The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Suggestions for great deals for dad on Father’s Day

With Father's Day coming up on Sunday, the time you have to shop for a gift for Dad is growing short.

Although dads can be difficult to shop for, the good news is that there are many merchants discounting father friendly items in time for the holiday.

On dealnews.com, analysts have searched the archives to find out which Father's Day gifts offered the best savings last year so that you can be on the lookout for great bargains this year. Here are their suggestions:

Tools

If your dad is a handy man, the weeks leading up Father's Day are a great time to pick up some new tools. You’ve missed the first week of June, which had the best deals last year. However, you may still be able to find bargains at stores such as Sears, Home Depot, and Lowe's.

Clothing

Summer clearance promotions are being offered by merchants such as Lands' End, J. Crew, Express, and Last Call by Neiman Marcus. Although sizes and stock are often limited in clearance sales, you may still be able to buy brand-name clothes for your dad.

Sunglasses also may be a good choice. In the first two weeks of June last year, dealnews.com saw bargains on men's sunglasses from brands such as Oakley and Ray-Ban. On average, each pair was $39.

Home theater  

This June is also a great time to find a new HDTV, but there are some lessons to be learned from last year's Father's Day sales. Many of the bargains TVs dealnews.com saw last year were from lesser-known brands. So if your dad has his heart set on a brand-name HDTV, he may need to wait.

However, if your dad already has a big screen TV, consider buying audio components for his home theater setup. Last year, dealnews.com saw great bargains on brands such as Pioneer, Sony, and Harman Chardon from merchants including World Wide Stereo, TigerDirect, and Fry's Electronics.

If you’re still not sure what to get dad, check out dealnews.com’s Father's Day gift guide for some cost saving suggestions.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Watch out for charity fraud, home repair scams, and price gouging following tornadoes in Oklahoma

Photo: Ks0stm

Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt Tuesday issued a warning for Oklahomans and donors around the country to beware of charity fraud and scams following the severe storms in Oklahoma.

“For those folks around the country who want to donate funds to help families in Oklahoma, please be alert and only donate to reputable relief charities such as the Salvation Army or the Red Cross,” Pruitt said. “The first scam we typically see after devastation like this is charity fraud. We have more than 30 investigators in the field to help Oklahomans avoid scams, fraud, and price gouging as communities work to recover and rebuild.”

Investigators for the Attorney General’s Office ask that consumers who suspect charity fraud or experiences price gouging at gas stations, grocery stores, rental car companies, or hotels to call the agency’s hotline number immediately at 405-521-2029.

Over the next few weeks, criminals will shift focus to scams involving clean-up, removal, home repair, and tree trimming, he said.

“Home and business owners will want to quickly repair their property, but we urge them to be cautious and patient and to use reputable contractors,” Pruitt said. “We ask that residents pay particular attention to criminals known as ‘travelers’ who go from one community to the next to take advantage of vulnerable Oklahomans.”

Pruitt cautioned Oklahomans to be wary of repair services and contractors who:

• Solicit for work door-to-door.

• Offer discounts for finding other customers.

• “Just happen to have” materials left over from a previous job.

• Accept only cash payments.

• Pressure you for an immediate decision.

• Ask you to pay for the entire job up-front.


The Attorney General’s Office suggests the following tips for choosing a qualified contractor or repair service:

• 

Ask for referrals from people you trust.

• Try to do business with local companies.

• Request to see proof of certification and insurance.

• Check out the repair service with the Attorney General’s Public Protection Unit and the Better Business Bureau.
  

• Ask for customer references.

• Get written estimates from several companies.

• Don’t do business without a written contract.

• Get all guarantees, warranties, and promises in writing.

• Agree on start and completion dates, and have them in the contract.


For more tips and resources, go online to www.oag.ok.gov/oagweb.nsf/Consumer, or call the Public Protection Unit at 405-521-2029.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Watch out for these top scams

It’s National Consumer Protection Week.

To help you be an alert, informed consumer, the Better Business Bureau is offering information on the hottest scams being used to bilk consumers as part of its consumer week educational efforts:

Learn more about the biggest scams of 2011 – Did Facebook try to give you $1 million? Did you see the video of Osama bin Laden’s death? Did you get a middle-of-the-night call from the hotel front desk? These all were on the BBB’s Top Ten Scams of 2011 list.

Scammers also were at work on tricking consumers about job offers, sweepstakes and lotteries, social media and dating, home improvements, check cashing, e-mail offers, sales, mortgages, and investments.

Know Your Scam: Your Guide to Outsmarting the Top Scams – Here are the top categories of scams the BBB hears about, and what you can do to protect yourself. 

You can sign up to get the BBB’s Scam Alerts by e-mail.

It’s also important to file a complaint with the BBB and/or an agency when you’ve been scammed 

• Better Business Bureau

• Attorney General’s Office in your state

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Federal Trade Commission – The commission doesn’t resolve individual consumer complaints.

Be sure to be alert, and avoid scams in 2013.

Copyright 2013, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Recall of the Week: Fu San Machinery low lead ball valves installed in flammable gas lines due to fire and explosion hazards

Fu San Machinery Co. Ltd. Is recalling about 163,000 low lead ball valve/shut-off gas valves.

The valves can crack and cause gas to leak, which poses fire and explosion hazards, the company and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement. No incidents/ or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves seven brands of sweat and threaded, low lead ball valves used in flammable gas piping systems in commercial or residential settings. They’re brass shut-off valves assembled with pipe lines of 3/4 inch and 1 inch and have a date code 1103 through 1112, in the YYMM format.

The date code is located under the valve handle. The pipe size is marked on the body of the valve. Fu San's logo and the "O" marking designated for low lead valves are marked on the valves' neck under the handle. The word "Taiwan" appears on the handle as a country of origin marking.

The brand names are Aqualine, AY McDonald, FNW, Hodes Co., Legend, Leonard Valve, and Mueller. Click here to see the model numbers of the recalled valves.

Manufactured in Taiwan, the valves were sold to seven distributors by Fu San Machinery nationwide from April 2011 through January 2012 for between $13 and $20.

Consumers should turn off the gas supply until a replacement gas valve has been professionally installed, the company and commission advise. Consumers should contact Danville Sales. On behalf of Fu San Machinery, Danville Sales will provide $300 to reimburse customers for costs incurred to remove and return the valve and for purchasing and installing a replacement valve.

The valve should be returned to the Danville Sales Office with a photo showing the valve in the gas line before removal and showing the date code on the valve, along with the address and details of the location where the valve was installed.

The requested information, the recalled valve, and the consumer name and address should be sent to the address in the paragraph below. When the information is received, Fu San will reimburse $300 to customers.

To contact the company, write Danville Sales Office for Fu San Machinery, 1101 N. Kings Hwy, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08034; call 855-779-9200 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday; or go to www.fsvalve.com.tw, then click on the Safety Recall Notice.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Recall of the Week: Harbor Freight Tools cordless drills due to fire and burn hazard

Harbor Freight Tools is recalling about 108,000 cordless drills.

The black trigger switch on the 19.2v cordless drill can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

Harbor Freight Tools has received one report of a drill overheating and burning through the handle of the unit, which resulted in a consumer receiving a minor injury, the company and U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a statement.

This recall involves Harbor Freight Tools Cordless Drills, model number 96526. The drills are blue and black and have a black trigger switch. They have a 19.2v rechargeable battery pack.

The drill's model number is located on a yellow label on the left side of the drill. "Made in China" appears in black and red lettering on a yellow warning sticker located on the right side of the unit.

Manufactured in China, the cordless drills were sold at Harbor Freight Tools stores nationwide, from a catalog, and online at www.harborfreight.com from April 2008 through May 2012. The cost was $27 to $30.

Consumers should stop using the recalled drill immediately, remove the rechargeable battery, and contact Harbor Freight Tools to receive a free replacement drill, the company and commission advise.

For more information, call Harbor Freight Tools at 800-444-3353 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or go to www.harborfreight.com and click on Recall Safety Information under Customer Service. Consumers can also e-mail the firm at recalls@harborfreight.com.

For details on other recalls, see www.recalls.gov.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Consumer Reports offers this year’s list of good and bad company policies and practices

This week, Consumer Reports unveiled its third annual Naughty & Nice List of company policies and practices.

The companies cover a wide range of industries, including automotive (BMW, Honda) apparel (Kohl’s, Nordstrom, Forever 21), and hospitality (Drury Hotels).

The annual Naughty & Nice list isn’t an overall Rating of a company; it’s a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” on a specific policy or practice. Companies not included on the list may have similar policies, Consumer Reports said in a statement.

This year, Consumer Reports is asking consumers to join the effort by submitting their own personal Naughty & Nice nominee via Facebook and Twitter (#CRNaughtyNice).

For the first time, Consumer Reports will also be setting up a booth at the Holiday Market at Union Square in New York City, offering visitors an in-person opportunity to submit their list and receive 24 hours of free access to www.ConsumerReports.org.

The Naughty & Nice Holiday List is based on input from Consumer Reports' reporters and editors who cover shopping, travel, hospitality, and telecommunications and visitors to the Consumer Reports Facebook page.

The following highlights some of the companies from the 2012 Naughty & Nice list:

Naughty

• Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster will mail you your tickets for free if you have 10 to 14 days to wait for them, but if you need them any sooner you’ll have to pay for expedited shipping. You’ll even have to pay $2.50 per order just to print them yourself.
• Time Warner Cable. It joins a list of other providers to charge a monthly fee – in this case, $3.95 – to lease a cable modem.
• BMW. Some BMWs don’t come with a spare tire or jack. The carmaker’s models now come with run-flat tires or a Mobility Kit, which can get you to help after a minor puncture. The disappearing-spare syndrome is spreading to include even economy models from Hyundai, Chevrolet, and others.

Nice

• Home Depot. Buy a new appliance from Home Depot, and it’ll take your old one off your property without charge. The delivery crew will also uncrate, set up, level, and test your new one.
• Oxo. The housewares manufacturer backs every product it sells with a no-exceptions pledge: If for any reason you aren’t satisfied, return it for replacement or refund.
• PNC Bank. In Consumer Reports’ survey of 10 large banks, PNC was the only one to offer a free basic checking account. In addition, it doesn’t require customers to maintain a minimum balance to keep the free account.

The full Naughty & Nice lists from this year, 2011, and 2010 are available online at www.ConsumerReports.org/CRNaughtyNice.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Election results are my best consumer experience this week, while applying caulking disappoints

November brings the election and winter, a challenging season.

My best consumer experience: The election of consumer-oriented public officials

I was generally pleased with the outcome of the election.

Pres. Barack Obama has been a leader in getting important consumer laws passed, for example, the Affordable Health Care Act and financial reform legislation.

With Elizabeth Warren in the U.S. Senate, American consumers will have a consumer champion to work for them. Warren envisioned the U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and was its acting director.

See my article, “How Will the 2012 Election Affect Consumers?” for more information on election results and their impact on consumers.

My worst consumer experience: Trying to apply caulking

When the pest company came for a routine inspection recently, the representative said I should caulk around the front of my house where the sidewalk meets the foundation.

A friend said 100 percent silicone caulking works well, so on the way home from buying groceries, I stopped by a hardware store and bought some. Not being experience, I bought a small tube, the size of a tube of toothpaste.

Immediately, when I started to apply it, I could see that it wasn’t working well and I’d purchased the wrong thing.

I looked in my garage and found some caulking and a caulking gun a contractor had left for me. However, I couldn’t get it to work.

I went back to the hardware store to return the tube of caulking. I asked for help in getting the caulking gun to work. An employee showed me that you have to poke a rod down into the caulking to break a piece of foil that keeps the caulking in when you cut off the tip.

I went back home and applied the caulking. It was difficult to do. It looks like frosting trim that you put on the bottom of a cake. And, one tube only covered half of the job.

I had to go back to the hardware store a third time to get another container of caulking.

All in all, it wasn’t a fun experience.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Watch out for scammers who prey on consumers after natural disasters

Natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, and fires often bring out scam artists who take advantage of the victims. Some of the most common "after-disaster" scams involve auto, home and yard repairs, or clean up.

The Better Business Bureau offers the following tips to consumers who suffer auto and property damage due to Hurricane Sandy:

 Check with your insurance company about policy coverage and specific filing requirements. Save all receipts – including those for food, temporary lodging, or other expenses – that may be covered under your policy.

Stay calm. Don't be pressured into making an immediate decision with a long-term impact. Be pro-active in selecting a company and not reactive to sales solicitations. Make temporary repairs if necessary.

Shop around. For major repairs, take time to get at least three to four estimates based on the same specifications and materials. Check references, verify licensing and registration, and read the BBB Business Reviews at www.bbb.org.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of door-to-door workers who claim to have leftover materials from a nearby job or who don’t have a permanent place of business. If sales people go door-to-door, check to see if your community requires them to have solicitation permits. Be leery if a worker shows up on your doorstep to announce that your home is unsafe. If you are concerned about possible structural damage in your home, have an engineer, architect, or building official inspect it.

Get everything in writing. Require a written contract with anyone you hire. It should specify the work to be done, materials to be used, and price breakdown for both labor and materials. Any promises made verbally should be written into the contract, including warranties on materials or labor. Be sure their name, address, license number, and phone number are included in the contract, along with a start and end date for the work. Once you have found a contractor, request proof of a current insurance certificate covering workman’s compensation, property damage, and personal liability.

Never pay in full in advance, and don’t pay cash. While many companies may ask for a deposit, the BBB suggests that no more than one-third of the job be paid upfront. Be sure the contract specifies the schedule for releasing payments to the contractor. Before making the final payment, ask the contractor to show proof that all subcontractors have been paid. If they haven’t been paid, you could be liable).

Disaster victims should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose an unknown contractor. Take your time and check out any company thoroughly that you’re considering doing business with.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Breast Cancer Fund offers tips for cancer prevention

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I agree with the Breast Cancer Fund that it’s time to move beyond breast cancer “awareness” to prevention.

Early this month, the BCF launched a breast cancer prevention campaign. It urges women to:

• Chose safe cosmetics.

• Eat and live better by eating fresh organic food, hormone-free meat and dairy, and non-toxic seafood.

• Protect their family from toxic chemicals in plastics, cookware, toys, baby bottles, and child cups.

• Create a healthy home by choosing or making less toxic cleaning products.

• Make informed health care choices about treatments such as radiation exposures and prescription drugs.

• Protect themselves and the environment by evaluating sunscreens, avoiding dry cleaning, stopping the use of antibacterial products, and quitting smoking.

See the BDF’s “Which Chemicals Are Linked to Breast Cancer?” for more information.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top 10 consumer complaints in the nation

Cars, credit, and home repair and construction again topped the list of complaints made to state and local consumer protection agencies, according to a survey by the Consumer Federation of America and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators.

Thirty-eight agencies from across the United States provided information about the most common, fastest-growing, and worst complaints they received in 2011. They were also asked about new types of consumer problems, what their biggest achievements and challenges were last year, and what new laws are needed to better protect consumers.

Top 10 complaints

1. Auto: Misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemons, faulty repairs, leasing, and towing disputes.

2. Credit/debt: Billing and fee disputes, mortgage modifications and mortgage-related fraud, credit repair, debt relief services, predatory lending, and illegal or abusive debt collection tactics.

3. Home improvement/construction: Shoddy work and failure to start or complete the job.

4. Retail sales: False advertising and other deceptive practices, defective merchandise, problems with rebates, coupons, gift cards and gift certificates, and failure to deliver.

5. Utilities: Service problems or billing disputes with phone, cable, satellite, Internet, electric, and gas service.

6. Services: Misrepresentations, shoddy work, failure to have required licenses, and failure to perform.

7. (Tie) Internet sales: Misrepresentations or other deceptive practice and failure to deliver online purchases. Landlord/tenant: Unhealthy or unsafe conditions, failure to make repairs or provide promised amenities, deposit and rent disputes, and illegal eviction tactics.

8. Fraud: Bogus sweepstakes and lotteries, work-at-home schemes, grant offers, fake check scams, the grandparent scam, and other common frauds.

9. Real estate: Timeshare sales and resales, retirement communities, assisted living facilities, and real estate fraud.

10. (Tie) Household goods: Misrepresentations, failure to deliver, and faulty repairs in connection with furniture or appliances. Home solicitations: Misrepresentations or failure to deliver in door-to-door, telemarketing, or mail solicitations and do-not-call violations.

Other key survey findings

• The top five fastest-growing complaints were about fraud, debt collection abuses, Do Not Call violations, mortgage-related problems, and home improvement.

• The top five worst complaints involved mortgage-related problems, home improvement, timeshare sales and resales, Internet sales, and fraud.

• New types of consumer problems that agencies dealt with last year covered a wide variety of subjects, from bedbugs in apartments to penny auctions on the Internet, from gold buying companies to telemarketing and mail solicitations for home repairs disguised as “free” energy audits. Some agencies also noted that scammers are exploiting a new form of payment, prepaid card products, to get cash from consumers.

• Budget cuts and limited resources were most frequently cited as the biggest challenges that state and local consumer protection agencies faced last year. Another major challenge was the evolving nature of fraud and the fact that many scammers are located in other countries, complicating efforts to resolve complaints.

The agencies provided suggestions for strengthening consumer protection including:

• Prohibiting mandatory arbitration in consumer contracts.

• Assessing stiffer penalties for operating without required licenses or registration.

• Providing consumers with greater legal protection from unwanted online tracking and other invasions of their privacy.

• Requiring that all businesses including online companies provide their names and other information to make it easier to identify and contact them.

• Regulating business such as Internet cafes and dating services.

•  Creating the equivalent of Interpol to help U.S. law enforcement agencies take action against scammers located in other countries.

The survey report features real-life examples of consumer complaints from agencies’ files and tips for consumers to help them avoid those problems and to let them know what to do if they encounter them.

The full report can be found on the federation’s website at www.consumerfed.org/pdfs/Studies.Top10ConsumerComplaintsSurvey7.31.12.pdf.

Copyright 2012, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist