Here’s a good rule of thumb: if a window pops up on your computer alerting you that your device has been compromised by a malware attack and offers to fix the problem by calling a toll-free number, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. To that end: federal regulators and the state of Florida have accused an international tech support operation of bilking millions of dollars from American consumers. [More]
Government Policy
NHTSA Investigating Ford Explorers Over Concerns Exhaust Could Enter Cabin
By 7.8.16
Federal regulators are investigating complaints from more than 150 Ford Explorer owners that potentially dangerous exhaust fumes may be leaking into the SUV’s cabin.
[More]
After 215 Reported Injuries, Pacific Cycle Recalls 217K Strollers
By 7.7.16
When strapping your child into a stroller for a quick jaunt around the block, the last thing you would expect is for the front wheel to detach, causing the stroller to crash to the ground. But after receiving reports of more than 132 incidents – resulting in 215 injuries – Pacific Cycle is recalling more than 217,000 Instep and Schwinn brand jogging strollers. [More]
Comcast: FCC’s Set-Top Box Proposal’s Impossible. FCC: Nuh-Uh. Who’s Right?
By 7.7.16
The FCC’s got a proposal in the works right now that Comcast doesn’t like. This is not a shock; Comcast has generally not liked any headlining proposals from the FCC in recent years. Some of the cable giant’s complaints are undoubtedly just sound and noise, signifying nothing other than “we like profit, don’t screw with our thing.” But maybe some of its technological complaints have merit. [More]
Best-Selling Author & Convicted Liar Kevin Trudeau Makes Pitch To Supreme Court
By 7.7.16
Two years after being sentenced to a decade in federal prison for repeatedly defrauding American consumers, best-selling liar Kevin Trudeau is hoping that the U.S. Supreme Court will take a different view of his case than all of the previous courts. [More]
AT&T Says It Hates Robocalls Too; Still Not Giving Most Customers A Way To Block Them
By 7.7.16
AT&T CEO Randall “Dandy Randy” Stephenson has inaccurately claimed that his company can’t proactively block robocalls because it first needs permission from the FCC, and AT&T employees have more than a dozen different — sometimes bizarre — explanations for why the telecom giant has done nothing to rein in these unwanted, pre-recorded and auto-dialed calls. Now AT&T is claiming it is “working hard” to solve the problem, but that hard work does not involve providing a method for most customers to actually block these unwanted calls. [More]
Supplement Maker Must Stop Claiming “Elimidrol” Can Relieve Opiate Withdrawal
By 7.6.16 — Updated: 1.11.17
Last year, Sunrise Nutraceuticals was one of more than 100 supplement companies sued by the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly making unfounded health or disease-treatment claims. To settle that suit, Sunrise has agreed to suspend allegedly false claims that its Elimidrol dietary supplement can alleviate the symptoms of opiate withdrawal. [More]
FCC Confirms: Entire U.S. Government Allowed To Place Annoying Robocalls
By 7.6.16
Last fall, Congress passed — and the President signed — an emergency budget bill that opened up a loophole that allows federal agencies, and private companies working on the government’s behalf, to make debt collection robocalls. However, a recently released ruling from the Federal Communications Commissions makes it clear that the entire U.S. government is exempt from rules limiting the use of robocalls to American consumers, so long at it involves government business. [More]
Second Crash Reported Involving Tesla Vehicle Operating In Autopilot
By 7.6.16
UPDATE: Tesla is now claiming that, counter to police accounts of the incident, the autopilot mode may not have been engaged at the time of the crash.
Less than a week after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an inquiry into the fatal crash of a Tesla vehicle operating in its semi-autonomous “autopilot” mode, a second self-driving Tesla has reportedly been involved in a crash. [More]
Nearly 501,000 Hoverboards Recalled Over Safety, Fire Hazards
By 7.6.16
Nearly five months ago, major retailer pulled “hoverboard” scooters from shelves after the Consumer Product Safety Commission said the not-actually-hovering devices were unsafe unless they met certain standards. Now the federal safety agency is announcing an official recall of around 501,000 hoverboards. [More]
FTC Investigating Ashley Madison, New CEO Confirms
By 7.6.16
The hack that leaked 30 million customers’ data all over the internet may be a year in the past, but things are still rough for intentional-infidelity dating site Ashley Madison, which now finds itself the target of a federal probe. [More]
Use Of 3D Scans On Carry-On Bags Could Reduce TSA Wait Times By 30%
By 7.5.16
For much of the spring and beginning of the summer, the Transportation Security Administration and airlines have worked — and spent millions of dollars — to alleviate long lines at security checkpoints at the nation’s airports. Today, the agency unveiled two additional measures to speed things along: computed tomography (CT) scanners to inspect carry-on bags and automated checkpoints. [More]
Massive IKEA Dresser Recall Means Long Phone Queues, Illegal Resales Online
By 7.1.16
IKEA is finally offering a fairly consumer-friendly recall on furniture that has tragically killed six children in the last three decades. Unfortunately, the massive recall effort is not exactly going as planned to keep the dangerous dressers out of consumers’ homes. [More]
NHTSA Is Looking Into Fatal Crash Of Tesla Model S In Autopilot Mode
By 6.30.16
Last fall, Tesla released a beta version of Autopilot, a software upgrade that would let the car take over some driving functions, including steering, cruise control, and lane changes. Today, the company announced some sad news: the first fatal crash in of one of the company’s vehicles while in autopilot mode happened in northern Florida in May. [More]
Airbags In 2001 To 2003 Hondas And Acuras Are The Most Dangerous, Need To Be Fixed Now
By 6.30.16
Since people now tend to keep our cars longer than we used to, there are still plenty of model year 2001, 2002, and 2003 cars from Honda and Acura still on the road. Recent tests show that each time one of the vehicles’ airbags deploys, there’s up to a 50% chance that it will rupture, posing a serious risk to drivers and passengers. [More]
Listen To A Guy With Experience Talk About Fireworks Safety
By 6.30.16
This holiday weekend, many Americans will no doubt be in the mood to celebrate Independence Day with brightly colored fireworks that go “whiz!” and “bang!” and make us all proud we got rid of the British early on. But no matter how fun fireworks can be, they can also be very, very dangerous. To bring that message home, New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul is sharing the story of how he lost part of his hand in a firework accident [More]
FDA: Stop Eating Raw Cookie Dough Or Making Home-Made Play-Dough For Now
By 6.30.16
For years, raw chocolate chip cookie dough was a forbidden treat. Everyone said — rightly or wrongly — that you shouldn’t consume it because the uncooked eggs could make you sick. Then came special commercial dough preparations that worked around that, and there was much rejoicing (and many ice cream sales). But now, alas, cookie dough is back off the table, as are any other uncooked treats… and this time, it’s all down to the flour. [More]
FDA Wants Proof That Antibacterial Hand-Sanitizing Products Are Actually Effective
By 6.29.16
While you may have a personal choice of antibacterial hand-sanitizing product to wipe, slather, and squirt your way to germ-free mitts, there’s one thing all those products all have in common: they should actually work. [More]
