Even though an overwhelming number of Consumerist readers thought NY state’s proposed “soda tax” on high calorie beverages was nothing but a cash grab, NYC Mayor ad eternum Michael Bloomberg says he’s all for it, calling it an easy fix. [More]
Government Policy
New Program Wants To Help You Sell Your Home At A Loss
By 3.8.10
While some indicators seem to say that the economy is turning around or at least not getting worse, there are still millions of homes out there that are at risk of foreclosure. And since so many of those outstanding mortgages were based on grossly inflated home prices, the odds of finding a buyer that will pay off the mortgage are slim. However, a new program about to take effect in April will encourage lenders to accept less than they’re owed. [More]
It's National Consumer Protection Week!
By 3.8.10
The FTC has designated this week National Consumer Protection Week, so all scams will be put on hold and businesses won’t overcharge you until next Sunday. What, no? That’s now how it works? Ah… it looks like it’s more about consumer education, which is also a good thing since that will help consumers protect themselves year round. For adults, here’s a whole page of various scam prevention tips, fact sheets, and videos. If you’re an educator, you can enroll in the National Financial Capability Challenge and get an “educator toolkit” to help you teach students how to be smart consumers. There’s a section for businesses too, with information on how to protect customers’ personal info and deter ID theft. [More]
Salmonella In Common Food Additive Leads To Recall Of Pretty Much Every Food Ever
By 3.7.10
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is a flavor enhancer, similar in composition and tastiness to the much-maligned monosodium glutamate, that is seemingly unavoidable. Thanks to salmonella contamination in the HVP paste at Basic Food Flavors, Inc. in Las Vegas, the FDA has recalled every food containing the product, ranging from salty snacks to salad dressings to soup and gravy mixes. The list of recalled foods containing the product is still growing, and encompasses familiar brand names ranging from Walmart’s Great Value brand to McCormick to Trader Joe’s. Now we now get to find out exactly how complex our food supply is and how widely used an additive HVP is. [More]
How Can I Make The Scamtastic Junk Mail Stop?
By 3.6.10 — Updated: 7.15.14
Jon needs help in getting out from under a pile of junk mail. He writes that after falling for a psychic scam, his grandparents have ended up on mailing lists advertising every scam imaginable. They receive about one hundred pieces of mail per week. He wants to stop the deluge, but isn’t sure how. Can the Consumerist hive mind help him? [More]
Judge Sues Sam's Club, Walmart, Alleging Bad Customer Service Led Him To Be Committed
By 3.5.10
It’s a story that sounds too odd to be true, but a judge in Brownsville, Texas, has filed a lawsuit against his local Sam’s Club, the store’s manager and the store’s parent company Walmart Stores Inc., alleging that a bad customer service experience led to his arrest and involuntary commitment to two mental health facilities. [More]
New Airport Screening Machines To Launch Monday
By 3.5.10
Starting Monday, some passengers at Boston’s Logan Airport will have the honor and privilege of being the first to be scanned by a new machine that probably costs more than their house. And this is just the beginning of the Dept. of Homeland Security’s plan to install 450 of the sparkly new terrorist detectors in airports across the nation over the next year. [More]
SEC Sues Psychic For Not Actually Being Able To See Future
By 3.5.10
On his personal website, “natural psychic and Remote Viewer” Sean David Morton claims to have predicted everything from the 1989 San Francisco earthquake to Bill Clinton’s impeachment to the burst of the dotcom bubble. But that doesn’t impress the SEC, who filed a lawsuit against Morton yesterday, alleging that he committed $6 million worth of securities fraud by claiming he could see into the future. [More]
Lawsuit Filed Over Netflix/Warner 28-Day Waiting Period
By 3.4.10
Is anyone really surprised it came to this? A Netflix subscriber isn’t happy about having to wait 28 days for Warner Home Video movies to be made available on the video delivery service, so she’s filed a class action lawsuit. [More]
US Fidelis Files Chapter 11, No Longer Sells Warranty-Like Objects
By 3.4.10
Extended car warranty company US Fidelis already stopped selling new car service contracts and laid off over half of their staff at the end of 2009, and has now filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. [More]
Why A Salad Costs More Than A Big Mac
By 3.4.10
This is why you’re fat.
Health vs. Pork: Congress Debates the Farm Bill [Good Medicine]
AT&T Thinks You Should Pay Their Disability Claims
By 3.4.10
Not only does AT&T give you service you can’t use and then continue to bill for it, they also apparently want you to pay the disability claim when one of their employees injures himself on your property. [More]
Target Employees Say They Were Shooed Away Due To High Salaries
By 3.4.10
Target says it’s not into saving on salaries by demoting and laying off longtime workers, but the Tucson Weekly reports a bunch of fired longtime Target employees believe the company discriminated against them because of their ages, among other reasons. [More]
The Post Office Keeps Losing My GameFly Video Games
By 3.4.10
Josh tries to keep up with the hamster wheel of video game releases through GameFly, the Netflix of gaming, but the USPS can’t seem to get the game envelopes to him. His story brings to mind the troubles GameFly has long had with the Postal Service. [More]
VIDEO: Obama Gets Advice In Middle Of The Night From Former/Dead Presidents
By 3.3.10
While Barack Obama stresses out at night in the White House, he’s visited by former Presidents George and George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan… all of whom seem to have an opinion on the Consumer Financial Protection Agency. [More]
Court Awards Custody Of Grandmother's Frozen Head To Cryonics Company
By 3.3.10
There are many things that a family needs to consider and in the weeks and months after a loved one’s death. A court battle over legal custody of her frozen head should not be one of those things, but that’s what a Colorado family faces after the death of their 71-year-old grandmother. [More]
NYPD Officer Says He Has Arrest, Ticket Quota
By 3.3.10
The arrest and ticket quota is supposed to be an urban myth, but one NYPD officer told ABCNews that it is anything but. He works in the Bronx and says he’s “not going to keep arresting innocent people.” [More]
Think Your Recalled Toyota Is Fixed? Maybe Not
By 3.3.10
As Toyota continues to slog through the millions of cars and trucks on it massive recall list, several drivers whose vehicles have been to the dealer and back are saying that there cars are still experiencing problems with sudden acceleration and bad braking. [More]
