Bell, Jacoe & Company

Winter Scams

Pat Bell — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 19:48:15 +0000

While they are a problem throughout the year, the darker, lonelier days of winter are a favourite time for Scam Artists to ply their trade. They take advantage of the fact that in winter many Seniors (their usual targets) are more likely to be cooped up at home without much family or otherwise friendly contact. With their very polished pitches they befriend people, usually by telephone, and convince them to send money for all manner of items or services which will never appear.

The best way to protect yourself against these people is to have a very healthy scepticism for any deal or product that sounds too good to be true. The simple fact is, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually is! Do not be afraid to phone a friend or family member if you receive a letter or call from someone with the deal of a lifetime. Ask them what they think of it. In addition ask for as much information as you can from the caller and check up on them. If the deal is legitimate, they won’t mind you protecting yourself. If they don’t like giving you information on themselves, then it’s a very good sign that they are not who or what they say they are.

The Personal Information Protection Act

Pat Bell — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:37:20 +0000

British Columbia now has legislation in place which protects your personal information and privacy. Everyone has been subjected to the seemingly endless information gathering process taken on by various institutions. The information you give them must now be handled in a very regulated and controlled manner. The new Act is very specific as to the collection, use and disclosure of such information.

Businesses must now designate a person to be responsible for compliance with the Act; develop a privacy policy; and create a complaint process for the organization. For more information on this and other legislative changes see Pat Bell, Joe Jacoe and the rest of the staff at Bell, Jacoe & Company.

Parents and Sports

admin — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 08:24:33 +0000

A vast majority of Parents who have children involved in sports are supportive, considerate and in it for the children. It is the exception tot his rule that gravs the headlines. There has been a huge increase in the number of lawsuits involving Parents, Coaches and Leagues. Of those, most are initiated by unhappy Parents who feel that their child has been treated unfairly for one reason on another bny their child’s Coach. Thankfully, this unfair treatment rarely means physical or emotional abuse.

The sad comment on our society if that more and more Parents are resorting to the courts to resolves issues that should not be anywhere near the court system. Somehow those Parents feel that a Coach (a volunteer 99% of the cases) should be held responsible for huge damages because their child did not progress to the professional level and the unbelieveable salaries that pro atheletes receive these days. Many Coaches who have gone through this experience never volunteer again. It is truly a sad comment on our society.