Press Release Archive

2016

November

15

• Consumer Action applauds proposed changes to Contact Lens Rule. Consumer Action applauds the Federal Trade Commission's proposed updates to the Contact Lens Rule, which promotes competition by giving consumers the right to comparison shop for contact lenses.

• ​Low-income consumers have options for affordable internet (Consumer Action and Comcast team up to educate consumers about low-cost broadband plans for low-income households). Consumer Action and Comcast have partnered to create a free multilingual educational guide, “Getting up to speed: Broadband internet for low-income households.”

October

18

• Consumer Action urges SEC to mothball shareholder report plan (900+ consumers asked SEC to maintain paper as default delivery option). During an SEC meeting last week, the agency decided to postpone a final decision on a rule that would have set the default for shareholder reports to electronic delivery, from the current paper-based default. Consumer Action has called for keeping paper as the delivery default and allowing shareholders to call, write or drop a pre-written card in the mail to opt for electronic delivery if they prefer it.

01

• Consumer groups support legislation to protect airline travelers (Coalition outlines seven consumer protection principles). Consumer groups outline seven principles to guide badly needed consumer protections for airline passengers.

September

30

• One million reasons why consumers need the CFPB. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) hit the one million mark this week. The Bureau has received more than one million individual consumer complaints about

29

• Consumer advocates disappointed private debt collectors to begin collecting federal tax debts (Program may increase scams involving phony tax collections). Consumer advocates expressed disappointment over an announcement that four private debt collection companies were selected to collect federal tax debts, one of which (Pioneer Credit Recovery) had been terminated last year by the U.S. Department of Education.

28

• Consumer Action joins White House campaign to 'Lock Down Your Login' (Advice to help consumers enable the strongest authentication tools for online accounts). Consumer Action joins a new campaign, “Lock Down Your Login,” to urge Americans to limit their personal cybercrime risk and better protect their key social media, email and bank accounts by enabling strong authentication.

August

30

• Consumer Action takes a closer look at a most valuable consumer tool (Report examines CFPB complaints, public data and company responses). Consumer Action releases a study of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's complaint database and offers tips and advice on how to find information in, and make the best use of, the public complaints submitted by consumers.

23

• Consumer Action joins 280 groups in supporting rule that would restore your right to sue. WASHINGTON, DC—Consumer Action joined together with 280 consumer, civil rights, labor, community and non-profit organizations to emphasize strong and broad-based support for the Consumer

11

• New rules limit debt collection robocalls by Feds. WASHINGTON, DC—Consumer advocates applauded the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for its rules and report placing limits on the the 2015 Budget Bill that allows

09

• Consumer Action partners with eConsumerServices to support consumer financial literacy. Dispute resolution company eConsumerServices donates resources and information to Consumer Action in order to educate cardholders on broader financial topics.

July

29

• Consumers get the last word on complaints (Consumer Action applauds CFPB’s latest move to improve its complaint system). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is adding a five star system ratings scale to its complaint process to give consumers an efficient way to

28

• CFPB proposes to strengthen debt collection rules (Consumer Action says proposal is step in right direction). July 28, 2016—The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today released its proposed rules to limit debt collection abuses by third-party debt collectors and others covered by

• Veterans Financial Coalition teaches CBOs to help vets in San Diego (Training offers personal finance pointers to groups serving military families).   Consumer Action and Visa Inc. team up for Veterans Financial Coalition training programs San Diego, CA – Veterans Financial Coalition partners Consumer Action and

21

• DOJ sues to block Anthem-Cigna, Aetna-Humana health insurance mergers. Consumer Action applauds the Department of Justice's decision to sue to block the Anthem-Cigna and Aetna-Humana health insurance mergers, which it believes are anticompetitive and would greatly harm consumers.

• CFPB celebrates its fifth anniversary. Consumer Action's statement on the CFPB after five years

June

03

• Payday, car title loan rule could save U.S. consumers millions (Rule proposes regulating predatory lending that traps consumers in a cycle of debt ). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) unveils new proposed rule to rein in payday and car title lending.

May

26

• Fair treatment for homeowners with limited English proficiency. Consumer Action, Americans for Financial Reform and coalition partners urge regulators, in a newly released paper, to make it easier for limited English proficiency (LEP)

18

• Congress debates consumers' right to a fair trial (Congress asks: Should consumers be able to hold corporations accountable when they break the law?). WASHINGTON, DC—Today, the U.S. House Financial Services Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit will hold a hearing to consider whether the

10

• FCC proposes to protect consumers from robocalls by federal debt collectors. Advocates applaud rules proposed by the Federal Communications Commission to protect consumers (mainly student loan borrowers and taxpayers pursued by private collectors) from robocalls and texts sent by debt collectors of federal debt.

05

• Financial firms can’t stop you from joining class action lawsuits (Consumers will be able to join together to hold corporations accountable when they break the law). The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's rule would limit the financial industry’s use of forced arbitration—an abusive practice in which corporations bury “ripoff clauses” in the fine print of take- it-or-leave-it contracts to block consumers from challenging predatory practices such as hidden fees, fraud and other illegal behavior.

April

15

• President supports FCC proposal to unlock pay-TV set-top boxes. Consumer Action's statement on President Barack Obama's support for support for the Federal Communications Commission's proposal to open up pay TV set-top boxes to competition from new apps and devices.

07

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, we've got your back! (Advocates stand with the CFPB as Senate Banking Committee prepares to grill Bureau's director). Consumer advocates rally behind Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Richard Cordray as he delivers the Bureau's Semi-Annual Report to the Senate Banking Committee. Consumer Action and its allies fear a reprise of the March 16 House Financial Services Committee hearing, which turned ugly as CFPB foes grilled Cordray about the agency.

06

• DOL fiduciary rule will protect retirement investors from 'conflicted advice' (Statement by Consumer Action on final fiduciary rule released today). Consumer Action applauds the Department of Labor for issuing a final conflict of interest rule, requiring retirement advisers to abide by a “fiduciary” standard, i.e. putting their clients’ best interests first.

01

• The FCC deserves praise for Lifeline modernization proposal. Statement of Ken McEldowney executive director of Consumer Action, a San Francisco- and Washington, DC-based national consumer advocacy and education membership organization on FCC Vote