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Page B4
March 19. 2008
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L aw & J ustice
Cable, Satellite Hookups Top Complaint List
Money-transfer
schemes skyrocket
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(AP) — Telephone and cable
companies were the top targets for
consumer complaints in Oregon last
year, the fifth straight year they’ve
led the list.
Financial institutions - banks and
mortgage brokers - were again No.
2 on the annual complaint list corn-
pi led by the O regon attorney
general’s office.
The surprise was the arrival of
in te rn a tio n a l m o n e y -tra n sfe r
schemes, appearing on the list for
the first time and making it all the
way to No. 3.
The fraudulent schemes include
a now-infamous scam with many
variations, typically involving a
claim that a wealthy Nigerian must
move a large sum of money out of
the African country and needs help
with the transaction. It usually re­
quires a loan inexchange fora much
larger sum that is never paid.
Oregon residents lost more than
$482,(XX) in 2007 to such schemes,
according to the Oregon Depart­
ment of Justice.
"W e're disturbed by this num ­
ber for several reasons,” Oregon
A ttorney General Hardy Myers
said. "These schemes, especially
out of Nigeria, have been around
for years, but O regonians con­
tinue to be pulled into these
scam s.”
The 825 com plaints filed in the
categ o ry included consum ers
who recognized the scam before
they lost money, M yers said.
Disputes over cellular phone service include cable and satellite television to top a category of
consumer complaints to the Oregon attorney general's office.
Rem aining at No. 4 on the top
10 com plaint list were collection
agencies, with the num berofcom ­
plaints nearly doubling from 483
in 2006 to 719 last year.
M yers noted that he has twice
proposed am en d m en ts to the
state Unlawful Trade Practices
Act to include violations o f exist­
ing debt collection law and put
collection agencies under the ju ­
risdiction o f state D epartm ent of
Justice consum er division. Both
attem pts in the Legislature have
failed but M yers, who is not seek­
ing re-election, said he will rec­
om m end that his successor try
again in the 2009 session.
Rounding out the top 10 list of
com plaints were m otor vehicle
sales at No. 5, Internet retailers at
No. 6, health-related claims at No.
7, construction contractors at No.
8, Internet auctions at No. 9, and
autom obile repairs at No. 10.
A lthough last on the list, auto­
mobile repairs was making a reap­
pearance after a decade.
The attorney general’s office
also noted that in the telecommuni­
cations category. No. 1 on the com ­
plaint list, cable and satellite televi­
sion complaints exceeded those
against cellular phone providers.
C ategories that alm ost made
the list were real estate, travel
and insurance services.
The D epartment of Justice also
said it resum ed enforcem ent of
its “no call” registry last year
after being pre-em pted by federal
law and regulations for about five
years.
O regonians are urged to regis­
ter with the National Do Not Call
Registry by calling 1-888-382-
1222 or online at D onotcall.gov.
R egistration is free and m ost
“cold calls” made to O regonians
on the list after 31 days will vio­
late both federal and state laws.
Fred Meyer Sued for Sexual Harassment
According to the agency's suit, senior-
level managers subjected an employee
and her female co-workers to a constant
barrage of sexually offensive and degrad­
ing comments.
The company refused to take any mean­
ingful actions to stop the harassment.
Fred Meyer Stores, Inc. violated federal Instead, the EEOC claims, Fred Meyer
law when it allowed top-level managers at retaliated against the woman who first
its Oregon City store to sexually harass complained by stepping up the harass­
several female employees, according to a ment against her. These actions caused
lawsuit the U.S. Equal Employment Op­ severe emotional distress for the alleged
victims.
portunity Commission.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII
The EEOC further charges that Fred,
of
Civil Rights Act of 1964. After first
Meyer retaliated against the woman who
first complained internally of the harass­ attempting to reach a voluntary settle­
ment through conciliation, the EEOC filed
ment.
Commission says
female workers
targeted
the lawsuit and will seek monetary dam­
ages on behalf of the employees, training
on anti-discrimination laws, posting of
notices at the work site and other injunc­
tive relief.
According to EEOC Regional Attorney
William R. Tamayo, “When you have
senior-level managers engaged in the
sexual harassment, the tone is set in the
workplace. An employer who fails to take
notice of illegal behavior in its workplace
is only inviting litigation.”
The EEOC enforces federal laws in the
private and federal sectors prohibiting
employment discrimination based on race,
color, gender, religion, national origin,
age and disability.
Refectory Robbers Wanted
The Portland Police Bureau, in
cooperation with Crime Stop­
pers, is asking for your help in
identifying suspects in a take­
over robbery.
On Friday, Feb. 15, at 9:14
a.m., two suspects walked into
the Refectory, located at 1618
N.E. 122nd Ave., forced em­
ployees to the ground and stole
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money from the safe. Addi­
tionally, the suspects stole an
employee’s 2005 gray Jeep Lib­
erty as their getaway vehicle.
Police recovered the vehicle the
next day in Fairview.
Suspect #1 is described as a
white male in his 30s, 5’8 -5' 10".
200 pounds, light brown hair,
stubble on his face, and wearing
a blue hooded jacket.
Suspect #2 is described as a
white, possibly a female, in her
30s, 5’8, 180 pounds, wearing
an orange and bluejacket with a
white stripe across the chest and
back.
Crime Stoppers is offering a
cash reward of up to $1,000
for information, reported to
Crime Stoppers, that leads to
the an arrest in this case, or any
unsolved felony, and you re­
main anonymous. Call Crime A police sketch identifies one
Stoppers at (503) 823-HELP of two suspects in the robbery
of the Refectory restaurant.
(4357).
Racial Disparities Concern U N
‘Roll back’ of human rights cited
A key committee at the United
Nations has raised concern over
racism in the United States and
the government's failure tocom-
bat racial inequality.
The U.N. Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimi­
nation expressed concern that
civil and human rights in the
U.S. have been “rolled back.”
Problems range from racial seg­
regation in the schools and ra­
cial disparities in the criminal
justice system, to decreased ac­
cess to the courts.
Recent court cases in the
United States have made it more
difficult to bring discrimination
claims in court, requiring proofof
intentional discrimination. Under
the U.N. treaty, victims of dis­
crimination may seek justice as
long as they can prove the actions
had a discriminatory effect.
As the U.N. report states,
"|T he treaty] requires States
parties to prohibit and eliminate
racial discrimination in all its
forms, including practices and
legislation that may not be dis­
criminatory in purpose, but in
effect."
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The U.N. recommended that
recent Supreme Court cases’
“rolling back" of rights should
be corrected through legislation.
In repeated instances, the U.N.
mentions support for the Civil
Rights Act of 2(X)8.
“The message from the U.N.
Committee on the Elimination
of Racial Discrimination isclear
when it comes to the U.S.'s
record on human rights and ra­
cial equality - the government
can't just talk the talk, it must
also walk the walk,” said Jamil
Dakwar, Advocacy Director of
the ACLU Human Rights Pro­
gram.