The Consumer Support office of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce has relaunched their web site with a new business blacklist feature. The site offers consumers a database where they can look up a business’ history, including consumer complaints, law suits, and arbitration proceedings. The Ministry will also publish a “blacklist” of the businesses that have had the most consumer complaints and government sanctions against them.

Site - www.consumo.go.cr - more features:

• Consumer credit calculator - find out how much you really pay when buying appliances on credit.
• Purchasing Department - The Ministry will publish government purchase and service contracts they have authorized.
• Credit Card Comparison - Compare credit cards offered locally by features, prerequisites and rates.
• Black List - Look up that company you are thinking of buying from to see if they are on the blacklist or if they have been willing to settle fairly in arbitration.