Mayor's Office of Consumer Information (MOCI)

City Hall, Room 315
Tel: (413) 787-6437 - TTY: (413) 787-6154
E-mail: moci@springfieldcityhall.com

The Mayor’s Office of Consumer Information (“MOCI”) is funded by, and works in cooperation with, the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General as facilitators to help consumers resolve complaints who otherwise have to seek legal recourse through the court system. It serves residents of the City of Springfield and its surrounding cities and towns in Hampden County.  The MOCI cannot guarantee the outcome of a complaint, but ensures that it will, with the cooperation of both parties, strive to effectively mediate the complaint in hopes of reaching an amicable resolution.  In 2007, the MOCI received over 4,000 inquiry calls from consumers and reached an excess of $1.1 million in savings to consumers from the 600+ complaints filed. 

Services Provided

The MOCI provides education, referral and informal mediation services at no cost to consumers. Mediation provides consumers and businesses the opportunity to address and resolve disputes, although no legal advice or services are provided. Spanish-speaking staff is available.  Walk-ins are welcomed from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.  

The MOCI staff will educate consumers on their rights in many consumer-related areas and has an array of brochures readily available. Following is a list of some of the areas the MOCI can assist with:

Lemon Laws
Home Improvement
Debt Collection
Retail Rights
Credit
…and many more

To speak to a consumer advocate to learn of your consumer rights, seek advice on how to resolve your dispute or to request mediation, call (413) 787-6437. To file a formal complaint, download the complaint form.

In addition, the MOCI provides consumer-related educational outreach to area schools and colleges, local agencies and church groups, free of charge. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, Identity Theft, Credit, Buying a Car and Home Improvement.  To request a speaker, download the speaker request form.

Forms for Download

Complaint form – Please contact MOCI at (413) 787-6437 before submitting this form.

Speaker request form – Please contact Program Director, Milagros S. Johnson about speaking to your organization. You may reach her at (413) 787-6437 or email moci@springfieldcityhall.com.

Mortgage Foreclosure Assistance - Are you struggling to pay your mortgage payment? If so, there is help for you.

Consumer Links

Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office: Consumer Protection [http://www.ago.state.ma.us/]

Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs & Business Regulation [http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=ocahomepage&L=1&L0=Home&sid=Eoca]

Federal Trade Commission: Identity Theft [http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/]

Car Smart: Consumer’s Guide to Buying, Leasing, Repairing a Car [http://massconsumer.org/Carsmart2006/index.html]

Free Annual Credit Reports  [https://www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp]

Opt-Out of pre-approved credit card offers [https://www.optoutprescreen.com/?rf=t]

Stop Junk Mail [http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.php]

National Do Not Call Registry [https://www.donotcall.gov/]

Fair Debt Collection [http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre18.shtm]

2008 National Consumer Handbook  [http://www.consumeraction.gov/]