Welcome to Consumers’ Notebook, where we feature news-you-can-use and other timely information to help you become a more informed consumer. Check back often to read the latest pieces in our Notebook.
How to Spot a Credit Repair Scam and What You Can Do to Improve Your Credit Scores
If you believe the ads—and you should not—“credit repair” companies can quickly and dramatically boost your credit scores by removing negative items. Many of these promises are bogus.
What to Do When a Package Doesn’t Arrive?
The delivery fiasco created by an explosion of online orders during the holiday season continues for some consumers, with many packages still out there, somewhere. Tracking information is often useless. Here are some strategies for getting a refund or replacement.
Millions of Americans Still Waiting for Stimulus Money; Some Won’t Get It Until Tax Time
More than two-thirds of all the Economic Impact Payments have now been sent out electronically, according to the U.S. Treasury Department. That’s significantly faster than delivery of the first stimulus checks last April. Even so, that leaves millions of Americans still waiting for federal relief.
Headlight Ratings Encourage Automakers to Improve Safety; These 2021 Models Scored Best
To encourage automakers to improve inferior headlights, in 2016 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety began rating vehicles for this important safety issue. Here are the 2021 models that scored best.
Major Retailers Respond to COVID-19 with Expanded Holiday Gift Return Policies
Dealing with returns during a pandemic can be a challenge. A few prominent national retailers are trying to make the process easier.
Online Pet Scams Soar During Pandemic—Here’s How to Protect Yourself
Pet adoptions have skyrocketed during the pandemic, as people stuck at home decided it was a good time to add a furry family member. Scammers are trolling the internet looking for people who will pay hundreds of dollars to buy a pet that doesn’t exist.
Auto Insurance Companies Provide ‘Tiny’ Refunds While Making Windfall Pandemic Profits, Study Finds
The pandemic has been a financial boon for the auto insurance industry. Since the outbreak, Americans have been driving less—resulting in fewer wrecks, fewer claims, and bigger profits. Few companies are sharing their windfalls with loyal customers.
Should You Upgrade to a 5G Phone? Checkbook Cuts Through the Marketing Hype
5G is breakthrough technology, but right now, in most parts of the country, it hasn’t yet arrived—and it won’t for several years. That hasn't stopped wireless companies from spending heavily on ads urging their customers to buy new smartphones.
How to Avoid Sky-High Overdraft Fees on Your Checking Account
We all make mistakes, but overdrawing your checking account is going to cost you more than ever before. The average overdraft fee hit a record high this year, increasing to $33.47.
Why It’s Safer to Use a Credit Card, Not a Debit Card
Some people find using debit cards, rather than credit cards, help them stick to their budgets and avoid going into debt. But credit cards offer stronger consumer protections.
Why You Should Delete Online Accounts You No Longer Use
Chances are you have online accounts that you haven’t used for years. These old and abandoned accounts can be a major security risk.
How to Shop Safely Online This Holiday Season (and the Rest of the Year, Too)
Like everything else during this pandemic, holiday shopping is different this year. Stores are open and malls are decorated, but even diehard brick-and-mortar shoppers are more likely to buy online. That reduces the risk of getting infected, but increases the chances of falling victim to cybercriminals.
New FTC Website Makes It Easier to Report Fraud and Other Consumer Issues
The Federal Trade Commission, the government’s fraud fighting agency, received 3.2 million consumer complaints last year, dealing with everything from identity theft to online shopping problems.
Holiday Shopping: The Pros & Cons of Traditional Layaway and New Buy Now, Pay Later Services
The holiday shopping season is underway and for people without savings or credit, or who have credit cards maxed out because of the pandemic, layaway or buy now, pay later plans may be the only way to buy everything on their gift-giving lists.
Con Artists Capitalize on Online Shopping Surge, Send Bogus Delivery Notices to Trick Consumers
Scammers are capitalizing on record e-commerce orders with a fresh wave of email and text message phishing attacks that look like they're from legitimate retailers and package delivery services.
Save on Prescription Drugs: How to Pay Less Than Your Insurance Copay
Websites and apps like GoodRX, America’s Pharmacy, Blink Health, Optum Perks, RXSaver, SingleCare, and WellRX can offer discounts so steep that you might pay less for your prescription medicines than the copays you'd pay under your health insurance plan.
Data Breach Impacts Donors at Hundreds of Nonprofits
Donors and members of more than 240 organizations recently had their personal information compromised during a breach at Blackbaud, a company hired by many nonprofits to manage their data. Unfortunately, so far Blackbaud hasn't shared much info about who was affected.
It May Be Time to Get Off the Fence About Refinancing Your Mortgage
Starting on December 1, a new 0.5 percent “adverse market fee” will be added to many mortgage refinance loans backed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
Grocery Prices Are Up. Here’s How to Save at the Supermarket.
If you do the grocery shopping in your family, you’ve probably noticed that the grocery bills keep going up. Blame the pandemic for pushing up the prices of many staples. Here are some simple tips to help lower your food bills.
Why Did I Get a Small, Unexpected Payment From the IRS?
By law, the IRS owes interest on refunds that accrued between the original April 15th filing deadline and whenever the refund was actually paid.