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CONSUMER ADVISORY
June 2006
By
Attorney General
Tom Miller
How to Choose a Cell Phone Plan
That Works Best for You
Are you shopping for cell
phone service for the first time, or considering a new plan? The basic approach
is to determine your calling needs, and then shop carefully.
Here are some basic tips
for choosing wireless phone service:
•
Study which kind of service best fits your calling needs.
There are local, regional, or national plans, family plans
for two or more phones, and pre-paid plans. Consider which plan is best for the
time of day and number and length of calls you will make. You pay a hefty charge
for minutes that exceed your plan, so study the details. Many plans offer far
more minutes for “weekend” or “night” calls, but “weekend” may not include Friday, and
“night” may not begin until 9 p.m.
•
Determine which company provides the best service for you.
Ask to see a coverage map, especially if you travel frequently. Check your home calling area and where “roaming charges” apply. (Outside your home area, the phone may not work, or you may incur costly roaming charges.) Ask if the company has a trial period (often 15-30 days), and then check to be sure you get a good signal
where you need it, such as at your home or office, or places you visit often.
•
Check the length of the contract -- and if there is a “break fee” should you want to
cancel your plan early.
Most cell phone service plans run one or two years and require you to pay a hefty $100-200 termination fee per phone
if you cancel your service before the end of the plan. Before you choose a plan,
find out if you can get out of the contract without paying a fee if it turns out you can’t make calls from your home,
office, or other place from which you plan to make calls.
•
Compare cell phone manufacturer warranties. Most cell phone contracts don’t provide you with a free cell phone
if your initial cell phone is damaged or simply doesn’t work. Consider
an extended warranty and how much it might cost.
•
Check for complaints about providers. Call the Attorney General’s Office or the Better Business Bureau, and ask your
friends and neighbors about their experience.
Warning: Internet “Phishing” Scams
Con-artists use
phony e-mails and web sites to obtain victims’ account numbers. Scams may
be disguised as hurricane appeals.
Identity thieves are constantly trying to trick victims into giving them crucial information over
the Internet, such as credit card numbers, bank account information and private passwords.
It can even happen with phony hurricane appeals. It’s called “phishing”
(sounds like “fishing.”) Crooks hook and trick victims into giving up sensitive information. Once they steal your information they can drain accounts or run up credit card charges.
The
“bait” or lure usually is an official-looking e-mail message that appears to be from your bank, your Internet
service provider, or some other major company -- or perhaps a hurricane-aid group like the Red Cross. The message asks you to click on a link to a web site in order to make a donation, or perhaps to “update”
or “validate” or “verify” your account or Social Security Number.
The message usually sounds persuasive and urgent (“Your donation is crucial,” or, “Your account will
be closed if you don’t reply at once.”)
The problem: clicking on the link sends you to a phony web site – a web site that looks remarkably
like the real thing but is completely fabricated by the con-artists. Then the
“spoof” web page asks you to enter and send your private data -- probably to overseas crooks. The “phishing” scam has been used imitating the Red Cross, banks, AOL, eBay, PayPal, CitiBank,
Best Buy, UPS, and many others. Be careful, and don’t get caught!
How to avoid being
hooked by a “phishing” or “spoof e-mail” scam:
C
Don’t reply to e-mails that ask for your personal information. If there’s any question, contact the company by phone
at its regular number on your statement. Call or look up web sites yourself
for bona fide hurricane-relief organizations.
C
Don’t send personal information by e-mail – it’s just not safe. Use only secure web sites --
indicated by a padlock icon or “https” web address.
C
Always examine your account statements for unauthorized charges. Report any suspicious activity to the business, and to the
Iowa Attorney General’s Office. Put a security alert on your credit bureau
files. For more details and information on avoiding identity theft, visit the
Attorney General’s web site.
If you think you have been cheated by a “phishing” scam, contact the Attorney General's Consumer
Protection Division, Hoover
Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319. Call 515-281-5926, or
1-888-777-4590 toll-free. The Web site is:
Consumer Protection Division
! Hoover Building !
Des Moines, Iowa 50319
! 515/281-5926
CONSUMER ADVISORY
May 2006
By Attorney General Tom Miller
The “Right-to-Cancel” Law – Know Your Rights!
The right-to-cancel law, known as the Door-to-Door
Sales Act, can be a consumer's best friend. Under the law, a consumer
may cancel a sale made at his or her home – or at some other location away
from the seller's place of business –
within three business days and get a refund. But, note: for many sales,
there is no right to cancel!
The law DOES apply to all door-to-door sales
of merchandise or services, such as meat and food products, vacuum cleaners, and home repairs.
It also applies to sales made at tent sales, restaurants and hotel seminars (such as investment or job programs.) The law DOES NOT apply to purchases at a seller's normal place of business
(such as a retail store or car dealership), to sales made by telephone or by
mail, or to purchases under $25.
Under the law, the seller must TELL you of your
right to cancel at the time of sale and give you two copies of a written notice of your right to cancel. The contract is void
if the seller fails to do this. If you cancel your purchase and request a refund,
the seller must refund your money within ten business days and cancel any further financial obligations.
Don’t buy from door-to-door sellers who
don’t give you your rights to cancel. In fact, contact local law enforcement
or the Attorney General’s Office about the company.
Follow these tips if you purchase items or
services from door-to-door sellers:
 Get all promises in writing and get a written notice of your right to cancel.
To cancel a sale, sign and date one copy of the cancellation form and mail it to the
address given for cancellation. Make sure the envelope is postmarked by midnight of the third business day following the purchase.
(Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays are not counted as "business days.”) Or,
hand-deliver the notice.
Send the letter by certified mail for proof that you mailed your request for a refund
within the required time. Get a receipt if you hand-deliver your notice.
If you used a credit card for your purchase, you can contact your credit card company
and challenge the charge within 60 days after the date the first bill was mailed to you.
Contact local law enforcement officials if you are victimized by a door-to-door scam
or you do not receive a refund you requested.
For more information or
to file a complaint, contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division, Hoover
Building, Des Moines, Iowa 50319.
Call 515-281-5926 or toll-free to 1-888-777-4590. The web address is .
Consumer Protection Division ! Hoover Building ! Des Moines, Iowa 50319 ! 515/281-5926
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