Debt is a Pain, Literally – National Consumers League

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The *Associated Press has reported that millions of Americans who are in debt also have serious health problems: ulcers, migraines, and severe depression.

Experts say that half of Americans state that the cost of housing – paying their mortgage or rent – is a major source of stress. And who could blame them? The thought of losing one’s home – and sense of security – is a painful one.

NCL’s Mortgage Town site offers a bunch of tips to help consumers avoid the nightmare of losing their homes. We provide a step-by-step guide to help consumers through the process of buying, and keeping their dream homes.

*Links are no longer active as the original sources have removed the content, sometimes due to federal website changes or restructurings.

Salmonella Outbreak! – National Consumers League

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Supermarkets, fast-food chains, and restaurants have pulled certain raw red plum, red Roma, and red round tomatoes, and products containing these raw, red tomatoes from their shelves and menus following an outbreak of salmonella.

Most people infected with salmonella suffer experience diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Yuck!

The Food and Drug Administration has posted a list of states which have not been associated with the salmonella outbreak.

Wishing Sen. Kennedy a Speedy Recovery! – National Consumers League

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NCL Executive Director, Sally Greenberg, and Chair of the Board of Directors, Jane King sent Sen. Edward M. Kennedy a letter to wish him well in his recovery. The Associated Press reported that Kennedy “felt like a million bucks” following his operation to treat his malignant brain tumor.

Those who feel so inclined may send Kennedy a few words of encouragement and other warm wishes by writing:

The Honorable Edward Kennedy
315 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

Kennedy has long championed the rights of consumers and workers, and in 1973, he was the first recipient of our Trumpeter Award, which honors the work of leaders who have fought for social justice, and consumers’ rights to a fair and safe workplace.

We all wish him a quick recovery, and look forward to his return to the Senate!

NCL to DOL: investigate allegations of child labor violations in Kosher slaughterhouse – National Consumers League

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June 4, 2008

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

Washington, DC— The National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, has called on the Department of Labor to investigate alleged child labor violations at the Agriprocessors kosher slaughterhouse in Postville, Iowa, which was raided by federal immigration officers on May 12. The letter to Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, written by NCL’s Reid Maki, Director of Social Responsibility and Fair Labor Standards and coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition, follows:

Dear Madame Secretary:

I am the coordinator of the Washington-based Child Labor Coalition, a coalition of 30 organizations that have coalesced to fight abusive child labor here and abroad. The coalition has been operated by the National Consumers League, the nation’s oldest consumer advocacy group, for the last 19 years.

It has come to our attention that children and teens were allegedly working in the Agriprocessors Pottsville, Iowa slaughterhouse raided by agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on May 12, 2008. According to the office of Senator Tom Harkin, some 18 children and teens are believed to have been employed in the plant when it was raided.

The members of the Child Labor Coalition are concerned about the presence of children working in slaughterhouses, which are known to be among the most dangerous workplaces in America. It is our understanding that the Pottsville plant has a long history of violating U.S. labor law. We urge your office to investigate fully the possibility that minors were employed in the Pottsville plant. We would hope that your office would confirm the extent of the child labor employment and determine the specific jobs the young workers were asked to perform. We believe the Department should assess the danger of those employment tasks and whether the youth were subjected to abusive treatment.

We are also concerned that the ICE raid appears not to have been coordinated with the Department of Labor. The ICE arrests and the movement of key witnesses may jeopardize the Department of Labor’s ability to fully and effectively investigate whether child labor was occurring at the plant. In our view, the question of whether undocumented workers are employed in a factory should never come in the way of the very serious possibility that plant owners may be violating child labor laws and risking the health of young workers.

We respectfully ask you to investigate the child labor allegations at the Agriprocessors plant and prosecute any violations of child labor law to the fullest extent possible. As the coordinator of the Child Labor Coalition, I would like to extend an invitation to you and your representatives to present the findings of your investigation to the members of the Coalition at an upcoming meeting. We would welcome the opportunity to meet with you in any event.

Sincerely,
Reid Maki
Coordinator, Child Labor Coalition
Director, Social Responsibility

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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.

Knock-knock: Don’t Let Deception in the Door! – National Consumers League

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You hear a knock at your door. You look through the peephole and see a salesperson. In this day and age, you can never be too cautious when it comes to who you choose to do business with.
NCL teaches consumers how to identify salespeople from honest door-to-door sales companies. These salespeople will:

  • Identify themselves and the company’s products they represent by name. They should explain the purpose of their visit upfront and present proper identification.
  • Respect your wishes. It’s a sign of fraud if they try to pressure you into buying something on the spot or refuse to honor your request to end the sales presentation.

For more information, including tips on deceptive sales tactics, read this month’s 2008 Consumer Calendar: Do We Have Tips for You! June’s tips are sponsored by The Southwestern Company.

Congratulations, Class of 2008! Now Pay Up – National Consumers League

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While millions of college students are frantically trying to land their first real job and secure affordable housing, many are also racking up the credit card debt.

The *U.S. Department of Education estimates that almost 25 percent of college students will take on credit card debt in order to pay for their education.

Savvy grads know that having a solid credit history pays off for a bunch of reasons. Here are a few: when applying for a job, securing loans and purchasing auto or homeowners insurance.

Need a crash course in building a positive credit history?

  • Use credit responsibly. Start establishing a good credit record now. The longer and more stable your credit history, the higher your credit score. Try to pay off your credit card balance in full each month. Only keep the credit cards you need, and don’t use more than 30 percent of the credit available to you on your credit cards. Use cash instead of plastic whenever possible.
  • Set up a budget and stick to it. Figure out exactly how much money you are earning and how much you owe. Write down all of your expenses for a couple of months to get a realistic sense of what you are spending, and where you may be able to cut back.
  • Pay bills on time. Consider setting up automatic payments so you are never late. This will help to build a strong credit history. A pattern of late payments not only lowers your credit and insurance scores, but late fees and interest payments can add up and make it harder to pay down the balance.
  • Monitor your Credit Report. Check your credit reports at least once a year. If there are mistakes, get them corrected quickly.
  • Visit the Insurance Information Institute’s Web site for more tips on chipping away at your debt, and building good credit.

Do you have any tips for recent grads? Share them here!

*Links are no longer active as the original sources have removed the content, sometimes due to federal website changes or restructurings.

Knock-knock: don’t let deception in the door! – National Consumers League

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June 1, 2008

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

Washington, DC – Products sold door-to-door range from household items to cosmetics. Some salespeople are honest, and others aren’t. June’s tips in the National Consumers League’s “2008 Consumer Calendar: Do We Have Tips for You!” help consumers avoid being scammed by dishonest salespeople.

NCL teaches consumers how to identify salespeople from ethical door-to-door sales companies. These salespeople will:

  • Identify themselves and the company’s products they represent by name. They should explain the purpose of their visit upfront and present proper identification.
  • Respect your wishes. It’s a sign of fraud if they try to pressure you into buying something on the spot or refuse to honor your request to end the sales presentation.
  • Not use misleading or deceptive tactics. Be wary of claims that: 
    • You’re the winner of a contest you never actually entered.

    • Some of your money will go to charity if the salesperson doesn’t have any proof of a connection with a legitimate charitable organization.

    The nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization, NCL works to educate people about how to make wise decisions in today’s marketplace. Each month, NCL’s Web site, www.nclnet.org, will feature the calendar and tips for the month. Covering a range of subjects from medication safety, to avoiding scams, the tips are sponsored by major companies, government agencies, and organizations. The June tips about legitimate salespeople were sponsored by The Southwestern Company.The print version of the calendar was distributed to consumers free of charge through agencies and organizations around the country. There are no printed copies of the calendar remaining.

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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.

What’s for Lunch? – National Consumers League

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According to researchers at Cornell University, the average person makes *more than 200 food choices a day! Isn’t that, well, nuts?

Most survey participants guessed that they only make 15 food-related decisions each day. What a disconnect! So, not surprisingly, the researchers found that we make many of these decisions – about portion size, for example – unknowingly, and end up *overeating without even realizing it.

The Washington Post recently *reported on America’s youth obesity crisis. So much bad news on this subject these days – where’s the good news? Here’s some: our LifeSmarts program offers key nutrition facts and resources – as well as tips on a variety of other subjects – to help students make better food choices and to become healthy and responsible consumers. Right now the program’s in “Spring Training.” Check it out!

 

*Links are no longer active as the original sources have removed the content, sometimes due to federal website changes or restructurings.

What’s next for the foreclosure crisis? Reality TV! – National Consumers League

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Groan.

According to *U.S. News and World Report, the mortgage and foreclosure crisis is hitting the airwaves, subject of a new reality tv series called The Foreclosure Shoppe. No matter your opinions of the reality tv genre, you’ve got to wonder about whether this kind of treatment will help bring the issue to new audiences or turn people off from learning about the issue.

With millions of Americans — and consumers from around the world — being exposed to the housing crisis, any focus on the issues can’t hurt, right? Here’s some news about consumers being affected by mortgage scams.

 

*Links are no longer active as the original sources have removed the content, sometimes due to federal website changes or restructurings.

Job-hunting teens: Is this summer job right for you? – National Consumers League

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May 22, 2008

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

Washington, D.C. – Responding to accounts of scams and crimes committed against consumers by traveling sales crews—and risks faced by crew members themselves—the National Consumers League and Direct Selling Education Foundation have teamed up to create educational materials to help consumers and teen workers distinguish reputable door-to-door sales and charitable sales from unethical companies. Opportunities with legitimate companies that follow a code of ethics, such as those provided by Direct Selling Association member companies, are a great way for many young workers to earn income. Unfortunately, as a sluggish economy strains the wallets of consumers, advocates caution teenagers in search of a summer job against accepting offers of employment by traveling sales crews.

“NCL’s long history of fighting for the rights of workers and consumers finds us fittingly warning both workers and consumers about traveling sales crews. Consumers certainly don’t want to buy products from exploited and often physically abused young workers, and those who do are unlikely to receive the very magazines they paid for from these disreputable outfits,” said Sally Greenberg, NCL Executive Director.

In two separate recent incidents, a 25-year-old magazine salesman was charged with raping a teenager in Durham, SC, and a 28-year-old magazine salesman pleaded guilty to kidnapping a 14-year-old boy on his way home from school with intent to sexually abuse him in Vista, CA.

Many dishonest companies capitalize on the positive reputations of established door-to-door sales companies and the generous response of consumers in supporting charities. Salespeople may seem charming and friendly, offering a compelling sales pitch, or requesting support for a program to help keep kids off drugs or to teach them about entrepreneurship. They may press residents to help them win a trip or prizes. These traveling sales crews quickly sweep in and out of neighborhoods. The companies recruit children, teenagers and young adults to sell products such as magazine subscriptions, cleaning supplies, and candy. They often falsely claim to support programs to help kids or raise money for charity, a religious institution, hospital, or local school.

NCL advises consumers to check that the company or charity is legitimate before responding to its sales pitch. A legitimate, ethical salesperson will:

  • have a solicitor’s permit, if one is required in the city. Most non-reputable companies do not possess a local permit to sell.
  • provide literature, which displays the company or charity’s street address and other contact information.
  • present identification that shows he or she is affiliated with or a representative of the company, charity, or school
  • be happy to set an appointment for another time to discuss their product, which will give the consumer time to research the company or charity by contacting your Better Business Bureau or Attorney General’s office to see if there are complaints against the company/charity.

NCL offers these tips and more in two new brochures (Door-to-door safety for consumers, and Is this job right for you? for teens) produced through an unrestricted educational grant from the Direct Selling Education Foundation, to help consumers and potential workers distinguish between a legitimate company and the scams of a traveling sales crew here. Consumers can request individual copies of the new brochures at https://www.dsef.org/ContactUs/

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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.