Category Archives: Uncategorized
Insider holiday mailing advice from a U.S. postal service worker
by Laura Northrup, Consumerist
The US Postal Service shared some useful holiday mailing tips with some sensible suggestions to help you get your packages to their destinations faster and with a minimum of fuss. Read More ›
Covered California gave consumers’ contact info to agents
by Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times
California’s health exchange has provided insurance agents with names and contact information for tens of thousands of people who went online to check out coverage but didn’t ask to be contacted. Read More ›
Important shopping rights you may not know about
Know your consumer rights when shopping this holiday season. Consumer Federation of California may be able to help you or refer you to others who may provide assistance if you have a complaint about a California business. Read More ›
3 holiday purchases that tend to drop in price as Christmas approaches
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
While there are a number of popular products that get significantly less expensive after the holidays, consumers may be able to save on other holiday shopping list items if they’re willing to play a game of chicken with Dec. 25. Read More ›
Maker of wildly popular flashlight app failed to tell users it was sharing their location info
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
The FTC alleges that failing to disclose the sharing of location info with third parties and the app’s collection and sharing of data regardless of whether the user had agreed to the EULA is deceptive marketing, as this is information that consumers should have been made aware of before installing the app. Read More ›
Couple fined for negative online review
by Pamela Brown, CNN
A Utah couple is facing a $3,500 fine and a damaged credit score for doing what many people do after a bad purchasing experience: posting an online review. Read More ›
‘Tis the season for scams: 10 holiday rip-offs to avoid
by Jeff Rossen, Avni Patel and Jovanna Billington, Today.com
With the holiday shopping madness about to begin, consumer groups say scammers are ready and waiting to exploit the chaos and take advantage of our desire to get the hottest gifts at the best prices. Read More ›
Anthem Blue Cross posts Social Security, tax numbers of 24,500 doctors
by Chad Terhune, LA Times
In a departure from most medical privacy cases, Anthem Blue Cross said it accidentally posted online Social Security or tax identification numbers for about 24,500 California doctors. Read More ›
Black Friday madness – it’s not always about the deals
by Herb Weisbaum, Today.com
Why do so many people stand in line for hours outside major retail stores — often in the bitter cold — to get caught in a stampede of crazed shoppers racing to snag a limited number of doorbuster deals? Read More ›
FDA orders 23andMe to halt sales of home DNA test kits
by The Associated Press, NYDailyNews.com
FDA regulators say that the Silicon Valley company has not shown that its tests are safe or effective and orders 23andMe to stop marketing its test immediately, warning that erroneous results could cause customers to seek unnecessary or ineffective medical care. Read More ›
Scrutiny over disparity in loan fees at auto dealerships
by Rachel Abrams, New York Times
Dealerships are not required to disclose what percentage of the interest rate goes to them, and consumer advocates and some regulators are concerned that dealers’ ability to decide how much to charge has led to discriminatory lending against minorities. That concern has prompted a number of government investigations into the growing business of auto lending. Read More ›
New California fire standard can be met without toxic flame retardant chemicals
by Michael Hawthorne and Sam Roe, Chicago Tribune
California threw out the 38-year-old outdated flammability rule and approved a new one that furniture manufacturers can meet without using toxic flame retardants. Read More ›
Which company offers the best cell phone service?
by Herb Weisbaum, Today.com
Once again, Verizon is the highest-rated of the major carriers, but several small wireless companies were significantly better at delivering value and making their customers happy. Read More ›