Telemarketing Scams

Every year, thousands of consumers lose money to telemarketing con artists.  Telephone con artists will say anything to try to cheat people out of money.  They may call you and imply that they work for a company you trust, or they may send direct mail or place ads to convince you to call them.  Attorney General Terry Goddard is warning Arizona consumers to use caution when receiving telemarketing calls.

Q.  How can consumers limit the number of telemarketing calls that they receive?

A.        The Federal Trade Commission established the National Do Not Call Registry which requires most telemarketers to stop calling.  Exceptions to the Registry are political organizations, charities, polls and surveys; companies with whom you have an existing business relationship; calls from companies you’ve given permission to call; and business to business calls.

To register your number on the Do Not Call Registry:

• Visit “DoNotCall.gov” and enter your phone number and email address.  Click “Submit.”  Confirm your information and click “Register.”  Open your email message from Register@donotcall.gov.  Click on the link to complete your registration or call 1-888-382-1222 from the number you wish to register.

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(Phoenix, Ariz. – January 22, 2010) Attorney General Terry Goddard is warning Arizonans to be cautious of unsolicited contractors coming to your door and offering help with repairs or clean-up related to the recent storms that have pounded the State.

Scam artists often try to capitalize on severe storms by taking advantage of homeowners coping with damage. Some unsolicited contractors will claim to have extra materials because they are doing work in the neighborhood. The pitch to the homeowner includes a “discounted” price for materials so the contractor won’t have to throw materials away.

The homeowner is typically given a verbal quote, but never a written estimate for the job. The unsolicited contractor will do the work, and in some cases without the homeowner’s consent, will do additional work.  After the job is complete, the homeowner may be presented with a bill that is hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than what was originally quoted. The person will often demand immediate payment and in some cases refuse to leave in an attempt to pressure the homeowner into paying in full.

Goddard cautions Arizona residents to think twice before allowing anyone who shows up after a severe storm to work on your home. Instead, he offers the following tips when choosing a contractor:

• Check with the Arizona Registrar of Contractors (www.azroc.gov) to make sure the contractor you are considering has a license.
• Ask for written estimates from at least three contractors.
• Request a list of references and check them before agreeing to hire anyone.
• Make sure the scope of the project, the price and any other relevant terms are spelled out in a written contract.
• Never allow yourself to be hurried into making a decision.  No reputable contractor will pressure you into a quick hiring decision.

If you believe you have been a victim of fraud, please contact the Attorney General’s Office in Phoenix at 602.542.5763; in Tucson at 520.628.6504; or outside the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas at 1.800.352.8431.  To file a complaint in person, the Attorney General’s Office has satellite offices throughout the state with volunteers available to help.  Locations and hours of operation are posted on the Attorney General’s Web site.  Consumers can also file complaints on line by visiting the Attorney General’s Web site at www.azag.gov

For additional information, please contact Molly Edwards at (602) 542-8019.

Maricopa, Ariz. (January 5, 2010) – On Thursday, January 7, 2010, the City of Maricopa Development Services Department will host a public meeting to gather information from potential transit riders, their travel behavior and obtain their input on transit issues. This is the first public meeting in a 5-month Transit Feasibility Study Update that will identify potential transit solutions for Maricopa residents. The meeting will be held at the First Baptist Church, 18705 N. John Wayne Parkway, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The study will not only define the most promising routes internal and external to Maricopa, but will also build a solid foundation for possible future transit expansion within the Pinal County region. “We need all potential transit riders to participate in the transit study update,” said Director Brent Billingsley. “The information we gather will be incredibly valuable in addressing transit needs that will affect the entire community for a long time.” When the study is complete, the Mayor and Council will review the findings and make the final selection of the locally preferred alternative and possible external modifications. The potential exists, through the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Rural Transit Program (Section 5311), to receive federal funding for the transit system within the study area that would become the nucleus of a potentially great expanded system.

For more information about the meeting, please call Transit Coordinator Kellee Kelley at (520) 316-6948 or visit www.MaricopaXPRESS.com.

Maricopa, Ariz. (December 10, 2009) – Thanks to the deployment of a new Customer Request Management Software (CRM) tool, citizens can now easily request services and track their progress, register and pay for parks and recreation classes, and search for city-related information from any Internet connection, 24/7. Soon the My Maricopa newsletter will arrive in your mailbox. The winter Activity Guide will be included, and registration begins January 4. For more information or to save time by pre-registering visit Maricopa Online Services today.

Submitted By:

Janet Myers

Registered Gemologist, AGTA Member & Maricopa Chamber of Commerce Member

Los Angeles Times Reported:

With its vacation vibe, color firm Pantone picks turquoise as top shade of 2010 If color is any guide, we’ll be moving into vacation mode in 2010 with the world awash in tropical turquoise, forecasters say.

Turquoise was selected as the color of 2010 by Pantone, a company that supplies and tracks color for fashion and home decor, among other industries. Fashion insiders agreed the color is on the rise.

“Turquoise is universally appealing. It puts everyone in the same state of mind — on vacation,” says Jane Schoenborn, design director at Lilly Pulitzer. “Turquoise for us is a really big color. A lot of times it’s transporting, whether you’re actually going to a resort destination or not.”

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute, says there was no runner-up to turquoise in her mind because people crave escapism and freshness after a tough year. The shade is on the cusp of blue and green, which makes it both inviting and serene — characteristics associated with blues — and invigorating and luminous, which comes from green, she says.

Get ahead start and check out the turquoise items>>>>> And use your BuyMaricopa Discount  http://arizonajewelrycompany.com

If you are a first time home buyer there is still time to take advantage of this credit.

Please check this website for more information and to get all your questions answered.

Remember for the best information on Maricopa’s current real estate market contact a LOCAL Realtor  Local Realtor Listing

As Seen on:

Technologyinc.com

By Brent Leary

Small businesses are looking for ways to build better, stronger relationships with customers. With the rise of the social customer, this means it’s critical to connect with them in a way that builds trust.

A recent survey commissioned by e-mail marketing provider Campaigner found the top challenge facing small business owners today is customer acquisition and retention — by a landslide.  The 2009 State of Small Business Online Marketing Survey questioned over 250 North American small business owners with 20 employees or less.  And customer acquisition/retention was the top business challenge of 50 percent of those surveyed.  Growing revenue was a distant second with 15 percent, followed by improving cash flow and maintaining profitability — at 9 percent and 8 percent respectively.

The numbers in this survey seems to be on point with other studies I’ve seen over the past year.  While revenue growth, cash flow, and profitability are extremely important to any business, they are all driven by the most important asset businesses can have — good customers. And many small businesses do not have enough of those good customers to fuel the other three top challenges they’re faced with.

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The Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) supports Arizona businesses in promoting behaviors that prevent the spread of influenza in the workplace.

Please consider passing along the following important information regarding protecting against and coping with the spread of flu in the workplace. When employers take flu prevention measures and employees take precautions, it results in a healthier and more productive workplace.

Educate employees about influenza-like symptoms. Symptoms of influenza-like illness include fever (100 degrees Fahrenheit or 38 degrees Celsius) or chills and a cough or sore throat. Other signs include runny nose, body aches, headache, diarrhea and vomiting.

Insist that sick employees stay home if they have flu-like symptoms. Sick employees should remain at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of fever (chills, warm feeling, flushed appearance or sweating). Employees should be fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Do not require a doctor’s note for workers who are ill with influenza-like illness to validate their illness or to return to work. Health care providers may be extremely busy and unable to provide such documentation in a timely way.

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FED Report Sees Recession Ending
The recession is ending and the economy is finally growing again. That’s the message implicit in the Federal Reserve’s latest survey of businesses around the country, which found economic activity stabilizing or improving in most regions. Economists warn the expansion is fragile and will have staying power only if consumers start spending more money. Rising unemployment that kept Americans cautious could make for a plodding recovery in the months ahead. All but one of the Fed’s 12 regions indicated economic activity either was “stable” showed “signs of stabilization” or had “firmed,” according to the Fed survey.

The one exception is the St. Louis region, which reported the economic decline is “moderating.”  Among Fed districts, tourism activity has been steady, but business travel is said to be down markedly in the New York District. In the Southeast, travel-related spending remained sluggish in most of the region.  Restaurant and hotel spending was subdued in the 10th District, which includes several Western and Midwestern states. (Pages 5B, USA Today; B11, New York Times; A14, Washington Post; www.ajc.com/Business; Travel Advance, September 10)

Submitted by

Dawn Madden

Maricopa Properties

520-568-0555

www.MaricopaProperties.com

The Cromford Report ™ shows that the number of sales per month within Maricopa is still increasing.
The Cromford Report™ provides detailed information to track the history and current status of the
Greater Phoenix residential resale market and offers unique insight into its future direction.

Back in May I made the comment that the price per square foot had yet to catch up to the trend of
lower number of listings vs. higher number of sale each month. That is no longer the case.
The Cromford Report (tm) shows that price per square foot on sold homes rose 4% between May and June.
MLS reports show a 2.5% increase in price per square foot of sold homes between June and July.
With pricing per square foot rising now, we could have possibly hit the bottom of the market within Maricopa!

For a copy of the report or to learn more about the marketplace in your particular city, please
contact us at Info@MaricopaProperties.com with the subject line of CROMFORD REPORT along with
the City name that you are interested in receiving reports on.
Thank you!