Up & Coming Weekly

6 UCW DECEMBER 2-8, 2009 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM DAVE WILSON, Contributing Writer COMMENTS? 484-6200 ext. 222 or email editor@upandcomingweekly.com. The recession has brought the scum out from under the rocks to scam you out of your hard-earned money. They get lots of help from the media. Watch out for ads that promise something "free," as in a "free gift." Are not gifts, by defi nition, free? Try ordering a free lesson on how to buy and sell stuff online and see how "free" that deal is — not. The full-page ads for an amazing appliance that lets you air condition a room for only pennies per hour has now given way to full pages (from the same bunch of con artists) touting a device that lets you heat your home for nine cents per hour. This grossly over-priced electric heater produces exactly the same amount of heat as a 20 buck heater from Wal-Mart, yet it is advertised as "Amazing." What is amazing is that people fall for this. Also the hook is that the Amish, always on the cutting edge of technology, have invented this miracle. By the way, the product is made in China, a country heavily populated with Amish craftsmen, or so it would seem. The super economical room air conditioner runs on ice from your refrigerator, which does not make ice for free. The "cure your credit" scams never cease. Face it folks, if you are up to your ears in credit card debt, no bunch of scammers is going to bail you out. A wealthy uncle might, but the scammers are only going to dig you a deeper hole. Debt is debt. Escape by declaring one of the bankruptcy chapters available to wage earners is an alternative but not a choice to be taken lightly. One method that many credit card users employ to resolve credit card debt is to pay back the money. I recommend that one. Need a home mortgage and have bad or no acceptable credit status? The mortgage scammers want you. They will charge you a fee to not get you home fi nancing or they will get you a loan at an interest rate that is suffocating. Deal with a reputable mortgage broker or bank if you need to refi nance or originate a loan. The television advertisers are after those with weak credit and they will take advantage of those potential borrowers every time. Are you driving an older model high-mileage car? Are you worried about not having a warranty for repairs? One company that aggressively advertises on TV claims that you can purchase a warranty even if your car has over 200,000 miles. They are selling an insurance policy. The premium is set based on the probability that your car will not breakdown or it will. Old cars require expensive premiums. Owners of old cars would be well advised to put the money in a reserve for car repairs and avoid the car-warranty scam. And if you do buy a used car warranty, check to see what company is actually the insurer. The heavily advertised company that plays on patriotism with its name is not the insurer. They dish off the warranty to a company you have never heard of. When your repair shop calls as to whether your warranty will cover the needed repair, surprise. The folks on the other end are not the folks you bought the warranty from. In today's world of little or no lending by the banks, businesses and individuals in desperate need of a loan will respond to any opportunity for credit. The scammers know this and claim they have access to money for loans. Just call for a free information kit. Be not deceived folks, there is no easy way to access lending. Save your time and money. Need life insurance? Have you ever thought about responding to television ads for no medical exam life insurance? The advertiser offers policies for a few dollars per "unit." A unit is a $1,000 policy. Multiply the monthly unit cost by 12 to get the annual premium. Then multiply that by 10 to get the cost of a $10,000 policy which is term insurance. After the insured reaches 40 or more the premium skyrockets. The nice man in the cardigan sweater on TV doesn't tell you that. Tired of the daily 9 to 5? Want to be your own boss and earn tens of thousands per week? The late night pitchmen have got just the deal for you. You buy their "system" or "secret program" and presto, you are on easy street. Ever wonder why these con men don't just use their personal "system" to get rich and avoid all those elaborate infomercials with fake testimonials? It is because there just is not any such thing as easy money except being in the scam artist business. Save your money, gentle readers. Don't get suckered into buying CDs and DVDs that tell you nothing except how to buy more CDs and DVDs. ' Rip-Offs Are Rife by DAVE WILSON NOW NOW OPEN OPEN NOW NOW OPEN OPEN Where the Smart Shoppers Go! Where the Smart Shoppers Go! Where the Smart Shoppers Go! Where the Smart Shoppers Go! Children's Resale Boutique Coffman Commons • 4251 Legion Rd., Suite 115 • Hope Mills • 424-2900 Coffman Commons • 4251 Legion Rd., Suite 115 • Hope Mills • 424-2900 Come See Come See Santa from Santa from 10-1 at our 10-1 at our Christmas Christmas Open House Open House Dec. 5 Dec. 5 Kidz City CLOTHING

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