Consumer issues

Aug 13, 2008 -- SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - Utah Governor Jon Huntsman announced today that the Department of Agriculture and Food and the Department of Commerce are actively monitoring and analyzing Utah gas prices. In the most recent AAA gas report, the State's average price for unleaded gasoline was third highest in the nation.

"Gas prices are hitting everyone hard. As the rest of the country is seeing some relief from exorbitant gas prices, gas retailers in Utah have not shown Utahns a commensurate decrease at the pumps here at home," said Governor Huntsman. "We are asking these state agencies to monitor the situation within their enforcement powers to make sure Utahns are not being taken advantage of."    » read more »

More Than 500,000 Calls To Consumers On "Do Not Call" List

August 12, 2008 -- Harrisburg - Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett announced that consumer protection lawsuits have been filed against two business owners and their companies, who are accused of violating Pennsylvania's "Do Not Call" law and other consumer protection statutes.

The companies, based in Baltimore, Maryland, and State College, Pennsylvania, are accused of using illegal telephone solicitations to aggressively market mortgage products to consumers - including what Corbett alleges is the largest-ever systematic effort to violate the Do Not Call program since it was created in 2002.    » read more »

BALTIMORE, MD (August 6, 2008) - Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has reached a settlement with an Elkton, Maryland propane gas supplier over the company’s imposition of a “Government Agency Regulatory Compliance fee" ( “Government Compliance fees”). The company, Schagrin Gas Company, Inc., agreed to stop charging its customers fees unless they were previously disclosed in their service agreements. The company will also provide its existing customers with a credit for the Government Compliance fees that they were previously charged.    » read more »

Attorney General Urges Stronger Consumer Protections Amid Housing Crisis

August 5 , 2008 -- Chicago -- Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan weighed in Monday on a federal proposal that aims to reform some of the most abusive practices of the credit card industry. In commenting on the proposed federal rule issued by the Federal Reserve Board and two other federal banking agencies, Madigan expressed general support for the proposed reforms but urged the federal regulators to go further to protect consumers in light of the ongoing home foreclosure crisis and economic downturn.

“It is more important than ever that consumers be treated fairly and understand their credit card terms so that they can manage their finances accordingly,” Madigan said.    » read more »

August, 2008 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement in support of his Department of Managed Health Care's new regulations that make balance billing, which is an anti-consumer tactic that puts patients in the middle of payment disputes between health plans and providers, an unfair billing practice:

"Putting consumers in the middle of billing disputes between providers and health plans is a terrible and unfair practice that must be stopped. It places inappropriate medical costs squarely on consumers' shoulders and increases health care costs for everyone-further illustrating our broken health care system and the need for comprehensive reform.    » read more »

State bill would ban use of Bisphenol A in baby bottles and other feeding devices

August 11, 2008 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein (both D-Calif.) today called on the California State Assembly to pass legislation that would prohibit the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles, sippy cups and other feeding devices for children ages three and younger.

Senators Feinstein and Boxer have co-sponsored federal legislation that would ban BPA from children’s products as well as require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study the health effects of BPA in children and adults.    » read more »

Federal Reserve Proposal Fails to Protect Consumers from Unauthorized Loans

August 6, 2008 -- Washington, DC – In comments filed this week, Consumer Federation of America (CFA), U.S. PIRG and state consumer organizations told the Federal Reserve and other financial regulators that proposed FTC Act rules on bank overdraft “services” fail to protect cash-strapped families from high cost and unfair loans. The agencies proposed rules that require customers to opt-out of bank overdraft loans to avoid future fees.    » read more »

August 4, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – Describing the credit card industry as “rife with unfair, deceptive, and predatory practices,” Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., today urged the Federal Reserve to strengthen its proposed regulation aimed at unfair or deceptive credit card practices. In a 13-page letter, Levin, chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, detailed several abusive practices used by credit card issuers that need to be ended.    » read more »

Presidential Approval to Release Oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve would have most Immediate Impact at the Pump

August 1, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) is urging President Bush to bring immediate relief at the gas pump. Feingold joined 35 other Senators in sending a letter to the President, authored by Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL), calling on the President to use his emergency authority to immediately release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR).

Gas pump, Petrolia, California: Photo by gerry la Photo by gerry la londe-berg (CC)-berg (CC)    » read more »

August 1, 2008 -- Washington, D.C. -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, other senior Members of Congress, and families impacted by unsafe toys joined together at an enrollment ceremony today for the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. This bill, which now goes to President Bush for his signature into law, gives the Consumer Product Safety Commission the resources, authority, and oversight it needs to protect children from lead, dangerous toys and other unsafe products.

“At the beginning of this Congress, I proudly gaveled the Congress to order in the name of all of America’s children, promising to make this a children’s Congress. This week, we have more than one reason to be honoring that pledge and be glad about that.    » read more »

June 17, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, DC – United States Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) chaired a hearing today to investigate how excessive speculation in the oil market may be contributing to the historic run on oil and gas prices.

The hearing, held jointly before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, probed the Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s (CFTC) role in regulating the market and what tools and resources the agency needs to ensure it is able to be a robust market watchdog.    » read more »

Rep. Pascrell Joined the Senators in Discussing the Effort in Congress to Bring Down Artificially-High Prices, End Dependence on Oil

June 16, 2008 -- PATERSON, N.J. – Today, New Jersey’s U.S. Sens. Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez and Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ-08) spoke out about the need to implement the plan currently before the U.S. Senate that would address out-of-control gas prices. Both Senators are co-sponsors of the Consumer-First Energy Act, a bill to address the root causes of artificially-high gas prices, protect consumers from price gouging and force oil companies to change their ways.    » read more »

June 16, 2008 -- A South Carolina tax-relief company that claims to be able to settle your debt with the Internal Revenue Service for "pennies on the dollar" has agreed to stop misleading consumers about its services and pay $1.5 million in refunds, announced West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw today.

"For an exorbitant fee, JK Harris promised to help consumers with their tax problems. Instead of getting tax help, consumers only got deeper in debt," said McGraw.    » read more »

Administration to seek additional safeguards and oversight of life insurance settlements

June 16, 2008 -- HONOLULU – Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle today signed into law a bill to protect individuals – specifically senior citizens and people suffering from chronic or terminal illness – from fraudulent activity relating to the selling and buying of life insurance policies.

While the new law provides added measures to protect consumers, the Governor said it does not go far enough in safeguarding against unscrupulous individuals who exploit and prey on vulnerable residents because of their age or medical condition. The Lingle-Aiona Administration will seek additional protections and industry oversight in the 2009 legislative session.    » read more »

Monte Carlo and Forecasting Hurricanes

The gaming rooms at Monaco’s famous Monte Carlo Casino resonate with people trying their luck at the baccarat, poker, and craps tables. No one knows who will break the bank or who will go home broke. Although wise gamblers carefully consider the odds, or estimates of expected results, when placing their bets, they also understand there’s no such thing as a “sure thing” in a casino.    » read more »