QUICK CONSUMER DEBT RESOURCE GUIDE (updated 3/13/2025)

Quick Consumer Debt Resource Guide Updated 03/13/25

Quick Consumer Debt Resource Guide updated 3/13/2025

Court Actions

• nycourts.gov/courthelp/ – Pro Se Help
• Legal libraries-Ask a Law Librarian- https://askalawlibrarian.nycourts.gov/ OR via text 518-282-0175; Supreme Court Central Islip 631-740-3965; Supreme Court Riverhead 631-740-3965
• Legal Hand 631-366-7096
• Vacate Judgment Program- http://www.nycourts.gov/courthelp/diy/consumerdebt.shtml
• https://www.lawhelpny.org
• Ny.freelegalanswers.org

Credit Reports

• Free yearly credit report– www.annualcreditreport.com; (877) 322-8228

Debt Collection/Consumer Complaints

• NYS Attorney General (car dealers, lemon law, etc.) (800)771-7755
• Federal Trade Commission (scam phone calls, etc.); https://reportfraud.ftc.gov; 877-382-4357
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – consumerfinance.gov/complaint/ ; (855) 411-2372
• NYS Consumer Protection Dept (800) 697-1220; dos.ny.gov/consumerprotection/
• Nassau Dept. of Consumer Affairs- 516-571-2600; Suffolk Dept. of Consumer Affairs- (631) 853-4600

Financial Counseling

• Community Development Long Island Financial Counseling Workshops; https://www.cdli.org/financial-coaching-resources
• Community Housing Innovations https://www.communityhousing.org/services/financial-literacy/

Medical Debt

• Get Health Insurance- 1-855-355-5777- https://nystateofhealth.ny.gov/
• If no health insurance at time of hospital stay, apply for charity care at hospital
• NYS Surprise Bill Law- out-of-network providers cannot balance bill without written consent; Complaints to NY Dept. of Financial Services (800) 342-3736; https://www.dfs.ny.gov/complaint
• Self-insured Insurance Complaints (e.g. insurance through union)-
• NY AG Health Care Bureau (problem with health care plan) https://ag.ny.gov/resources/individuals/health-care-insurance/health-care helpline; (800) 428-9071

Rent Security Complaints

• NY Attorney General https://formsnym.ag.ny.gov/OAGOnlineSubmissionForm/faces/OAGRSHome 1-(800) 771-7755

Student Loans

• Federal Info- https://www.ed.gov/higher-education/manage-your-loans (800) 433-3243
• Complaints New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS). DFS is overseeing student loan products and services in NYS. You can file a complaint online at https://www.dfs.ny.gov/complaint or by calling their Consumer Hotline at 800-342-3736.

Tax Debt

• Federal- irs.gov/taxpayer-advocate ; 631-654-6686
• State- tax.ny.gov/tra/resolve.htm ; (518) 530-4357

Utilities (Gas, Electric, Water, Phone & Cable TV)

• NYS Department of Public Services Complaint- https://dps.ny.gov/file-complaint (800) 342-3377
• Heating Oil Company Complaints- NYS Division of Consumer Protection; https://dos.ny.gov/file-consumer-complaint 1-800-697-1220