Have you ever had a problem because of data a company has collected on you? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is launching an inquiry into companies that track and collect information on the details of people’s personal lives. It’s seeking input on data brokers and how their business practices impact people’s daily life. Companies that […]
Photo: Minh Nguyen Republicans doing the bidding of Wall Street for years led to the current banking crisis. In 2018, Republicans led an effort, lobbied heavily by the financial industry, that resulted in a law, signed by former President Donald Trump, that gutted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act’s risk assessment safeguards […]
When you take two consumer problems, telemarketing and extended warranties, and put them together, it can result in disaster. The Federal Trade Commission announced a settlement Friday in its case against American Vehicle Protection – who it charged last year with running a telemarketing extended auto warranty scheme that cheated people out of more than […]
YETI is recalling about 1.9 million coolers and gear cases in the United States and 40,760 in Canada. If the magnet-lined closures fail and the magnets fall out, serious injury or death can occur if they’re ingested. When two or more high-powered magnets are swallowed, they can attract to each other, or to another metal […]
Last week, it was exciting news when the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced proposed limits on the toxic “forever” chemicals known as PFAS as a way to reduce drinking water contamination. The proposal targets six PFAS – PFOA, PFOS, GenX, PFBS, PFNA, and PFHxS. While these are the first federal proposed drinking water limits for […]
One of the best consumer actions in recent years is the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in 2011. Established after the Great Recession of 2007-08 to set up one federal agency to help consumers with their financial issues, the CFPB has made great strides in improving the position of consumers in the marketplace. […]
It’s important to reduce the amount of pesticides in food that you and your children are exposed to. One way to do that is to be aware of the amount of pesticides that may be on the fruits and vegetables you buy. Thirty years after a National Academies of Sciences study warning of the dangers […]
In addition to recalling products, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission issues warnings about hazardous products. A recent warning from the agency is to immediately stop using black TureClos bicycle helmets. The helmets don’t comply with federal safety standards, the CPSC said in a statement. The helmets can fail to protect riders if a crash […]
The theme for International Women’s Day this year is “DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality,” because 37 percent of women don’t use the internet and 259 million fewer woman have access to the internet than men. If women aren’t able to access the Internet and don’t feel safe online, they’re unable to develop the […]
Things are busy, here in my corner of the USA. I’m behind in reporting on what’s happening for National Consumer Protection Week. A lot of my time has been taken up since the first of the year taking part in the Dean Ornish heart health program. It ends Wednesday. I’ll be reporting on its many […]
