Avoid bogus charities this holiday season – National Consumers League

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December 1, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

WASHINGTON, DC—‘Tis the season for many consumers to open their hearts and wallets to a variety of charities. But NCL, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, has issued an alert to consumers that con artists may take advantage of their generosity this time of year with bogus charities posing as legitimate ones.

“It’s that time of year again, when we begin to hear from consumers about crooks’ attempts to take advantage of the holiday giving season for their personal gain,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “If you’re thinking of giving to a charity this season, good for you! But be careful — some scammers out there may be looking to take advantage of your generosity.”

The Washington, DC-based nonprofit advocacy organization collects consumers’ complaints of telemarketing and Internet fraud through NCL’s Fraud Center (www.fraud.org), and anticipates it will soon receive reports of holiday charity scams.

Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission about charity scams have become more frequent recently. The volume of complaints to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel system increased by 8.6 percent from 1.23 million in 2008 to 1.33 million in 2009.  While the volume of complaints regarding bogus charitable solicitations remained a small fraction of overall complaints, they were reported much more frequently in 2009, increased by 82.1 percent over the same period (1,908 in 2008 versus 3,474 in 2009).

NCL warns consumers to avoid becoming a statistic this holiday season by doing their homework before giving to an unfamiliar charity. Non-profit tracking Web sites like GuideStar.org and CharityNavigator.org have a free databases with detailed information on many charities.

NCL offers the following tips for the charitable-minded:


  • Research. Local newspapers or television or radio stations often compile lists of reputable charities responding to emergencies. Consider consulting these sources for information on how to give.

  • Be in control of what you give and to whom you give it! Consider setting up a personal charity/giving budget and deciding ahead of time who you want to give to, rather that being pressured into giving on the spur of the moment by a phone or e-mail solicitation. Consider contacting a charity directly on the phone or via the Internet to ensure that your donation is going directly to the charity of your choice.

  • Pay the smartest way. Don’t pay in cash, if possible. It is safer to pay by check or credit card. Be sure to get a receipt for any donation for tax purposes.

  • If a charity contacts, you, be cautious. If you’re approached by an unfamiliar charity, check it out. Most states require charities to register with them and file annual reports showing how they use donations. Ask your state or local consumer protection agency how to get this information. The Better Business Bureau Wise (BBB) Giving Alliance also offers information about national charities. Call 703-276-0100 or go to www.give.org.

  • Get it in writing. Legitimate charities will be happy to provide details about what they do and will never insist that you act immediately.

  • Beware of sound-alikes. Some crooks try to fool people by using names that are very similar to those of legitimate, well-known charities

  • Know who you’re talking to. Ask about the caller’s relation to the charity. The caller may be a professional fundraiser, not an employee or a volunteer. Ask what percentage of donations goes to the charity and how much the fundraiser gets.

Consumers can report suspected charity scams to NCL’s Fraud Center at the online complaint form on www.fraud.org.

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About the National Consumers League

Founded in 1899, the National Consumers League is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Its mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. NCL is a private, nonprofit membership organization. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org

‘Tis the season for charity scams – National Consumers League

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It’s that time of year, when many consumers are ready to open their hearts and wallets to many deserving charities. But con artists are well aware of this. How can you be sure you’re giving to a good cause — or a cause at all?If you’re thinking of giving to a charity this season, good for you! But be careful — some scammers out there may be looking to take advantage of your generosity. Complaints to the Federal Trade Commission about charity scams have become more frequent recently. The volume of complaints to the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel system increased by 8.6 percent from 1.23 million in 2008 to 1.33 million in 2009.  While the volume of complaints regarding bogus charitable solicitations remained a small fraction of overall complaints, they were reported much more frequently in 2009, increased by 82.1 percent over the same period (1,908 in 2008 versus 3,474 in 2009).

Avoid being a statistic this holiday season! If you decide to give, start by doing your homework.

Non-profit tracking Web sites like GuideStar.org and CharityNavigator.org have a free databases (registration may be required) with detailed information on many charities. Do your due diligence to make sure the charity is for real before donating.

Your local newspaper or television or radio station often compiles lists of reputable charities responding to emergencies. Consider consulting these sources for information on how to give.

Be proactive! Contact the charity of your choice directly on the phone or via the Internet to ensure that your donation is going directly to the charity of your choice.

Consider setting up a personal charity/giving budget and deciding ahead of time who you want to give to, rather that being pressured into giving on the spur of the moment by a phone or e-mail solicitation.

Don’t pay in cash, if possible. It is safer to pay by check or credit card. Be sure to get a receipt for any donation for tax purposes

If a charity contacts you, be cautious.

If you’re approached by an unfamiliar charity, check it out. Most states require charities to register with them and file annual reports showing how they use donations. Ask your state or local consumer protection agency how to get this information. The Better Business Bureau Wise (BBB) Giving Alliance also offers information about national charities. Call 703-276-0100 or go towww.give.org.

Ask for written information. Legitimate charities will be happy to provide details about what they do and will never insist that you act immediately.

Beware of sound-alikes. Some crooks try to fool people by using names that are very similar to those of legitimate, well-known charities

Ask about the caller’s relation to the charity. The caller may be a professional fundraiser, not an employee or a volunteer. Ask what percentage of donations goes to the charity and how much the fundraiser gets.

Be especially cautious after natural or other disasters. Fraudulent charities take advantage of those situations to trick people who want to aid the victims.  If you’re not sure whether a charity is legitimate, check it out with your state charities regulator and the BBB before you donate.

Be wary of requests to support police or firefighters. Some fraudulent fundraisers claim that donations will benefit police or firefighters, when in fact little or no money goes to them. Be wary of any claims that your donation will get you “special treatment” from these organizations. Contact your local police or fire department directly to verify fundraiser claims.

NCL statement on passage of Food Safety Modernization Act – National Consumers League

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November 30, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC—The following statement may be attributed to Sally Greenberg, Executive Director, National Consumers League:

“The National Consumers League, America’s oldest consumer organization, applauds the U.S. Senate for passing the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, S. 510.  This long-overdue legislation overhauls woefully outdated food safety laws, strengthening the ability of the Food and Drug Administration to help prevent foodborne illness and death in the United States.  Among other measures, the bill gives the agency the authority to recall contaminated products; increases oversight of imported foods, holding them to the same safety standards as those produced in the U.S.; develops new requirements for traceability; and establishes a minimum inspection frequency for domestic food processing facilities.”  

“NCL urges members of Congress to continue to work together and send this bipartisan bill to the President’s desk before the end of 2010.  Americans deserve to ring in the New Year with the promise of a safety food supply.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

NCL calling for CPSC to step up table saw safety – National Consumers League

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By Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director

Just before Thanksgiving, NCL wrote to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to ask that the Commission set a safety standard for table saws. Table saws are used by hobbyists, shop students, woodworkers, and carpenters to cut wood and other products. They are critical equipment for those who work with wood and other products, but they have inherent dangers that have been documented by the CPSC: 3,000 people each year suffer amputations (10 people suffer finger amputations each day). The average per-accident business cost is estimated to be $67,000. Each year, 30,000 people suffer injuries from table saws.

Seven years ago a company called SawStop, which has developed safety technology to stop the saw blade when it detects electrical impulses given off by a finger or other body part, filed a petition with the Commission asking that the Commission adopt safety technology throughout the industry. The CPSC has yet to act on that petition or set a safety standard for table saws.

NCL’s letter says, in part: “The technology exists – and indeed is being used today by one manufacturer – to prevent the needless and brutal accidents associated with the hazards of using table saws. These involve amputations of fingers, including potentially those of teenage students working with table saws in woodworking classes.

While this petition languishes before the Commission, with no action taken by previous CPSC officials, every day 10 ten new amputations associated with the use of table saws occur! According to CPSC’s own data, a table saw injury occurs once every nine minutes. Table saws sold in the United States are currently required to meet UL Standard 987 for Stationary and Fixed Electric Tools, but this standard does little to prevent the amputations and injuries described above.

The hazards posed by table saws are unacceptable, especially when we have the means to prevent these accidents.

In this regard, NCL strongly urges the Commission to take action toward a performance standard for table saw safety, to give the industry a specific time period in which to adopt current technology or develop new technology to prevent grave injuries and amputations from table saws. The benefits of a performance standard include allowing for innovation and creativity in the design of a table saw with these safety components built in.

Table saw safety – and the ability of CPSC to take action to protect users of table saws– seems to us to be a classic example of how the Commission’s role was envisioned by Congress when the CPSC was established in 1972. While table saws do have certain inherent hazards, that is not an excuse for failing to enact safety regulations for these products. There are many products, such as lawnmowers and ATVs, which are inherently dangerous and yet are still regulated by the Commission. And because we now have the technology to prevent those hazards and the pain, suffering, and cost that goes along with any pattern of human injury from a hazardous product, the Commission should take action.

We hope the NCL letter will provide an impetus for the Commission to act. When technology exists to prevent injury, if a pattern of injury exists and if the cost is reasonable to implement injury prevention technology, we believe the CPSC should move forward to set an industry standard for safe design.

NCL asking CPSC to act on 7 year petition to prevent finger amputations with safer saws – National Consumers League

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November 24, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC — In a letter to the Chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) sent this week, the National Consumers League is asking the CPSC to finally act on a seven-year-old petition to prevent finger amputations from table saw accidents. The League’s letter to CPSC Chairman Inez Tenenbaum points out that safety technology is available – and has been available for nearly a decade – to prevent finger injuries and should be required throughout the industry.

Sally Greenberg, the League’s Executive Director, says in her letter, “We could have prevented the 10 finger amputations that occur each day from table saw injuries had the Commission acted years ago. The fact that we still allow table saws to amputate fingers – especially in teens who may be using these saws in shop class – is unconscionable. The facts cry out for CPSC attention.”

In 2003, SawStop, makers of table saws that employ technology that prevents the saw blade from cutting off fingers, filed a petition to the CPSC asking that the Commission set a safety performance standard for all table saws.

NCL’s letter notes: “According to CPSC’s own data, a table saw injury occurs once every nine minutes. The average per-accident business cost is estimated to be $67,000. 30,000 people suffer injuries from table saws each year, and over 3,000 suffer amputations. The technology exists – and indeed is being used today by one manufacturer – to prevent the needless and brutal accidents associated with the hazards of using table saws.”

The safety technology involves a detection system such that when the table saw blade senses an electrical signal given off by human tissue – like a finger – the safety system is activated and the blade stops. Clearly the technology is effective, as demonstrated by testimonials from shop teachers, hobbyists, and others who operate table saws.

The League’s letter also notes that the Commission doesn’t have to adopt the exact SawStop technology, but should instead create an industry standard that employs safety technology to prevent accidents. The letter urges the Commission to give the industry a specific time period in which to adopt current technology or develop new technology to prevent these grave injuries and amputations from table saws. The benefits of a performance standard include allowing for innovation and creativity in the design of a table saw with these safety components built in.

“Table saw safety – and the ability of CPSC to take action to protect users of table saws – seems to us to be a classic example of how the Commission’s role was envisioned by Congress when the CPSC was established in 1972. While table saws do have certain inherent hazards, that is not an excuse for failing to enact safety regulations for these products.”

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Giving thanks for online shopping – National Consumers League

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Many news outlets are reporting that, this year, Thanksgiving Day is the new Black Friday, with shoppers turning to the Internet to make early bird purchases on a holiday that has most retail brick-and-mortar stores closed. Some retailers are planning, for the first time this year, to open their doors Thanksgiving evening.

Are you planning to take time out of your Thanksgiving Day schedule, busy with activities from stuffing turkeys and your own waistlines to football watching (and, oh right, being thankful), to log on and check out Thanksgiving Day deals? If you wait until Friday, will you be out of luck when it comes to this season’s hot gift items?

Whether you’ve already started your online shopping or plan to wait until Cyber Monday to start checking items off your gift-giving list, be sure to brush up on the latest tips about how to shop safely online. We don’t want any cyber grinches taking the joy out of this holiday gift-giving season. Cheers!

NCL praises FDA crackdown on alcoholic energy drinks – National Consumers League

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November 18, 2010

Contact: (202) 835-3323, media@nclnet.org

Washington, DC – The National Consumers League (NCL), the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, praised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement yesterday that it would crack down on seven alcoholic energy drinks under recent scrutiny for combining large amounts of alcohol and caffeine. The products covered by the FDA action are manufactured by four companies and include the popular drinks Four Loko, Joose, Core, Max, and others. In September, nine college students in Washington State ended up in a hospital emergency room after drinking Four Loko.

“Products like Four Loko that combine large quantities of alcohol and caffeine in a single can or bottle can be a dangerous trap for young, inexperienced drinkers,” said NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg. “Research shows that the caffeine makes drinkers feel less impaired than they really are, with potentially dangerous consequences. NCL applauds FDA’s decision to call for reformulation of these products or removal from the market before more people are harmed.”

“If only the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) would require Alcohol Facts on the labels of all alcoholic beverages, then consumers would know how much alcohol they are consuming,” Greenberg added. TTB is the federal agency that regulates labeling of alcoholic beverages.

In 2003, NCL and the Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned TTB to require an Alcohol Facts panel on alcoholic beverage labels, comparable to the Nutrition Facts panel on food labels. The proposed Alcohol Facts panel would include the amount of alcohol per serving, alcohol concentration (percent alcohol by volume), the number of standard drinks per container, and the definition of a standard drink. TTB published a proposed rule in 2007 but has never finalized it.

“One can of Four Loko contains 4.7 standard drinks, the equivalent of almost five beers. If this information had been clearly stated on the label, maybe the college students who were sent to the emergency room in Washington might not have consumed so much that they suffered alcohol poisoning.”

“NCL wishes that TTB would be as proactive and as concerned with public health as its sister agency FDA,” Greenberg said.

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About the National Consumers League

The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.

Put out those butts and celebrate the Great American Smokeout! – National Consumers League

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Thanks to the American Cancer Society, smokers and friends of smokers have the third Thursday in November to work towards improving their health by quitting smoking. Quitting can be a challenge, but there are many resources available to help you through the process. Many employers and health insurance plans are now making it easier and more affordable to benefit from smoking cessation programs.

While we’re making strides in reducing the number of smokers in this country, 46.6 million adults still smoke and 40 percent of nonsmokers are exposed to secondhand smoke. Nearly 500,000 deaths each year are linked to smoking and secondhand smoke.

You can do your part! Send an e-card to a friend or family member to encourage them to put down their cigarettes. Even if they are able to quit for just one day, their blood pressure and heart rate will drop and their carbon monoxide levels in their blood will return to normal. And if they continue to keep the cigarettes away, they’ll experience even more health benefits.

Show a loved one you care – or take a moment to care for yourself – by participating in this year’s Great American Smokeout!

NCL supporting ‘Bill Shock’ legislation – National Consumers League

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By John Breyault, Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications and Fraud

The National Consumers League today announced our support for SB 3872, the “Cell Phone Bill Shock Act of 2010.” This legislation, introduced by Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM) would require wireless phone companies to provide alerts to their subscribers when they are in danger of running up high cell phone bills. In addition, the legislation would require carriers to get consent from subscribers before allowing use of wireless service that would incur overage fees. In an era of 300-page phone bills, automatic bill pay, bundled service packages, and tiered data plans, this legislation is a smart step forward for consumers and competition in the wireless industry.

Numerous studies by the Government Accountability Office, Federal Communications Commission, and Consumer Reports magazine have found that millions of consumers are experiencing “bill shock” — unexpected increases on their wireless bills. According to the FCC, 30 million consumers have experienced bill shock. These findings reinforce an earlier GAO study that found that 34 percent of wireless phone users have received unexpected charges on their bills.

It is for these reasons that NCL has been a leader in advocating for stronger “bill shock” protections. The wireless phone is increasingly a critical communications link for consumers. As FCC Chairman Genachowski discussed in a recent speech “[e]ven if many of these cases are resolved, something is clearly wrong with a system that makes it possible for consumers to run up big bills without knowing it.”

While some may argue that “bill shock” regulations are burdensome and unnecessary, we believe that a set of common-sense baseline protections represent a “win-win” opportunity. We agreed with Chairman Genachowski when he said that “[p]ro-consumer policies are pro-competition and pro-innovation.” Indeed, consistently giving consumers the information they need at the time when they can best use it is a way to increase consumers’ faith in their service providers.

Wireless devices present a world of possibility for consumers. These devices are miracles of modern innovation, and consumers have rightfully embraced them. However, there is a need for common sense “rules of the road” to ensure that consumers do not get taken advantage of by mystery fees and unexpected charges. It is for this reason that we support SB 3872 and look forward to working with Senator Udall and partners in Congress to move this pr-consumer legislation forward.

Election Day excitement – National Consumers League

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By Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director

As we come off the election last week, we’re reminded that early leaders of the National Consumers League were deeply involved in local elections. Florence Kelley and Jane Addams, from their perch at Hull House in Chicago, worked to defeat corrupt local officials and elect those who shared their concerns about child and sweatshop labor, then known as one of the leaders of the “boodlers,” as corrupt city officials were called.

I personally have always enjoyed Election Day. Ever since I was a kid and my mother would take her with me to vote, election day carries with it a sense of excitement. As Florence Kelley and Jane Addams knew, “all politics are local.” I experienced that during last week’s election; not only did I have my hopes set on the election of a number of consumer-friendly candidates locally and around the country, I myself was listed on my local ballot, running for a neighborhood advisory post that serves as the voice for the local community. I didn’t win, but nevertheless the process was unexpectedly rewarding.

I needed to be at my polling site catching the early voters and handing out literature by 7 am. I’ve never been to any polling site at that hour! But I wasn’t alone. By the time I arrived at 6:45 am, there were signs up and down the street from candidates running in the District of Columbia. And throughout the day I met my neighbors and friends, exchanged tidbits of information, learned about their concerns on traffic, pedestrian safety, or trash collection. We were visited by local officials: Mary Cheh, our Ward 3 city council member, our school board representative, and our new Mayor-elect, Vincent Gray. All stopped to chat and exchange information about turnout and who was likely to win what post.

Perhaps most moving were the elderly voters who came out. One woman moved down the street slowly but deliberately, her walker outfitted with a stylish Burberry pattern that matched her purse. Another gentleman, coming from the nearby assisted living facility, was bent all the way over his walker, but he moved at a swift pace up the hill to the church that served as our polling place. I walked him down the street after he voted, and he had a smile on his face as we talked, though he did complain that since he moved to the District, he couldn’t vote for a member of Congress! A valid criticism indeed, since District residents don’t have a vote in Congress.

I remained at the polls till they closed at 8 pm. Friends came and helped me hand out literature; another friend took me for a quick lunch break; I picked up my 15-year-old son from school and brought him to the polling place for a bit. Yes, there were a few dull moments, but all in all it was a great day and a terrific face-to-face exercise in civic involvement. Friends have asked me if I will run again for this local position. The answer is I don’t know, but the rewards of being on the ballot were a lot bigger than I ever imagined.