In January, federal regulators announced they had put a stop to an apartment rental scam in which homes (that may not exist) are listed online with the sole purpose of tricking prospective renters into paying for “credit checks” that will never be done. Now, the operators of the scheme must pay $762,000 to put an end to the Federal Trade Commission’s allegations. [More]
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Researcher Claims Equifax Systems Contained Second Breach-Vulnerable Flaw
By 10.27.17
Could Equifax have suffered a second data breach following the massive hack exposing the personal information of more than 145.5 million consumers? It’s possible, according to a security researcher who claims to have found a second, separate security vulnerability within the company. [More]
How To Donate To Disaster Relief Operations In Puerto Rico
By 9.25.17
Millions of Americans in Puerto Rico are without power, water, or homes in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Some of us who want to help with the effort to provide for these victims and to rebuild their lives may be overwhelmed by trying to figure out the best way to do so, and how to not get taken in by scams. [More]
It’s Not Just The U.S. — Equifax Security Issues Causing Headaches Around The World
By 9.13.17
We already know that more than 143 million Americans’ personal identify information was compromised as part of Equinox’s two-month-long data breach. If you thought that was bad enough, it gets worse: The credit reporting agency’s lax data security may have affected tens of millions more consumers across the world. [More]
People Paid $75 To Receive Sad, Cold, Tiny Slices At ‘Fyre Festival Of Pizza’
By 9.12.17
When you pay in advance for tickets to a food festival, you expect an event that serves large quantities of said food, right? Yet people who bought tickets to pizza and burger festivals held in Brooklyn on Saturday found tiny and cold slices of pizza, warm drinks, and a long wait before they could even get to that subpar food. [More]
That Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte May Cost You More This Year
By 9.5.17
It’s that time of year again: Starbucks is kicking off pumpkin spice latte season by raising its prices for some U.S. customers. [More]
Judge Throws Out Lawsuit Alleging Zillow’s Zestimates Harm Homeowners
By 8.25.17
Zillow’s controversial “Zestimate” lives to see another day: A federal judge dismissed a three-month-old lawsuit that sought to end the real estate listing site’s practice of estimating a home’s value, claiming it wasn’t just inaccurate, it actually hurt homeowners and homebuilders. [More]
Ad Watchdog Group Calls For Investigation Into Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop
By 8.23.17 — Updated: 8.24.17
From paying $425 for a cleanse to claiming “healing stickers” are made from material designed for NASA space suits, Gwyneth Paltrow’s “modern lifestyle brand” Goop is no stranger to controversy. Now, a consumer watchdog group is asking regulators in California to investigate the product line for deceptive advertising. [More]
Facebook Changing Its News Feed Again, Here’s What To Expect
By 8.3.17
Facebook is continually updating its Newsfeed algorithm and what users see, from testing auto-play ads to reducing clickbait. Now, the social media behemoth is at it again, this time giving pages that load faster higher priority in your feed and offering fact-checked articles when false news articles are posted. [More]
You Still Can’t Fire Up An E-Cigarette On Your Flight
By 7.21.17
If you were hoping to fire up that electronic cigarette on your next flight, you better think again: The use of e-cigarettes is still prohibited on commercial flights, an appeals court ruled Friday. [More]
Can Border Patrol Agents Search The Data Your Phone Stores In The Cloud?
By 7.13.17
While police must have a warrant to search someone’s phone in the U.S. — even after that person has been arrested — what can law enforcement do with gadgets seized at the border? For one thing, U.S. Customs and Border Protection says its officers are limited to searching phone content that is saved directly to the device, and not on the cloud — including social media. [More]
Dunkin’ Donuts Customer Says “Angus Steak” Sandwiches Aren’t Actually Steak
By and 6.30.17 — Updated: 7.5.17
Yes, the meat in Dunkin’ Donuts’ Angus Steak breakfast sandwiches may look more like a sausage patty than a porterhouse or a ribeye, but does that mean it’s not actually “steak”? One customer says the sandwich doesn’t meet a federal definition for that term. But there’s a big bird-shaped problem with that definition. [More]
Which Fireworks Are Legal In My State?
By 6.30.17
This holiday weekend is a long one, giving people everywhere ample opportunity to stock up on all manner of fireworks from not-at-all sketchy roadside vendors conveniently situated near the state border. But are you actually allowed to set off those Big Bang Boomers and Star Spangled ‘Splosions, or are you limited to staring into the glinting abyss of a sparkler, hoping to recapture the simple joys of youth? [More]
Google Wiping Private Medical Records From Search Results
By 6.23.17
If the thought of a stranger accessing your medical history online gives you the creeps, you’re not alone: In an effort to tamp down on the spread of such private information, Google has started wiping private medical records from its search results. [More]
McDonald’s Now Accepting Job Applications Via Snapchat
By 6.12.17
As part of an effort to hire 250,000 workers this summer, McDonald’s is expanding into social media to lure the millennial set: It’ll be accepting applications via Snapchat. [More]
Facebook Tweaks News Feed In Effort To Reduce “Low-Quality” Links
By 5.10.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
Over the past year, Facebook has made several changes to its News Feed algorithm to ensure the posts you see are legit. Now, the social network is at it again, this time tweaking the News Feed to reduce the visibility of links to misleading, ad-covered pages. [More]
‘Financial CHOICE Act 2.0’ Blasted By Retailers & Lawmakers
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
The retail industry has already politely asked Congress to please not roll back financial reforms involving debit card transactions, but as lawmakers on Capitol Hill inch closer to undoing these protections, retailers are once again voicing their concerns that undoing the 2010 law will lead to higher prices and hurt small businesses. [More]
Twitter Says Trump Administration Has Dropped Demand For User’s Identity
By 4.7.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Twitter has dismissed its lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, saying that the Trump Administration has rescinded its demand that the social media service turn over information about the real identity of a Twitter user who claims to be a federal employee. [More]
