September 2022 • Issue 3, Volume 13 • www.consumer-action.org

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  What people are saying  
 
Congratulations on 50 years! Your articles have made me more attentive to the kinds of scams & scammers out there; the importance of self-protection online and on the phone; and the aspects of my life that could make me an attractive mark. Your writers and editors offer clear, informative prose. And your descriptions of the latest scams, how to respond to them, and where to report them are invaluable. Thank you!!

--PG, Portland, OR, via Consumer Action feedback survey
 
  Did you know?  
 
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking comment on a proposal to strengthen its "longstanding interpretation" of its rules when airlines or ticket agents (such as online platforms like Expedia, Priceline, Travelocity, etc.) refuse to provide refunds to ticket buyers after flights are cancelled or passengers are subjected to significant changes in their itineraries. "Significant" would mean a departure/arrival delay of at least three hours for domestic flights, or at least six hours for international flights. Travelers would also be entitled to a refund in the case of routing changes, new connections, or aircraft switches that cause a "significant downgrade" in amenities or other features. The DOT proposes to require U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents to provide refunds (instead of travel vouchers or credits) if the companies received significant financial assistance from taxpayers during public health emergencies, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. You can comment at the Regulations.gov website (docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089).
 
  Nasdaq Foundation funds investor education initiative  
 
By Audrey Perrott

Under a new initiative, funded by a grant from the Nasdaq Foundation, Consumer Action will address the racial and gender investing gap by educating community-based organizations, women and BIPOC consumers on the importance of investing as a tool for financial security and wealth-building. Read more.
 
  Hotline Chronicles: Disappearing airline tickets  
 
By Linda Sherry

Showing up to the airport with confirmed tickets for their flight, a Colorado family fell through a crack between an airline and a third-party online ticket booking site. Read more.
 
  Facebook class action claims deadline approaching!  
 
If you had a Facebook profile and visited non-Facebook websites that displayed the Facebook "Like" button during a specific 2010-2011 time period, you may be eligible for cash payment in a class action settlement. Read more.
 
  Project educates consumers about smartphone warranties  
 
By Monica Steinisch

Consumer Action has been working on getting the word out about smartphone warranties--what the warranties do and don't cover, how to make a claim, what rights the law provides, and more--so that buyers and owners can make wise choices and exercise their warranty rights. Read more.
 
  Spreading the word about the Affordable Connectivity Program  
 
By Nelson Santiago

Representatives from the nonprofit Common Sense and from the Federal Communications Commission joined Consumer Action for a timely virtual discussion urging community advocates to help educate the public about the new federal ACP program to help close the digital divide. Read more.
 
  Webinar explores role of homeownership in wealth creation  
 
By Linda Williams

A recent Consumer Action-hosted webinar focused on homeownership as a crucial source of generational wealth for lower-income families and communities of color. Guest speakers offered insights, advice and resources for prospective home buyers and those who guide them through the process. Read more.
 
  Coalition Efforts: Curb abusive overdraft fees, telemarketing misconduct and investment greenwashing  
 
By Monica Steinisch

Consumer Action often joins its allies in letters, comments and complaints calling for change, standing up for consumer rights, supporting or opposing proposed laws, pressing for enforcement, 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: Penalties for redlining and fake accounts; states empowered to fight eviction  
 
By Ruth Susswein

In this regular feature, we detail recent actions taken by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). This month, we report that the Bureau's redlining case against Trident Mortgage will provide millions in loan subsidies for minority borrowers; the agency empowers states to fight eviction; and it fines U.S. Bank for opening fake accounts. Read more.
 
  Class Action Database: Enfamil maker's claims are a formula for trouble  
 
By Monica Steinisch

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 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.
 
   
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