“Businesses that break the law and take advantage of consumers in their time of need have no business operating in North Carolina,” Cooper said.

 Wake County Superior Court Judge Robert Hobgood agreed today with Cooper’s request to enter a permanent injunction and judgment against several locksmith companies and their owners. The court order bars the defendants, their employees, contractors and successors from offering or performing any locksmith services in North Carolina.

 Named as defendants in the lawsuit are: 704 Locksmith, Inc. of Charlotte which does business in the Triangle area under several names including Raleigh Locksmith, Durham Locksmith, Apex Locksmith and Smithfield Locksmith; NC Charlotte Locksmith which does business throughout central and western North Carolina using a variety of names such as Charlotte Locksmith, Concord Locksmith, Hickory Locksmith, and Shelby Locksmith; Anna Konevsky of Charlotte, president of 704 Locksmith and NC Charlotte Locksmith; Locksmith Services, Inc. of Charlotte, which also operates as Cary Locksmith and Atlantis Locksmith; and Tamir Avraham of Charlotte, president of Locksmith Services, Inc.

 Under the judgments issued by the court, the defendants have been ordered to pay a total of $1,245,000. Avraham, 704 Locksmith, Inc., and Locksmith Services, Inc. each owe $395,000 in civil penalties, $5,000 each per week for every week they operated illegally in North Carolina. Konevsky owes $60,000 in civil penalties, $5,000 per week for each week she illegally did business in the state.

 Under state law, any civil penalties collected in the case will go to support the public schools.

 According to the Attorney General’s investigation, the defendants do not actually employ any licensed locksmiths, but the companies have advertised and performed locksmith services anyway. The defendants have advertised online and in the yellow pages using names, telephone numbers and addresses that make their companies appear to be local.

 As alleged in complaint filed by Cooper’s office, North Carolina consumers have called these companies looking for a local locksmith who could let them into their home, business or car. Consumers who complained about the defendant say they were quoted one price on the phone and then charged a much higher price by the locksmith who showed up to do the work. The defendants then usually demanded payment in cash, refusing to let consumers pay by credit card.

 “Nobody likes to be locked out, but it’s even worse if the company you call for help rips you off,” Cooper said. “To avoid scams, do your homework to find a legitimate, licensed locksmith.”

To avoid falling victim to similar scams, Cooper recommends the following tips:

•  Whenever possible, check out a business before you do business with them by calling the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau.

•   Locksmiths are required by law to be licensed. Before someone does work for you, ask if they’re licensed and write down their license number. Contact the N.C. Locksmith Licensing Board at (919) 838-8782 to check out a locksmith or report an unlicensed one.

•   A locksmith who arrives on the scene should be wearing an identification tag issued by the Locksmith Licensing Board. If the locksmith isn’t wearing the ID, don’t do business with him or her.

•   Get a price quote in writing before you agree to any work.

•   For services you may need in an emergency, such as a locksmith or plumber, find a good one before an emergency happens. Ask family and friends for recommendations, check them out and then save their contact information so you’ll have it when you need it.

Consumers can call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM to check out a company or file a complaint.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.ncdoj.gov/News-and-Alerts/News-Releases-and-Advisories/Press-Releases/Fake-locksmiths-barred-from-doing-business-in-NC.aspx

“Misleading drug marketing means that patients and taxpayers pay for treatments that haven’t been approved,” Cooper said. “We’ll continue to crack down on Medicaid fraud and abuse, which hurts needy patients and drives up health care costs for all of us.”

The settlement addresses allegations that InterMune of Brisbane, California marketed Actimmune for uses that had not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA approved Actimmune to treat two rare diseases, chronic granulomatous disease (an inherited immune disorder) and severe, malignant osteopetrosis (a disorder that weakens the bones). However, between January 2001 and June 2003, InterMune promoted Actimmune for a use which the FDA had not approved, the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (a condition that harms lung tissue).

Under the settlement, InterMune will pay North Carolina, other states, and the federal government a total of $36,944,043.63 million in damages, plus interest, to compensate Medicaid and various federal healthcare programs for harm suffered as a result of this conduct. North Carolina has recovered $569,740.05 to support state and federal Medicaid efforts in the state. Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health insurance for the poor.

The settlement is based on a whistleblower case filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. A team formed by the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units conducted settlement negotiations with InterMune on behalf of participating states. The North Carolina settlement was reached by the Attorney General’s Medicaid Investigations Unit (MIU) and the N.C. Division of Medical Assistance.

Over the past decade, the North Carolina MIU has recovered more than $361 million from hospitals, doctors, pharmaceutical makers, medical equipment companies, mental health and personal care providers, ambulance services and others. The MIU has also helped convict 229 individuals on criminal charges including patient abuse and neglect as well as financial fraud. In the federal fiscal year that ended September 30, 2009, the MIU recovered $43.5 million and won 27 criminal convictions.

The state budget recently approved by the legislature included 25 new Medicaid fraud positions for the Department of Justice at Gov. Bev Perdue’s request, nearly doubling it in size. The new attorneys and investigators will expand the crackdown, particularly on community service providers that commit fraud.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.ncdoj.gov/News-and-Alerts/News-Releases-and-Advisories/Press-Releases/Drug-maker-pays-for-improper-marketing,-AG-Cooper-.aspx

“Increasing broadband access will create new jobs up front and provide a boost for local economies to create even more jobs and a better quality of life in the near future,” said Gov. Perdue. “These improvements are especially important in rural and underserved areas of North Carolina.”

The grants are part of the second round of Recovery Act funding for broadband projects from the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Agriculture. North Carolina has already received over $140 million in recovery broadband grants. Gov. Perdue joined North Carolina’s congressional delegation in personally advocating for North Carolina’s grant applications in Washington, D.C., during the past year.

More information about the recently announced North Carolina broadband grants:

MCNC – $75,757,289

This approximately $75.8 million award will allow MCNC to offer affordable middle-mile broadband service in 69 of the most economically disadvantaged rural counties along the northern and southern borders of North Carolina. The project plans to directly connect 170 community institutions to broadband. As many as 5.1 million stand to benefit as do 160,000 businesses.

With the strong support of Gov. Perdue and other state and local leaders, the Golden LEAF Foundation provided a $24 million grant in April to provide the necessary match for this federal award.

Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation – $21,668,232

This approximately $21 million award, will allow Yadkin Valley Telephone Membership Corporation to offer a diverse Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) network to areas of six counties in the Piedmont area of western North Carolina. Approximately 12,803 people stand to benefit, as do roughly 606 businesses and 56 community institutions.

City of Charlotte – $16,702,490

This approximately $16.7 million award will allow public safety entities in the city to deploy an interoperable wireless public safety broadband network in the Charlotte/Mecklenburg County area. The project plans to construct 24 new wireless towers to complement six existing towers on the network, and bring over 11,000 public safety end users onto the system. As many as 890,000 people stand to benefit from this project.

Olive Hill Community Economic Development – $448,742

This nearly $450,000 award will allow the Olive Hill Community Economic Development Corporation to expand access to broadband in the greater western region of North Carolina by establishing a public computer center and providing community training and support, with a focus on helping disadvantaged local businesses, the unemployed, and individuals seeking higher education opportunities.

WinstonNet Inc. – $926,537

This approximately $926,000 award, with $696,000 in matching contributions, will allow WinstonNet to improve broadband access for communities with the greatest need in Forsyth County, North Carolina. The project plans to upgrade public computers workstations and provide new equipment for 38 public computer centers.

Overall, the federal Recovery Act was to invest $7.2 billion in expanding broadband access nationwide – $4.7 billion through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and $2.5 billion funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Utilities Service (RUS).

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Press release reposted from: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?newsItemID=1303

“These numbers continue to indicate that North Carolina is becoming a very significant player in the global military and defense industry cluster,” said Gov. Perdue. “The state has made great strides to leverage expanding markets, capture federal revenues and grow jobs right here in North Carolina – the most military friendly state in America.”

Gov. Perdue helped establish the NCMBC within the North Carolina Community College System and launched the Foundation, a business development organization focused exclusively on building the state’s defense and homeland security economy.

“Defense spending in North Carolina is critical to expanding our economy and growing jobs in North Carolina,” said Scott Dorney, executive director of the NCMBC. “The defense and federal market is still booming. Although it is not easy, businesses across the state are competing and winning in the federal market.”

Businesses in 86 of North Carolina’s 100 counties performed defense-related work in 2009.

“North Carolina is coming into its own in terms of growing its defense economy,” said Lance DeSpain, director of the North Carolina Military Foundation. “The state is well positioned to seize on opportunities presented by emerging DoD needs.”

According to a 2008 Department of Commerce study, the military has a $23.4 billion total annual impact on the state economy. Defense procurement in North Carolina, based on place of performance, increased from $3.647 billion in federal fiscal year 2008 to $4.011 billion in 2009. During the same time frame, spending by all federal agencies in North Carolina increased approximately $117 million, from $5.289 billion to $5.406 billion.

For more information on Department of Defense spending and the North Carolina Military Business Center, please visit www.ncmbc.us  or call the NCMBC Headquarters at Fayetteville Technical Community College at 910-323-4892.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?newsItemID=1238

(Eden, NC) – The world’s first reversible rugs are now available at Pace-Stone, Inc, a dealer in fine rugs and carpet for over 80 years located at 663 Washington Street in Eden.  The Options and Options Sylk rug collections are distributed by Oriental Weavers who has supplied rugs to Pace-Stone for 20 years. The reversible rugs are made of durable wool and consist of 26 rugs and 52 rug patterns. Options Sylk includes viscose accents for a rich silk appearance.  The revolutionary reversible Options and Options Sylk collections are not a flat weave, but made of a hand-tufted pile rug. 

“You can diversify your space for any season, occasion or mood with a simple “flip” of a rug;  one rug is double the fashion and gives you options,” stated Ty Pace, General Manager of Pace-Stone. “We encourage people to come by and see these innovative new designs that will allow you to change more than just the furniture. You can change the carpet as well.”

In addition to supplying the Oriental Weavers rug line, Pace-Stone is more prominently noted for being the “Home of Karastan Rugs & Carpet.”  Karastan rugs are manufactured one block from Pace-Stone and are truly “an American made product.”  Pace-Stone also carries home furnishings and the popular Vera Bradley handbags. 

Pace-Stone is open 9-5 Monday thru Friday and 9-4 on Saturdays.  For more information on Karastan rugs or Oriental Weavers reversible rugs call 336-623-2158, email them at pacestoneinc@yahoo.com find them on Facebook.

“IBM has been a major employer in North Carolina providing thousands of skilled jobs for more than 30 years. We value this company’s ongoing commitment to North Carolina and Research Triangle Park,” said Perdue.

IBM LBPS offers a broad range of lender-based technology and business process solutions for its clients. (For more information, visit www.lbps.com) Salaries for the 600 new jobs will vary according to responsibilities and function, but the overall average pay for the new positions will be $50,000 a year not including benefits. The Durham County average is $57,772.

“The new services operation furthers our commitment to the state of North Carolina and our ongoing presence in Research Triangle Park,” said Bob Greenberg, senior state executive, IBM North Carolina. “These skilled positions, coupled with our investment earlier this year in an energy efficient cloud-computing data center, demonstrate that as the marketplace demands new skills and technology, growth opportunities in North Carolina continue to be a hub of activity.”

The Economic Investment Committee voted today to award a Job Development Investment Grant to IBM LBPS to facilitate this project. For each year in which the company meets the required performance targets, the state will provide a grant equal to 65 percent of the state personal income withholding taxes derived from the creation of new jobs. Should the company create the jobs called for under the agreement and sustain them for 10 years, the agreement could yield as much as $7.79 million in maximum benefits for IBM.

“These are exactly the sort of highly skilled jobs that North Carolina needs to be recruiting in the 21st century economy, and we’re especially pleased that IBM is expanding its presence in Research Triangle Park,” said Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham.

“North Carolina has a built-in workforce for these kinds of jobs,” said Sen. Floyd McKissick, D-Durham. “We’re committed to making the right investments to create these kinds of opportunities in Durham and across North Carolina.”

Job Development Investment Grants are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

Other partners who assisted with this project include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, Research Triangle Regional Partnership and Durham County.

Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state continues to work aggressively to create well-paying jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.

For more information about IBM, including employment opportunities, visit www.ibm.com.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?newsItemID=1208

“These projects help build our state’s green energy economy, create jobs and demonstrate how public and private partnerships can work to help our communities,” said Perdue.

The 18 projects represent $26.3 million in total costs and will generate 31.8 million kWh of electricity annually (enough for 2,610 average homes for a year) or 2.6 billion BTUs (enough to provide hot water to 287 average homes for a year), depending on the specific project. Funding for additional projects is still under review and will be announced later.

Money for the grants is distributed by the North Carolina Energy Office, part of the state’s Department of Commerce, through the State Energy Program fund through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The following are details of the projects receiving funding:

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Board of Education, Mecklenburg County — $24,719 for a 20 panel solar thermal system to be installed at the J.V. Washam Elementary School in Cornelius. The solar thermal system will provide the cafeteria and school facilities with 1,000 gallons of hot water per day. The solar heating system includes solar panels, pumps, tanks, controls, wiring, piping, and insulation. A web-based monitoring service will provide access to energy production data on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. The total cost of the project is $123,595, and it will generate 204,000,000 BTU annually.

City of Charlotte, Mecklenburg County — $38,042 for a photovoltaic solar project to be placed on the parking deck of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center. The system will be installed in the southwest corner of the parking deck on a single steel pole. The monitoring system will be web-based and allow the City of Charlotte access to real time energy production data for a variety of time periods. Total cost of the project is $616,432, and it will generate 131,000 kWh annually.

Commonwealth Brands, Rockingham County — $200,000 for a rooftop photovoltaic solar system installed at Commonwealth Brands, a manufacturer and distributor of tobacco products in Reidsville. In addition to the installation of the solar panels, major elements of this project include furnishing and installing a photovoltaic powered 100 kW inverter, and all wiring and system data monitoring equipment capable of tracking five years of real-time data via Internet. Total cost of the project is $810,000, and it will generate about 162,000 kWh annually.

Elon University, Alamance County — $200,000 for solar thermal systems to be installed at Elon University to produce approximately 4,500 gallons of hot water per day for four buildings on campus. One of the newer student housing facilities on campus, Colonnades A and B are two identical student housing facilities, and each dorm will get a 20- panel solar thermal system. The Colonnades Dining Hall will get a 30-panel solar thermal system. The Danieley Center, another dorm, will get a 20-panel solar thermal system. The solar heating system includes solar panels, pumps, tanks, controls, wiring, piping, and insulation. A Web-based monitoring service providing access to energy production data on a daily, weekly and monthly basis will collect flow rates and temperatures, capturing actual performance of the systems. Total cost of the project is $482,734, and it will generate 920,000,000 BTU annually.

FLS YK Farm, Caldwell County — $32,358 for a solar thermal project to be installed at Meadowood Garden Apartments in Lenoir to supply hot water for the complex. FLS Energy is a national solar energy generation company headquartered in North Carolina. Meadowood Garden Apartments includes 50 one- and two- bedroom apartments and townhouses. The project will consist of a 21-panel solar thermal energy system to supply 1,050 gallons of hot water a day to the water heating system for the apartment building. The solar heating system includes solar panels, pumps, tanks, controls, wiring, piping, and insulation. A Web-based monitoring service providing access to energy production data on a daily, weekly and monthly basis will collect flow rates and temperatures, capturing actual performance of the systems. Total cost of the project is $129,433, and it will generate 215,000,000 BTU annually.

FLS YK Farm, Martin County — $200,000 for a 250 kW photovoltaic solar system to be installed on the roof of the Food Lion in Robersonville. The roof-mounted, grid-tied installation will include all labor, materials and services required for a complete and functioning grid-tied photovoltaic system. The system will include: solar panels, panel racking and mounting, wiring, inverters, and monitoring system. Total cost of the project is $1.75 million, and it will generate 330,000 kWh annually.

FLS-YK Farm, Mecklenburg County — $143,054 for a 32 kW capacity photovoltaic solar system to be installed at both the Beatties Ford and Hickory Branch Libraries in Charlotte. The system will include: solar panels, racking and mounting, wiring and monitoring system. Total cost of the project is $572,228, and it will generate 42,000 kWh annually.

Firstfloor K-12 Solutions, Cumberland County — $200,000 for a photovoltaic solar project placed in Fayetteville at the New Century International Elementary School and Public Library & Information Center. Firstfloor is a company specifically designed to provide turnkey development solutions to educational institutions. The school complex is designed as a LEED Platinum building and will serve 800 students. This building is anticipated to approach net zero energy consumption when the energy generation of the photovoltaic solar system is considered. Energy data will be real-time and access will be available via the Internet. Total cost of the project is $4.2 million, and it will generate 820,000 kWh annually.

Frontier Spinning Mills, Lee County — $200,000 for a photovoltaic solar project to be placed on Frontier Spinning Mills rooftop at the distribution and manufacturing facility in Sanford. Frontier Spinning Mills is a large textile production company. In addition to the installation of the solar panels, major elements of this project include furnishing and installing wiring and system data monitoring equipment capable of tracking five years of real-time data via the Internet. Total cost of the project is $7.2 million, and it will generate 1.5 million kWh annually.

Gaston County — $200,000 to complete a landfill gas-to-energy project to harvest methane from the Gaston County Solid Waste Landfill in Dallas. The Gaston County Public Works Department Solid Waste Division will lead the project, which will support equipment necessary for landfill gas transport, conditioning, and compression, preparing the gas for use in two engines – generator sets used to create electricity. The landfill gas transport and conditioning equipment is part of a larger county-funded project that also includes a power generation facility. Total cost of the project is $446,200, and it will generate 26.35 million kWh annually.

McDowell County — $66,749 for a solar thermal system at the Senior Center and the Law Enforcement Center in Marion, supplying hot water. The showers, laundry and the dining facilities at the jail require large volumes of hot water year-round. McDowell County operates its Meals on Wheels program out of its Senior Center, which also requires large amounts of hot water. The Law Enforcement Center will get 50 solar thermal panels and the Senior Center will get six panels. The solar heating system includes solar panels, pumps, tanks, controls, wiring, piping, and insulation. A Web-based monitoring service will provide access to energy production data on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Total cost of the project is $333,747, and it will generate 572,000,000 BTU annually.

McDowell County Schools — $128,627 for solar thermal systems totaling 109 panels, to be installed at McDowell High School, East McDowell Junior High and Marion Elementary School to supply hot water for the schools. These three public schools include dining facilities that prepare breakfast and lunch for more than 2,300 students per day as well as showers at the middle and high school. The solar heating system includes solar panels, pumps, tanks, controls, wiring, piping, and insulation A Web-based monitoring service will provide access to energy production data on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Total cost of the project is $643,136, and it will generate 657,000,000 BTU annually.

Patrick Yarn Mill, Cleveland County — $154,108 for a 100 kW photovoltaic solar system to be installed on the Patrick Yarn Mill, a textile manufacturing company. The system will be installed on the roof of the Clevemont Plant and Corporate Offices of Patrick Yarn Mill in Kings Mountain -320 panels, along with a 3.1 kW solar array mounted on the ground in the front of the building. The Web-based monitoring system gives a complete readout of energy production from the PV system and includes real-time energy generation as well as historic data for amount of energy produced. Total cost of the project is $616,432, and it will generate 131,000 kWh annually.

Pisgah Inn, Transylvania County — $22,353 for a solar addition to expand the existing solar hot water system for the restaurant by adding 12 solar hot water collectors and installing a new 9.8 kW grid-tied photovoltaic system on the Inn’s roof. The additional 12 solar thermal panels will expand the capacity of the existing system to generate hot water for residential and dining facilities at Pisgah Inn on the Blue Ridge Parkway. A Web-based program will allow remote data access. Total cost of the project is $89,412, and it will generate 31,000 kWh annually.

Remington Arms, Rockingham County — $200,000 for a photovoltaic solar project to be placed on the rooftop at the Remington Arms headquarters in Madison. Remington Arms Company, Inc. in Madison designs, produces, and sells sporting goods products for the hunting and shooting sports markets. The system will be monitored by measuring the current and kWh output from the inverter. The data is uploaded to the monitoring server in real-time. Total cost of the project is $1.4 million, and it will generate 277,500 kWh annually.

Schiele Museum, Gaston County — $60,000 for photovoltaic solar systems to be installed in two locations at the Schiele Museum in Gastonia: one on the museum building and the other on a pole-mount system in the parking lot. The museum building system will be installed on an existing south-facing roof. The parking lot installation will use a dual axis tracking system positioned in the parking lot near the main entrance of the museum. The data acquisition and monitoring system allows complete plant monitoring, remote diagnosis, data storage and display. Long-term data storage provides information about changes in plant performance, and allows access to review performance of equipment at any time from remote locations. Total cost of the project is $120,000, and it will generate 23,000 kWh annually.

Shoe Show, Cabarrus County — $200,000 for a photovoltaic solar project to be placed on the rooftop at Shoe Show in Concord. In addition to the installation of the solar panels, major elements of this project include furnishing and installing four PV-powered 260 kW inverters, all wiring and installing system data monitoring equipment capable of tracking five years of real-time data via internet. Total cost of the project is $7.2 million, and it will generate 1.5 million kWh annually.

Weaver Cooke Construction, Guilford County — $29,560 for a photovoltaic solar system installed on the Weaver Cooke Construction headquarters building in Greensboro. The roof-mounted, grid-tied installation will include all labor, materials and services required for a complete and functioning grid-tied photovoltaic solar electrical system. The system will include: solar panels, panel racking and mounting, wiring, inverters, and monitoring system. Monitoring will show DC voltage, amperage, and power, as well as live kWh production and historical day, week, month and year data. Total cost of the project is $173,880, and itwill generate 31,000 kWh annually.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.governor.state.nc.us/NewsItems/PressReleaseDetail.aspx?newsItemID=1141

• California based Credexx, Inc., also doing business as Auto One Warranty Specialists, and its owner David J. Tabb. Cooper is seeking refunds for consumers, a permanent end to the company’s tricky sales tactics and payment of fines. 
• U.S. Fidelis of Missouri, which operates under the names National Auto Warranty Services and Dealer Services, and its owners Darain and Cory Atkinson. The suit asks the court to order a permanent injunction against the company’s unfair practices, consumer refunds and payment of fines.

 
Four other states also filed suit today against Credexx. Eight other states filed suit today against U.S. Fidelis, with more states expected to file in the near future.
  Cooper contends that Credexx and U.S. Fidelis misled consumers about the benefits and coverage of service contracts, failed to provide written contracts to some consumers, failed to disclose key terms and restrictions, and failed to pay refunds when requested. The complaint against U.S. Fidelis also alleges violations of  telemarketing laws by using pre-recorded messages and calling consumers on the Do Not Call Registry.
  As alleged in the complaints, these service contract sellers regularly mailed postcards or made telemarketing calls claiming that consumers’ auto warranties were about to expire. When consumers responded, they faced a high-pressure sales pitch. Consumers complained that they either never received a written contract at all, or that the contract had so many exclusions and limitations that they wanted to cancel the service. However, people who tried to cancel for a refund said it was very difficult and sometimes impossible to do so.
  Hundreds of consumers complain each year to Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division about auto service contract companies and their illegal telemarketing calls, tricky sales tactics, denial of claims and refusal to pay refunds. A total of 43 consumers filed complaints against U.S. Fidelis, National Auto Warranty Services and Dealer Services, and 22 consumers filed complaints against Credexx and Auto One Warranty Services.
  “Every year, my office hears from North Carolinians who aren’t happy with their extended service contracts,” Cooper said. “Make sure you know what you’re buying before you pay for a service contract that may not live up to its promises. If the company won’t show you the contract in advance, be very skeptical.”
  Keep the following tips in mind to avoid trouble with auto service contracts:
 

• Don’t fall for urgent calls or letters warning you that your car warranty is about to expire. Be sure to review your current warranty to see if it’s still active and don’t give in to pressure from salespeople.
• Read both the manufacturer’s warranty and the service contract carefully. If they cover many of the same parts for the same period of time, you probably don’t need the service contract.  
• Read the entire contract before you sign or pay any money. Make sure that any verbal promises are put in writing. If the service contract doesn’t say that an item is covered, assume that it is not. 
• Most extended service contracts have a deductible, meaning you’ll pay a fee for each repair. Be sure to read the contract to determine if you are required to pay upfront for the repair and then wait to be reimbursed.
• Make sure you are dealing with a reputable seller and are ready to purchase before you give them your bank account or credit card information over the telephone.

 
To check out an auto service contract company or file a complaint, North Carolina consumers can call1-877-5-NO-SCAM toll-free within state. Consumers can also file a complaint online at www.ncdoj.gov.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.ncdoj.gov/News-and-Alerts/News-Releases-and-Advisories/Press-Releases/AG-Cooper-targets-tricky-auto-service-contracts.aspx

  “Health care fraud rips off taxpayers and patients and drives up costs for everyone,” Cooper said.  “Cracking down on wasteful Medicaid spending has already paid off for North Carolina, but we need to increase the efforts even more.”

  Over the past decade, the North Carolina Medicaid Investigations Unit (MIU) has recovered $361 million from hospitals, doctors, pharmaceutical makers, medical equipment companies, mental health and personal care providers, ambulance services and others. The MIU has also helped convict 229 individuals on criminal charges including patient abuse and neglect as well as financial fraud.  In the federal fiscal year that ended September 30, 2009, the MIU recovered $43.5 million and won 27 criminal convictions.

  The Governor’s proposed budget announced last week would double the size of the Attorney General’s MIU by adding 34 new investigators, attorneys and support personnel to expand the crackdown, particularly on community service providers that commit fraud.   

Omnicare and IVAX  

The settlements announced today with Omnicare and IVAX will return $112 million to state and federal governments for Medicare and Medicaid programs. Omnicare is a Delaware corporation headquartered in Covington, Kentucky that specializes in providing pharmacy services to long term care facilities. IVAX Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a Florida corporation headquartered in Weston, FL that manufactures generic drugs.    As part of the settlements, North Carolina recovered $2.4 million from Omnicare and $404,978 from IVAX. Funds will go to support state and federal Medicaid efforts in the state. Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that provides health insurance for the poor.   Omnicare and IVAX are also required to enter into Corporate Integrity Agreements with the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services which will closely monitor the companies’ future practices.   These settlements are based on five separate whistle blower lawsuits filed by private individuals and consolidated in U.S. District Court in Massachusetts under state and federal false claims statutes. The states and the federal government alleged that Omnicare and IVAX engaged in several unlawful kickback schemes:  

• Omnicare solicited and received $8 million for agreeing to purchase $50 million in generic drugs from IVAX Pharmaceuticals and to push nursing home patients to use the drugs.
• Omnicare paid $50 million to certain nursing home chains in exchange for 15-year contracts to refer nursing home patients to Omnicare for the patients’ drug purchases.
• Omnicare provided pharmacy consultants to long term care facilities throughout the country at below-market rates in exchange for the facilities’ agreeing to use Omnicare’s pharmacy services exclusively.
• Omnicare solicited and received kickback payments in exchange for agreeing to convince physicians to prescribe the antipsychotic drug Risperdal.

  A team formed by the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units conducted settlement negotiations with Omnicare on behalf of participating states. The North Carolina settlement agreement was reached by the Attorney General’s MIU and the N.C. Division of Medical Assistance.  

Faith Elaine Sumner of Preferred Medical Transport  

An investigation by Cooper’s MIU recently resulted in the federal criminal conviction of Faith Elaine Sumner, 43, of Aulander on charges of aiding and abetting health care fraud.   Sumner previously worked as an officer manager for Preferred Medical Transport (PMT), a company that provides ambulance services.   Investigators discovered that from 2006 to 2008, Sumner unlawfully billed Medicare and Medicaid for more than $650,000 by submitting false claims for ambulance trips to take clients to and from dialysis treatments. Patients were usually transported to routine dialysis treatments by van, but Sumner repeatedly falsified trip records and related documents to make it appear that patients needed to be taken by ambulance for medical reasons.   The Attorney General’s MIU and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation together.   On March 23, United States District Court Judge James C. Dever, III sentenced Sumner to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Under a plea agreement, Sumner will also pay $677,272 in restitution to Medicare and Medicaid.

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Press release reposted from: http://www.ncdoj.gov/News-and-Alerts/News-Releases-and-Advisories/Press-Releases/AG’s-Medicaid-fraud-investigators-recover-$3-4-mil.aspx

Spending cuts focused on programs and areas that were proven to be unproductive, wasteful or in need of greater efficiencies. Investments in technology to ferret out fraud, waste and abuse were also highlighted.

Highlights of the budget proposal include:

JobsNOW

• $15 million for a “Back to Work” Incentive Fund that will provide a direct rebate to small businesses that hire long-term unemployed workers.

• $250 per person credit for small businesses that provide health insurance to their employees.

• $22 million to establish the North Carolina Mobility Fund that will be used to address critical congestion bottlenecks and to improve our logistics capabilities.

Career and College – Ready, Set, Go!

• Protects class sizes for K-3, while giving local school systems the power to manage spending cuts.

• $39 million to provide teachers with hand-held diagnostic assessment devices in grades K-3 and grade 5.

• Fully funds enrollment growth and expands need-based financial aid at the university and community college levels.

Setting Government Straight

• Additional funding for the State Ethics Commission to ensure good government practices including an online personal financial interest disclosure system.

• Additional funding for the State Board of Elections to support campaign finance software that will improve the ease and reliability of filing, reporting and auditing campaign finance disclosure reports.

• $4 million for the Department of Revenue to target corporations that have outstanding tax liabilities. The initiative is expected to collect an estimated $110 million in additional tax revenue.

• Gov. Perdue’s crackdown on Medicaid fraud, waste and abuse is estimated to save over $35 million in 2010-11.

• Reduce spending by $20.5 million by linking inmate medical costs to the Medicare and Medicaid fee schedules.

Safer Communities

• $10 million to merge state criminal data records into one streamlined, comprehensive system, known as CJ LEADS.

• Funds to raise probation/parole officer salaries to improve the recruitment and retention of officers.

• Funding to establish statewide capacity for law enforcement to collect DNA at the time of felony arrests.

The budget also includes almost $1 billion in spending cuts. That total was achieved through efficiency measures, cutting waste and eliminating unproductive programs. Some cuts include:

• Reduce spending for most agencies by 5% to 7%.

• Education entities protected at less than 4% reductions.

• More than 600 positions eliminated.

In addition, Gov. Perdue’s budget ensures North Carolina’s financial security by earmarking $101.5 million to replenish the state’s Rainy Day Fund.