Don’t Fall For Fake Check Scams
I understand that we are all tempted by the possibility to get rich quick or to get something for nothing but please, DO NOT cash a check and wire some of the money to someone else. Recently a collection of banks, creditors, associations and the USPS have banded together for an awesome PSA campaign about check scams. The campaign revolves around fakechecks.org where there are a collection of videos, quizes and information regarding check scams.
I found fakechecks.org through a commercial during primetimeTV a few weeks ago, it is embedded below.
I think this campaign is very worthwhile endeavor. I wish the various banks and creditors behind this would get together and work to educate consumers about credit in general. I think everyone could use more information about the risks of credit and clearer rules and fee structures wouldn’t hurt either.
Defining a Market Driven Company
This isn’t a normal blog post but rather me sharing a paper I recently wrote to describe to a superior what it means to be a ‘Market Driven’ company. It is a long read but I think the information is applicable to many people regardless of title or position in a company.
Defining a Market Driven Company:
Describing Characteristics of Market Driven Companies for Your Superiors
Colgate has declared, “Our mission is to find needs and fill them, not make products and sell them” (Day, 1999, p. 8 ). These words and similar slogans are often used by companies to emphasize and reassure the customers and employees that the company is market driven and customer centric. Unfortunately these slogans are just words and being a “Market Driven” company means and takes much more than regurgitating the CEO’s PR gem of the month. In order for a company to be market driven it is important for the whole company to be on board and actively seeking to remain market driven. The culture of a market driven company is an ongoing effort on several fronts including relationships, exchanges, internal knowledge and competitors.
Maxed Out: Credit Card Industry Expose
Maxed Out is a new documentary out by James Spurlock, which details the credit card industry and the current state of debt in the US. I hope to see the documentary but it looks like it may be a while until it gets to either a theatre near me or to DVD.
The following is a excerpt from the synopsis.
Maxed Out examines an industry that thrives on making people fail, then pursues them relentlessly to death’s door. The film features a shocking interview with Bob and Chris—two idealistic entrepreneurs from Minneapolis whose “People First Recoveries” is buying bad debt all over the country in the hopes of huge profits. They’re going to make “People First” a big success by being shockingly duplicitous. To get psyched up, Chris and Bob imagine themselves as “debt pirates”, wrestlers and professional football players. The personal information at their disposal and the ways in which they are allowed to use it—calling people’s neighbors and relatives to humiliate them into paying, for example—are nothing short of terrifying for us, fun for them.
You can check out more about the film or find a viewing near you at MaxedOutMovie.com
Extreme Money Saving: Rafting 101
Some fellow from Canada decided to try and raft into the US to save money paying his credit card bill. The charge he was tyring to avoid is levied by his card issuer for mailing a payment from Canada.
He is facing charges of illegally trying to enter the U.S. after he tried to cross a river on a rubber raft, in the middle of the night, in extremely cold temperatures. He says he was just trying to pay his credit card bill in person, because he gets charged an $85 fee if he mails the payment from Canada to the U.S.
The individual rafted to the US rather than taking a nearby bridge due to a past legal dispute with Canada. This man is extremely frugal!
This reminds me of the insane fees many card issuers charge card holders for using thier cards outside the US as previously covered on Boing Boing – Foreign Transaction Fee.
Rafting into the US to save $85 on a Credit Card Bill
Great Info For Renters
Dumb Little Man has picked up on an article from MSNBC.com about 15 common renter’s rights. The list includes a lot of useful info my highlights are below.
- Many states limit the amount landlords can charge for security deposits. (See this page on Nolo.com to find out if yours is one of them.)
- A landlord should make necessary repairs and perform maintenance tasks in a timely fashion, or include a provision in the lease stating that tenants can order repairs and deduct the cost from rent.
- If a landlord has violated important terms related to health, safety, or necessary repairs, you might have a legal right to break your lease.
- ost states require landlords to return refundable portions of a security deposit within 14 to 30 days after the tenant has vacated the premises, even in the case of eviction.
- Damage or security deposits are not deductible for “normal wear and tear.” Some states require that a landlord give an itemized report of any deductions.
The Rest are also well worth your time.
One other piece of advice I have is to see if your landlord partners with a bond company for a deposit. We paid a $89 non refundable fee which bonded our apartment rather than handing over $600 for the apartment owner to make money on.
MSNBC includes some other relevant info on renting.
The Consumerist also has some good articles for renters.
How to Renew Your lease at the same rate
We will be renewing in May/June so I will keep you up to date on how that goes from a financial point.
Josh Smith is a blogger, database manager and adjunct professor of business and technology. 
