Three for Thursday 11.25.2021
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Do you seek conflict, avoid conflict, or find yourself in both camps? Many consumer-facing companies wish I could provide them with a filter that identifies conflict seekers so that they can decline their business or at least have a heads up. I must remind myself there are many forms of creative conflict; I wouldn't be in business if I didn't think I could have improved on the Yellow Pages model of contractor selection. The conflict seekers I want to avoid are those who are not willing or open to learning something they didn't know, which requires the ability to listen. My take is, most TrustDALE community members have decided life is too short, and they are far too busy to seek conflict on a purchase, so they trust our team to reduce or reduce the likelihood of conflict. Please tell your friends about TrustDALE and our Make It Right Guarantee. It really works!
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation - PPP Loan, NOT!
A convicted felon hangs out a shingle and claims he can get you a government loan, for a fee. Watch, because this could happen to you!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from Michelle, who wants to know why she received a loan offer for her long defunct business. Click the video for the answer.
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is on discovering whether the quasi-government sounding offer or threat is real.
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Virtually all government warnings and/or solicitations are in writing and carry confirmable content. Don't get frightened into giving money over the phone!
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? Real government-based warnings or solicitations come with verifiable content and do not promise something too good to be true. If the warning or solicitation you received does, it's likely fraud.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. It's not always easy to meet with the government entity that seeks your response, but it should be simple to prove its validity or existence. If it's not easy, be suspicious.
Define - Your deal by comparing Product, Offer and Price. The government is generally not in the business of competing with the private sector. Their offer or warning is what it is.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. With the rare exception of being able to negotiate a tax settlement or a guilty plea, don't expect a true government entity to negotiate.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. If the solicitation or warning doesn't come with a method to validate its intention, don't trust it. You can start by searching "fill in the blank, is this real?"
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. If the apparent government based document is suggesting you purchase something from a non-government entity, never fail to follow this step.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS