Category Archives: Uncategorized
Smartphone theft a “national epidemic”?
by Editor, National Consumers League
According to the FCC, in San Francisco, about half of all robberies involved mobile phones and nationwide one in every three robberies involve a stolen cell phone. In total, 1.6 million Americans had a handheld device stolen last year. The San Francisco District Attorney has called smartphone theft “a national epidemic.” Read More ›
6 home appliances most likely to self-immolate
by Laura Northrup, Consumerist
Kitchen appliances make our lives more convenient and our meals more delicious, but they’re also dangerous. Ordinary appliances start tens of thousands of fires in United States homes every year. Here are the top six most common causes of kitchen appliance fires. Read More ›
Big California corporations parking $262 billion offshore
by Dan Walters, Sacramento Bee
A dozen of California’s largest corporations are holding nearly $262 billion in foreign earnings in offshore subsidiaries to shield the money from American taxation. California’s Apple was listed as having has the most offshore holdings of any American corporation at $82.66 billion. Read More ›
Manufacturers deceive consumers with “organic” product names
by Brit'ny Hawkins, Environmental Working Group
Manufacturers use the term “organic” in their product names to mislead consumers about the sources of the ingredients. The FDA does not define or regulate the term “organic” as it applies to cosmetics, body care or personal care products. Read More ›
Hounded by debt collectors? Knowing one’s rights key to dealing with collection agency tactics
by Associated Press, Washington Post
Debt collection can be an unpleasant business, but it’s a big one. The industry generates $12.2 billion in revenue for the roughly 4,500 firms chasing down borrowers who owe money on credit cards, auto loans and other accounts, according to figures from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Read More ›
California officials call JPMorgan settlement ‘vindication’ for electricity charges
by Dale Kasler, Sacramento Bee
Calling it a “vindication for California ratepayers,” the managers of the state’s electricity grid today hailed a $410 million settlement between federal regulators and investment bank JPMorgan Chase & Co., and a return of $124 million in profits to California. Read More ›
How the post office sells your address update to anyone who pays (and the little-known loophole to opt out)
by Adam Tanner, Forbes
It’s all there in the fine print when you sign up for a change of address: “We do not disclose your personal information to anyone, except in accordance with the Privacy Act.” Then it lists a number of exceptions including “to mailers, if already in possession of your name and old mailing address, as an address correction service.” Read More ›
FDA’s proposed rules to improve safety of imported foods
by Chris Morran, The Consumerist
“We must work toward global solutions to food safety so that whether you serve your family food grown locally or imported you can be confident that it is safe,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D. Read More ›
Ballot measure filed to raise California’s medical damages cap
by Jeremy B. White, Sacramento Bee
A coalition has been lobbying this year to change a $250,000 cap on pain and suffering damages in medical malpractice lawsuits. They argue the current limit, put in place in 1975, is outdated and insufficient to cover the prolonged affects of doctor negligence or botched medical procedure. Read More ›
How to go completely invisible on Facebook
by Steven Tweedie, Business Insider
When you’re finished, no one but you will be able to see your Facebook activity, view your photos, or see where you’ve checked in. Your current friends will still be able to view your basic profile — there’s no way around this — but all your activity will be blank. Read More ›
Infographic: Who’s checking your credit score?
by Juan Rodriguez and Kristie Aronow, creditcards.com
While 94 percent of consumers said they know that making credit card payments on time will help raise their credit score, the study found most consumers don’t realize who may be evaluating their credit score to measure their creditworthiness. Read More ›
Electronic medical records allow more people access to your private health information
by ABC, News 10
Privacy advocates are now bracing for full implementation of the Affordable Health Care Act, which calls for more electronic record keeping and more opportunities for database mining of health records by marketers, credit agencies and law enforcement. Read More ›
Billboard seeks to name and shame in California automobile forced arbitration case
by Will Carless, Voice of San Diego
A San Diego consumer bought a “certified” used car that turned out to be a nightmare. His ordeal has been featured in Consumer Reports magazine and is garnering national attention about forced arbitration clauses in contracts. See the YouTube video about his plight that has attracted over 550,000 views so far. Read More ›