Three for Thursday 06.15.2023

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

I love random acts of kindness. I was recently out for a run and noticed a weathered, handwritten note on the side of the road. It read: "Dear Trash Collectors. Thank you for your trusted & consistent labor, we appreciate you! This person had no earthly idea TrustDALE, or anyone other than the intended recipients would find and read her note. I knew I wanted to write about it, so I looked up the author (whose name and address was on the stationery). Turned out, she is the wife of a friend I hold in high personal regard, who lives miles and miles away! How did that note find its way into my jogging path? I don't know, but the cool thing is that the author sought no credit for it. She simply wanted to offer sincere thanks to someone she values for making her life better. Who can you thank this week for making your life better?

Watch this Investigation

Today's investigation - Taxpayer Relief Programs. Do you have to pay to get relief? Watch, because This Could to you!

Ask Dale

Today's Ask Dale question comes from Jake, who wants to recover his security deposit. Watch the video to see the answer!

Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!

Today's seven-point lesson is on knowing when to accept responsibility for a bad decision.

Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Giving someone 100% of the cost upfront is rife with risk, and something you will almost always be held singularly responsible for.

Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? "Too good to be true" is usually accompanied by an uneasy feeling that you're taking advantage. When you learn it's you who's been taken advantage of, it is hard to justify your injury to a third party.

Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he cannot be found after he gets your money. It's not your fault if someone has gone to great lengths to fool you into believing they're someone they are not. However, taking them at face value is not performing minimal due diligence.

Define - Your deal by comparing product, Offer and Price. This is the step that shows you're taking responsibility to avoid a bad outcome.

Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. The second step that shows you're taking reasonable responsibility.

Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. This is common sense and greatly diminishes risk.

Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is lawsuit and background checked. One of seven steps that shows you are responsible.