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Almost seven years ago to the day, I wrote what became one of this site's perennially most popular posts ("Another Day, Another Scam -- this one targeting small business"), which was a post about a scam operation that sends small (and large, probably) businesses and nonprofits a very hyper-official looking notice about the required annual renewal for their corporate or company registration. The annual registration renewal is something anyone can do for their own business on a cell phone in under 10 minutes (first time, less after that) at no charge. This shady outfit sending the notices wanted something like $100 bucks to do it for you, and they have a very shady way of wording the notice to make it seem like you really ought to send them the money. They don't come out and lie in a way you could prosecute -- but they rely on the fact that a lot of people struggle with bureaucratic forms, and are under such pressure and tension when they think about doing anything involving government that they lose their natural skepticism and thus can be scammed. I thought that maybe the popularity of my warning had helped put them out of business, but in today's mail, I see that they're back. The latest version of the form is similar -- it's still designed to create fear, uncertainty, and doubt in the reader, so that a certain number of them will go "Oh what the hell, I'll just send them the money and they can take care of it." If you get one of these, throw it away. To renew your registration, just go to the Secretary of State's online renewal site and take care of it yourself. Here's what this year's bait for the scam looks like (I added the "NOT APPROVED" stamps). If you're in a business or nonprofit, you have much better things to do with your money than pay someone $100 or more to do something in under five minutes you can easily do yourself in under three.
If you help manage money or property for a family member or friend who can't do it themselves, you know that being someone's informal financial caregiver (or formally appointed representative payee or conservator or trustee) can be really tough. These jobs are all called "fiduciary" positions, because you have a legal "fiduciary" duty, meaning you must be faithful and loyal to the person you are helping, putting their interests ahead of your own. ("Fiduciary" is from Latin fidelis, meaning faithful.) The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created the Managing Someone Else’s Money guides for four different fiduciary roles. They also created a brief video that explains the guides featuring the experiences of two lay fiduciaries. If you have any questions about how to use these materials, please contact Naomi Karp at naomi.karp@cfpb.gov and Erin Scheithe at erin.scheithe@cfpb.gov. Statement of Remington A. Gregg, Counsel for Civil Justice and Consumer Rights Demand phone companies put anti-robocall technology to work  Historically very inaccurate, but you get the idea of something worth celebrating!  The internet depends on the First Amendment, part of the first set of amendments to the Constitution that became known as the Bill of Rights.
It is no exaggeration to say that the rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, and their application to the states through the 14th Amendment, are the backbone of American life and what it means to live in the United States. To help celebrate the Bill of Rights and discuss some important omissions from it, Salem's community radio station KMUZ (at 88.5 and 100.7 FM in Salem area and at KMUZ.org anywhere on the web) will air a special 227th Birthday Celebration on December 15 at 1 p.m. with KMUZ sponsor, John Gear of John Gear Law Office. And if you have questions about the Bill of Rights or your civil liberties, you can send them to Info@KMUZ.org with BILL OF RIGHTS SHOW in the subject line. All questions will be considered and some will be addressed during the show. That’s Saturday, December 15 at 1 p.m. on community radio station KMUZ (88.5 and 100.7 FM in the Willamette Valley, streaming at KMUZ.org to anywhere in the world). We are launching a new “Tell YOUR Story” tool that will enable residents, families, ombudsmen, and those who work with them tell their story about nursing home or assisted living care. |
 
AuthorJohn Gear is a Salem attorney in solo practice Categories
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