consumer protection

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Airline Passengers Get Good News From the DOT

New guidelines require airlines to spell out all fees, quickly issue cash refunds for canceled flights

(Newser) - Airline passengers will soon see some relief when it comes to refunds and so-called junk fees. Per new rules set out by the Biden administration on Wednesday, airlines must now show the full price of travel when passengers are booking their trip, reports NPR . That means that airlines have to...

Tennessee AG Isn't Shaking Off Ticketmaster's Swift Debacle

Jonathan Skrmetti looking into consumer complaints on Ticketmaster sales for singer's tour

(Newser) - The Ticketmaster fumble on Tuesday during sales for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour wasn't just an annoyance for fans—it was a bungle that's caught the attention of Tennessee's attorney general. At a Wednesday video news conference, AG Jonathan Skrmetti announced that, due to multiple consumer complaints...

How MoviePass Tried to Keep Users From Seeing Movies

FTC outlines deceptive practices after offer of unlimited movies

(Newser) - MoviePass promised unlimited movie tickets for $9.95 a month, but the result was altogether different. Executives made it very difficult for people to actually use the service, forcing password resets, installing surprise limits on accounts, and exposing personal data, according to the FTC . "MoviePass and its executives went...

Unhappy Dad Sues McDonald's Over Happy Meals

Father's complaint on toys cites Quebec law against marketing to kids under 13

(Newser) - Antonio Bramante doesn't see the "happy" in one of McDonald's most famous offerings. The Canadian dad of three says he's cajoled every couple of weeks to take his little ones to McDonald's, and he figures he's forked over hundreds of dollars on Happy Meals....

2 Memos From 2 Bosses Reveal Chaos at Agency

The CFPB currently has 2 interim directors, and they both showed up for work on Monday

(Newser) - So how goes life as an employee of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Monday? Two memos cited by the Washington Post tell the tale:
  • From the boss: “I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. With Thanksgiving in mind, I wanted to take a moment to share my
...

Head of Consumer Agency Reviled by Republicans Is Leaving

Richard Cordray to resign, giving Trump chance to reshape CFPB

(Newser) - Richard Cordray, the first director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said Wednesday he will leave the position by the end of the month. The resignation of Cordray, who was appointed by then-President Obama, will give President Trump a chance to appoint his own director of the powerful agency established...

Amazon Could Owe Parents More Than $70M

Company reaches deal with FTC over in-app purchases

(Newser) - If your child racked up purchases in the Amazon Appstore without your permission between 2011 and 2016, the company might owe you some money. The Federal Trade Commission and Amazon settled on a deal Tuesday in which the company will refund parents whose children made in-app purchases without their consent,...

FTC to Ad Firms: Get a Real 'Do Not Track' Option Online

Consumers need to be able to opt out of being monitored, watchdog says

(Newser) - When consumers say they don't want their online activity monitored by companies mining data out of their every click they mean it, the Federal Trade Commission warned yesterday. The consumer protection agency said that if technology and advertising companies can't voluntarily create an effective and easy to use...

Barack Obama Bucks GOP, Will Appoint Richard Cordray Head of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
 Obama Will Appoint 
 Cordray Watchdog 
take that, gop?
Jan 4, 2012 9:31 AM CST

Obama Will Appoint Cordray Watchdog

Bucks GOP with recess appointment

(Newser) - President Obama is thumbing his nose at Republican opposition and will today name a new US chief consumer watchdog: Richard Cordray. Yep, the same Cordray who Senate Republicans blocked early last month. Obama's decision to make a recess appointment is certain to cause an uproar—he's essentially declaring...

Car Owner Spurns Lawyers, Takes On Honda Herself

She's going to small-claims court over hybrid mileage

(Newser) - The Los Angeles Times says it has the potential to become a "small-claims flash mob"—and a major headache for the auto industry along with attorneys looking for a fat payday: A California woman is spurning a proposed class-action settlement and instead taking Honda to small-claims court because...

Credit Card Fine Print Remains Indecipherable

... but at least there's hope on the way

(Newser) - Read any good credit card agreements lately? Didn't think so. A follow-up to a July report on the readability of those contracts finds some improvement, but they're still mostly indecipherable and, in fact, beyond the reading comprehension of the average American, reports CreditCards.com . Consumers groups hope the new protection...

White House Plans Internet Privacy Watchdog

New consumer protection laws to be drafted

(Newser) - The Obama administration is stepping up efforts to increase regulation of the Internet and protect users' privacy. New laws to bring protections in line with today's technology are being drafted, along with plans to create a new position to oversee the administration's efforts, sources tell the Wall Street Journa l....

Gift Cards Can't Expire for 5 Years

Feds issue new protections for consumers

(Newser) - The Federal Reserve issued new rules today to protect Americans from getting stung by unexpected fees or restrictions on gift cards. Under the rules, consumers must have at least five years to use the cards before they expire. Services fees can go into effect only after the first year, and...

GOP Opposes Consumer Agency as 'New EPA'

Senate Repubs resist independent agency as a business-killer

(Newser) - Get ready for a bruising showdown over the consumer protection agency the Democrats are trying to create: GOP senators are pledging to kill a standalone body, which is critical to the Dems' plan. A strong, independent CFPA is anathema, says Utah Republican Robert Bennett: "Can you say EPA?" Bennett...

Credit Reform May Drain $9B in Holiday Sales

Consumer protections result in lower limits, less spending

(Newser) - The impending enactment of new credit card law is poised to rob retailers of $9 billion in holiday sales compared to last year. The law, designed to protect consumers from rates being raised on the sly and sneaky fees, already has led to lower credit limits and more rejected applications...

Dangerous Chemical in Zhu Zhu Pet: Watchdog

Maker denies stuffed hamster contains unsafe level of antimony

(Newser) - The manufacturer of Zhu Zhu Pets is defending Mr. Squiggles against charges the stuffed hamster contains unsafe levels of a dangerous chemical. The robotic toys are the big hit of the holiday shopping season—or they were, before GoodGuide said one model has more than the permitted level of antimony,...

Bloggers on JPMorgan Chase CEO Replacing Geithner: Nah
Bloggers on JPMorgan Chase CEO Replacing Geithner: Nah
NO DIMON IN THIS ROUGH
Nov 23, 2009 10:00 PM CST

Bloggers on JPMorgan Chase CEO Replacing Geithner: Nah

Jamie Dimon not in tune with Obama, too invested in big banks

(Newser) - A report today that JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has the inside track to replace Timothy Geithner as Treasury Secretary is getting mostly guffaws online, with even the conservative Wall Street Journal admitting that Dimon’s way too much an insider for the job just now. Indeed, chuckles Daniel Indiviglio...

Blue Dogs Offer Own Spin on Finance Reform

Float alternative to Obama's financial protection agency

(Newser) - Blue Dogs are digging in against the idea of creating a “consumer financial protection agency,” a key provision in Barack Obama’s financial regulatory reform plan, Politico reports. Instead, they want existing regulators to collaborate by way of a “consumer financial protection council.” “We’re...

Fox to Yard Salers: Unloading Wrong Toy Could Cost You $15M

CPSC launches push to stop the resale of recalled toys

(Newser) - Selling the wrong toy at a yard sale could lead to a fine of up to $15 million under a new government policy, Fox News reports. The Consumer Product Safety Commission's "Resale Round-Up" aims to stamp out the sale of used toys that have been recalled due to high...

Teen to Blame for Exploding iPhone? So Says Apple
Teen to Blame for Exploding iPhone? So Says Apple
ANALYSIS
Aug 29, 2009 5:11 PM CDT

Teen to Blame for Exploding iPhone? So Says Apple

Company points finger as EU launches inquiry

(Newser) - Tales of spontaneously combusting iPhones across Europe may be fodder for easy jokes, but the whole "business is no laughing matter," writes JR Raphael for PC World. The EU has opened a formal inquiry into the latest incident, in which a French teenager says an exploding screen sent...

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