Are you an individual, a common man who toils day and night, up and down to earn three meals a day? If yes, then do you at times come home depressed with a look of betrayal on your face? There can be reasons like someone withdrew cash from your credit card and you have no clue how; the television you purchased for your family is not properly functioning, the shopkeeper refused to take the onus even though the TV is in the warranty period or somebody stole the information from your email account by hacking it?…this is the plight of today’s consumer, who at the end of the day comes back home defeated and cursing his fate and today’s world.

But one should never forget that God only helps those who help themselves. You can never be beaten unless you admit that you have lost; similarly no one can deceive you unless you let him do so. Thus, it is time for the consumers to wake up and realize that nothing will happen by sitting hands on hands, more than talking of action, one should believe in implementing or doing it. Howsoever one may try it is impractical to erase theft, fraud etc. form our society. In this case the only option left is to take preventive measures.

• The first and the foremost step for a consumer to prevent himself from cheating is to keep his eyes and ears open. Know or be aware of what is happening around you. Read the cases of various scams, thefts, burglaries, phishing scams etc. in that are highlighted in your local newspaper and also seen on television. This will keep you informed and conscious of what is going on and what can unfortunately even happen with you.

• Learn from the mistakes of your neighbors. If a shopkeeper has given a malfunctioning gadget to your neighbor, do not make the mistake of going to that shop. If somebody stole important mails from their mailbox, do make it a point to collect all your crucial mails directly from the post office.

• Never reveal personal identity to a stranger. You go for a morning walk and a man over their tries to be extra amiable even asks you to come home for lunch etc. does not imply that he wants your friendship or that he is a genuine person. So do not disclose your residence, telephone numbers, your workplace numbers etc. to him unless you gather complete information from a known person about him. Avoid giving personal details on phone. If you receive calls from unknown place that offers you some benefits and asks for your particulars, don’t be carried away by that. Tell your particulars only when you are sure that the call is genuine and that there is no other way out.