Gripe Central

Scam Alert Ebay second chance

2013-05-23T22:26:00.000+10:00

eBay second chance scam

WA ScamNet has had reports from eBay users that after an unsuccessful bid to buy an item, they are contacted out-of-the-blue with a second chance offer, which turns out to be a scam.

There is a legitimate second chance function available for sellers to utilise on eBay when the sale to a winning bidder falls through. The correspondence is sent via the eBay website to facilitate these transactions.

How the scam works…

The scammer puts a fake item up for sale on eBay. It will either be very cheap or unusual, so that potential buyers are encouraged to make contact with the bogus seller to ask questions.

The scammer directs the potential buyer to contact them outside the normal eBay message service – usually by private email correspondence. This gives the scammers the person’s email address to go with the person’s eBay user name (that they already have).

The scammer monitors the user’s bids and when they unsuccessfully bid on an item, the scammer sends them a fake second chance email that appears to be from eBay.

The email says the sale to the winning bidder fell through and offers the identical item for sale, asking for payment by bank transfer or Western Union (a wire transfer service). The email contains a link when clicked takes the user to a fake eBay site or directs them to contact a fake eBay email address.

eBay is aware of this scam and supports WA ScamNet’s public warning. They have an advice page:Making sure a second chance offer is legitimate.

Precautions eBay users should take:

Only correspond through the eBay messaging service
Only use Paypal for payments
Check with the legitimate original seller as to the authenticity of any second chance email offers, but only through the eBay messaging service

SCAM ALERT Watch out when booking your winter getaway

2013-05-13T21:54:00.001+10:00

Scam alert thanks to Scam Watch

May 2013: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to be wary when making plans for a holiday escape this winter.

SCAMwatch has received reports that scammers continue to target would-be travellers with holiday rental accommodation scams.

Scammers are setting up fake online listings for rental properties to try and lure unsuspecting consumers into parting with their money. With these scams you pay for your accommodation, but the property either does not exist or, if it is real, the owner knows nothing about your booking.

Scammers are also reportedly hacking into popular holiday rental or travel websites in order to intercept emails between interested travellers and legitimate accommodation providers so that you send your money to the scammer instead of the owner.

SCAMwatch advises would-be travellers to be on guard and do their homework when considering any holiday rental offer.

How these scams work

There are a variety of scams out there targeting would-be travellers. Common travel scams to look out for are outlined below.
Holiday voucher scams

You are approached by a stranger over the phone, by email or even in person offering to sell you vouchers for heavily discounted holiday accommodation.
The accommodation is usually for holiday destinations popular with Australians such as Phuket, Koh Samui and Bali.
If you purchase a voucher, you may never receive it, or find that upon arrival at your destination the owner has no knowledge of the deal.

Holiday hacking scams

Scammers hack into popular holiday rental or travel websites to access email inquiries that you have sent to holiday accommodation providers/ owners.
The scammer then assumes the identity of the property owner and steers you into paying them the rental fees in return for a bogus booking.
When you arrive at your holiday destination, the real owner has no record of the ‘booking’ and you are left with nowhere to stay.

Fake listings scams

You visit a reputable online accommodation service provider where you come across an ad offering a property for rent at a really cheap price.
The offer may use fake copies of genuine ads to try and trick you into thinking it’s the real deal.
The ‘seller’ asks for payment to be made via money transfer.
If you take up the offer, you find that upon arrival at your destination the owner has no knowledge of the deal, and might not even rent out the property.

Protect yourself

While it may be hard at times to distinguish between legitimate business people and scammers, there are things you can do to help ensure that your dream holiday doesn’t turn into a nightmare.

Be cautious – if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Do your homework – contact the company directly using contact details you sourced independently through a phone book or online search.
Don’t trust the legitimacy of an ad just because it appears in a reputable newspaper or online classifieds website – scammers often use these.
If you receive an email out of the blue from a stranger offering a great holiday deal, do not click on any links or open attachments – just press ‘delete’.
Pay attention to the details – check the URL is the legitimate website, and confirm that names and addresses mentioned match up with publically available information.
Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall.
If you think you have provided your financial details or sent money to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately.

Debtstroyer from Debt Rescue

2013-05-10T22:13:00.002+10:00

Just found this and like what I see

Debtstroyer

Debtstroyer can be your secret weapon against bad debt

A Debtstroyer Agreement is a solution which can help reduce your minimum repayment amount, freeze your interest and give you more time to pay off your loans in one easy regular repayment – all without having a negative lasting impact on your credit rating. Essentially, it is an informal Debt Agreement set up between you and your creditors allowing you to repay the majority of your debt with minimal lasting consequences.

A Debtstroyer Agreement is incredibly flexible and allows our Case Managers to include as many or as few debts as needed, whether they are secured or unsecured. There are no restrictions on how much you are earning, your financial history, your assets or the amount of debt you owe to enter a Debtstroyer Agreement.

After assessing your financial situation, our Case Managers might recommend a Debtstroyer Agreement as the most appropriate course of action. From here, we will work with your creditors to come up with a realistic and achievable repayment plan. The amount will be calculated according to your circumstance including your income, cost of living and total debts. Often, this means you are only repaying a percentage of every dollar you owe and all future credit is frozen* so you can repay your debt quickly and stress-free.

One of the best advantages to a Debtstroyer Agreement is it won’t impact further on your credit rating, allowing you a fresh start when your debts are repaid*.

Why enter into a Debtstroyer Agreement?

Debtstroyer can offer you time to get back on top of your finances and the flexibility to honour your creditors without having to make incredible sacrifices.

A Debtstroyer Agreement will reduce your debt into more manageable repayments and could save you thousands of dollars through frozen interest and charges*.
A Debtstroyer Agreement won’t negatively affect your credit rating like a formal Debt Agreement would and once you have paid it off, Debtstroyer Agreements generally won’t leave a mark on your credit record*.
A Debtstroyer Agreement is flexible to include just one of your debts or all of your debts. It can even include your mortgage and car loan repayments, to make it just one, easy to manage, weekly repayment being automatically deducted from your bank account.
Once you enter a Debtstroyer Agreement the creditors must cease collection actions so you are free from the stress of harassing phone calls and letters.
You can own property and vehicles without adhering to a capped value, keep any unexpected windfalls and continue to run or manage a business.
It could save you from having to declare bankruptcy or entering into a formal Debt Agreement.

What our Debtstroyer Clients are saying

“I would just like to say a big thank you for your assistance in getting my credit card debts in order. It means so much to my family and I, it is such a relief to get myself financially sorted. Thanks so much for you help, advice and assistance. If any of my friends or family are in similar situations I will advise them to call you straight away.” – A Debtstroyer Customer

Scam Alert--watch out when booking your winter getaway

2013-05-09T22:25:00.001+10:00

How these scams work

There are a variety of scams out there targeting would-be travellers. Common travel scams to look out for are outlined below.
Holiday voucher scams

You are approached by a stranger over the phone, by email or even in person offering to sell you vouchers for heavily discounted holiday accommodation.
The accommodation is usually for holiday destinations popular with Australians such as Phuket, Koh Samui and Bali.
If you purchase a voucher, you may never receive it, or find that upon arrival at your destination the owner has no knowledge of the deal.

Holiday hacking scams

Scammers hack into popular holiday rental or travel websites to access email inquiries that you have sent to holiday accommodation providers/ owners.
The scammer then assumes the identity of the property owner and steers you into paying them the rental fees in return for a bogus booking.
When you arrive at your holiday destination, the real owner has no record of the ‘booking’ and you are left with nowhere to stay.

Fake listings scams

You visit a reputable online accommodation service provider where you come across an ad offering a property for rent at a really cheap price.
The offer may use fake copies of genuine ads to try and trick you into thinking it’s the real deal.
The ‘seller’ asks for payment to be made via money transfer.
If you take up the offer, you find that upon arrival at your destination the owner has no knowledge of the deal, and might not even rent out the property.

Protect yourself

While it may be hard at times to distinguish between legitimate business people and scammers, there are things you can do to help ensure that your dream holiday doesn’t turn into a nightmare.

Be cautious – if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Do your homework – contact the company directly using contact details you sourced independently through a phone book or online search.
Don’t trust the legitimacy of an ad just because it appears in a reputable newspaper or online classifieds website – scammers often use these.
If you receive an email out of the blue from a stranger offering a great holiday deal, do not click on any links or open attachments – just press ‘delete’.
Pay attention to the details – check the URL is the legitimate website, and confirm that names and addresses mentioned match up with publically available information.
Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, and a good firewall.
If you think you have provided your financial details or sent money to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately.

High Tech Diesel Engines

2013-01-05T11:48:00.001+10:00

Automotive Diesel

Engines

Warning

Never attempt home maintenance or roadside breakdown repairs on a common rail diesel unless you have been trained to do so. The systems operate extremely high fuel pressures which can be fatal. High voltages are also present in many systems

Are you in the market for a new vehicle? Thinking about a modern diesel?

Our new generation of common rail diesels are highly advanced engineering marvels capable of high power output with incredible fuel economy but are they really economical to the general consumer over the longer term. Read on and judge for yourself.

The advantages include:

Fuel economy equal to or better than many hybrid combinations
Very close to zero emissions
Quiet smooth operation when compared to older diesels
Compact size for high power output
Many general consumers have been unaware they have just driven a diesel
Technologically advanced system for exact fuel metering eliminating unburnt fuel
High pressure electric pumps eliminate the need for bleeding in most cases

The disadvantages include:

Not as quiet as a comparative gasolene engine
Diesel fuel in many areas is higher priced than regular fuels
Require the use of special engine oils- can be severely damaged if incorrect oils are used
Can not use high sulphur or biodiesel fuels
Accidently introducing unleaded fuel to these systems can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage to the system and will void all warranty- it may come as a surprise that a high number of roadside breakdowns in these vehicles are due to incorrect fueling
Although many of these engines require no system bleeding after running out of fuel the computer will need to be reset by a dealer before it can be restarted- this is interesting as the dealers deny this is anything but a fault but first hand knowledge tells me otherwise
Particulate filters are fitted to most of these engines and are extremely expensive up to $10000 in some cases. They have very specific servicing needs and in some cases are classed as a service item and may not be covered by warranty. I suggest getting the salesman to outline the requirements in writing before any purchase is completed
You must read and understand the vehicles owners manual BEFORE operating the vehicle. Failure to understand and correctly operate these systems can lead to expensive premature failure.
Most of these engines are fitted with turbo chargers- more moving parts to fail
Far too complicated for the home mechanic-maintenance needs to be done by the dealer which is typically more expensive than regular mechanics

My take on these vehicles is that although they are highly advanced and the systems are designed to be very reliable they are very open to human influence which a manufacturer cannot control. From my experience( I am a qualified automotive mechanic) unless these vehicles are serviced by a dealer workshop at the required intervals the repair bills could be huge. Keeping these type of vehicles after the warranty period expires will be outside what is affordable for the normal working class family.

My advice would be do you homework as always. Read the reviews and search the internet for faults and gripes. Make sure you fully understand the operating requirements before saying goodbye to the salesman and get everything in writing. If you want further info please feel free to CONTACT MIKE HERE

Tow trucks and accidents

2012-11-21T15:49:00.000+10:00

The laws have tightened over the past few years but the industry still has its fair share of rogue operators. There is nothing worse than having to deal with these clowns after having an accident. The following is my guide on what to do after an accident.

For more info visit me at www.gripecentral.net

What to do if you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident

Warning- In light of a few complaints I have received ALWAYS get as much detail from the Police if they are called as you can. Try and find out the at fault vehicle and be certain to get at least rego numbers and vehicle details of ALL involved. DO NOT rely on the Police report to give you the details particularly if you are unisured

This is the essential guide on what to do if you are involved in a car accident. Personal safety is always the number one consideration. Never place yourself in danger when trying to help others.

If you have been injured try not to move until medical help arrives -If you are alone use your phone to call 000 REMAIN calm help will not be far away.

It is a wise idea to seek a medical check up after even the most minor of accidents just in case an injury becomes apparent down the track- particularly important should an insurance company be involved.

Where possible do not move vehicles until the police arrive. This is very important in the event of serious accidents which may require forensic investigation. Police once on scene are in charge of a crash scene always follow their directions. This goes for all emergency service personal. Please note at this stage that tow truck operators are NOT classed as emergency personel. In saying this many have vast experience at crash scenes and are more than willing to assist if you require.

Crash FAQ

The other driver is yelling at me because I caused the accident and they are late for work what should I do?

Remain calm reassure them the Police are on the way and they will determine the cause of the accident. Try to remember the person may be in shock and try not to take the attack too personally. NEVER admit to causing an accident that is for the police to determine.

My car needs to be towed do I have to call my insurance company?

No this does not need to be done on the roadside. The vehicle is generally taken to the closest holding yard where the insurance company will arrange for it to be inspected. Your car can be taken to your home but you will need to pay the towing fees upfront.

The tow truck driver is saying I must use him because my insurance will not pay otherwise. Can I choose who tows my car?

Yes you can. If you have a preferred tower and they are going to be delayed getting there talk to the police on scene they may ask one of the tow trucks on scene to remove your vehicle to a safe position until your chosen operator arrives.

The other driver does not want the police called. Do they need to be notified?

In Queensland as with most states I would think the police must be notified if there are any injuries or if any car needs to be towed. If uncertain call the police they will advise. If you are insured the insurance company will probably ask for the police report number.

The tow operator is pressuring me to sign some paperwork so we can get the road cleared. I want to talk to my dad before I sign is that OK?

You should never sign anything until you feel comfortable in doing so. Make sure you fully understand what you are signing and ask the Police if you need assistance. You can ask to have your vehicle removed off the roadway while waiting for further advice on what to do.

Do I have to pay for towing before you remove my car?

If he vehicle is being taken to a holding yard then no that can be organised later. If you want it taken to home or a repairer then you will need to pay or get a claim number from your insurer.

What details will my insurance company need?

If the Police have been called and are doing a report then that report number is usually enough BUT always get details of all vehicles involved and if possible drivers details as well. Take note of the time and place and take photos if possible- do not rely on the Police to give you that information

We really do not know who is in the wrong. Who will determine this?

The Police will have the final say which is why they should always be called. Even in the case of single vehicle crashes as there is always the possibility of outside contributing factors.

Can someone please explain the different types of insurance for me? I am so confused.

I am currently working on a guide to help the link will be here when done

I have been injured and the medical bills are mounting up will I be reimbursed?

Part of the registration fee you pay includes compulsory third party insurance which covers personal injury- this varies from state to state- in some cases you will need to contact a solicitor. This is a relatively complex type of insurance and cover varies depending on your location- CONTACT ME if you would like personalised information.

My car only has slight damage and the Police say it is ok to drive home. The tow truck driver says this could be dangerous and may lead to my insurance company failing to pay the claim. What should I do?

If you are fully insured and there is visible damage I strongly advise against driving until your vehicle can be checked. With modern technology air bag and safety systems can become unstable of inoperable. It is of course always wise to weigh up the costs involved in towing particularly if you are not insured. Police are not qualified to offer roadside mechanical advice.

Can the police stop me from driving the car home?

Yes they can. If the vehicle is damaged to the point of being unroadworthy it is illegal to drive and they will not allow it to be driven BUT you cannot be forced to pay towing. The vehicle can be moved to a safe location for pickup later. If the vehicle is in a dangerous position or blocking traffic police will force it to be moved at your cost.

Second hand Debt

2012-10-21T21:50:00.000+10:00

Something most people do not realise is that most debt which is being chased by the large debt collectors no longer belongs to the original creditor. The collection agency has actually purchased what is know as non performing debt for a small percentage of its actual cost. They then attempt to add costs and collect on the full amount. This is generally credit cards, phone accounts and unsecured personal loans. An example might be- John owes $5000 on a credit card he cannot afford due to loss of his job. The issuer has attempted to collect from John but has realised he cannot afford to pay.

The cost of legal action and debt collectors will simply add more o an account they know John cannot pay so they write the debt off. Enter the lucrative world of the second hand debt industry. These debts are usually put up for "auction" and sold to the highest bidder. The $5000 debt is probably purchased for under $1000. Enter the credit agreement John signed which stated something like in event of this account being in default of our terms we reserve the right to collect using any means available( within the law of course) and also recover all associated cost( or something to that effect. See you thought all that legal mumbo jumbo was just there to fill in the pages. Any protection under the privacy act would also be lost when you signed that dreaded privacy form.

I hear you all screaming how can this be legal- I entered a contract with the credit providor why the hell should my debt now be with somebody i have never heard of. Much to my disgust it is according to a prehistoric property law click here if you feel the need to read it but it makes bugger all sense to me.

The bottom line is that it is legal and is a huge business which seems to be increasing all the time. The assignment of the debt to the new "owner" includes all contracts and the right to charge pretty well whatever they like in charges. The $5000 debt has now become $15000. This particular law needs to be tested in court to see if it holds up- BUT who when in financial distress is gonna be able to fing the huge fees to test it.

Now a little bit of legal stuff just to confuse things a bit more.

According to the law there is no time period the creditors need to wait before selling the debt- as soon as you are conducting the account outside the agreed terms they are free to sell it.

For the assignment or transfer of the debt to comply with the law in all States and Territories in Australia it must satisfy 4 elements.

1. The assignment must be absolute ie. the entire debt including all rights and contracts must be transfered and replaced under the receiving parties control.

2. The assignment must be in writing and signed by the assignor- there is no requirement for the debtor to be shown this document-which is like a bill of sale I guess- only a notice of assignment as descibed in 4 below

3. The intention of the parties to the assignment within the written document that it is an absolute assignment between the parties

4. Written notice to be given t the debtor- there is no time requirement for this notice as long as it is served BEFORE any attempts are made to enforce the debt.

I have not after speaking to hundreds of debtors since setting up this site come across one single person including myself who has been notified of the assignment of a debt verbally let alone in writing.

It may be prudent at this stage to highlight the fact that debt becomes statute barred after 6 years in most Australian States and Territories ie. A debt can no longer be enforced or default listed after 6 years from the last time you made a payment or verified in writing that the debt was yours.

So when the debt collector calls about a debt you have forgotten about for whatever reason- or maybe you thought it had been sorted by an ex partner or whatever. Make sure you ask if the debt is still with the original creditor or if it has been sold. Request the relevant paperwork to verify the assignment and insist on getting a copy of the original contract showing the debt is actually yours and also a current complete statement showing the balance and any additional charges. You are now in control. If the collection agency fails to comply simply CONTACT ME and I will point you in the direction of the correct action to take.

Roof Restoration HORROR STORY

2012-09-09T22:01:00.001+10:00

This story has been confirmed. Due to the business involved having won the case in the QCAT, which is the fancy new name for the Small Claims tribunal, all names must be suppressed- a legal muzzle at its best, who said anything about free speech. If nothing else this will ensure that no other unsuspecting home owner will be caught up in this fiasco.

The home owner involved is a pensioner and cannot afford the rectification work required to make this right.

Have you seen the ads? Make your old roof look new. Be very wary. Here is the story as investigated and confirmed. The elderly couple live somewhere not far north of Brisbane in Queensland. The very smooth talking person they dealt with runs a company called *****************. Sorry but that is how its gotta be. Here is their story. For the purpose of this story the customer is John and the tradesman will be Sir.

After seeing a roof restoration job performed on a property up the road it was decided by John to look into getting the old roof looking new again. He opted for a local. QBSA membership was confirmed and references checked. Quote supplied and a copy of a 10 year unconditional warranty papers given. Payment was made by cheque to $3000 and balance $500 (not the real amounts) Sir told John he would post out the invoice and warranty paperwork which never happened. John being elderly and trusting never saw the need to follow up. When completed roof looked fantastic everyone happy at least for now.

Four years later John noticed the roof starting to fade dramatically and was going chalky. He contacted Sir who finally turned up a month later. After a quick look he said the paint company would do nothing as it was not sealed. Sir said he would be prepared to repaint as long as John paid for paint approx cost $300. It was agreed and the job was redone. Note that the final cost for paint was actually $1000. Bit over the quote but Sir did state it was only a guess. No receipts were given again- you are way too trusting John but then again that's how tradesman used to operate "on a handshake".

Two years later and still within the original 10 year "unconditional" warranty period the new paint started to bubble Sir was again contacted and he promised to come out and have a look. Three weeks later sir was called again and upon John saying he would contact the QBSA he simply laughed and said best of luck and hung up. At this stage the QBSA was contacted and John was told because the job was under their $3200 limit they could do nothing-what a crock considering some $4500 had been spent to date.

The next step was close to the worst decision John ever made. Allow me to introduce QCAT. The Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. A spiced up version of of the old small claims tribunal. The following is based on my views and findings. The process John had to follow was not overly expensive but a little complicated for a pensioner. He managed to get the paperwork in and served Sir personally with the required papers.

Step one was a delaying tactic called arbitration. It was basically a pensioner versus a very clever conman his wife and a laptop computer. Sir had obviously been here many times before as he had all the answers the arbitrator required. John left with the verbal promise Sir would make things right and also pay the hundred or so bucks John spent lodging the claim. Needless to say nothing happened over the next few months despite calls and letters from John.

It is worth noting at this stage that John was contacted by the QBSA saying they may be willing to assist. John advised the matter was currently going through the courts. Needless to say the QBSA then stated they could not assist until the court matter was over.

Time now for more paperwork to be lodged with the QCAT and a date set for a hearing which of course will be fair and reasonable- you think well consider yourself wrong. Despite John having written reports from experts saying the roof job was faulty "your Honour" ruled that given the age of the roof it was unreasonable of John to expect that sir would actually honour the ten year warranty which turns out to be nothing more than a marketing ploy. Sir was ordered to pay John the $100 odd dollars spent lodging papers. Apart from that John had no further claim and hence is prevented from mentioning the matter publically again.

In effect a legal muzzle has been placed on John. On contacting the QBSA John was told the matter was now closed and they could no longer assist. The final verdict on the roof in a judges own words was it is old and therefore you should never have expected it to last forever. WHY THE HELL PAY THESE PEOPLE FOR ROOF RESTORATION ???????

Where in my opinion John went wrong.

Never ever pay cash for anything- use a credit card and be wary of paying up front
Always get a written receipt for everything at the time of paying NEVER take the I will drop it back later mate
Insist on a contract being drawn up detailing EVERYTHING. Leave nothing to chance. Ensure all warranty details are included. If unsure take the contract to your solicitor.
Contact the QBSA before signing the contract and again insist on their response in writing.
Forget about legal avenues and just contact the local media. At least the business would have been named and others would be more aware.

For more info on consumer matters and debt collection visit

GRIPE CENTRAL

helping thousands of Aussie battlers everyday

Online legal documents for immediate download- fully editable with support at a fraction of the cost of a visit to your solicitor

Online purchase protection

2012-08-15T14:56:00.002+10:00

First and formost using your normal credit card for purchases online is a sure fire recipe for financial heartache. I ALWAYS use either a prepaid Visa, now available at the Post Office amongst other places, or my Paypal account linked to a bank account with only the funds I require for purchases. This will ensure even if you are attacked by scammers or your details stolen the losses are kept to a minimum.

Another important thing to protect online is your identity. Identity theft is a multi billion dollar industry and the criminals are getting smarter all the time. The following are a few tips I use when online.

Never give passwords or pin numbers to anyone- respectable companies and banks will not ask
Be very wary of phishing sites-these are sites set up to look like legitimate sites which require you to enter your login deatils-they look like the real thing but are set up for the sole purpose of stealing your details-always check the url details of a site before you log in. Here is a good example- Only yesterday I received an email from what appeared to be twitter with a link stating my account had been hacked and therefore the password needed to be reset. When clicking on the link a twitter login page appeared asking me to login to proceed. On checking at that point I noticed the page address was actually www.tvvitter.com/resetlogin . Looked very similar but it was a page set up just to steal my twitter login.
Always keep your browsers up to date most now have systems in place to warn when a site you are trying to visit has been involved in phishing
Beware of phone calls received out of the blue where the operator asks questions about you personal details. There are some very tricky ones doing the rounds at the moment. One I received the other day was from someone stating they were from Microsoft offering me a free upgrade and security compliance check. I was amazed at how genuine the caller was and the information was very convincing. The alarm bells started to ring when he began asking questions about some of my passwords which had been compromised and said this could all be fixed by me allowing him remote access to my computer-I was even given a microsoft site to log in on wth my google password. When I started to ask questions about his name and contact phone he simply hung up on me. Scam? you be the judge.

The best advice always comes back to never trust anyone. The scammers are making large amounts from tricking innocent people and they spend large sus to make the schemes look convincing. Always take your time to investigate and make a fully informed decision. It is also wise to remember that just because an article on the internet says something is safe well that was probably written by the scammers.

To find out more check out the site
www.gripecentral.net

ACM Group debt collection or harassment

2012-08-02T22:40:00.002+10:00

ACM Group Australia

WARNING-these people are ruthless and very rude-they prey on your lack of knowledge

They are known as ACM Group. Thay are a debt purchasing and collection service who claim to be highly professional. Following is the story of the experience of a close personal friend who had the misfortune of dealing with this "professional" debt collection company.

The debt is question was a Telstra phone account belonging to Mr J. The debt of about $1500 was included in his bankruptcy and hence no longer payable or enforcable. Telstra had never made any attempt to contact Mr J or his wife who was a contact on the account and had other accounts with telstra. Approx 18 months after the bankruptcy Mrs J had reason to check her credit file which indicated a default had been placed by Telstra for this account. Long story made short Telstra denied the listing and the outstanding account even though someone had placed the default. After spending months of dealing with Telstra to no avail Mr J referred the matter to the Telecommunication Ombudsman.

After going through the process which took about 2 months the ombudsman determined that the account was indeed in the name of Mr J and the default had been incorrectly placed on the Mrs file and it was removed. No explaination or apology was ever received from Telstra.

A further 6 months passed when Mrs started to receive calls to her mobile from someone leaving messages saying she needed to contact them urgently with regards to reference number xxxxxxxx which just happened to match the Telstra account number. This of course caused her to panic and she rang back immediately to get some answers. At first the company would not identify who they were only that they were representing Telstra for an unpaid account. Once realising what was going on Mrs asked them to fax the details of the account so she could verify as she was on the understanding this account belonged to Mr who was now bankrupt. The consultant became rather upset on being questioned and promised to forward the account.

The calls continued at least every two days for the following month but despite continuous request no account information was forwarded. At one point their 12yo daughter was receiving calls to her mobile as well as being told on the home phone that mum had to pay her bills. During this Telstra was contacted many times and of course same story pass the buck no records ect ect till one day someone admitted the debt had been sold to ACM Group for an undisclosed sum. Telstra could no longer give any details as the debt was no longer owing to them.

Month later a copy of a bill arrived at Mrs home address-interesting as this was never given out. More interesting the account showed her current details at the top even though she had only lived there for a few months. Unfortunantly Mr & Mrs could not produce an old copy of the account as these had been destroyed when the family business went bust.

The calls and harassment had become so bad that it was decided to take the matter to a solicitor for some advice. It was agreed that he would send a letter advising ACM that they were beaching the privacy act and all contact now needed to be in writing. It will be noted that Mr & Mrs received no further contact from ACM group and a default was relisted on Mrs credit file immediately. All contact with Telstra was met with total denial of any debt or responsibility.

A formal complaint was made with the complaints division of ACM group which was met with the simple reply amounting to no more than do what you like he (the ombudsman) cannot help you. A new complaint was lodged with the telecommunications ombudsman a few days later. The proceedure took about 6 months to complete but ended with a written apology from Telstra including the removal of the default and a guarantee the debt was now finalised. The apology from ACM Group was never received.

December 2011- this mob never gives up. Calls have started again. Pay within 3 days or the amount will be default listed. Better prepared for them this time. Calmly explained that this bill no longer exists which we can prove with letters from Telstra. ACM group operator was not interested and actually accused us of forging the documents. You can see why they will not put anything in writing.These call were being made at least twice a day and the caller was very rude.

Made a call to the contact we have a the TIO(ombudsman) who said they would have Telstra contact us within a few days. This happened with 24 hours. Telstra said they would contact ACM and we should notify them if the calls continued. At this stage nothing further has been heard.

Be careful when having any type of dealings with this company. Everything you say is recorded to their advantage. Never admit to anything and insist that the relevent information be sent to you by email only. Tell them unless this is done you are not prepared to act any further on a debt which you know nothing about. If you do not have an email account set one up on google gmail it is free and simple. I always use a separate account for this type of thing. When dealing with them for the first time remember do not panic and try to remain calm. They cannot take your house or personal items until a very long and tiresome process has been followed. If a default is listed on your credit file without following due proceedure it will have to be removed anyway which costs them money. Take time to think about your next move and tell them to call you back at a time that suits you.

WARNING do not just try to ignore them. They will continue to call on any and every number they can associate with you including work and family. I have been told they have even used social media to gain access to people. At the moment I am dealing with about 10 complaints against this firm and will take the required action if need be. If you are threatened or feel unsafe always call your local police they can advise what to do. Should you wish to ask me for specific advice or help please use the contact page. Mark it urgent if need be and I will contact by email ASAP

If you have a story relating to this company I would love to hear it.

You can contact me here

For free debt help visit me at www.gripecentral.net

Debt collection rip off

2012-06-03T22:09:00.000+10:00

I would like to share this experience with everyone. Having never heard of this company I was a little dubious from the start. After doing some research I found them to be fairly large and very ruthless. These places only think they are clever but with a little info you can quickly stay one step ahead and often save yourself a great deal of stress.

My work phone received a text message from a company called E collect. This particular number is unlisted and has always been a work phone number. I followed this text up in a couple of ways to see what would happen.

The text read. “you have an outstanding debt of $120 with Blockbuster Broadway. Failure to settle immediately may affect your credit rating call 1300****** Ref *******”

It is worth noting I have ever dealt with a video rental company.

Firstly I simply sent a return text asking for more info which of course was never replied to.

The next was to call requesting more info. On providing the operator with the reference number I was given the amount of the debt, the name it was in and the address. Massive privacy breach. The operator became rude and abusive when I asked for specific information and told me that unless I arranged payment with my credit card immediately I would be taken to court which would add more to the balance owing and a default placed on my credit file. I told this clown I would be providing no further information verbally and would consider payment when I received copies of the requested by email. The operator refused to provide his name or a reference no for the call Needless to say I have heard nothing by email.

I have received about 10 calls and a dozen or so text messages in the last 2 weeks and eagerly await the court papers to arrive.

The third call I made was to notify the “kind” operator that the text had been sent to my 15 year old daughter who was now very upset at the thought of being in trouble. The guy merely asked if my daughter was Sarah from Chevron Island and after I confirmed she was not he merely advised they had used a wrong number and we should just disregard. I replied I was not happy with this and insisted a text should be sent apologising. He advised this was not possible as the details had been deleted. My response “send the apology within ten minutes or I would take the matter further. To this he laughed wished me luck and hung up.

A complaint to the companies complaints department has not been answered and the video store denied any knowledge of the matter. I have sent the information to the financial ombudsman and the ACCC and will advise of the outcome.

My advice when dealing with these fools:

If you do not owe the organisation in question money then simply delete the text and forget it
They cannot put a default on your credit file without exhausting all avenues to contact you
If you do owe the money simply call the business in question and make a arrangement direct with them
Offer small payments which you can afford- even small amounts will keep them happy
I currently pay an old school debt off at $5 per week

Disclaimer
The information on these pages is the opinion only of the author. It is supplied only to inform the reader of experiences as provided by the writer. Any reference to third parties is given for information purposes only. One persons negative experience may not be an example of how a business operates in general.

All advice is general in nature taken from personal life experience only. There are no legal or professional authors related in any way to this site. Our aim is simply to help encourage individuals to research all opportunities in full.

Always seek the relevent professional advice before making any decisions

Mike can be contacted at www.gripecentral.net for any concerns, comments or questions

Affordable legal advice

2012-04-27T14:19:00.000+10:00

I have never hidden my thoughts on our legal system here in Australia. It is so complicated that many solicitors struggle with it. I have had many dealings with solicitors during my life and can pretty safely say not too many had positive outcomes and cost me a fortune.

Please keep in mind that these are my thoughts and experiences. Some of life's twists and turns will always require specialised legal representation but armed with a bit of information you may be able to save yourself a lot of money. As with any situation nowdays always get any agreement in writing and ensure you fully understand what you do and do not have to pay. The no win no fee promo we often see I have found to be very much a load of rubbish.

Solictors fees and charges can be very complex be careful of the clause in your quote which states something like "plus outgoings as required". These outgoings can cover anything including postage, phone calls, secretarial charges and I have even been charged for coffee needed during meetings. Ask for all charges to be clearly outlined in the contract you have drawn up when engaging a solicitor.

All solictors have areas of specialisation so ensure you discuss this before agreeing to anything. Many matters can be made much worse with incorrect advice. I had this unfortunant case a few years ago when trying to deal with a cranky debt collector. The solictors letter did stop the phone calls but got me a credit default listing and his bill for 200 bucks thanks buddy. I used the free ombudsman service to have the default removed and got the debt collector off my back once and for all.

Before engagement of a solictor always consider other ways of resolving a dispute. A really effective and cheap way of doing this is through mediation ie. talk to one another with a third party present to keep things civil. I will cover this type of dispute resolution and others on my website www.gripecentral.net. Be sure to visit me soon.

In rapping up I would like to say that not all solicitors and legal people are bad. With our legal system the way it is they will always have a place. The way I do most legal business I require now is online through Netlawman. The link is below. Have a look and decide for yourself. A quick look through through their website might save you a few of those hard earned dollars. GOOD LUCK

Highway Horror

2012-02-17T22:31:00.000+10:00

The story below hits very close to home in many ways. I have in the past worked on the highway and it is one of the most dangerous places to be. Strangely most of my close calls have been with 4wd type vehicles and small to medium size light trucks.

If a b double can move over when they see flashing lights then why the bloody hell can't the rest of you.

Let me spell it out in simple terms. When you see flashing lights ahead no matter what the colour it means you are approaching some kind of hazard. This indicates you should slow down a little and be prepared. The few seconds added to your journey are nothing compared to the suffering if you kill someone. We may never know why the truck driver struck these victims but one thing is for sure- he now has to live with what has happened and that will be the worst type of punishment.

Please just take a little more care on our roads. Throw the stupid mobile in the boot until you arrive- you will not die without it. Tonite a wife and four kids will cry themselves to sleep wondering why. A deeply loved young women about to embark on a wonderful future will not be going home. A truck driver will never be the same and not to mention the emergency service personal and witnesses who attended the scene.

I would like to take a moment to thank our tireless tow truck drivers. You can criticise all you like but believe me the next time you break down on the highway or in the middle of the night the flashing lights on the tow truck will be truely welcomed.

A YOUNG woman and the good Samaritan who came to her aid were killed in an horrific accident yesterday.

Police say 23-year-old Sarah Frazer was on her way to Wagga Wagga to start university when her car broke down yesterday near Mittagong, on the New South Wales southern highlands.

"Sarah was passionate about photography and left yesterday to start a course in photography at Wagga University," a family friend said today.

"The family are obviously devastated. She had two brothers and two sisters, and they were all very close."

Sarah was looking forward to living in Wagga and had arranged to live off-campus, said the friend.

Good Samaritan

Every time a stranded motorist would call him for help, Geoffrey Clark would drop everything and race to their aid.

The tow truck company owner and father-of-four was doing exactly that yesterday when he and Ms Frazer, the motorist he was helping, were run down and killed instantly.

Mr Clark, who operated Highlander Towing, was attending to a broken-down Ford sedan in a lane of the Hume Highway at Mittagong when he was hit by a truck.

The truck driver, from Barnetts courier company, was taken to hospital in shock.

Distraught employees and friends last night said Mr Clark was a "one in a million" boss who never said no.

"He'd happily go out to help someone in the middle of the night, that's Geoff," one employee said. "He was always ready to help, no matter who they were."

Mr Clark got the desperate call from the 23-year-old woman whose car overheated and broke down on the highway, just after midday.

With his newly purchased tow truck, part of a fleet of vehicles he owned, Mr Clark rushed to help.

Crash investigators were last night trying to work out how the truck failed to see the woman's maroon-coloured car and Mr Clark's truck on the side of the road.

It is believed Mr Clark and the woman were standing on the road side of their parked vehicles when they were hit.

Police said the truck "cleaned up" the two people, before coming to rest a short distance along the road.

"What chance would anyone have when a truck doing at least 100km/h comes at them," a police spokesman said.

The tow truck had been tipped in readiness to pull the broken-down car on to its tray just before the accident.

"We know she called for help after breaking down about an hour earlier ... they were working on the car, we suppose, when the truck has hit them," the police spokesman said.

Another one of Mr Clark's employees described him as a "top boss" who did the best by everyone.

"This is just tragic ... we are all speechless, this shouldn't have happened to someone as decent as Geoff," the employee said.

High powered police vehicles for Queensland.

2012-01-20T23:34:00.000+10:00

School is still out on what my feeling is of this. Any extra police vehicle on the road is a bonus. The more I look into the whole thing it smells very much like a advertising stunt for HSV. I would appreciate some feedback on how you feel. Is this a huge QPS waste of money?

Six cylinder SV6 commodores are plenty quick enough and I wonder if these high powered vehicles will send the wrong message. Remember the VL turbo pursuit vehicles never designed for the public. Raise your hand if you bought one from auction. QPS my feeling is you got this one wrong!!!

Here's an HSV you can't have: the ClubSport R8 Special Vehicle Response, or SV-R for short, and it's been put together especially for the Queensland Police Service.

Power for the 6.2 litre V8-powered ClubSport R8 SV-R has been boosted to aGTS-matching 325kW and 550Nm of torque, and while HSV is keeping mum on the specifics, it says there is also an exclusive and unique suspension package tucked underneath.

Road safety

2012-01-09T11:49:00.000+10:00

This video has brought a tear to the eye of some of the toughest teens I know. Anyone with a teen driver or learner should be watching this.
On that point I would like to also mention it is not just our young drivers causing or being involved in accidents. Some of our leaders need to get out of the office and go for a drive. Head north from Cooroy but prepare yourself for the ride of a lifetime. This road is one of the worst in the country for serious accidents yet drivers continue to flaut the law. I did the trip to Maryborough a few day ago. These are MY findings.
125 ( yes true) light vehicles exceeding the 90kmh speed limit.
23 semi trailers exceeding the 90kmh speed limit
Personally cut off or abused at merge lanes 3 times
4 b double trucks tailgating sedans with passengers.
1 single motorbike cop with a vehicle pulled over- no other police vehicles were spotted
Not a single speed camera unit noted
1 near head on collision at a merge.
2 vehicles actually slowed down for UNMANNED roadworks sites
Need I continue I think you get the picture. I also noted that of the vehicle speeding only 2 carried p plates of any type.
Surely this is the answer to our growing road toll stop spending millions of dollars on road safety campaigns which are not working. Maybe our governments need to look closer at what is going wrong. Yes the roads contribute to accidents only because their poor design does not allow for the true cause of most accidents. DRIVER ERROR.

Back to the video. Sit down with your kids make them watch it. The police do not want to be knocking on your door next.

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Please drive safely ARRIVE ALIVE

2011-12-30T23:13:00.000+10:00

I have been to many serious accidents over the years. The tragedy of a serious or fatal accident stretches well beyond those at the scene. Family and friends, doctors and nurses they are all affected. Over the next week or so thousands will hit our roads for the trip home .

Please drive safely. Plan your trip and allow plenty of time. Be patient. For all our sakes. I have watched the following video many times and it still sends a chill up my spine and brings a tear to my eye. It highlights how quickly life can change. Personally I beleive this type of thing should be shown on commercial tv and watched in our schools. Be warned it is graphic and sends one of the strongest messages I have ever seen. Turn up your speakers and watch it till the end.

Be safe on our roads. On that note I would like to say a special thank you to our emergency service personal. Police Fire rescue and Ambos. May you all have a quiet Christmas and New Year

PAEDOPHILES target single mums

2011-12-13T22:24:00.000+10:00

The lenghts these scum will go to is amazing. It makes me sick to think people lick Derryn Hinch have been silenced for naming one of them. Let me say I personally believe we all have a right to know if one lives nearby.
Hang in there
Mike

Australian Missing and Endangered Children
PAEDOPHILES are targeting the online dating profiles of Melbourne's single mums to molest their children.

Victorian police said predators had been grooming mums they met through online dating to get at their kids. Molesters faked a relationship with a lonely woman and got on their good side with homework help, trips and gifts.
The state’s top online child sex crime investigator said many molesters took a long time to lull the mum into a false sense of safety before they attacked their real target.

Internet Child Exploitation Team head Sen-Sgt Rob Ridley said predators sifted women’s dating profiles for children at the desired age and location.
''We’ve had several cases where a child sex offender has used information on social networking sites and targeted their (preferred) age range of victim,’’ Sen-Sgt Ridley said.

''They can trawl through thousands of photos and know where they live and their age and then target them with a false name or identity – a photo of your children may spark that interest.’’

Dating site RSVP reported that each month 1200 Australians form relationships on the site.Insp Jon Rouse of Queensland’s Taskforce Argos said parents felt pressure to declare their kids on dating sites.
''They don’t want to be misleading, but our advice is to lock down your profile.''

Information provided on this site is given as general in nature and is not intended to be taken as law. Always refer matters to a legal professional before making any decisions. Posts or comments are that of the individual and are intended as a guide only. Full details of our privacy policy can be found here. You are most welcome to use the contact page from my site.

Protect your assets make your own legal Will for under $40 no more excuses!!!

Road Toll-carnage getting worse

2011-12-08T23:18:00.000+10:00

Hello Readers

Time to stand on my soapbox for a minute or two. Have you noticed lately that the road toll has become worse than ever. It is becoming a daily event to read about accidents taking the lives of whole families. Groups of young people 3 or 4 at a time. Heartbreaking. Our wonderful governments spend, or should I say waste, millions of dollars every year trying to find an answer. Well guess what it is not working. The accidents continue to get more frequent and more serious.

To answer why the accidents are happening is really very simple. Take a drive on the Bruce Highway from Gympie to Brisbane at 6am in the morning. The road is not to blame the drivers and their attitudes are. Why the hell so many people are in a rush to get to work is beyond me. And before you whinge I do travel the roads everyday up to 3 or 4 thousand km per week. Wake up slow down chill a little you will be amazed at the result.

The cost and effect from every accident be it fatal or not goes far beyond the wrecked cars and medical bills. The cost to our communities is huge. The grieving parents and relatives. The effects on our emergency services and the witnesses who are first on scene. Lets not forget the poor old tow truck driver who is left to clean up the mess and deal with the distraught relatives. On that note try to remember they have a job to do also. They are not offered any type of counciling or support and quite often cop the abuse of passing motorists because they alone are holding up the traffic.

Next time you get behind the wheel just stop and think for one moment about the effect your driving mat have on not only your own family but the far reaching effects on many others. PLEASE slow down and take the time to enjoy life it is well worth it.

Happy Days
Mike

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Women's Complaints about Men!!!!

2011-12-07T22:36:00.000+10:00

At risk of creating a riot let me know what you think
mike@gripecentral.net

Cheers Mike

Women's Complaints about Men

1. They are not understanding enough.

2. They are not sensitive to feelings and needs.

3. They are not affectionate enough.

4. They tend to bypass sexual foreplay, and are quick to ejaculate thus losing their sexual interest, before the woman is satisfied.

5. They do not communicate enough. They do not express their feelings and thoughts.

6. They do not pay enough attention to their partners.

7. They do not spend enough time at home with their children.

8. They do not help with order and cleanliness of the home.

9. They do not appreciate the work involved in keeping up the home or in bearing and bringing up children and do not compensate this contribution to family life.

10. They make decisions about work and life without regarding the woman's or the family's needs.

11. They create extramarital relationships.

What Men Can Do to Help Their Relationship Partner's Feel Happier
Men can learn to:

1. Be more understanding and sensitive of her needs.

2. Be more affectionate, tender, affirming and loving.

3. Approach her consciously and sensuously allowing their mutual sexual energy to gradually develop.

4. To communicate more openly their thoughts, feelings and needs.

5. Spend more quality time with their children.

6. Help out with the cleanliness and order of the home.

7. Appreciate, and where necessary, financially reward their partners for work done in the home.

8. Include all the family in decision making.

9. Be monogamous.

10. Understand that her criticism is often a function of the fact that her needs are not being fulfilled.

11. Overcome the fear of being controlled and be true to themselves in each situation.

12. Understand that women perceive situations differently and respect that.

13. Understand that women are often the victims of their hormonal changes and that this is not easy.

14. Understand that women, too, need to get out of the house and engage in activities, which interest them.

Internet safety for your kids!!

2011-12-05T23:17:00.000+10:00

Understanding the risks

Sexual predators
When you meet someone in person it is easier to be certain that the person you are talking with is who they say they are or is at least the same age and gender as they say. This is more difficult on the internet. It is easy to create a fake profile online.

Children tend to be more naïve and trusting and are more likely to fall prey to strangers posing as children their own age.

Sexual predators frequent chat rooms looking for children to target. They develop a friendship and may spend months "grooming" a child towards sharing information, photographs or meeting up.

Talk to your children about the risks and what to be wary off. Help them to feel comfortable talking to you about their online friends and encourage them to tell you if anyone asks them for photographs or to meet them in person, particularly it you don’t know them or haven’t met them or their parents before.

Report abuse or suspicious activity through the ThinkUKnow website.

If you know about a child who is in immediate danger or risk, call 000 or contact your local police.

Inappropriate content
There is a lot of material on the Internet that is inappropriate, particularly for children. There are a number of things you can do to help prevent your children inadvertently on intentionally accessing this content.

Internet content filters are a valuable tool for managing your children’s access to online material and activities that you believe are harmful. They can be used to help filter offensive web content and can be individually set for different members of your family. Some internet content filters can set time limits for online use as well as help you monitor the online activities of your children.

While you can use filtering software to restrict the type of websites your children can access, they will not stop everything. Taking an active role in talking with your kids about the risks, answering their questions or concerns and being present will encourage them to come to you if they do come across an inappropriate site.

Having the computer in a common area, like the family room or the kitchen will make it easier for you to monitor their use of the internet without having to be looking over their shoulder.

Report offensive internet content to the ACMA at www.acma.gov.au/hotline, or via the Cybersafety Help button on the Cybersmart website at www.cybersmart.gov.au

Cyber-bullying
Mobile phones and the internet provide an easy and often anonymous way for kids to bully and intimidate other children or to circulate hurtful gossip or embarrassing photos or video. While bullying used to be restricted to contact at school SMS, email, instant messaging and chat rooms can be used to reach children anywhere including at home.

Talk to your children and encourage them to let you know if they feel bullied or intimidated. Ignoring the problem won’t make it go away, and there are steps that they can take to address the cyber-bullying. What is most important is that they tell someone.
As in the real world, encourage them not to respond when someone is being aggressive or hurtful online. This can only make it worse.
If someone is posting anything about your child online, especially personal information, contact your Internet Service Provider. Most likely your provider can have the information removed.
Report cyber-bullying to your child’s school. If you have serious concerns for your child’s safety, contact your local police.
Protecting personal information and privacy
If you are allowing your children to communicate with others online talk to them about how important it is that they keep personal information private. Encourage them not to give out their or your e-mail address.

If they have their own email or other online accounts make sure that they have a strong username and password that doesn’t reveal anything personal. For example the user name ‘Katy1998’ could reveal name, gender and age.
Educate your children about managing spam. Encourage them to delete any messages they get from anyone they don’t know.
Ensure your anti-virus and anti-spyware software is up to date.
If your children tell you that they have given out personal information online, contact your Internet Service Provider or the site where the information is posted to see what you can do to have it removed.

Steps for you to protect your children online

Here are some basic steps for you to protect your children online:

block inappropriate content
increase your online security and privacy
set up your computer to only access approved websites and email addresses
monitor where your children go online
Here are some additional steps for you to protect your children online:

explore the internet with your children – consider using safe zones and exploring child-friendly websites. Bookmark websites for them that you have approved
discuss the kinds of sites that are okay to explore, and those that are not. Let your children know that not all websites are suitable and if they encounter a site that makes them feel uncomfortable, they should leave the site immediately, either by clicking on ‘back’ or closing the browser altogether
reassure your children that they won’t be denied access to the internet if they report seeing inappropriate content
monitor and supervise internet use by having the computer in a visible place in your home
for older children, consider tools that filter access to chat rooms and prevent giving out personal information
check to see if your ISP is Family Friendly by looking for a lady bird logo on their website. These ISPs must adhere to the Internet Industry Association codes of practice. They offer information and online tools to help parents and children use the internet in a fun and safe way.

Stop bullying NOW!!! Part 2

2011-11-27T12:26:00.001+10:00

How do I recognise a bully?
Most bullying is traceable to one person, male or female - bullying is not a gender issue. Bullies are often clever people (especially female bullies) but you can be clever too.
Who does this describe in your life?

Jekyll & Hyde nature - vicious and vindictive in private, but innocent and charming in front of witnesses; no-one can (or wants to) believe this individual has a vindictive nature - only the current target sees both sides
is a convincing, compulsive liar and when called to account, will make up anything spontaneously to fit their needs at that moment
uses lots of charm and is always plausible and convincing when peers, superiors or others are present; the motive of the charm is deception and its purpose is to compensate for lack of empathy
relies on mimicry to convince others that they are a "normal" human being but their words, writing and deeds are hollow, superficial and glib
displays a great deal of certitude and self-assuredness to mask their insecurity
excels at deception
exhibits unusual inappropriate attitudes to sexual matters or sexual behaviour; underneath the charming exterior there are often suspicions or intimations of sexual harassment, sex discrimination or sexual abuse (sometimes racial prejudice as well)
exhibits much controlling behaviour and is a control freak
displays a compulsive need to criticise whilst simultaneously refusing to acknowledge, value and praise others
when called upon to share or address the needs and concerns of others, responds with impatience, irritability and aggression
often has an overwhelming, unhealthy and narcissistic need to portray themselves as a wonderful, kind, caring and compassionate person, in contrast to their behaviour and treatment of others; the bully is oblivious to the discrepancy between how they like to be seen (and believe they are seen), and how they are actually seen
has an overbearing belief in their qualities of leadership but cannot distinguish between leadership (maturity, decisiveness, assertiveness, trust and integrity) and bullying (immaturity, impulsiveness, aggression, distrust and deceitfulness)
when called to account, immediately and aggressively denies everything, then counter-attacks with distorted or fabricated criticisms and allegations; if this is insufficient, quickly feigns victimhood, often by bursting into tears (the purpose is to avoid answering the question and thus evade accountability by manipulating others through the use of guilt)
is also ... aggressive, devious, manipulative, spiteful, vengeful, doesn't listen, can't sustain mature adult conversation, lacks a conscience, shows no remorse, is drawn to power, emotionally cold and flat, humourless, joyless, ungrateful, dysfunctional, disruptive, divisive, rigid and inflexible, selfish, insincere, insecure, immature and deeply inadequate, especially in interpersonal skills

I estimate one person in thirty has this behaviour profile. I describe them as having a disordered personality: an aggressive but intelligent individual who expresses their violence psychologically (constant criticism etc) rather than physically (assault). For the full profile, click here; to see and be able to recognise the four most common types of serial bully, click here.
What does bullying do to my health?
Bullying causes injury to health and makes you ill. How many of these symptoms do you have?

constant high levels of stress and anxiety
frequent illness such as viral infections especially flu and glandular fever, colds, coughs, chest, ear, nose and throat infections (stress plays havoc with your immune system)
aches and pains in the joints and muscles with no obvious cause; also back pain with no obvious cause and which won't go away or respond to treatment
headaches and migraines
tiredness, exhaustion, constant fatigue
sleeplessness, nightmares, waking early, waking up more tired than when you went to bed
flashbacks and replays, obsessiveness, can't get the bullying out of your mind
irritable bowel syndrome
skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, athlete's foot, ulcers, shingles, urticaria
poor concentration, can't concentrate on anything for long
bad or intermittently-functioning memory, forgetfulness, especially with trivial day-to-day things
sweating, trembling, shaking, palpitations, panic attacks
tearfulness, bursting into tears regularly and over trivial things
uncharacteristic irritability and angry outbursts
hypervigilance (feels like but is not paranoia), being constantly on edge
hypersensitivity, fragility, isolation, withdrawal
reactive depression, a feeling of woebegoneness, lethargy, hopelessness, anger, futility and more
shattered self-confidence, low self-worth, low self-esteem, loss of self-love, etc

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Warning attempted abduction

2011-11-25T21:55:00.000+10:00

Victoria: Witness appeal following possible attempted child stealing

Friday, 25 November 2011 17:18

Detectives are appealing for public information following the possible attempted abduction of a 12-year-old girl in Red Cliffs on Monday 21 November 2011.

Police have been told the girl was walking along Kauri Street around 5.45pm when she noticed a dark coloured sedan being driven by a man.

The man got out of the vehicle and approached the girl, she avoided him and ran off west along Westcliffs Avenue.

Police have released a drawing of a vehicle which matches the description of the vehicle involved.

Police are unable to provide a description of the driver at this stage.

Investigators would like anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who may have any information about this vehicle to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or Mildura Police station on 50185344.

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Scam alert-cheap smartphones

2011-11-24T14:02:00.001+10:00

This just arrived thanks to Scamwatch Australia and I know a few people personally who have been caught with this one.

Stay Safe

Mike

Added: November 2011

Beware of scam online classifieds ads for smartphones, tablet devices and other small electronic items which are never delivered following payment.

Warning signs

A smartphone, tablet or other electronic device is advertised on an online classifieds site at a low price, often lower than comparable items advertised on the same website.
In many cases the scam ad will offer one of the same product free when you purchase a certain number. E.g. Buy three get one free.
The scammers may claim to be authorised resellers and offer 100% genuine items with genuine factory warranties.
The scam ads may mislead you to believe that the seller is operating out of Australian capital cities, however they are really based overseas.
The scammer may not have a website but will ask you to place an order via email. They will use a free email service provider for their email address.
The scammer will ask you to complete the sale through a wire transfer service and not via credit card.
Following payment you will not receive the items you have paid for.
When questioned, the scammer may claim that non-delivery is due to hold ups at Australian customs and may demand further payment before the products will be released. If you pay more you will never receive the items and will lose all money paid.

Protect yourself

Be cautious if the advertised price of a smartphone or other device looks too good to be true, it may be a scam.
Beware of offers for free products when you buy a certain number.
Don’t trust the legitimacy of an ad just because it appears on a reputable online classifieds or auction website—scammers post fake ads on these too.
Where possible, avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for up-front payment via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer. It is rare to recover money sent this way. Credit card payment may offer a more secure option as banks and financial institutions can sometimes perform a 'charge back' if they believe that your credit card was billed fraudulently.
Do an internet search using the exact wording in the ad, including email addresses and trader names; many well-known scams can be identified this way.
Before committing to buy a smartphone or electronic device online speak with the manufacturer. Ask for a list of authorised online resellers especially if you require a warranty.

Stop bullying NOW!!!

2011-11-22T22:16:00.003+10:00

Where are people bullied?

at work by their manager or co-workers or subordinates, or by their clients (bullying, workplace bullying, mobbing, work abuse, harassment, discrimination)
at home by their partner or parents or siblings or children (bullying, assault, domestic violence, abuse, verbal abuse)
at school (bullying, harassment, assault)
in the care of others, such as in hospital, convalescent homes, care homes, residential homes (bullying, harassment, assault)
in the armed forces (bullying, harassment, discrimination, assault)
by those in authority (harassment, abuse of power)
by neighbours and landlords (bullying, harassment)
by strangers (harassment, stalking, assault, sexual assault, rape, grievous bodily harm, murder)

How do you know if you're being bullied? Bullying differs from harassment and assault in that the latter can result from a single incident or small number of incidents - which everybody recognises as harassment or assault - whereas bullying tends to be an accumulation of many small incidents over a long period of time. Each incident tends to be trivial, and on its own and out of context does not constitute an offence or grounds for disciplinary or grievance action. So, ...
What is bullying?

constant nit-picking, fault-finding and criticism of a trivial nature - the triviality, regularity and frequency betray bullying; often there is a grain of truth (but only a grain) in the criticism to fool you into believing the criticism has validity, which it does not; often, the criticism is based on distortion, misrepresentation or fabrication
simultaneous with the criticism, a constant refusal to acknowledge you and your contributions and achievements or to recognise your existence and value
constant attempts to undermine you and your position, status, worth, value and potential
where you are in a group (eg at work), being singled out and treated differently; for instance, everyone else can get away with murder but the moment you put a foot wrong - however trivial - action is taken against you
being isolated and separated from colleagues, excluded from what's going on, marginalized, overruled, ignored, sidelined, frozen out, sent to Coventry
being belittled, demeaned and patronised, especially in front of others
being humiliated, shouted at and threatened, often in front of others
being overloaded with work, or having all your work taken away and replaced with either menial tasks (filing, photocopying, minute taking) or with no work at all
finding that your work - and the credit for it - is stolen and plagiarised
having your responsibility increased but your authority taken away
having annual leave, sickness leave, and - especially - compassionate leave refused
being denied training necessary for you to fulfil your duties
having unrealistic goals set, which change as you approach them
ditto deadlines which are changed at short notice - or no notice - and without you being informed until it's too late
finding that everything you say and do is twisted, distorted and misrepresented
being subjected to disciplinary procedures with verbal or written warnings imposed for trivial or fabricated reasons and without proper investigation
being coerced into leaving through no fault of your own, constructive dismissal, early or ill-health retirement, etc

Scam Alert-door to door sales

2011-11-14T22:20:00.000+10:00

Peddlers rattle Pilbara community

Lexi Metherell reported this story on Thursday, November 10, 2011 12:42:00

ELEANOR HALL: Although the practice of door-to-door sales is not always welcomed by residents, it is legal, but in the Pilbara there are signs that one company may have overstepped the mark. Residents there say they were signed up to contracts they didn't understand.

The World Today understands the corporate regulator, ASIC, is looking into the company involved as Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: Petrina Jackman lives in Newman in the remote north of Western Australia. Last month she was visited by a door-to-door salesman.

PETRINA JACKMAN: He just come and knocked on my door, front door, then we came out and like talked to him. He said do you want a free first aid kit?

LEXI METHERELL: You thought it was going to be free?

PETRINA JACKMAN: Yeah.

LEXI METHERELL: The first aid kit wasn't free. She had signed a contract stating she would make fortnightly payments totally more than $3,000 over a year.

RACHEL ALLEN: She had no idea what she was signed up for.

LEXI METHERELL: She wasn't the only one. Rachel Allen from the Newman Women's Shelter says about 20 people in the community signed on.

RACHEL ALLEN: They were just knocking on people's doors and tricking them, saying they are from Queensland and they'll send over free food.

LEXI METHERELL: The contracts are with a company called Home Essentials Australia, which has its headquarters in Brisbane. One contract obtained by The World Today states the regular debit amounts on the first page, but the rest of the six-page document is mainly fine print.

Rachel Allen says that's a tough ask for people with limited literacy.

RACHEL ALLEN: They were like targeting a lot of the older people that didn't understand what they were talking about. There was probably five people out of the 20 people that are over 60 are really not good with their English and are really, really sick.

LEXI METHERELL: Food and fridges were offered as part of the sales pitch, but a Home Essentials Australia employee told The World Today, that's not part of its deal. The manager of the company did not respond to a request for an interview.

Financial counsellor Fran Manuela, of the Pilbara Community Legal Service, believes the group targeted Indigenous people.

FRAN MANUELA: If they had've just gone and knocked on every door on the street, then we really wouldn't have anything much to say on that matter, but targeting a specific group of people, knowing that they do not fully understand what they're signing up that is unconscionable conduct, and misleading the mob out here.

LEXI METHERELL: She's cancelled most of the contracts as her clients rely on Centrelink payments and just can't afford the cost.

FRAN MANUELA: I was concerned that to keep a roof over their heads, keep the lights on, keep the water running for them, having to pay this amount of money out on these contracts on things they do not need or want, deceived into signing these contracts is something that I was not happy about.

LEXI METHERELL: Door-to-door sales groups have little respect from regulators, like the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's chairman, Rod Sims.

ROD SIMS: Some of the behaviour in door-to-door selling is not only sometimes false and misleading but can actually amount to unconscionable conduct.

LEXI METHERELL: This is not the first time that remote Indigenous communities have claimed that their residents are being preyed on by door-to-door salespeople.

Rod Sims says the ACCC will be watching them more closely.

ROD SIMS: We are extremely concerned about some of the consumer behaviour in relation to Indigenous communities. I have to say quickly that many of the people selling products to Indigenous communities do that appropriately and very well but there is the potential for unconscionable conduct behaviour and we will be on the lookout for it.

And I've also mentioned up in Darwin that we're going to expand our activity in connection with remote communities, improve our contacts. We've just put on an extra liaison officer to help us do that.

LEXI METHERELL: The World Today understands that another regulator, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, is examining whether Home Essentials Australia is in breach of the new consumer credit code.

ELEANOR HALL: Lexi Metherell reporting

Thanks to the ABC for this story.

The World Today is a comprehensive current affairs program which backgrounds, analyses, interprets and encourages debate oThe World Today is a comprehensive current affairs program which backgrounds, analyses, interprets and encourages debate on events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.n events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.

The World Today is a comprehensive current affairs program which backgrounds, analyses, interprets and encourages debate on events and issues of interest and importance to all Australians.