The Schenectady County Department of Consumer Affairs conducts consumer investigations, research and analysis; develops consumer education programs and materials to enable the consumer to make informed decisions; responds to consumer complaints; represents the interests of consumers and businesses by settling disputes through voluntary mediation; and protects consumers in the marketplace and the business community against economic losses resulting from unethical or illegal business practices.
The Schenectady County Bureau of Weights & Measures improves the accuracy of measurements, promotes fair competition, and facilitates economic growth and trade utilizing the most efficient, practical and cost effective approach while maintaining strict compliance with federal, state and local weights and measures law.
Consumer Affairs
The Schenectady County Department of Consumer Affairs strives to:
- Develop and implement consumer affairs educational and intervention programs targeted at the populations affected by charity scams, lottery scams, home improvement scams, identity theft, fraud and deceptive trade practices.
- Recommend innovative and effective policy strategies to appropriate state and local legislatures to aid and protect consumers.
- Receive and investigate complaints and initiate investigations of unfair or deceptive trade practices against consumers within a specified time frame.
You can also file a Consumer Affairs Electronic Form here.
Bureau of Weights & Measures
The Schenectady County Bureau of Weights & Measures works to:
- Accurately identify, verify, and record acceptable device classes, balance indicators, audit trails, concentrated load capacity, influence factors, load cells, nominal capacity, repeatability and tolerances on all scales, scale systems, automatic bulk weighing systems, weights and automatic weighing systems.
- Correctly calculate, identify and record maintenance and/or acceptance tolerance values on all applicable devices.
- Seal all correct petroleum pumps, petroleum meters, rack meters, taxi meters, LPG meters, liquid measures, volumetric measures, linear measures, timing devices, scales, and non-commercial devices by testing each device for accuracy and compliance, locating the correct sealing provision and affixing the correct seal.
- Inspect and test various packaged commodities in order to ascertain whether or not the weight, count, volume, contents and labeling meet state law.