Once again, federal lawmakers are trying to close a recently opened loophole that allows the federal government — and, by extension, contractors working for the government — to blast out automated, unwanted, possibly incorrect, debt-collection robocalls. [More]
Government Policy
Lawmakers Try Again To Close Loophole Allowing Government To Make Debt-Collection Robocalls
By 3.8.17
Prison Emails Inmates Social Security Numbers To Convicted ID Thief
By 3.8.17
We don’t know why a man previously convicted of identity theft (and making bomb threats) would be sending public record requests for current prison rosters. Everyone needs a hobby, right? The ID thief in this story received a bonus when one prison sent him the list of more than 2,000 inmates’ names: their full Social Security numbers. [More]
Hospital, Doctors Groups Say They Can’t Support Current Obamacare Replacement Proposal
By 3.8.17
People are still dissecting and deciding where they come down in response to the recently proposed legislation to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act. Yesterday, two of the largest groups in the American healthcare business advised lawmakers that they are not thrilled with what they’ve seen so far. [More]
Senators Officially Introduce Resolution To Reverse ISP Privacy Rule
By 3.8.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Back in October, the Federal Communications Commission adopted a rule limiting what ISPs can or can’t do with your personal data. As expected, lawmakers are now attempting to overturn this new rule through use of the Congressional Review Act. [More]
Congress Set Up For Showdown Over Consumers’ Ability To Sue Corporations
By 3.7.17
A subject that many Americans don’t even know about — until it’s too late for them to do anything — is now shaping up to be a battleground between lawmakers in both the House and Senate, where two very different sets of legislation will go head to head to determine whether or not companies can strip their customers of their constitutional right to file a lawsuit in court — and their First Amendment right to speak freely. [More]
Key Players Give Their Opinions — For And Against — On GOP’s Obamacare Replacement
By 3.7.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
After years of railing against the Affordable Care Act and calling for its repeal, and following weeks of secrecy, coyness, and treasure hunts around Capitol Hill, GOP lawmakers have finally proposed this much-awaited legislation. Now that it’s out there, what are folks from all sides of the political spectrum saying? [More]
4 Things Consumers Should Know About WikiLeaks’ Dump Of CIA ‘Vault 7’ Documents
By 3.7.17
Earlier today, WikiLeaks unleashed a trove of what it claims are thousands of pages of CIA documents containing details on the intelligence agency’s abilities to breach a variety of consumer products to collect data and spy on people. [More]
Congressional Committees Release Text Of Obamacare Repeal & Replacement Bills
By 3.6.17 — Updated: 3.7.17
The piece of legislation that has been the hottest ticket in D.C. — the GOP effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act — is beginning to take shape, with the release by the House Committee On Energy & Commerce and the House Ways & Means Committee of their proposals to undo the healthcare reform legislation. [More]
U.S. Safety Regulator: Dish Network Techs Shouldn’t Upsell TV Service While Fixing Samsung Washers
By 3.6.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
We recently reported that Samsung had contracted with Dish Network to do in-home repairs on the millions of Samsung top-loading washers recalled in 2016. We also heard from a number of people who said that the Dish techs tried to upsell them on satellite TV service while they were doing these washing machine repairs. Dish downplayed this sort of in-home marketing, but the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says repair techs should be focused on their work. The CPSC also says it investigating at least one incident that appears to have occurred after a washer was repaired. [More]
Announcing A New Open-Source Privacy Standard For The Internet Of Things
By 3.6.17
At Consumerist, consumer privacy and data security have been growing areas of coverage over the past few years. We regularly write about policies, corporate and government alike, that either threaten or help safeguard your privacy. We cover data breaches big and small, and investigate tips from you, our readers. We offer advice about good practices that can help protect you and your data, and try to give you a heads-up when a company changes something that might affect you. And when your kid’s doll is recording what you say and sending the information to a defense contractor — Consumerist is there.
But we’re excited to announce a new initiative that will allow us to do much, much more. [More]
Lawmakers Urge In-Depth Review Of Santander Bank’s Practices After Discrimination Allegations
By 3.3.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Santander Bank has faced a number of issues in recent years, from an investigation into its auto loan business to receiving a $10 million fine over alleged illegal overdraft practices. More recently, the company received a failing grade from regulators when it came to its community lending business, prompting lawmakers to condemn the bank’s alleged discrimination and urge federal banking regulators to review the financial institution’s practices. [More]
White House Exempts Keystone XL Pipeline From “Buy American” Mandate
By 3.3.17
Despite recent declarations by the White House that new oil pipelines would be required to be made with steel and iron sourced from within the U.S., the administration has confirmed that the recently resurrected proposal for a pipeline running from Nebraska to Alberta is exempt from this mandate. [More]
New Legislation Seeks To End Federal Ban On Marijuana
By 3.2.17
The same week that the White House likened legalized recreational marijuana to the opioid epidemic, and let it be known that the Justice Department will likely begin cracking down on non-medical pot, a Republican Congressman from Virginia introduced a law that, if passed, would put an end to the federal criminalization of marijuana. [More]
Members Of Congress Literally Chasing Each Other Around Capitol Hill Trying To Find Text Of Obamacare Repeal Bill
By 3.2.17 — Updated: 3.3.17
Since Nov. 8, 2016, Congressional Republicans and the White House have said they would immediately move to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, but apart from some leaked details, no concrete legislation has surfaced. A draft bill reportedly exists, but it’s not just being kept from public view; lawmakers from both parties are desperately scrambling to get a peek at the text. [More]
IRS Waiting On 1 Million Taxpayers To Claim Almost $1B In Refunds From 2013
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
There is free money to be had, but you don’t have much time: Just like last year, the Internal Revenue Service says about one million taxpayers have yet to collect nearly a billion dollars in federal refunds from the 2013 tax year. [More]
FCC Officially Blocks Part Of ISP Privacy Rule From Taking Effect
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
As it was foretold, so it has come to pass: The Federal Communications Commission, under the direction of its new Chairman Ajit Pai, has taken action to block a portion of its own new privacy rule for internet service providers. [More]
Former NFL Player Will Allen Sentenced To 6 Years For Ponzi Scheme
By 3.1.17
Will Allen, a former first-round draft pick for the New York Giants who also played for the Miami Dolphins (and was technically a member of the New England Patriots, though he never played a game), has been sentenced, along to six years behind bars for his part in a Ponzi scheme that authorities say swindled $35 million from investors who thought they were lending money to pro athletes. [More]
19 People Indicted For Money Laundering, CEO Scams, Imaginary Car Scams
By 3.1.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Have you ever wondered about the people who lurk behind scam emails asking for mysterious wire transfers, or who post ads for suspiciously cheap cars that never materialize after the buyer sends a payment? Today, the Department of Justice outed a few of these unscrupulous types, indicting 19 people for allegedly laundering money and perpetrating a variety of international financial scams. [More]
