“About a-year-and-a-half into owning the TV, it started acting up,” Heermance told CBS4′ Chief Consumer Investigator Al Sunshine.

He told Sunshine that it acted erratic… not always coming on… or taking long periods to power up. That was the same complaint thousands of Samsung owners described on the Internet. Their “nearly new” Samsung TV…” was taking 30-seconds, then 30-minutes, or even longer to come on.

“So you try to turn it on and what happened after a while?” asked Sunshine.

“It would just not come on at all,” replied Heermance.

Because his manufacturers warranty had expired, Heermance figured Samsung wouldn’t help… so he paid $150 to get it fixed on his own.

TV repairman, Cliff Van Allen, showed CBS4 the tiny part causing so many Samsung TV power  failures. It’s called a “capacitor.” Basically, it’s a power storage device.

“It’s not because it’s an inferior product. It’s because the voltage (on the capacitor) is not enough to do the job, said Van Allen, who owns Video Cleaning Repair in Miami.

Rosemary’s shop has also seen a wave of Samsung capacitor problems.

“The power boards are made with capacitors that don’t hold up,” Rosemary said.

Capacitors are only a $3 to $6 part. So cheap, “Fix It Youself” videos are even on YouTube

“It seemed to be a common problem and I was surprised to hear that,” said Heermance, who owns other Samsung products.

Class Action Lawsuits have been filed in New Jersey, California and Oklahoma. Although Samsung wouldn’t tell us how many TVs are affected… CBS4 Investigates obtained an Oklahoma Court document from a hearing on February 1, 2012. It quotes Samsung’s attorney, Phillip G. Whaley, telling the court…

“Well, I think there’ll be as many as seven-and-a-half million of them out there. So it could be a big class.” (class action lawsuit).

A Samsung statement sent to CBS4 said…

“A small percentage of certain models of Samsung televisions have experienced performance issues caused by a component called a capacitor.  Since originally confirming this issue in early 2010, Samsung has voluntarily provided free repairs for U.S. customers with affected televisions.

As the leading supplier of televisions in the United States, we remain committed to delivering superior technology and excellent service to our loyal customers.  We encourage our customers to call 1-800-SAMSUNG if they experience any problems with Samsung products.

We have recently reached a preliminary settlement, subject to court approval, for a nationwide resolution of a related class action lawsuit in the District Court of Oklahoma County in the state of Oklahoma. Under the settlement, Samsung will continue to offer the free repairs that have already been extended to affected consumers.  A second class action lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in late 2010, has been administratively terminated by that court.”

- Samsung Electronics America

Click Here To Read Preliminary List of Samsung Models

“Thank God there are people out there who say, ‘I’m not taking that!’ I paid my money. It should not die in 2-years,” said Van Allen.

Rosemary added, “I don’t fault the sellers. I fault the manufacturers. The manufacturers have to know that they’re putting crap out there. I can tell you that it’s not only Samsung.”

As our repair techs point out, no matter what brand of TV you buy, today’s TVs aren’t being made to last long.

Remember your mom and dad’s TV that lasted 15, even 20-years? They were big, boxy and remarkably reliable. Well today’s TV is NOT your parents TV.

Rosemary demonstrated using a 2009 big screen TV. As she knocked on the TV screen as if she were knocking on a door… she exclaimed, “Paper!”

Then she knocked on the screen of a 1998 TV.

“Tempered glass. You need a hammer to break that.”

She also showed us a TV that recently came into her shop and can’t be repaired. It was bought on Black Friday just two months ago. According to Rosemary, while moving it, the owner used her shoulder to brace it. The indentation on the screen is the result of a tender-leaning shoulder and nothing more.

“You buy a 50-inch Plasma set, you probably paid $4,000 to $5,000, and you’re looking two to three years after, and you can’t fix it? Ridiculous!” Rosemary declared.

In the TV graveyards that exist at both repair shops CBS4 visited, there were stacks of expensive TVs… abandoned for what can only be called “pre-mature failure,” according to our repair techs.

“I don’t think a panel should be bad in 2 1/2 years! A panel shouldn’t be bad in 10-years. But it is,” Van Allen told us as he showed us big screen TV.

And Samsung’s not alone. Another TV was left by its owner at Cliff’s shop. Why? The repair would be more than the original cost of the TV.

“This thing should be on the guy’s wall still,” Van Allen lamented.

“In my opinion,” said Rosemary, “basically the TVs today are obsolete after two years because the parts are changed.”

That’s right. According to our CBS4 investigation, only five states require manufacturers to make parts available longer than two to three years. Those states are California, Connecticut, Indiana, Rhode Island and New Hampshire… NOT Florida.

But consumers aren’t blameless noted Van Allen. “You know, everyone wants the latest and greatest and they don’t think… will this last?”

It’s not just Samsung. Most television manufacturers have had all kinds of issues with Plasma TVs, DLP TVs, LCD TVs… and now repair shops tell CBS4 Investigates, they are bracing for customers buying the new LED TVs

Additional Statements from Samsung Electronics America:

On February 1, 2012, preliminary approval was officially granted on the settlement of Russell, et al. v. Samsung Electronics America, Inc., in the District Court of Oklahoma County in the state of Oklahoma. A similar lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in late 2010, was administratively dismissed by the court.

The Oklahoma settlement reaffirms that Samsung’s efforts to voluntarily repair affected products for consumers since early 2010, have been appropriate for the situation.  In addition, Samsung will compensate any consumers who have already made repairs at their own expense.  A nationwide announcement will be made in the coming weeks explaining the steps consumers need to take if they believe they have an affected product.   For your information and reference we have attached the summary notice of that decision, which has been on the public record since the settlement was reached. 

As the leading supplier of televisions in the United States we remain committed to delivering superior technology and excellent service to our loyal customers.  We encourage our customers to call 1-800-SAMSUNG if they experience any problems with Samsung products.

“The problem does not affect current models so there is no need to contact retailers.”

“Affected consumers will receive a notice as provided for in the settlement agreement, once approved by the court. Per Samsung’s standard policy, in-home repairs are offered for all sizes above 32”. For 32” and smaller, products must be shipped to NJ, but Samsung will cover all costs (in both directions).”

“Also, once the settlement is approved a process will be put into place to compensate consumers who have already paid for a repair.”

.

Florida attorney general Pam Bondi said based on the terms of the deal, “that we have reached a settlement that provides Floridians with much-needed relief and reforms the mortgage servicing industry.”

Bondi had previously come out against principal reduction being forced on banks as part of the multi-state deal, according to the Orlando Sentinel.

Florida will receive approximately $8.4 billion in relief for Florida homeowners and address future mortgage loan servicing practices.

It will release civil  claims related to robo-signing, other foreclosure-related abuses, and loan origination misconduct.

The money will be broken down in Florida as follows:

• Florida borrowers will receive an estimated $7.6 billion in benefits from loan modifications including principal reduction and other direct relief
• Approximately $170 million will be available for cash payments to Florida borrowers who lost their homes to foreclosure from 1/1/2008 to 12/31/2011 and suffered servicing abuse
• The state will receive a direct payment of $350 million.
• The value of refinanced loans to Florida’s underwater borrowers would be an estimated $309 million

Currently, Florida has the nation’s highest foreclosure inventory. Approximately 12 percent of all homes with a mortgage in Florida are in some state of foreclosure. In addition, 17 percent of homeowners in the Sunshine State are 90 days late on their mortgage payments.

Based on the terms of the deal, the five largest mortgage lenders – Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup, and Ally Financial – will reduce home loans for roughly one million households. The reduced loans would help homeowners behind on their payments and who owe more than the house is worth.

Plus, another 750,000 Americans would receive checks for roughly $1,800 each. But there is a catch to the settlement. The settlement would apply only to privately held mortgages issued from 2008 to 2011.

The settlement comes after countless abuses banks were guilty of following the housing bubble’s implosion. Several companies, including some based in Florida, failed to verify documents in foreclosures, or had employees sign documents they never read, or used fake signatures to speed up foreclosures.

In addition to the mortgage write-downs and payment, the deal is said to try and fundamentally change mortgage lending guidelines to make it easier for those at risk of foreclosure to make their payments and keep their homes.

The deal breaks down as follows: $17 billion will go towards reducing the principal that homeowners owe on their mortgages; $5 billion will be placed in a reserve account for various state and federal programs; and $3 billion will help homeowners refinance at 5.25 percent.

The settlement will still allow other probes of the banking industry to go forward, including a New York attorney general’s investigation over mortgage securitization and possible misconduct in the packaging and sale of residential mortgage-backed securities, which helped to cause the housing bust.

For more on the settlement, click here.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission said there have been 140 reports of problems with the Tassimo single-cup brewers dousing people, including 37 cases involving second-degree burns. In one incident, a 10-year-old girl from Minnesota was hospitalized with second-degree burns to her face and neck.

The coffee maker’s “T-disc,” the plastic disc that holds the coffee or tea, can burst while brewing, according to the commission. It also announced the recall Thursday of some 4 million packages of Tassimo espresso T-discs.

About 835,000 Tassimo coffee makers are on recall in the United States; another 900,000 are being recalled in Canada. The recall involves brewers made by California-based BSH Home Appliances Corp. that carry the Bosch and Tassimo Professional brand names.

The 4 million packages of Tassimo espresso T-discs, manufactured by Kraft Foods Global Inc., in Illinois, were recalled after 21 reports of problems.

The CPSC said the plastic discs of coffee can become clogged, rupture and spray hot liquid. In Canada, a 2-year-old girl suffered second-degree burns to her face.

About 2 million of the recalled disc packages were distributed in the U.S.; the rest were in Canada.

Consumers can contact the company at 866-918-8763 for more information or visit its website at www.tassimosafetyrecall.com.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Sunrise resident Vanessa Dowe spent time off from work to go to the IRS’ Plantation customer service center after finding out her tax ID was ripped off and her tax refund was stolen.

“I filed my taxes just yesterday actually and just got a notice somebody else had used my I-D and got my Tax Refund. I started crying,” Dowe explained.

South Florida is considered one of the identity theft capitals of the country. So when tax season starts, it’s not unexpected to start hearing about tax refund scams. But it’s looking like this may be a banner year for the problem.

Doral Police supervisor Fatima Nunez also found out her tax identity and refund were stolen. After spending hours at Miami’s IRS office, she thinks the agency just can’t handle the growing number of new cases.

“Honestly, I don’t believe they have enough people,” the veteran investigator said. “It took me over 3 hours personally for waiting time at the downtown office and there were 150 people there for the same problem, identity theft, and once you go there and get all the paperwork, it’s a 90-day investigation period.”

Doral Police Chief Ricardo Gomez said he’s seen a big increase in tax-related identity theft complaints. He thinks the problem is much worse than last year. He said the identity thieves are operating in sophisticated groups and are not just kids stealing ID’s.

Doral detectives are investigating a recent robbery where the suspects were found with a dozen local tax returns and think they may be part of a very well organized ring.

“People need to be very careful about their tax forms, social security number and personal financial information to avoid becoming a victim in the first place,” Chief Gomez warned.

The IRS said it has limited resources to investigate identity thefts and apologizes to victims for any long delays.

“We can only handle so many people, we do not have unlimited resources,” said IRS spokesman Mike Dobzinski. “We’re doing the best we can. Some people have had to wait in line and we apologize for that.”

Miami has been identified as one of the nine national hotspots for the federal government’s new inter-agency task force on tax-related identity theft. Sixteen people were recently arrested statewide as part of a crackdown on tax refund fraud.

The IRS said taxpayers who believe their refunds may have been stolen need to contact the agency as soon as possible.

You can contact the IRS at 1-800-908-4490 or at www.irs.gov.

For more on Identity Theft, check out these links:

• http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14039.pdf
• http://www.irs.gov/privacy/article/0,,id=186436,00.html
• http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt04.pdf
• http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=253147,00.html

The bill (HJR 1289) would have shifted the tax burden to businesses and other non-homestead properties. Opponents argued it amounted to the Legislature “bullying” local governments.

Supporters say the proposed “super exemption” would help cure inequities among homeowners created by the existing Save Our Homes amendment. One advocate noted it would be a step toward eliminating property tax and replacing it with a sales tax increase.

Voters still will get a chance to cut property taxes through another proposal lawmakers already have placed on the November ballot. Amendment 4 includes a smaller super exemption for homeowners and relief for non-homestead properties.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

The retail giant plans to add a new green icon that reads “Great for You” to packaging of some of its house-brand foods.

“To more and more of our customers, living better means the ability to walk into our stores and find affordable food that will help their families live healthier lives. No family should have to choose between food that is healthier for them and food they can afford,” said Walmart President and CEO Bill Simon in a statement.

Walmart’s new seal, which echoes the name of one of its key house brands, Great Value, won’t impart any actual nutritional information when it starts appearing this spring. But the company says the seal will be affixed to in-house products with lower levels of fat, sugar and artificial additives.

The seal also will appear on signs near bins of fruits and vegetables and on some of Walmart’s in-house products under the Marketside brand. The company said 20 to 25 percent of its Great Value-brand foods meet the criteria for the new seal, though it didn’t say how many products will carry it.

Foods that have too many artificial additives, or too much fat, don’t make the cut, Wal-Mart said.

Walmart officials said they consulted with the FDA as it developed the “Great For You” seal and would comply with whatever standards the agency eventually sets.

Food makers and sellers have come under scrutiny in the past for adding nutritional seals to the fronts of packages. The Food and Drug Administration said in 2009 that some companies used them misleadingly.

The FDA is developing standards for what health claims can be made on food packages, but Walmart said its customers want the information now.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

This year the price increases have gotten a bit of a head start even as the price of wholesale oil has dropped.

The American Automobile Association reports pump prices began to climb after Iran threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz.

Coupled with U.S. demands as refineries shutdown for maintenance (and to switch blends) and the usual spring/summer spike, we could see a spike of 60-cents or more in the coming months.

In the last month the price at the pump in Florida has jumped nationwide about 17 cents to $3.60 on average for a gallon of regular unleaded. Last year at this time, that same gallon was running around $3.12.

In Miami-Dade and Ft. Lauderdale, drivers have seen the price at the pump jump about 20 cents in the last month to an average of $3.66 for a gallon of unleaded regular.

Last year at this time regular unleaded gas averaged $3.18 and $3.16 a gallon respectively for Miami and Ft. Lauderdale.

Check out the cheapest gas prices in your neighborhood at FloridaGasPrices.com.

Pensacola, where unleaded regular is averaging $3.47 a gallon, is the cheapest places in the state to fill up.

West Palm Beach is the most expensive place to top off the tank; regular unleaded is averaging $3.68 a gallon.

The common gastro-intestinal illness struck two Princess Cruise Lines ships: the Ruby Princess and the Crown Princess, both currently home-ported at Port Everglades, and the cruise line sent warnings to passengers leaving Saturday and Sunday that the outbreak will briefly delay their trips so the ships can get a stem-to-stern cleaning and disinfection.

The Crown Princess returned early Saturday morning from a 7-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean docked at Port Everglades. As passengers scheduled to depart Saturday arrived, they were given letters explaaing the illness aboard, what was being done to clean the ship, and telling them the departure would be delayed.

Passengers were taken to the Broward Convention Center to await boarding. They were asked to complete documents asking if they had any symptoms of a cold of gastrointestinal illness. Standard practice is for passengers who admit to symptoms to be given a medical exam, and possibly be denied boarding, in an effort to control

The Ruby Princess is returning from a 7-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, and is scheduled to dock Sunday morning.

The cruise line sent an “emergency notification” to those passengers who are set to embark on those ships this weekend. saying their departure would be delayed by a Norovirus attack.

“It will be necessary for the ship to undergo a prolonged and additional disinfection in Port Everglades on Sunday,” the line said in it’s message to passengers of the Ruby Princess, a copy of which was supplied to cbsmiami.com.

Aboard Crown Princess, a total of 140 passengers (4.51% of 3,103) and 18 crew (1.54% of 1,168) were affected by the illness.

A total of 81 passengers (2.59% of 3,133) and nine crew (0.76% of 1,186) have been affected by the illness aboard Ruby Princess, according to Karen Candy, Manager of Media Relations for Princess, in an e-mailed statement Friday afternoon. However, even though standard practice is to quarantine passengers believed to have the disease, it spreads rapidly, and it’s possible those numbers could change by the time the Ruby Princess arrives Sunday.

“The ship continues to undergo the highest level of sanitation to stop the spread of illness, and a comprehensive disinfection of the ship’s public areas and all passenger cabins will occur during turnaround this Sunday using additional cleaning crew who will be brought aboard.  As a result, passenger embarkation will be delayed until 2 p.m.”

Passengers of the Crown Princess said they saw crewmembers paying extra attention to cleaning while they were aboard.

Cruise ships have struggled with containing the threat of the norovirus, which is common in the general population but which spreads more easily among large groups in concentrated areas, like found in a cruise ship.

The disease is passed by contact with infected people, items they touch, such as food in buffets, and human waste. Most cruise lines have hand sanitizer stations aboard, and regularly urge passengers to use them.

However, it’s easy for the disease to spread even in clean environments.

The line, which is owned by Doral-based Carnival Cruise Lines, said it would delay boarding passengers, and move the embarkation process from the port to the nearby Broward Convention Center.

The report by the FDA followed extensive testing, and was the first official determination of the safety of products with the fungicide carbendazim. Brazil, a major exporter of juice to the US, uses the product in growing their oranges, even though its use is banned in the US.

While most oranges grown in Florida are used for juice, for years the state has not grown enough juice oranges to meet the demand. While some manufacturers stick to the Florida-only strategy, others, including major national brands, blend in imported juice.

It was in those brands the illegal carbendazim was found.

The FDA said that nine of 14 samples taken Florida juice holding tanks Florida tested positive at up to 36 parts per billion. EPA-cited studies show no risks at up to 80 parts per billion, and believe the true danger level to be much higher.

So what will the Feds do with the juice containing carbendazim? At this point, nothing. No juice will be banned from entering the country, and the brands found with the fungicide will not be recalled.

http://www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/Product-SpecificInformation/FruitsVegetablesJuices/ucm288004.htm

The Crown Princess is returning from a 7-day cruise to the Southern Caribbean and will dock at Port Everglades Saturday morning. The Ruby Princess is returning from a 7-day cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, and is scheduled to dock Sunday morning.

The cruise line sent an “emergency notification” to passengers who are set to embark on those ships this weekend. saying their departure would be delayed by a Norovirus attack.

“It will be necessary for the ship to undergo a prolonged and additional disinfection in Port Everglades on Sunday,” the line said in it’s message to passengers, a copy of which was supplied to cbsmiami.com.

The line, which is owned by Doral-based Carnival Cruise Lines, said it would delay boarding passengers, and move the embarkation process from the port to the nearby Broward Convention Center.

Aboard Crown Princess, a total of 140 passengers (4.51% of 3,103) and 18 crew (1.54% of 1,168) have been affected by the illness.  A total of 81 passengers (2.59% of 3,133) and nine crew (0.76% of 1,186) have been affected by the illness aboard Ruby Princess, according to Karen Candy, Manager of Media Relations for Princess, in an e-mailed statement Friday afternoon.

“The ship continues to undergo the highest level of sanitation to stop the spread of illness, and a comprehensive disinfection of the ship’s public areas and all passenger cabins will occur during turnaround this Sunday using additional cleaning crew who will be brought aboard.  As a result, passenger embarkation will be delayed until 2 p.m.”

Cruise ships have struggled with containing the threat of the norovirus, which is common in the general population but which spreads more easily among large groups in concentrated areas, like found in a cruise ship.

The disease is passed by contact with infected people, items they touch, such as food in buffets, and human waste. Most cruise lines have hand sanitizer stations aboard, and regularly urge passengers to use them.

However, it’s easy for the disease to spread even in clean environments.