The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Be aware of scams if you’re recovering from the effects of Hurricane Dorian

When a natural disaster occurs, scammers are right there, adapting their fraudulent techniques to the latest emergency.

If you suffered damage from Hurricane Dorian, or if you’re looking for ways to help those in need, you can get information at ftc.gov/weatheremergencies. It offers ways to spot the scams that often follow disasters.

After a storm like Hurricane Dorian, scammers often target people who need to get their homes cleaned up or repaired, or find a new place to rent, said by Colleen Tressler, consumer education specialist for the Federal Trade Commission. Scammers may pose as a government official, asking for financial information or money to apply for aid that you can request on your own for free. They often demand that you pay by gift card, prepaid card, or wiring money. That’s always a scam, Tressler said.

Be careful using Angie’s List, consumer group warns

Angie’s List, an online rating service, has many shortcomings in addition to potential value to consumers, according to a Consumer Federation of America report.

Angie’s List, founded in 1995, was originally supported mainly by annual consumer subscriptions and prioritized service to these subscribers. Today, while consumers can join for free, Angie’s List gets almost all its revenue from advertising purchased by some of the local businesses that the online service lists and rates. Angie’s List recommends and gives preferential treatment to these advertisers and that can easily mislead consumers into thinking these businesses are the best ones and should be selected.

The report, “Angie’s List: An Evaluation of Its Usefulness for Consumers” shows that these profiled businesses are often not those rated the most highly by consumers and by a nonprofit rating group.

Brass fittings recalled by Interline Brands due to fire hazard

Interline Brands is recalling about 140,000 ProPlus brass flare swivel fittings.

The fittings can leak, posing a fire hazard.  

Interline has received two reports of the swivels leaking when installation.

This recall involves multiple sizes of ProPlus brass flare swivel fittings used as connectors for copper tubing. The brass, gold-colored fittings connect two male flare nuts opposite to each other. The swivels were used primarily for LP gas (propane) applications by professional installers.

Aluminum telescoping ladders recalled by Werner due to fall hazard

Werner is recalling about 78,000 multi-purpose telescoping aluminum ladders.

The ladders can break while being used by consumers, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received one report of a ladder breaking while in use, resulting in one injury to the left side and elbow of the consumer.

2016’s top consumer complaints in the U.S.

Problems with solar energy sales and used car leasing were flagged as issues to watch in the latest report from the annual consumer agency survey conducted by Consumer Federation of America and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators.

Thirty-nine state and local consumer protection agencies from 23 states participated in the survey, which asked about the most common complaints they received in 2016, the fastest-growing complaints, the worst complaints, new kinds of consumer problems, agencies’ biggest achievements and challenges, and new laws that are needed to better protect consumers.

Complaints about solar energy sales were cited as a new consumer problem that could increase in the future as the industry grows.

Princess Cruise Lines to pay $40 million for improper disposal of sea waste, cover-up

Princess Cruise Lines has agreed to plead guilty to seven felony charges for illegally discharging oily waste into the sea and lying about it. It also will pay a $40 million penalty – the largest criminal penalty ever levied for deliberate vessel pollution, the U.S. Department of Justice said Thursday.

Princess is a subsidiary of Carnival Corp., the world’s largest cruise company. As part of the plea agreement with Princess, cruise ships from eight Carnival cruise line companies will be under a court supervised Environmental Compliance Program for five years.

The U.S. investigation began after information was provided to the U.S. Coast Guard by the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency that a newly hired engineer on the Caribbean Princess reported a so-called “magic pipe” had been used on Aug. 23, 2013, to illegally discharge oily waste off the coast of England.

Hospitals reducing infections from IV use, but more needs to be done

Hospitals across the country have reduced deadly, but preventable, intravenous tube infections by 50 percent since 2008. In an investigation of nearly 2,000 hospitals, Consumer Reports examined the five-year track record of teaching hospitals to see which have successfully reduced these infections, and which haven’t.

The report identifies the 31 lowest-performing U.S. teaching hospitals and 32 top performers.

“Because teaching hospitals are teaching our next generation of physicians, we think it’s critical to monitor them closely,” said Doris Peter, Ph.D., director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center. “Our review of their performance on controlling central-line infections is very sobering.”

Most Americans have spent more than $100 on an impulse item

Recently, I bought a Cuisinart food processor at Macy’s. It was an impulse item, and unfortunately, it’s sitting in the garage because I don’t have much counter space, and it’s difficult to use.

Over half of Americans have spent $100 or more on an impulse buy, 54 percent, according to a CreditCards.com survey, including 20 percent who have spent at least $1,000. In total, 84 percent of Americans have made impulse purchases.

The most common recipient of an impulse buy is one’s self, 47 percent; followed by 21 percent who cited a child; and 16 percent who said their spouse or significant other.

Today’s consumer tip: Find out as much as you can about a company before hiring them

I just got a tree cut down. Now I need to find a company to trim up my other trees and wash my roof.

It’s important for consumers to find out as much as they can about companies before they hire them.

Check out a company's complaint record with your local consumer affairs office and Better Business Bureau. And, ask the company for at least three recommendations from customers.

Checking out a company in advance can save you lots of trouble.

In addition, avoid hiring people who come to your door. You don’t know anything about them. They could do poor work and charge high prices.

Copyright 2014, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Today's consumer tip: Get recommendations before hiring workers to help you

It's fall, officially now, so if you're planning to hire people to help you get your home and yard ready for winter, be sure to ask for recommendations. It helps to get at least three.

Other consumer advice I've given over the years is not to hire people who come to your door saying they can help you with various chores. I had big trouble once.

I needed the moss washed off my roof, so when a young man rang my doorbell saying he was experienced in that area, I said yes. He didn't do a good job, and the water streaked a paint job I had done a few months earlier. I stopped payment on his check. He threatened to burn my house down.

Copyright 2014, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist