In spite of the Military Lending Act, a law intended to prevent predatory lenders from gouging military personnel with exorbitant interest rates and mountains of fees, some of these lenders have figured out ways to work around the very specific limits of the law, targeting active-duty service members with loans that are almost indistinguishable from the ones forbidden by the Act. [More]
How Predatory Lenders Get Around The Law To Loan Money To Military Personnel
By May 15, 2013
Yes, It’s Possible To Steal $45M From ATMs Around The World In Just A Few Hours
By May 10, 2013
There are your everyday ATM skimming schemes, and then there are global hacking operations that allegedly siphoned $45 million from ATMs around the globe in just a few hours. It’s kind of like a flash mob, said one former prosecutor, and the ease with which it was apparently carried out has got those in the security world a little bit nervous. [More]
Facebook Lets You Assign ‘Trusted Contacts’ To Help You Access Your Account After Being Locked Out
By May 2, 2013
Lots of people give an extra set of house keys to close friends or family in case they get locked out. So why not have a similar way of dealing with those times when you’re locked out of your Facebook account? [More]
5 Airports Where Being Stuck With Your Kids Might Not Be An Absolute Nightmare
By May 2, 2013
While none of us at Consumerist have kids — that we’ll legally admit to — we’ve traveled with other people’s youngsters, and we’ve watched in jaw-dropped horror at the antics of some bored, confined children at airports. Thankfully, there are some airports that provide a place for traveling terrors to blow off steam without irritating grumpy grown-ups like me. [More]
Disney Parks: Mickey Mouse Ain’t Your Babysitter, Unaccompanied Kids Must Be At Least 14
By March 19, 2013
For those of us who didn’t grow up near Disneyland, it sounds like we were missing out of a heck of a fun time: while parents used to be able to drop kids off at a Disney park for the day and have Mickey Mouse and friends babysit their offspring, a new admission policy requires that kids be at least 14 if they’re not with adults. [More]
Would You Be Okay Ditching Metal Keys In Favor Of A Smartphone App To Start Your Car?
By March 12, 2013
“Where are my keys? I had them right here. But where are they now? UGH I NEED TO FIND MY KEYS.” That’s happened to you probably, but what about losing your smartphone? Maybe not as often, and it’s easier to find what with that whole ringing/beeping and otherwise making noise feature. In the future, losing your keys might be tougher as the American Automobile Association predicts smartphone apps will replace traditional car keys. [More]
Undercover TSA Inspector Gets Through Airport Security Just Fine With Fake Bomb In His Pants
By March 11, 2013
Critics feeling a bit squirrelly about the Transportation Security Administration’s recent decision to allow certain small knives on planes are likely a bit steamed up at the news that an undercover investigator reportedly managed to get past Newark airport security with a fake bomb. [More]
You Can’t Bring A Loaded Gun In Your Carry-On Even If You’re An NFL Player
By February 19, 2013
The human brain is a shifty thing — you thought you put your keys in your pocket but really they’re in the freezer! — but there’s no way the Transportation Security Administration is going to accept “I forgot a gun was in my bag and/or that it was loaded” as an excuse without a little bit of digging. Even if you happen to be a defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. [More]
No, McDonald’s Did Not Buy Burger King Because “The Whopper Flopped”
By February 19, 2013
You can’t believe everything you read on Twitter, even if it’s on the official account of a company like say, Burger King. Proving that anything on the Internet can be futzed with, someone took over Burger King’s Twitter account yesterday and announced that the chain had been sold to McDonald’s because “the Whopper flopped.” [More]
Am I Asking Too Much, Or Does Logitech Not Care About Harmony Remote Line Anymore?
By February 8, 2013
It wasn’t that long ago that readers routinely wrote to us with joyful accounts of how Logitech replaced their pricey Harmony remote controls for free when something went wrong. Winning Harmony customers’ loyalty and gratitude isn’t a priority anymore, though. Along with their disappointing third-quarter results, Logitech announced late last month that they will be selling off their remote control and video security systems, and ending their lines of console accessories and speaker docks. Mike heard those tales of wondrous service from the past, and expected something similar when his replacement remote broke and needed replacing. [More]
Twitter Admits To Hack, Data For 250,000 Users Accessed
By February 1, 2013
Here’s a great way to end the week. Twitter confirmed this afternoon that it was recently the victim of attacks that appear to have user information for around 250,000 in the hands of hackers. [More]
Ticketmaster Ditching Captcha So You Won’t Have To Decipher “Spraklof Gurstung” Anymore
By January 30, 2013
The glow of the computer screen flickers against a slumped, exhausted form. If you listen carefully, you can hear, “But… I… am… a… human…” It’s called Captcha Fatigue and if you’ve ever used Ticketmaster you might have felt like the entire system is gamed to result in the most frustrating, unintelligible bits of smushed together letters, designed to keep you from purchasing anything. And now it’s going away. [More]
Sleeping In This Guy’s Car For $1,800/Night Might Be A Better Deal Than Other Super Bowl Rentals
By January 18, 2013
Though this year’s Super Bowl is irrelevant because of its lack of Eagles, there are apparently still enough people out there who want to attend the festivities that the illegal short-term lease market is booming in New Orleans. [More]
Apparently No Bank Of America Safe Deposit Box Customers Have Ever Died Before
By January 18, 2013
Last fall, Jay’s mother died after a heart procedure. We’re very sorry for his loss, but also very sorry that her death meant that he has to deal with Bank of America. Before the procedure, she added him to her accounts as a signatory, not realizing that doing so didn’t give him access to her safe-deposit box. Going through probate in order to get the documents he needs to access the box will cost more than $1,000. What’s inside? No one knows. Certainly not Jay, even though he’s the executor of his mom’s estate and her only heir. It could be a copy of her will, or it could be stacks of gold bullion. [More]
Hyundai Testing Functionality That Would Let You Lose Your Car Keys And Your Phone At The Same Time
By December 28, 2012
Don’t know about you, but if I’m going out somewhere, I often need to pad my schedule for the inevitable 3-minute hunt for either my keys and my phone (both of which were right here a second ago). Now the folks at Hyundai want to make it so people like me will only have to lose one device. [More]
If You Don’t Want To Eat A Turkey, How About Getting One As A Pet?
By November 21, 2012
Is there tofurkey destined for your dinner plate this Thanksgiving or are you looking forward to chowing down on the traditional bird? If you’re going the veggie-based route, maybe you’d be so inclined as to keep a turkey as a pet. While we’ll be eating 46 million of the birds across the country, a few hundred are making their way through the holiday as pets. [More]
TSA Will Let You Fly With Your Precious Snow Globes This Holiday Season
By November 14, 2012
Until the Transportation Security Administration started cracking down on liquids in carry-on luggage, we never knew how desperately attached travelers are to their prohibited snow globes. It seemed a bit of a cruel ban — who doesn’t love staring at fake snow gently falling on some idyllic scene? But this year, be prepared to celebrate snow globe freedom with the TSA’s updated holiday travel rules. [More]
Alaska Airport Evacuated Because Guy Somehow Didn’t Know Bomb Jokes Aren’t Welcome
By October 15, 2012
Ever since there have been bombs and airplanes, it hasn’t been a particularly great idea to make jokes about the two together. But especially in times like these when the U.S. and other countries are always on the lookout for potential terrorists, it’s an awful idea to talk about bombs. One man didn’t get the “no bomb jokes” memo, apparently, and ended up shutting down Alaska’s largest airport. [More]
