2008 - Volume 8 Issue 1

A Message from the Mayor
Automatic Debt Scam Alert
Alert to Dog Owners
Living Safely with Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
Foreclosures and Renters
Foreclosures and Owners
Senior Citizens and Reverse Mortgages
Shopping Tips

Dear Broward County Consumer:

This issue of The Educated Consumer contains a variety of valuable information for consumers, ranging from what foods you should never feed your dog to what action you should take if the property you are renting goes into foreclosure because the owner didn’t pay the mortgage. Shoppers will find several helpful tips for saving money, whether shopping online or at “bricks and mortar” stores.

Please keep in mind that the Broward County Consumer Affairs Division is always here to provide you with useful information and to answer your questions. An “educated consumer” is more than just a title, it is also our goal. You can call Consumer Affairs at 954-357-5350, or visit its Web site at www.broward.org/consumer.

The Federal Trade Commission warns that scam telemarketers have found yet another way to steal your money: by fraudulently obtaining your checking information to make unauthorized withdrawals from your account. So far, the operation begins when a consumer receives a postcard or telephone call saying they have won a free prize or they can qualify for a major credit card regardless of past credit problems. If you reply to the offer, one of the first questions you will be asked is: “Do you have a checking account?” If you answer yes, the scammer will then describe the offer in such glowing terms you won’t want to pass it up. The scammer will then ask for the numbers at the bottom of your check, sometimes saying the information is needed to see if you qualify for the offer. With these numbers, the scammer can create a “demand draft,” add an amount and the name of a payor, and present it to your bank. The bank does not need your signature to pay the draft, and you are usually not aware of the deduction until you read your statement. If that happens, call your bank immediately. A legitimate business asking for checking account information for a demand draft would by law have to disclose to you the date and amount on the draft, who will receive the payment and how many payments will be made. It would also have to obtain your authorization either in writing, by tape recording or by sending you a written confirmation before it debits your account.

To avoid becoming a victim of a scam like this, follow the same warning that applies to your credit card number: Do not give it our over the phone or on the internet unless you are familiar with the business involved and you agree to the payment. If the person soliciting the information says they need it for “verification” or “computer purposes,” just say no.

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The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center strongly urges pet owners to keep their dogs away from products advertised as “sugar free” which contain xylitol. That list includes sugar-free candy, gum, baked goods and other foods, plus toothpaste, breath mints and mouthwash. Dogs ingesting significant amounts of xylitol could develop a fairly sudden drop in blood sugar, resulting in depression, loss of coordination and seizures. These symptoms can develop immediately or as long as 12 hours later. The animals may also develop liver failure. If you suspect your dog has eaten a product containing xyilitol, seek veterinary treatment immediately.

Also, do not give your dog:
Alcoholic beverages
Animal fats or fatty foods
Avocado
Chocolate (in all forms)
Coffee (all forms)
Garlic
Macadamia nuts
Moldy or spoiled food
Onions/onion powder
Raisins and grapes
Salt
Yeast dough

Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFLs) are becoming more and more popular because they use up to 75 percent less energy, produce 75 percent less heat and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. In fact, CFL manufacturers on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Partners list must offer at least a two-year limited warranty that covers manufacturer defects.

But CFLs also have one important safety problem: When they break, the mercury vapor they contain escapes, and that poses a small risk of mercury poisoning to infants, young children and pregnant women. The bulbs require mercury to light up, although they use less than one percent of the amount found in old thermometers, and no mercury is emitted when they are lighted.

The danger of mercury poisoning was revealed in two recent studies by the states of Maine and Vermont that involved shattering more than 60 CFLs, then measuring the amount of mercury they left behind. In some cases, even after a cleanup was made (various methods were used), the levels of mercury vapor exceeded federal guidelines for chronic exposure by as much as 100 times. As a result, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made some revisions to their recommendations for what to do if one breaks. Further changes may be made after that agency conducts its own tests.

Here are some tips you may find helpful:

Use CFLs Carefully

To avoid breaking a CFL, hold onto the metal base (not the glass bulb) when you screw it into a lamp.

Don’t use CFLs in table lamps or anywhere else they may be bumped, especially by children or pets.

If a CFL Breaks

Immediately ventilate the room, then leave. All people and pets should be careful not to walk through the breakage area on their way out.

Everyone should stay out of the room for at least 15 minutes after the cleanup is finished. Shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system, if you have one.

Clean-Up Steps for Hard Surfaces

Do not use a vacuum or broom to clean up a broken bulb on hard surfaces. Instead, carefully sweep or scoop up glass fragments and powder using stiff paper or cardboard. Place the paper and fragments in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar) or in a sealed plastic bag.

Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place it in the jar or bag.

Wipe the area clean with damp paper towels or disposable wet wipes and also place them in the glass or bag.

Clean-up Steps for Carpeting or Rug

Carefully pick up glass fragments and place them in a glass jar with metal lid (such as a canning jar or in a sealed plastic bag. If possible, use a tweezers or a similar tool instead of your bare hands.

Use sticky tape, such as duct tape, to pick up any remaining small glass fragments and powder. Place the tape in the jar or bag.

Vacuum the area where the bulb was broken.

Remove the vacuum bag (or empty and wipe the canister), and put the bag or vacuum debris in a sealed plastic bag.

The next several times you vacuum, shut off the central forced-air heating/air conditioning system and open a window prior to vacuuming.

Keep the central heating/air conditioning system shut off and the window open for at least 15 minutes after vacuuming is completed.

Disposal of Clean-up Materials

Immediately place all cleanup materials outside in a trash container or outdoor protected area for the next regular trash pickup.

Wash your hands after disposing of the jars or plastic bags.

Recycling Burned Out CFLs

Don’t throw a burned out CFL bulb in the garbage, as the mercury can leach into the ground and groundwater. Take them to any of the three hazardous waste collection sites operated by Broward County. Two locations, at 5601 W. Hallandale Beach Blvd., West Park, and 2780 N. Powerline Road, Pompano Beach, are open Friday and Saturday from 8am-3pm. The collection site at 5490 Reese Rd., Davie is open only on Saturday, also from 8am-3pm. In the recycling process, the glass and metals in the bulbs are separated and sold to materials recyclers. The mercury vapor is converted to its liquid metal state and sent to processors to be used again. More information about CFLs is available at www.energystar.gov.

If you learn that the mortgage holder of property you are renting intends to terminate your lease, ask if you can negotiate a new lease once it acquires ownership of the property. If you receive a notice that the mortgage holder has already filed foreclosure proceedings in court because the owner has not paid the mortgage, send a written response to the court stating that you are a tenant. If you have a lease, include a copy. This way you will be informed of any action the court takes regarding the termination of your rental agreement

It is possible that the court will terminate your lease, even if it has not expired and you have not defaulted in any way on your rental obligations. You will most likely have several months advance notice of that action.

Whether you should pay your rent to the owner, the mortgage holder or the court should be discussed with an attorney. To find one, contact the Broward County Bar Association’s attorney referral service at www.browardbar.org or 954-764-8040.

Before you rent, check with Broward County Records Division to see if the property is in foreclosure proceedings. Those records can be accessed in person at 115 S. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, or online. Type in the owner’s name and select “Foreclosures."

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The Florida Attorney General’s Mortgage Fraud Task Force has filed lawsuits against several businesses and their owners, including three in Broward County, for their alleged roles in foreclosure rescue schemes. The deceptive operations defrauded numerous homeowners who were in the foreclosure process out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in home equity.

In March 2008, the Florida House of Representatives unanimously passed the Foreclosure Fraud Prevention Act. If passed by the Senate as it is now written, the proposed law will ensure that, among other things, homeowners are properly informed about their rights when they are signing a contract with a foreclosure rescue entity. It will also provide a three-day right of cancellation period that allows the consumer to cancel the agreement with the foreclosure rescuer.

Additional information about avoiding mortgage foreclosures and identifying common scams is available on the Attorney General’s website.