September 2020 • Issue 3, Volume 11 • www.consumer-action.org
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You are invited!
As the COVID-19 crisis ravages the country, the need to create effective policies to address health care and financial inequities is more pressing than ever! That is why Consumer Action is inviting you to join us for our timely Health and Wealth convening on Sept. 29-30. The two-day virtual event will feature expert panels on: surprise medical billing, medical debt collection, telemedicine, protection of our medical data, and innovative solutions for access to health care for underrepresented consumers. We will also incorporate our 2020 Consumer Excellence Awards ceremony to honor the individuals and organizations working tirelessly on the frontlines to improve the physical and financial health of those living in the U.S. Don't hesitate; register now!
What people are saying
We were able to watch and listen to this very enlightening and useful 'Estate Planning for Healthcare, Finances and More During a Pandemic' webinar...Thanks to Consumer Action for events such as these, and we look forward to more of them.
-Florida Silver Haired Legislature, Inc.
Did you know?
Most U.S. citizens aged 18 or older have the right to vote--although states may have laws that restrict residents' rights (particularly for those convicted of or incarcerated for felonies), or that demand those interested in voting meet rigid requirements to do so. If you're able to vote, you should make your voice heard, and the first step to doing so is to make sure you're registered. If you're still sheltering in place because of COVID-19, request an absentee ballot to cast your vote in November. You can find most of the information you need to vote in the presidential election at Vote.org, including how to register, ways to request an absentee ballot, where to vote in person (if this is an option for you), and more.
Out & About: Online advocacy to break through the noise
We recently attended Netroots Nation, a multi-day conference on "best practices" in issues-based online activism. Here, we report on the conference, as well as some of the suggested strategies for promoting economic justice in a busy, election-cycle year with seemingly never-ending noise and bad news!
Read more...
Estate Planning: Getting your affairs in order in the age of COVID
Last month, Consumer Action's estate planning webinar detailed the specifics of a particularly important task in the era of COVID-19: making your end-of-life wishes and instructions known--in writing--to prevent confusion, conflict and the burden of decision-making at a difficult time. Read more...
Hotline Chronicles: Don't pay a middleman to register your car
Websites that look like state motor vehicle sites, or that offer to help facilitate motor vehicle registrations for an extra fee, catch many consumers unaware. It's better to go directly to the state motor vehicle agency than to one of these misleading (and potentially costly) copycat sites.
Read more...
Coalition Efforts: Now is not the time to gut consumer protections!
Consumer Action often joins its allies in letters, comments and complaints calling for change, standing up for consumer rights, supporting or opposing proposed laws, and objecting to corporate misbehavior, among other activities. We collect these in the Coalition Efforts section of our website. Each month in the INSIDER, we highlight some recent activities. Read more...
CFPB Watch: Flagrant redlining, fake foreclosures, and stimulus funds
In this regular feature, we detail recent actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This month, we report that the Bureau appears to have finally found its fair lending "legs," that financial relief from its case against a fake foreclosure "help" company may be minimal, and that many low-income people who don't normally file tax returns are still eligible for $1,200 in stimulus payments--if they act soon. Read more...
Class Action Database: DeVry University gets fried for its lies
Consumer Action maintains a database of class actions so that interested consumers can learn more, join a pending action or make a claim. Class action lawsuits are an important element of consumer protection and can force changes to anti-consumer business practices and make bad actors return ill-gotten gains to consumers. Read more...
About Consumer Action
Consumer Action has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 1971. A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, Consumer Action focuses on consumer education that empowers low- and moderate-income and limited-English-speaking consumers to financially prosper. It also advocates for consumers in the media and before lawmakers to advance consumer rights and promote industry-wide change.
By providing consumer education materials in multiple languages, a free national hotline, a comprehensive website (www.consumer-action.org) and annual surveys of financial and consumer services, Consumer Action helps consumers assert their rights in the marketplace and make financially savvy choices. More than 6,000 community and grassroots organizations benefit annually from its extensive outreach programs, training materials and support. Read more...
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