Sources and original illustrations

Primary references and the limits of this educational collection.

Primary references

• FTC: Online Shopping — Compare sellers, products and terms and keep purchase records; no universal refund entitlement is inferred.
• FTC: Evaluating Online Reviews — Review sources and incentives matter; appearance alone cannot reliably identify every fake review.
• FTC: Warranties — Read written coverage and distinguish included warranty from separately sold service contracts; details vary.
• CPSC: Recalls and Product Safety Warnings — Search current product-specific recall notices and follow the actual notice and remedy.
• EPA: ENERGY STAR Product Finder — Verify exact models in the certification program; certification has a defined energy-efficiency scope.
• FTC: Green Guides Summary — Environmental claims need specific scope and substantiation; product, packaging and disposal claims differ.
• FTC: Trials and Auto-renewals — Read billing, renewal and cancellation details; this collection does not assert a universal current legal cancellation rule.
• FTC: Resolving Problems with a Business — Keep relevant records and use appropriate business support and consumer resources when a problem remains unresolved.
• FTC: Advertising FAQs — Advertising claims and relevant qualifications require substantiation; the collection teaches reading, not legal adjudication.
• FTC: EnergyGuide Consumer Guide — EnergyGuide provides energy-use and cost comparison information with assumptions, distinct from certification scope.

Original visual material

The diagrams in this edition are original SVG illustrations explaining the sequence or decisions in each guide. They do not show a laboratory experiment, a personal trip or a tested product result. No photographs from the linked sources are reproduced.

Check the source in context

References were consulted during preparation of this edition. A source may cover a broader or narrower question than a particular guide; the support notes above explain why it is listed. Read the original for methodology, exceptions and updates.