The 11 Call for Action hotline is ready to help with your consumer issues. I wanted to get the word out that we have a team of volunteers at KKTV who are on standby to help with consumer issues you may have.

You can call the 11 Call for Action hotline at 719-457-8211. You can also submit a complaint online at kktv.com. Click the menu tab in the upper left corner and then click “11 Call for Action.”

Call for Action is a national nonprofit established in 1963 to help resolve consumer disputes. Volunteers help mediate when someone has an issue with a company, a product or a service. I talked with our longtime lead volunteer, Rhonda, about what sort of cases they can help with.

“We like to think of ourselves as mediators between a consumer and a business when a dispute with a product, a service or a bill develops,” said Rhonda. “We cannot get involved in personal disputes between individuals. We cannot get between a doctor and patient about health care decisions, but we can help with billing issues. We cannot provide legal assistance although we can help determine if a business is not meeting the terms of a contract or warranty. Our focus is to reach a workable solution but where we cannot, we will do our very best to refer the consumer to an agency that can provide the services we cannot.”

I asked Rhonda about the top complaints she hears about from callers.

“Disputes in car purchases or repairs are always popular. But without question our biggest issue these days seems to be disputes when a consumer hires a contractor or landscaper for work around the home,” said Rhonda. “My advice is a consumer classic: Buyer beware. You should only contract with reputable businesses and before you hire them, do your homework. Make sure they are a licensed business of good standing with a reputation in the local community. Get references for past work and then follow up with those references.”

“I can’t emphasize this enough: Get a contract! It protects both consumer and contractor. Make sure it includes specific scope of work and costs, timeframes for work and guarantees of that work,” Rhonda added. “A contractor will need a certain amount of money upfront for supplies and materials, but you should never pay the full price until after the work has been completed.”

Rhonda has also helped callers who are wondering if they are dealing with a scam. She has advice to watch for scams.

“If you don’t have Caller ID on your phone, get it. Don’t answer a call from a number you don’t recognize. Use your voicemail to screen and verify a caller. Even if the Caller ID says it is your bank, credit card company, utility or the local police, be skeptical,” said Rhonda. “Never call the number they tell you to call. Call a trusted number, such as the number on your bill or known numbers for your local agencies. Never give personal information or money to a stranger, especially if they are using high pressure tactics. If someone demands immediate payment through a gift card or cryptocurrency — it is a scam.”

We are looking for more volunteers. If you think you can help with consumer issues, give our hotline a call at 719-457-8211. “I think Call for Action provides a very real community service. Our volunteers need basic computer skills and the ability to search the internet for information. But if you like a challenge, have good communication skills and the ability to think outside the box for creative resolutions that make a big difference in people’s lives, we need you,” Rhonda added.

A huge thank you to Rhonda and all of our Call for Action volunteers. Find more information at KKTV.com. Click on “Find it.”

Katie Pelton (copy)