| Volume 104 Number 2 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Avoid counterfeit check schemes. Never cash a check for someone and forwarded them cash or your personal check. Odds are their check will bounce, and you will be out the cash.
For more general information about the law, check out my website.
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Verizon Challenges AT&T With Data Plans
Are you in the market for a new mobile phone service provider?
As the new iPhones hit the market, many consumers are battling with the decision of what carrier to use. Whether it's AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, or T-Mobile, there are pros and cons with each service provider. However, if it's just a matter of choosing between AT&T and Verizon, a recent bit of news might make the decision easier for you. This week, Verizon announced it will increase the amount of data consumers will get under each plan. Notably, the plans compete with recent offerings from AT&T. In hopes of luring in new and existing consumers despite a poor service reputation and questionable customer service, AT&T recently added to the amount of data a consumer will get each month without increasing the price. Verizon, a company with generally higher customer satisfaction, followed suit. Instead of 6 gigabytes of data for $80 a month, consumers can now get 10 gigabytes for the same price. Other higher tier options have also seen data limit increases without a price increase.
If you're in the market for a new carrier, make sure you shop around. These offers may not last long and could give you more bang for your buck.
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Jury Service Scam Resurfaces in Houston
According to the Harris County District Clerk and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a group of con men is posing as police officers and demanding some Texas residents pay up for purportedly missing jury service.
The jury service scam popped up late last year but reported incidents ultimately declined. However, a Texas resident was recently scammed out of $250, suggesting the scam might be finding new legs.
If you're contacted about missing jury service and think it might be a scam, visit https://tips.fbi.gov/ or call 713-755-6392.
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Musicians Take on Spotify for Low Royalties
Taylor Swift has removed her music from Spotify. Why is it such a big deal?
Spotify is a music streaming service that allows consumers to listen to music for free with limited advertisement interruption. Consumers can pay $10 a month to listen to music on the go, or generally enjoy music without advertisement interruption. Whether going to free route (with advertisements), or paying $10 a month, Spotify consumers can listen to as much music as they want from any artist they choose.
Sounds too good to be true? For some artists, it is. Although a great deal for consumers, artists aren't getting much out of their Spotify deals. Designed to combat piracy, Spotify monetizes streaming as an alternative to stealing. However, the revenue it generates isn't enough to compensate artists the same way iTunes or Amazon would. In many instances, artists are paid only a fraction of a cent each time a consumer plays a song. For popular artists like Taylor Swift, that can mean big money. However, for smaller acts, it does little more than get the music to the masses with little return. It all depends on how much the individual streams add up.
Not pleased with the way Spotify monetizes music, Taylor Swift has removed her entire catalog from the service. Swift believes she won't be alone, saying of other artists, "I hope they don’t underestimate themselves or undervalue their art." As far as she is concerned, artists put a lot of work into their projects, and should be compensated according to the true value.
"Music is art, and art is important and rare. Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for."
Will other artists join Swift in leaving Spotify? Could Spotify change the way it monetizes music to get more for the artists it streams?
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Your Money
Convert your hourly rate to an annual salary.
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For the Lawyers
FDCPA requires suit be filed in the smallest geographic area that is relevant for determining venue.
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act requires a debt collector file suit in the “judicial district or similar entity” where the contract was signed or the debtor resides. The Seventh Circuit held that this language means the smallest geographic area that is relevant for determining venue in the court system in which the case is filed. Overruling its earlier decision, the court held that in Marion County, which has nine small claims courts, the smallest area is a township.
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