Three for Thursday 12.1.2022
Welcome to TrustDALE's Three For Thursday with Consumer Investigator Dale Cardwell.
Richard Belcher is retiring and that's bad for us. If you didn't know, Richard is the longtime investigative TV reporter with WSB. I learned so much from him, and admired his curiosity, courage, and fairness. I say we're in trouble because the generation of journalists that followed Richard are cut from the Entertainment Tonight cloth far more than the Sixty Minutes cloth. Richard did his homework, listened intently, and made certain he got it right. I happened to get a call today from a person who wanted to share an investigative story with me, and he asked who else he should share it with. There was several seconds of silence and then I said, "not sure, Richard Belcher just retired." We will sorely miss reporters who go to meetings, dig through documents, and hold powerful entities accountable. This is problematic in small towns where newspapers have disappeared. I'm not certain how this is all going to shake out, but I hope we find a substitute that's more accountable than social media, which is like buying your news from a clerk at the supermarket. God speed Richard.
Watch this Investigation
Today's investigation - Parking Boots. When Philip paid to park his car, he wasn't expecting to get the boot. Watch, because This Could Happen to You!
Ask Dale
Today's Ask Dale question comes from Peggy, who wants to know why she received an unsolicited package from Amazon. FInd out by watching the video!
Todays Lesson on how to be a Savvy Consumer!
Today's seven-point lesson is on what to do when you get a freebie you didn't order or pay for.
Fast - Do they want your money NOW? Receiving an unsolicited gift is almost always followed with a catch.
Funds - Is the investment required relevant to the promised payoff? Receiving something of substantial value in trade for a small fee (think pennies for a record club) is designed for you to lose in the end.
Found - A person who intends to rip you off will make certain he can't be found after he gets your money. Sometimes valuable commodities fall into your lap. You should try to find the rightful owner.
Define product, Offer and Price. Sometimes the unexpected gift isn't really an asset, but a burden.
Ensure - Your deal with an Ethical negotiation, an Equitable contract, and an Effective Guarantee. Receiving a gift without a commitment can be exciting, but watchout for the other shoe to fall.
Authenticate - Your deal by requesting References, checking reviews, and examining government and watchdog reports. Unsolicited gimmick gifts can usually be discovered via an internet search.
Legitimize - your deal by determining if the company has a business license, liability insurance and is Lawsuit and background checked. If it doesn't belong to you and it has value, its legitimate owner will likely want it back.
SCAMMERS BEWARE: SEASONED CONSUMER INVESTIGATOR DALE CARDWELL GIVES READERS A GAME PLAN TO AVOID RIP-OFFS