Q: Why didn't the White House send my cards? Right after I read your column, I wrote to the White House asking that the president send my niece a 50th wedding anniversary card on April 7 and my cousin a 91st birthday card on April 28. I kept asking them if they got any special cards from the president, but nothing. I felt foolish and am very disappointed.
JOSEPHINE STALMA
Cecil
A: Timing is everything, Josephine, and there just wasn't enough of it for the White House. My column ran March 22. The chances of getting that birthday card delivered to your cousin in about four weeks were slim. The chances of getting that anniversary card to your niece in one week were none.
The White House says it normally prefers about six weeks' notice, but these are not normal times. Remember, it took a while for results of the November election to be finalized. It took longer than expected to find out whose signature was going to be on those greeting cards.
A White House spokesman says there's a backlog in the White House Greetings Office. Greetings are taking 60 to 90 days to get processed.
That's because the White House gets about 3,000 requests a day and those requests were piling up while the result of the election was in dispute.
Many of those who send out the greeting cards are volunteers who are working hard to get those belated birthday and anniversary wishes processed and into the mail.
I am told that your requests will be processed and sent. Again, put your requests in writing and send to White House Greetings Office, EEOB, Room 39, Washington, D.C. 20502, or fax your request to 1-202-395-1232. Be sure to include date of occasion, occasion name and name and address of the person who is celebrating a special occasion. Greeting cards will be sent to those celebrating birthdays 80 and over and anniversaries of 50 or more years.
Following those same guidelines, the Pennsylvania governor's office sends greetings, too. Requests can be mailed to Gov. Tom Ridge, c/o Wha Lee, Governor's Greetings, 225 Main Capital, Harrisburg, PA 17120, or FAX your request to 717-772-8284.
Q: In searching the Web for information on MWI Homeworks, I ran across your column regarding unauthorized credit card charges, specifically about MWI. I live in Florida and thought you might be interested to know that I just received my Citibank MasterCard Statement that had a charge of $84 for MWI Homeworks. I know I did not make the charge and called for a refund. What other actions do you suggest?
HOPE SNOWDENCasselberry, Fla.
A: I am getting calls from all over the country about MWI Homeworks. It is one of the largest membership companies in the country and has had its share of problems when it comes to consumer complaints about unauthorized charges.
The problem is that it kind of piggybacks on other calls or orders consumers make. You order something off an infomercial and, after your order, you are offered a free trial in one of its 17 membership clubs, free for 40 days. It is difficult ever to say no to a free offer. But if you forget to call to cancel at the end of the 40 days, you are charged an annual membership fee -- in your case, $84.
The good news about this company is that it is working with the Better Business Bureau and its once unsatisfactory record has been changed to a satisfactory record, along with some of the company's policies. The most important to you is this one you'll find on its Web site, http://www.memberworks.com/. First hit the icon for "The Company" and then go to the "Best Practices" section. There you will find a statement that says "MemberWorks will provide a full and prompt credit or refund to any consumer who is charged a membership fee but claims that he or she did not authorize that charge."
Just call the 800 number beside the charge and you should get an immediate refund.
My advice is check your credit card charges carefully and, if you want to complain, complain to the attorney general's office in your state.
Post Your Problems appears Tuesday through Friday, addressing questions and problems from readers.
Yvonne Zanos from KDKA-TV looks into consumer-related issues, including difficulties with products and
services. Post-Gazette Staff Writer Lawrence Walsh helps sort through bureaucratic problems.
Yvonne Zanos is KDKA-TV consumer editor. She can be reached at 412-575-2234, zanos@kdka.com,
or go to www.kdka.com and click on Consumer Action and follow prompts, or
write c/o KDKA-TV, One Gateway Center, Pittsburgh 15222.
