update on Verizon complaint:

 

the issue has been resolved after 2 and 1/2 months.

My suggestion on handling complaints about large corporations:

Prepare yourself for small claims court...you being
victorious is a corporattion's worse nightmare because you may
get media coverage.

Example: The woman who sued Honda for false
advertising on MPG for the make and model
of her car. This became a national story and
cost Honda big time setting a precedent.

Prepare hoping the company will do the right thing
...be ready if they don't...then write the highest
corporate officer you can find as a last ditch effort.
I chose someone in investor relations and viola`
got action in one hour. I apologized to the VP I
wrote saying simply, "THE BUCK HAS TO STOP
SOMEWHERE."

This probably makes corporate VPs angry
as they may wonder why the 40,000
employees under then did not resolve a
customer service issue and the VP had to
get involved.

GOOD! They need to run tighter ships.
We should not be abused to fatten their
wallets and feather their nests.

The thing is...be fair, tell the truth, keep
notes and always be polite. You
will be hung up on, you will be ignored,
you will be abused...welcome to
corporate America where you are nothing
except a commodity by which
they fatten their wallets....but keep being
annoying and KEEP IT UP
and let them make you go away.

SUGGESTIONS:
1) stay calm
2) take extensive notes re: names, dates, times
3) corporate ineptness runs amok so be patient
4) don't be extorted by them, let them shut you off

and then keep notes on how you suffered as a result
5) make it public, this blog is FREE, help yourself at
www.blogger.com
6)  BE POLITE
7) don't stoop to corporate levels and try to cheat the
company...if you are right, stand up for yourself. If
you are NOT RIGHT, pay your bill.

8) involve your state attorney general & someone in

federal government like FCC

Place an ad on Craigslist in your city and ask for
someone to help you. Offer a stipend if you can.
If you need more help than that call or write
your state's attorney general, consumer
protection agency, the local law school that
has an elder law clinic (St. John's here in NYC
has one as do many law schools around the
country). Also, post in the LOCAL NEWS
section on Craigs List...News 12 responded
when I posted there!

Make noise, make it your hobby, make sure
you are not ripped off...keep a paper trail and
never let up and then spread the word to 

empower others.

Paradise Costs-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse-by Irene A. Masiello, afterword by Bennett Blum, MD-click large book photo on the top of the blog to order the book via PayPal

SYNOPSIS: A daughter is left with a startling forensic report after her father is “grandpa-napped” away from his family and dies prematurely in this shocking and compelling true story delving into a hidden and ignored social ill.

Mario Masiello, age 80, died with illegal substances in his body states a  forensic toxicology report conducted on an innocent lock of hair taken for sentimental purposes. How illicit drugs came into this grim picture remains a mystery given that Mario was bedridden, had insulin dependent diabetes, a medically documented case of severe Alzheimer’s, was receiving all nourishment through a gastric tube after he had a stroke and was totally dependent on those around him. His caregivers? His neighbors who made sure they were named Mario’s new “heirs.”

Sound far-fetched? Not so, says Bennett Blum, M.D. an expert forensic and geriatric psychiatrist and author of this book’s afterword. He quotes a law enforcement colleague, “After the money is gone, all that’s left is a witness.” Blum sites the nightmarish reality in a report given by him in 2005 at an invitation-only policy development conference for the White House Conference on Aging. The statistics are terrifying: 1-in-6 seniors will be victims of elder abuse, neglect or exploitation. That’s roughly 13 million seniors-plus as the numbers of boomers turning 65 increases.

This powerful first person narrative presents medical records and other legal documents demonstrating the level of corruption in a small town in South Carolina that’s representative of the lack of care, compassion and concern that haunts America today. One national organization states, “$20 million A DAY is pilfered from the elderly in California alone.”

This fast-paced, riveting, wake-up call set against 9/11, local and national politics, our country’s failed healthcare system and millions of cases of elder abuse, includes Dr. Blum’s pioneering work (PARADISE-2 & IDEAL) in establishing undue influence and diminishing mental capacity corroborating a chilling story. Also contained are lists of red-flags in personalities of high risk seniors and families, behaviors indicating abuse, exploitation or neglect is underway, tips for hiring aides, what illnesses make seniors targets, understanding medical jargon, stages of Alzheimer’s, work sheets for readers caring for seniors to document financial exploitation, causes of dementia, nutritional and cognitive aspects of impairment, when you need a lawyer vs. psychiatrist or mental health practitioner, guidelines for attorneys, explanation of evaluating mental capacity, 16 behaviors and cognitive functions described in layman’s terms for the assessment of diminishing capacity and more.

Paradise Costs is now part of the nation’s largest database on professional, scholarly and academic works on elder abuse through National Center on Elder Abuse and the Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (NCEA/CANE) based at the University of Delaware.

Authors:

 

Irene A. Masiello is a NYC-based magazine columnist writing for over a decade on alternative wellness modalities, spiritual empowerment and personal growth. She’s a certified: holistic/CORE counselor, stress management consultant and adult educator. Irene is Baby-boomer TV’s elder care expert, a member of the Elder Justice Coalition and frequent radio and TV guest speaking about the concerns of the aging, spiritual development, personal responsibility and self-healing.

Bennett Blum, M.D., author of the afterword, is an internationally known expert in forensic and geriatric psychiatry authoring the pioneering and widely accepted “PARADISE-2” and “IDEAL” acronyms (included in this book along with professional medical information and worksheets for applying the above work as evidence) for establishing undue influence and diminishing capacity in the elderly. Dr. Blum has consulted on hundreds of legal cases throughout the United States, including the criminal trials of Susan Smith, Andrea Yates, and Theresa Ramirez, the civil litigation case of O.J. Simpson and testified before the first International War Crimes Tribunal since Nuremberg. He’s best known as the co-author of the seminal research on the now famous police assisted suicide…“suicide-by-cop.”

Dr. Blum and Ms. Masiello are members of the Elder Justice Coalition.

REVIEWS: John Bradshaw, New York Times best-selling author: Bradshaw On: The Family, Healing the Shame that Binds You, Home-coming and Creating Love: "Paradise Costs is a compelling journey through the scripts and tapes of the past into a dysfunctional family dynamic to which many of us can relate. More than a story of personal tragedy and triumph, this is a call to concrete action in support of the Elder Justice Act. Irene’s reality writing creates a simple and efficient way to take a proactive stance against elder abuse, neglect and exploitation."

Larry Dossey, MD, author: The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things, Reinventing Medicine, Healing Words and 8 other books: "We owe our elders everything; they deserve our compassion, love, protection and the best of care. Irene Masiello's voice is a clarion call to provide them what they need, unconditionally and with gratitude."

Jacqueline Marcell, author of Elder Rage & host of Coping with Care-giving radio show: This is a riveting wake-up call for anyone faced with caring for elderly loved ones, including 78 million 'at risk' Baby Boomers…it’s a gripping true story told through the eyes of a courageous daughter, who demonstrates how ordinary circumstances can turn into an extraordinary chain of events leading to unthinkable crimes. Through this compelling and cautionary page-turner, the author encounters unforeseen issues and obstacles during her remarkable effort to save her father, just one of too many seniors who fall between the cracks of our failing system.”

my own story about Verizon & by the way, I did mention to a few reps at Verizon that I had authored a book on elder abuse and exploitation and that I did not like the way my issue was being handled...their response? YOU GUESS IT...nothing!

"On December 16^th 2011, I called Verizon and spoke with customer service Daphnee regarding an issue we had with our bill. Our issue? My son’s Blackberry had stopped working in late August in that he could no longer make or receive calls on it. Frankly, he always had an issue with this Verizon because he lives on the North Shore of LI and the signal is poor with an incredible amount of dropped calls. Verizon promptly sold him a signal booster which worked… some times.

When he spoke with a customer service rep, that rep told him his phone was under warrantee and customer service sent a prepaid envelop and asked that it be returned. Verizon replaced it. No issue.

However, suddenly, he was billed for the new phone. When we called, Verizon stated that their warehouse rep open the envelope and reported the Blackberry had a hairline crack in the phone’s screen. The Verizon rep talked to my son and said that any damage to the phone negated the warrantee and Verizon added $300 to our bill. My son said there was no damage to the phone which had worked perfectly and then died.

I called Verizon and got Daphnee on the phone because my son’s home had some damage from Hurricane Irene’s gale force winds and he was more concerned with that as an immediate issue; he said he cannot get anywhere with Verizon customer service.

Since the account is in both of our names, I took over. I am glad I did because from what my son was telling me I thought, perhaps, he was exaggerating. Bad news…he was not in the least exaggerating…….a 37 year old guy was stymied, confused, getting the run around and he could not handle the maze of inept customer service. Once I took over, I couldn’t handle the amount of bull I was hearing either.

The first person I spoke to was the person mentioned above: Daphnee. She said we would just exchange the replacement Blackberry for my upgraded phone, remove the bells and whistles of the Blackberry account which my son felt was worthless anyway and, as Daphnee stated, everything will be okay.

I did, at this time, tell Daphnee that when my son returned the original phone it was not damaged, but, had stopped working. Daphnee expressed the opinion of Verizon corporate, apparently, saying:  “IT IS IMPOSSIBLE THAT THE PHONE WAS DAMAGED BY THE MAIL SERVICE.”

Since I have gotten everything from a set of dishes to glass packed in styrofoam that was well packed and received in a perfect box but once opened and every single dish in a service for 12 was smashed, I really couldn’t quit understand why Verizon’s rep found it so hard to believe that something may have happened to the phone in transit. More details followed and I found myself wondering, could this whole thing be a scam?

That same day I spoke to Mark, a Verizon customer service rep, who said he would mail out another envelope so we could send back the second Blackberry. My woman’s intuition told me to speak to a supervisor that day and Verizon’s supervisor told me that there would be no problem with this exchange and even texted me (don’t you hate texting, BOOMers?) Daphnee’s email address which remains in my cell phone as we speak.

So as of December 16^th I had the above information and we were going to wait to receive the packing envelope to mail back the Blackberry.

It didn’t come…okay, so I am reasonable, holiday rush, a lot of mail, etc. I waited. I waited almost one month and then I emailed Daphnee on January 9^th. No response from her and I am still waiting for that on 2/17/2012. So much for the supervisor’s text telling me how to resolve the issue.

Daphnee did tell me that my son should request my upgraded phone to replace his Blackberry but customer service refused to do that because, you guess it, we had not paid for the original Blackberry that was under warrantee. So much for information from Daphnee and the above supervisor!

Are you getting any of this? Mind boggling isn’t it? I called Verizon on January 14^th at 2:53PM and spoke with Tiara, Verizon’s customer service rep who then transferred me to someone named Beverly at 3:01 PM.

Beverly told me that Verizon does not accept used equipment back and that Daphnee had made an error. When I told her I had also spoken to Mark and the supervisor during that very same call, Beverly said, “They were all misinformed.”

I said, “Why are we going through all this mishegas (Yiddesh word for mess)?” Beverly laughed and said, “I am probably the only person in Atlanta that knows what mishegas means!”

I responded, chuckling, “How do you explain that?” She retorted with, “I was born and raised in Miami.” We both laughed.  We continued to exchange pleasantries and she told me that she was so fortunate to have her Verizon job because, at this time in her life, she never would have guessed that she would be looking for a job.

After more pleasantries, I said to her “Beverly, why is it that 3 of your Verizon co-workers lied to me?” She said, “No, I’ve heard this story before and they are just misinformed.”

Hmmm, misinformed customer service reps, lies perhaps, maybe scams? I dunno.

I asked, “Why didn’t Daphnee respond to my email and just tell me the truth?” Beverly said, “I don’t know but I am going to send an email to her supervisor (who I had already spoken to on 12/16 who verified that I had been given the correct information on 12/16) and she will be reprimanded.”

Maybe but you could have fooled me judging by the rest of this issue with validation for my suspicions coming to fruition since it is NOW February 17, 2012 with absolutely no contact from Verizon despite their word.

I asked Beverly: “What do we do with this Blackberry? My son says the first one was garbage and the second one has not performed any better.”

Here’s the kicker from Beverly, “I have had phone issues too and I sell my useless phones. They do have a market on CraigsList where you can recoup some of their value so that’s the advice I would give you. It’s probably worth $20 or $25, just remove the SIM card first.  Meanwhile, your son can take your phone upgrade, discontinue his Blackberry services like receiving email and lower your bill. We’ll let you pay off the $300 for the other Blackberry” (now remember, this Blackberry was under warrantee and it was VERIZON’S REP who told my son it was).

I told her I will tell my son to sell the Blackberry and obtain my upgrade but I want to hear from someone on a supervisory level to explain to me why 3 people gave me “misinformation” on December 16^th and why this mess exists because Verizon reps have been giving me faulty information since this started a month ago.

Beverly assured me I would hear back in days. Never happened! Are you relating to this? Are you catching the pass the buck?

I resisted paying my bill as long as possible because it was incredibly clear to me that something weird was going on here. So, my next bill was due January 21 and I called and spoke with customer service rep who then contradicted Beverly saying that Verizon would have taken back the second Blackberry if we hadn’t sold it.

Is everyone following this circle? So…Daphnee tells me send it back, doesn’t respond to email, no envelope is sent and then Beverly tells me no envelope was sent because that is NOT Verizon’s policy and she will speak with Daphnee’s supervisor who also, along with Verizon customer service rep Mark, told me on 12/16 that a return envelope was on the way. Then, Beverly said all 3 of them were misinformed then this new customer service rep told me Beverly was misinformed.

I WAS ANGRY now and asked to speak to a supervisor. Her name is Courtney and she told me that Verizon would definitely have taken the phone back and credited us but we sold the phone. They said they would take 25% off the value of the phone and refund that amt ($75) to our account.

I said, “NO WAY…I want to speak with your supervisor” but for some reason that couldn’t happen at that time but Courtney said she would request that Verizon staff listen to the tape of the conversation which took place at 3:01 PM on January 14^th 2012 between Beverly and myself. This process, said Courtney,  would probably take about 3 days at the soonest and in 7-10 days at the latest.

She said Verizon Corporate took things like this very seriously and I would definitely hear from them. I did take Courtney’s direct phone number from her but my call to her was not returned. Hmmmm, I think there is a pattern here, don’t you? ;o) Ssssshhhh, corporate America thinks we are dumb

Well, today is 2/16/12.

Outcome? Nothing.

I have not heard a word from Verizon since January 21^st.

I placed an ad on CraigsList here in NY asking for those who had issues with Verizon to come forward and quite a few responded including a reporter from News 12 here in NYC who asked if anyone had come forward from the Bronx….”not yet,” I retorted. The reporter said, “When you hear from a Bronx resident, get back to me and we will do a story; we cover the Bronx.” Hmmmm.

So, during the above, “Welcome to Verizon” has taken on a whole new meaning, in fact, I keep hearing subliminal banjo music playing on my phone. Here’s what I am hearing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPK8SWDF-kg&feature=related (You have to be a BOOMer to get the metaphor!)
 
When I searched the Internet for the corporate office, I noted that Verizon corporate makes it very difficult to find a specific place to register a complaint though there are scores and scores of complaints spread around the Internet. I can’t imagine why, can you?

Fellow BOOMers, after reading the above, do you think that you would have been able to do all of the above without getting disgusted and then paying what they asked while feeling very exploited and scammed but just delighted to have this over? BINGO!

A quick survey of my peers found every one of them having a Verizon horror story to tell and most couldn’t even figure out how I managed to put up with this. But, writing a book does help train the mind to think methodically and always take notes. Also, since my father’s life was lost in an elaborate scheme, this, sadly, is not my first rodeo. It’s not even my second or 300^th rodeo because when "Paradise Costs" was released, I heard from people all over the country telling me horrendous stories about greed and even murder.

So, is this what we face with corporate America?  There’s a surprise, right? Is Verizon aware that its own employees don’t know company policy or there is a confusing and inconsistent company policy that exhausts and wears down the customer instead of resolving the problem?

How many other companies like credit card companies, banks, investment houses, medical plans, etc are running these types of customer service operations providing such awful service to seniors like me?  Of course, since most of us do lose some cognitive skills in this natural process of aging, how will we, as a 78 million member generation, do with all this?  

What are the State Attorney Generals and the Federal Trade Commission doing about this?

Perhaps customer service is a thing of the past and we can rename those so-called services “covert operations?”

This is why the younger folks are in the streets to Occupy Wall Street like we were in the streets to end the Viet Nam war. This is why we picketed for a woman’s right to chose. This is why we stood for Civil Rights…now who among you will join us BOOMs and clobber corporate America whose greed knows no bounds?

POWER TO THE PEOPLE as my blog's attorney has advised me to sue Verizon in Small Claims Court to demonstrate the power of the little guy vs the giant corporate entity. He seems sure I will prevail.

Remember, BOOMers, as the largest voting block in America, 78 million strong, our voice can determine almost anything including the next president of the US."

Another senior citizen complaint against Verizon from Houston, TX

from RAM, senior citizen, hometown Houston TX:

"Trouble with the monster Verizon?  Join the club! Anyway - Verizon is good at making deals or promises, but not living up to them. While my husband was in Canada on a job after our service was suspended, Verizon kept harassing me. I'd get those phone calls from them, and just hang up. I don't talk to machines - especially one that addresses me in that tone of voice.

When he returned and called to reactivate the account, they had added whopping charges! But he went to their flipping office, and bargained, got the bill reduced to what had been promised in the first place. But who needs the aggravation?”

10 ways to keep your aging parents safer

1. Have Realistic Expectations: America’s health care
system is extremely overburdened; we must be proactive
in all aspects of healthcare. Assist your parent by keeping
a close tab on prescription & over-the-counter medications.


2. Recognize & Adjust for Diminishing Vision, Hearing
or Thinking: Any lessening in faculties or infirmities like
diabetes or circulatory disorders may impair mood or
mental cognition.


3. Hire Health Aides with Caution: Check your state’s
requirements regarding criminal background checks,
finger printing, random drug-testing, licensing and
whether the company providing aides has litigation
against it; call the Better Business Bureau. Hiring
privately requires additional legwork.


4. Understand Exploitation Is A Crime: If your
parent signs any document they can neither
explain nor comprehend the consequences of,
they may have been exploited. Report it
immediately to law enforcement.

5. Keeping A Watchful Eye: Forensic testing of
hair, aide cams, drop-in company, monitoring
credit cards and reports, reviewing bank
statements by looking for handwriting changes
on checks (someone else fills in payee and/or
amount) and examining check number sequences
are ways some issues can be detected early.
Be especially aware of utility companies adding
charges to your parents’ bill and medical insurer’s
explanation of benefits not paying what they should.
The wave of corporate greed that’s being exposed
in 2011 and 2012 can easily make your family
member a victim by making customer service especially
difficult to understand or even receive.


6. Sudden Relationships May be Dangerous:
Be weary of anyone who steps over healthy
interpersonal boundaries or takes an intense
interest in the health, wellness or finances of your parent.


7. Face Multi-generational Family Dynamic Issues:
Substance abuse (alcohol or drugs) and dysfunctional
families are huge risk factors for the elderly.

8. Be Realistic about Your Parent’s Personality:
Seniors with complicated or difficult dispositions
are unlikely to develop coping skills as they age
and grow infirm.

9. “Do Not Call” List: Unscrupulous telemarketers
solicit at-home seniors. Place your parents’
phone numbers on your state’s “do not call list.”

10. Avoid Caregiver Burnout: Most elder abuse
takes place in families. It’s crucial that caregivers
take frequent respites to avoid stress and fatigue.

Irene A. Masiello is the author of “Paradise Costs-A Victim’s
Daughter Fights Back Against Elder Abuse” –afterword by

Co-author of “suicide by cop” Bennett Blum, MD. Her proactive
book contains an actual forensic report to drive home a
chilling reality. It offers helpful lists of common elder abuses,
 exploitative tactics and common characteristics of victims
and abusers. Prewritten letters to federal legislators
supporting the Elder Justice Act, now before both Houses
of Congress, are contained in her book and are available as
free downloads at her site, www.ParadiseCosts.com and
her new blog at www. http://babyboomerwhistleblower.blogspot.com/

 ©Copyright 2008-2012, Irene A. Masiello, All rights reserved

Helpful link for information on Alzheimer's:

This is really worth looking at and printing.

10 Symptoms of Alzheimer's

 

more red flags indicating possible elder abuse or elder exploitation - excerpt from "Paradise Costs" ©

Family members as caregivers:

Please remember: it’s a misconception that 
mistreatment in nursing homes is the primary 
source of elder abuse, neglect and exploitation. 
The statistics say otherwise with about 90% 
of elder abuse and neglect incidents happening 
within families.

Multi-generational dysfunctional families, greed, 
ignorance, mental health issues, substance 
abuse issues, etc. may be at the root cause 
with many complex issues adding to further 
cloud the dynamics. 

Experts link substance abuse issues 
(particularly alcohol) as a major factor 
in dysfunctional families. If anyone in your 
family is suffering from any substance 
abuse issue, the risk factors for the elderly climb.

Outsiders as caregivers:

Home healthcare aides offer valuable assistance 
to seniors who require help to remain independent. 
However, those caregivers may be the source of 
abuse, neglect or exploitation. 

Cost is often a factor in determining who is 
hired. Caregivers hired outside of agencies 
will be more affordable, but they require 
much more supervision. The questions listed 
below will be the responsibility of the person 
doing the hiring. Before hiring any aide from 
an agency, research your state’s licensing 
procedures and find out: what’s the track 
record of the referring agency?

Is there litigation pending against the agency?

What are the agency’s criteria for hiring?

Does the agency do arrest and/or criminal 
background checks? 

Is drug screening mandatory prior to and after hiring?

Are employees bonded, fingerprinted, etc?

Have you checked with the Better Business 
Bureau about complaints?

Others with hidden agendas:

This group can include a litany of others, such 
as neighbors, friends, bank tellers, lawyers, 
real estate agents, handymen, investment 
advisers, salespeople, telemarketers, etc., 
and the motive is the same: manipulating 
financial aspects of the elder’s 
life for the perpetrator’s own benefit. 

Unscrupulous telemarketers often canvass 
during the day seeking those who are at 
home (ex: retired persons with disposable 
income) to exploit through various scams. 
Bear in mind that in California alone, $20 
million a day is pilfered from the elderly. 
Please place each one of your elderly 
relatives and neighbors on the “do not call” 
list to reduce risks.

[this advice is added to this list which is 
not in Paradise Costs:since the greed of 
corporate America is now a given, please 
use a great deal of caution when dealing 
with corporate giants as, apparently, 
utility companies, phone companies, 
medical insurers, government policies 
acting in concert with lobbyists, political
Super PACS, credit card companies, 
banks, etc who make Terms of Service 
difficult if not impossible to read and 
understand, make the likelihood of a 
senior being duped a reality. Proceed
with great caution.]

Agreements, contracts and legal documents:

Any document, contact or agreement that 
requires a senior citizen’s signature must 
be understood by the elder. He or she must 
understand the reason for the document, 
what the resulting consequences of the 
document will be and be able to explain it. 
In other words, if a senior citizen states 
“yes,” they understand the need for any 
document, i.e., a Power of Attorney, they must 
also be able to explain the requirement for it. 
“Yes” is not an appropriate reply without the 
elder being able to give an accurate explanation 
of “what” or “why” or “who” needs that document. 

 © Copyright, 2005-2012, Irene A. Masiello, all rights reserved

a complaint from a senior citizen about Verizon gathered from the NY CraigsList posting

from KC in NYC:

"Like many, I live a simple life, watch my pennies and try to live within my means - sound familiar? In order to save on phone/tv/computer I fell for the Verizon Fios deal and surrendered Direct TV.  I was a bit tired of not being able to see TV when the weather was bad. The FiOS product does work well. But, the problem is that Verizon, apparently, knowingly did not send a payment I made to them but owed to Direct TV to them. So, for the past 3 months I have had many, many phone calls from Direct TV. I have spent many hours speaking with both companies....and of course we are still in the same place I have been left to fend for myself with this. Had I been told in the beginning that no matter how I scheduled the installation - I did it as close as possible to the end of my billing cycle - that Verizon would keep the entire amount and use it at their discretion and therefore leave me holding an empty bag with Direct TV...Now - Direct TV wants more than the amount billed for whatever reason they can dream up, because I always ask them what is the amt billed, $103.00, for no one can ever tell me.  The response is always that that is the amount Verizon says is owed! So around and around we go, the issue is never resolved and I will not pay a fee I feel is unjust."

Let's be clear, folks, this blog is not about bashing Verizon....we will be an equal opportunity basher with any corporation that is senior citizen unfriendly. As the author of Paradise Costs, which came out in 2007, I was already in the mix with elder abuse and elder exploitation. This social ill killed my father in the worse way imaginable. I moved away from being an advocate simply because my journey had exhausted me.

However, a recent run in with Verizon in my own life really shook me up because I know, without a doubt, that most baby boomers will not be able to navigate the deliberate maze companies like Verizon have in place.

I have no doubt that creating mazes that are profitable to corporations have resulted in other companies like credit card companies, banks, medical insurers, big pharma, etc have already and will continue to result in ill gotten gains that will shock the public. When I was writing Paradise Costs, a staggering statistic crossed my path:


20 MILLION DOLLARS A DAY...IN ONE SINGLE DAY,  EVERYDAY OF THE YEAR IS SWINDLED FROM SENIOR CITIZENS IN CALIFORNIA ALONE!

It just so happened that Verizon acted as an inspiration to me to re-involve me in a cause near and dear to my heart...STOP ELDER ABUSE AND ELDER EXPLOITATION NOW.

With the whole country fed up with corporate greed, I have not heard a single word about what segment of the population that is most at risk: SENIOR CITIZENS.

Therefore, since I have invested almost 12 years of my life trying to get justice for my father, damn straight I will do everything I can to get justice for myself and any other senior being ripped off by corporate greed. 

So Verizon just happened to cross my path and reawaken the anger within me at this system of ours that uses seniors, baby boomers, disabled, etc big time.

While there are organizations out there who are supposed to protect us, they fail because they are involved in the political systems which, of course, is part of the problem and not part of any solution...at least, not yet.

So, Verizon, who is ducking we customers, in my opinion, and in the opinions of too many, is especially senior citizen and baby boomer unfriendly.

Here's another complaint written to me:

AJD from Florida:
"I won't do business with Verizon, they deliver no customer service."

I will be posting in detail, my saga that's still ongoing. Here's a helpful hint about how to get customer service from Verizon or any other corporate giant straight from an attorney:

1) research who the corporate officers are

2) send them a letter via certified mail

3) explain the problem you are having in detail

4) let a VP figure out why you had to bother him rather

than the chain of command in customer service doing THEIR JOB.
5) heads may roll within that corporation

Sounds like a plan to me. I will be posting more RED FLAGS
indicating elder abuse or exploitation maybe underway later
or tomorrow.

POWER TO THE PEOPLE...BOOM!

IT'S UP TO US ALL..................

Elder advocate & Baby Boomer Watch Dog will be doing a press release shortly. It will be printed here & released to the media sites shortly

Any corporate entity that thinks we boomers are impotent
seniors with no power and that we will roll over, better take
a lesson from history...it was we who demonstrated for
civil rights....it was we when the anti-war protests started against
the Viet Nam war...we stood for a woman's right to chose.

We won't roll over...we have lawyers advising us.......
We stand with Occupy Wall Street in Spirit....
We will form a picket line online...
We will tell our stories.....
We will write the FCC, the attorney general's office,
We will write to your corporate executives...
We will print your names....

We were a proactive generation with lots of power
and we will not be exploited by corporate pigs who
cheat us, rob us, exploit us...not without a fight.

POWER TO THE BOOMERS....we've changed the
world before and we will do it again!

Readers, if any corporate entity is scamming you,
lying to you, defrauding you, please send us your
story ay STOPELDERABUSENOW@yahoo.com


Collect your paperwork and we will scan it & put it online
so everyone can see how corporate America is
treating us...let them feel our wrath, let Elder Advocate
write to their CEOs and news organization....

Occupy Wall Street...senior BOOMS (baby-boomers occupying
OUR Main Street) are with you.

We will be issuing press release after press release until
we get noticed. Please post utility company scams in the
LOCAL NEWS section on Craigs List and send the replies to us.

Thanks!
STOPELDERSBUSENOW@yahoo.com

the red flags continue.....Paradise Costs list is a PARTIAL list....

the ways a senior can be scammed and exploited are
growing as corporate America joins the feasting to 
feather their nests. I will be posting shortly how a typical
corporate scenario unfolds, one my family that has 
experienced, how 5 or 6 Verizon employees past the 
buck, added charges for their phantom services, told 
contradicting stories and actually lied. I will present
the names and dates, what was said and how we were
mislead. Is this fraud? Well, a short survey of those around
us told basically the same tales. We are waiting to hear from 
one Bronx, NY victim and a TV news station will be getting
this is the only way to reach Verizon...they list their 
corporate office location on a FREE Google blog....
this is how a major US corporation handles its 
customer service issues or if you call, they will pass 
the buck and tell you to wait until a certain department 
gets back to you....do they get back to you?

NO!!

We will be taking you down this path now 2 months old 
and we will give your Verizon employee names and tell 
you the stories they told me.

Do we think Verizon is alone in doing this? NO...
it's a pandemic. Boomers, watch out.

Back to the red flags:In any physician’s office, bank, 
attorney’s office, insurance company, investment firm, etc., 
the elder is accompanied by someone who refuses to 
allow the senior citizen to speak for him/herself and/or 
the elder appears nervous, apprehensive, edgy, or seems 
uneasy about or fearful of the person accompanying him or her.

The elder is concerned or confused about any valuable 
including medication, jewelry, money and/or any other 
item the elder needs to maintain well-being such as 
glasses, dentures, hearing aids, walkers, bills for 
medical services or appliances, etc.

Pay close attention to handwriting changes in 
signatures of a senior citizen on checks or any 
other document. Pay particular attention if the
elder signs checks and someone else and/or 
another style of handwriting fills in the payee 
and amount sections. Pay very close attention 
to checks made out to cash. Pay close attention 
to the sequence in check numbers. Examine the 
check book to make sure a check at the back 
of the book is not missing.

The amount of banking activity or spending 
habits increases especially after joint accounts 
are set up and/or someone new starts helping 
out in any other aspect of a senior citizen’s care.
Check those utilities bills!

more red flags possibly indicating elder abuse (extract from Paradise Cost-A Victim's Daughter Fights Back against Elder Abuse by Irene Masiello

·       Don’t expect coping and/or other skills to improve. 
An elder is unlikely to develop skills, abilities and 
cognitive ability not present during earlier phases 
of their lives. Any appearance to the contrary 
may indicate that someone else is actively involved.

·       A relative or caregiver separates and/or isolates 
the elder from any long established contact, makes 
excuses when friends or family call or visit and 
does not give the elder messages.

·       Photographs of family members, memorabilia, 
etc. are missing from an elder’s home. 

·       A Power of Attorney, Will, or any other legal 
document is drafted, but the senior does not 
understand it, cannot explain the need for 
it and cannot explain or understand what its 
implications are.

·       A relative, neighbor or caregiver with no 
visible means of support or income appears 
on the scene and/or becomes overly 
interested in the elder's financial, health or 
domestic affairs.

·       Bills are not being paid. Is it an over-sight or is something
going on here?**

·       The elder's placement, care, possessions 
and “would be” decisions are inconsistent 
with the amount of his/her assets and/or 
income and/or previously stated and long 
established wishes, history, etc.

            Checking accounts, credit card statements,
            financial statements, etc. are sent to a
            relative, caregiver, or friend and are not
            accessible to the elder.

** from my own personal experiences and that of my peers, I am hearing more and more about the corporate greed plaguing us all now, perhaps, targeting seniors with terms of service (TOS),
difficult language, rules made up along the line, different stories from 5 or 6 customers service reps on a single issue, call backs that  never come and no resolution that services the customer but benefits the corporation.

I personally have experience this with Verizon and when I
asked my friends and neighbors, I was amazes by their
experiences. All had had issues almost identical to mine.
I posted an ad on CraigsList for others experiencing
difficulty with Verizon and Verizon's customer service.
To my surprise, a TV station responded wanting to know
the details...corporate indifference, stalling tactics,
no returned calls, changing the story, etc are RED
FLAGS that corporate greed as overtaken customer
service and stonewalling equates with a company
keeping your money or getting you to pay additionally
on their seemingly trumped up incompetence.


This has happened to me with Verizon, it has happened
to friends with them as well and also medical insurance
companies etc. There will be more to come about that
as I will post exactly what happened. I will post names
and dates to give readers an idea of how scandalous
this is and how much this kind of behavior can cost
you as corporate greed seems to be a savage "animal"
eating anything and anyone in its path....especially
when living on a fixed income where exploitation of

your money can equate to toying with your very ability

to live.

CAN THIS BE FRAUD? CAN MEGA-CORPORATIONS BE EXPLOITING SENIORS FINANCIALLY? Stay tuned...more to come.

more red flags that may indicate elder abuse

·    Elder exploitation is often subtle and lost 
in interpersonal nuances. Listen carefully. 
Any suspicion requires intervention by a 
trained, licensed professional physician, 
psychologist or social worker immediately.

·    Sudden friendships that form and/or 
intensify and cross healthy personal  
boundaries (for example, the elder 
can no longer sees his/her own mail) 
may be a warning.

·    New medications, vitamin supplements, 
or other substances are added without the 
elder being able to explain how, why, when 
and who recommended or prescribed it. 
Geriatric care is a highly specialized field 
and any change to a senior’s care (even if 
made by another physician) must be reported 
and/or cleared with the primary care physician.

·    Medications, especially controlled substances, 
are missing from or added to a senior citizen’s 
care regimen.

·    A relative, friend, neighbor, or any caregiver 
gives unlikely explanations about finances, 
medications and/or changes  and the elder 
is unaware of, or is unable to explain what
arrangements have been made. If you feel 
there is any reason to be suspicious, 
investigate it immediately. 

Report it to a professional.

·    A recent acquaintance communicates an 
interest or a desire to become involved in an 
aspect of an elder’s life, especially finances, 
care-giving, transportation, or companionship 
and/or offers or promises to provide care, 
friendship, or ingratiates him or herself to a 
senior citizen.

A more extensive red flag list is available in the 
2nd edition of title due to the inept ambivalence 
of Infinity Publishing. Amazon was given the 
incorrect title. The 2nd edition available at our 
site is the only publication of Paradise Costs 
that includes that contains the cutting edge 
work by Bennett Blum, MD 
www.ParadiseCosts.com ...
there will be a third edition and we will notify
you if you kindly supply your email address.

    Please see the blog sign up on the bottom of the
left hand side of the page

We do have the second edition in limited 
quantities. 

Possible red flags warning elder abuse may be taking place

RED FLAGS SIGNALING POSSIBLE ELDER ABUSE

Elder abuse, neglect and exploitation are complex
issues with multidimensional symptoms and ramifications
and many types of warning signs. A partial list appears below;
feel free to tear these pages out and share them with friends
and relatives. Remember, elder abuse is everyone’s business.

Change is a serious stressor for everyone and it is especially
difficult for the elderly. However, change may be a red flag.

Please notify the appropriate social service agency, law
enforcement officer or physician if you suspect any type of
neglect, abuse or exploitation.

The list that follows is extensive and may be only the tip of

the iceberg. As limited as it is, the writing is massive and

its taken directly from the copy written material in

Paradise Costs-A Victim’s Daughter Fights Back against

Elder Abuse. Please write for permission to reprint information

on this blog and on www.ParadiseCosts.com site

Be alert to a change in any matter, but particularly to any
health, wellness or financial issue and/or the introduction
of a new accountant, lawyer, physician, or any other
professional caring for a senior citizen thereby separating
the elder from already established histories and relationships.

Also, be cautious about reoccurring charges made to accounts 
with cable companies, cell phone bills, telephone charges,
mail away prescriptions (and the location and receipt of those
meds if there are aides, teenagers or substance abusers in 
the seniors environment.)

The recession and high unemployment rates, corporate greed,
the tendency for seniors NOT to report abuse makes our job
to protect them even more challenging.

The list of red flags will continue in blog postings over the next 
few weeks. “Paradise Costs” contains many red flags. Its available
only at www.ParadiseCosts.com. 

Amazon may have the first edition of the book but that edition 
has the wrong title due to an error of the publisher and it
DOES NOT INCLUDE DR. BLUM’s PIONEERING WORK.

abuse hurts at any age

Some ways seniors are vulnerable to one of the 7 deadly sins: GREED

Elder abuse is a crime and here’s how easy it can be for seniors to be victims:

a) Seniors are more likely to have easily accessible savings and valuable personal assets like jewelry, stocks, bonds, credit cards than younger people. They may mistake would-be perpetrators as being concerned for the senior’s welfare when nothing could be further than the truth.

b) Many Seniors live alone, are socially isolated or don’t have anyone to go to with questions, concerns or to seek advice from.  They are often more trusting of corporations, customer service, telemarketers, etc simply because they seek some social interaction and remember that many companies used to give outstanding service. Seniors may lack the ability to recognize that the world that was safe and trustworthy is not the world of today’s greed.

c) Seniors may live alone or spend a great deal of time alone or are just plain lonely and welcome the opportunity to talk with someone when they knock on the door or call on the phone or contact them on the Internet.  Remember, seniors are at great risk simply because they are at home during the day. Also, seeking social interaction, they may stay on the phone longer perhaps making conversation by asking the same question over and over. This could be construed by a customer service rep or an unscrupulous corporation as a a senior being cognitively diminished.

d) The elderly usually tend to be more polite than younger generations and find it difficult to close the door in someone’s face or hang up on a person making a pitch to them on the phone. Also, laws, regulations and the way we do business today is so radically different from the way seniors knew, the elderly may not be able to discern that they are being told different stories from several customer service reps and rather blame their own failing memories. Let’s face it, today’s “fine print” is confusing and difficult to understand if your 35 years old never mind 75 years old.

e) Older generations may not be aware of or know how to utilize the Internet and other resources to check up on people’s background, businesses standing in the community and questionable investment opportunities.

f) Seniors are just as susceptible to “get rich quick” else as anyone else in difficult times when money is tight, behaviors like this increase or because an elderly person is slowly having finances dwindle via increasing costs of medical care, prescriptions, food, utilities, services, etc.

g) Many seniors depend on others for assistance with some of their daily activities.  This makes them especially vulnerable to strangers coming to their house and offering to help them in other words many have access to exploiting a senior citizen simply because as we age cognitively we all diminish in our ability to understand to one degree or another.

h) Many older adults may not use a computer or are unaware of how to use the Internet and other resources to check up on people, businesses and questionable investment opportunities.  They are less likely to report corporations to federal agencies like the FCC or to state attorney generals making them especially susceptible to groups, individuals or corporate entities motivated by profit margins rather than the cost to a senior. I am remembering an 83 year old black lady who came forward stating in South Carolina she was going to be denied her right to vote because the state mandated picture ID which, of course, was a “poll tax” kind of thing masked as avoidance of voter fraud. The U.S. Department of Justice got involved in that hoax and media has reported widely on the subject.

i) Because so many seniors need aides and helpers, many parts of their lives are vulnerable. Because of mail away prescriptions, aides can help themselves to controlled substances. Because home helpers may write a check for an elderly with a shaky hand, they may tear out a blank check in the middle of the book or the last check in the book. Also, where are the extra check books? Are they kept secure?

j) With the price of gold and silver being at an all time high, senior citizens property may get “lost” when others in their home help themselves.

k) With more than one doctor treating a senior, medications that are contraindicated yet taken at the same time because the elderly can’t remember which doctor gave them what and may take medications together than may be risky health wise but also reduce cognitive skills.

There’s more but for now BOOMERS need to know that declining cognitive skills, corporate greed, joblessness, health insurance companies, drug coverage, cost of living increases, the potential of the elimination of purchasing required prescription meds outside this county, etc all complicate seniors staying safe and being able live their life without running across a social ill that will shorten their life.

As Americans, we are guaranteed “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” however now that the mantra is greed, so remember, you are expendable. Use caution, ask for help, keep notes, dates, times, names and write to us and we will expose anyone who tried to take advantage of you. Please be truthful in what you write as YOU, not this blog, will be responsible for what you say.

Elder Advocate-Boomer Watchdog has an attorney and he’s reading everything prior to it being printed. A disclaimer will follow shortly. The reason? GREED…the mantra of America these days!

“Greed, envy, sloth, pride and gluttony: these are not vices anymore. No, these are marketing tools. Lust is our way of life. Envy is just a nudge towards another sale. Even in our relationships we consume each other, each of us looking for what we can get out of the other. Our appetites are often satisfied at the expense of those around us. In a dog-eat-dog world we lose part of our humanity.”
― Jon Foreman

Here's an interesting graphic demonstrating how much elder abuse and elder exploitation affects us:

BOOMS, take a look at this--"Ending the Doctor Gravy Train" Author: Jay MacDonald

ENDING THE DOCTOR GRAVY TRAIN

By Jay MacDonald · Bankrate.com

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Posted: 10 am ET

Read more: Ending the doctor gravy train | Bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/financing/insurance/ending-the-doctor-gravy-train/#ixzz1m0UOpbD3

Before you swallow that new drug prescribed by your doctor, wouldn't you like to know whether the drug's manufacturer recently treated your physician to an all-expenses-paid golf junket to Pebble Beach or Hilton Head to extol its miracle properties?

The pills-for-perks dance is commonplace in modern medicine, where based on appearances alone, one might easily conclude that the tail is wagging the dog.

According to an analysis by The New York Times, about 1 in 4 doctors take cash directly from drug companies or medical device makers and 2 out of 3 take free food for themselves and their staff. And it works: according to the Times, those who ride the gravy train are more willing to prescribe drugs in unapproved or potentially risky ways.

Is your doctor prescribing the drug because he or she truly believes it's the best course of treatment for you? Or is it because Maui's Royal Kaanapali is the course they've always dreamed of playing?

Soon, you won't have to wonder. Healthcare reform architects are about to shine a spotlight into this ethical back alley by requiring all drug companies and makers of medical devices covered by Medicare or Medicaid to disclose all gifts or payments they make to doctors.

According to the Tampa Bay Times, every financial expenditure, from golf junkets to coffee and donuts for the doctor's office, will be posted by the federal government on a public website.

The bipartisan reform, sponsored by Sens. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa and Herb Kohl, D-Wis., was one of numerous consumer protections included in the Affordable Care Act.

Will public disclosure of the longstanding pills-for-perks practice end it? Hardly. The pharmaceutical industry isn't about to abandon one of its most cost-effective income-generating strategies, even if some doctors may beg off lest it cost them prestige and/or patients.

But at least it will finally give health insurance customers the opportunity to shop for a doctor who is not a frequent passenger on the pharmaceutical gravy train.

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Read more: Ending the doctor gravy train | Bankrate.com http://www.bankrate.com/financing/insurance/ending-the-doctor-gravy-train/#ixzz1ldnpnjw0

===

from Irene:

Once a medical doctor tried to SELL me a surgical procedure I didn't need but I was less enlightened then and, beside, he was a friend of my own internist who is a great man whose kindness knows no bounds. And it was he who gave me the referral to this guy.

While I was waiting for the procedure to be scheduled, I got a funny feeling...call it woman's intuition when a magazine came in about the value of hormone therapy. Since I have been a holistic counselor for decades, I didn't appreciate this type of mail invading my mail box. I called the pharmaceutical company and asked how THEY got my name since I did not request any info. They said, apparently, I filled out a form in the above doctor's office. 

Guess what...I didn't and when I received a copy of the form, I saw that my signature had been forged.

I canceled the surgery immediately feeling that any doctor who might sell my name and address (a violation of my confidentiality) just might sell me a procedure I did not need.

When I called the doctor and confronted him about this matter and asked him if he knew who had breached my confidentiality, he said he had found out who it was.

I stated, "I trust she will be fired?"

He responded with, "No, she's a very valued employee."

My response, "So you condone the violation of doctor - patient confidentiality."

He wishes me well and hung up. I reported this to the medical society and nothing was done as medical societies protect doctors...not patients.

A few months later, the Wall Street Journal, through did some investigative journalism and found that the drug company had been fined close to a million dollars for incidents like the one above because they paid doctors and their employees off with lunches, golf outings, etc. to give the company names, etc of those patients who the company could market their products to.

THINK ABOUT IT!

Most physicians are highly dedicated people geared towards helping us achieve the best possible health. And I know quite a few of them who are the best people I know; I am deeply grateful for their intelligence, humanity, compassion and assistance in making my life better and making Paradise Costs a reality. However, like everything else, it takes one bad apple...please use caution, please ask for help, please be safe