Three for Thursday 10.6.2022
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Actuarially sound. It's a term I learned as a young reporter in my first job at TV-43 in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. It turned out the city's Police and Firefighters' pension fund was not funded in a manner that would pay out all the promised benefits. The new mayor and finance team that discovered it really wanted to look the other way, but it changed the city's priorities within weeks. Why? Because in 1986, it was important to be actuarially sound; a term that means - do what we say it will do. This story was important to me, because it was the first time, I felt the rush of investigating something I didn't understand and learning enough about it to share what I found with others. Nearly forty years later, I'm still investigating and sharing stories of companies that are sound when it comes to their products, services, and dealings with customers. Why take chances, when you'll never risk your spend again, with TrustDALE!
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation = Dirty Ducks. It was snowing dust in Joan Lewis's home. Watch because this could happen to you!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from John, who wants to know if he can force a national company to honor a local warranty, if the local company has gone out of business.
Click the link to the left to find out!
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is on how to test the soundness of a company and its offerings.
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Almost never a good first impression.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? If it sounds too good, you owe it to yourself to investigate why before you commit to buy.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. Don't be fooled by a name tag, business card and website. They can all be easily faked!
Define - Your deal by comparing product, Offer and Price. Sound companies offer competitive features at similar prices. Outliers are usually more effective, or just fakes.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. Sound companies and contracts must feature all three.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. Sound companies should be able to check all these boxes.
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. Again, sound companies should be able to prove all three.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS