Three for Thursday 05.21.2020
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Happy Thursday everybody! It's so nice when someone stops in the middle of their busy day and drops you a note or an email thanking you for making a difference in their lives. Who's made a difference in your life? If you're a member of the TrustDALE community, I encourage you to reach out to the person who most recently did something they didn't have to do and say thank you. It will make their day!
Watch this Investigation
Tiny home missing A "tiny home" builder faces a judge after our investigations. Hear why it's so difficult to arrest someone who stands accused of stealing your hard-earned money.
Ask Dale
Bob asks: "Dale, what are the rules that govern how long a company must give you between sending you a monthly bill and then charging a late fee? It seems like this company intentionally narrows the window to cause late fees! See Dale's answer here.
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson on knowing who and who not to set up "online" bill pay with:
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Never give your banking information or access to your banking or credit card accounts to a company that wants to do a "one-off" draft; especially before you receive the product.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? If not, it's likely too good to be true. Companies will sometimes provide discounts or other incentives if you set up on-line bill pay. These will be small incentives. Be wary of a huge discount in trade for your personal account info.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. Never give account access to an entity you can't identify as legitimate well ahead of making payment.
Define - Products, Offers and Prices. Online bill-pay, especially automatic and recurring online bill pay, can come loaded with unexpected extras, like "auto-renew," or added and expensive features you didn't want.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. Make certain ahead of time you can cancel on-line bill pay and go back to paper. You'll want this option if you're not satisfied with the vendor. For example, if they access your account on random days.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking Reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. After you've confirmed the company is legitimate and trustworthy, search for reviews regarding how they manage their on-line bill pay accounts. More than a few complaints are reason to NOT sign up.
Legitimize - Your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. You should always follow this step regardless the type of transaction. It's even more important to follow before you provide access to bank and credit cards.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS