The Shop Cop - Jennifer Litwin

HOW THE CREDIT CARD ACT OF 2009 AFFECTS YOUR KIDS AND CHARGING

In February, the Credit Card Act of 2009 went into effect to limit a credit card’s ability to charge high interest rates and service fees.  Kids and especially kids in college were trapped with high balances and high interest rates.  Kids and credit cards have always been a risk to credit card companies, and to their parents, of course.

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Watch Twin Cities Live on ABC in Minneapolis where I talk about the best and worst in holiday gift returns this year. Many new return policies this year. Some stores are more lenient, while others are making their return policies more vague. If you need to make returns you won’t want to miss this show

This holiday season has been the first in years to have decent return policies across the board—well almost. If you’ve been wondering how long you have to return your holiday presents, policies have changed somewhat this year—more favorable to customers.

In an aggressive bid to win loyal shoppers, stores have pulled all the stops when it comes to returns this season.

BIGGEST TRENDS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

1. Vague return policies—need to really read the policy carefully, and even then, you may be missing some of the facts (Ex: Target and Victoria’s Secret).
2. Returns at store/department manager’s discretion: this policy hasn’t been in place for more than a decade
3. Receipts not crucial in many stores (Target, Macy’s)
4. Extended time for returns; now 90-120 (Target- 90 days) days instead of 14-30, with the exception of electronics/games (14 days the norm, and restocking fees after that)
5. Stores are not locking into return policies—Policies are changing all the time—even after the holidays, allowing flexibility for the stores; a wait and see approach. Good and bad.
6. Tracking the number of returns—Wal-Mart, Target—could hurt your chances for a refund.

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WORK-AT-HOME MOMS: GET SCAM-FREE JOBS

Just what you’ve always wanted: the chance to work at home and still be part of your children’s lives. Millions of mothers are trying to get jobs from home, and the most likely place for them to look is on the internet. Once again, the problem of internet scams. 6 million moms have been scammed trying to work from home. These scams used to appear more on billboards, but with the popularity of the internet rising, people are finding it easier to job search right from their own computer.

TYPES OF SCAMS–USUALLY FEE-BASED:

1. Administrative–Example: stuffing envelopes, doing crafty things that everyone is qualified to do, where you are promised a good hourly wage, of say, $20/hour. Another example is with medical transcripts—companies make you buy software that isn’t usable. Don’t let the greed factor take over. Watch for overuse of capitalized letters. Scam:  After completing several hours of work you are told the work was not up to the employer’s standards.
2. Tracking UPS and FedEx packages: This is supposedly for companies that don’t have time to track packages. They hire you, agreeing to pay you between $50-75/hr to track their packages. If the promised delivery time is even off by 1 minute, those shipping companies are supposed to credit you the shipping charges. Spam. Make you believe you will be working with these “name brand companies”, which are usually not part of these scams. Scam: You have to buy the software for around $100 to do this, but more importantly, FedEx and UPS are not affiliated with any of these programs. This software does not work within those companies’ systems and is ILLEGAL to use. Be careful when paying with PayPal.

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The recession has hurt many retailers, of course. But are you willing to do what it takes to strike the best deal possible for yourself and family? With inflation figures up, what are retailers willing to do in the way of lowering prices? Did you know that 90% of you who haggle will get a discounted price? That figure is staggering. Stores like Macy’s, Target, and Room & Board are stepping up to the plate to catch every possible shopper. How can you make sure you are leaving no stones unturned when shopping for anything right now?

HERE’S HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY HAGGLE IN THIS MARKET:

As featured on ABC7 Chicago.

With the real estate market being slow right now, you may be considering some home improvements. But beware of the scams and the contractors you allow to work on your home!

We can all relate to hiring the wrong contractor for our homes, the most intimate place that belongs to us. Getting recourse is very difficult and proving fault is not easy.

MOST COMMON SCAMS

1. Asking for $ upfront for supplies, but never finishes the job.
2. Bill at the end is higher than originally agreed upon.
3. Doesn’t provide a written contract.
4. Doesn’t provide in warranty or quote a list of materials/brand names to be used.
5. Telling you that your repair issue is urgent so you won’t get other (possibly less expensive) quotes.
6. Claiming the material you are buying is more expensive than the advertised price b/c it is custom.
7. Not getting building permit before work begins.
8. Demanding final payment before contractor pays subs/suppliers.

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According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, hundreds of everyday items found in the home will be recalled just this year alone. How do you know if any of these products are in your home? What do you do if you do own a product that has been recalled? What popular products have been recalled in the past year?

These are important questions that “Shop Cop” and consumer reporter Jennifer Litwin is helping consumers answer to insure that their homes are as safe as possible. She offers these tips:

• Before making a major household purchase, check out the Consumer Product Safety Commission website to be sure that this item has not been recalled.
• If you find that you do own a product on the recall list, contact the manufacturer immediately and have your product identification number handy when calling.
• Register for all product warranties immediately. This is also how a manufacturer can get in touch with you if the product is recalled.
• For major ticket purchases or more expensive children’s toys, look up the name of the manufacturer before buying the item.

Following are some popular products that have been recalled recently, along with suggestions:

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