Three for Thursday 03.10.2022
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
I'm feeling guilty about plastic. From the fork I used this morning at a working breakfast, to the plates that could double for shields the next time I put on my mask to fence. The E.P.A. estimates the U.S. produced 35.7 million tons of plastic in 2018, but only 9% was recycled. And we've been lied to about recycling. In fact, Troy from Cumming told me he caught his garbage service combining his plastic with his garbage, though he pays extra for recycling. According to marketing expert Seth Godin, the blue bins are a mirage, to make us feel better about a problem that's not going away. Yes, there are processes to increase recycling, but critics say those processes cause other forms of pollution or are cost prohibitive. So, I'm going to cut way down on plastic. I'm also going to continue to pray for Ukraine.
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation - Stolen rent check. What happens when you drop your rent into a lockbox and your landlord claims they never got it? Watch, because this could happen to you!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from Sharon, who wants to know what I think about rent payment systems like PayLease Zego. (It's a third party that receives and distributes tenant rent payments).
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is judging when to take a risk against your better judgement.
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? This is a comfort level question. If full payment upfront makes you uncomfortable, you probably shouldn't do it.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? Low up-front payment is tempting, but make sure you Define and Ensure your deal to be safe (see below).
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. It's never safe to take a risk if there's a possibility the seller can not be located after the sale.
Define - Your deal by comparing product, Offer and Price. Knowing the answer to these variables will give great comfort if you feel there are elements of risk.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. This is the second half of due diligence that will make taking a risk less risky.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. Always get three references and look for patterns in negative reviews.
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. This helps but doesn't make you safe.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS