Calls to Consumers Offering Vouchers Should be Ignored
Consumers across the country are receiving calls from telemarketers offering vouchers in the amounts of $200 or more, allegedly from Home Depot, Wal-Mart and Kmart. The telemarketer asks the consumer for their bank account number in order to debit $3 to $4.95 for shipping and postage.

Home Warranties
Home warranties are gaining in popularity with both home sellers and buyers. Sellers are finding that purchasing a home warranty is a good way to attract buyers, and buyers believe that a warranty can save them a significant amount of money during the first few years in their new home. But sometimes home warranties can cause confusion regarding what is and what isn’t covered. To read the full article, go to http://www.bbb.org/alerts/article.asp?ID=232.

The Council of Better Business Bureaus, TrustUK and WebTraderUK have announced a joint dispute resolution agreement that is expected to increase the safety of cross-border online consumer commerce between the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

The new bankruptcy bill signed into legislation last month could make it much harder for debt-ridden individuals to file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, which eliminates most of an individual’s debt. Instead, the bankruptcy measure will require individuals with income above a certain level to pay credit card charges, medical bills and other obligations under Chapter 13, a court-ordered bankruptcy plan.

If you are traveling this summer, you may want to weigh your luggage before you leave home. According to a recent USA Today article, airlines are now tightening their check baggage policies and raising their prices.

Counterfeit Postal Money Orders Can Scam Consumers and Businesses
You cannot believe your luck! Someone has just offered to pay you more than the purchase price for merchandise you are selling on the Internet. All you have to do is accept a postal money order as payment; keep the price of the item and a bit extra as a “gift” for your help; and, wire the remainder of the funds to your customer. Is this deal “too good to be true?”

Young Sales Crews Not Always “Charitable”
“Hello, Ma’am, we’re going door-to-door selling chocolate bars. Our organization was founded to give kids like me summer jobs so we can stay off the streets and avoid gangs and drugs. Can you help us by buying candy for $5?”

Sound familiar? Every summer crews of children travel to towns across the country peddling magazines, chocolate bars or other goodies. They show up on your doorstep with stories about how you can help them avoid inner city troubles by buying their product. The cause sounds admirable, they appear to be hard-working, so why not help out?