The Federal Trade Commission has finally sorted through the more than 2 million complaints filed by consumers during 2012, and once again identity theft identity theft was by far the most griped-about issue of them all. [More]
Government Policy
NHTSA Investigating 1.3 Million Fords, Toyotas & Hondas For Safety-Related Issues
By 2.25.13
There’s a whole lot of investigating going on right now at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and it includes almost 1.3 million vehicles from Toyota, Ford and Honda. All three are in potentially hot water for safety-related issues, from steering problems to brake issues. From the sound of it, the Prius is bearing the brunt of the scrutiny. [More]
Wegmans And King Arthur Recall Flour Due To Infestation Of Blue Balls
By 2.25.13
Wegmans, the Rochester, N.Y.-based chain that serves as the Platonic ideal of what a grocery store should be, currently has two recalls going. First came a recall of their in-store bread products, and now they’ve recalled bags of flour that may contain little blue balls. [More]
Tainted Sausages Prompt Recall And A Whole Lot Of Elbow Nudging
By 2.22.13 — Updated: 2.25.13
Connoisseurs of sausage know that the meat is much better without pieces of plastic gloves in it, which is why one company is recalling 38,000 pounds of sausage suspected to contain such foreign bits. The Gwaltney mild sausage rolls come in a one-pound package and may contain “small pieces of glove particles.” [More]
DOT Head Ray LaHood Paints Nightmarish Travel Picture If Sequestration Hits March 1
By 2.22.13 — Updated: 2.25.13
Maybe you haven’t been paying much attention to all the hullabaloo surrounding automatic government spending cuts that could go into effect next week, known as sequestration. It’s a lot to take in, as those cuts will be across-the-board and could be a problem for a wide variety of government agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration. As such, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood is painting a potentially annoying picture for air travel in the future. [More]
TSA Policies Are So Confusing It’s No Wonder A 3-Year-Old In A Wheelchair Gets Upset During Screening
By 2.22.13
The Transportation Security Administration is doing some quick apologizing after an incident that left a 3-year-old girl upset and crying when her parents were told she’d need to submit to a pat-down. The toddler has spina bifida and had reportedly already gone through security at Lambert- St. Louis International Airport, when her mom captured what appears to be TSA agents attempting to touch the tearful girl. [More]
FCC Yells At 2 Million People To Turn Those Darn Cell Phone Signal Boosters Off, Changes Its Mind
By 2.22.13
What’s an average citizen to do if they can’t get a cell phone call to go through, perhaps because they live far from cell towers or their network is just shoddy? About 2 million people in the United States currently use wireless signal boosters, devices that can help strengthen cell phone signals. The Federal Communications Commission adopted new rules on those yesterday, at first saying everyone would have to turn them off and get permission from carriers, but backpedaling shortly after. [More]
Kellogg’s Special K Red Berries Recalled Because Glass Is Not Part Of A Balanced Breakfast
By 2.20.13
If you noticed a little unexpected crunch in your Kellogg’s Special K Red Berries cereal, you might have been unlucky enough to buy one of the boxes that have been recalled over the possible presence of glass fragments. [More]
You Can’t Bring A Loaded Gun In Your Carry-On Even If You’re An NFL Player
By 2.19.13
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]
Debt Collectors Keep Calling About Bogus Debt, Even After Being Threatened With Suit
By 2.19.13
From calling at all hours of the day and night to contacting you at work, we’ve told you before about the large number of banned practices for debt collectors. But one man says he’s the victim of a tenacious debt collector trying to collect a debt he doesn’t even owe. [More]
Which ISPs Are Providing The Speeds They Advertise?
By 2.15.13
Once again, the FCC has put a wide range of Internet service providers to the test to see whether or not they are delivering on the speeds they advertise to customers. And while it the majority of ISPs are not far off, with a few actually over-delivering, some still have a way to go. [More]
Sen. Warren Asks Bank Regulators If “Too Big To Fail” Has Become “Too Big For Trial”
By 2.14.13
In her first hearing as a member of the Senate Banking Committee, Massachusetts Senator and longtime Consumerist favorite Elizabeth Warren grilled a panel of regulators on their tendency to settle with law-breaking banks rather than go to trial. [More]
Georgia Law Would Ban Public Broadband Service If Just One Person Has So-So Internet Access
By 2.14.13
A number of municipalities around the country, especially in rural areas, are considering public broadband networks as a way to spur development and enterprise. Yet legislators keep drafting laws intended to keep some citizens in the stone age — at least until the telecoms get around to building private networks. [More]
Group Calls For Limits On Sugar In Soft Drinks
By 2.13.13
The Center for Science in the Public Interest, which loves to ruin everyone’s day by reminding people of all the calories and fat in the foods we enjoy, are calling on the FDA to set a safe level of added sugars in soft drinks and other sweetened beverages. [More]
This Valentine’s Day, Tell Congress You’d Really Love Access To A Free, Reliable Credit Score
By 2.13.13
While the three major credit bureaus each allow you to access your credit report once a year at no charge through annualcreditreport.com, getting your actual credit score will likely cost you some money. [More]
Airlines Mishandled Fewer Bags Last Year Maybe Because We Hate Paying To Check Them
By 2.12.13
The good news is that the Department of Transportation says airlines are mishandling fewer bags than before, with a nice little 8% drop in the amount of “lost, damaged, delayed or pilfered” pieces of luggage from 2011 to 2012. But before we go slapping airlines on the back with a hearty “good job!” pat, perhaps it’s just because passengers are keeping their personal effects out of the hands of baggage handlers. [More]
Some Lean Cuisine Ravioli Recalled Because “Fragments Of Broken Glass” Wasn’t Listed As An Ingredient
By 2.11.13
Some people like crunchy food, but most of us don’t enjoy the sensation of chewing on glass. This is why Nestlé has recalled some of its Lean Cuisine Culinary Collection Mushroom Mezzaluna Ravioli. [More]
How A Homeowners Association Went Bankrupt Because Of One Obama Yard Sign
By 2.11.13
Back in 2008, a couple in Olde Fairhaven, Virginia put up a sign in their lawn showing their support for a presidential candidate. This simple action led to a feud that has raged for years and cost the neighborhood homeowners association hundreds of thousands of dollars. Now the HOA is broke, and the central “town square” that turns a clump of townhouses into something resembling a community is up for sale. [More]
