Back in December, the Federal Communications Commission wrote to their pals at the Federal Aviation Administration about reconsidering its hard-and-fast rules regarding the use of approved electronics during takeoff and landing. Looks like the FAA might be getting the message. [More]
Government Policy
Natura Pet Recalls Four Brands Of Cat And Dog Foods For Possible Salmonella Contamination
By 3.19.13 — Updated: 3.20.13
It seems like only a week ago that we last shared with you the news of a pet food recall––because it was. This week, a kibble sample from Natura Pet turned up with salmonella bacteria, and the company has recalled a wide variety of cat and dog kibbles sold under the California Natural, Evo, Healthwise, and Innova brand names. [More]
Consumer Advocates To Senators: American Airlines & US Airways Merger Would Hurt Fliers
By 3.19.13
Today American Airlines and its betrothed, US Airways had to defend their proposed merger in front of a Senate hearing and several consumer advocates. Citing higher fares, reduced service to smaller communities in the U.S. and a loss of competition among carriers, opponents of the impending nuptials testified at a Judiciary Committee hearing that such a joint venture would hurt consumers. [More]
Senate Panel Gives Thumbs-Up To Confirming CFPB Director Cordray
By 3.19.13
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray moved one step closer to sticking around as the young agency’s head this morning, with the Senate Banking Committee narrowly giving its approval to his confirmation. [More]
Neiman Marcus, Other Retailers, Settle Charges Of Selling Fake Fur That Contained Actual Fur
By 3.19.13
There are a lot of people out there who like the look and feel of fur, but have a problem with the idea of actually wearing it. That’s why there is faux fur. But what’s the point of going faux when some retailers don’t divulge that a fake fur product might indeed be the real deal? [More]
TSA Chief Admits He Could’ve Rolled Out The Knives On Planes Policy In A Better Way
By 3.15.13
When the head of the Transportation Security Administration announced recently that passengers could start bringing certain small knives and golf clubs on airplanes, quite a few in the airline industry were a bit perturbed, including many flight attendants. Pistole admitted yesterday that he could’ve rolled that policy out in a smoother manner. [More]
The Secret To Delicious No-Sugar-Added Baking: Tasty, Tasty Sugar
By 3.15.13
What’s the secret to totally delicious healthy, no-sugar-added baking? Fat and sugar, of course! This re-enactment of a classic “Seinfeld” episode is brought to you by Butterfly Bakery of New Jersey, where three out of the company’s 45 varieties of baked goods were shown to contain a lot more saturated fat and sugar than the label stated. By “a lot,” we mean twice the saturated fat listed on the label, and three times the sugar. [More]
$917 Million In Refunds Awaits 984,000 People Who Didn’t File Federal Tax Return In 2009
By 3.14.13
A lot of people who fail to file their taxes each year do so because they assume they will have to owe money or won’t be getting anything back. But the IRS says there is nearly a billion dollars in unclaimed returns from 2009, and that it needs to be claimed by April 15, 2013, or it goes into Uncle Sam’s pocket. [More]
Honda, Acura Recall 182,000 Vehicles For Problems With Vehicle Stability Assist System
March 14, 2013
Honda has issued recalls of 101,000 Honda Pilots, 60,000 Acura MDX vehicles, and 21,000 Acura RLs (model year 2005, along with a few MDXs from 2006) over concerns and complaints about malfunctions with the Vehicle Stability Assist systems in these models. All the pertinent details are in this PDF. [More]
FTC Says Social Media Ads Have To Be Held To Same Rules As Traditional Ads
By 3.13.13
One of the important duties held by the Federal Trade Commission is making sure ads don’t mislead consumers. Yesterday the FTC set out clear rules for short-form ads on social media like Twitter and Facebook as well. Namely, they have to be held to the same basic requirement as other advertising — be upfront about what’s going on. [More]
IRS: H&R Block Causing Refund Delays After Bungling 600,000 Tax Returns
By 3.12.13
Many of us find the Internal Revenue Service’s income tax return pretty darn difficult to figure out, which is why companies like H&R Block exist — ostensibly, to help customers maneuver the complicated forms and get them a nice tax refund if possible. But it seems H&R finds those forms confusing, too. [More]
FDA Says Writing Menu Labeling Regulations That Please Everyone Is A Tough Task
By 3.12.13
If you’re hankering for a calorie count on your local restaurant chain’s menus, it’s going to be awhile: the Food and Drug Administration says it’s finding the task of writing up menu labeling regulations a very tricky one. The requirement to include calorie counts on menus and in vending machines is part of the 2010 health care law, but the rules on which businesses must comply have yet to be written. [More]
One Complaint To CFPB Fixes Mortgage Snafu That 9 Months Of Dealing With The Bank Couldn’t
By 3.12.13
As Consumer Financial Protection Bureau director Richard Cordray pointed out in his testimony before the Senate Banking Committee this morning, more than 130,000 American consumers have used the agency’s numerous complaint portals to help resolve their problems with financial institutions. Consumerist reader Charles is just one of those people who still has a house because the CFPB was able to accomplish in a few days what no one else could in almost a year. [More]
CFPB Director Cordray To Make His Case For Another Term Tomorrow
By 3.11.13
A little more than a year after taking the reins as the first Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Richard Cordray will be appearing tomorrow before the Senate Banking Committee to answer questions and make his case for another term at the Bureau’s helm. [More]
Feds Shut Down Telemarketing Scam Aimed At Elderly
By 3.11.13
It’s bad enough to call up an elderly person and mislead him or her into paying a pile of cash for a medical alert service they don’t need or want. But what takes one Brooklyn-based telemarketing scheme to the next level was its alleged tendency to bill consumers thousands of dollars for something they never ordered. [More]
Undercover TSA Inspector Gets Through Airport Security Just Fine With Fake Bomb In His Pants
By 3.11.13
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]
March Recall Roundup: This Garlic Slicer Prefers Human Fingers
By 3.11.13
In this month’s Recall Roundup for consumer goods, crossbows fire at will, snorkeling masks buckle under pressure, and garlic slicers are out to slice your fingers instead. [More]
