November 2020 • Issue 5, Volume 11 • www.consumer-action.org
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What people are saying
Thank you so much for this webinar. I wasn't sure if it would be a good use of my time, but was so glad I signed up after attending. Thanks also for the resource sheet, as I did find I couldn't keep up in taking notes and was worried I missed things. You do great work!
-Lynette Plander, Financial Empowerment Director, Iowa Able Foundation
Did you know?
Peer-to-peer (P2P) mobile payment platforms, like Zelle, Venmo and Cash App, might be a fast and convenient way to pay bills, transfer money and reimburse friends and family, but, unfortunately, they also have become useful for scammers out to steal your money. As we pointed out in last month's SCAM GRAM newsletter, fraudsters have created a number of different app-related rackets, including simply tricking users into paying for all sorts of bogus items, but also, more cleverly, sending direct-to-user texts and emails "from" the app to obtain users' account/login info, or to upload malware to victims' phones and drain their accounts. The Privacy Rights Clearinghouse offers tips for reducing risk when using these platforms.
Health Is Wealth promotes affordable, transparent health care
Consumer Action's 49th annual awards ceremony and convening were held virtually this year, but that didn't stop us and a host of expert presenters, generous sponsors and honored awardees from delivering timely and critical information on the connection between consumers' physical and financial health, and the need to work diligently to continue to defend consumers' right to accessible, affordable and fair health care (particularly during these difficult times). Read more...
Coping with COVID-19: From housing, to health care, to rebooting your savings
Consumer Action's "Coping with COVID-19" series offers advice, guidance, resources and tips to help consumers weather the crisis. So far, the project has produced a comprehensive resource guide, six multilingual fact sheets and seven recorded webinars. More is in the works. Read more...
Hotline Chronicles: Customer service in the age of COVID
Perhaps it's understandable that it's more difficult to reach companies during the pandemic because businesses want to keep employees safe. Regardless, unstaffed or understaffed remote customer support, billing and other departments have also become an understandable point of frustration for many consumers. Read more...
Trapped in a pandemic: Domestic violence and financial abuse
Domestic violence has increased dramatically over the course of the pandemic. Sadly, victims are finding it difficult to leave abusers due to economic restrictions, job losses, difficulties obtaining aid and/or shelter, and other financial issues. Consumer Action hosted a free webinar on recognizing and rectifying the abuse suffered during this time of stress and isolation. (Please note: This article describes physical abuse/intimate partner violence that some readers may find distressing.) Read more...
Coalition Efforts: Flight cancellations and Medicare complications
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: Phantom debt, rulemaking roadmaps and a website refresh
In this regular feature, we detail recent actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This month, we report on debt collectors who threaten arrest over debts not owed, a new roadmap to help you weigh in on CFPB actions, and changes to the CFPB's website. Read more...
Class Action Database: Facebook pays for illegal use of facial recognition
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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