Current Events in March 2008

Now that tax returns are slowly making their way to the government and rebate checks will be winging their way to eager consumers' wallets, identity thieves and scammers are gearing up for a new round of hunting for vulnerable targets to bilk out of their financial rewards.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued an alert warning consumers to avoid the latest form of fraud.

According to the FTC alert, identity thieves will call unsuspecting citizens pretending to be a representative of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), or another government agency.

The scammer will claim that the citizen needs to provide some kind of personally identifying information in order to process their rebate check, such as a Social Security number or bank account number.

Fraudsters may also use official-seeming emails to "phish" for consumers who may submit their personal data to what they think is a government Web site, but is in fact a fake, or which may install spyware or keylogger programs on the unsuspecting consumer's computer.

"Neither the IRS nor the SSA collects information about government rebate qualifications by telephone or email," the FTC said. "The FTC urges consumers who are contacted by phone or e-mail not to provide any personal information and to report the contact to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov or the SSA at 1-800-772-1213."

The IRS issued a similar alert in January reminding citizens that the agency does not send unsolicited emails containing tax information to anyone. The IRS also urged anyone who received a phishing email to forward it to phishing@irs.gov in addition to notifying the agency about the scam.

Using the phone to con victims into releasing personal data, a technique called "vishing," is one of the newest forms of identity theft. Vishing is rapidly eclipsing other forms of information gathering as the leading means of thieves to steal victims' data.

Although industry studies such as those conducted by Javelin Research & Strategy have claimed that identity theft has been on the decline in recent years, research indicated that there was a pronounced jump in the usage of "vishing" to get personal data, increasing from 3 percent in 2006 to 40 percent in 2007.

Identity theft has topped the FTC's consumer fraud complaint list for the better part of a decade. In 2007 alone, of 813,899 total complaints received in 2007, 258,427, or 32 percent, were related to identity theft. Total losses from consumer fraud totaled $1.2 billion for 2007, with the average monetary loss for an individual at $349.

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Authorities in Los Angeles have filed criminal charges against the executives of two companies that imported and distributed toothpaste later found to be tainted with toxic chemicals.

Los Angeles City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo, the City's chief prosecutor, working in conjunction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, has cited Vernon Sales, Inc., and Selective Imports Corporation, two California companies that allegedly imported and distributed more than 70,000 tubes of toothpaste containing the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG), also known as diglycol.

The toothpaste, manufactured in China, was recalled after it was found to contain the substance, which is banned from entering the U.S. in certain products.

Kamyab Toofer, President of Vernon Sales, Inc., and Pejman Mossay, the company's vice-president, were each charged with 14 criminal counts for receiving, selling and delivering an adulterated drug any product containing a banned substance. Frahad Nazarian, President of Selective Imports Corp., and Yones Ghermezi, the company's vice-president, were also charged with two criminal counts each for receiving, selling and delivering products containing DEG. Each count carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

In addition to its common use in antifreeze and as a solvent, diethylene glycol is used in China as a thickening agent substitute for glycerin, a sweetener used in cough syrup and toothpaste. The use of DEG in toothpaste and cough syrup is strictly prohibited by the FDA, as there are potential risks of toxicity and injury from chronic exposure in certain populations including children and individuals with kidney or liver disease.

In May 2007, the FDA initiated an investigation after authorities were alerted to the importation of 74,000 tubes of "Cooldent" toothpaste from China into Long Beach, California. The toothpaste had been flagged for immediate impound after a similar shipment of the product to Panama by the same Chinese manufacturer was previously discovered to contain DEG.

In the course of the FDA investigation, Delgadillo say it was discovered that between December 2005 and May 2007, approximately 78,336 tubes of Spearmint-flavored "Cooldent" toothpaste were sold by the Vernon-based Selective Imports Corporation to distributors across the country. Additionally, nearly 10,000 tubes of Fluoride "Cooldent" toothpaste were also distributed in early 2007.

Delgadillo says quantities of the toothpaste were purchased by Vernon Sales, Inc., which resold some of the toothpaste to stores and businesses located in the City of Los Angeles.

Investigators believe Selective Imports Corporation and Vernon Sales, Inc., in just the last 12 months alone, distributed 480 tubes of "Cooldent" toothpaste containing DEG to stores and businesses in the City of Los Angeles most of which was placed on store shelves for purchase by the public.

"The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations considers this illegal conduct very serious and is fully committed to investigating and supporting the prosecution of those who may endanger the public health with tainted products," said Dan Henson, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Los Angeles Field Office. "We continue to look forward to working with our law enforcement partners and commend the Los Angeles City Attorney's Office for their diligence."

Consumers participating in the 18th annual national Airline Quality Ratings have picked Air Tran as the No. 1 airline, moving up from third in the 2007 survey. Air Tran gained ground in the industry and in the ratings because of its baggage handling.

Following Air Tran in the top five of the AQR were Jet Blue, Southwest, Northwest and Frontier.

Overall, the news for airlines wasn't particularly good. The industry's overall rating was the worst on record, according to the AQR researchers. The second worst was for calendar year 2000. There are similarities between 2000 and 2007, specifically:

• During both 2000 and 2007 there was talk of the United States heading into a recession;
• The airlines were making money after an unprofitable period; and
• Demand for air travel was strong.

The AQR is a summary of month-by-month quality ratings for the largest domestic U.S. airlines operating during 2007. Co-researchers Brent Bowen, professor at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) Aviation Institute/School of Public Administration, and Dean Headley, associate professor and chair of marketing at Wichita State University (WSU), used 15 elements important to consumers when judging the quality of airline service.

Taken as an entire industry, the airlines declined in all areas of performance, Bowen said.

"I don't expect to see better airline performance in the near future. There's no incentive," Headley said. "The airlines are losing money. Fuel prices are high. They're cutting back on services. They're cutting back on people. Everything it takes to run an airline is more expensive, and the airlines want less of that expense."

Sixteen airlines were studied for the 2008 ratings report. The Airline Report Card is a unique figure that shows each airlines' individual rating since the AQR began 18 years ago. This visual aid offers invaluable historical reporting opportunities, Bowen said. It is available on-line at aqr.aero.

Researchers at the UNO Aviation Institute and the W. Frank Barton School of Business at WSU conduct the ratings annually. The AQR, as an industry standard, provides consumers and industry watchers a means to compare quality among airlines using objective performance-based data. It is a joint research project funded as part of faculty research activities at UNO and WSU.

The AQR scores for the largest airlines for 2007 resulted in the following ranking:

1. Air Tran
2. Jet Blue
3. Southwest
4. Northwest
5. Frontier
6. Continental
7. Alaska
8. United
9. American
10. Delta
11. US Airways
12. Mesa
13. SkyWest
14. Comair
15. American Eagle
16. Atlantic Southeast

Criteria included in the AQR are screened to meet two basic elements: They must be readily obtainable from published data sources for each airline, and they must be important to consumers regarding airline quality. The resulting criteria include areas such as baggage handling, customer complaints, denied boardings and on-time arrivals. Other major industry findings in this year's research study include: Only four of the 16 airlines improved their AQR score. They were Air Tran, American Eagle, Atlantic Southeast and Mesa. The most improved airline was Mesa; it improved in three of the four categories denied boardings, mishandled bags and customer complaints. Its on-time performance was similar to last year. The airline that declined the most in performance was US Airways. The airline business normally lurches from one crisis to another but the last week or so has been unusually turbulent.

SkyBus late last week became the third U.S. airline within seven days to declare bankruptcy and go out of business, and today, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is expected to propose new safety rules that would eventually apply to about 1,200 widebody jetliners thought to be prone to engine icing.

There've been at least 14 instances of jet engines shutting down suddenly since 2002. Researchers say ice can form inside the engines under certain conditions, leading to unexpected and potentially disastrous shut-downs, known as "flame-outs."

The new rule will require pilots to turn on engine de-icers more frequently. Additional procedures may be ordered in the future.

Bankruptcies

Financial flame-outs are an increasingly prevalnet problem. ATA and Aloha airlines also announced they were ending operations last week.

While SkyBus had been in existence less than a year, the two other decedents were long-established carriers. ATA had been in operation for 35 years, Aloha for 60 years. In all three cases, soaring fuel costs were sited as a reason for their demise.

Aloha filed for bankruptcy April 1 after saying it could not find a buyer or a lender willing to provide the financing it required to keep flying. ATA, based in Indianapolis, and a major partner of Southwest Airlines, folded April 2. Besides fuel costs, it cited the loss of a major military contract.

Skybus apparently got hit with a triple whammy; not only is it hard to launch a new business past the first year of operation, it had to contend with rising jet fuel costs and a slowing economy. It was a fairly small airline, serving just 15 cities.

Rising fuel pose a significant problem for all airlines. According to the International Air Transport Association, the cost of jet fuel is up more than 60 percent in the last year.

For consumers, the result is likely to be chaotic, especially heading into the already crowded summer travel season. The loss is also significant because all three airlines served mostly smaller, secondary airports that are not served by the major carriers.

With a number of consumers scrambling to salvage their spring Hawaii vacations, Aloha pilots have offered to transport stranded Mainland-bound and Merrie Monarch passengers and reiterated their standing offers to help Aloha Airlines continue its cargo operation until a buyer can be found and approved.

"We are going to keep trying to help our community and our company during this difficult shut-down process," said David Bird, Aloha MEC Chairman, "It is ridiculous that there are stranded passengers in Hilo trying to get home from the Merrie Monarch Festival while idle aircraft sit empty on the ramp with pilots available and willing to fly."

The pilots union says the airline "responded negatively" to the offer.

For years, retailers and merchants have been waging a quiet war with the financial industry over "interchange fees" -- the hidden costs of processing credit and debit card transactions that can wipe out a store's profits while earning banks a pretty penny.

Now Congress has stepped into the fracas with new legislation that would enable merchants to negotiate the fees they pay for taking plastic.

The "Credit Card Fair Fee Act of 2008," introduced by House Judiciary Committee chairman John Conyers (D-MI), would require lenders possessing "substantial market power" to negotiate with merchants and retailers on terms for fees paid when processing card transactions.

If a voluntary agreement cannot be reached, both sides would have to submit to binding arbitration overseen by the Justice Department and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

"This legislation is intended to give merchants a seat at the table in the determination of these fees," Conyers said. "It is not an attempt at regulating the industry and does not mandate any particular outcome. This legislation simply enhances competition by allowing merchants to negotiate with the dominant banks for the terms and rates of the fees."

Utah Republican Chris Cannon, who co-sponsored the legislation, said that the bill was designed to reinforce transparency and competition in the credit card industry, two principles key to what he called "the greatest economic system in the world -- free-market capitalism."

"The current system of setting fees that merchants pay for credit card transactions is anti-competitive and secretive," he said. "This bill does not set prices. Instead, it would require that fees be set in a transparent manner so other companies can compete for business and consumers would not pay artificially high rates."

Consumers are generally unaware of interchange fees, as they are folded into the total price of items bought and are not disclosed on receipts. But merchants are acutely aware of the fees, as they force storeowners and retailers to raise prices on all their items in order to make a profit, effectively penalizing customers who shop only with cash and don't pay fees of any kind.

$350 per family

Interchange fees cost the average American family $350 per year, according to statistics from the National Retail Federation (NRF). Americans pay interchange fees of two percent on all transactions made with plastic, higher than any industrialized nation in the world.

Visa and Mastercard kept their interchange fee structure hidden for many years, preventing merchants from accurately gauging how much they are really paying, and leading a group of merchants to file a class-action lawsuit demanding changes to the system. Both Visa and Mastercard have since published their fee breakdowns, although critics charge the structures are still too complex for anyone to understand.

Both Visa and Mastercard have set aside considerable war chests to pay for the potential costs of losing the litigation, and have committed to massive initial public offerings (IPOs) in order to defray more risk onto shareholders.

Retailers testified to Congress in July 2007 on the hidden penalties of interchange fees, and today welcomed the new legislation. "This legislation would use the nation's antitrust laws to rein in the greed of the credit card companies," NRF senior vice-president Mallory Duncan said.

"Rather than allowing these fees to continue to be set in secret and imposed on a take it or leave it basis, this legislation would require negotiations and allow retailers to seek fair terms and conditions that will ultimately mean a better deal for consumers," Duncan said.

"Consumers are already angry at the way they've been treated by credit card companies, and this bill is an important step toward making credit card companies treat both merchants and their customers with respect."

Just listening to a cell phone while driving is a significant distraction, and it causes some of the same types of mistakes as drunk drivers make, according to scientists at Carnegie Mellon University.

The use of cell phones, including dialing and texting, has long been a safety concern for drivers. But the Carnegie Mellon study, for the first time, used brain imaging to document that listening alone reduces by 37 percent the amount of brain activity associated with driving.

This can cause drivers to weave out of their lane, based on the performance of subjects using a driving simulator.

The findings, to be reported in an upcoming issue of the journal Brain Research, show that making cell phones hands-free or voice-activated is not sufficient in eliminating distractions to drivers.

Drivers need to keep not only their hands on the wheel; they also have to keep their brains on the road, said neuroscientist Marcel Just, director of the Center for Cognitive Brain Imaging.

Other distractions, such as eating, listening to the radio or talking with a passenger, also can divert a driver. Though it is not known how these activities compare with cell phone use, Just said there are reasons to believe cell phones may be especially distracting.

Talking on a cell phone has a special social demand, such that not attending to the cell conversation can be interpreted as rude, insulting behavior, he noted. A passenger, by contrast, is likely to recognize increased demands on the drivers attention and stop talking.

The 29 study volunteers used a driving simulator while inside an MRI brain scanner. They steered a car along a virtual winding road at a fixed, challenging speed, either while they were undisturbed, or while they were deciding whether a sentence they heard was true or false.

Justs team used state-of-the-art functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) methods to measure activity in 20,000 brain locations, each about the size of a peppercorn. Measurements were made every second.

The driving-while-listening condition produced a 37 percent decrease in activity of the brains parietal lobe, which is associated with driving. This portion of the brain integrates sensory information and is critical for spatial sense and navigation. Activity was also reduced in the occipital lobe, which processes visual information.

The other impact of driving-while-listening was a significant deterioration in the quality of driving.

Subjects who were listening committed more lane maintenance errors, such as hitting a simulated guardrail, and deviating from the middle of the lane.

Both kinds of influences decrease the brains capacity to drive well, and that decrease can be costly when the margin for error is small.

The clear implication is that engaging in a demanding conversation could jeopardize judgment and reaction time if an atypical or unusual driving situation arose, Just said. Heavy traffic is no place for an involved personal or business discussion, let alone texting.

Because driving and listening draw on two different brain networks, scientists had previously suspected that the networks could work independently on each task. But Just said this study demonstrates that there is only so much the brain can do at one time, no matter how different the two tasks are.

The study emerges from the new field of neuroergonomics, which combines brain science with human-computer interaction studies that measure how well a technology matches human capabilities. Neuroergonomics is beginning to be applied to the operation of vehicles like aircraft, ships and cars in which drivers now have navigation systems, iPods and even DVD players at their disposal.

Every additional input to a driver consumes some of his or her brain capacity, taking away some of the resources that monitor for other vehicles, lane markers, obstacles, and sudden changes in conditions.

Drivers seats in many vehicles are becoming highly instrumented cockpits, Just said, and during difficult driving situations, they require the undivided attention of the drivers brain.

The financial strains of retirement and the reality that 20 or more years of total leisure may not be all that satisfying is drawing millions of retirees back into the workforce, and is shaping the retirement views of many baby boomers.

Recent surveys show that more than three-quarters of baby boomers plan to work after retirement, but many want to change careers, and only about 5 percent want to work full time.

Whatever your reasons for working longer you need the money, or you just want to stay active and involved the benefits can be significant.

Researchers have found that people who work (at least a few hours a week) during their retirement years live healthier and longer than those who dont. And by working just a few extra years, you can make a huge difference in your retirement nest egg.

What to do?

Looking for interesting and rewarding work opportunities after retirement but arent sure what to look for? Here are some resources that can help you find your niche and maybe even a job to boot:

• Career One-Stop Centers: There are more than 3,000 career centers located around the country that provide free resources and services to help people plan their next career, locate training, find a new job and much more. To find a center near you call 877-348-0502 or go to www.servicelocator.org .
• The Next Chapter: This is an outreach initiative that offers programs in dozens of communities nationwide to help people nearing retirement figure out whats next. Visit www.civicventures.org/nextchapter - click on Directory.
• My Next Phase ( www.mynextphase.com ): A retirement counseling firm that provides a personality test as well as coaching, seminars and Web-based programs to help retirees find their passions.
• Vocation Vacation (www.vocationvacations.com): This is a company that lets you test-drive different careers that interest you by matching you up with existing businesses. They currently offer two and three day immersions in more than 125 unique careers, through around 300 expert mentors.
• Career counseling: Another option is to see a certified career counselor. These are trained professionals that can help you clarify your interest, abilities and goals. You can find a counselor at www.ncda.org .

Online Resources

Whatever your working interest full-time, part-time, temporary or seasonal there are a variety of free online employment networks that can connect you with companies that are interested in hiring older workers. Here are some good ones to check out:

• Seniors4Hire.org: A job-search site that offers job seekers (age 50 and older) access to thousands of U.S. based jobs from businesses that actively recruit and hire older workers and retirees.
• RetirementJobs.com: Another job-search site that brings together mature workers with companies who seek them. You can also post your resume online for companies to find you.
• RetiredBrains.com: A job-listings and resume posting site for older workers and retirees.
• Employment Network for Retired Government Experts ( www.enrge.us ): Matches retired government employees with private companies seeking to fill contract jobs in all kinds of fields. You post your resume on their site where a large pool of potential employers can review it and contact you if interested.
• YourEncore.com: An online recruitment firm that hires retired scientists, engineers and product developers and connects them with companies that need contract employees for projects.
• ExperienceWorks.org: A national, nonprofit organization that offers training, employment, and community service opportunities for lower-income seniors.

Start a Business

If youre interested in starting your own business but need some help getting started turn to the U.S. Small Business Administration. They offer tips, tools and free online courses you can access at www.sba.gov . Also see www.bizstarters.com , a company that (for a fee) provides materials, coaching and training to people over age 50 who want to strike out on their own. And visit www.score.org for free business advice for entrepreneurs.

Savvy Tip:

AARP also offers an excellent resource for choosing a career and job-searching at www.aarp.org/money/careers.

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Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior books.

Government and foundation grants are hard to get and come with many strings attached. Still, each year thousands of consumers are victimized by fast-talking scam artists who convince them they can get "free" money, just by paying a small "registration" fee.

A Raleigh, North Carolina company marketing easy-to-get but non-existent grants has been shut down by the state's attorney general.

"Outfits like this use the lure of free grants to try to take your money," said North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper. "This company took money from dozens of people but didn't win a single grant. Now they won't be taking money from anyone else, period."

A North Carolina judge has entered a default judgment against Aron Andrew Willis and his company, Grant Quest, Inc., of Raleigh. Willis and anyone else associated with Grant Quest are permanently banned from operating or working in a business that claims to help people win grants or other financial assistance. The court also ordered the defendants to pay $40,000 in refunds and civil penalties.

Cooper filed suit against Grant Quest and Willis in 2005 charging that they deceived North Carolina consumers into paying an upfront fee and then failed to help them secure cash grants as promised.

As alleged in Cooper's complaint, Grant Quest began placing advertisements in North Carolina newspapers in March of 2004 that claimed, "Cash grants available immediately!" The ads stated that as much as 30 million dollars in grants from private foundations and the government was available and that Grant Quest would show customers "exactly how and where" to win grants that did not have to be paid back.

At least 69 people responded to the ads. Cooper says these consumers each paid Grant Quest $139 for help but Grant Quest and Willis failed to win grants for any of their customers. Some people received nothing in exchange for their payment, while others got some sketchy information downloaded from the Internet about how to apply for grants and loans.

Despite offers of a full refund in the company's ads, Grant Quest allegedly refused to pay refunds when asked.

Grant scams are on the rise as credit becomes harder for many consumers to get, Cooper said. Many of these schemes make their pitch via the Internet or through telemarketing calls. The scams operate by taking money upfront and then fail to provide any grants.

"Offers of easy money can be tempting, especially when families are struggling to make ends meet," said Cooper. "No matter how good the deal sounds, don't waste any of your money on these empty promises."

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Bunk.

Thats the bottom line in a settlement under which the company that makes Airborne -- a multivitamin and herbal supplement whose labels and ads falsely claimed that the product cures and prevents colds -- will refund money to consumers who bought the product.

As part of a $23.3 million class action settlement agreement, Airborne also will pay for ads in Better Homes & Gardens, Parade, People, Newsweek, and many other magazines and newspapers instructing consumers how to get refunds. No ads on the Web, though.

Concocted by second-grade teacher Victoria Knight McDowell and her screenwriter husband Thomas Rider McDowell, Airborne promised to boost your immune system to help your body combat germs and instructed users to take it at the first sign of a cold symptom or before entering crowded, potentially germ-infested environments.

The companys folksy created by a school teacher! slogan and insistence that the product be stocked with real cold, cough, and flu medicines instead of with dietary supplements, helped turn the company into an overnight success, as did an appearance by Victoria Knight McDowell on the Oprah Winfrey Show.

But in February 2006, ABC News revealed on Good Morning America that Airbornes much-touted lone clinical trial was actually conducted without any doctors or scientists -- just a two-man operation started up just to do the Airborne study.

Soon after the plaintiff notified Airborne of his intent to file suit in March 2006, the company stopped mentioning the study and began toning down the overt cold-curing claims in favor of vague immunity boosting language.

In 2007, the Federal Trade Commission and a group of state attorneys general began investigating the various cold busting claims that Airborne has made since its launch in 1999. Those investigations are continuing, since the packages cartoony germs and suggestion for use in school, playgrounds, airplanes and other crowded spots still imply that Airborne is aimed at the common cold.

Airbornes basic formula contains Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as other nutrients common in multivitamins; the amino acids glutamine and lysine, and an herbal extract proprietary blend.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) cautions that Airborne may provide too much vitamin A, since just two pills provide 10,000 IU -- the maximum safe level for a day -- and the package directs customers to take three per day.

In addition to several flavors of the original formula, other Airborne products include Power Pixies, an artificially sweetened powder version for children; Airborne Seasonal, which is described as a non-drowsy formula containing a nutritional blend which promotes normal histamine levels; Airborne On-the-Go; and Airborne Nighttime.

Theres no credible evidence that whats in Airborne can prevent colds or protect you from a germy environment, said CSPI senior nutritionist David Schardt, who reviewed Airbornes claims. Airborne is basically an overpriced, run-of-the-mill vitamin pill thats been cleverly, but deceptively, marketed.

Consumers seeking refunds for purchases of Airborne can obtain a claim form by writing to the Airborne Class Action Settlement Administrator, PO Box 1897, Faribault, MN 55021-7152, calling 1-888-952-9080, or by visiting www.AirborneHealthSettlement.com.

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The inept Ford Motor Co. attempt to recall fire-prone cars, trucks and vans has stumbled and sputtered as federal safety regulators in Washington fretted over the automotive inferno spreading throughout the country.

The rash of Ford Motor Co. vehicle fires has destroyed homes, trucks and cars, sometimes killing people and family pets. ConsumerAffairs.com has received 15 reports of Ford vehicles erupting into flames since the first of the year. No one knows precisely how many fires have occurred or how many lives have been lost.

On February 28, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) -- years after it first learned of the problem -- took the unusual step of issuing what it called an "urgent warning" to more than 5 million owners of Ford vehicles that are likely to catch fire.

The safety agency advised that the fire danger is present regardless of the age of the vehicle, and could even occur while the vehicle is parked and unattended. Several dwelling fires have been attributed to the problem, NHTSA noted.

NHTSA urged owners of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury SUVs, pickup trucks, vans, and some passengers cars that are equipped with the faulty cruise control system to have the system disconnected immediately before the vehicle catches fire.

Disconnecting the system is a temporary solution that is necessary because Ford has failed to obtain the necessary parts to properly repair the recalled vehicles.

Too late

But the federal agency's "urgent" warning came too late for many Ford owners.

• A Vidor, Texas man saw his mother's truck burning out of control less than a week after federal safety regulators issued the consumer advisory.

I heard a loud BOOM and then horns going off. I thought it was a wreck. When I looked outside a large gulf of flames was burning dangerously close to the house and truck, he said. We kept the flames from hitting the house until fire department got there.

The outrageous -- but common -- story of Ford vehicles catching fire was reported over and again throughout the country in February as NHTSA talked and worried in internal agency meetings about whether to issue the consumer advisory.

• On February 27 in Granite City, Illinois, the day before the NHTSA warning, a 2001 Ford F150 burned.

I was awakened by 2 small booms about a minute apart. I got up to check things out to find my 2001 F150 in the driveway fully engulfed in flames as well as my boat parked about 15 feet away beginning to burn, the Illinois truck owner reported. The truck, boat, contents, asphalt driveway are total losses, he said.

• A day later in Monticello, Florida a Ford F150 burned in a shopping center parking lot while the owner was inside a store.

• In early February in Fairview, New Mexico a 1997 Ford F150 burst into flames. We heard a loud boom which caused the dogs to start barking, the truck owner said. When the Monticello fire department arrived 30 minutes later the truck was still burning.

• An Orange Park, Florida Ford owner reported February 9 that his 1999 Lincoln Navigator caught fire and was destroyed.

• On February 9 a 1999 Ford Explorer caught fire in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

I had just parked at a Burger King for lunch. The truck caught fire minutes after I enter the restaurant, the owner said. The truck was fully engulfed when firefighters finally put out the fire. I am grateful no one was in the vehicle at the time but I am out the only truck I owned.

The Rhode Island Explorer owner told ConsumerAffairs.com that he was not aware of the recall issued in issued on August 2007 and said he was never notified of the important recall even though he had owned the vehicle for many years.

• On February 4, a Ford F150 Lariat caught fire in Virginia Beach, Virginia, even though the cruise control switch was previously repaired under the terms of the August recall.

• In Alta Loma, California a ConsumerAffairs.com reader found his Ford truck on fire while eating lunch at home. Surprisingly every Ford rep was extremely rude and acted as though it's my problem not theirs, this Ford truck owner reported.

• On January 22, a Ford Expedition XLT caught fire in Westminster California.

After driving the vehicle for approximately 20 minutes it was parked in the driveway, the owner said. Approximately 1 hour later the engine compartment was on fire and became engulfed within minutes. Fortunately the vehicle was not in the garage.

As the rampage continues, NHTSA safety officials are warning people with the recalled Ford cars, trucks and vans to bring their vehicles to a dealer repair shop immediately to have the cruise control switch disconnected.

NHTSA reported that many dealers will perform the temporary fix as a drive-through service so owners do not have to leave their vehicles at the dealership or schedule an appointment in advance.

There was no indication from the federal safety agency whether any steps have been taken to require Ford to produce the needed parts for a permanent repair.

5 million to go

Almost five million vehicles have been repaired, according to Ford, leaving more than five million passenger cars and light trucks on roads, parking lots, driveways and garages throughout the country with the faulty switches intact and in danger of catching fire.

In early February, the automaker was placed in the embarrassing position of having to recall 225,000 Fords for the second time to repair the fire prone cruise control system. Ford concluded that the initial recall to prevent a fire was ineffective because the replacement part failed to function as promised.

Ford vehicles covered by the second recall include the gasoline-powered 1992 to 2003 Econoline, 1992 to 1998 Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis, 1993 Bronco, 1995 to 1997 F series pick up, 1993 F series pick up, the 1993 to 1995 Taurus SHO and the 1992 to 1995 Town Car.

The clumsy and confusing Ford management of the recall is destroying the trust many Ford owners once had for the venerable automaker as they are put off time and again by dealers without the necessary parts to repair the fire hazard.

• A Rochester Hills, Michigan Ford Ranger owner reported the automaker has delayed repairs for his truck twice. Ford is obviously not much concerned about timely corrections of safety issues, he said.

• In Orange City, Florida a Ford truck owner immediately took his Ranger to the dealer when the August, 2007 recall was first announced. I had the cruise control disconnected in August 2007 and the part is still not available to complete the repair, he said.

• A 1999 Ford Ranger owner in Ranier, Minnesota heard the same excuse from Ford.

I am still waiting parts for the Ford cruise control recall to become available to my local dealer. I drive a 1999 Ford Ranger and cover long distances several time a month. The dealer has expressed frustration with Ford's inability to make the repair parts available or to even give a reasonable date they could be expected, he told ConsumerAffairs.com.

Ford issued the same excuse to a motor home owner in Lakeland, Florida.We had to cancel our spring trip as we have on idea when or if Ford will get around to sending a kit for our repair, the retired Ford owner told us.

2 attempts

One Pennsylvania Ford owner was able to find a dealer with the parts to repair the cruise control switch but the repair took two attempts by a Ford technician.

They replaced the switch on the brake master cylinder and added a fused link into the connecting harness. When I arrived back home I took a look at what had been done and noticed what appeared to be fluid appearing around the crimp of the switch, he said.

The truck owner returned for a second time to the Ford dealer. The dealer then took my truck inside and replaced the replacement switch. This does not give me a secure feeling knowing the new switch immediately leaked. Something needs to be done about this problem. This has gone on far too long without a satisfactory solution. How can I trust this? he asked.

The inability of ford to provide parts to complete the recall is repeated over and again throughout the country.

In Tucson, Arizona: Ford didn't have the recall part so they disconnected the speed control. Said they'd have the part in a month and to come back then. Called just before Christmas. Told part not in. Called back January. Called back in February. Told part not in. Meanwhile I have no speed control since last Fall. I live in a big state. Is there any way to light a fire under Ford, he asked. I'm tired of the stonewalling.

Without the proper Ford parts, the interim repair is all that is left to Ford owners driving the dangerous and fire-prone vehicles. NHTSA assures consumers that the fix will eliminate the risk of fire while affected Ford and Mercury owners are waiting for final repairs from the trouble automaker.

Here is the list of Ford vehicles, according to NHTSA, that ought to be taken to a Ford dealer and repaired immediately:

1. 1993 2004 F150
2. 1993 1999 F250 (gasoline engine)
3. 1993 1996 Bronco
4. 1994 1996 Econoline
5. 1997 2002 Ford Expedition
6. 1998 2002 Lincoln Navigator
7. 1998 2002 Ford Ranger
8. 1992 1998 Ford Crown Victoria, Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car
9. 1993 1998 Lincoln Mark VIII
10. 1993 1995 Ford Taurus SHO with automatic transmission
11. 1994 Mercury Capri
12. 1998 2001 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer
13. 2001 2002 Ford Explorer Sport and Explorer Sport Trac
14. 1992 1993 and 1997 2003 Ford E-150-350 gasoline or natural gas vehicles
15. 2002 E-550 gasoline engine vehicles
16. 1996 2003 E-450 gasoline or natural gas vehicles
17. 1994 2002 F-250 through F-550 super Duty trucks (gasoline engine)
18. 2000 2002 Ford Excursion (gasoline engine)
19. 2003 F250 F550 Super Duty, Ford Excursion
20. 1995 2002 Ford F53 Motor home chassis
21. 2002 2003 Lincoln Blackwood

Ford truck and SUV owners wanting more information about the fire danger in their vehicle or the recall may contact Ford at 1-800-392-3673 or NHTSA 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

The seniors' group said it has studied drug prices since 2002 and reported the findings in a series of Watchdog reports. The latest report expands on the series by focusing its analysis on those brand prescription drugs most widely used by people enrolled in Medicare Part D.

The Watchdog report, which was produced by AARP's Public Policy Institute (PPI), found that prices of brand name drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D rose by an average of 7.4 percent in 2007 nearly two and a half times the rate of general inflation.

The report concludes that rising prices threaten consumers by increasing the likelihood of higher insurance premiums and the chance that people will fall into the Medicare coverage gap, and increasing the out-of-pocket expenses of those who find themselves in this "donut hole."

"Medicare Part D is helping millions of people afford their prescription drugs, but as brand name drug costs continue to soar more needs to be done to keep drugs affordable," said John Rother, AARP Director of Public Policy. "The Medicare Part D benefit helps more people afford their prescription drugs. But we must make greater progress in putting downward pressure on drug prices."

Costs 'explode'

The average treatment cost exploded from $80 per year per prescription in 2002, to $151 in 2007, according to the report.

A person who took three brand name prescriptions to treat a chronic condition over this period saw an increase in their yearly costs of more than $1,600 between 2002 and 2007. The study found brand name drug prices increased far greater than general inflation since 2002, with dramatic spikes since 2006, the period when Medicare Part D was implemented.

"This report raises questions about why the pharmaceutical companies so dramatically increased the costs of popular brand name drugs at the same time Medicare began offering drug coverage," said Rother. "When pharmaceutical companies raise wholesale prices, consumers are ultimately stuck with the bill.

"In the meantime, our elected leaders need to find sustainable solutions to the skyrocketing costs of drugs that are squeezing government programs like Medicare, employer-sponsored health plans, and individual consumers."

Consumer Reports'annual list of the 11 worst cars in America is out. Automotive analysts for the magazine took a look at more than 260 vehicles in this year's evaluation and once again SUVs made in the U.S. dominated the field.

Surprisingly, two Toyotas hit rock bottom as well and Chrysler placed three models on the list of infamy with the Jeep brand.

The Consumer Reports list differs from ConsumerAffairs.com's annual listings of the year's biggest automotive outrages and the worst used cars. The Consumer Reports listings represent the opinions of the magazine's analysts while ConsumerAffairs.com's picks are based on the real-world experience of consumers who share their experiences.

Here are the results for 2008, according to Consumer Reports:

•Jeep Wrangler Unlimited: The Wrangler Unlimited is reported to produce poor ride and handling as well as dismal fuel economy, fit and finish.

•Hummer H3 five-cylinder:Consumer Reports rated this SUV as providing poor performance and fuel economy. The Hummer received a low rating for handling and reliability as well.

•Jeep Liberty Sport: Rated poorly for fuel economy as well as fit and finish.

•Chevrolet Aveo5: The Aveo5 suffers from poor acceleration and handling, according to the magazine.

•Dodge Nitro SLT:Consumer Reports rated this little truck as one of the worst in the field. The Dodge Nitro SLT was scored as having poor ride, handling, braking and fuel economy.

•Toyota FJ Cruiser: One of two Toyotas at the bottom of the list, the SUV requires premium fuel and provides a poor ride, poor handling characteristics, poor fit and finish.

•Toyota Yaris: The little Yaris is a popular subcompact but produces poor acceleration and steering, according to the magazine.

•Suzuki Forenza: The Suzuki Forenza received a poor rating because of lackluster acceleration, fuel economy, ride and low results in side impact crash tests.

•Jeep Patriot Limited: The third Jeep product to make the 11 worst list show up because of poor acceleration, engine noise, driver seating position, visibility, front seat comfort, fit and finish.

•Chevrolet TrailBlazer LT: The Trailblazer LT has been around a long time, maybe too long. The SUV, according to Consumer Reports, produces poor handling, braking and fuel economy.

•Mercury Grand Marquis: The aging dinosaur is the oldest design and largest passenger car made in America. The Grand Marquis makes the bottom of the list at Consumer Reports as one of the worst cars of 2008 because of grumbling engine sounds, poor ride, fuel economy and low results in side impact crash tests.

The differences in the two publications' picks are significant. While the ConsumerAffairs.com list also included Jeeps and some Ford products, it was headed by the often-fatal airbag failures that afflict many different cars and trucks, followed by the disastrous Ford fires, Ford trucks' propensity to spit out their spark plugs and the federal government's slow-moving response to various automotive crises.

U.S. consumer bankruptcy filings shot up more than 15.2 percent nationwide in February over the previous month, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute (ABI).

February's bankruptcy spike -- the highest single month since the 2005 law changes -- forecasts the start of more to come for the balance of 2008, said ABI Executive Director Samuel J. Gerdano.

Overall consumer filings totaled 76,120 in February, compared with from the 66,050 in January. The figure was also up 37.3 percent from February 2007.

Chapter 13 filings constituted 36.4 percent of all consumer cases in February, down slightly from last month. This category of bankruptcy is available for an individual with regular income whose debts do not exceed specific amounts. The data was compiled by the National Bankruptcy Research Center (NBKRC).

Chapter 13 is typically used to budget some of the debtors future earnings under a plan through which unsecured creditors are paid in whole or in part.

Other types of filings include:

• Chapter 7, which is available to both individual and business debtors. Its purpose is to achieve a fair distribution to creditors of the debtors available non-exempt property. Unsecured debts not reaffirmed are discharged, providing a fresh financial start;

• Chapter 11, the purpose of which is to rehabilitate a business as a going concern or reorganize an individuals finances through a court-approved reorganization plan; and

• Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code is designed to give special debt relief to a family farmer with regular income from farming.

Congress may act

Congress is considering changes to U.S. bankruptcy law, possibly giving judges wide authority to not only reduce interest rates, but actually reduce the amount of a homeowner's mortgage.

"Home ownership is a pillar of our economy, and an integral part of the American dream. But the headlines that have filled the newspapers lately have described a nightmare," said Sen. Richard Durbin (D-IL), author of the bill.

"Thousands of families are losing their homes, and millions more are at risk of foreclosure. Whatever the reason that families may find themselves unable to pay their mortgages, the effect of foreclosure is the same: disaster for the family, for the surrounding neighborhood, and for the economy," Durbin said.

The provisions of Durbin's bill have been folded into the Democratic foreclosure prevention package introduced earlier this month. Durbin says hundreds of thousands of homeowners would be able to modify their mortgages in bankruptcy to avoid foreclosure if his legislation were signed into law.

By some estimates, the collapse of the subprime mortgage market has put approximately 2.2 million families in danger of losing their homes. Durbin's bill, The Helping Families Save Their Homes Act, will allow these families, as a last resort, to file for Chapter 13 bankruptcy and work with a judge and the lender to modify the mortgage so families can make affordable payments and keep their homes.

Researchers at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health have found further evidence to support the importance of encouraging young people to eat breakfast regularly. They found that kids who ate breakfast on a regular basis were less likely than their peers to be overweight.

The study examined the association between breakfast frequency and five-year body weight change in more than 2,200 adolescents, and the results indicate that daily breakfast eaters consumed a healthier diet and were more physically active than breakfast skippers during adolescence.

Five years later, the daily breakfast eaters also tended to gain less weight and have lower body mass index levels an indicator of obesity risk compared with those who had skipped breakfast as adolescents.

Mark Pereira, Ph.D., corresponding author on the study, points out that this study extends the literature on the topic of breakfast habits and obesity risk because of the size and duration of the study.

"The dose-response findings between breakfast frequency and obesity risk, even after taking into account physical activity and other dietary factors, suggests that eating breakfast may have important effects on overall diet and obesity risk, but experimental studies are needed to confirm these observations," Pereira said.

Over the past two decades, rates of obesity have doubled in children and nearly tripled in adolescents. Fifty-seven percent of adolescent females and 33 percent of males frequently use unhealthy weight-control behaviors, and it is estimated that between 12 and 24 percent of children and adolescents regularly skip breakfast.

This percentage of breakfast skippers, while alarming, has been found to increase with age, the researchers said.

"Although adolescents may think that skipping breakfast seems like a good way to save on calories, findings suggest the opposite," said Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, Ph.D., principal investigator of Project EAT.

"Eating a healthy breakfast may help adolescents avoid overeating later in the day and disrupt unhealthy eating patterns, such as not eating early in the day and eating a lot late in the evening."

Chrysler is recalling 1,338 of the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Commander SUVs to repair a stalling problem in the vehicles.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that the the front control module may have been incorrectly manufactured. This could cause the engine to stall while driving or nor to start.

The safety agency also reported that the windshield wipers on the vehicle may fail. Engine stalling or inoperative wipers could cause a crash without warning, NHTSA said on its web site.

ConsumerAffairs.com readers report that the stalling problem is far more widespread than just a handful of 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Commanders.

In Arlington, Texas, Joanna said her 2006 Jeep Commander stalls without warning during turns which are both from moving and stopped positions. It occurs during cold and hot weather, with electrical devices on or off, in park, neutral and drive, Joanna said.

From Anniston, Alabama, Deanna reported a similar condition with her 2000 Grand Cherokee.I can be traveling 65 mph or less or sitting in the drive-through when it stalls. All power is lost," she said.

Deanna said her Jeep is now dangerous to drive and she is afraid to get behind the wheel.

Elizabeth in El Paso Texas agreed.

I too have been having stalling problems with my 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, she wrote. I am scared to drive on the highway because it sputters and stalls suddenly. The problem has not been found. We have replaced the fuel pump, but the problem continues.

Chrysler should do something about all of the stalling problems," Elizabeth warned. By searching online, I found that dozens of people have the same problem with their Jeep. Too many people have had the same thing happen while driving.

For Jeeps part of the limited recall just announced, dealers will inspect the front control module and replace it if necessary. Jeep owners can contact Chrysler about the stalling problems at 1-800-853-1401 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

The use of some vitamin supplements can be controversial, with scientists and manufacturers arguing over their usefulness. But they don't spend much time arguing about the lowly and somewhat boring multivitamin.

No one has ever argued that multivitamins might not be good for you. Until now.

The Harvard Men's Health Watch, which once endorsed these popular supplements, now says that a reappraisal of that advice is in order.

The publication, in its March 2008 issue, notes that some recent studies have linked multivitamin use to prostate cancer. More convincingly, it says studies have linked high intakes of folic acid to colon polyps, the precursors of colorectal cancer.

Researchers speculate that high intakes of folic acid, which was first added to grain products in the 1990s, may have contributed to an increase in colorectal cancers in the mid-1990s.

What does all of this have to do with multivitamins?

Now that folic acid is added to so many grain products, it's easy to see how a healthy diet, combined with a multivitamin, could boost a person's daily intake to 1,000 mcg or more, potentially increasing the risk of colorectal and possibly prostate and breast cancers.

In light of this research, Harvard Men's Health Watch editors suggest that the average man give up the multivitamin, at least until scientists solve the puzzle of folic acid and cancer.

However, if you stop taking a multivitamin, the authors suggest you consider taking a vitamin D supplement. The typical diet for most men and women doesn't supply enough of this crucial vitamin, and while sun exposure boosts vitamin D production, it has health risks of its own.

Last month, a study suggested some multivitamins might increase cancer risk.

"Our study of supplemental multivitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E and folate did not show any evidence for a decreased risk of lung cancer," wrote the study's author, Christopher G. Slatore, M.D., of the University of Washington, in Seattle. "Indeed, increasing intake of supplemental vitamin E was associated with a slightly increased risk of lung cancer."

Findings of the study of 77,000 vitamin users were published in the first issue for March of the American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.