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postheadericon April 2010 Hot Topics

Insurance Scams – Scam artists are taking advantage of consumers’ confusion over the new government health care reform law. Scam artists are going door-to-door, telling consumers there’s a limited open enrollment period to buy health insurance now, and they are selling the consumer fake insurance. Other scam artists are setting up toll-free lines.

Trustnet Financial Company is sending letters to local consumers stating they’ve won a “Consumer Promotion Draw.” The company, which claims to have a Louisville address, sends a check that the “lucky winner” is supposed to deposit, then wire part of the money back to the company for taxes in order to claim the prize. The “winner” never receives the prize and is out the “tax money.”

Exclusive Media Services – has an “F” rating with the BBB. Consumers say the company, which also does business as National Publishers, is claiming membership or affiliation with the BBB. They say the company is also using the names of Publishers Clearing House and other sweepstakes companies. The company is not affiliated with the BBB. Consumers say they receive calls from the company informing them they’ve won sweepstakes for cash prizes or items, but that they must purchase magazine subscriptions to win.

Internet Auto Sales Scam – Be careful when shopping online for a vehicle! Be sure you are buying from a company that you can trust. Consumers report a scam that is erupting, that is misusing company names like Spirit Motor Car, Kiki Motors, and Extreme Motorcars. The scam artist asks the buyer to send a deposit for the vehicle via Moneygram, usually for $2,000 – $3,000 and the car will be delivered in 5 days. The buyer is out the money and never receives the car.

Air Passenger Rights – New rules go into effect later this month to protect air travelers. Among the new rules: Airlines will be required to acknowledge customer complaints within 30 days and address the issue within 60 days. Also, airlines can be penalized for any domestic flight that is more than 30 minutes late on at least half its trips each month for four months in a row. For more information on the new rules, go to www.regulations.gov.

2010 Census – If you didn’t fill out your census form, you will soon be contacted by a census worker. BBB wants to remind consumers that census workers will never ask for donations, bank account, Social Security, or credit card numbers. The Census Bureau may contact you by mail or phone, but will never send an unsolicited email requesting personal information.

Facebook Scam – Facebook users are being targeted in another scam. An email, that appears to be from Facebook, says that the user’s FB password has been reset and the user should download an attachment that contains the new password. The attachment is actually a Trojan horse program, which infects a computer without any visible signs. It can steal passwords from your computer.

iPad Scams – Scam artists are taking advantage of the popularity of the new iPad by sending out spam emails requesting product testers for the iPad. The victims are told they can keep the iPad at the end of the test. The scam artists are after personal information. Other iPad scams involve ads on social networking sites. BBB recommends consumers who want to buy an iPad shop through an authorized dealer or directly with Apple.

Look out for Irish Travelers! These would-be construction workers, who take thousands of dollars from victims who pay them up front for painting, paving, roofing, or other small construction jobs are on the move. BBB recommends consumers not to deal with these types of solicitors, who often have out-of-town license plates and unmarked vehicles.

Managing Credit – Made Simpler – BBB has partnered with Capital One to create a unique set of free resources to help consumers learn how to effectively manage credit. The program provides tailored advice for different types of credit cardholders – including young adults who are new to credit and consumers who may be looking to pay down high balances.

For more information: www.bbb.org/credit-management/.

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