The late Tupac Shakur might no longer have any say over how his image is used, but that doesn’t mean you can use a photograph of the famed rapper without getting permission from the photographer. [More]
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Feds Shut Down Debt Collector That Allegedly Collected $2.1M In Unowed Debts
By 8.31.17
Once again, as part of its ongoing efforts to crack down on unscrupulous debt collectors, the Federal Trade Commission has accused a North Carolina company of running a “phantom” debt collection scheme that went after people for money that they did not actually owe. [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]
Goop Suggests Its Critics Are Seeking Attention, Might Just Be Jealous
By 7.14.17
Gwyneth Paltrow’s “modern lifestyle brand” Goop offers customers a range of tips, tricks, and products to make their lives better and healthier, but these products and recommendations are often met with criticism from doctors, scientists, and even NASA astronauts, one of which recently called BS on the site’s claim that “healing stickers” contained the same material as space suits. But all of that criticism appears to be getting to the company, as it recently singled out a doctor who calls out the site on her blog. [More]
Target Customer Takes Retailer To Court After Two-Ton Red Ball Crashes Into Car
By 5.16.17
A New Jersey Target customer whose car was damaged after a red, two-ton cement ball came loose in front of a store is now taking the retailer to court because she says Target’s insurance company won’t pay to fix her vehicle. [More]
Comcast To Discontinue Some Ads That Take Aim At DirecTV
By 4.4.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Seven months after Comcast was warned by an ad watchdog to check itself before wrecking itself when it came to badmouthing DirectTV, the same organization has recommended that the cable behemoth discontinue ads that allegedly exaggerate its rival’s problem with satellite signal interruptions. [More]
NetSpend To Pay $53M To Resolve Allegations It Misled Prepaid Card Customers
By 4.3.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
NetSpend, one of the nation’s largest providers of prepaid debit cards, will pay $53 million to resolve federal regulator’s accusations that it misled users about access to funds deposited to the cards. [More]
Alibaba Says Companies Are Filing Fake Claims About Counterfeit Products
By 2.9.17
Five months ago, designer brands complained that Alibaba wasn’t doing enough to rid its site of counterfeiters. Now, the e-commerce megasite claims that it’s being victimized by fakes — not bogus products, but allegedly false complaints about vendors selling counterfeit products. [More]
Apple Sues Qualcomm For $1B Over Alleged Antitrust Violations
By 1.20.17
Days after federal regulators sued smartphone and device chip maker Qualcomm accusing it of antitrust violations, one of the company’s largest customers, Apple, is following suit, seeking $1 billion in damages. [More]
Walmart Sued For Selling Mislabeled Welspun Egyptian Cotton Sheets
By 11.8.16
Two months after textile manufacturer Welspun was sued for allegedly fraudulently labeling its bedding as premium Egyptian cotton, Walmart — which sold and then pulled the products — is facing a lawsuit of its own. [More]
You’ve Got Two Months Left To File A Claim In PayPal Class Action Settlement
By 7.27.16
Earlier this year, PayPal reached a settlement in a class action lawsuit, agreeing to provide some users with payments ranging from $3 to $440 to resolve allegations the company improperly handled disputed transactions and placed inappropriate holds or reserves on some sellers’ funds. Now, the settlement has a firm claim filing deadline, Oct. 14. [More]
Former Wells Fargo Employee Claims Bank Defrauded Government Of $1.4B In Foreclosure Funding
By 5.16.16
There has been no shortage of lawsuits filed against Wells Fargo in recent years, from accusations the bank pushed mortgages on borrowers who couldn’t repay them to claims the company pressed employees to engage in fraudulent conduct with regard to customer accounts. Now, a recently unsealed whistleblower lawsuit melds together those issues, claiming the bank encouraged employees to withhold information from customers that could potentially lead to foreclosure proceedings. [More]
Volkswagen Begrudgingly Complied With Regulators’ Request For Takata Airbag Recall
By 2.12.16
Earlier this week, Volkswagen announced the recall of 840,000 Audi and VW-branded vehicles equipped with shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags. But according to documents recently posted by regulators, the already embattled carmaker resisted the safety initiative. [More]
You Can’t Claim Your Glue Is “Made In USA” If It’s Made From Imported Chemicals
By 2.2.16
While there’s no official pre-approval process for products labeled “Made In U.S.A,” there are federal standards for what that phrase means, and a company can get into trouble for slapping “Made In U.S.A.” on imported products — like the glue company accused of misleading consumers about where its sticky stuff comes from.
[More]
Verizon, Sprint Customers Have Until Dec. 31 To Claim A Piece Of The $158M Cramming Settlement Pie
By 12.28.15
The holidays can be a tiring, stressful time, full of never-ending checklists. While you might have checked off plenty of your to-do items, if you’re a Verizon or Sprint customer, you’ll want to make sure you add “check to see if I’m eligible for a bill-cramming refund,” to the top of your list. [More]
Ad Watchdog Recommends DirecTV Cease 4K Claims
By 12.9.15
AT&T may already be killing off the DirecTV name, but that doesn’t mean its recently acquired pay-TV brand doesn’t have to answer for its possibly misleading advertisements. As such, a national ad review board has directed the company – at the behest of Charter Communications – to discontinue claims made in its “Hannah and Her Horse” campaign that suggests all of its programming is available via 4K technology. [More]
People Holding Onto RadioShack Gift Cards Can Now File Refund Claims
By 12.4.15
If you’re one of millions of consumers holding on to an older RadioShack gift card, listen up: the retailer has begun the process of issuing refunds for the balance of those cards — totaling $46 million. [More]
Court Sides With Consumer In Suit Against Retailer That Charges $250 When Customers Threaten To Complain
By 8.26.15
Last summer, a consumer in Wisconsin filed a lawsuit against online retailer Accessory Outlet over what she called a bogus $250 fine the company imposed, claiming she breached the terms of sale when she threatened to have the charge canceled after the iPhone case she ordered never shipped. Today, a New York court sided with the consumer by granting a default judgement in the case, essentially agreeing that Accessory Outlet’s “terms of sale” and the debt it alleged the woman owed were void. [More]
