All articles tagged with #consumer protection
An Ohio family says hail damage wrecked their roof, but State Farm will only repair three shingles instead of fully fixing the roof, prompting questions about legality and insurers’ obligations. The situation highlights homeowner rights and could invite regulatory or legal review.
Minnesota Attorney General and a federal suit accuse Premium Home Service and CEO Yosef Bernath of a nationwide deception that posed as local contractors online, hijacked listings, used fake addresses and an overseas call center to collect payments for unperformed or shoddy work. Regulators seek to halt the scheme and award restitution after KARE 11’s investigation documented thousands of fake listings and tens of millions in revenue, with hundreds of thousands of potential victims nationwide. Victims are urged to contact the AG’s office for help.
The FBI warns of “banking spoof call” scams in which criminals spoof a bank’s phone number to fool people into transferring funds; victims have lost tens of thousands of dollars, including a reported $40,000 loss from a scammer posing as a Chase representative. To protect yourself, enable two-factor/multi-factor authentication, scrutinize email addresses and URLs, avoid unsolicited links, and remember that legitimate banks will never ask for your username or password—report suspected spoofing to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren defended blocking the JetBlue-Spirit merger as a consumer win, but Spirit Airlines abruptly ceased operations, reviving debate over regulators' decisions to curb consolidation. Critics argue the block reduced competition and may have contributed to Spirit’s collapse, while supporters point to rising fuel costs and long-standing financial struggles as key factors.
Spirit Airlines’ shutdown leaves travelers stranded, but rivals are offering rescue fares to rebook (Southwest in-person through May 6; United online for up to two weeks, with other carriers advertising discounts on Spirit routes). Spirit will auto-refund card bookings; refunds for third-party bookings go through agencies, while vouchers or miles may await bankruptcy handling. If refunds stall, consider a chargeback under the Fair Credit Billing Act or check travel-insurance coverage for insolvency, and keep all receipts and confirmations. Airlines say they’ll increase capacity and offer perks to affected travelers (e.g., Southwest status matches; Hertz rental deals), and Spirit crew members get travel benefits with preferential interviews for former Spirit staff. Deadlines may apply, so act quickly.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy, coordinating with major airlines, announced a package of actions to support Spirit Airlines passengers and employees after Spirit ceased operations, including temporary fare caps for Spirit-related routes, reduced fares on overlapping routes, expanded travel-pass benefits and preferential interviews for Spirit staff, and guidance on refunds via credit-card protections, travel insurance, or bankruptcy filings; the measures follow the Biden administration's blocking of the Spirit–JetBlue merger.
Maryland becomes the first U.S. state to prohibit retailers and third-party services from using personal data to set higher prices in grocery stores. Gov. Wes Moore signed the law, which includes exemptions for loyalty programs and promotions and has critics warning of weak enforcement and loopholes. If successful, it could spur similar bills in other states, while federal action on surveillance pricing remains limited.
Maryland will become the first state to bar retailers from using shoppers’ data to set live, personalized grocery prices (surveillance pricing) under the Protection from Predatory Pricing Act, with prices fixed for at least one business day and bans on using data like income or demographics to charge different customers; loyalty programs and promotions remain allowed. Enforcement rests with the attorney general, with fines up to $25,000 for repeat violators. Critics say loopholes (notably loyalty pricing exemptions) and limited private right of action weaken the law, while supporters view it as a blueprint as other states consider similar measures amid a broader push for price transparency and digital price-tag tech in stores.
Capital One is distributing about $425 million to current and former customers who held a Capital One 360 Savings account at any time from Sept. 18, 2019, to June 16, 2025. Payments will be issued automatically (no action required) and vary based on how long you held the account and the balance. To check eligibility, sign in to Capital One’s app or website, select the account, then view details or statements; accounts opened after June 16, 2025 are ineligible. The settlement stemmed from claims that the two accounts — 360 Savings and 360 Performance Savings — had similar names but different rates, and customers weren’t clearly told which they held.
Maryland becomes the first state to ban 'surveillance pricing' for food retailers and delivery services, prohibiting prices tailored to a consumer’s data, but critics warn the bill has loopholes (loyalty programs, subscriptions, consent-based pricing) and vague language, a 45-day cure window, and enforcement limited to the attorney general, potentially weakening real protections as other states consider similar measures and AI accelerates pricing practices. Gov. Wes Moore still needs to sign the act into law but has supported the idea.
The Consumer Federation of America has filed a DC consumer-protection lawsuit accusing Meta of profiting from and failing to curb scam advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, despite public promises to fight fraud; Meta says the allegations misrepresent their efforts, while CFA seeks damages, disgorgement of profits, and reforms to curb future scams.
A Florida woman fought Mercedes-Benz of Fort Lauderdale for more than two years after her 2018 Mercedes-Benz E-400 sat idle in the dealership lot for 25 months, with an odometer discrepancy and a bumper zip-tie. An arbitration award ordered the dealership to take the car back, pay damages, and cover some legal costs; a judge upheld the award and the dealer complied only after the court mandated it. The case highlights how arbitration can be costly for consumers and offers practical lessons—obtain an independent inspection before buying, document everything, understand arbitration clauses, and don’t assume dealerships will act on their own timeline.
FTC launches a Made-in-USA enforcement sweep, filing complaints against TouchTunes for falsely claiming its electronic dartboards were US-made despite imported components; Americana Liberty LLC and Three Nations LLC for patriotic flags advertised as Made in the USA when parts were abroad; and Oak Street Manufacturing/Oak Street Bootmakers for footwear not all-US-made due to overseas components, with settlements totaling $867,743 and injunctions against misrepresentations plus required disclosures; closing letters issued to Marketing Holders and Lamar Trailers after remedial actions. The actions follow a presidential executive order and reinforce truthful advertising and fair competition for domestically produced goods.
Phishing emails impersonating Apple warn that iCloud storage is full and threaten immediate deletion unless users upgrade, guiding victims to malicious links designed to steal bank details. Which? warned of the scam, which resembles legitimate messages and uses dubious sender addresses and grammar. Do not click any links—verify storage via Settings, report suspected phishing, and contact your bank if details were shared.
The Federal Trade Commission announced a $10 million settlement with StubHub after finding it violated the Fees Rule by advertising ticket prices without clearly disclosing the total upfront, including mandatory fees. The funds will be used for consumer redress, and the order bans misrepresenting total prices and requires clear disclosure of all fees before purchase.