See a $9.84 Charge on Your Credit Card Bill? You’ve Been Scammed
by Selena Maranjian, Daily Finance
There’s a new Better Business Bureau warning that is very specific. It is telling consumers to look on their credit card statements for a charge of $9.84. It turns out that there are gobs of these charges popping up, and they’re most often evidence that you’ve been scammed. Read More ›
Banks That Market To & Serve Military Also Tacking On Huge Fees
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
One might assume that banks marketing to U.S. military servicemembers would not be out to nickel and dime these men and women with unnecessarily high fees on their accounts. But among those financial institutions levying the highest level of fees on its account-holders are several that not … Read More ›
SB 383 would provide some privacy for online purchases
by Editorial Board, Sacramento Bee
The California state Senate can help allay consumer concerns about data breaches by approving a modest bill this week that would offer some privacy protections for online purchases. Read More ›
An insider questions so-called science behind toxic flame retardants
by Dan Morain, Sacramento Bee
Grant Gillham is a special kind of consultant, the sort chemical company executives would hire to kill legislation that seeks to ban the profitable but toxic substances they produce. Now, after a devastating 2012 newspaper series and a reversal by California authorities, his work is unraveling. Read More ›
FBI warns retailers to expect more credit card breaches
by Jim Finkle and Mark Hosenball for Reuters, Chicago Tribune
The FBI has warned U.S. retailers to prepare for more cyber attacks after discovering about 20 hacking cases in the past year that involved the same kind of malicious software used against Target Corp in the holiday shopping season. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation distributed a … Read More ›
CFC releases 2013 Scorecard for State Legislators
The Consumer Federation of California released its 2013 Scorecard for State Legislators, which rates lawmakers on their votes cast on key consumer rights bills. Read More ›
3 Ways To Turn Your Unwanted Gift Cards Into Cold Hard Cash
by Lydia Dallett, Business Insider
If you found an old $20 bill in the back of a drawer, you’d probably fish it out and use it, right? How about $1 billion? That’s how much money is floating around unused every year in wallets, closets, and coat pockets in the form of unredeemed gift cards. Read More ›
The 25 worst passwords of 2013
by Jared Newman, PC World
Weaker passwords are more susceptible to brute-force attacks, where hackers attempt to access accounts through rapid guessing. And when encrypted passwords are stolen, weaker ones are the first to fall to increasingly sophisticated cracking software. Read More ›
California PUC rejects tougher smartphone privacy protections
by Marc Lifsher, LA Times
California regulators decided Thursday not to consider the need for tougher privacy protection for smartphone users. In a 3-2 vote, the Public Utilities Commission denied a petition from consumer groups asking it to investigate the need for stronger privacy standards. It would have been the PUC’s first … Read More ›
Laws let companies wait weeks, months to disclose data breeches
by Karen Freifeld for Reuters, Chicago Tribune
A decade of lawmaking by U.S. states to ensure consumers are told when their data has been hacked still lets companies such as Target Corp. wait weeks or even months to disclose security breaches. Forty-six of 50 U.S. states have passed laws requiring disclosure, starting with California … Read More ›
Starbucks iPhone app vulnerable, security specialist says
by Ángel González, Seattle Times
The Starbucks iPhone app stores customers’ personal data in unencrypted form that leaves it vulnerable to computer-savvy phone thieves, according to a cybersecurity expert whose discovery of the flaw was disclosed this week. Read More ›
CPUC Ignores Cell Phone Privacy
The California Public Utilities Commission buries its heads in the sand regarding cell phone privacy. Read More ›
Apple To Refund At Least $32.5 Million For In-App Purchases By Kids
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
“This settlement is a victory for consumers harmed by Apple’s unfair billing, and a signal to the business community: whether you’re doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply,” said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez. “You cannot charge consumers for purchases they did not authorize.” Read More ›