"[TV financial programs are] just not the same as having this extraordinary live, in real time, experience* with these obviously extremely knowledgeable and experienced and trustworthy folks from Consumer Action. They are like a warm and comforting blanket giving hope and inspiration in what could seem like a cold and daunting and confusing financial world." -- Cary Feher, Columbia, MD

*Consumer Action's webinar "Kitchen Table Economics: Dealing with debt and debt collection"

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is examining unnecessary (and predatory) "junk" fees charged by banks and financial companies, and it's asking consumers to provide examples of unjustified fees they've been charged. Not sure what a "junk fee" is? Here are a couple of examples provided by the CFPB: (1) hotels and concert spaces that advertise one price and later tack on generally unadvertised, surprise "resort fees" and "service fees" to customer bills; and (2) fees for financial transactions that purportedly cover individual expenses, such as mortgage paperwork processing, but often greatly exceed the actual cost of providing the service. Add your comments and examples here before the deadline, March 31, 2022.

By Linda Williams

Soon after the Supreme Court invalidated the federal emergency eviction moratorium, leaving millions at risk of homelessness, Consumer Action assembled an expert panel for a webinar discussing housing insecurity--including a rundown of available or potential solutions. Read more.

By Linda Sherry

A consumer contacted our hotline to ask where she could report a deodorant product that caused a burning sensation on her underarms. Read more.

By Alegra Howard

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.

By Ruth Susswein

In this regular feature, we detail recent actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This month, we report on consumers' renewed access to what others have a beef about, and the Bureau's interest in our experience with "exploitative junk fees." Read more.

By Rose Chan

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.

Consumer Action has been a champion of underrepresented consumers nationwide since 1971. A nonprofit 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 and special reports about financial and consumer services, Consumer Action helps consumers assert their rights in the marketplace and make financially savvy choices. More than 6,500 community and grassroots organizations benefit annually from its extensive outreach programs, training materials and support. Read more.