| Volume 16 Number 7 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act requires full disclosure by sellers. If a seller intentionally withholds material information, he could be responsible for three times the consumer's damages, plus court costs and attorney's fees.
After Foreclosure, a Big Tax Bill From the I.R.S.
For those who struggle to pay their bills, who watch their housing payments rise out of reach with their adjustable-rate mortgages, who lose a job or who fall victim to illness, losing one's home can feel like hitting bottom. But one more financial indignity may await as the fallout from the great housing boom ripples across the United States. Click here for more.
Sneaky Scams: Tips to Avoid Getting Ripped Off
Millions of Americans are affected by scams every day. But there are ways you can avoid becoming a victim. The FBI estimates scam artists rip people off to the tune of $80 billion a year. Law enforcement can help after the fact. Consumer Reports has some tips that can help protect you before you become a victim. Click here for more.
Appeals Court Approves Class Action Against AT&T
A panel of three judges made the decision Saturday based on a Cingular wireless contract that they said violates California law. The suit alleges that cell phone customers received inferior service after AT&T's wireless division was sold to Cingular wireless. Click here for more.
Bottled Water Awash in a Sea of Controversy
Bottled water is in hot water, and marketers of alternatives are trying to seize the opportunity. Some of the same health-conscious consumers who helped make bottled water a $15 billion business now are among those worried about its environmental impact - its 38 million plastic bottles a year made with 1.5 million barrels of oil. Click here for more.
Cellphone Contracts: Hard to Get off the Hook
Fed up with dropped calls and a string of defective cellphones, Corey Taylor said he became irate when he learned he'd have to pay $175 to get out of his long-term contract with Verizon Wireless. So he resorted to a rather extreme measure. He faked his own death. Click here for more.
Your Money
Am I better off renting? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Customer terms can't be modified via website posting. The 9th Circuit has held that a long-distance telephone customer could not be bound by amendments to his service agreement that his provider issued through a posting on its website. Click here for more.