not handle complaints about cars, food, drugs, medicine, medical devices and other medical products, child car seats, cosmetics, firearms, and business practices. Alerts the public to product hazards and product recalls (including those relating to lead) and provides safety information. Offers printed safety information on a variety of consumer products and issues.

Sanitarians license and inspect all tattoo and body piercing establishments annually.

Works to protect consumers against unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices in the marketplace. Conducts investigations, sues companies and people who violate the law, develops rules to protect consumers, and educates consumers and businesses about their rights and responsibilities. Collects complaints about consumer fraud and identity theft and makes them available to law enforcement agencies across the country. Service divisions include Advertising Practices, Consumer and Business Education, Enforcement, Financial Practices, Marketing Practices, Planning and Information, and Privacy and Identity Protection.

Assists consumers who have experienced difficulties when conducting business with Ohio state-chartered depository institutions.

Investigates consumer complaints, white collar crimes, and the fraudulent use of Department of Job and Family Services programs in Greene County.

Licenses and inspects body art establishments. Body art services include: tattooing, permanent cosmetics, and body piercing.

Provides assistance to clients where an immediate change in residential setting is needed, where it is necessary to deal with law enforcement, or where there is alleged abuse or neglect of the client. Monitors residential and day programs, does complaint resolution, and acts for advocacy and protection of client rights.

Provides licensing and inspections for businesses offering tattoo, body piercing, microblading or a combination of these services for permanent facilities or temporary events.

Provides comprehensive reports (including evaluation and accreditation) of charities. Maintains lists of BBB Accredited Charities by industry. Hears complaints dealing with consumer issues with a business and/or their products or services. Handles complaints against doctors or attorneys only in relation to billing issues. Provides recorded and printed information about consumer topics. Offers accreditation for businesses. Assists with concerns about charity donations.

Provides investigation of all types of consumer scams, along with one on one assistance to support residents who lose money or info to scams. Will attempt dispute resolution, including mediation with the parties (consumer and business), including debt collection abuses, home repair companies auto sales and car repairs, store pricing, appliance warranty issues, and other complaints related to specific business interactions with consumers. The agency can/will refer a complaint or a violation to the county prosecutor, Ohio attorney general, Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, or other appropriate agencies with jurisdiction over the complaint. May also enforce violations through civil actions.

Accepts complaints concerning home-based child care providers as-well-as child care centers and preschool programs.

Advocates for people receiving nursing home care, assisted living care and home care services. Investigates and attempts to resolve all types of complaints about care and services. In some cases, may mediate disputes between patients and their health care service provider. Provides information on long-term care options, laws, and regulations.

Provides recreational boating safety tips, investigates consumer complaints about boats, issues product safety recalls, and maintains a database of boats that have been recalled. This agency regulates recreational watercraft. Boating recalls are NOT covered by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Promotes customer/builder lines of communication and arbitrates disputes. Provides resources and information on home building and dispute resolution services. NOTE: Actual dispute resolution is handled by the Better Business Bureau.

Assists consumers in cases where an immediate change in residential setting is needed, where it is necessary to deal with law enforcement, or where there is alleged abuse or neglect of the consumer. Provides information and referral for all services. Monitors residential and day programs, does complaint resolution, and acts for advocacy and protection of client rights. This office also monitors Board compliance with legal regulations, oversees its accreditation, and evaluates its services in terms of goals and outcomes.

Maintains lists of businesses and charities and provides Business Profiles about them. Accepts reports of unfair business practices and handles complaints dealing with consumer dissatisfaction with businesses and/or their products or services. Provides printed information about consumer topics. Offers accreditation for businesses.

Ensures the safety of all amusement rides within the state of Ohio. Provides assistance for consumers who want to report health and safety hazards encountered at traveling carnivals, fairs, theme parks, water parks, penny arcades, or other amusement parks.

Enforces the Ohio Consumer Sales Practices Act and the Ohio Homebuyers’ Protection Act. Investigates complaints related to consumer protection laws and mediates disputes when warranted. Consumers may also look for information about complaints a company may have recieved through the Attorney General's Office as well as information as to how the dispute was resolved. Areas of inquiry include retail purchases, for-profit tax preparers, Internet auctions, pyramid schemes, advertising, business opportunities, home improvements, consumer credit, health spas, mail order businesses, new car parts, automobile repairs repairs, tax preparation companies, etc. Will investigate (and if warranted, prosecute) for-profit mortgage foreclosure counseling companies. Can take complaints on mortgage servicers concerning escrow issues and problems dealing with the application of payments. Cannot address complaints against mortage services concerning modifications or foreclosure issues. Cannot take complaints against banks. Does not provide legal advice or representation as a private attorney. Cannot handle consumer issues regarding the purchase of used cars, public utilities, doctors, lawyers, insurance, real estate, financial investments, and state agencies. Offers consumer tips, printed information, and presentations about consumer issues. May also search for lawsuits the office has filed against individuals and businesses that violate the state’s consumer laws.