By MATT MILNER Courier staff writer

OTTUMWA — It happens every year: People go out to look for the perfect holiday gift and wind up with a headache from a scam, misunderstanding return policies, or not having that receipt you thought you kept safe.

It’s a busy time of year for shoppers and salespeople, but the Iowa Attorney General’s office gets its share of calls as well. Most headaches aren’t scams, but the office is concerned enough about those to issue a list of tips for Iowa consumers.

The biggest tip is to check on all store policies before making a purchase, especially if you may need to return an item or put it on layaway. Returns, refunds and layaways are issues left up to individual retailers; Iowa law doesn’t set blanket requirements. Find out what the store’s policy is if you think it may come into play later.

Another tip is so basic many people forget it. Most stores won’t accept returns without a receipt. So keep that little slip of paper, even if you are absolutely sure the gift is perfect. You never know.

Iowa and federal laws do give shoppers some protections if they use mail orders. Federal law requires a retailer to ship the item within 30 days. Any delays require a notification from the seller, and you have the option of canceling the purchase at that time for a full refund.

But if you shop by mail, don’t use cash. Credit cards are the safer bet.

And credit cards are pretty standard for online purchases. Online sales are so critical that pundits now refer to Cyber Monday, the day people return to work after Thanksgiving and make purchases on their work computers. The Attorney General’s office isn’t worried about that, though your boss may be, but it does advise people to use caution.

Shop online with reputable companies and make sure the seller lists an address or toll-free phone number in case of problems. Print and keep records of each purchase, and use only secure websites for purchases. Credit cards offer the best protection, as opposed to online checks or debit cards.

And, if you wind up having a problem, you can file a complaint with the Iowa Consumer Protection Division. Its number is 1-888-777-4590.

Matt Milner can be reached at (641) 683-5359 or via e-mail at mwmilner@mchsi.com