| Volume 95 Number 5 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Do not open email attachments you do not expect or do not recognize. If you receive a notice about your account, or your order, or your bill, and you think it is an error or you may have a problem, go directly to the company's website or call them. If you get an email without a company name, ignore it.
For more general information about the law, check out my website.
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Beware of Online Dating Catfish
Are you looking for love? Many men and women take to the Internet on Valentine's Day in hopes of meeting someone special. Unfortunately, scam artists know that.
If you visit a popular online dating site this Valentine's Day (or after), be careful! If someone sounds too good to be true, he or she may be just that.
How can you spot an Internet dating scam? If the person you're communicating with immediately suggests moving conversations to email, claims to be currently living or traveling abroad, or describes a recent tragic event or failed business venture, you could be dealing with a "catfish."
Don't get scammed while looking for love. Find out how to protect yourself!
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Valentine's Day - Your Flowers May Be Late
Triple check that tracking number! If you ordered flowers to be delivered to your special something this Valentine's Day, there's a chance they may not arrive on time.
Because of weather conditions on the east coast, some shipment services won't be able deliver Valentine's Day flowers on time.
If your flowers don't arrive on time (or you're concerned they won't), contact the florist immediately. A florist may be able to help you make alternate arrangements, or offer something for your troubles.
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Avoiding Valentine's Day Scams
Did you receive a Valentine's Day e-card? Even if you think you know the person who sent it, be especially careful before you click any links. If you receive an e-card that says "someone you know just sent you a card," there's a good chance it contains malware.
In addition to bogus e-cards, Valentine's Day scammers could try to draw you in with sham sales, phony gift cards, or even fake flowers. This is especially true on social networking sites like Twitter or Facebook, where scammers can pay to become a "promoted" link. When "promoted," an otherwise shady business can look much more legitimate.
What Valentine's Day scams should you look out for?
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Your Money
Can you retire early?
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For the Lawyers
Housekeeper bound by arbitration agreement.
The Virginia Supreme Court has enforced an arbitration agreement against a housekeeper who sought to sue her former boss, after he physically assaulted her. The live-in housekeeper signed a one-page agreement to arbitrate that was presented to her by her employer, a car dealership owner, sometime after she started working, and it contained no other agreement about her pay, hours, or other terms of employment.
A unanimous Virginia Supreme Court sent the dispute to arbitration.
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