News

2023

March

27

• Consumer advocates seek to protect money transfer victims of fraud. The caller said the bank had spotted fraudulent activity on her account. Hurt checked her banking app and found an unapproved charge.The man walked her step-by-step through the process of wiring $12,000 from her old

25

• How Cigna saves millions when its doctors reject claims without reading them. Cigna medical directors do not see any patient records or put their medical judgment to use, said former company employees familiar with the system. Instead, a computer does the work. A Cigna algorithm flags mismatches

15

• Here’s what deposit insurance covers. If you are unsure whether your money is federally insured, use the FDIC’s tool, the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator. It helps consumers figure out on a per-bank basis how much of their money,

13

• Insurers slashed Hurricane Ian payouts insiders reveal. After years of more frequent and intense storms, national insurance carriers have pulled back from the market and smaller, regional carriers with smaller financial reserves jumped in. In the wake of Hurricane Ian, those companies

08

• The dirty little secret of credit card rewards. Credit card perks for educated, usually urban professionals are being subsidized by people who have less. In other words, when you book a hotel room or enjoy entry to an airport lounge at no cost,

01

• Advocates welcome collection of homebuyers' language preference. Advocates Welcome Mandatory Collection of Language Preference Data by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac Required use of the Supplementary Consumer Information Form (SCIF) starts March 1 WASHINGTON, D.C. - Homebuyers with limited English proficiency (LEP)

February

28

• Supreme Court hears challenges to student loan forgiveness. The Supreme Court is hearing arguments over the legality of the Biden administration’s plan to wipe out more than $400 billion in student debt because of the coronavirus pandemic. Both cases grapple with two

21

• Why the South has such low credit scores. Almost every corner of America’s most populous region — every race, every income bracket — appears to have low credit scores. The reason why credit scores are so low in the South has

• FTC charges GoodRx with illegally disclosing customer health information. Federal regulators have accused the California-based discount drug and telehealth provider with violating federal law by “failing to notify consumers” about its “unauthorized disclosure” of their health information to Facebook, Google,

06

• Even after you bought a car, dealerships can 'yo-yo' you and take it back. A full three weeks after they bought the car and took it home, they got what's called "yo-yo'd." "I received a phone call from the finance manager of the dealership,

January

26

• White House unveils Renters Bill of Rights. The Biden administration is releasing a “Blueprint for a Renters Bill of Rights” that highlights the need for clear and fair leases, the right to organize, and eviction prevention and diversion, among other

23

• NJ bill would require digital-only coupon alternative. As more and more stores transition to only offering coupons online or in an app, consumer advocates say that seniors and low-income shoppers, who often lack access to technology or the skills to use it,

18

• It’s time to finally fix air travel. On Wednesday morning, the Federal Aviation Administration was forced to reboot its system that alerts pilots to safety issues, grounding all air traffic in the United States. Much of the rest of the world —

• Annoyed by grocery store loyalty apps? How to save anyway. You’ve seen the ads proclaiming, “Go digital and save even more!” To do this, though, you must have a smartphone. According to Consumer World founder Edgar Dworsky, shoppers who don&rsquo

10

• Biden’s new student loan repayment plan. Federal student loan borrowers could pay less money toward their debt and shorten the path to forgiveness under the terms of the Biden administration’s revamped income-driven repayment plan. Those who borrowed $12,000 or less

05

• A breach at LastPass has password lessons for us all. LastPass, the maker of a popular security program for managing digital passwords, published details about a recent security breach in which cybercriminals had obtained copies of customers’ password vaults, potentially exposing millions of people

2022

December

29

• Big e-vehicle tax credit possible early next year. People who want to buy an electric vehicle could get a bigger-than-expected tax credit come Jan. 1 because of a delay by the Treasury Department in drawing up rules for the tax breaks. As a result,

• What to know about Southwest flight refunds and lost luggage. How do I get a refund from Southwest? The airline has set up a dedicated website for travelers to request a refund: Southwest.com/traveldisruption. According to the Transportation Department, travelers are entitled to a

22

• Here's how Congress wants to overhaul retirement plans. Intended to boost retirement savings and access to 401(k) and individual retirement accounts, the Secure Act 2.0 is aimed at low- and middle-income workers, those strapped with student debt and people who may not yet have

20

• Wells Fargo to pay $3.7 Billion over consumer banking violations. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) said Wells Fargo did not record customer payments on home and auto loans properly, wrongfully repossessed some borrowers’ cars and homes and charged overdraft fees even when customers