Three for Thursday 02.09.2023

Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.

A recent headline read: "Retiree tax break costs Ga.$1.37B." I immediately thought the headline could also have been "Retirees get $1.37 B of their money back from Ga. Govt." Both phrases are true, and I could see the story from both perspectives. F. Scott Fitzgerald said, "The test of first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposing ideas in your mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function." Our current media environment makes that very difficult. There's pressure to decide and declare. I was in the presence of someone I would describe as an opinion bully last week, who made a controversial statement in a manner that assumed it was true and that everyone agreed. I try hard not to be an opinion bully, and I think we would all benefit by working harder to consider other people's perspectives.

Watch this Investigation

Today's investigation = Sucko Stucco. Julie's contractor made a mess, and he wants her to pay for it. Watch because This Could Happen to you!

Ask Dale

Today's Ask Dale question comes from Talisha, who wants to know if she can trust the reviews of a property management company where her mother is considering leasing from. Watch the video to learn the answer!

Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!

Today's seven-point lesson is on judging the veracity of a sales pitch.

Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Skepticism should grow as price grows.

Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? Too good to be true is a good indicator of a game for which you don't learn the rules until it's too late.

Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. A good story should be backed up by evidence of fulfillment - such as a permanent office, or shared home location.

Define - Your deal by comparing product, Offer and Price. The more you know about the product the better you'll be able to evaluate the sales pitch.

Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. These are your safeguards when evaluating a sales pitch.

Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. The truth of a sales pitch will live and die through reviews. That's why you should never skip this step.

Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. These factors don't expose the truth or lack of truth within a sales pitch.