Consumer Ed

Volume 245  |  October 6, 2020 Brought to you by the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Division DATE LABELING REQUIREMENTS FOR MEAT Dear Consumer Ed: Can a grocery store sell meat and other food without a date on it? Consumer Ed says: For the answer to this question, we consulted the Georgia Department of…

Brought to you by the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Division ONLINE AND REMOTE EYE EXAMS Dear Consumer Ed: I need to get some more contact lenses, but my vision has changed since my last eye exam. I’ve heard about online and remote exams and thought this could be a convenient way to get…

Brought to you by the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Division   AUTO REPAIR SHOP DID NOT DISCLOSE DIAGNOSTIC FEE Dear Consumer Ed: I dropped my car off for an estimate at the repair shop, and they want to charge me an $80 diagnostic fee. They never disclosed this fee beforehand. Is this legal?…

Dear Consumer Ed: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, my landlord has been forcing residents to pay their rent online, which incurs an $18 to $30 fee. Is this legal? Consumer Ed says: Your question raises two issues: (1) Can a landlord require you to change your method of payment, and (2) can that landlord require…

Brought to you by the Georgia Department of Law’s Consumer Protection Division PHARMACIES AND DOCTORS REQUIRING PATIENT’S DATE OF BIRTH Dear Consumer Ed: Is it legal for pharmacies and doctors’ offices to require me to provide them with my date of birth? I’m told they can’t look up my file without it, but it seems…

Dear Consumer Ed: I put a deposit down on summer camp for my kids six months ago. Now camp has been cancelled for health and safety reasons due to Covid-19, but they won’t give me a refund. What do I do? Consumer Ed says: In dealing with summer camps, it is important to keep in…

  Dear Consumer Ed: My regular work hours have been cut back, so I’ve been looking for a work-from-home job to supplement my income. I see work-from-home jobs advertised online, but my friend says most of them are scams.  How can I tell if a job posting is legitimate or not? Consumer Ed says: It…

Dear Consumer Ed: Is there a legal limit on restocking fees? Consumer Ed says: Restocking fees have become more common, particularly in the electronics market, since once an item is sold, it cannot be resold as new. In most circumstances, the amount of “restocking fees” is not limited because retailers control their own refund/exchange policies.…

Dear Consumer Ed: My family and I have been living in an extended-stay motel for the past six months. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic I lost my job, and my husband’s work hours were cut in half. We have not been able to pay our motel bill for the last two weeks. The manager is…

Dear Consumer Ed: A debt collection agency has been harassing me about a retail debt that was incurred many years ago.  They are calling relatives and my employer and going into details about the debt, providing home addresses and vehicles my children own. They are threatening to send legal documents to my employer even though…