Complaints often linked to economy AVirginia woman was miffed over what she said was a botched service job at a dealership repair shop that left her car engine damaged. The dealership denied that it caused any damage. But after the woman complained to the Virginia Office of Consumer Affairs, it refunded her money and the case was closed.

Networking a key part of job search You’ve lost your job and dealt with the stress, humiliation, grief and anger. Now, you’re ready to hunker down and start networking your way to a new career and a new chapter in your life. Here’s what to do, according to David Jones, president of the David Jones Group consulting firm in Tennessee, and Mark Deutsch, executive director of Business Network International, Central Virginia Region, in Richmond:

Beware bogus loan and IRS enticements Scams abound. Be on the alert for these, consumers. About four months ago, a Varina resident got a solicitation from a company offering to help her get a mortgage-loan modification. The resident, who was not facing foreclosure but wanted better loan terms, decided to try the company out to see what it could do for her. The company offered its services for $1,000, $500 of it upfront deducted from her bank account.

Cautionary tales from overseas Readers offered plenty of feedback on my column last Sunday about protecting valuables while on vacation overseas. One person questioned the U.S. State Department’s advice to not carry a Social Security card overseas because it may get stolen. The reader said people on Medicare routinely carry their Social Security and Medicare cards—the numbers are the same—with them at all times.

A Powhatan County resident traveled to Ireland a few weeks ago and left her purse mistakenly under the table at a restaurant in Dublin on the first full day of a family vacation. Within minutes after leaving, she realized it was missing. But it was too late. When she returned, a restaurant employee handed back her pocketbook, which a customer supposedly had turned in, minus her passport, $150 cash, a bank debit card and her digital camera.

Changes in credit cards coming in Feb. Planning on getting a credit card before industry reforms kick in next February? Consider using the guidelines in Bankrate.com’s credit card study released Monday. In May, Bankrate studied the small print of 20 platinum and rewards cards issued by 10 credit card companies. The issuers are American Express Co., Bank of America Corp., Capital One Financial Corp., JP Morgan Chase & Co., Citibank N.A., Discover Bank, First National Bank of Omaha, USAA Federal Savings Bank, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo.

Two schools—the University of Phoenix and Bryant & Stratton College—handed out degrees to more than 400 students this month at the Richmond Convention Center. A third school—South University—will open in Henrico County on Oct. 5 behind the Whole Foods Market on West Broad Street. It is now enrolling students for its local campus and online classes.

For pleasant leisure flight you must plan Leisure air travel used to be fun and exciting. Now, with increased airport security and downright stingy airline amenities, it can be the pits, especially if you make the kind of dumb mistakes that I made while traveling this month. Here are five things that can trash a trip and some tips on how to avert a travel disaster:

Consumer Watch columnist Iris Taylor’s column will resume when she returns.

Do you know what your personal information is worth to an identity thief? Here, from the least to the most valuable, are what some pieces of your data are worth: Your name. A name without any other information doesn’t provide anything useful to an identity thief, said Paul Stephens, director of policy and advocacy for the Privacy Rights Clearing House in San Diego.

“Top Cash for Gold and Silver.“ “Sell Your Gold Here.“ “Cash for Gold Jewelry.“ Those advertisements are all over the place these days. So are you thinking about liquidating some of your jewelry? First know the risks, then fol low some tips. The risks: You may receive a lowball offer and not know it, or mail in your jewelry and it does not arrive. A jeweler might weigh your jewelry in a backroom where you can’t see it or use a scale that may not be properly calibrated.

Va. program helps victims of ID theft What would you do if this happens to you? You’re traveling through the airport on the way out of town with your spouse, children and new business partners. You check in at the airline counter and show your boarding pass and personal identification. But when you try to pass through security, you are stopped, questioned and arrested in front of everyone.

How to undo your miscues with the IRS Let’s talk about the queasy feeling that some of you have today because you’re in trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. The bottom line is nothing will make that feeling disappear until you take the proper action. Let’s go over some of the mistakes that get consumers into hot water with the IRS and what the consequences and options are.

If you’re dreaming about refinancing your home because mortgage rates are low, first learn the costs and fees so that you don’t get gouged. Paula Sherman, lending protection coordinator for Housing Op portunities Made Equal in Richmond, said that if you have excellent credit and a pristine payment history, you definitely should be able to negotiate lower fees.

A cybercrook from Virginia swindled sports memorabilia collectors out of $3,000 on eBay and now she’s doing four years in a correctional facility. The woman lured baseball and football card collectors by advertising her cards as rare. When victims sent money for a card, she sent a worthless card or one that was different from what she advertised on her site.