Financial data is easy target for scammers

From ConsumerAffairs.com

Scammers often target job-seekers because they are usually very likely to provide requested information. But law enforcement officials are warning job applicants about a recent scam in which criminals posing as employers ask for copies of their personal credit reports.

“Credit reports contain a wealth of background information about consumers, including social security numbers, summaries of bank and credit card accounts, employment history, current and previous addresses and other details that are extremely valuable to con artists,” said Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett. “Falling for Internet job schemes can be a double threat — leaving victims unemployed and struggling to untangle a web of financial problems caused by identity theft.”

“Corbett noted that con artists are using Internet postings and email messages to circulate ads for high paying part-time work as personal assistants, check processors and a variety of other work-at-home positions.

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~Sandy G.

Kumho Recalls Light Truck All-Terrain Tires

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Firestone Recalls FR380 Tires

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~Sandy G.

Lawsuit alleges expensive test not foolproof after all

By Jon Hood, ConsumerAffairs.com

A group of New York mothers is suing the manufacturer of an “infallibly accurate” fetus gender test, claiming that the product doesn’t live up to its hype.

The Baby Gender Mentor is advertised as giving “99.9% accurate” results as early as five weeks into a mother’s pregnancy.

According to the lawsuit, Acu-Gen Biolab, which manufactures the kit, referred to it in ads as “the gold standard for prenatal gender detection.” A website devoted to the test, www.babygendermentor.com, claims that the “early prenatal gender detection test is based on established qPCR technology that, when properly administered by a qualified laboratory, has been proven highly accurate in detecting targeted DNA markers.”

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~Sandy G.

Blue Cross ordered to pay for proven therapy

By Jon Hood, ConsumerAffairs.com

Blue Cross has settled a lawsuit brought by parents of children with autism, reimbursing them for the costs of therapy they had to pay out of their own pockets.

The suit, filed in Detroit, alleged that Blue Cross refused to pay for Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy for autistic children on the grounds that it was “experimental.”

Blue Cross policies exclude experimental therapies for a variety of conditions. The plaintiffs in the current suit, Johns v. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, argued that characterizing ABA as experimental was arbitrary, capricious, and possibly even illegal.

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~Sandy G.

Many suspect agency investigating NUTRO as well

By Lisa Wade McCormick, ConsumerAffairs.com

Pet owners who were informed of the Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) suspension of Evanger’s ability to sell pet food across state lines were relieved — and unsurprised — by the news.

News of the FDA’s crackdown confirmed dog owner Leslie K.’s suspicions about Evanger’s food — and federal authorities’ interest in the company.

“A special agent with the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) called me in May 2009 and wanted details of what happened to my dogs after they ate Evanger’s food,” the Tabernacle, New Jersey, woman told us. “He came out and said Evanger’s failed multiple inspections, and this was not a simple paperwork issue or something to do with an unimportant process. He said it was about ingredients and the manufacturing process and people are not getting what they pay for.”

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~Sandy G.

By Scott Allen, Mental_Floss.com

During difficult economic times, the cost of higher education leaves many students wondering if they can afford to go to college. For those who want to avoid being saddled with huge loans, the U.S. government offers one of the best deals around: Enroll at one of the five service academies tuition-free and receive free room and board. (And you thought the Grand Slam promotion at Denny’s was cool.) But if military service isn’t for you, here are eight other schools that offer tuition-free educations:

1. College of the Ozarks

 

Several schools share the “Linebacker U” and “Quarterback U” monikers in reference to the NFL talent that their college football programs produce, but the only “Hard Work U” is located in Point Lookout, Missouri. In 1973, a Wall Street Journal reporter bestowed that title on the College of the Ozarks, where students pay no tuition and work at least 15 hours a week at a campus work station. Jobs are taken seriously at the school of 1,400; students are graded on their work performance in addition to their academics.

2. Deep Springs College

 

Deep Springs is a two-year, all-male liberal arts college located on a cattle ranch and alfalfa farm in the Inyo-White Mountains of California’s High Desert. To get an idea of just how isolated the school is, consider the explanation for its policy forbidding smoking in any of the school’s buildings or near hay bales: “We’re 45 minutes from the nearest emergency services, so a fire could be disastrous.” Every student admitted – 10 to 15 per year – receives free tuition, room, and board, and works at least 20 hours a week on the ranch. The manual labor ranges from washing dishes to milking cows. Most students complete their degrees at prestigious four-year schools after leaving Deep Springs.

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~Sandy G.

By Matt Soniak, Mental_Floss.com

Have you ever wondered why that bottle of Poland Spring has a “drink by” date on it when common sense dictates that water doesn’t go bad? You can thank the great state of New Jersey.  A 1987 NJ state law required all food products sold there to display an expiration date of two years or less from the date of manufacture.

Labeling, separating and shipping batches of expiration-dated water to the Garden State seemed a little inefficient to bottled water producers, so most of them simply started giving every bottle a two-year expiration date, no matter where it was going.

Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has never established or suggested a limitation on the shelf life of bottled water as long as it’s produced in accordance with regulations and the bottle remains properly sealed. Makes sense, because it’s, you know…water. Even Dirty Jerz caught on to this fact and amended the law a few years ago. But the expiration date has been an industry norm for so long that many producers have just kept it on there.

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~Sandy G.

By Alonna Friedman, InStyle.com

Hair myths circulate like urban legends, but which horror stories are just hype? Before you toss your favorite shampoo or swear off color, separate fact from fiction.

1. True or False? Frequent Trims Make Your Hair Grow Faster

FALSE.   “Hair grows from the roots, not the tips,” says Michael Wright, senior research scientist at Nexxus Salon Hair Care. A trim removes split ends to prevent them from moving farther up the hair shaft, saving you from having to cut more to eliminate the damage. Keep your hair healthy in the first place with conditioning treatments and sun and heat protectors, says Saurabh Desai, principal scientist at Aveeno Nourish+.

2. True or False? Brushing Your Hair Often Makes It Healthier                                                                               

FALSE.   Brushing your hair 100 times before bed won’t make your hair look any better. In fact, it might make it look worse. “Over-brushing can dull hair by destroying the cuticle, as well as causing split ends and breakage,” says Desai. And using the wrong tool could further harm hair. In general, plastic and metal bristles can weaken the hair cuticle and cause damage or static and flyaways, so consider switching to a gentle brush with natural boar bristles. “Stick to just enough brushing to keep your hair from becoming tangled — the brush should be able to move through the hair with ease,” says N.Y.C. celebrity hairstylist Miok. For some, that might mean as little as a few strokes just once or twice a day.

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~Sandy G.

By Jada A. Graves, U.S. News & World Report

Knowing where to place your bets with a used car can be tricky. The horror stories are all too common — the pieced-together parts, the unexplained and unexpected sounds and smells, the bodies in the trunk …

Okay. Maybe the last one isn’t quite as common.

But buying used doesn’t have to be such a gamble if you do your research. There’s a wealth of online information available that can make it easier to avoid a lemon. With the federal government’s vehicle defect notices and J.D. Power and Associates’ reliability data the most common mechanical issues are all easy to trace. In addition, U.S. News’ used car listings make the search easier for the best used car options in your area.

But we’ve already done at that research to help you narrow down your choices. Check out our list of the best and worst used cars. Remember, while this list is a good start, all used cars are different. Before buying, make sure you give any used car — even one on our best list — a thorough inspection.

FOR COMPLETE STORY AND LIST OF BEST & WORST USED CARS, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

FDA acts to prevent repeated drug quality problems

From ConsumerAffairs.com

U.S. Marshals, acting at the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), have seized drug products manufactured by Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd., at the company’s Michigan facilities in Detroit, Farmington Hills, and Wixom. The seizure also includes ingredients held at these same facilities.

“The FDA is committed to taking enforcement action against firms that do not manufacture drugs in accordance with our good manufacturing practice requirements,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “Compliance with these standards prevents harm to the public.”

The move follows Caraco’s continued failure to meet the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practice requirements, which assure the quality of manufactured drugs, the agency said.

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~Sandy G.

From Kim Komando’s Tip Of The Day

Q.   I am at an age where orientation plays major tricks on my mind. At times, when I am done shopping, I’ve forgotten where I parked. Is there a GPS device that will help me find my car? This device needs to be very user-friendly and simple.   —Linda in Honolulu, listening on KHVH 830 AM

A.   We all need a little help finding our car from time to time. That’s true no matter our age.

If you already have a GPS unit, you should be set. Add a waypoint in the GPS unit before leaving your car. Take the GPS unit with you. To find your car, navigate to the waypoint.

The steps for adding a waypoint vary. Manually adding one every time you park can quickly become a hassle.

Some GPS units automatically add waypoints when removed from their mounts.

Garmin makes a number of GPS units with this feature. They start around $400. Look for units featuring Garmin Locate. I could not find a similar feature from other manufacturers.

You needn’t purchase a full-fledged GPS unit. There are GPS gadgets designed specifically to help you return to a location.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

***Please note:  I am not affiliated with Kim Komando or Komando.com in any way, nor am I receiving any compensation for this post.

~Sandy G.

DEWALT Recalls Framing Nailers

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Loyal Bedding Recalls Mattress

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PowerPlus Generators Recalled

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Crane Recalls Whirlpool Bath Tubs

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Black & Decker Spacemaker Coffeemakers

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Poseidon Besea Diving Wings Recalled

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Orangatang Skateboard Wheels Recalled

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~Sandy G.

Is this the most dangerous Wii accessory so far?

By Mike Smith, Yahoo! Games

Way back in 2006, there was a spate of media reports about new Wii owners damaging their TVs, prized furniture, elderly relatives and/or pets after losing their grip on a remote while playing Wii Sports Bowling. Nintendo, to its credit, took the problem in hand, first mailing out beefier remote wrist straps to all owners, then following that up with rubberized grips for even more security. But this bowling ball controller, from third-party firm CTA Digital, could take the cake.

Says the official web site: “This Wii peripheral is the first of its kind to be fashioned after an authentic bowling ball, turning your wii-mote into the optimum performance-enhancing accessory! To operate simply …plug the three holes with your fingers, as you would a bowling ball. Lastly, make sure to wear the wrist strap securely around your wrist, this will prevent the ball from accidently flying out of your hand…Even though holding and bowling the ball is so like-like[sic] to the actual sport, never, ever release the ball!!”

Uh, yeah. Nothing bad could ever come of this.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

Inoperable tumors almost disappear in three patients

From ConsumerAffairs.com

For years it’s been medicine’s Holy Grail — a cure for cancer. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic aren’t saying they’ve found it, but they think they may be getting close.

Two patients whose prostate cancer had been considered inoperable are now cancer-free, doctors say. The men were treated using an experimental drug therapy that was used in combination with standardized hormone treatment and radiation therapy.

The men were participating in a clinical trial of an immunotherapeutic agent called MDX-010 or ipilimumab. In these two cases, physicians say the approach initiated the death of a majority of cancer cells and caused the tumors to shrink dramatically, allowing surgery. In both cases, the aggressive tumors had grown well beyond the prostate into the abdominal areas.

FOR COMPLETE STORY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

~Sandy G.

Hucksters prey on those trading in cars for vouchers

From ConsumerAffairs.com

It should come as no surprise that as soon as the Senate passed “cash for clunkers” — legislation granting vouchers to people who trade in their gas-guzzlers for more fuel-efficient cars — a host of scam operations would pop up trying to profit off the bill.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is warning consumers to not be deceived by official-seeming sites such as “Cash For Clunkers Headquarters,” which claim to offer information on how to trade in your car. Sites that ask for personal information or offer a pre-registration opportunity should not be trusted, the agency said.

“There’s only one official site for the government, and that’s NHTSA’s CARS.gov website,” said NHTSA press officer Eric Bolton. “Folks should go there and not rely on “cash for clunkers” sites on the internet as they are not official.”

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~Sandy G.