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Wednesday • December 12th • 2012
Illinois Law Now!
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Certificate Good Wed., Dec. 12th thru Tues., Dec. 18th, 2012
Question: I got behind in paying my debts, and now I’m being hounded by an aggressive, abusive debt collector. What are my rights? Answer: For the fourth consecutive year, consumer debt complaints in 2011 ranked No. 1 on the Illinois Attorney General’s annual top 10 list of complaints. Of the nearly 5,900 debt-related complaints, more than 1,100 were made against debt collectors who illegally threatened and harassed consumers. Consumers may be struggling to repay their debt, but they also have a right to be protected against harassment. It is illegal for a debt collector to front as a law firm and intimidate consumers with fake court case numbers. The debt collector may not reveal information about debts to people other than the consumer, nor can he/she debit more money from a consumer’s bank account than the consumer authorized. It is also unlawful for a collector to access a consumer’s credit report without authorization, as a way to coerce them to pay alleged debts. Question: With the holidays right around the corner, I’m thinking of buying some gifts at one of the online auction websites. What should I know? Answer: While many online auction sites offer excellent deals, they are ripe for scams. Even if an auction site is legitimate, a seller on the site could take your money and never deliver the goods. Before making any purchases, visit the sites and familiarize yourself with how they operate. Talk to friends about the experiences they’ve had with different online auction houses. Generally, the person who placed the highest bid for an item will be contacted by the seller to arrange payment and delivery. Most legitimate sellers will accept credit cards or use a thirdparty escrow agent for payment. Be cautious if a seller asks you to pay by check, money order or cash. If you become a victim of fraud, it will be extremely difficult to get your money back. For more information about Illinois law, visit www. illinoislawyerfinder.com. If you have a legal question, send it to illinoislawcolumn@isba.org.
Two Open Park Board Positions The Lan-Oak Park District will be accepting nominating petitions for the position of Park Commissioner for the consolidated election of April 9, 2013. Nominating petitions and supporting election documents from candidates must be filed with the Park District Board Secretary at the Administration Office, 17551 Chicago Avenue, Lansing, Illinois during the filing period of December 17 through December 24, 2012 during normal business hours of 8:00am to 4:30pm. On the last day of filing, December 24, the Administration Office will be open until 5:00pm. The Park District will have two park board positions expiring. Each position has a term of six years. Potential candidates should call the Cook County Clerk’s Office at 312603-1121 for information regarding the legal requirements for the elected position and the mandatory election forms that are required to be filed with the Park Board Secretary.
Christmas with the Animals
The animals at the Humane Society Calumet Area have made their Christmas wish list and are asking for your help in fulfilling their wishes. The shelter is currently accepting donations, such as toys, treats, blankets, and beds for the cats and dogs, for Christmas with the Animals. Christmas with the Animals will be held on Tuesday, December 17th at 4:30pm at the shelter. Everyone is invited to join as well as have the opportunity to hand toys and treats to some of the animals at the shelter. The HSCA has giving trees at the shelter and at Hearts in Motion Resale Shoppe, located at 1834 45th Street in Munster. The tree tags can be taken off and turned in to the shelter along with the donated item listed on the tag. The items do not need to be wrapped. The shelter is located at 421 45th Street in Munster. For more information on Christmas with the Animals or the Giving Tree, please call (219) 922-3811.