You're a winner! (No, you aren't)
Every year, just like the swallows returning to the old mission at San Juan Capistrano, in the late summer and early fall Publishers Clearing House deluges consumers with TV ads and email spam attempting to lure them into entering their sweepstakes.
The winner of the “grand prize” this year will allegedly receive $2,500 per week for life (until such time as they catch the big bus), AND be permitted to designate another person to receive the same prize for the rest of their life. Sounds pretty good, especially if all you have to do to be eligible is enter one little contest once.
It turns out your chance of winning the big prize is about one in 300 million — something like your chance of being hit by a bolt of lightning in July while standing in a snowdrift with a Great White shark hanging from your right leg!
What is guaranteed is that you will receive so much junk mail you could become a paper-recycling tycoon. If that’s not enough, once you enter your email address, your email box will be stuffed every day with the worst kind of spam, exhorting you to “click here,” enter this and “verify” your correct email address. Every email or junk mail piece will obliquely suggest that unless you click here or send back a piece of paper, your chances of winning the grand prize may be diminished.
All these “threats” and come-ons are bogus. They’re simply designed to get you to buy more junk products at inflated prices and then being charged outrageous shipping prices and often being placed on a “standing order — automatic shipping” list. A website called Consumer Affairs has a page specifically dedicated to Publishers Clearing House “Reviews and Complaints.” If you want to read some of the 1,750 reviews and complaints go to: https://bit.ly/2foMasO
Personal Note: Against my strong admonitions, my wife, without my knowledge, entered the sweepstakes again this year. Due to the torrent of emails from Publishers Clearing House, I’ve been forced to delete the email address she used. Her computer started to smoke because the spam filter was quickly overwhelmed with the emails they were sending her. I am now emptying our mailbox with a manure shovel and a large wheelbarrow!
In addition to almost certainly not winning a PCH prize, a legion of scammers is calling consumers daily, attempting to convince them that they’ve won and all the consumer needs to do is provide a credit card number so that PCH can charge them a small delivery or “tax” fee. Don’t fall for this one — HANG UP!
MY SUGGESTION: Don’t enter this sweepstakes. While not technically a scam, it’s specifically designed to motivate you to buy cheap merchandise with inflated shipping charges.
?• • •?
KEEP YOU HEALTHY: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is coming out early this year and warning consumers to get their flu shots by the end of October. It’s not too early to get them now. If you want all the details, go to: https://bit.ly/2LuTEob
Many pharmacies are offering “free” vaccinations.
You may think that the flu is not a big deal but according to a New York Times article earlier this year, “It (the flu) is now on track to equal or surpass that of the 2014-15 flu season. In that year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates, 34 million Americans got the flu, 710,000 were hospitalized and about 56,000 died.
“We’ll expect something around those numbers,” Dr. Daniel B. Jernigan, director of the CDC’s influenza division, said during a recent telephone news conference. (Brian Walker, Press reporter, wrote an excellent front page article last Thursday on flu vaccinations.)
MY ADVICE: Get the shot — don’t get the flu.
?• • •?
SATELLITE TV DOOR-TO-DOOR: Dish TV and DirecTV door-to-door contract sales people are out in force again this year. They especially target seniors living in manufactured home communities.
The phrase “Just Say No” comes to mind. If one of these “consultants” (as they often call themselves) shows up at your front door, politely tell them “no thank you.” If that doesn’t work, just shut the door. You’ll end up being happier and saving yourself a lot of time and money.
The salespeople DO NOT work directly for the satellite companies. They are subcontractors and the satellite companies are hesitant to be bound by the promises they make in order to get you to sign their contract. (Which by the way provide you precious little in terms of consumer rights.)
?• • •?
MEDICARE FRAUD: The scammers need you to complete the scam. Don’t be duped into helping them steal from your Medicare account.
Unless you give them your personal information over the phone, the crooks can’t complete the scam. Scam callers posing as Medicare representatives will attempt to cajole you into giving them your name, address, Social Security number AND Medicare card number.
MEDICARE NEVER CALLS YOU — THEY ALWAYS CONTACT YOU BY MAIL. If someone “from Medicare” calls you — Hang Up on the scammer. Protect your Medicare number and your Social Security number like it’s cash — because it is!
Here is the proper Medicare phone number and website: Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) TTY users should call 1-877-486-2048. The website is https://bit.ly/1hM6dIj or Medicare.gov.
LESSON: Don’t call or return calls to other numbers or use other websites.
?• • •?
APPLE WATCH GOES MEDICAL: The new Apple watch, series 4 is just a timepiece until you look under the hood. It keeps track of your exercise, your sleep and some of your heart functions. It’s also able to detect when you fall and in the event that you don’t tell the watch it’s a false alarm, not a fall, it will automatically call 911 and other individuals that you designate — like your doctor or your kids.
All this comes at a pretty steep price, but then again, what’s your peace of mind and maybe your life worth? Check it out. Talk with your health care provider.
?• • •?
NO MORE BLOCKED NUMBERS: Just a note to readers, I’m no longer answering any calls coming from blocked numbers. If you call from a blocked number, please leave me a message. If you want a call back, you’ll need to verbally leave me your phone number.
The reason for the new policy is that I’m getting too many spam calls from blocked numbers. Every spam call I answer is one less consumer call I can answer. You can always call me, almost at any time, and you can always leave a message.
?• • •?
REMEMBER BILL BROOKS: “He’s On Your Side”
?• • •?
I have many more tips and interesting cases that I’m working on. Call me at (208) 699-BILL. You can follow me at HYPERLINK “http://www.billbrooks.us/” \t “_blank” www.billbrooks.us. I am available to speak about consumerism to schools and civic groups. Bill Brooks is a consumer advocate who lives in Coeur d’Alene with his proofreader, Bobbi (who is also his wife).