FTC approves merger of OfficeMax and Office Depot
by Adi Robertson, The Verge
The FTC is giving the green light to a $1.2 billion merger between retail stores OfficeMax and Office Depot, which contrasts with its blocking of a proposed merger of Staples and Office Depot back in 1997. Read More ›
PG&E ratepayers to pay less than expected for pipeline upgrades
by George Avalos, Oakland Tribune
PG&E ratepayers can anticipate paying less in their power bills to help finance the utility’s sweeping upgrade of its natural gas pipeline system, even though PG&E has encountered cost overruns for the $2.35 billion program. Read More ›
F.A.A. allows use of electronic devices throughout flights
by Matthew Wald, New York Times
Airline passengers can use electronic devices in “all phases of flight” if the airline determines that its aircraft can tolerate the interference, the Federal Aviation Administration said, but using a cellphone to talk will still be banned.
Read More ›
Some health insurance gets pricier as Obamacare rolls out
by Chad Terhune, Los Angeles Times
Many middle-class Californians with individual health plans are surprised they need policies that cover more — and cost more. Read More ›
This may be the first ticket for wearing Google Glass while driving
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
California law prohibits drivers from operating a vehicle when some sort of video screen is showing “entertainment or business applications” that are in the front seat area or otherwise visible to the driver. And at least one police officer in San Diego thinks this law applies to Google Glass. Read More ›
New rule protects those who make international wire transfers
by Herb Weisbaum, NBC News
“People sending money to their loved ones in another country should not have to worry about hidden fees,” said CFPB director Richard Cordray last year when the rule was adopted. “With these protections, international money transfers will be more reliable.” Read More ›
Web scammers get a jump on holiday shoppers
by Susan Tompor, USA Today
As we move into the holiday season, expect even more pitches by e-mail, text and other digital means to encourage consumers to put their purchases on plastic. But all that convenience can create easy pickings for con artists. Read More ›
How to spot apartment rental scams
by Editor, Credit.com
Rental scams have exploded in recent years, typically preying on vacationers — only to get a ripoff in paying upfront for properties that don’t exist, are actually for sale (not rent), or are occupied. But there’s a more sinister result of this: identity theft. Read More ›
Former FCC Chair urges cable companies to implement data caps and usage-based pricing
by Chris Morran, Consumerist
Former FCC chair turned cable-industry frontman Michael Powell thinks that, in spite of the fact that delivering data to consumers continues to get less expensive, cable companies should be rushing to put caps on data usage and implement usage-based, metered broadband service. Read More ›
Your prescription history is their business
by David Lazarus, Los Angeles Times
A secretive, for-profit service called ScriptCheck keeps track of all your prescriptions, even those you pay for with cash. Life insurers pay for the data. Read More ›
Tax season will start late this year due to government shutdown
by Mary Beth Quirk, Consumerist
Those 16 days the government spent shut down will have far-reaching consequences into the future. Basically the Internal Revenue Service just can’t get those two weeks back, and as such it’ll be delaying the start of the 2014 tax filing season by one to two weeks. Read More ›
Student loan borrowers face payment processing pitfalls
by Herb Weisbaum, Today.com
The companies hired by lenders to collect payment for private loans don’t always act in the borrowers’ best interest. Sometimes, these loan servicers do things that increase the total cost of higher education. The most common complaints dealt with problems encountered by borrowers trying to pay off their loans early or who wanted to pay them off in a certain order. Read More ›
Broken window? Think twice about a claim on home insurance
by Herb Weisbaum, Today.com
File a single claim on your homeowner’s policy – even a relatively small one – and you could get dinged with a rate hike. A new study finds that the financial consequences of making a legitimate claim varies from state to state. Read More ›