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IRS E-mail Scam
Taxpayers have a lot to worry about, now scammers are adding to that list. A Houston couple fell victim to a phising scam recently. They had just filed their taxes electronically when they got an email claiming to be from the IRS. They opened the email and found they were due an extra $129.72. The followed the links that had the IRS logos on it and gave out Social Security, Debit Card, and PIN numbers. The next day they went down to the IRS office and learned the whole thing was a scam. The IRS NEVER contacts taxpayers by email and the agency will call your home or business either. If you get an email or phone call claiming to be from the IRS, go here to report it.
What are some good investing blogs?
With this market, what are some good investing blogs out there? Or blogs about money in general. Leave them below in the comments.
Stores' tricks to get you to spend
Don't get tricked into spending more money at the store. Here are some marketing tactics you should know about!
1. Avoid merchandise at the end of aisles because it's usually something the store wants to quickly move.
2. Don't fall for flashy sale signs or colorful price tags. This stuff may look like a bargain, but most of the time it's not.
3. Stores often place necessary items like milk and laundry detergent far away from the entrance so you must walk through aisles and aisles of other goods you may not need.
4. Just because stuff is in bins, doesn't mean it's on sale.
5. The most expensive and profitable items for a store are placed at eye level so be sure to search high and low for a better bargain.
6. Stores make price and size comparison difficult for shoppers, so be sure to carry a calculator.
7. The most profitable department is usually at the front. For pharmacies and department stores that is usually the cosmetic counter because these items have the highest mark up.
8. Just because items are priced at two for $4 or four for $11 doesn't mean you have to buy in bulk. Most stores will offer you the same discount for purchasing one item.
Free Tax Help
If you need help filing your taxes, help is available. Volunteers from AARP are trained by the IRS to lend a hand to people with their income tax returns.
Go to this web site to see when and where they'll be available.
http://www.houstonlibrary.org/about/news/20080101_taxhelp.html
If you have a strong background in finances you might want to consider lending a helping hand this tax season. The IRS volunteer income tax assistance program is looking for people to help those less fortunate to do basic tax returns for free. If you are interested, you can call 800-829-1040.
If you can handle the job yourself, this web site offers free filing on line.
2008 Houston Auto Show photos
The 2008 Houston Auto Show is going on and I took some pictures. I focused on the Texas Debuts and concept cars. Enjoy!
CLICK FOR 2008 Houston Auto Show photos
Texas Consumer Complaint Center at your service
It's been about a year since the student lawyers at the University of Houston started answering consumer complaints. In that time the Texas Consumer Complaint Center have helped more than 1,500 consumers and saved them more than 1 million dollars.
To get the student lawyers on your case, log onto their web site
Looking for ways to save on prescription drugs? From coupons to trial offers, there are ways to cut the costs. Try these web sites:
www.optimizerx.com/prescriptions.php
www.reduceprescriptioncosts.com
While the sites may have ways to save, some consumer groups worry patients will look only at the cost and not the side affects of drugs. They also say even with coupons, generics may be a better value.
Stop Catalogs and Credit Card Offers
From catalogs to pre-approved credit card offers, you can stop them all.
To get rid of unwanted catalogs, visit www.dmaconsumers.org
To say good bye to pre-approved credit card offers, go to www.optoutprescreen.com or call 888-567-8688.
Take a look at your credit report for free!
Go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com. Remember, you do not have to pay to see your credit report, however it will not include your credit score. Financial advisers suggest getting one report from each of the three credit reporting agencies, Trans Union, Experian, and Equifax. If you space the requests out you can look at your credit report every four months.
Property Tax Problem?
Thousands of Harris County home owners may still owe their property taxes, even if they have an escrow account. The record number of Property Tax protests is to blame for the late certification of tax bills for more than forty thousand Harris County home owners. Because of that, your mortgage company may not have gotten the tax bill yet. In some cases if the bill is not paid by January 31st, you could be responsible for late fees and penalties.
To see if your taxes have been paid, click here
Once on the Tax Assessor's web site, click on the link labeled "Property Tax", then "Search Current Year Tax".
Diamond Class Action Settlement
If you bought a diamond in the last 14 years, you could be getting money back. A lawsuit settlement involving the De Beers corporation sets aside more than $100,000,000 for consumers.
You can file a claim even if the diamond you bought is not a De Beers, and the diamond could be on a ring, necklace, watch, earring, cuff links, you name it.
To see the settlement terms and to file a claim, check out the following web site.
Buying your old gold, silver, and jewelry
If you have old gold, silver, beaded purses, jewelry, watches, and dental gold (yes, dental gold) you can turn it into cash. A company called Anderson, Carter, Tira, and Associates Estate Buyers is in town this week and on a buying spree. The company will pay cash for old or foreign coins, costume jewelry, and sterling silver. Appraisers are set up at the Hilton at 6780 Southwest Freeway. Before you take your goods, check out what similar things sell for on ebay, or take them to a collector for an evaluation. The appraisers do not buy everything, but tell us the hot selling items are gold and silver. The company is buying items from 9 a.m to 7 p.m. from January 9th to January 13th.
Good luck!
Medicare Help
If you or someone you love is on Medicare, a federal program could help them cut the cost of prescription drugs and co-pays. Gateway to Care is a non-profit agency that can help register seniors. If you are single and on Medicare you can not make more than $11,710 a year. Married seniors can not make more than $23,410 a year. One 87 year old told us the program helped cut the cost of one prescription from $50.00 to under $3.00. If you'd like to sign up, call Gateway to Care at 713-783-4616 (extension 260).
Will your TV stop working?
The digital conversion is a year away, are you ready? In 2009 the federal government is making TV stations switch to broadcasting digital signals exclusively. That means 42 million tv sets that receive only analog signals will go black. Consumers do have a few options. The cheapest is getting a digital tv converter box. They cost $50 to $70, but the government has a coupon program to help offset the cost. Go to www.dtv.gov to find out about the conversion process and to get the converter box coupon.
You can go out and buy a new tv, but make sure it has a digital tuner built in. Another option, buying a DVR with a digital tuner.
If you have cable or satellite, your service provider will continue providing a signal to your current tv so you need to do nothing.
Pure Weight Loss Closes
If you are a customer of Pure Weight Loss we have some bad news. The stores have closed across the country. Pure Weight Loss customers tell us they paid hundreds of dollars in advance for products and services and now wonder what to do next.
Pure Weight Loss has a web site with a toll free customer service number you can call. Some customers might get refunds, but clients can enroll in other weight loss plans without paying additional service fees.
When we asked a Pure Weight Loss spokesperson why the stores are closing we received the following statement:
“After 18 years of servicing customers’ weight control needs, Pure Weight Loss, Inc. will be closing on January 4, 2008. Fierce competition from the Internet, the introduction of Alli, the over-the-counter weight loss pill, and other commercial diet programs combined with a difficult economic environment have forced us to take this action. We will work diligently to provide our clients with the guidance they need to independently continue on their journey to weight loss and better health prior to our closing date. We want to thank all of our clients who have given us the opportunity to service them over the last 18 years.”
Power Bill Surprise
If you are a First Choice Power customer you may have gotten an unwelcome surprise with your December bill, extra charges. Customers were warned in a letter mailed out December 5th that a billing error had occurred the previous month. According to the letter, First Choice Power did not charge people the monthly "First Choice Power Residential Service Fee" in November. For one customer that fee is more than $300.00. Now that consumer has just 28 days to pay the error and the December power bill. According to state rules, when there is a billing error, power companies have up to six months to adjust bills. Additionally, customers only have to be given the time it took to find the error to pay it back. A First Choice Power spokesperson told us some customers may get more time to pay. Officials say customers who see the extra charge on their bill should call to see if they qualify for deferred payments. To keep this from happening to you, check your bill every month and compare it to previous bills. If you notice a missing fee call your power provider. Officials with the Texas Public Utility Commission say they do not know how often similar errors occur power companies are not required to report them. However you are required to pay the bill.
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