Earlier today, the FDA finally got around to unveiling the first major change to food nutrition labels in two decades. The new-look label contains mostly the same information as the current version, but with the addition of “added sugars” data, the loss of “calories from fat,” and more emphasis on total calories per serving and servings per container. [More]
Government Policy
Ask Tax Dad: Mobile Home Sale, Sisterly Support, And Son Leaves The Nest
By 2.26.14
Historically, our staff Certified Tax Cat has handled readers’ questions about taxes, but he took feline early retirement and hung up his oversized eyeglasses. Filling in for him is Laura’s dad, a retired accountant and real live independent tax preparer. Exclusively on Consumerist, Tax Dad answers your questions. [More]
Chase Becomes First Bank To Implement New, Simpler Disclosure Box For Prepaid Cards
By 2.26.14
In 2012, nearly 12 million consumers loaded more than $64 million onto prepaid debit cards. With so many people turning to these cards, more companies are getting into the prepaid debit business. To assist consumers faced with a plethora of card options, Pew Charitable Trusts unveiled a new model disclosure box for easy comparison of prepaid card fees and terms and conditions. [More]
CFPB Sues ITT Tech For Allegedly Exploiting Students, Pushing Predatory Loans
By 2.26.14
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a federal lawsuit against a well-known for-profit college chain, alleging the company exploited its students and pushed them into high-cost private student loans that were likely to end in default. [More]
House Passes Bill To Re-Legalize Cellphone Unlocking
By 2.26.14
A legislative effort to once again make it legal for consumers to unlock their cellphones without seeking their carriers’ permission is a step closer to reality after being passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. [More]
Woman Calls Cops On Herself To Defend Claim Of Raw Waffles
By 2.26.14
When you might be in trouble, it’s good to get ahead of the story. We’re not sure whether that’s what led a woman in Tampa, Florida to contact the authorities when a restaurant allegedly served her an uncooked waffle. Did she call the health department, or the Board of Breakfast Foods (which should be a thing)? Nope. She dialed 9-1-1. [More]
Citing 13 Fatalities, GM Expands Ignition Switch Recall To 1.37 Million Vehicles
By 2.26.14
When General Motors announced its recall of hundreds of thousands of Chevy Cobalt and Pontiac G5 vehicles for concerns about the ignition switch, it said the defect was tied to as many as six fatalities. Now the car company says the recall is significantly larger than originally believed and that a total of 13 people may have died as a result of the defect. [More]
Bank Of America’s Compliance With Federal Mortgage Program Being Investigated
By 2.26.14
While it’s still settling multibillion-dollar tabs tied to the mortgage meltdown, Bank of America continues to face new legal and regulatory pressure. Yesterday, the bank revealed that it is being investigated by federal authorities to see whether it has complied with a program aimed to ease the mortgage-lending process. [More]
Uncle Sam, Pre-Marital Counselor: The Approval Process Ahead For Comcast And TWC
By 2.25.14
The proposed merger of Comcast and Time Warner Cable, as it currently stands, looks like it could be a good move for the businesses and a bad move for consumers. But right now it’s still just that: a proposed merger. In order for this corporate marriage to move forward, federal regulators first have to approve the union–and that’s where it gets tricky. [More]
February Recall Roundup: Stop That Baby Walker!
By 2.25.14
In this month’s Recall Roundup, recalls are here to protect babies’ fingers, adults’ wrists, and anyone who uses a toilet. [More]
Protect Your Refund: Consumer Advocates Warn Tax Scammers Will Steal Your Identity
By 2.25.14
It’s that time of year again: tax time. While almost everyone is excited for their well-earned tax return to arrive, there’s a group of people ready to take that money away from you. Thankfully, the National Consumers League wants to make sure consumers don’t fall victim to tax ID thieves. [More]
FTC: Work-From-Home Coaching Services Scam Conned Millions From Consumers
By 2.24.14
Making thousands of dollars a month by working from your couch might seem like a dream come true. But don’t quit your day job just yet, because it’s most likely a scam. Fortunately, there’s now one less “work-from-home” scheme seducing consumers thanks to the Federal Trade Commission. [More]
Netflix Agrees To Pay Comcast To End Slowdown
By 2.23.14
For the last several months, Comcast Internet customers have complained about a drop in quality of the Netflix streams being delivered to their homes, and Netflix’s own data showed a massive decline in connection speeds starting in October. But today, the two companies announced they have reached a “mutually beneficial” agreement that will hopefully turn that trend around. [More]
Was Massive Beef Recall Caused By Dairy Cows With Eye Cancer?
By 2.21.14
We know that millions of pounds of beef that came through a California slaughterhouse and meat processing plant have been recalled because the plant “processed diseased and unsound animals.” Well, okay, but what does that mean? We don’t know that for sure yet, but the Village Voice talked to one rancher whose entire 2013 output is part of that massive recall. [More]
The DOT Wants To Know: Should Cell Phone Calls Be Allowed On Planes?
By 2.21.14
Back in December when the Federal Communications Commission announced it would start investigating whether or not it’s a good idea to lift the ban on cell phone calls on planes — from a technological point of view — the Department of Transportation was all, “Hold on, we’re going to look into this too.” The DOT is now turning to the public to hear your thoughts. [More]
Fitbit Voluntarily Recalls Rash-Inducing Force Wristbands
By 2.21.14
Since the first reports of contact dermatitis caused by Fitbit Force movement trackers surfaced on the company’s forums (and gained publicity when Consumerist broke the story last month) customers have asked that the company recall the trackers. Fitbit has been happy to refund customers who have skin problems and send their trackers back. Today, the company announced that they’re recalling all Force wristbands. [More]
FCC Wants First-Responders To Know Exactly Where 911 Calls Are Coming From
By 2.21.14
No one wants to be in a position where calling 911 is necessary, but if the situation does occur we’d all like to think first-responders could easily find us. But that’s just not the case now that more consumers are using cell phones to make emergency calls. Especially when those calls are being made indoors, out of the view of GPS satellites. [More]
Big Banks Don’t Want To Be Transparent About Checking Fees If Little Banks Don’t Have To Be
By 2.21.14
If we were to play a word-association game with the nation’s largest banks, we’re sure that terms like “fair” and “equitable” would be right on the tip of peoples’ tongues. And because big banks always play fair with everyone else, they are asking that their checking-account fees not be put under the regulatory microscope if smaller banks’ fees aren’t going be subject to the same scrutiny. [More]
