The Wise Consumer

Happy New Year! The purpose of this newsletter is to educate and inform you of the many schemes and scams that are out there in the marketplace. I hope one of your New Year’s resolutions is to be a wise consumer in 2006. Investigate before you invest. Check companies out before you decide to do business with them. And, keep in mind that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

CONSUMER WARNINGS!

Investment Opportunities Take Advantage of Would-Be Investors
With the start of the New Year, many people will resolve to improve their financial security by taking advantage of investment opportunities. To steer clear of risky ventures, the BBB is urging would-be investors to carefully evaluate the investment product or program, its promoters and its sales pitch.

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TIPS FOR CONSUMERS
Tips on Buying Jewelry

With Valentine's Day approaching, many consumers are thinking about buying jewelry for their sweetheart. The Better Business Bureau offers a checklist to help you find the finest quality jewelry at the best value.
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ZOMBIE DEBT COMES BACK TO HAUNT MANY
If you have an old debt that you didn't pay, look out; it could be coming back to haunt you. Consumers, who decide for whatever reason to stop paying a creditor, could either be sued for the amount owed or the creditor can just charge off the amount and take the loss.
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WINTERIZING YOUR HOME COULD SAVE YOU MONEY THIS WINTER
Not winterizing your home is like throwing money out the window. With the high cost of natural gas and electricity, consumers need to brace themselves for higher energy bill this winter.
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BUSINESS CORNER
Tips for Businesses: Teach Employees to Avoid Being Scammed Online
It is not uncommon to read about a consumer who was scammed while using the Internet. Less widely reported is the businesses that fall victim to online con artists.
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CHARITY NEWS
What are Your Giving Goals This Year
by Art Taylor, President, BBB Wising Giving Alliance

Many of you make giving to charity an important part of helping. With so many urgent national questions, political and economic, pressing for your attention, it may be tempting to overlook or to respond automatically to the appeals that will be coming your way this year.
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GOVERNMENT NEWS YOU CAN USE
FTC Study Shows Technology Gaining in the Battle Against Spam According to a recent study conducted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), spammers continue to harvest e-mail addresses from public areas on the Internet, but Internet Service Providers' anti-spam technologies can block the vast majority of spam sent to these e-mail addresses.
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