Morning dear readers.

If you've gotten a chance to look at the paper and want to learn more about the research I wrote about in my Consuming Interests column today, click on Independent Security Evaluator's link here to watch their video demo and read about the vulnerabilities they found in massively multiplayer online games, Age of Conan and its predecessor, Anarchy Online.

In one of the attacks, ISE analyst Gabe takes over his colleague Dan's character and makes the tough guy dance in a fetching blue bikini. (heheheheh. pretty funny stuff)

And just a thought for players out there, ISE discovered these two serious security flaws because Dan was playing Age of Conan and wondered if he could find any holes in the game. Next thing you know, the analysts found two.

Now just imagine if ISE (and computer whizzes who aren't quite so honest) start checking out other online games for security flaws? I wonder what they would find?

Moving on to Eileen's column, how important is the future of Social Security to you in regards to the coming presidential election? With the details you've read from Eileen, which candidate do you believe will do a better job of shoring up benefits, or making sure there's enough funding there for you when you retire?

Which would you rather live with? Obama's new tax idea for Social Security or McCain's lack of details so far about his plans?

How funny was Liz's Watchdog column today? If I were the Motor Vehicle Adminstration, I'd blacklist that third party vendor that translated those Spanish "No trespassing" signs that were posted in Baltimore and Glen Burnie. I'd also want my 19 cents a letter back from that company, and maybe fine them for helping the MVA seem even more confused than they already seem by mixing Spanish and Portuguese into their signs.

Buenas tardes, people (if you're reading this late)... or should I say, Buenas trade?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Odds & Ends
        

Social Security needs to be fixed. Are you wondering which of these candidates will do the fixing? Read Financial Sage Eileen to find out what the men who would be president have to say about shoring up the system and why Social Security is an important election issue for those in your 20s and 30s.

Do you like to do battle in ancient worlds and lay siege against towns while engaging in drunken brawls? You're probably a fan of those ginormously popular MMOGs, or massively multiplayer online games. Find out in my Sunday column which two games left you vulnerable to a totally different kind of malicious attack that's far scarier than any virtual demon you might be fighting out there.

Dealing with the Motor Vehicle Administration can be confusing enough. Find out from Watchdog Liz how the MVA's "No Trespassing" Spanish language signs are even throwing Spanish speakers for a loop.

Tune in to Consumer Sundays to read all about it.

(Abaca Press)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Odds & Ends
        

Investors burned by broker Kevin Forrester will be getting more than $2 million in restitution, says Maryland Attorney General's Office.

The AG's office announced today it resolved the civil and criminal cases against Forrester who was accused of stealing more than $2.2 million from 21 investors.

Forrester told investors between 2003 and early 2007 that he was putting their money in a high-rate, short-term fund. Instead, "the fund was not an actual legitimate security," regulators said. Forrester used the money to buy a $1.2 million home and other luxuries.

As far as the civil case goes, more than $2 million will be set aside for restitution. Part of that will come from personal assets worth $157,000 that Forrester was ordered to sell.

In the criminal case, Forrester yesterday was sentenced in Baltimore County Circuit Court to 15 years for felony theft, with five years suspended, the AG’s office says. He was also sentenced to a three-year concurrent sentence for securities fraud.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Investments
        

The mass distribution of economic stimulus checks ended July 11. But Uncle Sam is still sending them out.

The Treasury Department this morning said it had issued another 2.404 million payments worth a total of $1.5 billion since July 11. All told, 114.809 million payments worth $93.389 billion have gone out this year.

You must file a 2007 tax return and have at least $3,000 in qualifying income to get a rebate.

If you haven't filed a return yet, you must do so by Oct. 15. If you miss this deadline, you can claim the rebate on next year's returns, but you won't get the benefit of that money until next year, too.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 10:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Tax rebates
        

We wrote about Verizon's Triple Play FiOS offer where they'll substitute DirecTV for customers who don't live in areas where FiOS TV is offered. That works out just dandy for some, but for others it's not quite so great.

Remember Fawn Hartline and her complaint about how she couldn't get her DirecTV to work properly so she canceled it before she ever really got to use it? But for canceling early, DirecTV charged her that big whopping early termination fee. It took Verizon's pressure on the satellite provider to resolve that problem for Hartline.

Then Good Reader Susan wrote in about her own crazy DirecTV experience.

Now Good Reader Roni shares another DirecTV headache:

I wanted to share a huge frustration with direct tv, hope you can shine some light on this ripoff/scam (in short: we did not know in advance that there would be no On Demand service, so our kids are forced to watch commercials or else we don’t use the TV at all, and we are locked in to the service with huge costs to cancel).

When we moved, we switched from Comcast for a 3-fer deal from Verizon for phone/internet/fios. They did say they might not have fios in our (city) area, which they didn’t. After having Comcast, I was under the impression that On Demand was standard with these TV services, so I did not think to question whether we would get it. The key benefit of on demand for us is the chance to screen out commercials for my kids. So now that we don’t have it, my five year old walks around quoting commercials constantly, and wants to buy the products he’s seen. It’s insidious and it goes against my values. So we mostly now only let them watch videos and the monthly cable bill is wasted money.

So then it turned out Direct TV DID have on demand. But you have to buy a box for $200 to allow you to see it. We had two different boxes installed (read: two long half days sitting around waiting for installer, plus the costs of the boxes). Neither box succeeded in getting us on demand. In exchange for getting us these boxes they would only do it if we signed onto a 24 month contract. Given they were essentially telling me this would solve my problem, I agreed. They finally said they could hook up the box if we let them drill into our roof which needless to say I think is a terrible idea.

So now we are trapped paying crazy monthly rates, or else $20 for each cancelled month of a 24 month contract. Please let others know that if they want to protect kids from commercials, they should avoid direct tv!!!!

OK. I have to disclose that I've been a DirecTV customer for several years now and haven't encountered the same nightmare problems that readers have told us about. It makes me think I'm really really fortunate. But can someone correct me if I'm wrong? Don't you get a box with DirecTV when you sign up that gives you access to In Demand? I don't use In Demand so I'm not familiar. Anyone care to enlighten me?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Complaints
        

... if you wear professional or collegiate football gear to Chick-Fil-A, that is.

From 10:30 a.m. to close, they'll give away three Chick-n-Strips.

Yay free stuff! If only I were a football fan.

(photo: Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 1:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

You know, I've been ever so hopeful that the economic slump we're suffering through will turn itself around. That's the teeny tiny optimist in me talking. But this morning, I got news that just really depressed me.

What in the world could ever sway my ever-so-sunny disposition, you ask? Swiss Lotto Netherlands e-mailed me to say:

CONGRATULATIONS!!!.....YOU HAVE WON 750,000 Euros

You have been awarded 750,000 Euros in the SWISS-LOTTO Satellite Software email lottery in which e-mail addresses are picked randomly by Software powered by the internet through the worldwide website.

Your email address was amongst those chosen this year for the SWISS-LOTTO Satellite lottery. And this promotional program is proudly sponsored by the SWISS-LOTTO organization.

That works out to be just $1,101,300.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that's not a lot of money and I'm not trying to be greedy. I'm not saying I'm above taking a million dollars. Sheesh. I'd take five dollars off of you if you offered it. But...

it just made me wistful about those days when foreign lotteries from Spain, Australia and the Netherlands used to award me millions of Euros. I'm talking about those days when I'd win three or four foreign lotteries a week and each one of them awarded me at least a million Euros.

(sigh)

I guess those days of big jackpots are over.

Seriously, what is this world coming to when the bad economy even affects the fake money I'm getting? That is depressing, indeed.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Scams
        

Organizing resource Unclutter.com led me to this week's Cheap Trick Thursday theme: cheap changes to your beauty routine.

Their suggestion to combat perfume clutter involves purchasing samples of larger bottles of smell goods rather than pay the full price of an entire bottle. That way you can take your time before deciding whether it's your new signature scent or just plain stinky.  

Then there was this Lifehackery post I found via Consumerist that discussed ways old coffee grounds can supplement your beauty regimen (for external use only --- no comment on the benefits or downsides to drinking the caffeinated stuff). Lifehackery also recommends shampooing with beer, if that's your kind of thing.

get fewer services such as manicures and pedicures and haircuts. Do it yourself, or space them out.

Cut long hair and you'll spend less money on shampoo. If you're like my dad, you'll get the shortest cut possible and limit trips to the barber.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

I have a weakness for chips and other salty snacks. Barbeque-flavored chips, cheezy poofs, salt and vinegar chips, tortilla chips... you name it, I will buy it, take it to a friend's house and then leave it there after I've had some. In the rare occasions that I have purchased one of those bags for my house, it has taken me forever to open it because I know it's a temptation I don't need.

Why am I telling you this? Because I just discovered there's a study related exactly to this very thing (there's a study on everything, isn't there?).

CBCnews is reporting that "Calorie-counters may not be helping themselves when they buy snacks such as cookies, chips and candies in smaller packages, according to a study on consumer behaviour."

In the soon to be released October issue of the Journal of Consumer Research, people who purchase smaller packages believe they are eating less, but are in fact, eating more than if they had bought a regular-sized portion.

According to the story:

As part of the study, 140 university students watched a television program with either small or large packages of potato chips set beside them.

Prior to the experiment, one group was made to think of their body image, while the other wasn't.

Each of these groups were split into two other groups — one that was given a bowl containing two large bags of chips, and one that was given a bowl containing nine small bags.

In both conditions, the overall quantity of chips was about the same, around 400 grams.

In the group that had been primed to think of body image, the researchers found the group given the small packages was twice as likely to open a bag of chips compared to the group given the large packages.

The group that was given the small packages also ate about twice the amount the group that was given a large package of chips.

See? I'm not totally crazy. There is a method to my madness. Those small packages are insidious because you feel like you haven't eaten anything at all so why not have another or finish the whole thing off?

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Food
        

Don’t make a major purchase on your credit card without checking your line of credit first, warns Consumer Action.

An online survey by the consumer group found that nearly 18 percent of people had their credit limit cut without them asking for it. If that happened to you, you could easily end up going over the limit and be slapped by a hefty fee.

But that’s not the only change the consumer group uncovered. Nearly half of the 1,083 people surveyed said the interest rate on their card had been raised.

During this credit crunch, card issuers have been reviewing customer accounts. Consumer Action says that customer service representatives at American Express, First Command, HSBC, US Bank, Washington Mutual and Wells Fargo have said that credit limits would be lowered if it appeared that a customer seemed riskier. That could be because of the customer’s credit score, late payments and balances approaching the credit limit.

Consumer Action also found that consumers were tightening their belts because of the weak economy. About four out of 10 said they reduced their use of credit. But more than a quarter were using more of their credit, and more than one-third had been charged an over the limit fee.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Credit cards
        

Today's Consumer Web Site of the Week helps you with a major purchase: new cars.

As you might expect, Information is key for transactions such as these. What's the lowest price a customer has been able to negotiate, below the MSRP? What's the highest?

Before you start negotiating with auto finance manager, check out these sites recommended by Consumerist.com to compare prices on new cars --- what consumers have actually negotiated with dealers.

At RealCarTips.com, readers submit the MSRP of the vehicle of their choosing and the price they actually paid, for the trim line they choose, as well as other details.

OpenCarPrices.com does something similar, but it's a little more cumbersome to use.

Of course,

sites like these rely on the accuracy of the reporting. It won't help anyone if unscrupulous people submit false data that skews the analysis. But the more people that contribute, the better off we all are.

(photo: John Makely/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 7:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Shopping
        

Rockville-based home builder Smart Development/Premiere Homes L.C. and its owner, Edward Kevin Smart, were charged today with violations of the Consumer Protection Act, acccording to the Office of the Attorney General.

The charges allege that Premiere Homes' building contracts contain illegal clauses that the builder used to terminate building contracts with consumers without any liability if it failed to build a client's home.

The charges also allege that Premiere Homes repeatedly took advantage of this temrination clause when favorable market conditions caused housing prices prices to rise. The AG's Office says the company would cancel its contracts to build homes after one year and refused to build the homes unless consumers signed new contracts agreeing to pay Premiere Homes more money.

"Under Maryland law, a home builder that fails to build homes cannot cancel its contracts with consumers without liability," said Attorney General Doug Gansler. "Consumers should be able to receive their promised homes."

Furthermore, the AG's Office says Premiere Homes failed to timely address regulatory difficulties in one of the developments it was building in Prince George's County. As a result, construction was delayed for years and yet, the AG's Office says that Premiere Homes continued to sell home to consumers without informing them of the regulatory issues. The charges allege that Premiere would then cancel the consumer contracts when it was unable to build the home in one year and when property values had risen sharply.

OAG is seeking damages and restitution for consumers harmed by the company's practices and payment of penalities and costs to the state. A hearing on the statement of charges is schedule for Jan. 12, 2009.

Consumers who may have had problems with Premiere Homes should contact the Consumer Protection Division at (410) 576-6374.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Consumer protection, Home/Real Estate, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Consumerworld tipped us off to a Wall Street Journal story about a Supreme Court ruling last year that allows manufacturers to set minimum prices for their products, and to require retailers to honor those prices.

According to the article, companies in the same industry can't collude with each other to set prices --- that would violate antitrust laws --- but a business could stop working with a retailer who did not abide by those policies.

Some companies allow stores to sell products for less as long as they don't publicize those lower prices. It's kind of the way that scratch'n'dent or salvage grocers work --- they often make agreements with their suppliers not to undermine sales at traditional markets and drug stores by advertising how low their prices are.

But that kind of policy presents a challenge to online retailers, the WSJ article points out, because by their nature they alert consumers to prices in the market.

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer protection, Shopping
        

Here's the July 2008 list of physicians disciplined by the Maryland Board of Physicians:

George M. Hricko, M.D., License # D05500. Area of Practice: Plastic Surgery (Dover, MA) -- Termination of probationary terms and conditions imposed by the Consent Order dated February 26, 2004. The physician has complied with the terms and conditions precedent. Date of Action: July 2, 2008

Mark Davis, M.D., License # D23760. Area of Practice: Internal Medicine (Bel Air, MD) -- Revocation for a minimum of 3 years; the Board will not entertain an application from the physician any earlier than three years from the date of this Final Decision and Order. The physician provided substandard care to patients in his weight management practice and continues to disregard basic medical norms. Date of Action: July 8, 2008

Richard G. Yeron, M.D., License # D41717. Area of Practice: General Practice (Frederick, MD) -- Summary Suspension. The Respondent engaged in a pattern of excessive and unjustifiable prescribing of Schedule II opioid analgesics, that placed his patients at risk for potentia lly serious or life-threatening consequences such as habituation and/or addiction. Date of Action: July 9, 2008

Peter C. Gleason, M.D., License # D24640. Area of Practice: Psychiatry (Annapolis, MD) --Reprimand; Probation for a minimum of 6 months and until terms and conditions are met. The Board found that the physician failed to maintain adequate medical records with regard to a patient. Date of Action: July 10, 2008

Daniel M. Howell, M.D., License # D02975. Area of Practice: Family Practice (Hollywood, MD) -- Reprimand; Probation for a minimum of 2 years and until terms and conditions are successfully completed. The Board concluded that the physician failed to meet the standards of quality care in the care and treatment of a patient and especially in regard to prescribing Controlled Dangerous Substances. Date of Action: July 23, 2008

Charles Y. Kim, M.D., License # D21016. Area of Practice: OB/GYN (Frederick, MD) -- Reprimand; a fine of $5,000. to be paid within 6 months of the date of the decision; Probation for 6 months and until conditions have been met. The physician willfully made false statements in answering three questions on his application for renewal of licensure and thereby attempted to conceal from the Board information potentially critical to the Board’s evaluation of his qualifications for continued licensure. Date of Action: July 23, 2008

Deborah K. Silcott, MRT, Certificate # R00761. Area of Practice: Medical Radiation Technology (Salisbury, MD) -- Reprimand. The Board based its action on the revocation of the health care practitioner’s ARRT certification and her submission of an altered ARRT card on at least 2 occasions to be recredentialed at a hospital. Date of Action: July 23, 2008

Carlos Valentin, MRT, Certificate # R03890. Area of Practice: Medical Radiation Technology (Orlando, FL) -- Denial of Reinstatement of Certification to practice Medical Radiation Technology. The Board based its action on the revocation of his certification with the American Registry of Radiologist Technologists (ARRT) for altering 2 ARRT certificates of registration after his certification expired. Date of Action: July 23, 2008

Jessica M. Brown, MRT, Certificate # R08735. Area of Practice: Medical Radiation Technology (Suitland, MD) -- Administrative fine of $500. The health care practitioner practiced medical radiation technology without a certificate issued by the Board in violation of Md. Code Ann. Health Occ. §14-5B-17(a). Date of Action: July 24, 2008

Mark R. Rosenberg, M.D., License # D55806. Area of Practice: Psychiatry (Ellisville, MO) -- Revocation. The physician pled guilty to a violation of 18 U.S.C. §641 for willfully and knowingly receiving and retaining stolen property of the United States and thereby is subject to state statute that mandates revocation of his medical license. Date of Action: July 28, 2008

Michael D. Schauber, M.D., License # D56373. Area of Practice: Surgery (Cordova, MD) -- Revocation; the Board will not entertain an application for reinstatement any earlier than 2 years from date of order. The physician violated two terms and conditions imposed by the April 25, 2007, Consent Order in regard to his substance abuse impairment. Date of Action: July 29, 2008

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Healthcare, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

We've told you about naughty attorneys, naughty real estate professionals, businesses fined by the state Department of Environment, and all manner of other businesses misbehaving, deceiving the public or disciplined by various federal and state agencies.

Today, we bring you the physicians and physician assistans who you allow to poke, prod, and peer at you in your most vulnerable state... er... you ladies and gents know what I mean if you've been good about getting your annual exams. Do read this carefully because some of them are a doozy. Let's hope your current doctor isn't among those listed.

Here are the June 2008 sanctions from the Maryland Board of Physicians:

Victoria Bagby, RT, License # M00011. Area of Practice: Radiation Therapy (Baltimore, MD) -- Revocation. The Board found that the health care practitioner violated the Medical Practice Act based on her attempt to provide health care services in a condition in which she was unable to complete her assignment, repeated unexcused absenteeism at two medical employers, refusal of a reasonable and proper order to report for health evaluation, and her false answer on an application. Date of Action: June 25, 2008

Jeffrey R. Beck, D.O., License # H55156. Area of Practice: Emergency Medicine (Edgewater, MD) -- Revocation. the Board will not entertain any application for reinstatement for 10 years; order for summary suspension vacated as moot. The Board found that the physician committed unprofessional conduct when he instructed a nurse to remove 2 CDS tablets from a hospital supply and falsified records; prescribed CDS for a friend without maintaining medical records; for rude and insulting behavior to his patients and other health care workers in the hospital workplace; and used his status as a physician to further a prurient relationship with a person whom he believed to be a fourteen-year-old boy. The Board also found that the physician falsified medical records and fraudulently and deceptively used his license in regard to hospital incident involving removal of 2 CDS tablets from a hospital supply. Date of Action: June 25, 2008:

John S. Braxton, III, P.A., License # C00645. Area of Practice: Physician Assistant (Newark, DE) -- Administrative fine in the amount of $500. The physician assistant practiced after his certificate had lapsed in violation of Md. Code Ann. Health Occ §14-401. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Susan W. Calianno, P.A., License # C02118. Area of Practice: Physician Assistant (Severn, MD) -- Consent Order that includes a Letter of Surrender in which the Physician Assistant surrenders her certificate for five years, effective the date of the Consent Order, and continuing until satisfactory compliance with requirements as set out in the Order. The Board determined that the licensee had not addressed her problems with drug addiction and has not successfully completed any programs to rehabilitate herself. Date of Action: June 16, 2008

Daniel L. Eustace, P.A., License # C02993. Area of Practice: Physician Assistant (Aberdeen, MD) -- Administrative fine in the amount of $500. The physician assistant practiced after his certificate had lapsed in violation of Md. Code Ann. Health Occ. §14-401. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Kelly A. Fogle, M.D., License # D17906. Area of Practice: General Practice (Richmond, VA) -- Indefinite Suspension. The Board took reciprocal action based on action by the Virginia Board; the physician is unable to practice medicine and surgery due to a neurological and/or physical condition. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Evette Geiger, MRT, License # R02730. Area of Practice: Radiation Technology (Baltimore, MD) -- Revocation. The Board will not accept any application for reinstatement for 5 years. The licensee knowingly and willingly falsified credentialing information to continue in the practice of medical radiation technology for nearly eight years. Date of Action: June 10, 2008

Cheryl Harris-Chin, M.D., License # D53865. Area of Practice: Pediatrics (Magnolia, DE) -- Reprimand. Suspension from date of the Order until licensee pays a fine of $10,000 and no later than a year from date of order; thereafter the licensee may petition for termination of suspension. The Board concluded that the physician violated the terms and conditions of the suspension imposed by the Board’s April 26, 2006 Final Decision. Date of Action: June 25, 2008

Gregory J. Latham, M.D., License # D67805. Area of Practice: General Practice (Columbia, MD) -- Licensure granted; within 10 days of date of the Consent Order enter into a 5-year Rehabilitation Agreement subject to terms and conditions and Probation for 5. years subject to terms and conditions. The Board will monitor the physician’s progress in rehabilitation from substance abuse. Date of Action: June 2, 2008

Shoba Mathews, M.D., License # D38179. Area of Practice: Neurology, (Waldorf, MD) -- Reprimand. The physician shall not perform a specific test in her practice of medicine; other terms and conditions. The physician failed to meet the standards of quality care and failed to keep adequate medical records in her practice of neurology. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Neil A. Meade, M.D., License # D19220. Area of Practice: General Practice (Laurel, MD) --Suspension for 3 years with a minimum of 6 months active suspension followed by 30 months stayed; suspension subject to terms; after the period of active suspension is stayed, Probation for 3 years subject to terms and conditions. That the physician failed to meet the standards of quality care and failed to maintain adequate medical records in prescribing CDS and dependency promoting medications. Date of Action: June 26, 2008

Karen Norris, MRT, License # R02887. Area of Practice: Radiation Technology (California, MD) -- Surrender. The Board’s action is based on the revocation of the licensee’s revocation of certification by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists for practicing medical radiation technology under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Catherine North, M.D., License # D36128. Area of Practice: Radiation Oncology (Phoenix, MD) -- Surrender of License. The Board found that the physician violated the Medical Practice Act as a result of substance abuse and should not presently be practicing medicine. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Marc S. Posner, M.D., License # D19650. Area of Practice: General Practice (Baltimore, MD) -- Reprimand; Sixty (60) days from the date of the order, permanent termination of his pain management practice; and terms. The Board concluded that the physician failed to meet the standards of quality care and violated a condition of his January 26, 2005, Consent Order in his pain management practice. Date of Action: June 25, 2008

Thaddeus Ruddock, RCP, License # L01705. Area of Practice: Respiratory Care (Baltimore, MD) -- Revocation; the Board will not accept any applications for reinstatement for 3 years. The Board concluded as a matter of law that the licensee was addicted to CDS while he was working/practicing respiratory care, and has not successfully completed any programs to rehabilitate himself from drug addiction. Date of Action: June 12, 2008

Bhupinder Singh, M.D., License # D23341. Area of Practice: Urology (Bemidji, MN) --Indefinite Suspension. The Board took reciprocal action based on action by the Minnesota Board; the physician relapsed to alcohol use. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Khosrow Tabassi, M.D., License # D46356. Area of Practice: Emergency Medicine (Towson, MD) -- Reprimand; Probation for a minimum of one (1) year subject to terms and conditions. The Board concluded that the physician violated provisions of the Maryland Medical Practice Act when he wrote CDS prescriptions for an individual who he had not examined, and wrote CDS prescriptions in the name of a third party who was not the intended recipient of the medication. Date of Action: June 27, 2008

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Healthcare, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Supermarkets have noticed that shoppers' habits have changed due to economic pressures.

Check out awesome Andrea Walker's story about grocery store discounts and promotions designed to attract and keep customers who have less money to spend.

We told you earlier about Whole Foods Market's "Shopping on a Shoe String" events, which are held on a regular basis at local stores.

Andrea compiled a list of other promotions, which include:

•Whole Foods is hosting "Shopping on a Shoe String" tours

•Giant is offering 5% grocery discounts for those who buy five prescriptions and free milk after a customer purchases six cartons

•Safeway provides gasoline discounts with grocery purchases and is pricing certain items at $5 on Fridays.

•Shoppers Food & Pharmacy recently extended a triple-coupon promotion.

(photo: Gene Sweeney Jr./Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

Sometimes it amazes me that we leave the house at all what with all the people out there trying to trick us, scam us, and steal from us. Once you get wise to them -- stop clicking on links in e-mails you aren't familiar with -- they find a new way to mess with you.

Good Consumer (and awfully nice colleague) Justine alerted us to a scam she just avoided:

I just got a call on my cell phone from an automated voice saying my card from a bank in Lancaster had been suspended. (I used to live there, though I do not have any accounts there now, nor at the bank they said it was.) The number appearing on my phone was from somewhere in Florida (305-666-3333). I called the number I was instructed to (which was out of Pennsylvania, 717-431-0764) to see what they'd say, and it was a wholly automated system asking for the card number, the expiration date and the PIN. That automatron did not repeat the name of the bank where my card was apparently suspended.

Of course, this is plenty of information to link my name with a credit card number to make fradulent charges. I hope nobody's given correct information to this scam.

That's a new one to me. Anyone else deal with other fishy calls like this asking you to share personal data? That's usually a good, or should I say, BAD red flag that something weird is going on there. No bank is going to call you and ask for your account number, PIN and expiration date.

Follow in Justine's footsteps. Don't be fooled. Don't share your data with anyone, especially some robo voice trolling for information.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Identity theft, Scams
        

Hola, my cheeky little monkeys.

So what did you think of our Consumer Sunday triple play? 

For those who missed it, Lovely Liz alerted the city to the missing guardrails on a Fort Avenue bridge leading to Fort McHenry. The city is warning pedestrians and joggers to be careful along that Locust Point area until they can fix it this week. Please do since no one wants anyone to accidentally fall over 40 feet on to the train tracks below.

You should, if you haven't already, find out how much Excellent Eileen says Michael Phelps can spend each year without stressing his budget. (I'll give you a hint: it's way more than what your three consumer bloggers here make in a year.) Do you think you could invest Michael Phelp's money better than the experts she talked to?

As for my column on protecting your personal and financial accounts after a breakup, do you side with Chantel, the Ex or Sprint in this case? Are you prepared to deal with a messy breakup or would you be stuck in the same boat?

Love it, Hate it? Tell us what you think. Got a problem? Share it here. Think we're wrong, wrong wrong? Rant about it here. Just so you know, in our redesign, we will likely republish some blog comments in the paper so we really do want to hear from you. That means that while we encourage all thought and opinions, we are asking everyone to to try your best to be civil, courteous and free of foul language.

Oh yes, the Powers That Be (PTB from now on) are also adding this commenting policy to all the blogs: "All comments must be approved by the blog author. Please do not resubmit comments if they do not immediately appear. You are not required to use your full name when posting, but you should use a real e-mail address. Comments may be republished in print, but we will not publish your e-mail address."

We also won't share your address with anyone else unless we receive authorization from you to do so (some of you who complained about Comcast are familiar with this. But for those who don't know, Comcast and other companies read the blog, asks to get in touch with an unhappy customers, I reach out to unhappy customers to see if you want to hear from Comcast, you say yes, I pass it on. If you say no, I tell Comcast no can do. It's that easy.)

So there you have it. Our first Consumer Sunday in the redesign launch. Questions, Comments, Applause (or er... the opposite of applause if need be... what is that boos?)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Complaints, Personal finance, Watchdog
        

The Associated Press reported this week that the government is banning phone calls of pre-recorded sales messages unless consumers agreed to receive those calls.

Now, we've told you before how annoying those extended warranty robo-telemarketing threats are, and how Verizon and some Attorneys General are suing those annoying extended warranty telemarketing companies, but how happy are you that the Feds have listened to the barrage of complaints they received about these pests?

The Federal Trade Commission says that by December, all pre-recorded calls must provide an opt-out selection to make it easy for consumers to stop getting those calls. Effective Sept. 1, sellers and telemarketers may place pre-recorded calls only to consumers who have provided signed and written agreements to receive them.

Hallelujah.

The rules won't affect informational pre-recorded messages, which might notify you of appointments or cancellations or things of that nature as long as they're not trying to sell goods or services.

Dare we hope that this will squash like a bug all those ridiculously annoying calls tellling you your auto warranty has expired that everyone seems to be getting, regardless of whether you own a car or not?

Let's hope so because I can't imagine anyone willingly giving permission to be harassed at all hours of the day on home phones and cell phones by those robo-calls.

This won't stop telemarketers from using people to make these calls, but hey, at least you'll get to yell at a live person when they dare call you on your cell phone.

Hooray.

(Photo from Sun Archives)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Complaints, Marketing/Advertising, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Be sure to check out Sunday's redesigned paper, the new home of Watchdog, and where Eileen and Dan Thanh's fabulous work will be featured in the Money and Life section.

What do you have to look forward to? Well, in Watchdog you'll learn where not to go for a jog or walk, to avoid a 40-foot drop.

And you may already know that breaking up is hard, but it's even harder when you share a family cellular plan. Dan Thanh tells you all about it in Consuming Interests.

And how would you manage Michael Phelps' millions? It's tougher than you think. Find out in Eileen Ambrose's column.

By Monday, our blog should have an all-new format, in addition to the changes to the print edition. Feel free to let us know what you think of either new versions. We'll be able to forward those observations on to the powers-that-be for further consideration.

Posted by Liz Kay at 4:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Families often don’t let the price of a college limit their choice of schools. And they don’t think about how they will repay student loans when they are borrowing.

These are just two of the findings in a Salle Mae and Gallup study called “How America Pays for College.”

The study looked at 1,400 undergraduates and parents. Among the findings:

— 42 percent of families didn’t let cost of a college affect their choice of school, even after getting the financial aid package.

— 70 percent didn’t think about what sort of income the student would likely earn after graduation when they figuring out how much to borrow.

— The majority of parents worried about rising tuition and increases in the interest rates on loans.

 — Only 3 percent of families used the equity in their home to help pay for college last year. But nearly three-quarters of them were counting on tapping their home equity again for the next school year.

— About 90 percent of families with income under $35,000 filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, but only 76 percent of families earning $35,000 to $50,000 do so.

These findings are troubling in a number of ways.

By ignoring the cost tuition when choosing a school, you might end up going to a school that’s far too pricey for your budget. You could have instead gone to a less expensive school that was also strong in your field of study.

And if you don’t consider how much you'll earn after after graduation before borrowing, you can be saddled with tens of thousands of dollars to repay on loans while earning a meager salary.

That can lead to some pretty lean times in your 20s and limit many other things you want to do. I’m reminded of a recent e-mail from someone who earns $30,000 at a non-profit, but is struggling to pay off $50,000 in student loans. She wants to go to grad school, but can’t afford it.

Also, relying on home equity can be a problem when home values today are flat or even falling.

And filling out the FAFSA application is critical, particularly for those earning $50,000 or less. Even those earning two or three times that should make sure they fill out the form. If you don’t qualify for need-based grants and loans, you might still qualify for a non-subsidized federal Stafford loan for undergraduates. And federal loans are the most consumer-friendly loans around.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: College/Financial aid
        

Consuming Interests' readers really came through this week with tips to cut wedding costs. Thank you so much for sharing your stories! I am AMAZED (and inspired) by how many couples defied the statistics, overcame the Wedding Industrial Complex and celebrated their unions for well under $10,000.

Here are the highlights from the comments, supplemented by a few of my own.

1. Keep things in perspective. Susan WNAJ raises an excellent point --- couples don't get married so they can have a big party; they have a big party because they're getting married. It's those years ahead that are the most important, and to me, accumulating consumer debt right at the start does not seem like an auspicious beginning.

2. Research. Remember, you don't have to do anything you don't want to do, including spend a lot of money. As Shiela said, "The day of the large wedding and rubber chicken is over."

Find out why these traditions of conspicuous consumption developed in One Perfect Day: the selling of the American Wedding and realize you don't have to obey them, sez my former editor Lea.

And multiple recent brides (here in the newsroom, and in Amazon reviews) concurred with Frequent Little Italy Restaurant Visitor, who recommended reading Bridal Bargains: Secrets to Throwing a Fantastic Wedding on a Realistic Budget. (I got both books yesterday from the library.)

3. Set your priorities. MMK called them values, and GiGiG called them splurges, but essentially these are the non-negotiable items that make the event for you. Personally, I anticipate focusing less on the ephemeral stuff like flowers, wedding clothes and decor and more on the memory makers, such as photography.

Weather blogger Frank Roylance emphasized how important the photos can be, because he was so busy at his daughter's wedding he saw stuff in the images he didn't realize was happening while he was there!

4. Go off-season and off the beaten path. It's all about supply and demand. Get married some other time besides May through October, and you'll be in a better position to bargain with vendors --- and Lord knows, you'll avoid hurricanes. If possible, try a non-traditional day, like Friday or Sunday, and a non-traditional time of day, such as the afternoon, for your reception.

The same holds true for locations for your event. Several readers, such as Bob and RD, enjoyed lovely ceremonies and receptions at public parks, beaches or private homes. I also want to investigate AlisaBS's advice about holding a party in a restaurant --- she recommends that to avoid renting tables, chairs, silverware and other items separately. I wonder --- can you get a better deal with one-stop shopping?

5. DIY, powered by technology. Thanks to desktop publishing and the magic of the Intertubes, couples or their designees can design much of the stationary, tsotchkes, centerpieces and other wedding detritus themselves, as springbride found out. Realize you'll have to do more heavy lifting than you would had you delegated this work, and give yourself a realistic amount of time to get things done --- or run the risk of making enemies while making 200 gorgeous gourmet cookies, as Phyllis warns. Give everyone (your friends, yourself) time to enjoy the day.

Also, many couples are choosing MP3 players and playlists instead of professional DJs. And you can even order your own wedding photo albums and prints online, as labun did.

6. Don't call it a wedding. Vendors often charge a premium if they know you're getting hitched. You could buy a bridesmaid dress in white for far less than you would pay for a wedding dress, Maryann and Laura say. The same also applies to cakes.

7. Check out alternatives to retail. Why buy new, particularly for one-time-use items such as flower girl baskets, ring bearer pillows or other items? People regularly list wedding dresses, veils and other bridal items on Craigslist and eBay --- sometimes NWT (new with tags) and others lightly worn. Of course, when it comes to wedding apparel, you're limited by the stock available, but it's worth a look.

If you fall in love with a bridal shop creation, ask if you can buy the sample, GiGiG said.

For any brides out there who are jealous of tuxedo rental, never fear. You too can rent a wedding dress or even borrow one from non-profits such as St. Anthony's Bridal in Bethesda. The organization stocks items, including attire for grooms, that can be borrowed for free if you're having a wedding at a church. You just have to have everything cleaned and returned by the Saturday after your event (so someone else can use it).

8. Barter and bargain. This is a great time to call in the favors --- don't be shy. Friends or relatives might have a connection with a business (a membership at a museum, an employee discount at a hotel) or a personal skill like baking or DJing or photography they can contribute. 

Folks might contribute as their gift to you or in exchange for similar assistance for their own rite of passage. With this one, I'd go back to Phyllis' advice --- don't ask for a favor you wouldn't joyfully offer in return.

You could also consider hiring students or those just establishing their businesses, who want to build up their portfolios of professional experience. RD turned to a floral design program at a local high school, which only charged her cost for the blooms. 

9. Ask about extra fees BEFORE you sign any contracts. Fellow scribe Kelly Brewington warned about fees for samples of everything, including fabric, invitations and cake. Not every business charges for these things, however. Also, check for unexpected fees such as a caterer's 'travel' fee for an off-site wedding, a cake-cutting fee or meals for people you hire such as photographers or DJs. Don't pay $25 for a children's meal of chicken tenders and french fries! Some salons and stylists charge for wedding hair or makeup trials --- or just styling for weddings in general.

If your vendor won't budge, use them as leverage for negotiating. Ask for something additional instead --- perhaps the DJ can stay an extra half hour, or upgraded champagne for the toasts. You never know until you ask. 

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

It's been many, many years since I've had to worry about buying text books for college classes (and honestly, back then I was still smart enough to get a scholarship to pay for it), but boy, do I remember how freakin' expensive some of those books cost... especially the ones for science and economics classes. It used to make me wonder if college profs were getting a cut of book sales just for requiring a certain text for their course. (yea yea, I've always been this cynical.)

My lovely niece, the one who I barely let cross the street by herself, the one who recently got her driver's license (!), is heading off to college this fall and I'm just wincing at how much it's going to cost her.

Just thinking about how much the books are going to cost her makes my teeth ache. The College Board, which tracks college pricing trends, says college students spend an average of $940 a year on textbooks and supplies.

It's no wonder that students have resorted to renting textbooks, eBooks, purchasing and downloading individual chapters, and even illegally downloading textbooks to defray some of the costs.

Oren Milgram, president of StudentMarket.com, has some tips for you to save money:

* Use online textbook price comparison services such as Textbooks.StudentMarket.com.

* Buy used textbooks. Although they can be found at the campus bookstore, you'll typically find a greater, more affordable selection through an online textbook price comparison service.

* Buy early for the best selection of used textbooks.

* Keep the textbooks in good shape so you can sell them online when the semester ends.

* Consider older editions if there are no significant updates to the newer versions.

*Some retailers will match prices or give a better deal if a lower price is found.

*Look for free shipping and special promotions.

You can also check out used books on Amazon or share a book with a friend (since I didn't have to pay for my books, I used to share my books with some friends to help them save). Peruse this wikihow page to buy cheap text books, too. There are some good ideas in there like this gem: Try to search in search engines that specializes in book searches, like addall.com, bookfinder.com or similar. They compare prices from different online vendors.

Or this one: The best time to buy is between semesters, when people online are trying to get rid of their old books, but before people are buying new ones. It's usually between 2 and 4 weeks before classes start. If you track sale prices over time, you can see the dip, then a radical increase. Buy when the price is low, but you still have at least 2 weeks for shipping before school. If you want to sell, try selling the first week of school, or the week before when everyone is running around like madmen.

As if the Freshman 15 wasn't enough to worry about. Sheesh.

(Sun Photographer Algerina Perna)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Budgeting, Cheap/Frugal, College/Financial aid, Shopping
        

Yesterday’s column about married women having trouble getting their tax rebate led to an interesting, and somewhat disturbing, response from reader Angela Phillips.

The IRS must match the name on a tax return with Social Security records and cannot — by order of Congress — cut a stimulus check if the names don’t match. It’s an anti-fraud measure. So women who didn’t notify Social Security that they were changing their name after marriage found that their return didn’t match the maiden name still on Social Security’s records.

But the article went on to mention that after Sept. 11, a federal law was passed to assure the authenticity of driver’s licenses that are so often used as a form of identification. States typically match the name of a driver’s license applicant with Social Security’s records.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration says it has been doing this since 2003. If the names don’t match, an applicant won’t get a license, the state agency says.

Not so, says Phillips.

In May, when her driver’s license was about to expire, she went to the MVA’s Glen Burnie office to renew her license. A staffer there noted that her name didn’t match with the record at Social Security. So far, so good. That’s what’s supposed to happen.

Phillips told the woman she had changed her name when she got married seven years ago. The MVA worker asked Phillips if she had a credit card that would verify her new name, Phillips says. Phillips answered that she did have a credit card, but not on her.

Without any further verification, Phillips says, the staffer changed the name on her driver’s license.

When Phillips read the article yesterday, she was disturbed how easy it was for her to get a license by just telling the clerk that she uses a different name.

“It’s scary,” Phillips says. “They don’t know me from Adam. They took my word for it.”

Phillips wasn't the only one surprised by how trusting the MVA is in the post 9-11 era. About two weeks ago, Phillips went to Social Security’s offices to officially change her name on the agency’s records. A worker there told her she would need to bring in her marriage certificate and a driver’s license with her maiden name.

But Phillips told Social Security that her driver’s license has her married name. “They weren’t happy,” Phillips says.

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration pulled Phillips' record. Spokesman Buel Young says when Phillips renewed her license in 2001, she notified the MVA then that her name had changed. (That is before the law took effect, and in fact, could have been before Sept. 11.) 

Young says Phillips likely showed some evidence at that time, like a marriage certificate, and she received a license under her married name. The agency is reviewing its records to find out what verification she provided, Young says.

"Given that we already verified her previous name with her name in the system prior to this, she was permitted to renew her license because it already had been renewed in 2001 with the married name," Young says.

Young says Phillips was advised during her recent renewal to change her name with Social Security, and the record shows she has done that, he says.

Whew! It's comforting to know that the Maryland MVA had a sound explanation of why Phillips was able to renew with her married name.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Social Security
        

Now take this with a grain of salt, but in a recent survey by BIGresearch, shoppers at Wal-Mart, Kohl's and JCPenney said they were more likely to pick John McCain when asked to "vote" as if the election were held today.

Meanwhile, shoppers at Macy's and Target said they would cast their ballot for Barack Obama, according to BIGresearch's Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey this month.

The percentage of undecided voters for each of the retailers was fairly even, with the exception of Macy's shoppers.

Anyone care to read into this survey? Wonk-esse Jamie Smith Hopkins and I were thinking that, perhaps, you could associate Wal-Mart, Kohl's and JCPenney with more rural America while Target and Macy's are more urban America, where Obama's support is most likely stronger.

According to the survey, Wal-Mart shoppers said they are leaning towards McCain, but they are split down the political line with 37.1 percent aligned with Democrats and 36.5 percent Republicans. JCPenney is split, as well, with 37.4 percent Democrats and 36.4 percent Republicans. Kohl's shoppers considered themselves more to the right with 39.3 percent  and 33.7 percent to the left.

On the other hand, Macy's shoppers are much more likely to be Democrats at 46.7 percent versus 31.1 percent Republicans. Ditto for Target shoppers: 40.6 percent Dems and 31.7 percent Repubs.

Gary Drenik, president of BIGresearch, said "By understanding the political preferences of these voter groups, it's indicative of socio-economic impact on political preferences and indecisions. Perhaps McCain should consider a bus tour through Wal-Mart parking lots and Obama could use Target."

Interesting. I'm not sure I buy into it, though. I know plenty of Macy's shoppers who are voting for McCain and plenty of Wal-Mart shoppers who are supporting Obama. It's hard to stereotype them one way or another, I think. Besides, the results seem to show a pretty tight race for the most part.

So are you an Obama Shopper or a McCain Shopper? Or do you just think this is a lot of hooey?

(Photo of Obama from Bloomberg News and McCain from Getty Images)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Odds & Ends, Shopping
        

Folks, I'm wearing my Watchdog hat as I tell you about today's Consumer Web site of the Week.

If you're reading this blog post, you probably have access to the Internet.

And if you can access the Internet, you can use it to report the non-emergency problems you see in your neighborhood to Baltimore city and Baltimore County government. 

You may have tried calling the city's 311 service request system, but did you know you can also go to baltimore.customerservicerequest.org to report potholes and broken street lights, or request animal control or inspections of abandoned property? 

The service --- also reached by going to www.baltimorecity.gov and clicking "311 online" in the left menu bar --- has been available since 2003, according to a Baltimore Sun story.

The best part, in my opinion, is that if you enter an e-mail address, the system mails you the confirmation number. You can use it on the same page to check the status of your request in the future.  

Folks who live in Baltimore County, you've got some options too.

The county's Bureau of Highways has an online service request form to report potholes or roadside litter as well as request services such as grass mowing.

You can also submit a request for pothole repair or other services to Anne Arundel County's Department of Public Works online --- only non-emergencies, please!

You can also go online to to report non-emergency problems to BGE such as out street lights or trees that need trimming. 

If you've had --- or have not --- luck reporting issues using these online services, please let me know! And if you know of options in other jurisdictions, please point us and your fellow readers in that direction.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Watchdog
        

Did you catch Wonk-esse Jamie and her blog post today? It's about people who are angry that "all the housing-related bailouts are handing a bill to taxpayers who played by the rules and are paying their mortgages or their rent."

I've been watching the housing meltdown and the political reaction to it, and I have to agree with the readers on Jamie's site and the people quoted in the AP story. I'm angry, too, that we seem to be rewarding the reckless.

As the story says about the government bailout of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac:

Meanwhile, tens of millions of people pay their mortgages on time, don't max out their credit cards and put money into retirement funds. They may even save a little extra on the side.

In return, they get rates on their savings that don't even keep up with inflation. They also are witnessing the horror of their nest eggs shrinking as the value of their homes plummets and the stock market tumbles.

Washington policymakers seem more focused on rescuing those who behave badly by putting at risk taxpayers who have played by the rules.

I agree with Commenter Nick T., who said:

It seems as if our entire economic system is propped up on the allowance of companies to seduce and persuade Americans to buy too much because "they deserve it" and let the debt ride.

When do we, as a nation, stop encouraging people to spend money they don't have? When do we stop convincing people to keep buying to live the American Dream? And why is it that the story of the grasshopper and the ants seems to be turned on its head right now?

Why, in this modern day fable, does the grasshopper get saved from his days of careless loafing and foolish spending, while the good ants who were working hard, saving for a rainy day and thinking ahead for the future... they're the ones feeling left out in the cold now?

Check out angryrenter.com. Regardless of who is running this site, I think there is a sentiment there that I'm hearing more and more from responsible people who aren't crazy about the government bailout. 

I've talked about this before, but when I purchased a home five or six years ago, I couldn't find a real estate agent who would show me a house for under $100K. They kept insisting that I could afford more, even a $200K house if I wanted on my salary. I wasn't convinced. Things would be tight, I said. They insisted I was worrying for no reason. I said, hey, I'm a born worrier. I insisted that I didn't want to be stuck with a mortgage I couldn't afford if I happened to lose my job.

In the end, I ended up ditching my Realtor and finding a nice affordable little house on my own for far less than $100K. I'm glad I did it because my mortgage is still manageable even if I were to lose my job tomorrow.

Now, I'm not saying all consumers did this, but how many people out there bought homes knowing full well they couldn't afford it and knowing full well they were falling for a line when the bank or real estate agent convinced them they could afford more house? How many people thought they could live off of flipping houses only to get stuck with housing stock that needed far more work than they could afford or were being sold for prices that were far too high to sell?

How mad are you that while you were playing by the rules, others were living their financial life far more recklessly and now they government is going to save them? And how mad are you that the banks and mortgage companies that played hard and fast with the rules of lending, and in some cases, outright lied -- they're being saved now, too? And worse, this big bailout is being paid for on the backs of you, me and all the taxpayers out there whether you were a wise saver or a reckless spender.

What's the lesson in this absurd fable? Live your life recklessly and someone will eventually rescue you, regardless of whether you deserve it or not. 

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: College/Financial aid, Complaints, Debt, Economy, Loans
        

Consumers can get answers to questions about next year’s digital television transition and sign up for a $40 coupon for a converter box at the Baltimore State Office Center tomorrow evening.

The state’s Department of General Services will host experts from the FCC, the Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the National Association of Broadcasters to speak about the change from analog broadcast signals to digital. There will also be technicians available to demonstrate how to use the boxes.

As we've told you before ...

The event is open to the public from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. tomorrow, at the state office center, 201 West Preston Street, Baltimore.

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Digital television
        

Two states in the country have consumer laws on the books that require businesses to place prices on most items in the store -- it's a regulation that businesses say is very labor intensive because it requires workers to meticulously change price stickers on products every time there is a sale or some other price adjustments.

I can see both sides of this since I'm sure human or electronic error can cause a lot of problems for a business, but at the same time, it makes me wonder how many consumers get charged the wrong price because of these errors.

For instance, according to this Boston Globe story about the state conducting pricing inspections:

CVS Caremark Corp., the nation's biggest pharmacy chain, was fined more than $275,000 since January 2007 for nearly 2,800 alleged violations of Massachusetts rules on pricing accuracy - by far the most penalized of any retailer in the state.

The story also said:

Fines are issued to retailers as part of about 4,000 random inspections some 20 division inspectors conduct each year, sampling prices on products throughout the stores. While scanners tend to be accurate at most stores and the overwhelming majority of retailers comply with Massachusetts laws, Carroll said some of the bigger chains, including CVS, often miss the mark.

In all, the state meted out more than $1.2 million in fines since 2007 for more than 15,000 violations. Among those issued the most violations are Natick-based BJ's Wholesale Club, which was written up for more than 2,000 violations, and Walgreens and Shaw's each were cited for more than 1,000 in the 18-month period.

Now just imagine, the stores getting caught are based in a state where they do random inspections. What do you think happens in states where there are no inspections at all to make sure the advertised price is what you're getting charged? This is not to say that CVS or any of the other stores that were fined are deliberately pricing their products inaccurately, but it does make me pause to think how much consumers might lose out due to such pricing errors.

How careful are you at checkout? Do you go over every item to make sure you're getting charged correctly? Or do you just assume it's supposed to be right?

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

So, it's good to be back in Baltimore. I've returned after a few weeks away with an unexpected souvenir: an engagement ring.

It's exciting, definitely, but what lies ahead is kind of scary too.

As much as I am tempted to rush out and buy a mangagement ring to mark my fiance as my territory, that cash will probably best be socked away for the many, many bills that will accrue as a result of my pending nuptials.

Because, as soon as you tell people you're betrothed, they usually ask if you've set a date. That implies you're going to have some kind of celebration to mark this new phase of your life. And no matter what adjective I use to describe this event --- lavish? intimate? destination? casual? --- it's probably going to cost more than I hope.

Couples spent an average of more than $28,000 last year on their weddings, according to The Wedding Report. That's enough money to pay for things that survive much longer than a champagne toast --- you know, like real estate, or a vehicle or two.

I've never harbored secret fantasies of living like a princess for a day, and the frugal notion that you shouldn't spend a lot of money on clothes you only wear once makes sense to me. It will still be a special day even if we don't commission a signature drink.

But this is also one of the few times in one's life when you can command the people you love most in the world to gather within the same zip code. It sounds like a lot of fun. Maybe I can cut costs by picking myself a free bouquet of dandelions from Druid Hill Park ...

This questionnaire to screen potential guests doesn't seem to meet the minimum-offense standard, however. If you want to make your relatives compete to gauge whether they are reception-worthy, why stop at a pop quiz? An obstacle course would be so much more entertaining.  

(photo: stock.xchng)

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (26)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

... if you've purchased them before, that is.

As part of the $175 million settlement of a class action lawsuit against several major department stores and cosmetic companies, consumers will be able to sign up to get free makeup, worth up to $25 in value starting in January, The Boston Globe reports (via Consumerist).

According to the article, the companies were spanked for colluding to prevent their products from being discounted as well as to prevent competition between stores. As a result, they will be giving away free products "to consumers who purchased specific brands of makeup, moisturizers, and fragrance products at their stores between May 29, 1994 and July 16, 2003," the article states.

What brands, and at what stores? 

Oh, Aveda, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Clinique, Estee Lauder, MAC, Stila and many more, at places like Macy's, Nordstrom, Lord & Taylor and Hecht's --- check out the full list at the cosmetics settlement Web site.

If you're eligible, you also can sign up there --- at www.cosmeticssettlement.com, that is --- to be notified when you can pick up your free stuff.

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection
        

You negotiate a deal on a new car with the salesperson, and maybe you feel like you got a good price.

But the toughest part may be just ahead. If you’re seeking financing, you will have to negotiate with the auto finance manager. And the strategies that manager uses against you can rob you of the bargain you got from the sales person.

Now you can learn some of those backroom secrets. Edmunds.com, an online source for automotive information, has published an online series called the “Confessions of an Auto Finance Manager.”

 “The auto finance process is extremely complicated and foreign to most consumers,” says Philip Reed, a senior consumer advice editor at Edmunds.com and co-author of the series. “It’s no surprise consumers often make poor decisions in this environment.”

Tips from “Confessions” include:

— A finance manager can get wholesale lending rates, but will quote you a higher one to maximize the dealership’s profit. So, go into the dealership with a pre-approved loan. Or, at the very least, know your credit score and what interest rates you might qualify for.

— A finance manager might only offer financing in a package with add-ons that you don’t need or want.

Avoid overpriced add-ons. You don’t need to buy an extended warranty, for instance. The bumper-to-bumper warranty will last three years or 36,000 miles. The powertrain warranty often last up to 75,000 miles. And if you really, really want an extended warranty? Don’t buy it at the first price quoted. The mark-up is 100 percent, so the finance manager has plenty of room to go lower.

— And paint protection? Forget about it. It’s a “glorified wax job.”

— Check out the price of the car you want online before going into the dealership. Take that with you into the dealership.

"Confessions" is cleverly written and has useful information. But it makes you wonder: Does anybody out there like to negotiate on a car?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

So I was talking to my Work Spouse Gus (the Rising Sun and cop reporter extraordinaire) and he said he's been having trouble getting his Netflix movies lately.

I don't use Netflix (I used to use the other DVD delivery, which rhymes with Flockmuster, but canceled them when they raised the prices on me. Now I just visit their stores occasionally to rent a movie) and I've been buried up to my ears trying to finish my Sunday and Tuesday columns, so I have to confess I wasn't aware of the problems.

But apparently, the 3-day Netflix glitch is fixed now, according to the AP. The outage held up shipments for about a third of the company's 8.4 million subscribers.

Netflix won't say what caused the problem, but half of Netflix's distribution centers were down, according to this story from appscout.com.

According to the story:

Technical issues continued to plague Netflix Thursday afternoon as engineers worked "around the clock" to fix an e-mail glitch that took many of the DVD rental company's distribution centers offline.

"We were able to ship some DVDs from about half of our distribution centers yesterday but we haven't yet been able to resume shipping this morning," Andy Rendich, head of operations for Netflix, wrote in a Thursday blog post.

"Our engineers continue to work around the clock to restore normal operations," he said. "In the meantime, we're notifying affected customers via personal email and we've posted a notice on the Netflix Web site."

What say you out there? Are you a Netflixer and have you gotten your movies yet or do you think it's going to take the online rental company some time to sort it all out?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS, Technology
        

I'm not sure all of you will agree, but Comcast has announced that "a new and improved channel lineup" is coming to Anne Arundel County, including the City of Annapolis, and Howard County, come Saturday, August 23.

Many of you have already expressed your unhappiness about Comcast moving Washington D.C. stations from analog to digital, many of you were really displeased, and many of you felt like you were being pushed into digital service, forcing you to pay more for your cable.

"The new channel locations also help make these local channel lineups more consistent with other Comcast service areas throughout Maryland," she says. "We are confident that once customers experience the ease and intuitiveness of the new lineup, they will love it."

Check out Comcast's Web site for more information about this channel lineup change.

Here's an example from the Q&A:

Q:  Are channels being removed as part of the new lineup?
A:  No channels will be removed in this process; however some channels will be changing service levels.
In Northern Anne Arundel County:

• • CN8 will be moving from Limited Basic service to Expanded service
  • C-Span, EWTN and MASN2 will be moving from Expanded service to Limited Basic service
• In City of Annapolis and Southern Anne Arundel County:
  • CN8 and TVOne will be moving from Limited Basic service to Expanded service
  • C-Span and MASN2 will be moving from Expanded service to Limited Basic service
• In Howard County:
  • CN8, TBS, Discovery Health, TV One and BET will be moving from Limited Basic service to Expanded service
  • HSN will be moving from Expanded service to Limited Basic service

I won't presume to know that you'll love it, but I'd love to hear how you feel about it one way or another.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cable/Satellite/TV/Comcast/FiOS
        

We've warned you before about all the come-hither come-ons looking to buy your old gold jewelry. Then we saw that the Better Business Bureau is reporting that complaints against gold dealers have increased.

So before you dig through your jewelry box and hawk your precious metals, here are some thoughts to think about before you sell.

Make sure you know what the price of gold is selling for on the market.

Understand that you won't get the full value of your gold since the dealer will want to make a profit.

Before you drop your valuable belongings into a bag and ship it in the mail to someone you don't know, ask if the business has free shipping and find out if your property will be insured if it gets lost in the mail.

Compare gold prices at various dealers before selling.

Beware of large advertised “Expos" that generally rent out hotel rooms or meeting halls, the BBB says. The expos may claim that they pay the highest prices, but some local jewelers state that the expos may pay 1/3 less than local buyers.

Do your homework before you sell.

(Photo courtesy of stockxchng)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Economy
        

Are you looking for ways to cut your energy bill at home? Have you heard about BGE's new PeakRewards Program?

According to BGE's Web site, if you enroll in PeakRewards℠, you can save up to $100 per summer in your first year of participation in the program. You can also receive a one-time signing bonus of $50, $75 or $100 in your first year of participation, just for enrolling.

I know there's a lot of BGE hate out there because of the rising cost of energy, but don't let your emotions blind you from saving money and energy through this program. According to BGE:

In addition to your bill credits, participation in this energy-saving program will reduce the overall demand for electricity in the Mid-Atlantic region, which will result in electricity prices that are lower than they otherwise would have been.

Also, if you choose the thermostat when you enroll, using its programming features year-round could mean additional energy use reductions. ENERGY STAR® data indicates that consumers can expect to save approximately $150 in annual energy costs by using a programmable thermostat rather than a non-programmable one. For more tips on how to decrease your summer air conditioning costs and increase your comfort, visit bge.com.

Jay, our wonderful bard of business writing, wrote about his experience with a BGE pilot program last year that uses programmable Internet-based thermostats. Basically, it allows BGE to turn off your air conditioner at peak times to save energy and save you money. Jay said he noticed no difference in temperature in his house during the times BGE shut his a/c off.

It's the wave of the future. Definitely check it out.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Energy/Utilities
        

More than one out of five consumers have reduced their trips to the doctor to save money.

About one out of 10 have either cut back on the number of prescription drugs they take or lowered their dosage to make the drugs last longer, according to a survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

These strategies are risky. You can end up making your health problems worse — and more costly.

The NAIC says consumers are taking all sorts of steps to save a buck these days, but they haven’t made changes to their insurance. You don’t want to get rid of insurance that you need or might be required by law. But you can make some adjustments to lower your premiums.

Here are some tips from the NAIC on how to do that:

Auto — Install anti-theft devises, such as an alarm or GPS system to locate your stolen car. Your insurance company will likely cut you a break on premiums for installing them. And while you have your insurer on the phone, check out other discounts it might offer, like multi-car discounts, good grade discounts for those under 25 and mature driver discounts for those 50 to 65.

Homeowner’s — Add alarm systems, smoke detectors and deadbolt locks and then tell your insurer. Pay minor repairs yourself instead of filing a claim Raise your deductible. Many insurers look at your credit history to determine how much to charge you, so maintain a good record.

Health — Open a flexible spending account at work if possible so you can set aside pre-tax dollars to pay for medical expenses.

Keep your medical receipts. If you exceed your deductible, you might qualify for a tax deduction for non-reimbursed medical bills.

Life — Maintain healthy habits because insurers might look at whether you smoke or drink too much when setting premiums. Also, be aware, you’re going to pay higher premiums if you have dangerous hobbies like sky diving or hang gliding.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Insurance
        

Can you have too much help if you’re looking for a job?

Apparently yes.

Employment expert Challenger, Gray & Christmas says there are so many job-search sites these days that out-of-work folks might get too caught up looking for work online and overlook their best tool for landing a position: face-to-face meetings with people.

"Access to thousands of job search sites on the Internet is not necessarily a good thing. The choices can be overwhelming for those who find themselves either voluntarily or involuntarily in the labor pool. One could easily spend all day, every day surfing the Net for job vacancies, e-mailing resumes and waiting for the phone to ring. Unfortunately, this approach will rarely lead to a new job," says CEO John A. Challenger.

Not that surfing for work online is a bad thing. In fact, it’s a good place to start, he says.

The Conference Board Help Wanted Online Data Series reports that 3,864,100 job vacancies were posted online last month. And Challenger says there have been 580,000 job cuts so far this year.

But Challenger goes on to say that employers are being overwhelmed by "irrelevant resumes" online. Execs complain that for every qualified applicant from the Internet, there are up to 20 who are a poor fit for the job, he says. Now companies are screening online resumes, chucking those that don’t have the right words to get through a filter.

Challenger says you should use the Internet to visit a prospective employer’s site and get the names of key people to contact about a job. Also, send e-mails to people you know to make them aware that you are looking for work. Every bit networking can help.

So, have you had success through a job-search site? Not so much? Let us know what works and what doesn’t.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 4:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy
        

I know naughty business postings usually run on Tuesdays, but this one warrants a post don't you think? Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger's son is being sued by the Pennsylvania Attorney General for allegedly violating the Do Not Call law.

The Penn AG accuses CA "Cory" Ruppersberger's company of making more than 500,000 illegal mortgage solicitations by phone between 2005 and 2007.

The Congressman from Baltimore County, who voted to authorize the federal law, says he has no involvement with his son's business and the Penn AG's Office agreed since they did investigate to make sure there was no affiliation.

The interesting thing about this case is the extremely large number of calls made to Pennsylvania residents. As Gady writes in his story that ran today:

Cory Ruppersberger's business model, as outlined on his MySpacecom page, was to generate mortgage leads for loan officers by screening prospective customers through telemarketing calls. On the social networking site, Ruppersberger boasts of being able to "contact clients that aren't being reached by other telemarketing lists because of DNC [Do Not Call] scrubbing."

According to the lawsuit, Ruppersberger's company, Direct Leadsource Inc., allegedly began initiating telemarketing calls to prohibited Pennsylvania numbers at least as early as April 2005 and ended up making more than 500,000 phone solicitations, some of them through a call center in Gujarat, India.

In October 2007, Direct Leadsource forfeited its right to operate as a Maryland corporation after failing to file property returns in 2006, according to the Web site of the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.

In addition to calling numbers on the Do Not Call registry, Direct Leadsource is alleged also to have repeatedly called people who asked not to be contacted again, and placed calls after 9 p.m. or before 8 a.m., all of which are violations of Pennsylvania's telemarketing laws.

If all this is true, it seems to me Rupp IV ought to be more mindful of laws that his dad helped pass. If you believe that you've received calls that violate the Do Not Call law, contact the Federal Trade Commission to complain.

(photo courtesy of stock xchng)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cellular/Landline/Voice over Internet, Complaints, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

In an AP story from Tokyo in yesterday's paper:

A new variety of premium grapes debuted in Japan yesterday, with a single bunch fetching as much as $910. A Japanese hotel manager paid that amount, about $26 per grape, for a 1 1/2 -pound bunch of the Ruby Roman grapes to serve guests at an upscale hotel, officials said. The tomato-colored grapes made their debut at an auction in Japan's northwestern Ishikawa prefecture, where they have been under development since 1994 in a state-led project. The grapes are slightly smaller than a pingpong ball.

Tha heck? A $26 grape?! For $26, that grape better come with a bottle of wine or take me on a magic carpet ride or something. Eeesh.

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Odds & Ends
        

Following yesterday's posts on reforming credit card rules, we thought it would be appropriate to choose LowCards.com, which helps you compare credit card offers, as our Consumer Web Site of the Week.

With all the tricks and traps, rates, and reward programs out there, you need all the help you can get to make sure you're getting the best deal. LowCards.com can help you shop for the best offers.

The Web site offers two great resources: a list of the top cards in each of the credit card categories along with an unbiased opinion on every card; and the Complete Credit Card Index where you will find the current rates of all 1300-plus credit cards available in the United States.

Best yet, both are free.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer Web Site of the Week, Credit cards
        

So last week, a bill that would abolish unpopular credit card industry practices passed a key U.S. House committee test late Thursday, moving it toward a vote by the full House.

According to this creditcards.com story, the bill:

targets credit card companies and seeks to ban practices such as retroactive interest rate increases, except under certain conditions, and limits "double-cycle" billing, which increases the ability of card issuers to impose interest charges.

Under the proposed legislation, consumers would get a minimum of 45 days' notice of any interest rate increases and have at least 25 days between the date of the monthly statement and the due date to pay their bills. Last-minute amendments to the bill added provisions to block credit cards issued to people under 18 years of age and ban over-the-limit fees caused by "holds" placed on the credit card account.

But while that should be good news, Chuck Jaffee of MarketWatch warns that it could spell hard times for all cardholders since:

With proposals and bills designed to help consumers on the verge of becoming reality, card issuers are acting as if the changes are in the offing. In the process, they are turning what is supposed to be good news for consumers into bad news for millions of card users.

It's "premature re-calculation" of rates, credit limits and terms, and if the problem hasn't affected you yet, it could soon, most likely before any new consumer protections become law.

"We're in an environment when the banks are getting it from all sides," says Linda Sherry of Consumer Action. "Consumers are defaulting a little more than usual, but also using their credit more than usual. Regulators are concerned about card-issuers' safety and soundness, and Congress is on their case, about how they are treating consumers. So they are feeling beleaguered -- not that anyone should feel sorry for them -- and they are reacting.

"For a consumer," she adds, "that doesn't feel like a situation that's getting better, it feels like they are being picked on."

All this means is that paying your bill on time won't automatically make you a good risk anymore. You'll also have to keep your balances low and pay more than the minimum on what you owe. Prepare to have your credit limit cut if the card company reclassify you as a bad risk.

Why do I feel like they're going to find other ways to catch consumers in brand new traps they'll find?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Complaints, Consumer protection, Credit cards
        

So here are some of the nasty tricks and traps that credit card companies use to increase the likelihood that you'll end up paying fees and penalties, according to Americans for Fairness in Lending.

Fees and More Fees – On any given month, you might pay a late payment fee, overlimit fee, cash advance fee, balance transfer fee, foreign exchange fee, bill payment fee, Western Union fee, and whatever else your lender can devise. Not to mention monthly and annual fees.

Tricks to Make You Pay Late – These come in many varieties. If you’re late you’ll pay a hefty fee and your interest rate may go up. Check each statement carefully and pay your bill as soon as it arrives.

Changing Due Dates – Your bill will not be due on the same day every month.

Early Due Dates – Bills may be due just a few days after you receive them.

Weekend Due Dates – If your due date is on the weekend and your payment arrives on the date, it won’t be processed until Monday and you’ll be considered late.

Morning Due Times –Your payment may be due at 9am on the due date, not 5pm.

Approved Overlimit Charges – If a purchase puts you over your limit, your credit card company will approve the charge then hit you with an overlimit fee and maybe even raise your interest rate. Keep careful track of your balance and know that even approved charges may put you overlimit.

Universal Default – Pay Card A on time but pay late to Card B (or anything else monitored by your credit score) and your interest rate on Card A may jump!

“Any Time For Any Reason” Changes – Most contracts include this ominous phrase. It means just what it says – they can increase your interest rate on a whim.

Teaser Rates That Don’t Stick – An introductory 0% interest rate can jump to 30% with a late payment or if you go overlimit. Don’t bank on keeping that 0% rate for the entire promotional period.

Retroactive Application of Higher Interest Rates – To make things worse, if your interest rate increases, they can apply the higher interest rate to the entire existing balance, not just to new charges.

Allocation of Payments – If you end up with two or more different interest rates, they will apply your payments to the balance with the lower interest rate first. The rest of your balance will continue to generate high interest charges until the low-rate balance is entirely paid off.

Tricky Interest Calculations – For some cards, you can pay interest on purchases from previous cycles. This is known as double cycle billing. Look for a card that uses the “Average Daily Balance” interest calculation method.

Credit “Protection” – Services like this may sound good, but they’re usually useless. The fee for the service likely exceeds the minimum payments it would cover if you became sick or lost your job. Avoid add-on products like this.

Binding Mandatory Arbitration (BMA) – This provision requires that you resolve any conflict with an arbitrator selected by the lender, which means you give up your right to take the credit card company to court.

(AP Photo)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Credit cards, Debt, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Are you so consumed by the presidential race going on right now that you've failed to register to vote? No worries. You have until October 14, 2008, to have your application postmarked and sent to the Maryland State Board of Election to vot in the General Election.

But be wary of an online Web site that offers to register new voters for a fee. The site, www.iwanttovote.com, offers Internet voter registration services for a fee of $9.95.

Why pay when you can do it for free?

Under Maryland law, an application must have contain the original signature so you can print a voter registration application from the election board Web site or contact your local board of elections or the State Board of Elections to request an application.

Click here to download the voter registration application.

Do not fax or e-mail your application. You can mail it to P.O. Box 6486, Annapolis, MD, 21401-0486.

Again, do not pay anyone to register you to vote. Spend your ten bucks on lunch, donate it to a charity or better yet, keep it in your pocket. Don't pay for something you can get for free.

(Sun Photographer Lloyd Fox)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Reader Chris over at Fly The World blog wants everyone to know that RedBox has a free promotion for August, allowing one free movie rental every Monday and Wednesday.

Sign up and you get a promotion code for your movies.

Thanks for the tip, Chris.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal
        

How much do you need to save for retirement to maintain your lifestyle?

Aon Consulting suggests some figures in a new study released today. They take into account that expenses in retirement can go down, given that retirees are often in a lower tax bracket and they are no longer saving for retirement.

Here are some examples:

Say you’re earning $50,000 at retirement. You would need to replace 81 percent of that income annually to maintain your standard of living. More than half of your annual income — or $25,500 — would come from Social Security. While the rest, or $15,000, needs to come from your workplace plan or other savings.

Or, what if you make $150,000? You will need to replace 84 percent of your salary to maintain your lifestyle. Social Security, though, will only make up $34,500 of that. You need to come up with $91,500 from savings annually.

Of course, how long you live also determines how many years you’ll need to finance.

Take a married couple earning $80,000. If they are comfortable with a 50-50 chance of running out of money, they should plan for their assets to last 27 years, Aon says. That means accumulating $420,000 in savings before retiring.

A couple wanting a 95 percent change of not outliving their assets should plan to have their assets last at least 38 years and save $715,000 before retiring.

Aon also looked at what percentage of your pay you need to save based on the age you start salting away cash for retirement. Of course, the earlier you start, the less you have to save each paycheck.

A 25-year-old man making $50,000 would have to save 4.1 percent of pay each year until 65, Aon figures. A 45-year-old would have to save 13 percent of pay; a 55-year-old would need to sock away nearly 32 percent of pay.

Aon figures may differ somewhat from earlier studies by other companies. But the message is much the same: Start saving for retirement with your first full-time job. It can be painful if you wait.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 10:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Retirement
        

We hear a lot of complaints from readers saying they didn’t get their tax rebate yet.

Sometimes the reason is obvious, like the person owes back taxes.

Sometimes the reason isn’t clear. In those cases, the reader is best off dealing directly with the IRS.

We got an e-mail from the other day from a reader who did just that. The reason the IRS gave her was one we hadn’t heard before, so we had to give the IRS a call.

Our reader, LadyinRed24, says she and her husband had been filing a joint return for seven years, and never had any trouble getting their tax refund. But they didn’t get their tax rebate.

“So my husband called to check and spoke to someone who told him that we were not eligible for it because I still have my maiden name on my Social Security card,” she writes. “And also why can't my husband and my two kids(ages 5 & 1) still be eligible?”

To prevent fraud - and in this case  prevent from someone getting a rebate they don’t deserve - the IRS matches the name on returns with Social Security records. If they don’t match, the return is flagged as being suspicious, according to the IRS.

That appears to be case with LadyinRed. And her husband’s rebate is also affected because it appears he filed a joint return with someone using the wrong name.

Usually, couples getting a marriage license are told that the bride will need to notify Social Security if she is going to go by her husband’s name. This allows Social Security to adjust its records so a wife will have the benefits she earns under the correct name.

Now we see that have the incorrect name on file with Social Security has other repercussions.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 7:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Tax rebates
        

Pete Horrigan wasn't happy with what I wrote about gas prices recently when reader Townson Burkindine asked if there was a Maryland law preventing individual retailers from selling below cost.

Horrigan, who is with the Mid-Atlantic Petroleum Distributors Association, accused me of presenting only one side of the argument so I'm going to share his letter with you to present the other side. This is his response to my answer to Burkindine's question (ed note: sorry about the all caps. I'm just sharing verbatim what Horrigan wrote, except that I added parentheses around his writing to make it a little easier to follow.):

Burkindine is correct. Maryland does have a ban against low-price selling. (MARYLAND HAS NO SUCH BAN. A RETAILER CAN SELL AS LOW AS IT WANTS AS LONG AS THAT LOW PRICE IS NOT BELOW ITS COST OF PURCHASHING THE PRODUCT. OTHER COSTS SUCH AS PROPERTY INVESTMENT, RENT, PAYROLL, OR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS ARE NOT CONSIDERED.)

In 2001, Maryland's wise and wonderful politicians passed a law prohibiting individual retailers from charging less than what they pay for gas, unless the price is being lowered to compete with nearby stations.

At the time, convenience stores with discount gas, such as Sheetz and Wawa, and certain grocery stores and warehouse clubs were purchasing gasoline at low wholesale prices. Such businesses were able to negotiate deals with suppliers because of the large volume of gasoline they purchase.

In turn, those retailers could sell gasoline at their stations for lower prices.

Consumers loved the savings, but traditional retailers said the arrangements were driving them out of business, so they lobbied lawmakers for relief. The General Assembly responded by prohibiting individual retailers from selling gas below a statewide average wholesale price. (RETAILERS THAT CAN PURCHASE PRODUCT AT LARGE DISCOUNTS CAN PUT THOSE DISCOUNTS ON THE STREET. THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE A CAP OF A STATEWIDE AVERAGE. IF THE COST THAT A RETAILER BUYS IS $.20 CENTS BELOW ITS COMPETITOR THEN THAT RETAILER CAN SELL AT THAT PRICE. A COMPETITOR MAY REDUCE ITS PRICE, REGARDLESS OF ITS COST, TO MEET THE POSTED PRICE. THE ONLY TIME AN AVERAGE COST COMES INTO PLAY IS IF A RETAILER CANNOT PRODUCE AN INVOICE SHOWING PRODUCT COST. TO MY KNOWLEDGE EVERY RETAILER SHOULD BE ABLE TO PRODUCE AN INVOICE SHOWING PRODUCT COST.)

The Maryland Public Policy Institute said the measure effectively dampened price competition. (THEY ARE COMPETELY AND TOTALLY INCORRECT!!!! CHECK OUT MD'S AVERAGE RETAIL SELLING PRICE, ACCORDING TO AAA, AGAINST ALL STATES AND YOU WILL FIND MD TOWARDS THE MIDDLE AND OFTEN TOWARDS THE BOTTOM IN AVERAGE RETAIL PRICE. THIS IS TRUE DISPITE MD HAVING ONE OF THE HIGHER MOTOR FUEL TAX RATES IN THE US AND THE REQUIREMENT, BY EPA, THAT WE USE THE MOST EXPENSIVE FUEL AVAILABLE. MORE EXPENSIVE THAT MANY OF THE OTHER US STATES.)

Although Burkindine didn't ask, he might be interested in the other, much older, law that the institute says hurts consumers at the pump.

In 1974, price control policies prevented oil companies from passing the rising cost of crude to consumers. So oil companies cut back on importing crude and cut back on supplying independent stations in order to fulfill the needs of their own "name-brand" stations, MPPI said.

Gas lines stretched for blocks, and lawmakers reacted by adopting divorcement laws.

Gas station divorcement laws basically prohibit oil companies and refineries from operating retail stations, but would still allow them to own stations as long as they contract the stations out to independent franchisees. Maryland adopted its own divorcement law in the middle of the crisis.

Although divorcement is intended to prevent oil companies from using their power to manipulate prices and force independent and franchise gas station owners out of business, MPPI says the laws effectively force consumers to pay a double markup on the price of gasoline. Oil companies and refiners charge enough stations for the commodity to make a profit, and then stations add more to the price to make their own profit.

MPPI says that several studies have shown that divorcement leads to higher prices for consumers. (MPPI HAS NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE GASOLINE MARKETING BUSINESS AND MAKES NO ATTEMPT TO READ OR UNDERSTAND OUR MANY REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN MOTOR FUEL MARKETING. WE ARE ONE OF THE MOST HIGHLY REGULATIED INDUSTRIES IN MD.

THE INTENT OF THE BELOW COST ( BAD NAME, SHOULD BE PREDITORY PRICING) LEGISLATION REFERRED TO ABOVE WAS TO PREVENT PREDITORY ACTIVITY BY ANY COMPANY. THE LEGISLATION HAS DONE THIS WITH A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT ON PRICES AS CAN BE GRAPHICALLY SEEN BY COMPARING MD AVERAGE PRICES WITH OTHER STATES. WE HAVE MORE COMPETITION IN THIS STATE THAN EVER WITH EVERY SIGNFICIANT RETAILER DOING BUSINESS HERE. MARYLAND CONSUMERS HAVE BENEFITED AND SO HAVE MD'S RETAILERS BY THESE LAWS. IT WOULD BE NICE IF ONCE IN A WHILE BOTH SIDES OF A STORY WAS INVESTIGATED BEFORE BEING PRESENTED AS FACT. UNFORTUNATELY, AS LONG AS I HAVE BEEN AROUND, THIS JUST DOES NOT SEEM TO HAPPEN.

Sorry Pete, I should have called you guys for a comment. But most of the time when I do those Q&As, I usually just try to answer the question without always saying who is right or wrong. In this case, I did throw in MPPI's opinion so I should have called the other side, too. My apologies.

So there you have it. The other side. What say you, readers? Are the laws good for consumers or not so great for consumers. You decide. 

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Gas prices
        

If you have ever gone over the limit on your bank account while, say, using your debit or ATM card, your bank may have automatically covered the transaction but charged you an overdraft fee.

But is it worth it to have the bank cover a purchase that might be much smaller than the $30 or more you will be charged for the overdraft? Keep in mind, if you’re using your card throughout the day, you can be hit with several overdraft fees.

Regulators are now looking at overdraft programs. And consumer groups and the American Bankers Association are at odds about what’s best for people.

Consumers pay at least $17.5 billion a year in overdraft fees, according to the Consumer Federation of America. The group wants consumers to be able to opt-out of banks automatically covering you with overdraft loans and then charging stiff fees.

According to the CFA:

 - The typical highest fee for an overdraft is $34.65, a 15 percent increase from three years ago.

 - Sixty percent of the biggest banks will tack on another fee if you don’t repay the overdraft loan and the fee within a certain time. Some charge $6 to $8 per day until you pay up.

- Less than a third of the largest banks set a limit on how many transactions in a single day can trigger an overdraft fee. For instance, Bank of America customers can find themselves triggering up to seven overdraft transactions in a day and paying a total of $245 in fees.

The American Bankers Association says 80 percent of consumers have not paid an overdraft fee in the past year. That shows most people manage their accounts well, the trade group says.

And of those that paid an overdraft fee, 85 percent said they were glad their bank covered the transaction while only 14 percent wished the bank didn’t, the ABA says.

Put another way, though, that means 20 percent of consumers did pay an overdraft fee. That’s a significant number.

Of course, consumers should be responsible and make sure they have enough money in the bank to cover their purchases. But fees are getting out of hand and consumers should have a say whether or not they want transactions automatically covered or not.

Your thoughts?

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Banks
        

We've told you about shrinking ice cream cartons, less paper towels and toilet paper in packages, and reduced beer glass sizes, now your chips are getting nipped.

In case you missed it in the comments, Reader Anon pointed out:

"The conspiracy grows, and it's just not with beer."

Anon, of course, is referring to the smaller packaging for those tasty, orange-finger-staining Doritos.

Michael Brush, from msn's Money Central writes:

Does it seem you run out of Doritos, orange juice or mayonnaise faster than you used to?

Your mind is not playing tricks on you.

Slammed by the skyrocketing costs of agricultural goods and energy, many companies are quietly shortchanging their customers by putting a little less into bags, jars and boxes.

I totally agree with Edgar Dworsky, editor of MousePrint, who calls it a sneaky practice.

Instead of raising prices, companies just give you less. They're not breaking any laws as long as they clearly tell you on the packaging how much is in there. The problem is, how many consumers actually notice that the size of the package has gotten smaller?

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Complaints, Economy, Food, Marketing/Advertising, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Will health savings accounts be enough for your medical needs in old age?

Don’t count on it, according to a study released today by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

A health savings account must be paired with a high-deductible insurance policy. You can set aside tax-free dollars into the account each year to cover the deductible and other medical costs. You won’t pay taxes on the withdrawals if you use the cash for health care.

EBRI’s study says a 55-year-old couple would be able to save $115,000 in a health savings account by 2018 if they made the maximum contributions allowed under law.

But that couple would need to save $325,000 to $654,000 by the time they reach age 65 to have enough money to cover premiums and out-of-pocket costs half the time. They would need $511,000 to more than $1 million if they wanted a 90 percent chance of having enough money to cover those expenses.

EBRI goes on to explain that one of the limitations of health savings accounts is that contributions are capped.

But that doesn’t seem to be the issue to me. If EBRI’s figures are right, you might have to more than $1 million to cover health care costs in retirement. That’s on top of the big nest egg you’re supposed to have to live on.

We don’t need the contribution cap on health savings accounts to be raised. We need a health care system where you don’t have to be a millionaire to afford care.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Healthcare
        

Want to shop at Whole Foods Market, but don't want to spend your Whole Paycheck?

Both Whole Foods locations in Baltimore are offering "Shopping on a Shoestring" tours next week.

Check out the details below:

The Mount Washington tours will be held Tuesday, Aug. 12th, Thursday, Aug. 14 and Saturday, Aug. 16th. The Harbor East tours will be at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, Aug. 17. Pre-registration is required for both!

A description of the Mount Washington event:

Shopping on a Shoestring Tour
7 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 12 & Thursday, Aug. 14, and 9 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16

Mt Washington Whole Foods Market VALUE GURU Molly, marketing specialist/community liaison, will be pleased to help you navigate the store to stretch your grocery dollar, and give you a Value Tour. Join us for one of three Shopping on a Shoestring Tours scheduled for August.

Shop with Molly and discover what tricks the Whole Foods Market Team Members have learned over the years. What's new? What's not to miss? What products do we love? Best Values? Money Saving Tips.

This will be an exciting insiders look at shopping at Whole Foods Market on a BUDGET while getting our quality food free of artificial chemicals, colors or preservatives, no added hormones and no hydrogenated oils.

We’ll also have samples for you to try along the way and a goody bag to take home. All attendees will have a chance to win a $25 Whole Foods Market gift card.

Limited to 15. Pre-registration is required at Customer Service.

(photo: Jed Kirschbaum/Baltimore Sun)

Posted by Liz Kay at 10:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Food
        

 (photo: Christopher T. Assaf/Baltimore Sun)

Here are some ideas for saving when prepping your kids for the new school year, whether they're off to a local elementary school or making the move to college.

1. Buy the bare minimum. ShopSmart magazine advises against stocking up for back-to-school in their guide to back-to-school clothing shopping. If the first few weeks are pretty warm, kids can probably make do with a few new summer-weather clothing items purchased off the clearance rack. You also avoid investing in items before the season's trends shake out. Instead, buy things more frequently, to replace things that wear out.

The same advice applies to supplies. Run through and see what items on the list --- if your school provides one --- your kids already have.

2. Pack a lunch? With a little planning, I'm betting families can shave lunch and breakfast costs for kids too. Perhaps picking up an insulated lunch bag to bring lunch -- and make sure it stays fresh and safe until lunchtime rolls around. Gather some reusable containers for dishing out snacks and drinks prepared or purchased in bulk. And plan ahead so packing lunch is part of nighttime or early morning routines so it actually gets done.

3. Consider other expenses. The money editor at Consumer Reports shared ideas for saving on the move to college, including finding a bank for her daughter with ATMs both near her college campus as well as home to avoid paying tons in fees. She's also sharply rationing cell phone expenses so her child will be responsible for costs incurred while keeping in touch with friends. 

4. Check low-cost alternatives when outfitting a dorm room. You still have time! If your child needs certain electrical appliances, storage units or small furniture, together scour Craigslist, thrift stores and garage sales. It helps to gather measurements ahead of time, if kids find out where they'll be living during orientation or other opportunities. Or, wait until you get there to pick up only what you need.

5. Check out online alternatives for college textbooks. Again, time to prepare is essential --- once you get a syllabus, go online and compare prices at half.com, an eBay site, or others.

6. Investigate student discounts on computers and electronics. Ah, the student ID. It's your ticket to savings ... even though you have to pay so much to get it. You can often get discounts through your school or stores will offer lower prices for students.

Keep in mind, though, that you should research what kinds of systems will be compatible with your campus. Consumer Reports' back-to-school laptop buying guide reminds students to check what operating systems schools recommend, for example.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued a final rule yesterday that won't protect manufacturers from lawsuits filed by families harmed by defective booster seats. An original draft of the rule barred families from taking such action.

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) filed comments in March discouraging NHTSA from issuing a rule that would preempt state law, effectively giving corporations complete immunity from lawsuits.

AAJ says that so far, seven federal agencies have issued over 56 rules with preemption language in the preamble to the rule. As a result of these preambles, states have had their authority curtailed by federal agencies.

I'm not an advocate of lawsuit happy people, but in times when there is a legitimate case of negligence or misdeed, no one should be prevented from suing the rightful parties. Good job NHTSA protecting consumer rights.

(photo courtesy of NHTSA)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cars, Consumer protection, Consumer safety
        

Tired of voice mail hell?

Barbara Weltman, who writes about taxes and small businesses, e-mailed this tip today: Try the Web site Gethuman.

The site gives you phone numbers for more than 1,000 companies and advice on how to reach a human on the other end.

I tried some out and they worked. For instance, I called the Chevron Texaco Credit number. Gethuman advises that no matter what the voice mail prompt suggests, just hit 0. I pressed zero in response to about a half-dozen Chevron commands - including one asking for my Social Security number. But sure enough, hitting zero put me through to a person.

Now if only Gethuman would provide advice on how to reach a real person at government agencies. Plenty of people would love to talk to an IRS staffer about the whereabouts of their tax rebates.

Anyway, try it out and let us know what you think.

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Technology
        

You can't say we don't get things done around here.

Just one day after we warned you to be a bit leery about a curious official-looking Web site offering help to the unemployed in Maryland, the Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation issued a warning against the same Web site yesterday.

Coincidence?

Perhaps.

But we'd like to think not. In any case, Secretary Thomas E. Perez reminded Internet users yesterday that Maryland's official insurance benefits Web site, www.mdunemployment.com, does NOT charge for its services and will never ask for a credit card number.

State services are free and there is never a charge to file a Maryland unemployment insurance claim.

At www.md.unemployment.com, however (watch that extra dot between md and unemployment), a private company that bought the address is charging individuals $19.95 to file their claims.

DLLR has received complaints. One individual had his credit card charged twice. DLLR says that while the external site may look official... it most certainly is not.

For information about Maryland’s unemployment insurance benefits go to www.mdunemployment.com or call 410.949.0022 in the Baltimore area, or toll free at 800.827.4839.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Economy, Naughty businesses/NBotW, Scams
        

This week's CWSotW was discovered in the pages of ShopSmart magazine's back-to-school shopping guide.

One customer-friendly store policy I've never taken advantage of is "price protection" --- that is, getting a refund if you buy an item and it goes on sale at that store within some limited time period, usually about 30 days. Although I am no stranger to unshopping (only unused goods, of course), I'm too disorganized and busy to revisit stores multiple times in the hopes that the sticker prices has decreased. 

Now PriceProtectr.com wants to help you keep tabs on any price drops at one of more than 120 retailers --- whether you bought something online or in a store. You could also use the service to track a future purchase for potential sales and discounts.

Here's how it works: 

1. Identify something you have bought (or want to buy) on a store's Web site, whether you plan to purchase it online or in the brick-and-mortar store.

2. Pop the URL of that page into PriceProtectr.com's box. Hit "look it up" and adjust the purchase price and date of purchase if necessary.

3. Enter your e-mail address and await alerts on price changes from the site.  

I entered a search for some clothing as well as a birthday gift for my mother (which is at this point is so belated I may just save it for some other occasion) and encountered at least one glitch. The in-store sale price for a mod Calvin Klein suit off my wishful-purchase list was at least $75 less than advertised online.

Posted by Liz Kay at 6:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Consumer Web Site of the Week, Shopping
        

The thing consumers want to take away from yesterday's news that Boscov's filed for bankruptcy is that while the Reading, Pa.-based department store will close ten underperforming stores immediately, your current gift cards, product warranties and bridal registries will be honored.

Boscov's blames the downturn in the economy and drop in consumer spending for its ailments, causing it to close three Maryland stores just a couple years after opening here. 

The stores affected are in White Marsh Mall, Marley Station Mall and Owings Mills Mall. As our story says, the company's other Maryland stores - in Westminster, Frederick and Salisbury - will remain open. Boscov's also has stores in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, New York and New Jersey. 

I confess I never shopped in Boscov's because I'm not much of a mall shopper, but losing a major department store anchor is always bad news for malls. On a side note related to the news industry, it's also bad news for newspapers since that means less advertising for papers. 

(sigh) Now, I wish I had shopped at Boscov's once in awhile. 

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 4:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Economy, Gift cards, Shopping
        

This week, Consuming Interests' Cheap Trick Thursday will tackling back-to-school preparation, after realizing that jeezum, the summer is nearly over ...

Okay, back on topic: remember that Staples commercial where the father is dancing through the aisle of an office-supply store with "It's that most wonderful time of the year" playing in the background?

Generally the back-to-school shopping season is a great time --- for retailers, who enjoy sales that rival only to Christmas/winter holidays. But according to this MarketWatch story, shopkeepers are preparing for back-to-school sales far below previous levels, knowing that rising prices for everything else leaves families with few spare dollars for a fancy pencil case or trendy sneakers.

I'm curious if any parents or kids out there have good advice for bargain hunting when it comes to clothes or supplies, whether students are headed a neighborhood classroom or an institution of higher learning.

Granted, even routine decisions are way more complicated than they were when most of us were kids. Check out Kate's post at Charm City Moms about how to choose a backpack, for example.

And some supplies might not be negotiable ...

having written a story about back-to-school shopping lists issued by schools way back when I was an education reporter. Some schools even specified what brand of sandwich bags or crayons that students were to purchase. Maybe parents benefit because they don't have to buy something that wouldn't get used, but I could see how this could get out of hand.

Also, advertising to college students really kills me, because isn't tuition expensive enough as it is?

Yeah, maybe you need extra-long sheets and a shower caddy for dorm life, but are a beanbag chair and an iPod really essential? (P.S. I like how the first link places "study" on the bottom of the list of critical college functions, under eat, sleep and wash. Whatever! I didn't pay that much to sleep --- except in class.)

Then again, I'd like to find a happy medium between that and StopBuyingCrap's minimalist recommendation for equipping students.

Also, I'm curious: is a lunchbox on your list, or is it cheaper --- when you consider the prep time --- to have your kids buy lunch at school?

Please share any and all thoughts about preparing your young'uns to return to classrooms. We'll post the best ideas on Thursday.

(Staples commercial)

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Cheap/Frugal, Shopping
        

Here's the rest of the list of diciplinary action against Maryland attorneys so far this year:

FREDERICK COUNTY

AVENDANO, Ana Luisa - Suspended for 90 days by consent for failing to act with reasonable diligence, failing to keep her client informed, failing to supervise non-lawyer assistant, failing to maintain an unearned advance fee in trust and failing to respond to Bar Counsel’s lawful demand for information.

BRENNAN, Richard A. - Commission reprimand for failure to competently and diligently handle accounts of debt management and debt settlement clients, failure to timely communicate with clients, failure to respond to requests for information and refunds and mishandling funds entrusted to him by clients for payment to creditors.

ENGLEHART, David A. - Suspended indefinitely by consent for accepting retainers for work that he had not performed and did not return those funds.

MAHONE, Willie J. - Reprimanded by the Court of Appeals for failing to respond timely for repeated requests from Bar Counsel for information concerning a complaint from a client.

GARRETT COUNTY

HAMILL, Geoffrey Semmes - Disbarred by consent following his guilty plea to a felony count of unlawfully manufacturing a controlled dangerous substance (marijuana).

HARFORD COUNTY

KREAMER, Barbara Osborn - Disbarred for lack of competence, lack of diligence, failing to communicate with her client, charging unreasonable fee and making misrepresentations to clients.

HOWARD COUNTY

NGUYEN, Thai Hong - Commission reprimand for failing to provide discovery within the time provided by the rules of procedure and did not request an extension of time in which to provide discovery and failure to respond to a Motion to Compel and for Sanctions. He also failed to appear at a Court ordered settlement conference and also commingled personal funds in his attorney trust account.

PAK, Hekyong a.k.a., H. Christina Pak - Disbarred for fraudulently conveying real property and engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation.

STROUSE, James C. - Commission Reprimand for failing to exercise the required knowledge, skill and thoroughness in handling service of process and documenting service of process

WELLS, Brian A. - Commission reprimand for a conflict of interest by his representation of a client whose interests were directly adverse to a client he already represented, without first obtaining his first client’s consent in writing, after consultation.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY

ELMENDORF, John A. - reprimanded for advising an acquaintance that she and her husband could misrepresent their date of separation to obtain a divorce without waiting one year.

HARDNETT, Charlene S. - Suspended by consent for 60 days for transferring settlement funds from her escrow account to her operating account and failing to maintain those funds in the operating account.

HWANG, Ray L. - Reprimanded by consent for failure to supervise his support staff.

MOMODU, Lawal - Commission reprimand for maintaining a sexual relationship with his client prior to the conclusion of all proceedings in her divorce matter.

PAGE, Alfred Jr. - Suspended for 30 days by consent for failure to respond to Bar Counsel.

ROBERTSON, Bonar Mayo - Suspended indefinitely for practicing law while suspended.

TURNBO, Monica Myers - Disbarred by consent for misappropriation of a client’s worker’s compensation award and abandonment of another client’s legal matter.

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY

BLUMENTHAL, Michael S. - Commission reprimand for Failing to establish a definitive fee agreement with his client which led to his failing to appear at her trial and failing to place partial payments from his client into an attorney trust account until such funds were earned.

HOAGE, Donald, L. - Suspended subject to further order of the Court in a reciprocal action from a suspension in the District of Columbia where he claimed a disability.

MAIGNAN, Peter R. - Suspended indefinitely (continuation of current indefinite suspension) for practicing law while suspended and failing to place unearned fees in a trust account.

MBA-JONAS, Victor - Suspended indefinitely for commingling and misappropriation of escrow funds.

WALKER, Alfred Jr. - Disbarred for representing clients while decertified, failure to appear in court, and for entering his appearance on behalf of a criminal defendant with whom he had been arrested.

WILBON, Bernadette M. - suspended indefinitely by consent for lack of competence, lack of diligence, lack of communication with her clients, charging an unreasonable fee, failing to hold prepaid unearned fees in trust until earned and failing to promptly refund prepaid unearned fees, and failing to respond to Bar Counsel.

WINGERTER, Rex B. - Disbarred based upon his conviction in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia of the offense of Misprision of a Felony.

WORTHY, Michael R. - Reprimanded by consent for advancing funds to his client for mortgage payments while representing her in litigation concerning the property. He negotiated a lease of the property to another client, representing both parties.

ST. MARY’S COUNTY

IZADORE, Julian J. - Disbarred by consent for misappropriation of funds from an Estate and his filing of false administration accounts while serving as Personal Representative of the same Estate.

TALBOT COUNTY

KELLER, J. Phillip - Commission reprimand for representing a client when the representation of that client may have been materially limited by his responsibilities to a third person or himself and he could not have reasonably believed the representation would not be adversely affected.

WICOMICO

WEBSTER, Arthur D. - Disbarred for misappropriation of client funds.

OUT OF STATE

BEKELE, Solomon - Suspended for 30 days by consent for lack of communication, lack of competence, neglect and engaging in the unauthorized practice of law.

CONRAD, Stephen T. - Disbarred by consent for misappropriation of client funds in a reciprocal action from the State of Virginia.

FLOYD, Angela T. - Suspended for 90 days for concealing the nature of her relationship with her husband, who was the author of a letter presented to the Federal Trade Commission, to secure a higher starting salary then she would have otherwise received.

FOX, David E. - Commission reprimand for lack of diligence and failure to communicate with his client in two personal injury matters.

KALIL, Thomas F. - Reprimanded by the Court of Appeals for engaging in conduct involving dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation.

MCBROOM, Wayne I. - Reprimand by consent for failing to appear at a criminal hearing, failing to communicate with his client and did not promptly refund his client’s money to him upon request.

MOLLICK, Georgina - Suspended indefinitely for conviction of misprision of a felony.

OUTLAW, Phyllis J. - Suspended for 60 days by consent in reciprocal action in Washington D.C., where she allowed the statute of limitations to run and then concealed that from her client. She also charged client a late fee without any provision ion her retainer agreement authorizing the charge.

PARSONS, David Wayne - Disbarred for filing a false affidavit and sending out a fraudulent press release.

WENDELBURG, Allan - Suspended for three years for neglect, failing to refund an unearned retainer and failure to pay income and payroll taxes.

For more information, or to determine if an attorney has been reinstated, please contact the Attorney Grievance Commission at (410) 514-7051.  The mdcourts.gov list is updated on a monthly basis. Check it out for disciplinary action taken in 2007 and 2006.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

This Naughty Business of the Week comes by special request from reader Robert Aman who asked:

Dan Thanh Dang can you please consider to write a blog about crooked lawyers?

We live to please so here's the list (this will include two parts since it's a long list) of disciplinary action against Maryland attorneys for 2008 from mdcourts.gov:

ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY

MARCALUS, Jeffrey S. - Suspended indefinitely by consent for engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice by sending a client inappropriate and sexually suggestive text messages and touching the client in a sexually suggestive manner while in the court house awaiting trial.

NUSSBAUM, Jerold K. - Disbarred for repeatedly misappropriating client funds and presenting false ledgers to the Attorney Grievance Commission.

BALTIMORE CITY

DONEGAN, Rachel K. - Disbarred by consent for engaging in criminal activity; pled guilty to wire fraud in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1343 and 18 U.S.C. § 2.

KENDRICK, Karin Marie - Suspended indefinitely for mishandling an estate and taking an excessive fee which was taken without approval of the Orphans’ Court.

MIXTER, Mark T. - Reprimanded by consent for improperly delaying litigation in violation of the Rules.

SAPERO, Robert A. - Reprimanded by the Court of Appeals for failing to remove his fees from trust, failing to timely provide his client with a settlement sheet and failing to cooperate with Bar Counsel.

SISKIND, William L. - Disbarred for misconduct involving a conflict of interest with a former client and for his false testimony at a deposition taken in his personal bankruptcy case.

ZUCKERMAN, Charles J. - Suspended indefinitely for failure to supervise his employee and failure to promptly pay lien holders.

BALTIMORE COUNTY

COOKE, Richard B. - Suspended for eighteen months by consent for filing two motions to recuse the judge in a federal lawsuit for alleged misconduct which had no connection with his client’s case and for filing discovery requests in pursuit of this motion against individuals who were not parties to the lawsuit and who did not possess discoverable information.

GLASSMAN-KATZ, Robin - Disbarred by consent for lack of competence, lack of diligence in failing to respond to Discovery requests and Motions to Compel and/or for Sanctions and lying to her employer.

HARRIS, Alan Edgar - Disbarred for having stock transferred to his name without his having the right to it.

KLINE, Robert L., III - Disbarred by consent based upon allegations of engaging in criminal conduct, dishonest conduct and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and knowingly presenting perjurious testimony.

KWARTENG, Charles O. - Commission reprimand for making a sexual gesture with his tongue at a female clerk at the Circuit Court for Baltimore County.

LAWSON, Jeffery - Suspended indefinitely for charging an unreasonable/excessive fee, failing to return unearned fees, failing to deposit unearned fees to trust and failing to adequately communicate with his client.

MARUDAS, Kyriakos P. - Suspended indefinitely for taking funds to which he was not entitled.

POUPKO, Avrohom R. - Commission reprimand for placing client funds directly into his operating account prior to the completion of the agreed upon representation

QUILLIEN, James P., Jr. - Disbarred by consent for misrepresentation.

TRAGESER, Stacie D. - Commission reprimand for failing to communicate with her client about the status of his case and for her untimely responses to requests by Bar Counsel for information concerning the complaint against her.

CARROLL COUNTY

MCCULLOCH, Carol Long - Disbarred for taking a fee, failing to do work on the matter, and failing to return the unearned fee.

CHARLES COUNTY

DUNWIDDIE, David A. - Commission Reprimand for lack of competence, failing to abide by his client’s wishes, lack of diligence, failure to adequately communicate with his client, failure to respond to Bar Counsel and for engaging in conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.

For more information, or to determine if an attorney has been reinstated, please contact the Attorney Grievance Commission at (410) 514-7051.  This list is updated on a monthly basis on the mdcourts.gov Web site.

(Sun Photographer Karl Merton Ferron)

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 6:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Consumer protection, Naughty businesses/NBotW
        

Remember that icky post over at Mutts, about Overstock.com purging its catalog of furry items after learning that some of its items labeled as fake fur that were really made of raccoon dog pelts?

The Humane Society of the United States has published this guide to distinguish fake fur from animal fur, which I discovered via consumerworld.org.

Some of the tips are pretty straightforward, including looking at the backing to make sure it looks woven, rather than like skin. Real fur also has strands that taper like needles, rather than blunt ends, according to the guide.

(photo: stock.xchng)

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Consumer protection, Shopping
        

Leave it up to the great and wonderful Greg Garland, the paper's former investigative reporter who worked his last day with us on Friday, to leave us with this little tip before he left:

I was trying to check on something relating to unemployment compensation and mistakenly wound up on a site www.md.unemployment.com. It seems like you are on a government site at first, but it isn’t. It’s for profit companies guiding you to different sites. The actual maryland site is www.mdunemployment.com.

No dot between md and unemployment. I bet a lot of people get misled and confused by the for profit site, and steered wrong.

He's absolutely right, so do be careful how you type that address into your computer.

www.mdunemployment.com takes you to this Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Web site.

www.md.unemployment.com takes you to a site that recommends job, benefits and other related sites, which mostly look to be for-profit. The Web site doesn't tell you who runs it and doesn't offer anywhere near what the state site gives you (everything from claim center numbers to income tax information for the unemployed.

Don't be fooled.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 11:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Computers, Marketing/Advertising, Wages
        

So you were worried about genetically engineered food. Or maybe you were worried about cloned food? But were you even aware of nanofoods?

I'll 'fess up. I know that nanotechnology is a field of applied science that is based on controlling matter on an atomic and molecular scale. I've known that nanotechnology is being used in products like clothing, cosmetics and disinfectants, but it never occurred to me that it could be used for food, too. I'm only just catching up on this so it's news to me. But this Reuters story on nanofoods says:

Nanotechnology involves the design and manipulation of materials on molecular scales, smaller than the width of a human hair and invisible to the naked eye. Companies using nanotechnology say it can enhance the flavor or nutritional effectiveness of food.

U.S. health officials generally prefer not to place warning labels on products unless there are clear reasons for caution or concern. But consumer advocates say uncertainty over health consequences alone is sufficient cause to justify identifying nano-foods.

The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) has a list of products in the market that are known or claim to be nano-products.

The story says:

On PEN's list are three foods -- a brand of canola cooking oil called Canola Active Oil, a tea called Nanotea and a chocolate diet shake called Nanoceuticals Slim Shake Chocolate.

According to company information posted on PEN's Web site, the canola oil, by Shemen Industries of Israel, contains an additive called "nanodrops" designed to carry vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals through the digestive system.

The shake, according to U.S. manufacturer RBC Life Sciences Inc., uses cocoa infused "NanoClusters" to enhance the taste and health benefits of cocoa without the need for extra sugar.

The tea, says manufacturer Shenzhen Become Industry & Trade Co., Ltd. of China, is prepared with nanotechnology to "release effectively all of the excellent essences of the tea" and increase by a factor of 10 "the selenium supplement function."

I'm not sure what to make of this. I'm all for science and technology enhancing our lives, but really, is this necessary? And do we know enough about nanofoods to put this stuff in our body? I'm already of skeptical of nano-cosmetics and what microscopic cosmetics will do to your skin... as far as food goes, some of the ingredients that go into some foods are downright scary at their normal size. How much scarier will they be at a microscopic level wandering around in your insides? 

Hm. As the guy in the story says, size does matter. 

Am I just being paranoid or does the word, nanofood, scare you, too? 

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Food, Technology
        

Baltimore has no shortage of outdoor screenings, what with the Little Italy outdoor movies, the American Visionary Art Museum's Flicks from the Hill at Federal Hill Park, the Center Park Film Series and the Mt. Vernon Place outdoor movies. But the Free Friday Flicks sponsored by Fox Baltimore and CW is a new one to me. 

Bring your blankets and chairs to Towson University's Burdick Field at dusk tonight to catch Hairspray.

Park for free in the student union garage or take the #8 or #11 bus, says the Maryland Transportation Authority.   

Posted by Liz Kay at 2:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

(photo: Glenn Fawcett/Baltimore Sun)

Several auto manufacturers and banking companies have announced that they would either increase prices or leave the car leasing market altogether, according to the Associated Press.

General Motors bounced yesterday and Chrysler announced its decision to stop leases last week. Ford Motor Co. said it would raise prices on SUV and truck leases.

Meanwhile, Wells Fargo Auto Finance stopped accepting lease applications from all automakers earlier this month. Chase Auto Finance said it would only finance Subaru, not Chrysler vehicles.

According to Consumer Reports' car blog, lease contracts are based on predictions of the value of the vehicle at the end of the agreement. And the resale value of SUVs and other gas guzzlers has plummeted thanks to fuel prices. 

What does this mean for consumers?

Fewer financing options might mean that more consumers choose pricey car loans to buy vehicles, CR predicts.

But the LAT thinks that some of the bigger banks leaving the business might entice smaller operations to get into the leasing game:

"People still want leases," said Scott Anchin, owner of Platinum Mobility Leasing in New York, a year-old specialty lessor. "There are hundreds and thousands of little companies out there ready to step up and offer them."

Posted by Liz Kay at 11:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cars
        

Got a dispute with your health insurer?

If so, the Maryland Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division is offering free help.

The Division’s Health Education and Advocacy Unit can help resolve billing or medical equipment disputes and assist you if your health plan refused to cover a medical procedure or pay for a medical service.

“Many consumers are unaware of the resources available to them when their insurance carrier has denied coverage and they either choose to do without necessary medical treatment or pay out of pocket for procedures that may indeed be covered,” the attorney general’s office said in a press release.

Reach the Health unit Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at 410-528-1840 or toll-free at 887-261-8807.

You can also file a complaint online at http://www.oag.state.md.us/Consumer/HEAU.htm.

Or, write to the unit at: The Health Education and Advocacy Unit, Consumer Protection Division 200 Saint Paul Place, 16th Floor Baltimore, Maryland 21202

Posted by Eileen Ambrose at 11:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

It's hard not to get a little down and become really jaded when you deal with consumer complaints every day. People often write me to ask why I'm always writing such negative columns. The problem is, that's pretty much all I get to hear here. It's complaints all day, every day. Rarely do I ever get to hear anything good about a company.

In fact, I find myself wishing that people would send me happier experiences so my faith in customer-business relations might be renewed.

But just when I lose hope, I get a gem like this one out of the blue from Edwin Morgan:

To Whom It May Concern:

I don’t know if this is the right department to send this to or not, but I would like to say something to recognize one of the businesses in your area. If this isn’t the right place would you please tell me who is the right person to send this too, or forward this to them.

From July 5th 2008 until July 11th 2008 I was stranded in Baltimore MD. I was trying to get on an AMC flight back to Germany where I am stationed. I checked into the BWI Hampton Inn on Saturday the 5th of July and due to some unseen circumstances that can occur with the type of flight I was trying to get on I had to continue my stay until the 11th of July.

In this time this particular hotel went way above and beyond anything that was required of them. I was traveling with my eight year old daughter and we had no car, no cell phone, and no family around us anywhere. The hotel management and staff were very kind to us and even the shuttle bus driver would pick my daughter and myself up so she could go get McDonalds to eat once a day, and if we needed anything else the driver would take us (within reason). The management even went as far as to take my daughter and myself to Ft. Meade and get my ID card renewed after it expired. They did not have to do any of the things they done. They kept my room rate the same my entire trip and even extended my checkout times so my daughter and I wouldn’t have to sit at the airport for so long each time we tried to get on a plane.

I believe that if more businesses would look after people who are in a bind like I was then it would make a little difference. I know that some people who were stranded with me were not so lucky they had the hotels that they were staying at raise their rates (that’s their prerogative) or not come back to shuttle them from the airport so they could try to get a room.

I just want everyone to know that this Father, Husband, and Soldier is very thankful for the people at BWI Hampton Inn, and everything they done for me and my daughter while I was stranded there. There really aren’t enough good words I can say about them.

Thank you for your time and attention to this.

Thanks to Hampton Inn for going above and beyond and thanks Edwin Morgan for sharing that story with us. I really needed a boost after the week we've had here.

Posted by Dan Thanh Dang at 7:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Above and Beyond