Posts Tagged With ‘ Consumers ’

When searching for a place to live and roommates, it’s important to get accurate information. And reviews from platforms that can help you in your search need to be honest and trustworthy. But according to the Federal Trade Commission and six states suing Roomster and its owners, the room and roommate finder platform posted reviews and other information that wasn’t accurate. The lawsuit A lawsuit filed in 2022 alleges Roomster posted fake positive reviews and made deceptive claims about its listings being real, available, and verified – to convince people to use its platform. The FTC and... Continue Reading

Do you know your rights on tarmac delays? American Airlines will pay $4.1 million for violating federal laws prohibiting tarmac delays of three hours or more on domestic flights without providing passengers an opportunity to deplane, the U.S. Department of Transportation said Monday. DOT’s investigation found that American kept dozens of flights stuck on the tarmac for long periods of time. It’s the largest fine ever issued for tarmac delays. “This is the latest action in our continued drive to enforce the rights of airline passengers,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said... Continue Reading

Remember to check recalls frequently so you can find out about harmful products like this one. Costco is recalling about 350,000 Ubio Labs power banks. It has received three reports of fires, including one on a commercial flight resulting in four reports of smoke inhalation and one report of a minor burn to passengers. This recall involves Ubio Labs power banks, sold in a one- or two-pack. The power banks are black and have the model number PWB1071 printed on the back, and the Costco item number is printed on the package. The item number for the one-pack is 1314518 and the two-pack is 1265470. The... Continue Reading

It’s irritating and it’s a trend. When you go to retailers and ask if you have any rewards money to apply to your purchase, you’re told you need to go their website to sign up for their rewards program again there. It happened at Office Depot and Rite Aid, companies where I’ve been in the rewards program for years. Since the new pricing at Office Depot showed quite a bit off when I went to buy some thumb drives Thursday, I asked the staff at the store to help me sign up for the new program. Now I’m a member and quality for rewards again. If you spend $500 a year at Office Depot, you... Continue Reading

Time is running out if you want to get in on a big Facebook settlement. If you were a Facebook user in the United States between May 24, 2007, and December 22, 2022, you may be eligible for a cash payment from a class action settlement of $725 million. Today, Aug. 25, is the deadline to file a claim. Go to https://facebookuserprivacysettlement.com/. It’s easy to fill out the form. You don’t need to give any personal information. And, watch out for scammers who may ask for money to fill out a claim form for the settlement. How much you get depends on how many people file claims. Facebook had... Continue Reading

Unfortunately, September marks the end of summer, which is so sad. Many people, like me, aren’t fans of winter. However, in relation to sales, September is a good time to shop for deals, the Labor Day sales being one reason. Here are recommendations on the September sales from DealNews.com: Summer clothing Deep discounts are expected at many retailers as they want to make room for new fall items. Look for sales up to 80 percent off. Major appliances Labor Day is one of the last sales times of the year when you can reliably expect savings on major appliances. The savings typically range from... Continue Reading

Most Americans don’t know how often they’re stripped of their rights through widely used forced arbitration clauses that are found in the fine print of everyday click-through agreements, terms and conditions, and other contracts, according to a new study. Arbitration clauses require consumers who have complaints to settle issues through arbitration rather than filing a lawsuit. “Consumers shouldn’t be silenced by big corporations that harm them,” said Shennan Kavanagh, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, an organization that specializes in consumer issues on behalf... Continue Reading

If someone tells you that you need to pay to sign up for government student loan debt relief program, run away as fast as you can. Scammers want to hook you and fill their pockets with your money, while their “advice” may make your student loan problems worse. The Federal Trade Commission offers the following tips for how to spot scam companies that charge illegal upfront fees for so-called help with your student loans: The first thing is to be informed. Be aware you don’t have to pay for help managing your student loans. If someone tries to charge you up front, before they’ve done anything,... Continue Reading

Here’s another recall for these dehumidifiers have seen other models recalled throughout the years. Gree Electric Appliances is recalling about 1.56 million dehumidifiers. The dehumidifiers can overheat, smoke, and catch fire, posing fire and burn risks to consumers. Gree has received reports of at least 23 fires, 688 incidents of overheating, and $168,000 in property damage with the recalled dehumidifiers. This recall involves 42 models of dehumidifiers with brand names Kenmore, GE, SoleusAir, Norpole, and Seabreeze that were manufactured between January 2011 and February 2014. For information... Continue Reading

Does it matter that there are too many residential real estate agents? Yes, says a consumer group. More than 1.5 million residential agents, including brokers, compete for home sales usually totaling 5 to 6 million annually. The plethora of real estate agents comes with costs, according to a study by the Consumer Federation of America, that include: Economic inefficiencies including an excessive amount of time spent by agents finding clients. Relatively low incomes of many full-time agents. Frustration by these agents and by many consumers who deal with inexperienced agents. Reinforcement of... Continue Reading