Posts Tagged With ‘ Advertising ’

Winning the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes seems like a dream that you wish could happen to you when you see the TV ad. However, Publishers Clearing House has been deceiving people for decades. It used language and designs on its website and in its email marketing that tricked consumers, including many older adults, into believing they had to buy things on the PCH website to enter a sweepstakes, the Federal Trade Commission said in a lawsuit. PCH also implied that buying something would improve their chances of winning a prize. Customers who did buy something on PCH.com were in for surprises,... Continue Reading

It’s hard to believe that the July Fourth sales are coming up. It seems like the Memorial Day sales were just yesterday. July Fourth is a huge shopping holiday in the United States and marks the middle of summer. Look for the sales to begin far in advance of July Fourth. DealNews.com offers these tips for the July sales: Electronics Get up to 70 percent off on electronics on a wide variety of electronics such as photography items, SSDs, monitors, laptops, TVs, phones, smart devices, and other items. Summer clothing Clothing sales make up a large part of the July 4th sales every year so look... Continue Reading

Most people rely heavily on online shopping. However, with lots of screens before you get to check-out, you could sign up for a service without knowing it. Then, it can be difficult to cancel. For years, Amazon.com enrolled consumers into its Prime program without their consent while making it hard for them to cancel, the Federal Trade Commission charged in a lawsuit filed Wednesday. Amazon used manipulative, deceptive designs called “dark patterns” to trick consumers into enrolling in automatically-renewing Prime subscriptions. The button offered to consumers to finish their transaction... Continue Reading

Genetic testing, where a company examines your DNA, often from a saliva sample, and sends you a report about your family background or your likelihood for developing certain health conditions, is all the rage. It sounds like a great idea, but can you trust a company when it promises to keep your sensitive DNA data private? Vitagene, a San Francisco-based DNA testing company, promised consumers that it exceeded industry-standard security practices for maintaining the privacy of people’s sensitive health and genetic information. However, the Federal Trade Commission said the company didn’t... Continue Reading

Either I missed the Public Citizen report on the toll private equity is taking on U.S. health care or I didn’t understand the significance of it. The report, released in March 2023, says private equity takeovers have come with shocking lapses in safety, with prices rising faster than at non-private equity acquired entities, while patients have been subjected to price gouging schemes. Private equity acquisitions in the health care sector have climbed since the financial crisis in 2009, particularly in the past five years. Unlike acquisitions of hospitals, which usually occur under with public... Continue Reading

More than two thirds of online shopping scams begin on the social media platforms Instagram and Facebook, according to an analysis by the Lloyds Banking Group. Fraudsters are preying on shoppers in search of a deal. They’re creating fake business pages, social media ads, and online stores.  Nick Drewe, of the online discounts platform Wethrift, offers this list of things to watch out for when buying on social media: Is the deal too good to be true? If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. A product or service being advertised for what seems like a very low price can be an indicator... Continue Reading

It’s a tragedy that more babies are dying in loungers and companies are continuing to sell dangerous ones. Boppy newborn loungers Although Boppy newborn loungers were recalled in September 2021 due to the risk that infants can suffocate, shortly after the recall two additional infants died in loungers in unsafe sleep environments. In October 2021, an infant was placed on the lounger for sleep and then it rolled underneath a nearby adult pillow. In November 2021, an infant was placed on the lounger in an adult bed with a parent and soft bedding, and it was later found dead on the lounger. Consumers... Continue Reading

Financial institutions are increasingly using chatbots, which put out human-like responses using computer programming, to communicate with customers to save money. Chatbots sometimes have human names and use popup features to encourage interaction. Some chatbots use more complex technologies such as “artificial intelligence” to respond to customers. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has received hundreds of complaints from frustrated customers trying to receive timely, straightforward answers from their financial institutions or to raise a concern or dispute. “To reduce costs, many... Continue Reading

More than three quarters of adults have used a payment app, called a P2P or peer-to-peer or person-to-person app. Widely used nonbank payment apps include PayPal, Venmo, and Cash App. The apps can be used on a computer or mobile device to send money to someone else without writing a check or handing over cash. Young adults use payment apps even more frequently. Eighty-five percent of consumers aged 18 to 29 have used one of these apps, according to a Consumer Reports survey. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers the following information on the pitfalls of using payment apps: Money... Continue Reading

It’s not surprising what last year’s top consumer complaint was. I’ve seen it many times as No. 1 on annual consumer complaint lists. It’s auto sales and repair. “Consumers rely on cars to get to work, school, doctors’ appointments and more,” said Erin Witte, director of consumer protection for the Consumer Federation of America. Complaints related to the sale and leasing of new and used automobiles – pricing, advertisements, and mechanical defects – as well as issues related to the repair of vehicles. It’s the seventh year in a row that auto sales, leases, and repairs are... Continue Reading