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 Pain Management Clinic Permitting ...more>
 Spring into Financial Fitness by being smart about how you spend your money andinstilling precautions to guard your assets. Review your credit report for errors; you are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three reporting agencies every year. Reduce your debt by spending wisely and paying down credit cards. Get help if needed by contacting a consumer credit counseling service in your area.
- Some merchants will match, or even beat, a competitor’s price.
- Coupons are useful when they save you money on items you’re already planning to buy. You can find some coupons in the Sunday newspaper or from manufacturer and retailer sites online. If you are shopping online, you simply enter the code at checkout.
- To minimize interest and other charges, try to limit credit card purchases to an amount you can pay in full at the end of the month. If you use a debit card, don’t rely on an overdraft feature to spend money you don’t have. When you leave your house, carry only the card you need rather than all your cards “just in case.”
- Incidental and impulse purchases add up. Jotting down what you spend after every purchase helps keep you mindful of your limits. At least once a month, use credit card, checking, and other records to review what you’ve purchased. After examining your purchases, ask yourself if it makes sense to reallocate some of this spending to an emergency savings account.
Protect your privacy by being cautious about disclosing your personal information; determine if they have a legitimate need for your social security number, bank account number, date of birth, etc. Be on guard when responding to survey request including free gift offers that may be setup for the sole purpose of generating mailing lists of prospective clients.
Safeguard your computer by maintaining up to date antivirus software and installing additional protection such as a router and firewall software. Don’t respond to unsolicited emails and be on guard when visiting unfamiliar websites.
Teach childrento be web smart through examples found in NetCetera:Chatting With KidsAbout Being Online.  Kids and parents have many ways of socializing and communicating online, but they come with certain risks. This guide encourages parents to reduce the risks by talking to kids about how they communicate – online and off – and helping kids engage in conduct they can be proud of. Net Cetera covers what parents need to know, where to go for more information, and issues to raise with kids about living their lives online. Click here to download a copy of the guide. http://www.onguardonline.gov/pdf/tec04.pdf
AnnualCreditReport.com is  the ONLY authorized source for the free annual credit report that's yours by law.The Fair Credit Reporting Act guarantees you access to your credit report for free from each of the three nationwide credit reporting companies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — every 12 months. The Federal Trade Commission has received complaints from consumers who thought they were ordering their free annual credit report, and yet couldn't get it without paying fees or buying other services. TV ads, email offers, or online search results may tout "free" credit reports, but there is only one authorized source for a truly free credit report.
 Foreclosure Fraud Prevention Team
Pinellas County’s Department of Justice and Consumer Services announces the receipt of a $100,000 federal grant to fight foreclosure fraud. The grant will fund programs that alert homeowners to the dangers of foreclosure rescue scams and will offer direct assistance referrals for victims of foreclosure fraud to help prevent additional financial loss or even the possible loss of their homes. Click here for more information.
It’s the American dream to own your business; especially during tough economic times. Although many achieve this dream, others run into financial ruin by falling prey to scams claiming that substantial profits can be attained. more>> 
Watch this video  for an inside look.
A Statewide effort called  has launched a and will take calls from 8 a.m.through 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Callers who fear that they soon won't be able to make their mortgage payments or who have already missed payments but are not yet in foreclosure are urged to call.
Pinellas County Consumer Protection partnered with theFederal Trade Commission and other area agencies on a recent telemarketing fraud sweep. Local agencies held a press conference where they announced the success of the joint operation. As a result of the operation, numerous actions were taken which will greatly effect telemarketing fraud.
Over a five year
period from October 1, 2002 through September
30, 2007, the Office of Consumer Protection
has received 165,213 phone calls, addressed
13,341 walk in visits, conducted 33,317
business checks, and initiated 12,585 citizen
complaints. Refunds and adjustments
have totaled more than $2.2 million dollars
to consumers. Of these complaints,
809 have been opened for criminal investigation
accounting for 1267 victims. The
criminal cases have resulted in a total
of 72.4 years of jail/prison time, 580
years of probation, $136,500 in fines,
and over $2.5 million in court ordered
restitution.
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Opportunity Scam
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