Thursday, December 30, 2010

Making Money Scams

If you're having a problem with a business, Consumer Ally can help. Write us at HelpMe@WalletPop.com.

Q. I was charged $1,200 by Debt Solutions of America with the promise that they would lower my house payment. Well they did -- It was $823 a month. Now it's $817. And I'm out $1,200. Is there anything I can to do to recoup my money?

Pamela StaheliA. Pamela, I really hate to hear about cases like yours. With all of the trouble in the housing market, companies like this are popping up more and more. They often call themselves foreclosure rescue or foreclosure relief services, and they promise big things: Lower your mortgage payments, cut them in half, save you thousands of dollars a year.

What they actually do is exactly what you could do on your own, or with the help of a good not-for-profit housing counselor: They help you gather and submit the paperwork needed to complete a loan modification as part of the Making Home Affordable program.

When we received your email, I did a search for the company so I could get in touch and see if we could recoup any of what you lost. What I found, unfortunately, is that this company is already out of business. I did manage to track down Chris Stover, the owner, and he was less than helpful. He said that in order to work with his company, you had to sign a contract that said, essentially, that there are no guarantees.

I know you've acknowledged that you did, in fact, sign this contract. Because the company is out of business -- Stover tells me it "just wasn't a profitable business to be in," although I'm sure you'd disagree -- going after a refund would probably be throwing good money after bad, according to Gerri Detweiler, a credit adviser for Credit.com.

Instead, she thinks you should file a complaint with your state attorney general's office and the Federal Trade Commission (you can do that here). I'd also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, which already has a file started on this company, with 10 complaints registered. You can add yours to the list here.

Now, if you're still struggling with your mortgage payments, and it sounds like you are, you should get in touch with a HUD-approved housing counselor. It's completely free, and they'll be able to outline what options are available to you at this point.

Finally, for others out there who are considering one of these services: It's not worth it. There are no quick fixes, and if someone asks you to pay for this kind of counseling service or help with a home modification or a delinquent mortgage, it's more than likely a scam. (As a side note, there are legitimate credit counseling services, which charge a small fee to help you pay down credit card and other debt. If that's what you're looking for, keep your search limited to members of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.) Whenever you're considering paying for a service of any kind -- debt settlement, credit counseling, even a new cell phone or cable plan -- you should thoroughly research the company, including verifying its rating and accreditation with the BBB.

Consumer Ally problem-solver Jean Chatzky is the "Today Show" financial adviser, a longtime financial journalist and best-selling author.

People blaming the government:

As all of us know that India is a democratic country. Democracy, in simple words, means Government by the people and for the people. This gives every Indian citizen to practice his/her rights and also to select the government by casting their votes. But here the main problem is that majority of people don’t cast their votes and when the government goes into the wrong people’s hands they start blaming the government. This is the main reason for the rising scams, prices and also the reason for the rich becoming richer and poor becoming poorer. May be one day will come when we have to buy a license to take birth in India!

These are the reasons which are favoring corruption in India. The youth has seen it all and wants to change the current situation of India. India is a really good country but as you may have heard that one rotten mango rotten the others in the basket too! The corrupt politicians are those rotten mangoes which are less in quantity but can cause destruction to the majority. This is called as misuse of power and authority. One of my very good friends gave me the idea to write on this topic. So, all credit goes to her for this article. I wish her all the best for life and being a big inspiration in my personal life. We both were discussing on the same topic and decided to work hard and change the face of India. I hope this article makes some difference. One day we, the energetic youth of India, WILL turn India into a golden country!

Jai Hind!

Small Business News: Small Biz Tech Primer

Technology is vastly changing the scope and reach of small business not only in the world of marketing but in all aspects of operating your venture. From tech.

Fox News, Hypocrisy, And “Politically Correct” Journalism

My earlier post about Megyn Kelly's absurd equation of illegal immigration and rape in a discussion about changes to the Associated Press Style Guide.

Kidney Donation Set as Condition of Miss. Sisters - AOL News

Gov. Haley Barbour has pardoned Gladys and Jamie Scott, who were each serving life sentences for an $11 armed robbery. But to be released, Gladys, 36, must donate a kidney to her 38-year-old sister, Jamie, who requires dialysis and ...

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Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Help Making Money

It looks like Shep Smith isn't the only person on Fox News that was shamed by Jon Stewart into getting a bit tougher on these Republicans for filibustering the first responders bill. Chris Wallace brought up Stewart's interview with first responders to Jon Kyl, and in response we just got more sorry excuses as to why he still would not support the bill.

Kyl Denies Health Care For 9/11 Rescue Workers Because He Doesn’t Want To ‘Hurry’:

Last week, an incensed Jon Stewart invited 9/11 first responders to the Daily Show to offer their thoughts on this callous behavior. “Disgusted” and “hurt” by their actions, the rescue workers admonished Republicans for using the holiday schedule and Senate process as an excuse to block desperately needed help. Recounting their criticism today, Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace asked Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) why he couldn’t “find a way to give these heroes peace of mind when it comes to health care.” Ignoring their emotional pleas, Kyl insisted that, while he didn’t want to deny care to those who desperately need it, he just refuses to do so “in a hurry”.

Kyl’s excuses fall flat in the face of fact. Any cries for more time ignore that both the Senate and House version of the Zadroga bill have been available to Kyl since 2009. If a year with the text wasn’t enough, Kyl was free to attend the bill’s June 2010 Senate hearing he insists never happened. Had he shown up, he would’ve learned that the bill is very clear on who is eligible for funding. First responders can pursue compensation established by the Zadroga bill to bolster any coverage already received from the current health fund set up in New York City.

As Jon Stewart pointed out earlier this week as well, after refusing to give these first responders health care, none of these birds should ever be allowed by our media to invoke 9-11 for political purposes ever again. Let's hope this thing gets passed despite the continued obstruction by the likes of Kyl and his fellow shameless Republican cohorts.

Transcript via Nexis Lexis.

WALLACE: Joining us now, two Senate leaders, the number two Democrat, Dick Durbin of Illinois, and his Republican counterpart, Jon Kyl of Arizona.

And, Senators, welcome back to "Fox News Sunday."

KYL: Thank you, Chris.

WALLACE: Senators, before we talk about issues that have gotten a lot of attention, I want to ask you about one that hasn't, and let me begin with you, Senator Kyl.

Will you vote this week for the 9/11 bill that would guarantee health care for the first responders who went to Ground Zero?

KYL: I don't know if that bill is going to come before us, but Dick tells me just a moment ago that he thinks that it will. First question is, is it amendable, or is it a take it or leave it proposition? The bill hasn't been through committee. There are problems with it.

And I think the first thing Republicans will ask is do we have a chance to fix any problems that may exist with it. And it's a lot of money, and so I -- my early response is that I am skeptical about that bill.

WALLACE: Senator Durbin, Republicans in addition to Senator Kyl say - - Republican critics say that you're creating a $7 billion entitlement, and that the way you pay for it is a corporate tax increase.

DURBIN: Chris, I can tell you that Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer have been working nonstop for the last several weeks with Republicans to try to find the best way to approach this. These first responders literally risked their lives when they went to Ground Zero. They came from all over the United States. And now many of them are struggling with health problems that are clearly directly related to that experience. To turn our backs on these brave people is the wrong thing to do.

Will it cost money? Yes. Is it the right thing to do? Yes. We've got to find a way to fund it that's acceptable to Republicans and Democrats.

WALLACE: Well, but let me ask you about that, Senator Durbin. If this 9/11 bill is so important, why is it that the Democratic- controlled Senate never held a vote on this bill until the lame duck session and that President Obama, the best we can tell, has never said a word about this bill in public?

DURBIN: I can't tell you where the White House stands. I hope they support it. I will just tell you this. This is like an airport that has a runway closed down. We have aircraft stacked up trying to land. We have bills stacked up over the Senate because of the nonstop filibusters that we faced this year.

I wish we could have done things more efficiently and more directly. But we've lurched from one 30-hour delay to another 30-hour delay to more Senate quorums. This Senate could be much more efficient. It should be. And it should be much more bipartisan than this.

WALLACE: Will this bill pass?

DURBIN: I think this bill will pass, and I do believe that Senators Gillibrand and Schumer are working night and day to make that happen.

WALLACE: Senator Kyl, one of your objections is -- he was blaming you for the filibusters. One of your objections is that Harry Reid put too many items on the agenda in this lame duck session.

I want to play what you said and then how one of the first responders who now has cancer reacted. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KYL: It is impossible to do all of the things that the majority leader laid out without doing -- frankly, without disrespecting the institution and without disrespecting one of the two holiest of holidays for Christians.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(UNKNOWN): I'm here to say that you won't find a single New York City firefighter who considers it a sign of disrespect to work in a New York City fire house on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

WALLACE: Senator, everyone -- everyone -- praises the first responders as heroes. You say you're skeptical about this bill. Why not find a way to give these heroes peace of mind when it comes to health care?

KYL: Well, first of all, they should have peace of mind when it comes to health care. The question is what and how.

And when you try to do it, as you said in your introduction, in a hurry, in the lame duck session, without a hearing, without understanding what the ramifications are and whether we can amend the bill, you're doing it in the worst way.

For example, there's already been a settlement for a lot of these people, a fund that has been set up for them to receive funding. Will the people that are supporting this legislation be able to participate in that fund? Nobody has been able to say. Why $7 billion? What will the requirements for qualification be for the money?

Nobody wants to deny care to people who -- and by the way, these are primarily people who helped to clean up the site in the aftermath of 9/11, and there weren't adequate precautions taken in some cases to deal with potential health issues. And to the extent that they've become ill, they do need to be taken care of.

It's one thing to make an emotional appeal, to say we need to care for somebody who did something good. It's another to do it in a sensible way. And that's all we're asking for. You bring it up in the lame duck session with no opportunity to amend it, and you're probably going to make bad legislation.

WALLACE: Let me move to...

KYL: All of this could have been done earlier, I might add.

While many people may mock the idea of accepting Facebook friend requests from strangers, that might be just what a long-term drug addict needs. An experiment being run in Amsterdam at the moment is exploring the idea.

Dutch branding agency Lemz has set up drug addict Monica with her own Facebook page. As she makes her way around the Dutch city she wears a bright blue jacket bearing text asking people to befriend her on the social network.

What can this possibly achieve? The idea is that by making friends online, Monica will be able to gain self confidence and new interests that will help inspire her to quit her addiction. On the page, Monica says “Don’t be afraid! If you decide to become my friend you will get an interesting peek into my daily life (with a maximum of two posts a day). I will NEVER ask for money or try to visit you in person. The only thing I will ask from you is your online friendship.”

Mark Woerde of Lemz tells us “It all started when a relative of mine started ikgebruik.nl to help junkies find their way to organisations of help. He asked me to help him to promote his site among drugs users. We soon found out that drugs users really wanted to help making this site a big success. Now the site ikgebruik.nl is run by drugs users, sharing their experiences and scaring of potential new users. What really struck me was that these drugs addicts by doing this felt like humans again. Especially when all news channels reported about this group of junkies now helping others.”

Now it’s hoped the Facebook idea will reaffirm Monica’s faith in humanity and that the idea could scale to more addicts in the city. “There are many many people out there who want to help others and you do not need 5000 friends per addict”, Woerde says.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Consumerist Budget Spreadsheet Balances Your Money, Encourages Your Nest Egg

Thursday, December 9, 2010