Departments

Community Services

Consumer Protection

Consumer Protection: Advice from The Bucks County Consumer Advocates

February 2007

Q.   I have been renting the same house for the last twelve years.  My landlord and I have always gotten along until a couple of weeks ago.  When we had all that snow I found that the roof was leaking over my bedroom.  I was away on vacation and when I got back I noticed that my mattress was soaked and is ruined along with some of my clothes and shoes.  I contacted him to try and get him to pay for the damage done to my personal belongings.  He said that he fixed the roof and that is all he is responsible for.  He said that my personal belongings are my problems.  Isn’t he responsible for reimbursing me for the damage done by his roof leaking?  H.S., Bristol         

A.   No, your landlord is only responsible for the structure of the house and you had stated that he fixed the roof.  Unfortunately you are responsible for your personal belongings.  That is why it is important for anyone who is renting to have renter’s insurance.  Consumers should contact several insurance companies and get quotes to fit your needs.  Consumers can contact Bucks County Consumer Protection at 1-800-942-2669 to get a free brochure on Renter’s Insurance.      

Q.  This may be a stupid question, but is there anything I can do to stop spam email?  I keep getting emails requesting personal information.  P. W., Warrington

A.  Not a stupid question at all.  Emails can contain viruses that can damage your computer’s ability to function.  Some can even access your machine and create havoc for users.  Many Internet providers have established policies for spam.  Some fraudulent emails ask you to go to a link and then ask you for specific information.  All these tactics are called phishing scams.  Most claim to be from a business you deal with or have had some dealing with.  They generally ask you to submit billing information and Social Security numbers for your accounts.  If you do what they ask, it’s possible you could end up a victim of identity theft.  The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) asks consumers to send spam to spam@uce.gov.  The Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office also has an online complaint form for spam and junk faxes.  Their website is www.attorneygeneral.gov. 

Q.   I had some electrical work done several months ago.  The company charged me $1900.00 for the work that was done.  Just recently I was having more work done and chose a different electrician to do the work.  While he was here , we were talking about the first job that was done.  He told me that the other electrician overcharged me.  He said it should have only cost me about $1,000.00.  Shouldn’t I be entitled to get some kind of reimbursement?  R.L., Bristol

A.   You would not be entitled to seek a reimbursement because someone else said that the job could have been done cheaper.  Once you hire a contractor to do work, you are consenting to his fee.  It is very important to get several estimates for the work you are having done.  Make sure all estimates are based on the same specifications.  For free brochures with advice about choosing the right contractor for home improvements, contact Bucks County Consumer Protection at 1-800-942-2669.

Q.   I received a letter from a company in Florida that said I was entitled to a government grant.  It stated that for $69 I could get grant information.  I figure this is a scam and thought other people should know.  C.H., Newtown

A.   You bet.  The government does not call or send unsolicited letters or emails to offer grants. Most are outright scams and can lead to identity theft or financial loss.  Consumers need to be on guard and not get fooled by a scammer who uses an official name or title for themselves or the company they represent.  Government grants never require a fee of any kind. They do require an application process.  The application process is in never conducted on the phone or through an email.  Grants are made for specific purposes and usually awarded to municipalities, states schools, and nonprofit organizations.  Individual grants are typically for things like disaster relief or college cost.  There are legitimate resources for grant applications.  For information about a wide variety of state and federal programs check out www.govbenefits.gov  or call 800-333-4636, www.fafsa.ed.gov at 800-433-3243.  They have information and applications for student financial aid programs.

Q.  I do not know if there is anything we can do.  My father applied for a loan online from a company called Lincoln Fidelity Group based out of Pittsburgh.  According to my dad he was told to wire $1500 to the company’s Canadian office for insurance cost.  He did as instructed and that was two months ago.  He just shared this with me.  What can we do?  R.P., Levittown

A. The Internet can be such a great resource and at the very same time be used to scam so many folks.  The Pennsylvania Department of Banking requires all lenders and brokers for loan companies to be licensed by the state.  This company is not, and does not physically exist in Pittsburgh.  The website looked real but the company is not.  Canada is often used for advanced fee loan scams.  Consumers should never pay any fee in advance to procure a legitimate loan.  Your father should file a police report and put a fraud alert on his credit file.  The form he filled out contained plenty of information that could be used at a later date for identity theft.  Your father may also qualify for some type of assistance from the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) at 800-675-6900.  Have your father call our office and we can direct him through this problem.  Consumers should always check with the Department of Banking at 1-800-722-2657 to verify a lender and should never have to pay a fee upfront for any legitimate loan.

Q.  I have rented the house that I live in for nine years.  It is starting to look shabby and I wanted some repairs done.  The rug in the living room is threadbare and the rooms haven’t been painted since before I moved in.  I asked the landlord several times to paint the walls and replace the rug and he’s refused.  Do I have any rights to make him do these repairs? J.I., Levittown

A. No.  There are no laws that would force a landlord to do cosmetic repairs to a rental property.  If a tenant wants to do any cosmetic repairs to a rental property, make sure the landlord agrees to the specific work that will be done.  Make sure the agreement is in writing and kept with the rest of the rental papers until after the move out and the security deposit has been returned.       

Q. My wife and I are going to shop around for a new insurer for our home and auto.  We had to put a claim in a few years ago and were disgusted with the way our insurance handled everything.  We knew we could not switch right away, due to the claim.  We know insurers use credit reports for part of the premium.  Is there any other report that would show property loss or damage and how that affects our overall insurance score?  J.D., Warrington

A. Most consumers know they are entitled to a free copy of their credit report once a year.  In addition to the three big credit bureaus, several nationwide credit bureaus sell other forms of reports that include insurance, medical reports etc. These specialty credit bureaus as they are called must also give consumers a free copy of their data.  The two largest for insurance history are ISO and Choice Point Clue.   Choice Point Clue has an auto and homeowners history report.  To get a report, consumers can call 866-312-8076.  They do require specific information such as Social Security number, driver’s license number and address.  If you have not had a loss in the last five years they will not have a report.  ISO is another bureau that operates the A-Plus Auto and Property Database.  Their number is 800-627-3487 and their requirements are similar to Clue.  These reports, along with your credit score, driving record, claims and other information from the type of vehicle or home to fire and theft alarms all play a role in your premium. 

Q.  I purchased a living room set through a promotion.  This promotion stated that I would have until the beginning of the year to pay with no interest.  I had almost the whole set paid off when I received a statement in the mail with all the interest tack on from the original amount.  I know that I went one month over the time frame but shouldn’t the interest only be for what is left of my balance, not for the full price of my set?  J.T., Bristol        

A.  The promotion that you refer to was a six months same as cash promotion.  This promotion allows you to spread out the payments for your purchase.  But, the no-interest period was also your deadline for your payments.  The finance agreement that you signed states that you had six months to pay in full.  Failing to do so obligated you to pay all interest retroactive to the purchase date.  Consumers should read and understand        all the terms and conditions of the promotion before the agreement is signed.  The “same as cash” promotions can be a deal if you know that you can pay off the balance in time.  It is no longer a deal in the end if you have to pay all the interest.  Usually, the interest rates for these types of promotions are extremely high.

Alert:
The last three weeks we have seen a number of fraudulent calls being made to Bucks County residents. Our office would like to remind all our readers that all calls to your home should be looked at with caution. There have been calls made by supposed government agencies like Social Security, Medicare, and Grant Offices. If you get a call like this ask questions and do not give the caller any information. Hang up and call the agency yourself with a number that you know is legitimate. Rarely do government agencies call consumers directly. Most official notification comes via mail. Unfortunately the mail also brings the second area of problems that we are seeing. Bogus lotteries and fake checks are increasing at an alarming rate. Even though we have warned people against these scams they continue to get victims. These lotteries are all bogus and consumers need to throw them in the trash. If you get any mail referring to a lottery winning do not respond. If you respond you will get someone who will direct you to wire money for a number of fees or bogus taxes. Some even send checks to cover the costs, they look real but they are counterfeit and if you deposit them in your account they will bounce. Your bank will hold you personally liable for the check. The reality is that consumers are falling victim to these scams and are left with no money and no recourse. It is almost impossible to track these scammers down. We are asking everyone to use caution when responding to calls, emails and postal deliveries. We are certainly not trying to scare anyone but the fact is people are continuing to fall victim. If you or someone you know encounters something you feel is not real, please call our office.

Q. I received something in the mail to help with debt consolidation. My bills were stacking up to the point that I knew I needed help. I contacted this consolidation company and signed a contract with them. It turns out that they do not pay off the debt up front, but pay with the payments that I send. I have sent three payments of $275.00 each, but the companies that I owe are saying they have not received any money. I have not received anything from the consolidation company concerning my payments. This company is in Florida so I cannot go there to find out what is going on. What can I do? K.R., Bristol

A. Stop sending the company your money. Troubleshooter read over your contract. There has been no reduction in your interest rates, or late/over the limit fees. You are paying this company $45.00 a month to pay your bills, which you could do yourself, and the fact that they have not even made a payment is worse. Many credit-counseling companies are for profit and do not have your interest in mind. Consumer Protection asked you to write a letter to this company to say that you would not send another payment. The letter also stated that the three payments you made should be sent to your creditors or refunded to you immediately. There are credit counseling services right in this area where you can go and see who you are dealing with, not someone in Florida you dealt with over the phone or by fax. Why give your money to someone you never met. Contact Bucks County Consumer Protection at 1-800-942-2669 for information about credit counseling agencies in the area.

Department of Consumer Protection /
Weights and Measures
Michael D. Bannon
Director
50 North Main Street
Doylestown, PA 18901
Phone: 215-348-7442
Fax: 215-348-4570
Canny Consumer Hotline 1-800-942-2669