Category Archives: Latest In Consumer News
Half of American adults hacked this year
by Jose Pagliery, CNN Money
The damage is real. Each record typically includes personal information, such as your name, debit or credit card, email, phone number, birthday, password, security questions and physical address. It’s enough to get hunted down by an abusive ex-spouse. It makes you an easier target for scams. And even if only basic information about you is stolen, that can easily be paired with stolen credit card data, empowering impostors. Read More ›
L.A. County finds 3,500 more patients affected by data breach
by Abby Sewell, Los Angeles Times
Eight computers were taken from the Torrance office of Sutherland Healthcare Solutions, a company that handles medical billing and collections for the county, in February. The total number of patients affected is now about 342,000. County officials said the county is still reviewing Sutherland’s security procedures. So far, at least three lawsuits have been filed against the county over the data breach. Read More ›
What you really agree to when you click ‘accept’
by By Jose Pagliery, CNN Money
You can spot the words “privacy policy” at the bottom of nearly every website. Don’t be fooled. Those policies are more about data collection than privacy. Companies use these policies to alert you to how they track your location, read your emails, spy on your Web browsing – and sell some of that to advertisers. With the help of several legal experts, CNN has reviewed policies at many top websites and apps. The conclusion: Most privacy policies are basically useless. Read More ›
California bill would require recalled cars be repaired before sale
by David Undercoffler & Jerry Hirsch, Los Angeles Times
Used cars that get recalled by manufacturers need to be fixed before they’re sold. That’s what a bill pending in the California Legislature would require of all new and used car dealers in the state. And with 2014 on pace to break the auto industry records for most recalls in a year, the bill is taking on more urgency, supporters said Tuesday at a news conference. A vast majority of those recalls involve older vehicles. Read More ›
Calif. Senate OKs Bill Targeting Online Data Brokers
by Erin Coe, Law 360
A measure that would rein in how consumers’ personal data posted on commercial websites is bought, sold and traded to unregulated third parties cleared the California Senate on May 8. The bill now moves on to the California Assembly for review. Read More ›
Google must honor requests to delete some links, E.U. court says
by James Kanter & Mark Scott, New York Times
The highest court in the European Union decided on Tuesday that Google must grant users of its search engine a right to delete links about themselves in some cases, including links to legal records. Read More ›
California lawmakers taking steps to protect consumer data
by Fenit Nirappil, Associated Press
Bills introduced this session seek to guard the information generated when Californians swipe credit cards at stores, drive vehicles and attend schools. The most notable initiatives have been gutted and defeated in the face of fierce opposition from powerful business groups. Read More ›
Smartphone “kill switch” bill facing unusual opposition
by Eric Rasmussen, KTVU
KTVU obtained a “floor alert” regarding Senate Bill 962 sent to members of the Senate by CTIA, a group representing the wireless phone industry. The memo includes an argument that requiring kill switches on phones could place victims of domestic violence in more danger if their abusers are able to remotely activate the technology. Some supporters of the proposed law aren’t buying the argument. Read More ›
Are electronic health records safe from the next heartbleed?
by Alisha Wyman, California Health Report
The discovery of the bug in early April coincided with the end of the sign-up period for the Affordable Care Act, which has relied heavily on web interaction with millions of consumers. Health care organizations are both desirable targets for cyber-criminals and less prepared than other sectors to protect against an attack, Internet security experts agree. Read More ›
We Saved Consumers $125 Million On Insurance So Far In 2014
by Richard Holober, Executive Director, Consumer Federation of California
10/1/2014 Update: 2014 consumer savings rose to $148.3 million by year’s end. To recap: 1 million AIG policyholders saved $7.7 million on homeowners insurance. Infinity Insurance policyholders saved $15.5 million on auto insurance. 1.2 million Farmers policyholders saved $34 million on homeowners insurance (details below). 1.6 million … Read More ›
Nasty surprise for some student loan borrowers
by Herb Weisbaum, CNBC
Students who take out private loans to pay for college could face a nasty surprise if their co-signer dies or files for bankruptcy: The lender may suddenly demand the loan be paid in full—or even worse, put that loan in default—even though all payments are being made on time. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau issued a consumer advisory on Tuesday, warning borrowers that these “auto-default” clauses may be in their loan agreements and serious financial consequences could result. Read More ›
New bill demands that smartphones have “kill switch” in case of theft
by Joe Mullin, Ars Technica
California state legislator Mark Leno has introduced SB 962, a bill that would require smartphones sold in the state to include a “kill switch” that would “render inoperable” the phone if it’s not in the possession of the rightful owner. Read More ›
CPUC Ignores Cell Phone Privacy
The California Public Utilities Commission buries its heads in the sand regarding cell phone privacy. Read More ›