Desert Messenger

March 16, 2016 www.DesertMessenger.com 9 • Birth • Obituary • Anniversary Place it FREE in the: Desert Messenger! 928-916-4235 Got something to share? C & B LOCK & KEY Betty Crenshaw CML Owner 41 Years Experience 928-927-6589 MOBILE SERVICE ONLY RVS AUTOS KEYLESS ENTRY MOTORCYCLES KEYLESS ENTRY REMOTES SAFES OPENED COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL Bonded - Insured BLM Approved Serving Quartzsite and Surrounding Areas Dave's DIESEL DIAGNOSTIC SERVICE David Atherton 605-999-0720 • Pat Atherton 816-797-5460 Located at Quartzsite Marketplace 50 E. Kuehn WELDING & FABRICATING SERVICES Mobile Shop - Machine Shop Services - Hydraulic Hose Repair - PHOENIX - In recognition of Ari- zona Consumer Protection Week, Attorney General Mark Brnovich released a list of the 2015 Top Con- sumer Fraud Complaints reported in Arizona. More than 16,000 Ari- zonans filed consumer complaints in 2015. The Arizona Attorney Gen- eral's Office distributed more than $3.1 million dollars in restitution for approximately 9,900 victims of consumer fraud last year. Arizona Consumer Protection Week is held in conjunction with National Con- sumer Protection week, a nationwide campaign that promotes consumer education and scam awareness. "Every week is consumer protec- tion week at the Arizona Attorney General's Office," said Attorney General Mark Brnovich. "The most important way to protect your fam- ily from crooks, scammers, and con-artists is education." AZAG 2015 Top Consumer Fraud Complaints: 1. Used Motor Vehicle Sales and Rentals 2. Telephone Scams 3. Telemarketing and Business Op- portunity Fraud 4. Mortgages & Loan Modification 5. Motor Vehicle Repairs Motor vehicle related complaints topped the Attorney General's list for the third year in a row. In 2015, the Attorney General's Office filed Consumer Fraud Lawsuits against a number of auto shop business in- cluding Prieto's Auto Sales and Un- cle Joe's Auto Sales, both businesses agreed to shut down. The Attorney General's Office also conducted un- dercover auto stings that revealed deceptive repair practices leading to Consumer Fraud Lawsuits. Telephone scams jumped to number two on the list. In the typical scam, individuals posing as IRS represen- tatives called consumers and falsely claimed that back taxes are owed and threatened to arrest victims. One of the best ways consumers can protect themselves against con- sumer scams is through education and independent research. Attorney General Brnovich offers these tips to avoid the most com- mon scams: Motor Vehicle Sales/Repairs • Ask for car repair shop recom- mendations from people you trust. Also, check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there are any com- plaints against the repair shop. • Get a written, signed estimate be- fore any work is done. The estimate should identify the problem to be repaired, the parts needed and the anticipated labor charge. • Determine the value of the vehicle before you negotiate the purchase price. Check the National Automobile Dealers Association's (NADA) Guides, Edmunds, and Kelley Blue Book. • Before buying a vehicle, hire a trusted mechanic to inspect and test drive the car. • Always read a contract before signing. Telephone Scams/ Telemarketing Fraud • Hang up on telephone scammers. They will try to prey on anyone who answers a telephone. • Resist pressure to make a decision immediately. • Keep your credit card, checking account, or Social Security numbers to yourself. Don't tell them to call- ers you don't know — even if they ask you to "confirm" this informa- tion. That's a trick. • Sign up for the DO NOT CALL reg- istry. You can register your home or cellphone number either online at www.donotcall.gov (link is exter- nal) or using the FTC's toll number at (888) 382-1222. For more consumer protection tips visit the Arizona Attorney General's Office website at www.azag.gov. If you believe you have been the victim of consumer fraud, please contact the Attorney General's Of- fice in Phoenix at (602) 542-5763, in Tucson at (520) 628-6504, or outside the metro areas at (800) 352-8431. Bilingual consumer pro- tection staff is available to assist. Consumers can also file complaints online by visiting the Attorney Gen- eral's website at https://www.azag. gov/complaints/consumer. Consumer fraud Quartzsite Elementary School (QES) District #4 has three open- ings for the November election. The terms for Board Members Danielle Miller, Dr. Christina Anas- tasia, and Justin Rayner are ending in 2016 and are up for election this November. Board Terms for Presi- dent Monica Timberlake and Board Member Carrollynn Henshaw will end in 2018. Interested parties may pick up a packet from the La Paz County Ed- ucation Agency office, 1112 Joshua Ave., Ste. 205, Parker, AZ. They do have to sign for the packet and we encourage them to fill out the $500 threshold paperwork so they can start collecting signatures right away. If they send someone in to pick up a packet for them, they still have to bring in their $500 thresh- old form to Parker before they begin collecting signatures. QES School Board positions available For more information, contact La Paz County Education Service Agency. Jacquline Price, School Superintendent, 1112 Joshua Avenue, Suite 205 Parker, Arizona 85344 (928) 669-6183 http://www.lapazschools.org/

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