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Show Seniors: Beware of fraud I The senior population has a great impact on today's marketplace. According to the Council of Better Business Bureaus, consumer fraud committed against older people is increasing by nearly 12 percent a year. The Better Business Bureau of Utah has made special efforts to serve the senior constituents. Presentations Pre-sentations to senior groups, consumer con-sumer information articles for senior publications, senior oriented radio appearances and special educational mailings are some of the activities directed toward to-ward Utah seniors. Bureau surveys of callers with both inquiries and complaints show that 30 percent of those calling call-ing are older consumers. While their inquiries and complaints cover cov-er the whole gamut of marketplace issues, seniors seem to be targeted by charitable solicitations .and home improvement scams. Seniors are encouraged to check it out with the BBB as it makes good "cents!" Utahns are receiving another too good to be true offer relating to the test marketing of a sailboat. American Amer-ican Recreational Products out of southern California is offering a "multi-person windracer catamaran catamar-an sailboat" with a "38 square foot sail." The letter states that the red-;. pient needs to "call to receive, paf- ticipate, test evaluate, purchase: and confirm correct shipping: address for your sailboat's immedj-;: ate delivery." Upon calling, one;: consumer was told it would cost" over $400 to receive the "sailboat" (this must be where the "purchase" "purch-ase" part of the offer comes in). A local catamaran dealer indicated indi-cated that the smallest sail on thetn catamarans are 200 square feetc making the 38 square foot sail seem; mighty small. Consumers are: urged to use caution when dealing: with any offer that seems too good; to be true! |