Consumer Advocate 

 Have you ever looked at the phone number appearing on your caller ID and wondered who really was calling you?

A common New Year’s resolution is to live a healthier life by losing weight gained over the holidays.

Many companies have brought back layaway plans for the holiday season. But before you put a purchase on layaway, make sure you understand what it is and how it works.

Layaway plans allow you to pay installments for items on reserve. You receive the item when it is paid in full.

In September 2010, officers of the Central Vice Control Section of the Cincinnati Police Department noticed members of a motorcycle gang at a local bar not known as a biker bar.

Police knew there had been skirmishes between rival gangs and “takeovers” of local bars in which a gang would lock it down and line up patrons to see if any belonged to a rival gang. There were warnings out, too, that a gang’s “enforcer” was in the area.

With so many consumers living on the brink of financial crisis, National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), March 4-10, 2012, aims to help consumers make informed financial decisions through a coordinated consumer education campaign.

Many mobile phones today are essentially mini-computers. They can be conveniently used to browse the Web, check e-mail, and make financial transactions.

But without proper security features, hackers may be able to use fairly simple technology to manipulate your phone and the information stored in it.

If you receive an unexpected check or money order that looks real — beware. It probably is a fake check scam.

How can you tell? Here’s one certain sign: It will direct you to deposit the check into your account and send money in return, keeping a nice “bonus” for yourself.

Many children use the Internet every day, yet parents may not realize what information their children are sharing online, what content they are viewing, or what software they are downloading.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, 34 percent of 10- to 17-year-olds had posted their real names, telephone numbers, home addresses, or the names of their schools online, and 45 percent had posted their dates of birth or their ages. Plus, one third of young Internet users (34 percent) had an unwanted exposure to sexual material.

Unwanted phone calls can be frustrating. Calls may come at inconvenient times, and you may have trouble determining who is calling you.

The following will help you understand and deal with unexpected calls.

When you are shipping packages this holiday season, take a few extra steps to ensure safe delivery.

What does it mean to an Ohioan that a section chief in the office of Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine went to Washington this week to accept an award?

If you answered that it means taxpayers’ dollars were saved and people in need of medical care got more help, you’d be right.

While the holidays are a time to be generous, be sure your well-intentioned donations are put to good use.

The 2011 Take Action High School Video Contest, which gives Ohio high school students the opportunity to compete for college scholarships while promoting Internet safety, is open from now until December 15.

Ohio high school students can demonstrate their creative talents and have a chance to win scholarship prizes by entering the 2011 Take Action High School Video Contest.

To enter the contest, high school students may submit a 60-second video on Internet safety. Entries may come from individuals or teams of two students.

Unwanted text messages are not only annoying, but can lead to unauthorized charges on your cell phone bill for services you never requested.

In the last few years, the Ohio Attorney General's Office has seen a rise in complaints dealing with unauthorized phone charges, in some cases connected with unwanted text message spam.

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is offering educational tools to help small businesses comply with Ohio consumer law.

The Attorney General’s Office enforces more than 25 consumer laws regarding advertising and business sales practices. To help businesses better understand these laws, the office’s Consumer Protection Section offers a free workshop, “Supporting Ohio Small Businesses,” which covers complying with Ohio consumer law and avoiding scams targeting small businesses.

As Ohioans deal with the effects of major floods, they should be wary of untrustworthy contractors who offer to repair damaged homes.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury now requires all federal benefit and nontax payments to be paid electronically.

People applying for Social Security, Veterans benefits or other federal benefits on or after May 1, 2011 will receive their payments electronically starting with their first payment. People currently receiving federal benefit checks will need to switch to an electronic payment option by March 1, 2013.

Those who do not choose an electronic payment option at the time they apply for federal benefits or those who do not switch by the deadline will receive their benefit payments via the Direct Express® Debit MasterCard® card, so they will not experience any interruption in payment. People who are already receiving benefit payments electronically do not need to take action. They will continue to receive their payment as usual on the payment day.

Grace Leon shared a special gift Thursday with the loved ones of the four Ohio peace officers killed in the line of duty in 2010.

The gift of hope.

“I want the survivors to know that sometimes life doesn’t bring you what you want, but I can assure you that life brings you what you need,” said Leon, whose late husband, Cleveland police officer Wayne Leon, was shot while making a traffic stop nearly 11 years ago. “I hope peace fills your hearts and loving memories bring you comfort.”

Are you a teacher?

Senior citizen? Child of a senior?

Spring is in the air and vacations are just around the corner. But before you book that long-awaited trip, remember to watch for travel scams and tricky marketing ploys.

Some companies offer “free” vacations, flights or other perks to entice you to sign up for a membership or a more expensive trip.

Although Ohio’s unemployment rate has dropped, scam artists continue to advertise phony job opportunities, hoping to take advantage of job seekers who may be desperate to find employment.

A recently reported job scam requests a $38 fee to apply online for state jobs and civil service testing. In reality, government job information is available for free at www.Ohio.gov (state jobs) and www.USAjobs.gov (federal jobs).

Tracking recalls can seem overwhelming, but left unchecked, defective products can cause serious injury or even death, especially to children.

“Hello Grandma?”

“It’s me. Me and my friend are in Canada and got stopped by the police. I need a $1,000 to get out. Could you wire it to me? Please don’t tell mom or dad. You know how they are. Thanks.”

Grandparents across the state are continuing to lose money to scam artists posing as grandchildren.

Since January, the Attorney General’s Office has received dozens of reports of grandparent scams from consumers across the state. In some cases, victims lose $10,000 or more.

Where do you turn for help when you and a company disagree?

Some companies ask for large upfront fees for dispute resolution services, but other organizations offer free help.

Ohio consumers who have outstanding complaints against DIRECTV dating back to January 2007 may be eligible for settlement money, if they file written or online complaints by May 30.

DIRECTV agreed to provide compensation for eligible consumers under a 2010 settlement with the Ohio Attorney General, 48 other states, and the District of Columbia to resolve allegations of deceptive and unfair business practices.

The settlement involved advertising, contract terms and other issues. If you believe you might be eligible, file a written or online complaint with the Ohio Attorney General’s Office by May 30 at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov or by mailing a complaint form to the Consumer Protection Section, Ohio Attorney General’s Office, 30 E. Broad St., 14th Floor, Columbus, Ohio 43215.www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/ConsumerComplaint

Just months after the U.S. Department of the Treasury announced it is retiring paper checks for federal benefit payments and going all-electronic by March 1, 2013, the use of direct deposit is on the upswing – including in the Midwest.

Currently, 88 percent of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments in the Midwest are made electronically. While that number is up from 85 percent seven months ago, residents of these states still rely on nearly 1.78 million Social Security paper check payments each month, putting their money at risk of theft or fraud.