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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1999)
F E B . 10, 1999 P age A 3 (Cfyc ¡Portland flibserurr Making a Living Defrauding You out of Your Savings Som e People M ake T heir Living Defrauding Others O ut O fT heir Sav ings. N ow , state agencies are team ing up to help seniors and others fight fraud. This guest opinion is by R oger A uerbach, adm inistrator o f the S e nior and D isabled Services Division. Every day fraudulent schem es rob people o f anything from a few dol lars to their life ’s savings. The ea si est targets are often people w ho are elderly. T he elderly m ay be the m ost v ul nerable to scam s not ju st because they are elderly, but also because they often are m ore polite, more trust ing and have m ore savings. N ow , several agencies o f state governm ent are w orking together to reduce the am ount o f financial fraud against O regonians, especially the offering to those people, their ch il dren and their care-givers: Don't be pressured C onsum ers are bilked out o f m ore than $40 m illion a year by unscrupu lous telem arketers. Bew are of: Pressure to act im m ediately. •Callers w ho w o n ’t let you call elderly. T hese are am ong the tips we are back. •Attem pts to get personal infor m ation such as num bers from credit cards, M edicare cards, telephone calling card o r checking account. R equirem ents to pay shipping, handling or taxes before being sent a "prize. R eport suspicious calls to the O r egon D epartm ent o f Justice C o n sum er line: (503) 378-4320. (Stay on the line to talk to a representative.) R eview contracts Seniors and others lose m illions to dishonest salespeople w ho call on the phone or at the door. W e recommend: ■ F irst, com pare the offer to sim ilar products available elsew here. •If you buy, get all p rom ises in w riting im m ediately. Read and u n d erstand them . K eep copies. ■Never sign a contract you d o n ’t fully understand. R ep o rt suspicious tran sactio n s to the O regon D epartm ent o f Ju s If you believe a m edical product or equipm ent m ay be helpful, co n sult your d octor first. Finally, h e re ’s a p ro d u ct w e rec om m en d for p eo p le w ho h av e d if ficu lty h an d lin g te lep h o n e sales calls. E asy H ang U p, av a ila b le for Justice consumer line(5O3 378-4320) to check them out. tice. Beware of ‘great offers’ Som e people m ake their living as con artists. P lease rem em ber: •If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. •D on’t be pressured into acting right away; legitimate companies will let you think about it. ■Never m ake bank w ithdraw als at the request o f strangers or new ac quaintances. • * d o n ’t be fooled by people claim ing to b e w ith a bank, charity or governm ent agency. •Call the O regon D epartm ent o f Avoid vacation scams •W inning a free vacation is ter rific. But be cautious ifyou are asked: To give your credit-card num ber to collect your “ free” trip. •To call a 900 phone num ber, for w hich you will be billed. •To com m it right aw ay w ith no details in writing. M ore inform ation about vacation scam s is available from the A m eri can Society o fT rav el A gents: (703) ab o u t $20. I t’s a sim ple d ev ice that attach es b etw een the in c o m in g p h o n e line an d the back o f th e pho n e. W hen an o ffe n d in g ca ll is re c e iv e d , the co n su m er sim p ly p resse s a b u tto n on the d ev ice and h an g s up the H O USTON - Two ne w minimally- mvasive surgeries can help women who experience heavy bleeding during their menstrual cycle avoid having a hysterectomy. The procedures, uterine balloon therapy and bipolar hystéroscopie cau tery, are appropriate for two diferent groups o f women. Uterine balloon therapy is a proce dure performed when tests determine polyps o f fibroids are not found in the inner lining o f the uterus. A probe containing a heating elem ent sur rounded by a balloon is inserted into the uterus through the cervix. The balloon is inflated with water to match the contour o f the uterine cavity. "The water is heated to 188 degrees Fahrenheit for eight minutes,” said Dr. Robert K. Zurawin, an assistant profes sor o f obstetrics and gynecology at Baylor College o f Medicine in Hous ton. "The lining o f the uterus, the area that sheds every m onth during a woman ’ s period, is thermally destroyed and reduced to a level where it can no longer regenerate." The w omen who will undergo this procedue, about half will experience light bleeding or a nor mal flow, and about 3 0 percent wi 11 ha ve no bleeding at all. The other procedure, bipolar hyst éroscopie cautery, is perform ed when polyps or fibroids causing abbormal bleeding are found in the uterine cav ity. “A thin telescope about the size o f a drinking straw is inserted through the cervix and into the uterus,” said Zurawin. “The dsmall scope is much less trau matic to the uterus. The bipolar cautery uses a safe, lower electrical current to remove the polyps and fibroids in the uterus." Both surgeries are not recommended for those women who still want chil dren. Mostwomenwillexperiencepain equivalent to menstrual cramps for about a dat aftr surgery, and are usually able to return to w ork or school within a couple o f days. “W om en were faced with needing a hysterectomy to correct abnormal uter ine bleeding now have new alterna tives that do not require major sur gery,” said Zurawin. "These are very exci ting advances on women ’ s health. " Happy Birthday Larry Jackson Jr. (Buggy) D e e A n d e r s o n ’s lif e . A n d e rs o n w as a s in g le m o th e r o f t h r e e a n d g r a n d m o th e r o f f iv e w h o h a d a d r u g a d d ic tio n a n d sp e n t s e v e ra l y e a r s in a n d o u t o f s t a t e a n d f e d e r a l p r is o n w h e n s h e d e c id e d s c h o o l w a s th e a n s w e r . “ O n c e I g o t o u t o f p r is o n a n d g r a d u a te d f ro m a r e h a b p r o g r a m ," D ee s a y s . “ 1 n e e d e d to g e t t r a i n e d in a m a r k e ta b l e s k i l l to c o m p l e t e th e t u r n a r o u n d o f m y li f e ." S o s h e tu r n e d to th e W e s t e rn B u s in e s s C o l le g e " b e c a u s e I n e e d e d a g o o d j o b f a s t. I f in is h e d m y O p e r a t io n s S p e c i a l i s t ( C o m p u te r t r a i n i n g ) in a b o u t a y e a r .. .n o w I ’m a b o u t to g r a d u a te a n d I a l r e a d y h a v e W e s te r n B u s in e s s C o lle g e , a c a r e e r c o l le g e w ith c a m p u s e s in P o r tla n d a n d V a n c o u v e r , o f f e r s d ip lo m a a n d a s s o c ia te d e g r e e s in c a r e e r - s p e c i f i c p r o g r a m s u c h a s a c c o u n t in g , a d m in i s tr a ti v e a s s is ta n t, le g a l a s s i s t a n t , tr a v e l a n d h o s p it a li ty m a n a g e m e n t, c o m p u te r a p p l i c a tio n s a n d m e d ic a l a s s is ti n g . " B e c a u s e o f o u r e x c e l le n t f a c i l i t y , th e s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t t r a i n in g th a t o u r s tu d e n ts r e c e iv e , a n d h ig h d e m a n d in th e c a r e e r f i e l d s f o r w h ic h w e tr a i n , w e h a v e n o tr o u b le h e l p in g g r a d u a te s f in d j o b s , ” s a y s L a u r e l B u c h a n o n , D ir e c to r o f a g rea t jo b .” A n d e rs o n w o rk s as an o f A d m is s io n s . " W e h a v e w o r k in g r e l a t i o n s h ip s w ith m o s t o f th e b u s i nesses in P o rtla n d and V a n c o u v e r . T h e y k n o w th e h ig h c a lib e r o f o u r g r a d u a te s , a n d th e y k n o w th a t w e w ill f ic e a s s i s t a n t in th e c o m p u te r d e p a rtm e n t at S ears in V a n c o u v e r a n d a s a f r e e - la n c e c o m p u te r c o n s u lta n t. A n d e r s o n ’ s f a m i ly , w h ic h h a d a ll b u t d is o w n e d h e r , is o n g r e a t te r m s w ith h e r a n d s h e liv e s w ith a d a u g h te r a n d w o rk w ith th e m to s e e th a t o u r c u r r ic u l u m r e f le c ts t h e ir n e e d s in th e r e a l w o r l d .” P re s id e n t R an d y R o g e rs s a y s th e s c h o o l is s u c c e s s f u l b e c a u s e it o f f e r s a p e r s o n a l g r a n d c h ild r e n . Avoid Medicare scams M edicare helps m illions o f older A m e ric a n s . W e u rg e c a u tio n , though, if: Som eone offers free testing or screening in exchange for your M edi care number. ♦Providers or salespeople say they represent M edicare, w hich does not endorse products or com panies. THE LARGEST. MOST COMPLETE RETAIL FABRIC STORE IN THE WEST SCISSORS DAMUC BUUKN th e c a p a c i t y to s u c c e e d , a n d w e a r e d e d i c a te d to p r o v id in g th e m w ith a ll th e b e s t p e o p l e a n d t o o ls a v a i l a b l e to h e l p WOOL OUTERWARE FLEECE FUR ALL CHRISTMAS MERCHANDISE m a k e th a t h a p p e n , ” R o g e r s say s. F o r A n d e r s o n , th e c o l le g e h a s b e e n a m a jo r h e lp . “ I d i d n ’t h a v e m u c h m o n e y ,” sh e sa y s. “ T h e y h e l p e d m e g e t f u ll f i n a n c ia l a id . I w as h a v in g t r o u b l e w ith th e w o r k l o a d ; th e y h e l p e d m e g e t tu to r in g . I la c k e d th e s e l f - c o n f i d e n c e to e v e n th in k I c o u l d s u c c e e d ; th e y e n c o u r a g e d m e a n d k e p t a f t e r m e u n t i l I b e g a n to b e lie v e in m y s e l f . ” “ N o w , I ’m w o rk in g in ALL FLANNEL (Include» Children s & Plaids i CORDUROY Solids and Prints 45”and 60 a g r e a t f ie l d a n d I h a v e a t e r r i f i c o u tlo o k f o r m y f a m i l y ’s fu tu re .” W e s te r n B u s ie n s s C o l le g e o f f e r s m o r n in g , a f te r n o o n a n d e v e n in g c l a s s e s , a n d n e w p r o g r a m s b e g i n e v e r y fe w w e e k s . T h e P o r tl a n d c a m p u s is l o c a te d a t: 4 2 5 S W W a s h in g t o n S t. P o r tl a n d , O R - ( 5 0 3 ) 2 2 2 - to u c h a n d m a in ta in s h ig h s ta n d ard s. “ W e b e l i e v e th a t e a c h a n d e v e ry o n e o f o u r s tu d e n ts h as GINGHER) KH 'LTING. CRAFTS, INSTRUCTIONAL) SEWING BASKETS 50 50 0/ /O '•“ OFF OFF WRIGHTS REEL CHRISTMAS RIBBON $ 1.99 - 5 .9 9 PER REEL BE SI RE TO CHECK (H R STORE FOR “MANAGER’S SPECLALS” •DtseouiiLs do ih M apph lo pm ioush disoxinted or marked down items J J F 184 3225. T h e V a n c o u v e r c a m p u s is l o c a t e d a t : 1 2 0 N .E . 1 3 6 A v e . , S u ite 2 1 0 0 - ( 3 6 0 ) 2 5 4 - 3 2 8 2 . 0/ /o SELECTED DESIGNER TOWELS $ 4 .9 9 -3 9 .9 9 r O) N 1 / / S' rARK STREET! S S ★ RET.4I1 HOURS: MOVIRI ‘M l tins') 9 1pm SATt RIMA H H W p m SI N I ) « lIMKknn-'pm W H O L E S A L E H O U R S: MOVI R I" Stoni-» Sopin SAU RI)AY‘MWUm-S|->ni s | NIIAA II iWain-ipni T h e g r a d u a tio n to o k p la c e o n T h u rsd a y , Ja n u a ry 28. thru I 5'»9 RETAIL - WHOLESALE -W S.F 122nd Ave. Portland, OR 252-9530 Visit o u r website at www fabricxk'pot com 1-8OO-392-3376 eiacular Savings! 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