European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 9, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                P?�_8 a the stars and stripes p Money matters wednesday december 9,1992 errors do happen merchants says Green machine users Given guidelines by Kevin Robinson staff writer Delroy Johnson and his wife needed 600 Marks for a thanksgiving trip. So like any other customer who does banking each month at automated Teller Green machines in Europe Johnson used his merchants National Bank atm card to get the Cash from his account. However after leaving the atm at the merchants Bank in bad Kreuz Nach Germany Johnson a Par time teacher and nurse at bad Kreuz Nach High school discovered that he was 100 Marks Short of what he wanted. A the machines done to make mistakes a a Johnson was told by a clerk when he went inside the Bank to complain. Well that a not quite right said Frank j. Chunderlik a merchants spokesman from Frankfurt. Every month the Bank writes off $40,000 to $50,000 of the $1 million transacted by customers at merchants 136 Green machines in Germany the Netherlands and Greece to cover bad atm transactions ranging from illegal cards to computer errors Chunderlik said. These errors he added May give one customer too much Money or like Johnson leave another Short. When atm transactions go bad there Are options for customers who suddenly find themselves credited with Money they did no to receive Chunderlik said. A Jtj Lerz Are very strict Laws governing arms a Chun Derek said. These Laws require Banks to conduct daily inspections of computer tapes that reflect the atm transactions. If a customer has a problem with an atm transaction or loses the atm card he or she must do the following a Contact the nearest merchants Branch within 60 Days of receiving the first checking now or savings statement that shows the error. A when contacting merchants include name account number and description of the error the statement Date and the amount of the Money involved. A if the error is communicated in person or by phone the Bank May require that you submit your complaint paperwork within 10 Days. A a it a up to that Branch if it will reimburse the customers loss Chunderlik said. In such a situation the Bank makes a judgment Call about the customers credibility he added. A errors do happen from time to time a he said. A sometimes the Cash gets lodged in the machine and the next customer May then get too much  in Johnson Scase merchants officials in bad Kreuz Nach verified that their atm tapes were balanced and not in error. However after talking with Johnson the Bank eventually determined that his complaint was valid. He was reimbursed for the 100 Marks that was charged against his account Chunderlik said. To get More questions or to report atm errors first Contact your local Bank before calling the merchants user help line at 069-789-05333. You can also write to merchants National Bank attn user help desk. Apo 09757-0004. Social Security taxes due on Severance pay by Kevin Robinson staff writer defense department civilian employees who lost their jobs because of the draw Down must pay social Security taxes on Severance pay despite published information to the contrary officials say. Modern maturity Magazine which is aimed at senior citizens said in its april May edition that Severance pay could not be taxed for social Security. However Phil Gambino a spokesman for the social Security administration said the Magazine corrected its error in the next Issue. A Severance pay is subject to fica taxes a Gambino said. In fact government employees who Are involuntarily separated and get Severance pay Are liable for Federal income taxes and the Federal insurance contributions act taxes on the Severance pay if their pay was subject to Federal taxes when they worked said a spokesman from the defense finance and accounting service in Washington . For example Clifford Edwards 63, an army and civilian Retiree was separated in september 1991 from his recreation services Job in Aschaffenbur Germany. Based on the Magazine article he believed his $34,000 in Severance pay was being improperly taxed. Edwards said he now realizes his Severance pay can be taxed but he wonders Why the army  answer his questions when he asked about it. A the Lack of knowledge Between the . Army Europe civilian personnel office and the 266th theater finance come on Severance pay issues a is so bad that you done to get any answers a Edwards said. A i have no Trust in the  the 266th theater finance come has paid Severance pay to 46 . Civilians since january 1991, according to a statement from the . Army Europe. Civilian personnel offices by regulation Are required to provide advice and assistance with entitlements to civilians who have been separated or retired the statement added. William Traylor 68, is a world War ii Veteran. Since 1959, he had worked in Aschaffenbur As a non appropriated fund employee until he was involuntarily retired As chief of Bowling and billiard technical services in september 1991. He also read the Magazine article and thought the social Security taxes he paid on his $37,000 in Severance payments was to i he Lack of knowledge. Is so bad that you done to get any answers. I have no Trust in the  a Retiree Clifford Edwards wrong. However Traylor said having the fica taxes deducted from his biweekly Severance payments did More Good than harm. A i was 67 when i retired a he said. A when they continued to deduct fica i was 68, so it actually worked out to my Benefit because if you contribute into social Security beyond age 65, you get 3 percent More in benefits for each  ui.im/, in Severance payments was percent More in benefits for each year. Con artists favouring postcards for scams by Albert b. Crenshaw the Washington Post Washington a a the purveyors of phony vacations fraudulent credit repair services and a a free prizes that end up costing you big Bucks Are going Back to basics. After years of becoming increasingly High tech con artists have returned to a gimmick of yesteryear a the postcard. Postal authorities estimate that at any Given moment Between 10,000 and 100,000 postcards Are winding their Way toward potential suckers across the United states. The cards pitch free prizes and Cash awards but mainly they carry the con artists Hopes of parting the recipients from some of their hard earned Money. The postcard is now the calling card of More and More con artists a said Linda f. Golodner of the National Consumers league. The league is part of the Alliance against fraud in telemarketing a group working to stamp out the schemes. Golodner said intense publicity has helped Consumers recognize Telephone marketing scams for what they Are so that a swindlers have shifted gears and returned to the postcard As a Way of a getting Consumers to make the first  Brandon Zeigler found out the hard Way. The Burke va., resident got a postcard followed by a a certificate of guarantee a informing him that one of six big prizes was a positively reserved for him. The prizes ranged from a 1992 Chrysler Lebaron to vacation trips to Cash to a Large screen television. When he called to claim his prize Zeigler was told the Washington Post the Alliance against fraud offers some simple rules to help Consumers avoid getting taken by scam artists a done to pay for something that has been offered free. Free is free or should be. Even if the charge seems innocuous such As shipping handling delivery promotional fee or tax forget it. And if the Telephone number is a �?o900�?� line done to Call. A ignore demands for immediate action. Con artists like to imply that if you done to act quickly that is he had to buy a 3-d camera for $698.50. Zeigler who knows a bit about photography recognized the camera As something that retails for around $300. But still hoping to get one of the prizes he allowed the Nevada company to charge the camera to his credit card. Zeigler got the camera which he sent Back but no car vacation to or Cash. He was Lucky though. He ran across a Magazine article about a scam that sounded suspiciously similar. The article led him to Call for action a consumer hot line run by a group of radio stations. After Call for action intervened his Money was returned. Other people Haven to fared As Well. Dorothy Collins 71, of Silver Spring md., said she has lost More than $3,000 in recent years responding to these sorts of offers. She said she now has a closet full of water fresheners and other gadgets has bought vitamins that ultimately Cost $399, and paid $51 to have a poem published in a Book that never was printed. A a in a terribly embarrassed a she said last week As she appeared with Zeigler and representatives of groups in the Alliance against fraud in an Effort to draw Atten before you have time to thin you la miss out. Don t worry you wont. A Don t give your credit card or checking account numbers to strangers. One ploy is to say the number is needed for confirmation done to listen. Legitimate companies done to operate this Way. Tor Check out any company with which you do business before you Send Money. If no one has any record of the firm be suspicious. If you suspect you have been taken Contact your state attorney general the Federal Trade commission the postal inspection service or the better business Bureau. Tion to these scams. �cc0idil1810 the Alliance against fraud the top postcard scams Are a sweepstakes Winner a a free prize offers. A free or very cheap travel offers. .�?�f, a ers it which Tell a consumer v be Ftp Hep my eve swindled that an Quot unclaimed prize g held for him or her and cheat him or her again a credit card or credit repair offers. Siipopnnomknfyur0m 8�vernment�?� offers Usu the Swiss k i6 ski is owed a tax refund a the swindler can help obtain it for a fee. Throne  Are hot on the Trai Tion is difficult y acc highly Mobile and prose seeking  service said the Servici   to include the r actual place it business of the sender. Advancefep11 a six see aws toughened asked to Oak in Fusch mrs t where a consumer ing a loan m Ance or the Promise of Oba