The Anchorage, Part 3

[Lorraine]

Hey Terre Good to be back. I'm busy reading some of the threads to catch up on what I've missed.

 

[Hornet3d]

That happens down here too! Was talking to a friend who'd had lots of trouble with her camper van overheating. Spent thousands on it then found out it was the radiator, in all the visits to the garage they'd never cleaned it out. Unbelievable. Same garage also charged for six monthly checks on their small car and never ever changed the spark plugs. Bustards!

Some years ago I had a friend drop his car off for a service and was told it would be ready in an hour or so. Having a lot of work to do he settled in the back of his car with his laptop until they came to take the car. Two hours later he was concerned that nothing had happened and went back to reception to query only to be told his car was ready for collection and was presented with a bill for a full service. Not surprisingly he never paid the bill and never went back.

 

[Hornet3d]

Hey Terre Good to be back. I'm busy reading some of the threads to catch up on what I've missed.

Catching up could take a while .

 

[Lorraine]

Bloody Nora! That's really crooked! Can't say I've come across that here but I'm sure it's happened.

 

[Lorraine]

Catching up could take a while .

You're not wrong!

 

[Terre]

Sadly, there are dishonest folks in all types of business. This is why the state of New Mexico actually has this : Standards & Consumer Services Statutes & Rules | New Mexico Department of Agriculture
There is a state inspector who comes in every quarter on a random date to check up on things. He was in just a couple of weeks ago and as usual the store I work at was almost perfect. There were two minor things having to do with my job (one missing price tag and one where I'd made a mistake changing tags when some prices changed) but that is all. Our scales (aside from one broken one we have already ordered a replacement for) and eggs and such were all perfect. In the 14 years I've been the Scan Coordinator there have only been 2 times where I've made enough mistakes or missed enough display signs that he has to actually give the store a written warning.

 

[Lorraine]

I like the sound of your system, Terre, it's one that could be widely adopted. We do have a weights and measures inspector who tests scales in shops but I like the sound of the rest of it.

 

[Terre]

While I do believe in smaller government and less regulation there are things where there MUST be government oversight. If we were all perfectly honest people that would be different but we aren't.

 

[Lorraine]

Being born and bred in a country with big government and regulation I'm used to it. All our police, public schools and hospitals, highways and railways are all funded and run by our national government as are prisons, our voting system, registering of births, deaths and marriages, cars and drivers licences, justice system, and so much more. Our consumer protection could be better but. Much better.

 

[Terre]

From what I've seen some of the consumer protections in you part of the world are better than here. Things vary.
I'm glad the weights and measures inspectors exist. They are very necessary.

I hope you don't get too much hail. Rain is good but ice from the sky is a pain.

 

[Hornet3d]

Sadly, there are dishonest folks in all types of business. This is why the state of New Mexico actually has this : Standards & Consumer Services Statutes & Rules | New Mexico Department of Agriculture
There is a state inspector who comes in every quarter on a random date to check up on things. He was in just a couple of weeks ago and as usual the store I work at was almost perfect. There were two minor things having to do with my job (one missing price tag and one where I'd made a mistake changing tags when some prices changed) but that is all. Our scales (aside from one broken one we have already ordered a replacement for) and eggs and such were all perfect. In the 14 years I've been the Scan Coordinator there have only been 2 times where I've made enough mistakes or missed enough display signs that he has to actually give the store a written warning.

Yep, there are rogues in all businesses, both large and husband and wife concerns, and walks of life, I am just more aware of them in the computer and car repair industries having worked for a time in both

 

[Terre]

Fortunately you know what you are doing, Lorraine has her son, we have a local guy who is honest. I wish more people had something like that.

 

[Terre]

Speaking of dishonest people. Just filed a scam call complaint with the FTC. 'This is an emergency call from your computer's security system. Your computer license has expired." Grrrrrr.. Too many people, especially elderly, fall for this fraud.

 

[AlphinaNovaStar]

Speaking of dishonest people. Just filed a scam call complaint with the FTC. 'This is an emergency call from your computer's security system. Your computer license has expired." Grrrrrr.. Too many people, especially elderly, fall for this fraud.

What computer license? Which computer? The one I gave to my stepfather, the Ubuntu laptop, the hp laptop, the “paperweight” computer that used to be an hp desktop, the hp laptop that I use or the Mac book I am trying to get? Okay probably not the Mac book I am promised nor the useless hp desktop. Maybe it is that computer I gave to my stepfather? No not that one as it has Ubuntu. My hp notebook might be it?
I have two valid licenses for windows. One on the hp laptop which is windows 10 pro and yet another windows 10 home license.

 

[Terre]

Sadly it was a recording so trying to play that game with the scammer wasn't an option. If I ever get a live person making that call that might be another matter......

 

[Miss B]

Oh the scammers are at it again. I had one of those calls last year supposedly informing me I owned the IRS a whole lot of money. I'm not one to fall for scammers easily, so she didn't get anywhere as far as I was concerned, but when I called my accountant to warn him he might be getting a lot of calls about this, he informed me he had been getting a lot of them, and one gal who lives in my area, and who's an attorney no less, almost fell for it. Luckily the Fed Ex store she brought her package to didn't accept it, because they already knew about the scam.

 

[Hornet3d]

What computer license? Which computer? The one I gave to my stepfather, the Ubuntu laptop, the hp laptop, the “paperweight” computer that used to be an hp desktop, the hp laptop that I use or the Mac book I am trying to get? Okay probably not the Mac book I am promised nor the useless hp desktop. Maybe it is that computer I gave to my stepfather? No not that one as it has Ubuntu. My hp notebook might be it?
I have two valid licenses for windows. One on the hp laptop which is windows 10 pro and yet another windows 10 home license.

I play a similar role unless I am in a bad mood in which case I take a different tack and ask them how they would feel if it was their grandmother being scammed by a person with clearly no morals.

 

[Hornet3d]

Sadly it was a recording so trying to play that game with the scammer wasn't an option. If I ever get a live person making that call that might be another matter......

That is a new development in the UK, instead of calling you to say they will be shutting down your broadband in 30 minutes you have a voice message saying they will if you don't call the number given within 30 minutes.

 

[Terre]

Oh the scammers are at it again. I had one of those calls last year supposedly informing me I owned the IRS a whole lot of money. I'm not one to fall for scammers easily, so she didn't get anywhere as far as I was concerned, but when I called my accountant to warn him he might be getting a lot of calls about this, he informed me he had been getting a lot of them, and one gal who lives in my area, and who's an attorney no less, almost fell for it. Luckily the Fed Ex store she brought her package to didn't accept it, because they already knew about the scam.

Yeesh. Glad the Fed Ex people knew what was going on.
At work the Western Union computer keeps having new anti-fraud messages every week or two. So many con artists and so many people falling for them. Including a few WU agents falling for scams aimed at agents.

 

[Terre]

Hmmmm..... Another thought occurred to me. There have been several people recently who approached my boss about changing to their company to handle our card transactions. The company that this store works through has a ridiculously low rate and all of those people leave when told what it is. Now I'm wondering if some might be fraudsters trying to gain access to card info more directly. Don't know if it's possible to set up a business that way but if it is then people are trying to.