THE CONSUMER CONNECTION
DAVID HOROWITZ
Fight Back! against gas prices
Gas prices might reach historic highs this make magnets on speculation. Of course, the
summer. Here is how I try to beat high company always rejects the magnets as not
prices, conserve fuel and communicate meeting standards (but makes a big profit off
frustration with the oil industry in an the kits).
effort to help bring gas prices down. What amazed me is the announcements
• If you have more than one vehicle, drive of the new crackdown contained no substan-the one getting the best mileage. tive information. The criminals
AMY CANTRELL
• Use public transportation seem to continue finding new
wherever possible. Carpool victims with the same scams
whenever practical. that have been around for years.
• Conserve your fuel and You are probably thinking,
your time! Don’t drive all over “Who would fall for such
town looking for the best buy phony-sounding trickery?”
on a few select grocery items. You’d be surprised! Senior
Choose local stores where you citizens, retirees, shut-ins,
can get what you need at rea- people with disabilities, immi-sonable prices overall. grants, stay-at-home moms or
• Plan your errands carefully dads and the unemployed are
so that you can take an efficient David Horowitz just a few targets for such offers.
and short route when driving They easily become victims via
back and forth to home base. a newspaper, magazine ad, a telemarketer or a
• Use only self-serve gas pumps. door-to-door salesperson. Many ethnic news-
• Some supermarkets or discount stores papers, publications and radio and TV stations
(and Costco) sell gas at a savings. That not also run these ads in native languages, without
only stirs up competition at nearby stations, checking out their legitimacy.
but helps you reduce your expenses. It seems the only way to stop these crim-
When gas prices rise, some gas-station inals is through public awareness. But we
owners boost the prices even higher than the need more information to protect ourselves.
market. They know people will pay more to
keep driving, because customers may fear a More on tracking hackers
gas shortage. Don’t panic! Instead, use Costco Connection reader Judy E. of San
common sense, and Fight Back! Francisco contacted me with questions about
my February column, about a small-business
Scams: same old, same old owner whose online merchant account had
I am fascinated at the scale of the same been hacked. She asked, “If money was trans-
consumer thievery that keeps occurring, year mitted it’s possible for the police to trace where
after year: work-at-home scams. The most the money was sent. And, if they can locate the
recent crackdown was an effort by the criminal,isn’tprosecutionapossibility?”
Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Justice An investigator for a major online mer-
Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service chant service told me that detection depends
and local law enforcement in 14 states. It upon the skill of the hacker and tracker alike,
reportedly netted about 200 operations that and whether the merchant company allocates
offered phony business opportunities. resources to hunt down such thieves.
Various media outlets recycled reports It’s likely that the online service I wrote
from many of the same rip-off complaints about is not as well funded as larger merchant
I’ve heard for decades, trying to make them services. This company covered its obligation
sound new and compelling. But there was by including clear disclaimers in its written
little new information about the scams or the client agreement, releasing itself from all
companiesbeinginvestigated. financial obligation or responsibility for
For example, an Associated Press story clients’loss due to hacking. C
told of a scam used for about 30 years: “Make
big bucks stuffing envelopes at home!” The Costco member David Horowitz is a leading
rip-off offer was followed by a list of other consumer advocate. His radio commentaries,
come-ons: “Learn to design Web sites at “ fightback.com,” are heard daily on the Jones
home!” “Assemble refrigerator magnets in Radio Network. For stations and times, check
your spare time” and “Train yourself at home the radio page at
www.fightback.com.
to file medical records for local companies.”
Ask David Horowitz
We bought a foreclosed home in
2003. In 2001, the kitchen had
been completely remodeled. The labor
warranty expired in 2003, but wasn’t
transferable to us.
The remodeler removed old cabinets that had a heating system in them,
but did not install similar heaters.
There’s no other heating source in the
kitchen. Those water pipes have frozen
five times since we bought the house.
We asked the company to make it
right, but they refuse to redo the work.
Heidi
Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Heidi, keep in mind that the sellers
approved and paid for the remodeling
project in 2001, even without the
heaters being replaced. The job was
done to their satisfaction and/or
budget, however we may disagree.
You also purchased the house
under a foreclosure agreement.
Generally this means “as is,” with no
warranties. The buyers of a foreclosed
house save money on the purchase, but
repairs or upgrade become their burden.
The company is not obligated to
redo the work for free. But as a compromise, I suggest that you speak to a
manager and negotiate the work to be
done by them—at a reduced rate.
Given the circumstances I think the
request is appropriate and worth a shot!
Q A
The FTC reported that about 30,000
people last year fell for the refrigerator magnet
offer. In this scam, people are sold a kit to
ARTICLE FEEDBACK
&
To ask David Horowitz a question,
log on to
www.fightback.com
and “Ask David.” He will personally
respond to your problem if you follow
the instructions printed on his Web
site. (Costco members receive a
rebate off the normal fee.)
Questions and answers of the greatest interest to Costco members will
be used in this column with the permission of the contributor, and will
be posted on
www.fightback.com.
© 2005 Fight Back! Inc. All rights reserved.
