Common Fraud Complaints

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The FTC issued its report on common complaints.
https://www.ftc.gov/policy/reports/policy-reports/commission-staff-reports/consumer-sentinel-network-data-book-2017/top-ten-fraud-categories-id-other

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2018/03/ftc-releases-annual-summary-complaints-reported-consumers

Sometimes victims may be able to obtain recovery from the perpetrator or others. We provide a free consultation on fraud claims.

TOP 10 FRAUD CATEGORIES

RANK	CATEGORY	# OF REPORTS	% REPORTING $ LOSS	TOTAL AMOUNT LOSS	MEDIAN $ LOSS
1	Imposter Scams	347,829	19%	$328M	$500
2	Telephone and Mobile Services	149,578	4%	$17M	$223
3	Prizes, Sweepstakes and Lotteries	142,870	9%	$95M	$511
4	Shop-at-Home and Catalog Sales	126,387	58%	$94M	$261
5	Internet Services	45,093	14%	$19M	$183
6	Foreign Money Offers & Counterfeit Check Scams	31,980	33%	$34M	$1,008
7	Travel, Vacations, and Timeshare Plans	22,264	18%	$38M	$1,710
8	Business and Job Opportunities	18,702	34%	$47M	$1,063
9	Advance Payments for Credit Services	17,762	74%	$15M	$318
10	Health Care	10,321	8%	$1M	$175

Call or email us for a Free Consultation.

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July 2, 2018 0

CABLE COMPANY OVERCHARGES

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When you get promised one rate and charged another, it’s frustrating. When it happens to thousands of customers getting service from the same company all at once, it’s probably a sign of a systematic problem. And one report now says thousands of AT&T and DirecTV customers have been complaining about exactly that for years.
When CBS News went digging, it found more than 4,000 complaints against AT&T and DirecTV (the two merged in 2015) over the last two years relating to overcharges, deals, and promotional pricing gone awry.
https://www.consumerreports.org/consumerist/att-directv-reportedly-overcharged-thousands-of-customers/

If you have been deceived by your cable company, you may be entitled to compensation.

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June 28, 2018 0

OVERCHARGE CLASS ACTION

Are you getting fleeced on appraisal charges when you buy a house or refinance? Could you be paying as much as double what the appraiser is receiving for actually doing the work, with the excess going to an undisclosed third party? Many appraisers say yes. And they’re eager to let consumers know that when the appraisal charge is $500 or $800 or $1,000, they’re frequently being paid just a fraction of that. The rest is going to an “appraisal management” company under contract with the lender to oversee the appraisal process. Management companies hire the appraiser, negotiate fees, review the appraisal and send it to the lender. Management companies often select appraisers willing to work for relatively low fees. In exchange, they make assignments available to appraisers that they might not otherwise receive. Controversy arises when management companies add 35 to 50 percent surcharges — or more — onto the final bill to the consumer.

Have you been overcharged for goods or services. Call (973) 598-1980 for a
Free Consultation

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June 28, 2018 0

Deceptive Billing Practices

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Many consumers find that businesses have charged more than promised. Calls may result in evasive or unresponsive answers. Our office handled such claims on class and individual basis, seeking to obtain reimbursement or damages and prevent fraud.
One consumer publication summarizes the law:

“Unscrupulous businesses can increase their income by concealing unauthorized charges amid legitimate charges in their bills. Many consumers will trust the company to bill properly, and pay the bill without questioning its amount. Billing for charges is
{sometimes} an implicit representation that the creditor is lawfully entitled to the charges. Including incorrect charges in a bill is a UDAP violation. Billing charges to a credit card without the consumer’s consent is unfair and deceptive. Mislabeling a fee on a bill in order to disguise its nature or suggest that it is required by the government can be deceptive. ”

https://library.nclc.org 5.7.7 Deceptive Billing Practices.

Demanding payment for a phony service may be an unfair act and violation of state deceptive practice or consumer fraud laws. a UDAP violation. A number of courts have recognized that purporting to charge a consumer for a tax that the seller does not in fact pass on to the taxing authority is deceptive, but some courts have held that under state law the consumer’s only claim is against the taxing authority. Stating an earlier due date than the actual deadline, in order to obtain premature payments and earn interest on them, may be deceptive. But a California court held that it was not a UDAP violation for a hospital to bill a patient without disclosing that it provided a discount for prompt payment.
https://library.nclc.org 5.7.7 Deceptive Billing Practices.

Cases and circumstances may vary.

CALL (973) 598-1980 for a Free Consultation on your Deceptive Billing Practices Claim

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June 25, 2017 0

TOWING OVERCHARGES CLASS ACTION

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A number of cities have found overcharges by towing companies. Here is a report from an Ohio investigation.

“It sparked outrage from consumers, so they turned to 10TV to help. Now, a resolution to a towing overcharge case that could impact thousands of central Ohioans. For years, towing companies in Ohio charged customers additional fees for tows and storage costs. However, it may have gone for even longer, attorneys say, if not for some fed up consumers who felt they were being ripped off. “They had to be stopped,” says consumer Bill McCartney. “Hit them in their pocket books.”

Under Ohio law, the rate a towing company can charge is set by statute and can’t be increased unless lawmakers allow it. So when consumers noticed their towing bill was more than the standard $90 tow, they joined a class action lawsuit claiming they were over-billed. On Tuesday, a settlement was reached between two of Columbus’ largest towing companies: Shamrock Towing and Camcar Towing. ..

Under a settlement, the towing companies will have to payback consumers. Now, anyone whose car was towed between September 2008 and July 2014 qualifies – if their tow exceeded $90 and the $12 a day storage fee.” 10TV.com.

Our office is investigating claims of towing overcharge. Call for a free consultation.

May 24, 2017 1

Utility and Advertising Overcharges,

Have you been promised one price in an advertisement or solicitation and found that you have been charged significantly more. Our office is handling claims involving Verizon, cable companies and other entities. Have you been solicited by a telemarketer for a promising plan, but found something different when you signed.

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Call (973) 598-1980 for a Free Consultation.

January 26, 2017 0