The North Miami police are looking for Antonio McKenzie, a “fake Target clerk” suspected of stealing numerous iPod Touches from Target Department Stores in South Florida.
Government Policy
Collection Agencies Sending Out 1099-C Forms For Zombie Debts?
By 2.8.08
It seems that some bottom-feeding debt collection companies—the ones who buy old debts that are frequently beyond the point where you can be sued for collection (what the FTC calls “time-barred debts”)—purchase old debts, mark them up with incredibly high penalties and fees, then “forgive” them and write them off as tax losses and send the debtors 1099-C forms—which means you have to pay taxes on the forgiven amount. If this happens to you, here are a few things you should consider first.
Who's Afraid of Taxes? Not You!
By 2.8.08
All across America people are collecting forms, sorting receipts, and assembling documents — all in an effort to deal with the dreaded tax man. For many, the whole prospect of filing taxes is a frightening experience, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Yahoo Finance lists seven common tax terrors and how you can deal with each of them. Their list includes:
$7 Million Lawsuit: Combining Crocs And Escalators May Result In Mangled Feet
By 2.8.08
Back in September we wrote about the hazards of wearing the popular “Croc” clogs on escalators, a combination that may have produced more than a few injuries all around the world. We heard about at least one case where the child’s toes were ripped off when the shoe was sucked down into the escalator.
By 2.7.08
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¿Dónde está mi reembolso? We don’t speak Spanish, but maybe you do. The IRS’ popular “Where is my refund?” feature is now available in en Español. [IRS]
USDA Stops Production At Meatpacking Facility After Undercover Video Showed Sick Cows Being Abused
By 2.7.08
So-called “downer” cows that are too ill to walk are not allowed into the food supply due to a higher instance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy ( mad cow disease)—which is why an undercover video taken by animal rights activists is causing a stir at the USDA.
Woman Threatens To Sue Salon Over Horrible Haircut
By 2.7.08
The photo at left is an actual photo of the damage done to this lady’s hair and head. Lane writes:
I’m sure you get hundreds of complaints about salons, but have any of the salon owners in question put a lien on the car of the injured party? Mine has.
Sex Assault Suit Vs. Halliburton Goes To Arbitration
By 2.7.08
A woman who says she was sexually assaulted by co-workers while working for a contracting company in Iraq, KBR, affiliated with Halliburton, lost her chance to get her case heard in a real court of law. A judge ruled yesterday that the mandatory binding arbitration clause in her contract holds firm and so its off to kangaroo court she goes. The unfortunate court decisions is a rape of justice, this is an instance where the arbitration clause should have been ruled unconscionable. [More]
US Customs Helps Itself To Your Electronics And Private Data
By 2.7.08
A few months earlier in the same airport, a tech engineer returning from a business trip to London objected when a federal agent asked him to type his password into his laptop computer. “This laptop doesn’t belong to me,” he remembers protesting. “It belongs to my company.” Eventually, he agreed to log on and stood by as the officer copied the Web sites he had visited, said the engineer, a U.S. citizen who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of calling attention to himself.
Man Accused Of Rappelling Into Kmart Punches His Lawyer In The Face
By 2.7.08
Here’s an odd bit of retail-related crime.
Google Thought To Be Out Of The Running In The Wireless Spectrum Auction
By 2.6.08
Analysts are saying that Google is probably out of the running for the “C Block” of wireless spectrum that it had been bidding on.
By 2.6.08
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RECALLS: Children’s toy rakes (lead), Children’s sketch books (lead), Campbell Hausfeld and Husky Air Compressors (fires),Car Charging Units (included with LL Bean Airbeds) (bursting batteries),Sterling Silver Teethers (choking), Marshalls velour jackets (strangulation), Baby Einstein Crib Toy (choking), Classroom Reading and Math Aids (lead)
Don't Eat The Botulism Tainted Asiago Cheese Dip, Please
By 2.6.08
There are some jars of Olivier brand Parmesan & Asiago Dip with Garlic & Basil floating around that are possibly tainted with botulism, so you’ll want to check your cupboards.
Tainted Puerto Rico Pills Hit U.S. Mainland
By 2.6.08
A review of FDA reports shows that Puerto Rico’s pharma industry has exported pills with metal in them, pills with incorrect dosages, and pills with paint from the factory doors embedded in the finishing, among other defects. One company, responding to the findings, said “some metallic material was to be expected because the manufacturing equipment is made of metal.” The FDA says the problems in Puerto Rico, which makes 13 of the top 20 best-selling drugs, are proportional to those found on the mainland. Consumer advocates contend that that just shows how ineffective the FDA is, both on the island, and on the mainland. If those are the defects inspectors found, imagine which ones they didn’t, and are inside our bodies right now.
Internal Docs Prove Wachovia Knew About Telemarketer Rip-Offs All Along
By 2.6.08
A woman sued Wachovia last year because it allowed a telemarketing scam company to process stolen payments through its banks, despite complaints from customers and warnings from other banks and federal authorities. Wachovia said it had no idea what was going on, but now documents have been revealed that prove people high up in the company not only knew, but that “the bank, in fact, solicited business from companies it knew had been accused of telemarketing crimes.” Why? How about millions of dollars of extra revenue from steep fees whenever a fraud-related chargeback went through? The lawyers for the woman are now seeking class-action status for the lawsuit.
By 2.4.08
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Former electric heater company Vornado will pay the government a civil penalty of $500,000 and deny any wrongdoing for failing to report incidents of heater fires from 1993 to 2004, says the CPSC.
Consumers Reported 69,204 Fair Debt Collection Practices Act Violations. FTC Responds With One (1) Lawsuit
By 2.4.08
Consumers have filed over 69,000 complaints against scummy debt collectors for violating the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, prompting the FTC to rush to our collective defense by taking action against three debt collectors who showed a “culture of harassing the debtors from which they collect.” Two debt collectors settled and one went to court. Still, when you receive over 69,000 complaints—and these are from the people who know to complain to the FTC—it’s reasonable to assume that more than three collectors encourage a culture of harassment. More harrowing revelations from the FTC’s annual report to Congress, after the jump.
