Consumer Tip of the Week: May 12, 2008

Buying a Used Car?

When you buy a used car from a private party, there is always the possibility that you are actually buying it from a "curbstoner." A curbstoner is a person who is in the business of selling used cars but doesn’t want you to know that. The curbstoner wants you to think that he or she is a private individual selling his or her own personal car. For more information on buying a used car, see our A-Z Consumer Advice topic on Curbstoners or the FTC's tip on Buying a Used Car.

IRS Warning of Email and Telephone Scams Using IRS Name The Internal Revenue Service warned taxpayers to beware of several current e-mail and telephone scams that use the IRS name as a lure. The IRS expects such scams to continue through the end of tax return filing season and beyond. The IRS cautioned taxpayers to be on the lookout for scams involving proposed advance payment checks. Although the government has not yet enacted an economic stimulus package in which the IRS would provide advance payments, known informally as rebates to many Americans, a scam which uses the proposed rebates as bait has already cropped up. The goal of the scams is to trick people into revealing personal and financial information, such as Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, which the scammers can use to commit identity theft.   Property Tax Disclosure Bill #24-07 was enacted and will become effective on April 1, 2008.  Sellers of homes will be required to provide potential buyers with an estimate of what the actual property tax bill will be in the first full year after the home is purchased. The Office of Consumer Protection will enforce this law and will provide assistance in helping sellers comply with this new law.  The Estimated Real Property Tax and Other Non-Tax Charges application is now available on-line to assist sellers and buyers to estimate the Real Property taxes and non-tax charges for a Montgomery County, Maryland property. See the law and related press release for additional information. Please call the Office of Consumer Protection at (240) 777-3636 or send email to:  consumerprotection@montgomerycountymd.gov if you have any questions in the interim. County’s Permitting Services to Require Licensing Information from Contractors Beginning April 1, the Department of Permitting Services (DPS) will require all contractors applying for building permits for home improvement projects to provide their valid Maryland Home Improvement Contractor’s license number before a building permit may be issued in their name. County Takes Legal Action Against Travel Agent

Following an investigation by Montgomery County’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP), a case was sent to the State’s Attorney for criminal prosecution involving a travel agent who, after receiving more than $50,000 from consumers, failed to provide travel arrangements. The agent pled guilty and is currently serving a jail sentence.

Consumer Protection Charges Unlicensed Home Improvement Contractor

Following an investigation by Montgomery County’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP), an arrest warrant has been obtained for an unlicensed home improvement contractor who was paid $82,500 but failed to provide the agreed upon services. The warrant, issued on January 17, charges Cesar Suazo Rivera of Falls Church, Virginia with acting as a home improvement contractor without the required license, abandoning the job, and felony theft. Click here for Picture of contractor. Click here for a picture of the damage done to the consumer's home by the contractor.