Helen Mayhew Real Estate with Keller Williams SouthPark

08/02/2023

I think a very important article from the FTC blog I belong to about issues of privacy and the use of ALEXA. I personally have ALEXA in my home and I will be looking into to it.

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

08/04/2022

I belong to a nationally federated garden, Flower Power and also to the wonderful website Garden Lovers Club. I thought this article about Spider plants would be of interest to some of you. If you have further inquiries about gardening reach out to me.

Does your spider plant have a plethora of spiderettes hanging from it? Are you trying to increase the collection of plants that you have in your home or office? Well, Spider plants are one of the easiest plants to propagate, so if you already have a spider plant, then give your babies a new home. [....

03/01/2022

I thought this a useful article!

8 Cleaning Hacks That Don't Actually Work Cleaning Blossom Lady Nov 26, 2021 12:59 AM Do you want to make cleaning easier and dream of the day when someone or something will solve all your messy problems? Of course you do. Today's products and cleaning tools are so much better than they used to be.....

02/21/2022

Thought I would send this from the Federal Trade Commission in case it might affect you or someone you know:

FTC Enforcement Action Leads U.S. Dept. of Education to Forgive $71.7 Million in Loans for Students Deceived by DeVry University

FTC’s investigation uncovered that students had been lured by false job placement claims

The Federal Trade Commission announced today that its years-long investigation into DeVry University continues to benefit consumers, as the U.S. Department of Education will forgive $71.7 million in federal student loans for students deceived by the for-profit university, based in part on the FTC’s prior action.

“Students deceived by DeVry should not be drowning in debt, and I’m pleased to see the Department of Education taking action to right this injustice,” said Samuel Levine, Director of FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “It also sends a strong message to for-profit schools that luring students with fraudulent claims will not be tolerated. The FTC looks forward to continuing its coordination efforts and partnership with the Department of Education.”

According to the 2016 FTC complaint, DeVry deceptively advertised that 90 percent of its graduates seeking employment landed jobs in their field within six months of graduation. The FTC also alleged that DeVry misrepresented that its graduates had 15 percent higher incomes one year after graduation on average than the graduates of all other colleges or universities.

Today’s announcement by the U.S. Department of Education builds on the FTC’s prior federal court order against DeVry. Under that order, the school paid $49.4 million to the FTC for partial refunds to some students and $50.6 million in relief from debt owed to DeVry. In 2017, the agency mailed 173,000 refund checks totaling more than $49 million to students in compensation for DeVry’s allegedly misleading ads. Because money remained in the fund, in 2019, the FTC mailed an additional 128,875 checks totaling more than $9.4 million to people who cashed their first check.

Consumers interested in submitting a claim for loan forgiveness, should visit the Department of Education’s Borrow Defense Loan Discharge informational page.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition, stop deceptive and unfair business practices and scams, and educate consumers. Report fraud, scams, or bad business practices at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Get consumer advice at consumer.ftc.gov. Also, follow the FTC on social media, subscribe to press releases, and read the FTC’s blogs.

Contact Information
Contact For Consumers:
Refund Administrator
844-578-2645

Media Contact:
Nicole Drayton
Office of Public Affairs
202-326-2565

02/16/2022

I thought this an interesting article by the Consumer Protection Bureau!
consumer financial protection bureau
Recent CFPB research showed that banks continue to rely heavily on overdraft and non-sufficient fund (NSF) fees, which cost Americans an estimated $15.5 billion in 2019.

In recent weeks, however, we’ve seen an uptick in banks changing their overdraft and NSF programs. While these changes vary widely, they include:

Eliminating NSF fees when transactions bounce
Reducing the size of overdraft fees or the number of fees charged each day
Providing a grace period to bring the account positive
These steps show encouraging signs that some banks are moving in the right direction. We’re continuing to monitor these developments to better understand their impact, and to work to ensure banks continue to reduce their reliance on overdraft and NSF fees.

Table from report
See our table to compare banks’ policies and fees related to overdraft and NSF fees.

Learn more about these changing policies and how you can share your experiences with overdraft and junk fees.

About the Bureau
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a 21st century agency that helps consumer finance markets work by making rules more effective, by consistently and fairly enforcing those rules, and by empowering consumers to take more control over their economic lives.

Learn more at consumerfinance.gov.

Connect with us

facebooktwitter
Resources
Ask CFPB

Bureau blog

Submit a complaint

04/19/2021

Information sent to me by HomeKeepr I thought timely:
Apr 19, 2021

Spring is here, so that means it’s time to start getting ready for the months ahead. Chances are you’re looking forward to being outdoors, maybe firing up the grill, planting a garden, or spending some quality time in the pool. Before you get down to the business of enjoying the nice weather, though, there are a few things that need to be taken care of first. That’s right: It’s time to knock out some home maintenance tasks to make sure everything is ready for the changing weather.

Home maintenance is important throughout the year, but spring and fall are two of the top times to really hit some of the big points. In the fall you’re prepping for winter and making sure that your home is ready for icy weather, while in the spring you’re checking to make sure everything came through the winter ok and prepping for the heat and rain that comes with spring and summer. If you aren’t sure where to start, here are some of the top items to check off on your spring home maintenance checklist.

Outdoor Maintenance
Cold winter months can really take their toll on the outside of your home. This is one of the reasons that spring maintenance is so important. By performing external maintenance early in the spring, you can identify damage caused by ice and snow and repair it before it turns into leaks and other problems when the spring and summer rains start up. Here are a few key areas that you need to make sure that you check:

Inspect your roof, looking for cracked or missing shingles or other signs of damage or leaks
Check around the foundation for cracks or other wear
Look at the bricks and siding on your home to see if you need repairs or new paint
Clean the outdoor unit of your HVAC system and inspect it for obvious signs of damage
This is also a good time to check any external fixtures, outdoor electrical outlets, hose faucets, and other objects on or around the outside of your home for signs of damage.

Indoor Maintenance
A lot of people think that the main thing to do indoors is a bit of spring cleaning. While a good deep clean a few times a year is important for keeping your home livable, there are a few specific maintenance areas that you need to be sure to cover. Here are some of the key points to hit:

Clean the condenser coils on the back of the refrigerator and check the temperature in both the fridge and freezer
Inspect the ceilings and walls for discolorations or cracks that could indicate water damage
Test your HVAC system to ensure that it functions properly when switched from heating to cooling
Lubricate the hinges and tracks on doors, windows, and other areas that will see a lot of motion or traffic in coming months
While you’re already in maintenance mode, this could also be a good time to replace light bulbs (possibly with more energy-efficient bulbs or bulbs with smart connect features), test outlets, and perform other basic maintenance tasks around the house.

03/24/2021

Excellent article we can all benefit from. Let me know what you think about the article if you found helpful.

Some filers may not benefit from a delayed tax deadline after all.

03/13/2021

Just wanted to reminder everyone!!

03/12/2021

Hi again,
For those that don't know I have been leader of a nationally federated garden club for elementary children in mine and nearby neighborhoods, called the Blazing Bees. I have done so since January of 2008. We meet monthly from Sept. thru May. I am called the Queen Bee and since I roped my husband in over the years he is called Mr. Bee. We have 23 members. It is a lot of planning and work but definitely worth it. Due to the pandemic we had to meet via Zoom. Yes I actually learned how to be a Zoom hostess. What a hoot. Due to cold weather we did zoom Dec, Jan. and Feb. We will meet again with proper social distancing, masks and sanitizers for our monthly meeting which involves not only gardening but birds, bees, butterflies, worms (yes worms) and environmental projects. I will share periodically pictures of our projects and information. We will meet again this month outside with the warmer weather. The Bees know this and are excited. Me too!!☺️

03/10/2021

Hi All,
Many homeowners and renters are struggling to make their housing payments due to the coronavirus pandemic. Below I have a attached a really great article from the Consumer Protection Bureaus with wonderful financial information for anyone who is having difficulty paying their rent or mortgage.
Take care and call me if you need me.
Helen

Federal, state, and local governments are working to respond to the growing public health threat of coronavirus, or COVID-19. The CFPB and other financial regulators have encouraged financial institutions to work with their customers to meet their community needs.

09/18/2020

In these difficult times I think this is great and inspiring. Please listen to the final end. The message at the end is worth it. Let me know what you think.
Take care and stay safe,
Helen😷❤️👍