“Oh hell no!” Federal District Judge John F. Grady told a marauding group of car warranty robocallers who managed to annoy pretty much everyone over the past few months. The judge slapped two Florida companies with an immediate restraining order and froze their assets, which should be enough to finally end those maddening robocalls.
Government Policy
FTC Files Suit Against Car Warranty Robocallers
By 5.15.09
As anticipated, the FTC has filed suit in federal court in Chicago against many of the companies behind the car warranty robocalls plaguing the nation.
HP And Compaq Laptop Computer Batteries Recalled Due To Fire Hazard
By 5.14.09
HP announced today that laptop computer batteries have been recalled as a fire hazard due to risk of overheating. Affected models are HP Pavilion, Compaq Presario, HP, and HP Compaq computers sold from about August 2007 to March 2008. Find out if your computer is affected and get a replacement battery at HP’s site.
"Langostino Lobster" More Closely Related To Hermit Crab Than To Lobster
By 5.14.09
If you see the word “langostino” in front of “lobster” at your local seafood fast food chain (*cough* Long John Silvers), make sure you understand what it is you’re about to eat. In the US, langostino can refer to squat lobster, pelagic crab or Colorado langostino—all types of shellfish, and more closely related to crabs and, yes, hermit crabs than to lobsters. “Sweet Buttery Hermit Handfuls” wouldn’t be any more accurate than “Buttered Langostino Lobster Bites,” but it wouldn’t be any less accurate, either. And no, LJS, it doesn’t count if you put the shellfish pieces in a cardboard lobster tail.
Here's A Phishing Site Disguised To Trick Wells Fargo Customers
By 5.13.09
Freddie writes that his friend was tricked by a phishing email. All the warning signs were there to tip off his friend—an email saying he needed to click a link, a suspicious url, a page asking for his login info—but he clicked and entered the info anyway. Please do not be like Freddie’s friend, who is now probably on the phone with the real Wells Fargo trying to get his account number changed.
Frontline Investigates Bernie Madoff
By 5.13.09
PBS’s documentary show FRONTLINE took on Bernie Madoff this week, exposing the history of his operation and how the SEC let him slip through their fingers.
FDA to General Mills: Your Marketing Has Made Cheerios Into A Drug
By 5.12.09
Do you want to know something about Cheerios that, until recently, General Mills didn’t know? Of course you do. Cheerios is a drug. No, really. The WSJ Health Blog says that General Mills made a slight, um, let’s call it a “miscalculation” when they were drafting their marketing speech and by claiming that Cheerios is “clinically proven to lower cholesterol,” they inadvertently “cause[d] it to be a drug.” Whoopsies!
New York ATM Skimmer Crooks Stole $1.8 Million
By 5.12.09
Four Romanian nationals in Florida have been charged in a series of ATM skimmer frauds that targeted banks in New York City, Cicero (near Syracuse), NY, and Rochester, NY. They are charged with, among other things, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to commit credit card fraud. According to the Syracuse office of the Secret Service, they stole $1.8 million overall.
Guy Sues BK For $100,000 For Not Holding The Pickles, Onions & Tomatoes
By 5.11.09
A little over two years ago, a Virginia man ordered a a drink and two sandwiches from Burger King. He then proceeded to take a bite and swallow— before he realized that his “specific request for the omission of onions, pickles and tomatoes had not been complied with.” The result? A lawsuit for $100,000 filed in the Virginia Beach Circuit Court.
Breaking $20 $50 At McDonald's? Get Ready To Show Some ID
By 5.9.09
Who pays for a six-piece McNugget with a $20 $50 bill? Counterfeiters, that’s who, and the McDonald’s near Madison Square Garden is ready for them. Sorry guys, you’re going to have to ask Wendy’s to anonymously break your shadily large bills.
Big Brother Is Watching You Grocery Shop
By 5.8.09
Star fruit distributed by Melissa’s Produce between April 21 and May 5 is being recalled due to chemical residues. Mmmm. I’m having a hard time finding coverage of the recall itself, but one grocery store’s handling of the situation got my attention.
Create Your Own Opt-Out When A Company Ignores Your Requests
By 5.6.09
Mark started getting promotional emails from Hilton over a year ago, and he’s tried all sorts of opt-out strategies:
Former Domino's YouTube Gross Out Girl Can't Get A Job Now
By 5.6.09
Kristy Hammonds, the woman who filmed her friend Michael doing inappropriate things to the food they were supposed to be preparing, needs a job to feed her two kids. She says she’s been trying to get work at other fast food restaurants, though, which might be part of the problem.
Above And Beyond: Canon Replaces Broken 5-Year-Old Camera For Free
By 5.6.09
It shouldn’t surprise me when a company stands behind their products’ quality, but it really does. One reader was so happy with her experience with Canon that she had to share it with us.
8 Million Patient Records Stolen From Virginia State Database, Held For Ransom
By 5.5.09
The Washington Post says that a hacker encrypted 8 million patient prescription records from a Virginia state website last week, deleted the backups, and replaced the home page with a ransom note. If the state doesn’t pay $10 million within 7 days, the hacker has threatened to sell the data to the highest bidder.
Fund Stole From Clients, Got Lavished In Lap Dances
By 5.5.09
The SEC is pawing through the records of the collapsed investment firm Sentinel Management Group and getting lap dance remains all over their hands. Bloomberg reports it looks like SMG’s lead trader Charles Mosley sold their clients what now amount to worthless securities (“wallpaper,” says the guy in charge of unwinding the company), and the brokers he bought them from showered him with tickets to sporting events, limousine rides, and even underwrote his lap dances. Musta been fun while it lasted.
Obama Picks CPSC Head So They Can Finally Do Their Job
By 5.5.09
Obama nominated Inez Moore Tenenbaum as Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) head and Robert Adler as commissioner. He is also also Congress for $107 million more in funding and plans on beefing up the total number of commissioners to five. [Reuters] (Photo: ashi)
Brooklyn Cab Driver Convinces You He Has A Hedge Fund, Steals $20 Million
By 5.4.09
Oh look, another Mini-Madoff! Meet Alan Fishman, 49, a livery cab driver from Brooklyn, NY who convinced people he was a hedge fund mastermind.
