CoPIRG’S CONSUMER TIPS—CoPIRG’s consumer tips include information on saving money on prescription drugs, preventing identity theft, choosing the right car loan, and getting the best cell phone plan.

On Jan. 15 CoPIRG published “Six Consumer Tips,” informational sheets that help Coloradans save money and time—and take advantage of all the protections that the government offers consumers.

While CoPIRG works at the Capitol to enact new legislation to protect consumers, some existing legislation requires consumer action to put the laws to work for them.

The six topics covered by the tips are: Preventing identity theft, clearing your name after identity theft has occurred, buying prescription drugs, maintaining an accurate credit report, shopping for a cell phone and plan, and choosing the right car loan.

Here are some excerpts from two factsheets. You can read all six factsheets in their entirety on our Web site, www.copirg.org.

Tips For Saving Money On Your Next Prescription
While CoPIRG is working to bring down the high cost of prescription drugs (see page 2), here are just a few tips to save money on your next prescription:

• Always ask if there is a generic version of your prescription.

Ask your doctor or your pharmacist for a generic version of your prescription medication or do some research by looking at an online drugstore. Generic drugs are much cheaper than their brand name counterparts.

For example, Levoxyl, a brand name generic version of Synthroid, costs 28 percent more than the generic version, levothyroxine, according the prices found at Walgreens.com.

• Be careful when purchasing your prescriptions on the Internet.

Many Web sites appear legitimate but actually sell counterfeit and unsafe products. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy developed a program to certify pharmacies that meet licensing requirements for their state, as well as for each state in which they do business. For more information visit http://vipps.nabp.net/.

Several states have set up Web sites to help their residents import drugs from certified Canadian pharmacies. The state of Minnesota, for example, maintains www.MinnesotaRxConnect.com to help consumers price Canadian drugs.

The Minnesota State Department of Health visited and approved each of the pharmacies included on its Web site.

Reduce Your Risk Of Identity Theft
While CoPIRG has helped increase Colorado’s defenses against identity thieves, you can still do a lot to ensure you are taking advantage of the protection the law offers you:

• Secure your personal information.

By guarding your mail, and by shredding any bills or letters that contain financial information, you can reduce your risk of identity theft. You can also secure personal information by using effective passwords that don’t contain readily available information.

• Put a freeze on your account.

Thanks to CoPIRG’s advocacy, starting July 1, 2006, Colorado residents can place a security freeze on their credit reports. The freeze will prevent the credit bureaus from releasing your credit report unless you ask them to release it and provide them with a special security code.

Identity thieves will not be able to open a new account in your name or request financial information without this code.

Go to our Web site at www.copirg.org to see in-depth advice on these topics and more.