Jim Hood is a grizzled veteran of the news business. After 14 years at the Associated Press, he founded Zapnews and ConsumerAffairs.com. In his dotage he runs The Outraged Consumer on Substack and ConsumerNews.ai.
Top hazards today Treatlife smoke/CO detectors — Recalled because they can fail to alert consumers to a fire, creating a risk of serious injury or death. Sold on Amazon. (U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission) Raychy children’s light-up sneakers — Recalled because accessible lithium coin batteries pose ingestion hazards;
Money
The "discount for cash" deal is standard in lots of business dealings, where both parties know what they're doing, but it's often a bad model for homeowners attracted by the notion of a fast, as-is sale.
Money
A new class-action lawsuit says fuel-pricing software turned old-fashioned price fixing into an automated system
Money
The complaint is the first major test of so-called surveillance pricing in the U.S. news industry, but the practice is not unique to the Post.
Consumer Protection
The CFPB says it is cleaning up an overloaded complaint portal but consumer advocates are skeptical.
Consumer Protection
Americans say they are spending more time, money and emotional energy trying to solve routine problems with airlines, banks, retailers, telecoms, health insurers and delivery companies.
Money
Apartment hunting has always required math. But for many renters, the advertised rent is now only the starting point.
Money
The measure becomes law in ten days, with or without Trump's signature.
Consumer Protection
The state’s new enforcement statement takes aim at surprise charges, vague add-ons, dark patterns and fees that provide little or no value.
Consumer Protection
A proposed California class action claims Temu used deceptive email offers to get consumers to click through to its website so it could collect personal information about them.
Cars
A Tesla Model 3 crashed into a home near Houston, killing a 76-year-old woman who was inside. The driver told police he was using an automated driver-assistance system.
Consumer Protection
How "deposit alternatives" work — and what they can do to your credit