A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
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(December 12, 2018) Buffalo, NY – The internet is rife with ads and links leading to pictures of celebrities and “miracle” products that promise easy weight loss, whiter teeth, or disappearing wrinkles. You may be enticed to try these products through a “risk-free” trial: Just enter your name, address and credit card number, and the product will be on its way for only a nominal shipping and handling charge. An in-depth investigative study by Better Business Bureau (BBB), however, finds that many of these free trial offers are not free. BBB...
Smart Shopping for Auto Repairs You can help avoid trouble with an unreliable or dishonest repair shop by following these tips: • Deal only with a registered shop. Make sure there’s a green and white “Registered State of New York Motor Vehicle Repair Shop” sign outside the shop and a valid New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) registration certificate inside. • Use the “Find a DMV-regulated Business” service at: https://dmv.ny.gov/more-info/information-about-finding-dmv-regulated-business to find a registered repair shop in your are...
While your kids may be too busy enjoying the last few days of summer to think about returning to the classroom and retailers have already kicked off back-to-school season about a month ago – you may be dreading ‘back to school shopping’. But don’t fret - with Back-to-School shopping being the second busiest time of year for retailers after the Christmas season, there is still time to save before you send your child on the bus. Follow these steps to make sure you get everything on your list without breaking the bank: Wait to buy. Don’t f...
As the college Class of 2018 ventures out into the working world, many of them will choose to work for themselves, or at least entertain the thought. A variety of factors - less security in the traditional job market, more innovation (especially through social media), a desire for more fulfilling work and independence – has led to a steady trend toward entrepreneurship among graduates in the past 10 years. Recent surveys of graduating classes found nearly half want to become entrepreneurs post-graduation. The Wharton School at the University o...
The automotive world is still buzzing about the massive airbag recall covering many millions of vehicles in the U.S. from nearly two-dozen brands. Here’s what you need to know about the problem; which vehicles may have the defective, shrapnel-shooting inflator parts from Japanese supplier; and what to do if your vehicle is one of them. Ten years after the biggest safety recall in U.S. history began, Honda says there are more than 62,307 vehicles on the nation’s roads equipped with what experts have called a “ticking time bomb” - defecti...
NYS A.G. Releases Top Ten Frauds of 2017 – Warns NY Consumers to Beware of Scammers The Attorney General also offered a list of tips all consumers should use to protect themselves and their families: CATEGORY - NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS 1. Internet - 5,153 (internet services & service providers; data privacy & security; child safety; consumer frauds) 2. Automobile - 3,188 (buying; leasing; repair; service contracts; rentals) 3. Consumer-Related Services - 2,463 (security systems; restaurant/catering services; tech repairs) 4. Landlord/Tenant D...
NEW YORK - Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued guidance for federal student loan borrowers, who seek to qualify for forgiveness under the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (“PSLF”) beginning on the program’s 10th anniversary next month. The bi-partisan program, enacted by Congress in 2007, was designed to encourage individuals to pursue public sector jobs by easing the burden of their federal student debt—forgiving student loans for people who work for the government and certain public interest organizations. “My office is commit...
Buffalo, NY (September 8, 2017)—Equifax, Inc. this week announced that it was the target of a cybersecurity incident that could potentially impact over 143 million U.S. consumers. People can use this website to see if their information is part of the breach: https://trustedidpremier.com/eligibility/eligibility.html Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York has some suggestions if you were affected by the cybersecurity incident: • Do not take a “wait and see” approach. Breaches involving personal information have the potential to be far more de...
NEW YORK – Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman issued a consumer alert following the report that Equifax Inc., one of the nation’s three major credit reporting agencies, experienced a massive breach affecting 143 million Americans and over 8 million New Yorkers. As part of a formal investigation into the incident, Attorney General Schneiderman sent a letter to Equifax seeking additional information about the breach. The breach lasted from mid-May through July, when hackers accessed names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and...
An estimated half of the cars that flooded during Harvey will be sold with no flood label And most will end up in northern states Can you spot a flood car? Cosmetic fixes often fool unsuspecting buyers. A flooded ride could be made to look like new in a matter of hours. These cars rot from the inside out as flood damage affects the mechanical, electrical and safety systems of the car. Half of the cars damaged get cleaned up and moved around the county with no notation of flood damage. Buying from a Dealer In New York State, every automotive...
Arlington, VA – Better Business Bureau and BBB Wise Giving Alliance are advising people who want to help the victims of Hurricane Harvey to do so with caution and make sure their donations get to the people who need it most. “The devastation caused by Hurricane Harvey prompts us to do what we can to help as soon as possible,” said H. Art Taylor, president and CEO of BBB Wise Giving Alliance (BBB’s Give.org,) “but donors need to be aware of some key cautions so that their generosity will get to those in need quickly.” As the impact of this sto...
A typical high school curriculum offers anything from the traditional subjects of language arts, algebra and U.S. history to the not-so-traditional subjects, such as gardening, therapeutic dance and business technology. Colleges and universities offer an even wider range. But despite all those academic options, the educational system is leaving a void in the lives of many students. The one thing not being taught in schools and higher education is how to manage money and prepare for retirement. And in the eyes of high school and college graduate...
1. Take an inventory of the supplies your child already has. You’ll be amazed at the forgotten notebooks, pens, markers and rulers you can find in a drawer or last year’s backpack. Don’t forget the stash of pens and pencils offered at events held throughout the year in Akwesasne. That’s enough to provide every child in North America with at least five pens each. And, include your kids in the process for a valuable lesson about budgeting. 2. Have your child try on last year’s clothing. Make a list of what needs to be replaced. Ask other par...
Lower wages and higher medical costs are putting retiring women at greater risk for financial ruin than men, according to a recent survey. Seventy percent of nursing home residents are women, and the average cost of a private nursing home room is more than $90,000 per year in the United States according to AARP. As well, retired women pay about $600 more per year than men on out-of-pocket health costs. Many women put their family’s needs before their own security. According to the 17th Annual Transamerica Retirement Survey, half of working w...
Millennials could be risking their financial future as they craft ways to tackle their student loans, car payments and credit card debt. New research indicates that many are overusing credit cards, racking up fees with late payments or overdrawing checking accounts and, in some cases, even taking loans against 401(k) plans. What’s worse: Millennials may have less wiggle room for financial mistakes. In many cases, Millennials could be earning about 20% less than their parents did when they were in the 25- to 34-year-old age range, according t...
Entrepreneurial college students, high school students, and transitioning veterans are invited to apply to present at the annual North Country Regional Business Plan Competition at Clarkson University on Friday, April 7. Clarkson’s Reh Center for Entrepreneurship will host the event in Clarkson’s Student Center (#15 on the map at http://www.clarkson.edu/about/clarkson_map.pdf). College student teams must fall into one of six categories: Information Technology / Software, Social Entrepreneurship / Non-Profit, Clean Technology, Advanced Tec...
Be on the lookout for an email scam focusing on payroll records. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been made aware that another email scam is making its way to taxpayers as tax season begins. In the most common iteration of the scheme, scammers send a fake email pretending to be from a high-level corporate employee requesting information about employee forms W-2 from company payroll or human resources departments. The emails typically include language such as: Kindly send me the individual 2016 W-2 (PDF) and earnings summary of all W-2 of...
Cyber Monday was the official kick-off to the online holiday shopping season and one of biggest online shopping days of the year. Although Cyber Monday is ideal for nabbing on-line bargains, it is also high season for scammers and identity thieves. Cybercriminals will take advantage of unsuspecting online shoppers to steal personal and financial information. “The Internet plays an integral role in the way 21st century consumers purchase goods and services. However, this rise in online shopping brings increased risk of theft, fraud and a...
Buffalo, NY (October 13, 2016) — Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York is warning people that a utility scam is popping up in parts of our area. National Grid says scammers are targeting its customers, demanding payment over the phone and telling people that they will shut off service if they do not comply. Because utility companies do sometimes contact their customers by phone, it can be difficult to tell a scammer from a real employee. BBB offers the following tips: • Prepaid debit cards are a red flag. If a caller specifically asks you...
When CBC News reported on the black market cellphone industry, it sparked outrage from some readers about price discrepancies across Canada. Because various cellular plan prices are much cheaper in Manitoba and Saskatchewan — close to half the price —some third-party dealers offer a one-time fee to secretly switch people’s plans in other provinces to the cheaper Prairie deal. According to the latest report commissioned by the CRTC — the country’s telecom regulator — Canadians still pay some of the highest rates for wireless service in the indu...
Before You Buy: The Right Toy for the Right Age All toys sold as new in the United States should contain a manufacturer’s recommended age range for the item, determined by national standards that take into account the motor skills, mental ability and behavioral patterns of children at different ages. This information is required by federal law for products intended for children three and younger, and recommended for items meant for children older than three. Additionally, any items designed for children older than three that contain small parts...
Buffalo, NY (August 30, 2016)—Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Upstate New York is warning the public about scammers asking for iTunes gift cards as a method of payment. The trend began to appear in reports to BBB’s Scam Tracker system late last year and so far, there have been 200 reports nationwide of scammers asking people for iTunes gift cards. BBB recently received two reports to our Scam Tracker from victims of the “grandparents scam.” The scammer called the victims saying they are the grandchild/lawyer for the grandchild and ask for eit...
April is Financial Literacy Month, a time dedicated to teaching how to establish and maintain good financial habits. The month provides a good opportunity to assess whether you have a solid plan in place to support your financial goals - and that means planning for emergency expenses, too. The best time to plan for unexpected expenses is well before they happen. One strategy to consider is to open an emergency savings account where you can stash cash specifically for unexpected expenses or short-term savings goals. That way, you can avoid havin...
Buffalo, NY – December 29, 2015 – When Better Business Bureau launched Scam Tracker earlier this year, tax scams were projected to be high on the list. What was surprising was how high; more than the next three categories put together. In the first 10,000 scam reports processed by BBB, a whopping 24 percent were about imposters pretending to be either the Internal Revenue Service (2,363 reports) or the Canadian Revenue Agency (50 reports). The rest of the top ten were all some form of imposter s...
You need to be aware of when answering the phone from unknown numbers. Being diligent on the phone is one way of protecting yourself and your family from potential scams. Always ask questions and if you think it’s a scam – it probably is. Here are five common telephone scams; these common scams often target seniors, students, and first-generation Americans. 1. IRS/Tax Collection Scam – The caller will claim to be an agent or police officer from the Internal Revenue Service or Attorney General’s Office calling about a past due tax balance...
