Consumer Protection

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau deserves a strong leader

www.citizen.org Public Citizen delivered 15000 petition signatures to President Obama calling on him to appoint Elizabeth Warren to head the newly-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

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Telemedicine Provider MD247 Unveils Customer Service Plan and Warns Against Ripoff Report

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) April 02, 2012

Tampa Florida based telemedicine provider MD247 addressed program members on Saturday March 31, 2012 to discuss recent Ripoff Report entries, Scam Informer entries and scam report entries filed against the company. The necessity for the review of the reporting sites was an integral component in the MD247 plan to promote transparency, and make the customer service policies of MD247 widely known. It is the sincere hope of MD247 that program members with questions and concerns will seek out customer service assistance, as opposed to filing a nameless and faceless report to the world on Ripoff Report or sites like Scam Informer.

MD247.COM is a hardworking group of people, working every day to provide families across the United States with affordable healthcare options using telemedicine. The cutting edge technology involved means that mistakes will be made, and it means that some people will not be satisfied. In order to easily deal with customer concerns in a cutting edge medical frontier, MD247.COM requests that all program members with questions and concerns contact MD247.COM at 866-232-1343. The goal of the toll free line is to resolve questions before they escalate to the point of ever being reported to Ripoff Report or Scam Informer.

Both Ripoff Report and Scam Informer are designated by themselves to be consumer protection websites.

MD247.COM (MD247) is a Seminole Florida based telemedicine provider. The company provides discounted access to medical services, a twenty-four hour Talk to a Doctor hotline, a twenty-four hour Talk to a Nurse hotline and peace of mind interim travel insurance. MD247 employs a 100+ people in the St. Petersburg and Tampa Florida area, and has 50,000(+) MD247 program members. The company additionally participates in nationwide charitable endeavors for veterans of United States military service.

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Dr. Elizabeth Warren on the Impact of Politics on Consumer Protection Efforts

This video is part of the Faith, Social Justice, and Public Life course that Jim Wallis, Executive Director of Sojourners, taught at Georgetown University. How does faith inform public debates on social justice in American politics? How should religious leaders and politicians engage the political process while maintaining their moral witness? In fall 2010 Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners, taught a Georgetown course that addresses these questions. He took the class through a series of topics including poverty, economics, immigration, climate change, and war and peace issues. Prominent guest speakers including Michael Gerson and Elizabeth Warren helped to frame the critical issues. For more on this course: bit.ly For more on the Berkley Center: berkleycenter.georgetown.edu For more on Sojourners: www.sojo.net
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Homeowners Consumer Center Endorses American Interbanc as the Best Priced Mortgage Lender for High Credit Individuals in New Jersey Wishing to Refinance or Finance a Home

(PRWEB) March 26, 2012

The Homeowners Consumer Center is the premier consumer advocacy organization in the United States, focused on protecting homeowners and the American dream of home ownership. The Homeowners Consumer Center is very focused on consumer protection and advocacy, so it is very rare that a group like this would actually endorse a mortgage lender; but in the case of American Interbanc, the Homeowners Consumer Center has endorsed this lender, and they are encouraging all New Jersey homeowners wishing to refinance or home buyers with excellent credit and verifiable income to use American Interbanc’s mortgage products. However, the group says, “We believe American Interbanc’s mortgage, or home loan refinancing products offer the best mortgage interest rates, and the lowest possible fees available in New Jersey, but we need to emphasize their mortgage products are specifically designed for individuals with the best possible credit and verifiable income.” For more information about American Interbanc, homeowners or individuals can call them at 1-800-724-0004 or visit their web site at http://www.americaninterbanc.com

The Homeowners Consumer Center’s endorsement of American Interbanc is not just limited to the state of California. American Interbanc’s unsurpassed mortgage products are also available to individuals, or homeowners wishing to refinance, or purchase a home in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, California, Washington and Utah. http://HomeownersConsumerCenter.Com

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The Consumer Movement

The Consumer Movement

Used – Describes the growing movement for consumer protection and stresses the importance of being an intelligent consumer.

Price: $ 1.09
Sold by Alibris

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Credit Cards and the Law

Credit Cards and the Law

Used – This volume presents a discussion of the law governing the use of credit cards, including the historical background and development of the various credit card systems, and the credit protection legislation which necessarily ensued. Credit Cards and the Law also discusses the role of an individual’s credit history in credit granting decisions, as well as the legal protections afforded the consumer for preserving their credit rating. The complex nature of credit card finance is also explore

Price: $ 1.69
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Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Original publisher: [Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O., 2010] OCLC Number: (OCoLC)671498677 Subject: Financial services industry — La…

Law Office Suite (Swift Software – 5-CD-ROM Collection)
Quickly create over 2000 legally binding documents. Valid in all 50 states. 5 CD-ROM collection features multimedia video help, va…

Private Voluntary Health Insurance: Consumer Protection and Prudential Regulation
This book aims to help countries design and implement a legal framework for a viable private health insurance market. It offers an…

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The Consumer Protection Manual

The Consumer Protection Manual

List Price: $ 40.00

Price: $ 117.06

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Karen Hawkins, Director IRS Office of Professional Responsibility, to Speak at Tax Debt Resolution Industry Conference

Washington, DC (PRWEB) March 20, 2012

Karen Hawkins, director of the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), will be a featured speaker at the inaugural meeting of the National Association of Tax Debt Resolution Companies in Washington, D.C. on May 21, 2012.

The OPR has promised to take a “closer look” at the tax debt representation industry and the Director will detail her offices concerns and the continuing obligations of those who are authorized to appear before the IRS.

The conference will be a chance for industry colleagues to learn about the new challenges for the industry and public policy options while helping to create a unique voice for tax debt resolution businesses.

About Karen Hawkins

Karen L. Hawkins is the Director of the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility. Prior to taking this position in April, 2009, Ms. Hawkins was in private practice at the Oakland, California law firm of Taggart & Hawkins where she specialized in civil and criminal tax controversy cases for nearly 30 years.

She has been a frequent speaker and writer on a variety of diverse tax law topics including: Innocent Spouse Relief, Attorney’s Fees Awards; Collection Due Process; Civil and Criminal Tax Penalties; Tax Court Litigation; International Tax issues and Ethics in Tax Practice. Ms. Hawkins has a number of reported precedent-setting tax cases to her credit in the US Tax Court and Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ms. Hawkins holds several degrees including: MBA in Taxation, J. D. and M.Ed. Among her many honors and awards are: V. Judson Kelin Award from the California Bar’s Taxation Section and the National Pro Bono Award from the ABA’s Taxation Section.

About the IRS Office of Professional Responsibility

The Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) establishes and enforces consistent standards of competence, integrity and conduct for tax professionals (enrolled agents, attorneys, CPAs, and other individuals and groups covered by IRS Circular 230.

OPR supports the IRS strategy to enhance enforcement of the tax law and to ensure that attorneys, accountants and other tax practitioners adhere to professional standards and follow the law.

The Office of Professional Responsibility provides education and outreach to the tax professional community and administers the enrolled agent exam. To support the IRS’ strategic priorities, OPR ensures the integrity and credibility of the American tax system by working through tax professionals and with IRS operating divisions and functions. Circular 230 changes have created a need to increase awareness among tax professionals regarding the consequences of non-compliance.

Additional Conference Sessions

New Federal Regulation Targeting Tax Debt Resolution Companies: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Financial Fraud Enforcement Taskforce

On June 23, 2011 the Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) issued its Federal Register Notice for defining “larger” non-depository industry participants. The Notice outlined the industries that the Bureau will immediately seek to regulate.

One of the industries to be regulated is “debt relief services” which includes providers of services that “offer to reduce medical or tax debt.”

The newly created Consumer Protection Working Group of the federal Financial Fraud Enforcement Taskforce has stated that it will work across federal law enforcement and regulatory agencies, and with state and local partners, to strengthen efforts to address consumer issues, including schemes targeting vulnerable populations, such as the unemployed, those in need of payday loans, and those suffering from the burden of high credit card and other debt.

The Future of Deferred Enforcement of the Federal Trade Commissions Telemarketing Sales Rule

On October 17, 2010 the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) became effective thus regulating “debt relief services” which included individual or companies that negotiate or settle “tax debts owed to the government.”

The same day the TSR became effective, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a policy statement that it was unclear if tax debts are “unsecured” one of the triggering elements of the TSR. In this session you will learn the history and current status of the treatment of tax debt in the TSR and the FTCs work to regulate the industry.

Continuing Education Requirements and Compliance Solutions

Enrolled agents, certified public accountants, attorneys, registered tax return preparers all have differing requirements for continuing education and compliance. This session will review the current “what” you have to do as well as provide the “how” to remain compliant to represent taxpayers before the IRS.

View of the Industry from the U.S. Senate

The Congressional football of jurisdiction over tax debt resolution companies and their IRS approved employees is being bounced around from Committee to Committee with each claiming some part of the industry but not the industry as a whole. Learn the perspective of the Senates view of the issue in comparison to that of the House of Representatives.

Referrals, Lead Generators and Marketing on the Internet

The increasing use of a “person that, in the regular course of business, supplies a provider with the name of a potential customer, directs a communication of an individual to a provider, or otherwise refers a customer to a provider” brings a host of opportunity and a wide variety of legal challenges. In this session you will learn how the laws of deceptive advertising, unfair and deceptive trade practices and liability for “down-stream” users of referrals can impact your business.

View of the Industry from the U.S. House of Representatives

In this session you will be briefed on the House of Representatives perspective of the FTCs efforts to regulate tax debt resolution service providers, current efforts to protect consumers and the prospects for the introduction of legislation that will regulate the industry.

Federal and State Legislative and Regulatory Briefing

Mark Guimond, the state and federal lobbyist for the TPRSC, will brief you on the current status of recent proposals to regulate the industry including the still-deferred Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), California Senate bill 708, legislation proposed to Congress, the state Attorneys General proposal and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Registration Information

Registration fees are not refundable and do not include transportation, parking, lodging, meals, incidentals or other expenses except where otherwise noted.
All fees are per person.
All speakers and subjects may change without notice.
Early registration rates are only valid until March 31, 2012. After this date, registration rates will increase.

A specially priced block of rooms only for conference participants is available on a first-come-first-served basis. Reservations may be made by calling the Madison Hotel directly at 1-800-424-8577 and indicating group code 3u44vm or online at:

https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel=51922&Chain=5156&arrive=5/18/2012&depart=5/22/2012&adult=1&child=0&group=3u44vm

Early Registration is only $ 459 for the first person and $ 399 for each additional person from the same company.

Early registration rates are only valid until March 31, 2012. After this date, registration rates will increase to the standard rate.

A full conference program may be requested from: Info (at) NationalPolicyGroup (dot) com

Conference registration information may be found at:

http://events.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=lwwevocab&oeidk=a07e5ind7zl74c3b309

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Careers in Consumer Protection,

Careers in Consumer Protection,

Used – Outlines the need for protection in matters concerning the consumer’s safety, money, and consumption of foods and drugs and discusses the variety of careers in this field.

Price: $ 1.00
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Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act
Original publisher: [Washington, D.C.: U.S. G.P.O., 2010] OCLC Number: (OCoLC)671498677 Subject: Financial services industry — La…

Law Office Suite (Swift Software – 5-CD-ROM Collection)
Quickly create over 2000 legally binding documents. Valid in all 50 states. 5 CD-ROM collection features multimedia video help, va…

The Domain Name Registration System: Liberalisation, Consumer Protection and Growth (Routledge Research in Information Technology and E-Commerce Law)
This book offers a comparative analysis of the domain name registration systems utililsed in Australia and the United Kingdom. Tak…

Photographic Prints of Hisl013 Ec from Everett Collection
24×20 Print, HISL013 EC044. Inspectors of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, watch television and listen to radio programs for…

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How to STOP Telemarketers from Calling Your Cell Phone, National Do Not Call List

www.psychetruth.net How to STOP Telemarketers from Calling Your Cell Phone, National Do Not Call List Corrina explains that telemarketers will soon starting calling our cell phones as well as home phones trying to sell us stuff. The worst part is you, YOU ARE CHARGED when you receive sales calls. In this simple and fun “How To” video, Corrina walks you through calling the number and protecting your phone number. Beware of scammers who may try to charge you to add numbers to the registry, this is a FREE service!! To join the National Do Not Call Registry List 1-888-382-1222 www.DoNotCall.gov This video was produced by Psychetruth http www.youtube.com www.twitter.com www.facebook.com www.myspace.com “How to” stop telemarketers calling phone “cell phone” “Do Not Call” “Do Not Call List” psychetruth Corrina “National Do Not Call Registry” “sales calls” “stop sales calls” “stop telemarketers” “home phone” “consumer protection”

New York State Senate Committee on Consumer Protection 5/17/2011

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