WECN Consumer Checkpoint

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Consumer Checkpoint
by Bill Oemichen

FEBRUARY 2011
	Bill Oemichen is president/CEO of Cooperative Network and served as the state’s top consumer protection official from 1996–2001.

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2002

SELECT A DATE TO SEE THE ARTICLES FROM THAT YEAR

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
U.S. Senator Raises Cell Phone Privacy Issue Facebook Faces Privacy Concerns	Wisconsin Designs New School Accountability System
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Internet Privacy Becoming a Consumer Protection Issue	Feds Crack Down on Deceptive Product Ads Does Actress Jamie Lee Curtis Know What She’s Talking About?	*The Incredible Shrinking Package...but Not* the Price**	Retailers and Your Zip Code	Is Radon a Danger in Your Home?	Is Your Computer or Smart Phone Tracking Where You Are?
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
The Wisconsin Consumer Protection Top 10 Complaints	Harmful Credit Union Provision Becomes Law	Watch out for Telemarketing Schemes	What Large Telecom Acquisition Could Mean to You	Do Parents Need Greater Tools to Protect Children’s Online Privacy?	Renters May Face New Security-Deposit Obstacles

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Improve Your Credit Score	Tax Time Education for Tax Preparers	Make Your Airline Travel Dollars Go Further	FTC Acts Against LifeLock for ID Theft Misrepresentation	Wisconsin Unfair Sales Act: Unfair to Whom?	Clean Energy Jobs Act Dies in the Legislature
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
Do Not Call Violations Once Again Lead Consumer Protection Top 10 Complaint List	Financial Reform Grabs Congressional Spotlight	Internet Confidentiality an Increasing Issue Judge Penalizes Large Bank for Deceptive Business Practices	Beware of Scholarship Scams	Court Considers Minors’ Access to Violent Video Games	Beware of Medicare Fraud

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Online Coupons Provide Savings	Be Wary: Credit Counseling in Tough Financial Times	Tax-Time Scams	Flying the Turbulent Skies	Top 10 Complaints for 2008	Feds, State Advance Consumer Protection Legislation
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
Annuities: Are They for You?	Oil Franchise Tax: A Tax on Consumers Defeated	Credit Union Conversions to a Bank: Governor Doyle Halts a Bad Idea by the Legislature	New FTC Rule Bans Annoying Robocalls	Beware: Thieves Who Say They Are From Your Electric Cooperative Local Consumer Protection Offices to Close	Supreme Court Weighs Reasonableness of Mutual Fund Fees

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Reverse Mortgages - Are They for You?	Time for a New Year’s Financial Checkup	Congress Consider New Regulations on Credit Cards	Wisconsin’s Top 10 Consumer Issues for 2007	Do Consumer Protection Laws Apply to What Political Candidates Say?	Eliminating Most Catalog Mailings
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
New Scrap Metal Theft Law Benefits Electric Co-op Members	Court May Weaken Home Buyers’ Protections	Congress Stengthens Consumer Product Safety	Carbon Cap-and-Trade: A Consumer Issue?	Checking Your Financial Institution’s Stability	Be Wary: Backorders Loom; New ID-Theft Scams Develop

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Gift Card Scam Appears to be Real	Need Insurance? & Consumer Protection Continues to Find Stores with Incorrect Retail Scanners	2006 Top Ten Consumer Complaints	U.S. Senate InvestigatesCredit Card Practices	Is TV4US Good for Wisconsin?	Is Your Child Safe Online?
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
Is Google Protecting Your Privacy on the Internet? What Are Your Rights When Airlines Lose Your Luggage?	Problems Increase in the Airline Industry	Copper Thieves Could Cost You More Beware of Electric Bill Payment Scam	Watch Out for Flood Recovery Scams	Phishing Scam May Strike Close To Your Home	Making Sure Toys Are Safe

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Do You Support“A La Carte” Television Pricing?	Tax Season Warning: Beware of Refund-Anticipation Loans	No Call and Phone Company Complaints Lead ’05 Top 10 Complaint List	Is “MySpace.com” A Safe Place For Children?	Are Your Children Safe on the Internet – Part II	Wisconsin Legislature Has Mixed 2006 Consumer Protection Record
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
Wisconsin Acts to Combat Identity Theft	More Tools To Protect You on the Internet	Back to School Time: Protect Your Student From Criminals	Do Some Members of Congress Want You to Subsidize Earthquake and Hurricane Damage Relief?	Your Airplane Ticket Price May Not Be What it Seems	Protecting Your Children Online

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Interested in Getting Your Free Credit Report?	No-Call Telemarketing Leads 2004 Top 10 Complaints	The 2005 Tax Season is Here!	Identity Theft Scams Strike Again and Again	The Do Not Call Law and Your Cell Phone	Phishing: The Consumer Crime of 2005?
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
Is An Interest-Only Mortgage Right for You?	Freezing Credit Becomes ID Theft Response& Is the Employee Car Discount Right For You?	Lawmakers Tackle Gift-Card Problems	Legislature Considers Negative-Option Billing Ban	Wading Through the Floods: Damaged Cars, Charity Scams	Watch Out for Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Enrollment Scams

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
It’s 2004 and Reader Concerns Keep Coming	No-Call Telemarketing Leads 2004 Top 10 Complaints	Want To Build Your Own Mutual Fund?	Don’t Become a Victim of Phishing	The Hunt for the Right Credit Card	Do You Feel Like Someone is Watching You When You Are On The Internet?
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
Flying the Unfriendly Skies— Part Three	Watch Out fo Gas-Saving Scams	Time Again to Sign up for the Wisconsin “Do Not Call” Telemarketer Registry	The Credit Crush: Are Young Adults At Risk?	Exploring the Insurance Maze	Thinking About Giving A Cell Phone for Christmas?

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
Beware of January Fitness Center Problems and Weight-Reduction Scams	The 2002 Top 10 Consumer Problems	Tired of those Pop-up Ads on the Interent?	The Mutual Fund Fee Problem— Part 1	The Mutual Fund Fee Problem— Part 2	Have You Noticed Unauthorized Charges on Your Credit Card?
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
What the State Budget Cuts to Consumer Protection Could Mean for You	Flying the Unfriendly Skies— Part One	Flying the Unfriendly Skies— Part Two	Have A CLUE About Your Insurance Claims History. It Really Matters!	Making Sense of the Battle Over the Do Not Call Telemarketer Registry	Helpful Holiday Shopping Tips

JANUARY	FEBRUARY	MARCH	APRIL	MAY	JUNE
No Article	No Article	No Article	You Too, Can Stop Unwanted Credit Card Solicitations from Coming to Your Mail Box	Protect Your Identity from Theft!	Tired of the Telemarketer? Take Action!
JULY	AUGUST	SEPTEMBER	OCTOBER	NOVEMBER	DECEMBER
No Article	No Article	Is “Work at Home” Too Good to Be True?	Is Your Student Thinking About a Credit Card?	Wisconsin "Do Not Call" List is Underway	’Tis the Season To Be Wary

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