Author: yazdi

Your Indian Passport Will Be Useless After 24th November If…

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Guess what? All your dreams to go to an exotic foreign destination this New Year’s might just fall flat!

You know why?
The government of India has advised all Indians living in India and abroad to urgently replace their handwritten passports (wherein your details are filled in by hand) with machine-readable ones.

*So if your passport looks like this, rest assured your vacation stands cancelled.

The International Civil Aviation Organization (IACO) has set a November 24 2015 deadline for globally phasing out all Non-machine Readable Passports (MRPs). Thereafter, other countries may deny visa or entry to any person travelling on a non-machine readable passport.

What you need to keep in mind: The government of India has been issuing these hand-written passports (MRP) since 2001.
If your passport is an MRP issued before 2001, with a validity of 20 years only, then you need to get it re-issued.

Indian citizens residing in India and abroad and holding such passports with validity beyond November 24, 2015 should apply for the reissue of their passports well before deadline.

Deadline: 24th November 2015

How Your Passport Should Look:

http://www.tripoto.com/trip/hh-660267

 

GOREGAON WOMAN’S BLOG EXPOSES CABBIES’ RACKET

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CaptureTaxi drivers’ gangs, which don’t actually ferry people, request for change of Rs 1,000 from would-be passengers and fool them into handing over more money; Dadar, LTT, airport prime hunting grounds.

A Goregaon resident’s recent blog post about a taxi driver who duped her at Dadar station has brought to light a racket in which a cabbies’ gang seeks change for Rs 1,000 from passengers and fools them into handing over more money.

After Jade D’sa, a content marketer and freelancer, shared her experience online last week, scores of people revealed that they, too, had been cheated in a similar fashion.

Jade was targeted a second time by another gang at Dadar station, but she flatly refused to help the cabbie get change and got out of the vehicle.

According to her blog post and accounts shared by other commuters, certain cabbies at railways stations have a fake passenger seated in their cars. They will still offer to ferry you by falsely claiming that the passenger’s trip has ended and is just waiting to get change for Rs 1,000.

The driver will give you a Rs 1,000 note and request for two Rs 500 notes in exchange. Seconds after you hand them over, the fake passenger will complain that you have mistakenly given him/her one Rs 100 note and demand the remaining change.

“The moment the man pretending to be a passenger got out of the taxi with the money, the driver told me that he would have to make a 20-minute stop at a petrol pump. I had already waited 15 minutes, so I decided to hire another cab,” Jade told Mirror, recounting the incident that took place six months ago.

“I realised much later that I had correctly given two Rs 500 notes, and not one Rs 500 note and one Rs 100. The taxi driver never planned to drive me home and seeking change was just atrick.”

 

Click on this link for the full story ->http://www.mumbaimirror.com/mumbai/crime/Goregaon-womans-blog-exposes-cabbies-racket/articleshow/49741998.cms

Let’s Solarize India

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35.5% of Indians live with no electricity. India is crying out for a smart, efficient and locally available energy solution.
Join the ‪#‎SolaRise‬ movement and help us power the solar revolution in India! >> http://bit.ly/1XUgZkp

Let’s Solarise India!
35.5% of Indians live with no electricity. Solar energy is the answer! Join the SolaRise movement and help build a cleaner, more sustainable India! #SolaRise
Sign Up
ACT.GREENPEACE.IN

Very Clever Credit Card Scam!

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Give this wide distribution.creditcards1
This scam is actually very clever.
Just when you thought you’d heard it all.
Be very careful out there!Beware of people bearing gifts.
The following is a recounting of the incident from the victim:Wednesday a week ago, I had a phone call from someone saying that he was
from some outfit called: “Express Couriers,”(The name could be any courier company) He asked if I was going to be home because there was a package for me that required a signature .The caller said that the delivery would arrive at my home in roughly an hour. Sure enough, about an hour later, a uniformed delivery man turned up with a beautiful basket of flowers and a bottle of wine. I was very surprised since there was no special occasion or holiday, and I certainly didn’t expect anything like it. Intrigued, I inquired as to who the sender was.

The courier replied, “I don’t know, I’m only delivering the package.” Apparently, a card was being sent separately… (the card has never arrived!) There was also a consignment note with the gift.He then went on to explain that because the gift contained alcohol, there was a $3.50 “delivery/ verification charge,” providing proof that he had actually delivered the package to an adult (of legal drinking age), and not
just left it on the doorstep where it could be stolen or taken by anyone, especially a minor.This sounded logical and I offered to pay him cash. He then said that the delivery company required payment to be by credit or debit card only, so that everything is properly accounted for, and this would help in keeping a
legal record of the transaction. He added couriers don’t carry cash to avoid loss or likely targets for
robbery.My husband, who by this time was standing beside me, pulled out his credit card, and ‘John,’ the “delivery man,” asked him to swipe the card on a small mobile card machine with a small screen and keypad. Frank, my husband, was asked to enter his PIN number and a receipt was printed out. He was given a copy of the transaction. He guy said everything was in order, and wished us good day.

To our horrible surprise, between Thursday and the following Monday,  $4,000 had been charged/withdrawn from our credit/debit account at various ATM machines.

Apparently the “mobile credit card machine,” which the deliveryman carried now had all the info necessary to create a “dummy”  card with all our card details including the PIN number.

Upon finding out about the illegal transactions on our card, we immediately notified the bank which issued us a new card, and our credit/debit  account was closed.

We also personally went to the Police, where it was confirmed that it is definitely a scam because several households had been similarly hit.

WARNING: Be wary of accepting any “surprise gift or package,” which you neither expected nor personally ordered, especially if it involves any  kind of payment as a condition of receiving the gift or package. Also, never accept anything if you do not personally know or there is no proper identification of who the sender is.

Above all, the only time you should give out any personal credit/debit  card information is when you yourself initiated the purchase or transaction!

PLEASE   Pass this on, it may just prevent someone else from being swindled.

How to make your child a better investor

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He has introduced Aparnna to the basics of banking and encouraged her to learn about financial concepts and investment products. Two years ago, she topped the South zone in the National Financial Literacy Assessment Test (NFLAT). The exam is conducted by the National Institute of Securities Market (NISM) for students of Classes VIII to X and tests basic financial awareness. Now 15, she already knows about the different types of insurance covers and how mutual funds work.

“Knowledge of financial concepts is necessary to succeed in the real world. It is perhaps the best gift you can give to your child,” says her father Rajendra Chaudhari.

Her money quotient:

– Manages her own bank account but has not yet started investing.

– Knowledge of finance came handy when she co-founded a company that makes eco-friendly water sprinklers.

– Conducts Money Tree workshops where she teaches finance to children from the low-income group 

 

How to make your child a better investor
Neha Chaudhari – 18 years Bengaluru, studying in Class XII. Topped the NFLAT exam in the Western zone in 2013

 

Click Here for more

What to do after a car accident?

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Things can get chaotic very fast after a car accident, but following some basic steps can help improve your situation.

With the rapidly increasing number of cars on the road, the likelihood of being in a car accident increases too. To mitigate the damage caused, it’s important you are well informed of the procedure to follow after such an event has occurred. This infographic is dedicated to educate how to tackle any such unfortunate incidents.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/what-to-do-after-a-car-accident-infographic/tomorrowmakersshow/49468009.cms

Generate cheap, green electricity from sunlight with solar roof tiles

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Alternative energy has become a lot cheaper than it used to be when the public was presented to it. But still, nowadays solar panels are hardly the aesthetically pleasing objects we want them to be. When you think of photovoltaic systems automatically your mind goes to those large panels, which are so awkwardly installed on rooftops. Although the environmental impact of those are practically zero, their architectural impact is not similar! That’s why you should definitely consider the innovative photovoltaic tiles, like these featured here. They are made from natural clay or slate slabs and have small solar panels applied to the flat side facing the sun. They are easy to install and have a high enough energy yield. There are also transparent solar shingles, which have an even less aesthetic impact. They are weather resistant and have similar characteristics to traditional tiles, with the only difference being the material: Plexiglas or PMMA, that allow a 90% passage of natural light. Check them out!

See more at: http://www.goodshomedesign.com/generate-cheap-green-electricity-from-sunlight-with-solar-roof-tiles/

Consumer Alert – Nov 2015

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Consumer Education and Research Centre
(Registered Public Charitable Trust)

November 2015                                                                              Vol. 3   No.2
COVER STORY
Not all calories are equal

Do you know a healthy sandwich contains 400 calories while a sinful brownie has 380! Calorie counts are more complicated than they seem. We help you understand why all calories are not equal. Read more
Subscribe to Grahak Sathi

The third issue of our magazine tells you whether it is wise to buy Organic Turmeric Powder or not. The dangers of overusing antibacterial products and how the social media can help you resolve complaints are some of the other topics covered in this issue.

Click here to subscribe
CERS MEDIATES

  • Godrej Properties waives penal interest
  • Finally, Tata Card stops harassing consumer

If you have a complaint, email it to: complaints@cercindia.org
SETTLED IN COURT

Builder to pay compensation for project delay 

Hotel told to refund part advance amount

CONSUMER TIPS

WhatsApp Tips and Tricks

Popular messaging app WhatsApp has 800 million active users globally of which 50 million are in India. You may be one of them, but we give you tricks and tips to use it effectively. Read more
TALL TALK

Not our cup of tea

Actress Shraddha Kapoor suggests an easy and healthy way of losing weight with no side effects – drinking Lipton Green Tea. But the television commercial is misleading. Read more
HEALTH MATTERS

Your face can be a barometer of your health

Your face is not only your identity but also a vital indicator of your inner condition – both physical and mental. Examining facial parts like eyes, mouth, tongue and skin play an important role in diagnosis. Read more
PUBLIC INTEREST
How to make a consumer complaint
Consumers may not pursue their complaints against manufacturers of goods/service providers because of the time, energy and money involved. In this article, we guide you on how to make a consumer complaint and seek justice. Read more
SNIPPETS
Antacids have a surprising side effect. They can increase bone fracture risk. Also, if you are frequently bitten by mosquitoes, blame your genes. Read more
  • SC rejects move to ban crackers this Diwali
  • Cashless treatment scheme for accident victims
  • Banks can’t force customers to put cheque in drop box 
  • Flight tickets if you are dropped from train waiting list
CERC NEWS
CERC took part in the Green Action Week campaign to encourage consumers to purchase organic foods. This was done by conducting awareness programmes targeted at students, parents and general consumers. To reach out to the most vulnerable, marginalised and backward communities, the CERC-GSK opened its second extension centre at Samerth, Ahmedabad.  Read more
Consumer Education and Research Centre
“Suraksha Sankool”, S. G. Highway, Thaltej, Ahmedabad – 380 054.
Tel: 079-27489945/6, 27450528, 27438752/3/4            Fax: 079-27489947
Email: cerc@cercindia.org
Website: www.cercindia.org

Toll-free Gujarat Consumer Helpline: 1800 233 0222       [from BSNL]
Send your feedback to: alertcerc@gmail.com

 Safe Online Shopping

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Online shopping is convenient; but, unless you take certain precautions and maintain highest security level, it may cause you headaches and financial losses
The festival season is now at its peak. Shopping online is convenient and saves time—but, at the same time, if you are not cautious, it may turn into a nightmare. While using the Internet for any purpose, always remember that there are risks. This is because the same Internet gives attackers/fraudsters ways to access your personal and financial information. Not every attacker would rob you: he will simply sell your personal information to someone else who will do the job.
Attackers are always on the prowl to search for vulnerable computers or PCs, besides creating authentic-looking, but fake, sites and emails and intercepting insecure communication, including that of financial transactions. Here are some basic tips to protect you while shopping online:
1.Use Good Anti-virus and Anti-spyware Software: Avast Free AntiVirus 2015 and AVG AntiVirus Free are two popular free softwares. Anti-Malware from Malwarebytes, also free, helps you keep malware away from your PC. But do not forget to keep the virus/malware definitions up-to-date.
2. Keep Your Browser Updated: Although most browsers alert you about updates, keeping auto updates on and regularly updating your browser helps avoid attacks made using loopholes in the browser. For Firefox, you can use two add-ons, viz., No Script and Ad-Block Plus. Depending on the site, you can give temporary or permanent permission for scripts and advertisements which otherwise get downloaded automatically.
3. Browser Security: Not all browsers offer the highest level of security as default and you need to set it for individual browser/s.
4. Shopping Only with Reputed Vendors/Sites: Although high reputation does not always give you peace of mind and the product you ordered, it helps in avoiding certain issues and get them resolved, if required. Do not get lured to sites that offer the lowest price for any product. If someone is offering a price way below what’s available elsewhere, something is fishy. Stay away from such sites.
5. Avoid Impulse Shopping: Shopping, whether online or offline, should be done only based on needs and not on impulse. Many shopping sites and apps offer you a feature called wish-list (it may differ from site to site). Use this to bookmark a product that you need—or would need—in future. If there is any special offer on this product, you may get an alert as well.
6. Never Share Data over Email: Despite several warnings from regulators and the police, many people still share their personal and financial information. Never do it. The same applies for clicking on links in emails. Unless you have received the mail from a known entity  and from a known email ID, never click on any link. It may open the door     to attackers.
7. Check Encryption of the Site: Most sites, especially online shopping and email service-providers, provide a security layer (SSL or secured sockets layer) to encrypt information. Check for the additional ‘s’ in the address bar: It should be ‘https:’ and not just ‘http:’. There should also be a lock icon there, which, after clicking, will show details about the website, its certificate and confirm if the connection to the server used by the site is encrypted or not.
8. Use Cash on Delivery: If you are not comfortable with the site or the product, use the cash on delivery (CoD) option. In that case, open the product in the presence of the delivery person and try to do a video recording. Although it is rare now, several buyers have received stones/bricks instead of the product they ordered. So it is better to be cautious than sorry.
9. Keep Records: While buying online, we do get SMS alerts and email intimation from the shopping site. Do not delete these messages. They may come handy, in case you need to track shipment of your product or if there is any other issue and you need to file a complaint about.
Happy online shopping!
YOGESH SAPKALE