Just in time for the fourth anniversary of its creation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau announced its expanding the type of consumer complaints it accepts to include prepaid cards and other nonbank products. [More]
Government Policy
FTC Halts Debt Collection Company That Allegedly Used Illegal Tactics To Collect $8.7M
By 7.21.14
And another one bites the dust – kind of. The Federal Trade Commission, along with the New York Attorney General’s office, received an order to temporarily halt a Buffalo-based debt collection operation that allegedly used lies and threats to collect more than $8.7 million from consumers. [More]
New Hike In TSA Security Fee Means Higher Ticket Prices For Travelers
By 7.21.14
Next time you buy an airline ticket, you might notice it’s just a tad bit more expensive. That’s because the United States has a deficit to pay down, so it’s ordered the Transportation Security Administration to increase the security fee it charges each traveler. [More]
The FDA Asks That You Please Not Ingest Pure Powdered Caffeine
By 7.18.14
People have been drinking caffeinated beverages for centuries, and popping caffeine pills for decades, and the Food and Drug Administration currently puts no hard limit on caffeine content in food. But the recent death of an Ohio teen who ingested the pure powdered form of caffeine has the FDA warning consumers against the incredibly potent stimulant. [More]
From AT&T To Verizon: What The Web’s Biggest Players Told The FCC About Net Neutrality
By 7.18.14
The FCC originally planned to stop taking comments about their net neutrality proposal on Tuesday. But after demand overwhelmed and crashed their antique IT system, they extended the deadline to 11:59 p.m. (EDT) tonight. As of yesterday, well over one million comments had been entered, and that number’s still going up. Clearly, the public cares — but what is the public saying? [More]
Kia Recalls 52,000 Kia Soul Hatchbacks Because Loss Of Steering Can Cause A Crash
By 7.18.14
Not even the adorable – and now buff – Kia hamsters would be able to maneuver the 2014 Kia Soul if the steering system failed. But that shouldn’t be the case much longer, now that the car company has issued a recall of nearly 52,000 vehicles. [More]
July Food And Supplement Recall Roundup – More Salmonella Smoothies
By 7.18.14
In our July Recall Roundup for food, the Great Chia Seed Recall of 2014 continues, ice cream has mismatched flavor labels, and there are mysterious substances in the ham. Oh, and Foster Farms finally recalled some of the chicken blamed for a recent salmonella outbreak. [More]
Your Corinthian-Operated School Is Closing, But You Might Not Be Completely Screwed
By 7.18.14
It’s not everyday that a higher education institution shuts down or announces it might be sold. But for the thousands of students attending Corinthian College Inc. (CCI) schools — like Everest University, WyoTech, or Heald College –– that’s their new reality, and it’s one that leaves more questions than answers. [More]
FTC Halts Operations Of Four “Yellow Page” Directory Operations That Took Millions From Consumers
By 7.17.14
For many businesses advertising in the phone book and online directories are just a few ways to reach prospective customers. But business owners should be forewarned some of those “yellow page” directories are just out to collect your hard-earned money. That was allegedly the case for four Montreal-based marketing operations that took millions from small businesses, churches, nonprofits and local government agencies. [More]
CPSC Finally Announces Recall Of Buckyballs, Kicking Off Refund Process
By 7.17.14
After two years of fighting the makers of Buckyballs and related Buckycubes to get the manufacturer to issue a recall of the magnetic toys that health experts say can rip through your gut if swallowed, the Consumer Product Safety Commission says it’s reached a settlement with the owner of the former company, and consumers can start filing their refund requests. [More]
Chrysler Will Finally, Eventually Get Around To Fixing Millions Of Jeeps Recalled In 2013
By 7.17.14
Last year, Chrysler reluctantly recalled millions of Jeeps out of concern that rear-end collisions could result in a fire. And even though the car maker came up with a fix for the issue, it still hadn’t repaired some 1.6 million Jeeps a year after announcing the recall. Under pressure from federal regulators, Chrysler now says it will pick up the pace of repairs, though it could still be eight months before some Jeeps are fixed. [More]
Fake Airport Security Screener Tricks Women Into Pat-Downs
By 7.17.14
The world has enough problems with actual, inept TSA agents who have never heard of our nation’s capital. We don’t need jerks posing as airport security just to molest female travelers. [More]
Cargill Says It Will Stop Using Antibiotics To Fatten Up Turkeys, But Do They Mean It?
By 7.16.14
Three years ago, Cargill recalled 36 million pounds of Salmonella-tainted ground turkey (followed by a later recall of another 185,000 pounds of the stuff). The particular strain of Salmonella involved in these recalls and the subsequent outbreak that sickened at least 134 people in 36 states, is resistant to antibiotics, likely because of all the drugs put into the turkeys’ feed solely because it has th side-effect of encouraging tissue growth. Yet only now is the agribusiness giant thinking maybe it shouldn’t carelessly shove antibiotics down the throats of the birds it sells to consumers. [More]
CFPB Wants To Let Consumers Air Financial Grievances In Publicly Viewable Forum
By 7.16.14
Sometimes consumers want to voice their complaints knowing it will remain a private matter; other times they just want to shout it for all to hear. A new proposal from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would give consumers that option when voicing their grievances about consumer financial products and services. [More]
TSA Agent To Reporter: What Is This “District Of Columbia” You Speak Of?
By 7.16.14
In a far off land called the District of Columbia, there lives an entire population of people who are considered Americans and as such, have the proper identification noting that fact. But one Transportation Security Administration agent in Orlando may need a brush-up on the makeup of these United States, after reportedly not realizing that a reporter’s Washington D.C. license is a valid form of ID. [More]
$9.3M In Refunds Going Out To People Who Bought Ab Circle Pro
By 7.16.14
We’ve covered so many sketchy fitness devices over the years that when we recently mocked the Ab Circle Pro for its obvious before/after Photoshop hackery, we’d forgotten that the marketers of this device were hit with a massive settlement in 2012 for falsely claiming that it could give you rock-hard abs if you used it for only three minutes a day. Well, we’re remembering now, because the Federal Trade Commission is currently sending out $9.3 million in refunds to Ab Circle Pro owners. [More]
Report: Most Consumers Don’t Care If The Post Office Offers Financial Services
By 7.16.14
At first glance it wouldn’t appear that the United States Postal Service and banks have much in common. But that might soon come to an end if an idea to expand banking services to local post office branches in an attempt to meet the needs of the underbanked. [More]
Company To Refund Consumers $3.5M Because Cactus Juice Isn’t “Inflammation Relief Without A Prescription”
By 7.15.14
Advertisements featuring carefree, beautiful smiling people sipping on juice might not be enough to entice someone to buy a product, but plastering claims that the drink is a cure-all for pain could probably do the trick. But when those promises aren’t supported by, you know, actual science, then it’s called deceptive and federal regulators won’t stand for that. [More]
