HOLIDAY COOKING- KEEPING IT SAFE

How to Prevent Food Poisoning:

As the holidays approach we like to celebrate by entertaining friends and family, throwing parties, and preparing feasts. From the buffet table to the office party, food moves center stage throughout the holiday season.

Be sure to keep food safe by following basic food safety steps:

• Clean: Wash hands in hot soapy water for at least 20 seconds before beginning any food preparation. Wash them again if you do anything else while cooking, like using the bathroom, blowing your nose, or touching your pet, etc. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and counter tops. Keep everything that touches food clean– utensils, plates, cutting boards, countertops, sponges and rags. Use a separate cutting board for meats. Sanitize it with a solution of half water and half bleach.
• Abrasions: Cover any cuts or sores with a bandage or use plastic gloves.
• Separate: Don’t cross-contaminate–don’t let bacteria spread from one food product to another. This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
• Cook: Cook to proper temperatures. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the bacteria that causes food borne illness. Always put cooked food in a clean serving dish–never the dish that held the raw meat. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Bacteria grows best in moist environments from 40-140 degrees F, so it’s important to limit the amount of time food is kept at these “danger zone” temperatures. Try to keep hot foods above 140 degrees F and cold foods below 40 degrees F–most bacteria cannot grow in these temperatures.
• Chill: Refrigerate foods promptly and this will keep most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Refrigerators should be et at 40 F and the freezer at 0 F, and the accuracy of the settings should be checked occasionally with a thermometer.

HO-HO-HOLD ON!

Make sure you get charged the right price this Christmas

Retailers say scanner technology has several advantages: speeding checkout time, lowering labor costs and improving sales and inventory records. They also say that scanning results in fewer pricing errors than manual entry.

Electronic scanning is not foolproof. The reasons: human error or oversight, poor pricing practices, or poor management. Although the UPC symbol has replaced the traditional readable price tag, it’s still possible for consumers to spot pricing errors at the register.

Here’s how:

• Watch the display screen for prices. If you think you’re being overcharged, speak up. Ask about the store’s policy on pricing errors, and ask the cashier to make the adjustment before you pay.
• Bring a copy of the store’s flyer or newspaper ad to the checkout counter.
• Consider jotting down prices or special sales as you make your way through the store.
• Check your receipt before you walk away. If you notice an error, ask the cashier to adjust the total. If you’ve already left the cashier’s lane, see the store or department manager or the customer service department to correct any mistakes.

SCDCA RECOVERS MONEY FOR CONSUMERS

SCDCA RECOVERS MONEY FOR CONSUMERS

This month marks the one-year anniversary of the Consumer Credit Counseling Act. Since the act was passed, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) has been working to recover consumers’ money and prevent dishonest credit counseling practices. The act allows the Department to regulate credit counseling counselors and organizations by monitoring services they offer. Additionally, the Department is able to protect consumers from being charged excessive fees. In November alone, SCDCA retrieved approximately $63,000 in consumer refunds from in-state and out-of-state credit counseling entities. The November refunds were collected from just two companies and returned to 79 consumers for an average refund of nearly $800 per consumer. This amount, however, represents just part of the total refunds the Department has collected for consumers this year.

The law, which took effect December 2, 2005, provides certain protections for consumers against dishonest debt management, credit repair, and debt settlement/negotiation services. Under the law, these organizations must comply with the following standards:

• Counselors and organizations must be licensed with SCDCA and follow SCDCA fee limits.
• Organizations must provide consumers with a financial education program.
• Counselors must provide consumers a written budget analysis before determining if a consumer should sign a Debt Management Plan contract.
• Counselors and organizations must provide the consumer a copy of the contract and cannot have the consumer sign a contract with blank spaces.
• Counselors and organizations cannot request voluntary contributions.
• Businesses must cancel contracts at anytime if given ten days’ written notice from the consumer.

COMING SOON:

SCDCA will be releasing a comprehensive report regarding the credit counseling law and actions taken by the Department this year. The report will be available for all consumers and organizations during January 2007.

For more information, contact the Public Information and Education Division at (803) 734-4190, 1-800-922-1594 (toll-free in SC) or online at www.scconsumer.gov and click on the Live Chat Line.

ONLINE HOLIDAY SHOPPING SCAMS

HOLIDAY SHOPPING SCAMS: ONLINE SHOPPING

Christmas is just around the corner and many shoppers are looking for that special gift for their loved one. Unfortunately, the holiday shopping season is a busy time for scammers, too. In an effort to inform South Carolina consumers about holiday shopping scams this year, the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) is releasing a three-part series entitled “Holiday Shopping Scams.”

“Holiday Shopping Scams: Online Shopping”

Scammers looking to cash in on the big spending season are devising new scams and techniques this season. One con artist is scamming consumers by placing online ads for puppies, a favorite gift with kids of all ages, which do not exist. Other scammers are “phishing” and “pharming” to steal consumers’ financial information. In all cases, consumers are fooled to believe the products and sites are legitimate.

“The Puppy Scam”:

The seller advertises a “free” puppy in return for shipping costs or a long-distance call for further information. In many of the ads, the seller claims he lives overseas and has a number of puppies available for just the cost of shipping. The scammer collects the money spent by the consumer on shipping costs or long-distance, international phone calls but never delivers the promised puppy. The online ads are mixed with, and therefore easily mistaken for, legitimate offers. Before pursuing more information from the seller or attempting to get one of the pups, call the advertisement’s sponsoring website to confirm the ad is legitimate.

Online Shopping Tips: Phishing and Pharming

Phishing, which has escalated in the past few months, is the use of fraudulent websites or e-mails to solicit financial information. Consumers are often asked to click on a link in an e-mail. The name on the link may be a legitimate company or site; however, the actual takes the consumer to a fake website. After the consumer provides financial information, the scammer is able to access their account. Consumers should avoid clicking on links within the e-mail. Instead, consumers should type the company’s address directly in the address bar to confirm that the real website is asking for the information listed in the e-mail.

The Federal Trade Commission cautions consumers to be suspicious of e-mails with the

following statements: “Official information” or “Urgent information to all credit card holders!”

Consumers should also avoid e-mails that ask them to identify themselves, or “update,”

“validate,” or “confirm” their account information. These words and phrases are often used

in phishing scams.

Pharming differs slightly from phishing. Phishing involves the creation of a new, counterfeit

site, but pharming involves the corruption of an existing site. Pharming occurs when a scammer

corrupts the URL site address. This process is often called DNS poisoning. Consumers type

in the domain name of the site they want to visit, but without their knowledge, consumers are

automatically sent to a fraudulent website that mimics the real version. The scammer collects

login, password and financial information from the consumer. Some sites issue certificates to

verify they are who they say they are. Consumers should make sure the name on the certificate

matches the domain site they are trying to visit. Sites, however, are not required to have

certificates.

“Holiday Shopping Scams: Holiday Sweepstakes” will be released next week. For more

information, contact the Public Information and Education Division of SCDCA at (803) 734-

4190, 1-800-922-1594 (toll-free in SC) or online at www.scconsumer.gov & click on Live

Chat Line.

2007 CONSUMER SPIRIT AWARD EXTENDED

2007 CONSUMER SPIRIT AWARD DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED

The Department of Consumer Affairs is now accepting nominations for the 2007 Consumer Spirit Awards. The deadline for nominations has been extended to January 26, 2007. The Consumer Spirit Awards are awarded annually to recognize individuals and organizations that empower South Carolinians through consumer protection and education initiatives. All individuals, organizations, and businesses are encouraged to participate.

Winners will be honored at a ceremony in February. Awards will be given in the following categories: Organization Leadership Award, Dublin/Robinson Consumer Champion Award, Governmental Excellence Award, and Media Partnership Award. A panel of representatives from various communities, governmental agencies, media outlets and past winners will serve as judges.

Judging criteria is as follows:

• Strategy: The nominee must demonstrate knowledge of and solutions for consumer needs.
• Execution: The nominee must complete their strategy honestly and professionally.
• Originality: The nominee must implement creative, innovative methods to help consumers.
• Results: The nominee’s efforts must directly benefit South Carolina consumers.

Past winners include: Founders Federal Credit Union (Lancaster), Ann McGill (WCSC-TV, Charleston), Margaret Brackett (Radio Talk Show Host, Newberry), John C Ruoff, Ph.D. (South Carolina Fair Share), and Jan L. Warner (ElderLaw Services of South Carolina).

"DECEASED DO NOT CONTACT LIST"

South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs Would Like To Make Consumers Aware of the “Deceased Do Not Contact List”

The Deceased Do Not Contact List (DDNC), sponsored by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), helps consumers avoid solicitations to family members who have passed away. Daily complaints from family members answering telemarketing calls for their deceased loved ones prompted DMA to establish the service in July 2005. DMA’s DDNC list for deceased members and their telephone preference service for living members are both similar to the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) “Do-Not-Call Registry” (DNC), which prevents telemarketers from calls to persons on the DNC list. The FTC has registered over 107 million consumers on its DNC list since it began in June 2003. The DMA registered about 3,000 consumers on its DNC list in its first 5 months. Both services require marketers to comply and have significantly reduced the number of unwanted calls consumers receive.

HOW THE SERVICES DIFFER:

DMA’s Deceased Do Not Contact List

• Registering on the DMA’s DDNC list requires a $1 credit card verification fee of the person’s death.
• Non-members of the DMA are also provided the DDNC file.
• An updated file is circulated to members and non-members every three months.
• Violators do not face legal action.

FTC’s Do Not Call Registry

• Registering on the FTC’s DNC list requires renewal every five years.
• You may remove your number from the FTC’s DNC list at any time.
• The FTC’s DNC list does not prohibit all organizations, including non-profits, from contacting members.
• Violators face legal action.

HOW TO REGISTER:

• For the DMA’s Deceased Do Not Contact List, consumers may register online at https://preference.the-dma.org/cgi/ddnc.php.
• Registration requires you to provide your name, relationship to the deceased, e-mail address and credit card number as well as the following information about the deceased: name, address, date of birth, age at time of death.
• For the FTC’s Do-Not Call Registry, consumers may register online at https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx or by phone at 1-888-382-1222. Registrations requires you to provide you to three phone numbers and your e-mail address.

Fireplace Dangers

Fireplace Dangers

• Never use gasoline, charcoal, lighter or other fuel to light or relight a fire because the vapors can explode. Never keep flammable fuels near a fire. Vapors can travel the length of a room and explode.
• Do not use coal or charcoal in a fireplace because of the danger of carbon monoxide build-up. Do not burn trash or gift wrap in the fireplace because of polystyrene foam and other coated materials can generate deadly fumes. Flying paper embers could also ignite the roof.
• Do not treat artificial logs like real logs. Artificial logs are usually made of sawdust and wax and have special burning properties. Be sure to read the instructions on the logs and follow them carefully. Use just one log at a time and do not add another log until the fire is completely out. Never add an artificial log to a natural wood fire that is already burning. Wait at least two hours before adding an artificial log to a natural log fire because it could cause a flare-up.
• Do not poke artificial logs because the flaming wax could stick to the poker and drop onto the floor or carpet. Poking a log could also cause a flare-up.
• Home rolled newspaper logs should never be soaked in flammable fuels of any kind because of the severe danger of explosion. Soaking the newspaper in water either before rolling or during rolling removes the clay content and will provide a better burning log. Then, stack the logs on end and let them dry for two weeks in the basement. When lighting the newspaper logs, use kindling just as you would for a regular fire.
• Do not overload the fireplace. Large fires can lead to overheating of wall or roof materials, particularly if the fireplace is constructed of metal.
• Always use a screen around the fireplace to keep sparks from flying out and to protect children and adults from accidental clothing ignition.
• Warn children about the danger of fire. Do not let them play with fire.
• Keep flammable materials such as carpets, pillows, furniture or papers away from the fireplace area.
• At holiday time, make sure the Christmas tree is not close enough to be igniting holiday wrapping papers.
• Always make sure that the fire is completely extinguished before going to bed for the night or when leaving the house.

FIREPLACE SAFETY

There is nothing quite as cozy as a warm, crackling fire in the fireplace. But if you don’t take some simple safety precautions, that fire could turn deadly. Thousands of people end up in emergency rooms for injuries associated with fireplaces and fireplace equipment…. and most of the injuries occurred with children under five years old.

Approximately 14,000 house fires each year are started by fireplaces. Most of these fires escalated beyond the fireplace because of an overloaded fire, damage to the fireplace such as missing bricks, obstructed flues, ignition of nearby combustibles, and flying sparks.

Keep your family safe and warm by following these fireplace safety tips:

• Inspect the fireplace. Make sure it has adequate protective linings and smoke ducts. Check to see that the chimney is clear and in good repair.
• If you are installing a factory-made fireplace, it should not be located near any combustible materials. It should also have adequate flame and heat barriers.
• Have chimneys inspected annually, and cleaned as necessary, by a CSIA (Chimney Safety Institute of America) Certified Chimney Sweep. This reduces the risk of fires and carbon monoxide poisonings due to creosote build-up or obstructions in the chimneys. To locate a certified sweep, visit the CSIA Web site www.csia.org or call 1-800-536-0118. A certified sweep can also perform maintenance on your wood stove or help remove gas logs from a fireplace.
• Keep the top of chimneys clear of tree limbs or debris.
• Install a chimney cap to keep debris and animals out of the chimney.
• Always open the damper before lighting the fire and keep it open until the ashes are cool. This will avert the build-up of poisonous gases, such as carbon monoxide.
• Fuel the fire safely. For burning firewood in wood stoves or fireplaces, choose well-seasoned wood that has been dried for a minimum of six months to a year and stored properly.
• Build it right. Place firewood or firelogs at the rear of the fireplace on a supporting grate. to start the fire, use a firelighter.

1. Always keep a fire extinguisher close at hand.

2. Make sure that everyone knows how to use it.

3. Keep emergency phone numbers on or next to the telephone.

Mystery Shopping-Beware of Ads Promising Quick Returns

Mystery shoppers are people who visit businesses posing as customers, evaluating the type service they receive, and complete and evaluation form.

Business owners and managers use these reports to insure their employees are practicing good selling techniques and providing quality service to their customers.

Mystery shopping is known by many names such as:

• Secret Shopping
• Mystery Customers
• Spotters
• Anonymous Audits
• Virtual Customers
• Employee Evaluations
• Performance Audits
• Telephone Checks

Mystery shoppers provide a valuable service for their client companies.

However, scammers have popped up offering consumers the chance to make quick and easy money by becoming mystery shoppers. Not all companies that hire mystery shoppers are scammers.

Here is an example:

The scammer requires the consumer to evaluate a service by cashing a large check (typically between $2,500 & $3,000) and wire the money to an international address. The consumer is then allowed to retain a percentage of the check as compensation. Unfortunately, within a few days the consumer learns that the check is bogus and is held liable for the entire amount.

Mystery shopping is not a quick way to make large amounts of money. Legitimate companies will never promise large amounts of money or require an up-front fee in order to become a shopper. Shoppers are usually paid modest amounts and may (on occasion) receive reimbursement for purchases made.

Consumers should disregard advertisements that promise fast cash and gifts while conducting evaluations for clients.

If you are interested in becoming a mystery shopper, here are some tips provided by the Mystery Shopping Providers Association:

• Respond directly to the companies that post the assignments (not to MSPA).
• Sign up with as many companies as you can. If a company asks you to pay, decline and move on to the next company.
• Be patient. It takes time, sometimes months or even longer, to be contacted with an offer to conduct a shopping assignment.
• Once assigned a shop, ensure it is completed according to the guidelines set forth by the mystery shopping client. Shoppers who do a good job have much higher likelihood of being invited back for future assignments.
• Prospective shoppers should never have to pay a fee to become a mystery shopper. If a shopper receives an email or visits a Web site that requests a fee, simply disregard it.

HOLIDAY SAFETY BEGINS AT HOME

There’s no place like home for the holidays, but the holiday season can also increase the potential hazards at home.

Here are a few simple suggestions for reducing common holiday hazards around the house:

1. Interior and exterior holiday lights should be on, only when you’re at home.
2. Keep your Christmas tree well-watered. A dry tree is a deadly fire hazard.
3. Make sure to extinguish all candles before leaving home or retiring for the evening.
4. Check to make sure that your fireplace screen fits properly, so that no stray sparks can land on the carpet or on wrapped presents waiting to be opened.
5. if you haven’t changed the battery in your home’s smoke detector lately, this is the time to do it.
6. Pets can be attracted to shiny decorations, including tinsel and ornaments. Make sure these items are not accessible, and place electrical cords well away from pets.
7. Gifts for children should always be age-appropriate, in order to avoid the risk of choking.
8. Think about giving a gift of safety this year. Fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and home or vehicle first-aid kits all make thoughtful (and potentially life-saving) gifts for loved ones.
9. Several popular holiday plants can be dangerous when ingested by children or pets. These include:

• Amaryllis
• Poinsettias
• The berries of holly
• Mistletoe
• The foliage of pine, fir and cedar trees can cause skin irritation in some children.