Sep 30, 2007

Use a travel agent to avoid scam vacations

Kevin Trudeau allegedly misleading consumers again

Infomercial king Kevin Trudeau is being sued again by the Federal Trade Commission which looks after the interests of U.S. consumers

On line criminals more sophisticated

Criminals selling infections headed for your computer

Public Investigators report on No Call violater

Ever wonder what happens to businesses that violate Wisconsins's No Call list? The Milwaukee Journal reports one of a number of prosecutions.

Sep 23, 2007

Alleges Wisconsin scale servicer not doing job accurately

Wisconsin weights and measures inspection alleges that a company servicing and repairing scales in many Wisconsin stores didn't do its job accurately. As a result, NCR Corp. is paying more than $50,000. (Milwaukee Journal Public Investigator Ellen Gabler reporting)

Sep 21, 2007

How your personal information spreads on the Internet

An expert quoted in Forbes says there could be a million copies of that information!

Five things to look for in a retirement home

Looking at retirement home for your parents or yourself? Smart Money tells what to look for.

Those free lunches offered by investment companies can be costly

A federal agency regulating investing companies warns consumers to be wary of free lunches.

Florida "free vacation" company settles with Wisconsin consumers

Did you accept a free vacation offer and then get your credit card charged hundreds of dollars? Press here to learn how to get your money back.

Sep 16, 2007

Jim Rabbitt of Consumer Protection says, "It's a black hole."

Most often it's buried in the fine print. And the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says mandatory arbitration not always fair

Business Week magazine says too many college students are majoring in credit card debt

Keep your car safe from theives

Here are tips from the experts for keeping theives out of your car.

Sep 15, 2007

Puppy scam keeps nipping away at Wisconsin

Consumer Protection has been warning about the puppy scam since the beginning of the year. Fake ads with cute puppy photos and very low prices attract consumers who are told to wire the money.

Sep 8, 2007

Watch out for phishing scams on Monster.com

Monster.com, the place where many people in Wisconsin place their job resumes, has been hacked!

Signing up for Wisconsin's No Call List

Remember that you have to sign up every two years for Wisconsin's No Call List. You can sign up right now, by clicking the No Call link on this page.

Sep 3, 2007

Alleges misrepresentation at big box computer stores

PC World alleges that some salespeople at big box computer stores convince purchasers to buy unnecessary backups.

Warnings for flood victims

The WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection has warnings for flood victims about food, scammers, fires and explosions.

Think you have won an adjustable bed?

Complaints about adjustable bed company's alleged high pressure sales tactics.

80 percent of us don't read the fine print

In past weeks, I have been warning Wisconsin consumers about the fine print in contracts being sold by home alarm salespeople. By signing the contract, you may give up your right to a jury trial, for example. In this article from the Newhouse News Service consumers are told what to look for in the small print.