| Volume 105 Number 6 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
In Texas, there is no wage garnishment except for child support, student and other federally secured loans, and certain taxes. A debt collector's threat to garnish your wages when he cannot do so, for example for a credit card debt, violates Texas and federal debt collection laws.
For more general information about the law, check out my website.
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Amazon Glitch Reduced Prices to Pennies
Some retailers are set to lose thousands after a price glitch allowed inventory to be sold for pennies. A third party software, called RepricerExpress, allows Amazon Marketplace businesses to automatically change prices to remain competitive. Unfortunately for the Amazon Marketplace sellers, many of the items sold for pennies were already in the shipment process when the glitch was discovered. As a result, Amazon had no choice but to fill the orders.
Sellers dealing with the glitch are angry. Some have lost their entire inventories, costing them thousands of dollars. Amazon, however, is not offering the sellers any reimbursement at this time. RepricerExpress hasn't offered sellers any compensation either.
To make up for lost money, some sellers are threatening consumers with debt collectors and "black lists." According to these sellers, the consumers must send back the product or pay the difference in price.
For its part, Amazon has stated it will not charge consumer credit cards to make up for the difference.
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Obama Signs $1.1 Trillion Spending Bill
You won't be flooded with stories of a potential government shutdown this holiday season. Instead, congress produced a bipartisan compromise that keeps the government running through next September. Funding for the Department of Homeland Security, however, will need to be revisted by February. Republicans were upset by the failure to deport some undocumented immigrants and gave the Department of Homeland Security a short leash as a form of protest. Legislators will take up Homeland Security again when the new congress convenes in January.
Not everyone was happy with the 1,600 page spending bill. For example, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) protested the loosening of regulators on some federally insured banks.
President Obama signed the bill on Tuesday night.
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How to Spot Counterfeit Goods
Counterfeit goods can make terrible gifts. From iPhones to handbags, knockoffs of popular brands can often be poor quality. Yet, counterfeit products are big business. In fact, many consumers knowingly buy counterfeit products because of the deep discounts compared to the genuine alternatives.
If you're shopping for holiday gifts by buying online or visiting street vendors, spotting a counterfeit product might be difficult.
To help you make sure you get what you pay for, Consumer Reports explains how you can protect yourself. Find out how!
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Your Money
How do expenses impact mutual fund returns?
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For the Lawyers
Defendant may not moot class action by offer to named plaintiff.
The Eleventh Circuit held that a plaintiff's individual claim is not mooted by an unaccepted Rule 68 offer of judgment, and a proffer that moots a named plaintiff's individual claim does not moot a class action, even if the proffer comes before the plaintiff has moved to certify the class.
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