CA News & Special Reports Archive
2015
February
28
- Consumer Action INSIDER - March 2015.
The March 2015 issue of Consumer Action INSIDER features stories about our work on California legislative issues, new class actions and a look at credit scores and medical debt discussed at the most recent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau consumer advisory board meeting. Hotline Chronicles tells the tale of two consumers who had trouble getting their cell phones unlocked—a new option that major wireless carriers have agreed to provide to subscribers who are no longer under contracts.
01
- Consumer Action INSIDER - February 2015.
This month’s INSIDER includes 2014 complaint statistics for our free consumer hotline, the latest additions to the Class Action Database, the announcement of our just-published FY2014 annual report, and a summary of Consumer Action’s comments to the CFPB on its language access plan. Hotline Chronicles offers timely tips for avoiding a bad tax preparer and expensive tax refund products.
January
05
- Consumer Action INSIDER - January 2015.
This month's INSIDER features the fifth annual Consumer Action's National Conference, forced arbitration and the Hotline Chronicles. The Hotline Chronicles reviews bill collectors contacting family members.
2014
November
18
- Specialty Consumer Reports Issue (Fall 2014).
Consumer Action has compiled information for consumers about "specialty consumer reports.” Like credit reports, these specialized consumer reports gather details about individuals to help companies predict a customer’s risk level to a business. But the existence of these “specialty” reports is not well known among consumers, who stand to lose the most if the reports contain errors or omissions.
September
01
- Consumer Action INSIDER - September 2014.
This month's INSIDER brings you article on a new consumer educational resource for service members and veterans, efforts to end mandatory arbitration clauses in consumer contracts that keep customers from bringing disputes in court, and a campaign to ensure that used cars at a major dealer have all recalled issues repaired before sale. In addition, Hotline Chronicles features a cautionary tale about a scam in which callers pretend to be from the Internal Revenue Service to scare you into giving them bank and credit card information and we explain Consumer Action's translation services for government, non-profits and corporations.
August
- Consumer Action INSIDER - August 2014.
The August issue of Consumer Action INSIDER brings you news of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's field hearing in El Paso, TX last month, at which it introduced a proposal to allow consumers to publicly share the stories behind the complaints they submit to the consumer watchdog agency. Other items in the issue include an update on work we are doing to protect and strengthen the rights of career education student loan borrowers, an account of the series of trainings we conducted on financial inclusion and an introduction to a program that leverages a myriad of stakeholders to lead people out of poverty. Hotline Chronicles presents information on whether Social Security numbers are a requirement to get a credit card.
July
22
- Medical Credit Card Survey Issue (Summer 2014).
Being able to borrow the money for a medical or dental procedure rather than deplete savings or forgo needed care sounds like a great option—even better if the lender touts a 0% interest rate. Consumer Action surveyed seven medical credit cards and a handful of medical loan products, some of which offer “interest free” patient financing. See how they stacked up and what you need to know about deferred-interest financing promotions in the Medical Credit Card Survey issue of Consumer Action News.
June
30
- Consumer Action INSIDER - July 2014.
The July issue of Consumer Action INSIDER brings you stories about our Financial Inclusion trainings, employee volunteerism, a roundup of our coalition efforts, a new class action settlement in a case brought against Ticketmaster over excessive fees, and a Hotline Chronicles case of entrapment in the "jewelry of the month club." And that's not all!
March
12
02
- Consumer Action INSIDER - March 2014.
This month, the INSIDER brings you stories about weaknesses in the "safe harbor" for international data sharing, how a family can tackle a hefty emergency room bill, monitoring your "digital footprint", new class actions, educating seniors on health care fraud and more.
February
- Consumer Action INSIDER - February 2014.
This month’s INSIDER unveils our newly designed Class Action Database and features a Hotline Chronicles piece on stop payments. It also contains articles about what happened at our National Consumer Empowerment Conference in November, a look back at how our MoneyWi$e financial literacy program has evolved over the years, and our newly updated publication on sending money abroad (remittances). We’ve also added a periodic “CFPB Watch” feature to monitor all the great work being done by our colleagues at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
2013
November
20
- Affordable Care Act Issue (November 2013).
In the Affordable Care Act Issue we cover the basics of Obamacare—including the new health insurance exchanges, required minimum services, enrollment, subsidies for low income individuals and families and more. Our Web Bonus articles (not included in the downloadable PDF), explore medical debt installment plans, scams around Obamacare and appealing your health insurer's decisions.
July
01
- Consumer Action INSIDER - July 2013.
This month's edition of Consumer Action INSIDER features stories about our recent survey to gauge attitudes about online tracking, a recent outreach effort with AARP-Walgreens, a cautionary tale about "free" credit scores, how Consumer Action dealt with a recent "spam" attack and more.
May
31
- Consumer Action INSIDER - June 2013.
There's lots of news from Consumer Action in the June 2013 issue of INSIDER, including a warning about "penny auctions," a new database to collect student loan stories, Military Saves Week activities at Camp Pendleton, a roundup of our Coalition Efforts and more!
April
30
- Consumer Action INSIDER - May 2013.
The May 2013 edition of the INSIDER features stories about our activities at various financial literacy events, some considerations when teaching older adults and a new credit resource created by our staff. Hotline Chronicles looks at the case of a woman who was convinced against her better judgment to purchase a timeshare.
01
- Consumer Action INSIDER - April 2013.
The April 2013 issue of Consumer Action INSIDER features stories about our staff activities, including our participation at the Consumer Assembly, new legislation we support to protect accountholders from excessive overdraft fees, the potential perils of ignoring bill collectors' calls, a new grant to work on electronic medical privacy education, and more.
February
28
- Consumer Action INSIDER - March 2013.
In the new issue of Consumer Action INSIDER, our monthly e-newsletter, we recount our recent doings, including response from an online poll about using credit cards after the CARD Act, reports on 2012 hotline complaints and free publication distribution, coalition efforts with our consumer colleagues and our ongoing outreach to community partners. In this month's Hotline Chronicles, we talk about the "dual tracking" of foreclosures and loan modifications, which unfairly impact homeowners in financial distress who are seeking to save their homes.
January
01
- Consumer Action INSIDER - January 2013.
The January issue of INSIDER presents stories about Consumer Action's recent activities, including coalition efforts to explain online data collection to consumers, our recent Consumer Action News "Frugal Issue" and the work we expect to be doing in 2013, as well as suggestions to avoid restocking fees on returned merchandise and more.
2011
July
29
- Consumer Action INSIDER – August 2011.
The August issue of Consumer Action INSIDER carries news of the organization's activities, including financial empowerment efforts, our upcoming 40th anniversary celebration, and the recipients of a new round of MoneyWi$e mini grants. In Hotline Chronicles, we answer a question about moving out-of-state with a Section 8 voucher.
June
01
April
29
- Consumer Action INSIDER - May 2011.
The May 2011 issue of Consumer Action INSIDER brings you news of our activities. Among other news, we were awarded a $1 million grant from HUD, we joined an amicus brief in the Viacom v. YouTube case, and we started a new series to highlight the great services we have available on the Web.
March
31
- Consumer Action Insider - April 2011.
This issue of Consumer Action INSIDER features stories on our new WirelessED education initiative, a moving "hostage situation," a Vermont lawsuit over prescription drug privacy and the important legacy of New York City's Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, among other articles.
February
01
- Consumer Action INSIDER - February 2011.
This issue of Consumer Action INSIDER features stories about some of our new projects, a report on the complaints we received last year and the tale of a fellow who failed to notice an increase in his minimum credit card payment and was made to pay for the oversight.
2010
December
28
- Consumer Action INSIDER - January 2011.
The January 2011 issue of Consumer Action INSIDER offers a recap of a banner year for consumer protections, a look at our privacy work and a consumer's experience with bogus "debt collectors."
01
- Consumer Action Insider - December 2010.
This issue of Consumer Action INSIDER includes stories about our first annual Financial Empowerment Conference, the outcome of a service grant we received from the Taproot Foundation and a consumer's experience with a "free trial" that was anything but free.
Quick Menu
Support Consumer Action
Insurance Menu
Help Desk
Advocacy
