Thinking about buying an extended warranty? Read this first
by Herb Weisbaum, Today.com
It’s the holiday shopping advice you hear every year at this time: Skip the extended warranties. Consumer advocates have repeated this mantra for decades. Read More ›
Inspector General finds improper airplane fuel deal with NASA netted savings for Google executives up to $5.3 million
by John Simpson, Consumer Watchdog
NASA should evict a fleet of planes owned by Google’s billionaire top executives from Ames Research Center after an audit by the agency’s Inspector General found they received an unwarranted discount worth up to $5.3 million on jet fuel purchased from the government. Read More ›
Assisted living fines often go uncollected
by Jeff McDonald and Matt Clark, San Diego Union Tribune
The majority of fines either don’t get paid or are satisfied weeks, months or even years after they are billed. One factor at play: There’s no penalty for late payment. Read More ›
Here come Facebook’s new video ads that autoplay in your feed
by Mary Beth Quirk, Consumerist
Facebook is testing new video ads and yes, they will autoplay in both your desktop and mobile feeds. Read More ›
Overstock scams luring holiday shoppers
by Eric Flack, Wave 3 NBC News
A trusted name in bargain hunting is being used to scam people out of money right around Christmas time. People who thought they were shopping with online discount retailer Overstock.com were really using knock off websites that took their cash and never delivered the product. Read More ›
CFPB report confirms that banks, credit card companies are taking away your right to sue
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
In 2011, the Supreme Court held that it was ok to hide a complicated forced-arbitration clause in a novel-length contract for a consumer product or service. Since then, sellers of everything from cellphone service to video games have added these clauses to keep complaining consumers out of court and into the unfair arena of arbitration. Read More ›
Holiday ordering deadlines for 25 top online retailers
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
Still working on your holiday shopping? If you’re going online to buy those gifts, you need to be aware of the sites’ wildly varying cutoff dates for placing orders in time to get them under the tree on the big day. Read More ›
Insurers are renegotiating contracts, narrowing networks under ACA
by Pauline Bartolone, NPR
When Diane Shore got a letter that her health policy would be canceled, the small premium increase for the new plan didn’t bother her that much. But the changes in her choices for care really bugged her. “My physicians will no longer be in this network of physicians, or the hospitals,” she says. Read More ›
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 ›
Smarter cell phone privacy protections
by Editor, San Francisco Chronicle
It’s outrageous that the privacy protections that apply to your landline records do not extend to your cell phone activity. Considering the capabilities of a modern smartphone to track the most intimate details of your life – from your calls and texts to your very movements – a wireless device should have greater consumer privacy safeguards. Read More ›