Anthem has agreed to a $39.5 million settlement with 43 attorneys general over its massive 2014 data breach that involved the personal information of 78.8 million Americans. In addition to the payment, Anthem, one of the largest health insurance companies in the United States, has agreed to data security and management provisions designed to strengthen its practices. Read more →
State insurance commissioners are failing to prevent windfall auto insurer profits as auto claims dropped when driving and auto crashes declined due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Consumer Federation of America and the Center for Economic Justice said. Read more →
One of the articles in our blogging roundup stands out this week. Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty described how he fell while playing golf. He climbed up onto the tee box, and without thinking about it, stepped onto a wet railroad tie. His feet shot out from under him, and boom. Read more →
Hongkong Sun Rise Trading is recalling about 150,000 Kobalt 40-volt lithium ion cordless electric chainsaws in the United States and about 1,400 in Canada. The chainsaw can remain in the “on” position, posing a laceration hazard to consumers. The company has received 48 reports of the switch malfunctioning. Read more →
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Friday establishing a Department of Financial Protection and Innovation to protect consumers from financial predators and abusive business practices. “While the federal government is getting out of the financial protection business, California is leaning into it,” Newsom said. Read more →
Free trial offers can be a trap. After luring you in with “free trials” for products you may like, a company hits you with surprise charges during the supposedly “free” trial period. In a lawsuit filed in federal court, the Federal Trade Commission alleges that NutraClick, which marketed dietary supplements and beauty products through paid subscription programs, broke the law by not making it clear exactly when its free trials ended and the billing began. Read more →
Consumer coronavirus complaints to the Federal Trade Commission have grown to more than 200,000, with more than $140 million in fraud losses. Since the coronavirus outbreak began, the top complaint categories are online shopping, travel, credit cards, banks and lenders, and credit bureaus. Read more →
Today is National Voter Registration Day, a holiday since 2012, where organizations register hundreds of thousands of voters on a single day. “Voter registration is drastically behind where we should be for a presidential election year,” said Virginia Kase, CEO of the League of Women Voters of the United States. Read more →
"Mastering others is strength," wrote Lao Tzu, "mastering yourself is true power." Tom Sightings of Sightings Over Sixty refers to this quote as he introduces the articles for our blog roundup this week. Sightings saw an article by someone who was mastering the power in himself. He wrote that for most of his life he had never voted in any elections. Read more →
MWE Investments is recalling about 7,500 dual fuel portable generators. The recalled portable generators can leak fuel, posing a fire and burn hazard. The firm has received 26 reports of fuel leaking from the fuel valve. No fires, injuries, or property damage have been reported. Read more →