While pregnant woman, children and those with weak immune systems wait in long, long lines to get a dose of the H1N1 vaccine, we learn that Wall Street's wants -once again comes before Main Street's needs. They not only get to move to the front of the line -they don't have a line at all. As the below investigative report shows, while hospitals scramble to get enough vaccines for their high risk patients -and families across this country wait in massive lines to secure a flu ... Read Full Story
Bernie Madoff is not the only one trying to lure potential investors into risky investments, which might seem lucrative but are questionable. Seniors living in affluent areas need to be especially cautious, as they are often the target of schemes like the one uncovered by Mc Nelly Torres, an investigative journalist based in South Florida. In this piece for ConsumerAffairs.com, Torres investigated a company that seems to have disappeared as she began to ask questions to California regulators ... Read Full Story
It turns out that the biggest weapon we as consumers have to wield against financial predatory practices (the one that scares big banks the most) is one of my own personal heroes Harvard Law Professor and Chairman of the TARP Oversight Committee -Elizabeth Warren. (See video below)While the financial industry continues to fear the proposed implementation of a Consumer Financial Protection Agency it seems they are even more fearful of what might come along with it. They are worried that if thi... Read Full Story
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has once again delayed full enforcement of the new identity theft prevention measures known as the "Red Flags Rule." Many of the businesses compelled by the FTC to comply with these changes now have a little breathing room with a new deadline of June 1, 2010 to meet. This is the fourth extension since the rules first came into existence. Initially, the enforcement of the Red Flags Rule was expected to occur by November 1, 2008, then extended through May, 200... Read Full Story
A new petition urging Congress to take swift action and regulate the mortgage servicing industry is circulating and growing momentum. As the economy and homeowners continue to struggle, this unregulated industry continues to be the source of much of the pain and distress felt by borrowers who continue to search for help from the true holder of their mortgage, while simultaneously fighting against illegal foreclosure attempts by their mortgage servicing company. Here are a few poin... Read Full Story
As I've noted in a number of earlier blogs, whenever someone discovers they've been scammed it doesn't take long to notice the scammer has gotten away with much more than just money. They manage to steal the victim's sense of security and very peace of mind. The truth is, whenever the economy takes a downward turn it's inevitable that crime rates turn upwards. Whether con-artists put a new twist on an old scam or use innovative technology as their weapon of choice, they are very good at... Read Full Story
As bankers gathered in Chicago this week, thousands of consumers from across the country showed up in Chicago too. Protesters are calling on these banks who received billions in our taxpayer bailout money to help consumers who have fallen victim to bad loan practices and are losing their homes to foreclosure. As I've mentioned on numerous times, (see here and here for a couple) the financial industry is strongly opposed to any real regulatory reforms and continues to lobby forcefully again... Read Full Story
A Phishing email is designed to appear both urgent and legitimate. It may appear to come from your bank, credit card company, cell phone provider, or as in many cases -various government agencies. The spammers will often encourage you to click on an embedded link or call a specific phone number. Don't do it. These are hooks aimed at prompting you do follow their lead and once you do they can then get you to divulge personal information such as your Social Security Number, bank account info... Read Full Story
If you have a computer, then you have web tracks -a/k/a footprints. What are they? Web tracks or footprints are those tiny traces that remain on your hard drive after you have used the Internet to read your mail, chat with your friends, browse through online stores, or any other activity that necessitates the use of the Internet. Personal information that is typically stored on a computer includes
the passwords, account numbers, email addresses, etc that are stored in
the autocomplete file. ... Read Full Story
Free credit reports -where? When was the last time you saw a television commercial or a public service announcement advising you how to get copies of your free credit reports? And I don't mean those non-stop catchy rhyming jingles singing "F.R.E.E. spells Free". I mean where and how to obtain the no-strings and no-dollars attached, genuinely free credit reports. Never -right? And that's why the FTC wants to hear from you. Thanks to the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), each o... Read Full Story
