Three for Thursday 11.18.2021
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Don't assume someone who is selling you something is going to tell you everything you need to know to make a smart decision. This lesson played out in a recent help request to TrustDALE. David wrote that a Nashville car dealership charged him $5,200 to replace a catalytic converter that had been stolen from his 2008 Honda element. It then broke down a few minutes after he picked it up, and the dealership claimed it had nothing to do with the recent repair. David didn't have the money for the additional work, so he sought to trade the car for a newer model. He was told the trade in value was only $2,500! The dealership didn't bother to tell David the car wasn't worth the original repair cost. TrustDALE will be contacting the dealership on David's behalf to inquire about their decision to hide the facts. In the meantime, we offer this as a cautionary tale from which we can all learn.
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation - Buddy Can You Spare a Tire? Roy bought a car that didn't have a spare-because the manufacturer discontinued spares! Watch, because this could happen to you!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from Ashantaki, who wants to know what recourse she has when her roadside emergency help provider is no-help. Click the video for the answer.
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is on discovering what you need to know from a seller who doesn't want to disclose what you need to know.
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? People who want immediate payment in full have a motive to not tell you what they know you'll soon discover.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? Hidden balloon payments, warranties that expire, these are examples of hidden "conditions" that make that offer too good to be true.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. People or companies you can't find after your purchase have perfected the art of "ghosting." Make certain you can find them before you pay them.
Define - Your deal by comparing Product, Offer and Price. Thorough shopping of multiple similar products will help you define the pros and cons of each, without having to depend on the honesty of the seller.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. If you feel your seller is NOT being transparent with the Ensure process, it's a good sign they're withholding information you should know
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS