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Lisa Madigan

Madigan Releases Annual ‘Safe Shopping Guide’ for 2014

December 5, 2014 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

2014 Safe Shopping Guide
The 2014 Safe Shopping Guide from the Illinois Attorney General

Some lists are more important than others over the holidays: Santa’s list, of course, and the latest list coming from Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office.

Madigan’s team has released its annual “Safe Shopping Guide” for the 2014 holiday shopping season.  The Safe Shopping Guide is considered by many to be a critical resource for parents in the midst of perpetual spending sprees.  Since 2007, the annual guide has been helping families avoid dreaded product recalls (an estimated 44 million individual units of children’s products are recalled each year, many of which go overlooked by retailers and remain available to unassuming shoppers!)

This year’s guide highlights over 100 recalled products, as determined by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  Products recalled include toys, cribs, furniture, clothing and baby gear.  One of the great features of the “Safe Shopping Guide” is just how detailed it is.  You’ll find a comprehensive list of defective products, along with descriptions and photos pinpointing exactly what parents should be paying close attention to. Topping this year’s list are items like the Dynacraft Aviago Youth Bicycle (recalled on July 31 due to a faulty front tire prone to detach) and the Toys “R” Us Toy Toaster Set (recalled on October 13 as a result of the brittle plastic toast that has a tendency to crack and break into small pieces, posing a choking hazard).

“The Safe Shopping Guide is a must-have for this holiday season,” said Abe Scarr, Illinois PIRG (Public Interest Research Group) Director, in a statement released by the Attorney General’s office.  “Shoppers should pay close attention to toys that contain small parts that could lead to choking, and consumers should be especially vigilant while shopping online where recalled toys may still be available.”

Not Just Physical Products – Stay Cybersafe

New this year is a feature that provides important information on taking precautionary measures against identity theft and credit card fraud, two big concerns among consumers following several major data breaches at large retailers like Target, Michael’s, Neiman Marcus, and Home Depot.

Madigan’s guide includes preventative steps to help shoppers protect against identity theft.  Her office notes that caller complaints involving cyber security jumped 1,600 percent in 2013 alone; they have successfully helped more than 35,000 victims remove over $26 million in fraudulent charges from their credit, thanks in part by encouraging encouraging consumers to take preventative steps like the ones below.

Protect your data with four simple steps, as outlined in the Safe Shopping Guide:

Set up transactions alerts
Establish spending limits and email/text alerts to keep you updated whenever a transaction exceeds a certain threshold. Should you find out that your card exceeded the limit, you can dispute the charge immediately with your credit card company.

Regularly review your bank and credit card statements
It’s easy to pinpoint a fraudulent charge, especially when it’s a large amount. But some scammers have learned to do so over time with small charges that most people would otherwise not notice. Taking a closer look at your bank and credit card statements can help you find inconsistencies or patterns in small numbers.

Review your credit report for unauthorized accounts
Credit card holders are entitled to at least one free credit score report from each of the three nationwide credit reporting agencies each year. By ordering your credit report, you can determine whether any unauthorized accounts have been open in your name.

Consider putting a security freeze on your credit
Lock down your personal data and prevent scammers from gaining access to your personal information. It’s the most extreme but also the most sure-fire way to keep things safe and secure. You’re free to lift the freeze at any time, should you want to make a big purchase in the future.

Takeaways From Madigan’s Latest Proposal, Allowing Video Cameras In Nursing Homes

September 29, 2014 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

The state of Illinois is potentially going Big Brother on senior citizens.

In recent news, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced a controversial new proposal that would allow video cameras and audio recording devices to be installed inside the rooms of nursing home residents. If passed, Illinois would join Washington, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Maryland as the only states to approve such a law.

This comes just two years after distressing news out of Oklahoma, where a nurse subjected a 96-year-old resident to extreme physical abuse. The woman’s family, fearing the worst after several warning signs, installed a hidden camera in her room, revealing graphic footage that ultimately confirmed their worst suspicions. The ensuing backlash prompted Oklahoma and other states to ensure the safety of residents by instituting more stringent protection laws, including the installation of video cameras as a means to prosecute.

At the heart of the matter is privacy. To what extent should a person be subjected, and or subject others, to undue levels of intrusion? It’s an endless debate, but as far as Illinois is concerned, it’s s debate worth having. The Federal government points out that one in four nursing homes in the United States are substandard, citing inadequate living arrangements and, in some cases, staff abuse. Officials estimate that Illinois alone receives 19,000 calls per year alleging abuse or neglect and responds to just 5,000.

A national study conducted in 2014 determined that Illinois ranked as one of the lowest states in the nation when it comes to nursing home functions; the state received a failing grade following inspection. Now, the proposal by Madigan would give family members greater access to the care their loved ones receive on a daily basis.

Administrators have taken issue with the statistics, as well as the proposed law, calling it “an excuse” for relatives to sue. Others, by contrast, are quick to point out mental acuity and deteriorating health issues like weight loss, dementia, and immobility, as primary reasons for wanting and needing the ability to monitor loved ones. In the past Illinois has tried to pass a similar law allowing for the installation of video cameras, only to have support falter.

Here are a few things you should know about the latest law proposal:

  • It’s a work-in-progress. Madigan’s office is in currently drafting language for the bill, a measure that state Senator Terry Link supports. Link had previously sponsored a bill in 2007 with similar intentions, though that bill failed to pass. Now, however, Link anticipates little opposition given a new stipulation, which would require residents and their families to pay for them. (Link’s bill put the expense burden squarely on the state, which drew considerable criticism and opposition.)
  • In a press conference, Attorney General Madigan made clear that the proposed law intends to better the quality of living for nursing home residents, not intrude upon them. “I’m not advocating for turning anyone’s personal life into a reality show,” she said candidly. Instead, the proposal aims to allow recordings from the devices to be used in court, which would also include penalties for anyone who tries to hamper or obstruct the devices.
  • While legal in five other states, the practice remains untested in the state of Illinois. The Health and Human Services Department found U.S. nursing homes are dangerous places to live, noting that 20 percent of patients are harmed to the point of needing medical care. Others died as a result of mistreatment. Video cameras may be a way to prevent such abuse, but the idea poses significant hurdles beyond the obvious. For one, written consent would be necessary the installation of certain devices would require written consent from both the resident and the roommate.
  • Madigan made mention of the fact that cameras have quickly become a ubiquitous part of every day life. The Chicago Sun-Times quoted Madigan as saying: “You go into a bar, you go into a restaurant, you get on the train, you’re in the grocery store, you’re in the pharmacy — everywhere you are right now there is a camera.”  Everywhere may soon include nursing homes.

 

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