Work At Home Scams: Use The Delete Key [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5625]
We did an interview a few weeks ago with MSNBC as part of a story on work-at-home scams that's generated a lot of interest. And our comment in that interview was prompted by all the e-mails and phone calls we've... 
Tell the Fed your credit card horror story. [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/05/tell_the_fed_your_credit_card.html]
If something unfair has happened to you with your credit card, now is the time to tell the Federal Reserve Board about it. The Federal Reserve Board and two other agencies have issued a proposed rule that would restrict some...
Now Hear This Newsletter, May 8, 2008 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/05/now_hear_this_newsletter_may_8_1.html]
There are times when killing the messenger -- or rather the messaging consultant -- might be the best thing for everyone involved. Case in point: the peculiar decision by the federal bureaucrats in charge of educating the public on the...
Like Taking Candy from a Baby: Our Study on Kids' Sites and Commercialization [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5602]
WebWatch and the Mediatech Foundation released this report today (check out the video here on YouTube): Study Shows Children’s Web Sites May Be Entertaining, But May Also Make Kids Cry Most Popular Sites Commercialized; Some ‘Sell’ Kids’ Creations Back to...
Finally some action against the worst credit card practices [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/05/finally_some_action_against_th.html]
The federal banking regulators have finally done something about credit cards. They have approved for public discussion a proposed rule that would stop or limit some of the worst credit card practices. There is much more to be done, but...
Finally some action against the worst credit card practices [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/05/finally_some_action_against_th_1.html]
The federal banking regulators have finally done something about credit cards. They have approved for public discussion a proposed rule that would stop or limit some of the worst credit card practices. There is much more to be done, but...
Worst Company in America? [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2008/05/worst_company_in_america.html]
It’s not surprising the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company is nominated as the “Worst Company in America” by readers of The Consumerist....
BANK FEES… (The Clandestine Pick-pocket) [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/04/bank_fees_the_clandestine_pick.html]
Have you ever added up your bank fees? Wow! When I added up the bank fees on my fairly new business account, I had a suprise I wasn't banking on......
Now Hear This Newsletter, April 24, 2008 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/04/now_hear_this_newsletter_april.html]
The Commerce Department finally contemplates some long overdue changes to qualify nursing home residents and post office box users for its digital television converter box coupon program, but the agency continues to ignore expiration date mess....
Buying a car? That super-low monthly payment offer may cause trouble down the road. [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/04/buying_a_car_that_superlow_mon.html]
Don't get caught upside down...Should your car take six years or longer to pay off? Car dealers now offer six and even seven year car loans. This reduces the monthly payment, but increases the total cost of the loan. The...
Uncovered: A Phishing Scammer's Toolbox -- Check This Out! [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5528]
Thanks to Derek Smythe at Artists Against 419 for this item. The group dug up a PHP-based mass mailer using a fake domain name that sounds like a real bank (and is quite close to the domain name of the...
Mortgage mess help – too little, too late? [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/04/mortgage_mess_help_too_little.html]
The Federal Reserve Board has proposed some changes in regulations to respond to the subprime mortgage mess, but the first draft of those regulations is too short on real consumer protections. The Board acknowledges the need for strong regulation and...
Now Hear This Electronic Newsletter, April 10, 2008 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/04/now_hear_this_electronic_newsl_23.html]
Earlier this week the two top government officials in charge of the upcoming transition to digital television trundled up to Capitol Hill to report on how it’s going. Several lawmakers told the pair they are extremely worried millions of consumers...
What Vytorin/Zetia Ads Don't Tell You [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/04/what_vytorinzetia_ads_dont_tel.html]
Last Sunday a panel of cardiologists told more than 5,000 people that high cholesterol patients shouldn’t take Vytorin and Zetia except as a last resort. Made by Merck and Schering-Plough, these widely prescribed cholesterol-lowering drugs are taken by about four...
FDA Gets Moving on TV Drug Ad Study - Thanks to You [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/04/post_2.html]
Can one person take on the monolithic FDA and get it to actually do something about drug safety? You bet – especially when that person is backed by 56,000 voices....
Retirement savings - diversify! [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/04/post_2.html]
If your company stock takes a nose dive like Bear Stearns – from $170 to $10 a share in a year – would your retirement plans evaporate as quickly? They just might if your 401(k) is heavily invested in company...
Retirement savings – diversify! [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/04/retirement_savings_diversify.html]
If your company stock takes a nose dive like Bear Stearns – from $170 to $10 a share in a year – would your retirement plans evaporate as quickly? They just might if your 401(k) is heavily invested in company...
Welcome to Pharmageddon, Where Pills Make Us Sicker [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/04/welcome_to_pharmageddon_where.html]
Across the Atlantic, the folks over at Social Audit cooked up a neat idea: they invited people to submit a 350-word argument on “Pharmageddon” and heard from both patients and professionals....
'lookstoogoodtobetrue.com' Funny Fed Cops/Industry Fraud Ed Site [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5526]
Ran across this site while putting together our forthcoming press release on fraud in auctions. It's linked from the home page of Escrow.com, which has some fraud education content of its own worth reading. One of the funny things about...
No more dangerous financial products! [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/03/no_more_dangerous_financial_pr.html]
We expect the government to keep dangerous products off the market – toys, prescription drugs, food. But dangerous financial products?...
Some Hospitals Provide Rxs for Error, Dissatisfaction [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/03/some_hospitals_provide_rxs_for.html]
You may remember Dennis Quaid from The Parent Trap but nowadays he’s speaking out against medical errors......
Princeton Premier -- Not in Princeton, and How Premier? [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5517]
Let's trace a spam e-mail making current rounds that plays on one of the seven deadly sins -- vanity, supposedly Uncle Scratch's favorite, if you believe the movie The Devil's Advocate. We tracked down apparent exclusive biography publisher Princeton Premier...
Getting the Most Out of an Online Auction: Help Us! [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5522]
Next week we'll be distributing our third consumer fact sheet in our "Look Before You Click" initiative that's supported by grants from the New York State Attorney General's office. It's about online auctions, though its purpose is actually auction-friendly, providing...
Now Hear This Electronic Newsletter, March 27, 2008 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/03/now_hear_this_electronic_newsl_21.html]
The Justice Department’s has given its blessing to a merger between the country’s only two satellite radio companies, XM and Sirius, arguing the resulting monopoly won’t harm consumers. Among the many things that make absolutely no sense: It appears the...
Antidepressant meta-study sheds light, or dark, depending [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/03/antidepressant_metastudy_sheds.html]
A really long time ago, Aristotle said, “Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”...
Where are your credit card and debit card numbers? [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/03/where_are_your_credit_card_and.html]
Going to the grocery store can hold more dangers than rotten meat or tainted spinach – the Associated Press reports that thieves stole 4.2 million payment card numbers from an East Coast supermarket chain. About 1,800 of those numbers already...
Beware IRS Phishing Scam: It Ain't the Taxman [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5510]
Online scam artists can certainly be creative and opportunistic. This year we've got scammers claiming to be from the IRS and playing on two of the most powerful of human emotions, fear and greed. The first is a phishing scheme...
Contaminants in pig intestines? Who knew! [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/03/contaminants_in_pig_intestines.html]
Update on the heparin recall. Heparin is a blood thinner derived from pig intestines....
Online Auction Fraud Tips -- Help Us Out! [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5496]
In our continued crowdsourcing efforts to improve our New York state education campaign, please click the link below to read our consumer tips on online auctions -- this is the first in a series of three, so it's not comprehensive...
Staying Safe Online: General Tips -- You Can Help [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5495]
Here's the first information sheet in our forthcoming New York state campaign, supported by a grant from the New York State Attorney General's office, to educate consumers about steps to take to avoid online crime. Please let us know if...
Could your tax refund be stolen? [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/03/could_your_tax_refund_be_stole.html]
Stolen credit cards, stolen Social Security numbers and now stolen tax refunds? The Internal Revenue Service’s national taxpayer advocate lists ID theft among the most serious problems facing taxpayers today. ...
It's Kieren, not Kieran [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5493]
Note correction of the spelling of Kieren McCarthy's name in our post below on the Commerce Department's Joint Project Agreement with ICANN -- sorry we can't correct it in the document now in DOC's possession. And take a read of...
Now Hear This Electronic Newsletter, March 13, 2008 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/03/now_hear_this_electronic_newsl_22.html]
Should telecom titans such as AT&T and Verizon be given retroactive legal immunity for allowing the government to run wiretaps on their customers without a warrant? We say absolutely not. Compromise legislation moving through the House addresses national security concerns...
Tips to Prevent Phishing [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5490]
As part of a grant from the New York State Attorney General's office, we want to make consumers more aware of cybercrime. We've created some tips to prevent phishing and would like to get your comments on them. Click the...
Consumer Reports Offers Tips for Curbing Cell Phone Spam [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/03/consumer_reports_offers_tips_f_1.html]
The good people at our sister organization Consumer Reports have put together some helpful hints for dealing with the problem of cell phone spam....
Gift Cards – An Unexpected Pitfall - Bankruptcy! [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/03/gift_cards_an_unexpected_pitfa_1.html]
The bankruptcy filing of Sharper Image raises questions beyond where you can get a Human Touch Zero-Gravity Massage Chair. Namely, if you have a Sharper Image gift card – or a gift card for any other retailer facing financial troubles...
Have an opinion on off-label drug use information? Take this survey! [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/03/have_an_opinion_on_offlabel_dr.html]
Survey about whether drug companies should hand out off-label drug studies to doctors. ...
Guest Blog: Government-Subsidized TV Converter Boxes Will Actually Block Signals From Thousands of Broadcasters [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/03/guest_blog_governmentsubsidize.html]
Many consumers might not be able to receive the over-the-air broadcasting they now receive after conversion to digital signals -- even with a government-subsidized converter box. More than 2,900 Class A and low-power TV stations are likely to continue to...
Farewell, Netscape Navigator [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5477]
If you've been online since the mid-90s, chances are your first glimpse of a Web page was via the Netscape Navigator. In its heyday, the Navigator enjoyed a commanding 90% share of the browser market, which helped turn Netscape into...
What the Postal Service and the FTC didn’t say about ID theft [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/03/what_the_postal_service_and_th_1.html]
Money Mom and many of her colleagues at Consumers Union got a brochure in the mail this past week from the Postal Service warning about identity theft. The brochure is from the Federal Trade Commission and tells consumers how to...
Heparin recall ordered [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/02/heprin_scare.html]
Late yesterday, Baxter International ordered a full-scale recall on the blood thinner Heparin. ...
Now Hear This Electronic Newsletter, February 28, 2008 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/02/now_hear_this_electronic_newsl_20.html]
Last month millions of savvy consumers signed up to receive $40 government coupons to help pay for analog-to-digital television conversion boxes, devices that will be needed to keep many old TV sets working when the nation’s full-power broadcasters go all...
In Praise of My M&Ms.com's Transparency [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5453]
As the in-house Internet integrity division of Consumers Union, we here at WebWatch spend a good deal of time reviewing sites for other CU publications. Although the majority of the sites we review satisfy WebWatch’s credibility guidelines, some do so...
Those harmed by unsafe products speak out [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimc/2008/02/those_harmed_by_unsafe_product_1.html]
Andrew Hartung came to Washington D.C. on February 7th to make sure baby products don’t hurt babies. It seems obvious – but will take major reform. So he joined several other families on the Hill to tell the press and...
Spending is not the way to save [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/fpn/2008/02/spending_is_not_the_way_to_sav.html]
Monday’s Tip from Money Mom – Bank of America’s “Keep the Change” and Wachovia's "Way2Save" programs aren’t the way to build up family savings. Instead, pick an amount to save from every paycheck and “pay yourself first” by making an...
Where's the recalled beef? [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2008/02/wheres_the_recalled_beef.html]
From the Consumer Reports Safety Blog: Four days after the nation's largest-ever beef recall, U.S. consumers still have no way of knowing whether they ate—or might have in their freezers—some of the potentially suspect meat, food safety experts at Consumers...
FCC and Congress Need to Slap Down Comcast and Adopt Open Internet Access Rules [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/hun/2008/02/fcc_and_congress_need_to_slap_1.html]
It’s our network and we can do anything we want. That’s the scary new mantra of cable giant Comcast when it comes to the issue of open Internet practices, also known as network neutrality. For the sake of every consumer...
100 vs 1 [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/pfc/2008/02/post_1.html]
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen the commercial where a beaver is talking to Abe Lincoln at a bus stop about some guy in a suit not being able to sleep. Or Dr. Jarvik (or his double...
Undercover video leads to outcry on meat safety [http://www.consumersunion.org/blogs/nimf/2008/02/undercover_video_leads_to_outc_1.html]
None of us want to eat beef infected with mad cow disease, E. coli, or salmonella. Nor would we feed it to our children. Unfortunately, low-income children who qualified for federal assistance under the National School Lunch Program may not...
WebWatch Statement on ICANN Joint Project Agreement with U.S. Commerce Department [tag:blog.consumerwebwatch.org,2008://31.5414]
ICANN is holding its 31st International Public Meeting in New Delhi this week, discussing topics such as Internet internationalization and increasing domain names choices. WebWatch Director Beau Brendler, a member of ICANN's At-Large Advisory Committee, is attending, and will present...
