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Hang Up on Telemarketing Fraud

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June 2003, updated March 2007

Telemarketing phone calls certainly annoy most consumers. But more important, many of these calls are designed to steal consumers' cash. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that telemarketing scams cost Americans more than $40 billion each year. In their surveys, the National Fraud Information Center found that the average individual loss in 2005 was $2,892, up from $1,174 in 2001. A little information and some commonsense tips can help you protect yourself and your family against these rip-offs.

Buyers Beware! Online Auction Fraud Tops Consumer Internet Complaints

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May 2003

On March 25, the National Consumers League's Internet Fraud Watch reported that the 36,802 Internet fraud complaints made to it in 2002 more than doubled the 2001 figure of 15,864. Consumer losses totaled over $14 million. Of these complaints, online auction fraud ranked #1, equaling 90% of all complaints and with losses totaling more than $13 million. In 2001, online auction complaints accounted for only 70% of Internet complaints.

“Quick Tax Refunds” What's Real? What's Really a Loan?

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Updated March 2008

You’ve seen similar ads and posters from income tax preparation services:

Quick Income Tax Refunds
Rapid Refunds
Instant Money from Tax Refunds
Get Your Tax Refund Money Today

Some check cashing services are also featuring similar promotions. And what about auto dealerships that urge you to use your refund for a down payment on a new vehicle or retail establishments who want you to put that refund toward new furniture, appliances, or entertainment centers? To help you do that, they’ll be happy to help you prepare and electronically file your taxes.

Zero! Zero! Zero! The Real Story

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Zero down! Zero interest! Zero payments for Six Months! It seems like everyone is jumping on the "zero" bandwagon these days! What can go wrong with a deal like that?

Just about everything. You need to know the facts, starting with the fact that these promotions, in my opinion, are some of the most deceptive and unfair I've seen in years. By using word games and by deliberately obscuring details, the promotions hurt unwary consumers' pocketbooks in big ways. Read the very fine print and you'll see this:

Handling Stress

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Economic hard times, a tense climate after September 11, and uncertain employment opportunities mean that most of us are fighting some degree of stress, frustration, anger, and even depression. If you've got kids, they're facing some of the same realities. But you are not entirely at the mercy of these emotions. The experts involved with the sites below all agree you're the boss when it comes to reacting to stress.

Stress Management Tools Available Online

Here are some powerful tools to help you deal with stress in the best ways possible:

Web Links

March 2010

Census Forms will soon be appearing in mailboxes. Check out the Census 2010 site for answers to questions, how the process works, and why the census is taken every 10 years.

1040 Central
Check out this section of the IRS website for tax law changes, tax fraud alerts, first-time homeowners credit, frequently asked questions, and much more.

Track down the best tax preparer
Looking for someone to prepare your taxes, then this article gives you tips on how to find the best one for your situation.

Watch Out! Here's what's not covered by the CARD Act
This article from Consumer Reports describes some practices that the CARD Act doesn't cover.

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