A quality paint job always starts with a thorough prep job. Recently I had 5 rooms in a small cottage painted and it took the painter more than 2 weeks of prep work before he even applied the primer! Greg Kuzmicki, owner of Solidarity Painting, Waterproofing & Restoration says too many painters cut corners by not prepping thoroughly and rushing through the job.

Mr. Kuzmicki thinks homeowners should be on the lookout for dry rot in particular. He says, “Most painters paint over dry rot because they just don’t notice it, but more often they just want to finish the job, get paid for it, and move on to the next job. This can be very costly to the homeowners in the future.” To be on top of things for your next painting project, Read more

You’ll be approached in a parking lot at one of the big discount stores. The dent repair impostor offers to fix a dent or scratch on the spot while you’re shopping. Bill Davis, owner of DentPro of Salinas & Santa Cruz, a Diamond Certified company, says when you come back to your car, it’s covered with white paste or wax. “They’ll tell you it needs to cure for about 4 hours.” Once you remove the paste later that day (you have to pay in advance for the repair), you’ll discover cracks in the paint or that very little was done to the car. You can’t track down the scammers either; the company business card has no phone number or address. Read more

Phony-check scams have become so widespread that consumer groups are using a new website to issue alerts and explain how the schemes work. The National Consumers League, in cooperation with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and others, has launched www.fakechecks.org. You’ll find examples of the phony checks, video from victims and frequently asked questions.

The shocking thing is that the average loss for phony-check scam victims is between $3,000 and $4,000. The scam starts with a real-looking unsolicited check that comes through the mail. The letter describes an opportunity to take advantage of a foreign business offer, a foreign lottery or sweepstakes, or to cash in on a rental or work-at-home scheme. Usually, Read more

Take a look at this youtube.com video called Fraud: An Inside Look.

The Federal Trade Commission created this 10-minute video that shows you how easy it is to get conned. The deceptive practices range from making unsubstantiated earnings claims for business opportunities to giving phony references with people who are in cahoots with the fraudsters.

With the economic downturn, these types of scams are on the rise. If you’re approached with a questionable offer, the con man in the video suggests this one thing: “Fast no’s and slow yes’s. That’s all you have to remember.” Don’t get caught in their web and get pressured into anything on the spot. Read more

The scammer places a help-wanted ad at a popular job-search site offering a work-at-home job. You fill out an employment application that asks for a Social Security number and your date of birth. Then you're told you got the job! Packages arrive at your home with directions to repackage the items and ship them overseas, using your own money which will be repaid. The original packages were paid for with fraudulent credit cards, something you don't find out until later. Next, you're told that you will be paid by cashier's check. But here's the catch. The check will be written for more than the amount owed. You deposit the check and forward the difference to the company's overseas bank account. Read more

The Federal Trade Commission (http://www.ftc.gov), the nation's consumer protection agency, wants consumers to beware of telephone sales pitches for magazine subscriptions. While some offers may be legitimate, many are not. Agreeing to buy could result in years of monthly bills for magazines you don't want or could have gotten elsewhere for less. Or, you could end up paying for a magazine you never receive at all. How do you know if an offer is a scam? Words like "free" and "pre-paid" should alert you. And the caller may try to get your guard down by saying he or she is just calling to conduct a survey. To protect yourself: * Don't give your credit card or other personal information to any caller, Read more