TOMS RIVER – A representative from the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs will be available to address questions and take complaints from consumers at a new outreach location – the County Connection at the Ocean County Mall.

"Bringing our services directly to the residents is the best way to educate people about the assistance we can offer," said Deputy Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners Gary Quinn, liaison to the Department of Consumer Affairs. "The County Connection is a great location allowing us to bring help right to our consumers."

A representative from the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs will be based at the County Connection, located near JC Penney at the Ocean County Mall, Hooper Avenue, here, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays starting June 5.

"We are happy to welcome our Department of Consumer Affairs to the County Connection," said Ocean County Commissioner John P. Kelly, liaison to the County Connection, a storefront that provides easy and convenient access to a host of programs and services supported by the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. "Consumer Affairs will be joining with staff from Senior Services, the Ocean County Veterans Services Bureau and the Ocean County Clerk's office and others, meeting one-on-one with our constituents. This is a great addition to the County Connection."

Quinn noted the Consumer Affairs Department representative, in addition to handling complaints will have information on consumer laws covering regulations that govern contractors to store return policies.

With the addition of the County Connection as an outreach site, the services of the Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs can now be accessed at the mall along with the main office at 1027 Hooper Ave., Building 2, here, and the Ocean County Southern Service Center, 179 South Main St., Manahawkin.

"With the cost of everything increasing and scam artists on the rise using more and more advanced technologies it's important for us to make sure our consumers are protected," Quinn said. "A key step in making sure consumer rights are guarded is to give them easy access to the professionals that can help."