SCAMS: Some hit close to home

There have been reports of scams from all over... Nigeria, Canada, Chicago via the White House, etc. But folks... there's trouble right here in River City (with my apologies to "the Music Man)."

My husband Walt and I were recently targeted to be victims of a scam when we stopped for service at a local oil-change franchise. Had this scam succeeded with us it could have cost us from $500 to $1,000 in charges to "restore" the "problem" with the fuel pump, or whatever the pseudo diagnosis would have been by the mechanic working with the oil-change company to bring in the big bucks. One of the four attendants on duty took our Ford Explorer in to have the oil changed, and after about 15 minutes, we were told THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START.

The attendants stated, "None of us are mechanics, we only change oil." However, one of them started to "recommend" a mechanic for us; instead Walt called his mechanic son-in-law, Dion, who directed one of the men, using the phone to communicate what he should do to reconnect a connection.

Fords have a fuel pump shut-off switch, intended to stop the electrical fuel pump when the vehicle has been involved in a SUBSTANTIAL JOLT. The fuel pump shut-off switch is located in the passenger's foot well, behind the kick panel. I've learned that manipulating the fuel pump shut-off switch is a frequent scam against Ford owners. Bless the honest service people.

KAREN PARRISH NORSKOG

Post Falls