…is the subject of a pending cert. petition to the Supreme Court, reports Ars Technica (here). The issue is whether law enforcement's use of cell phone data to locate a person is subject to the privacy protections of the Fourth Amendment (such as the warrant requirement). The en banc Eleventh Circuit answered no (here). The […]
Author Archives: Scott Michelman
A Pew report from earlier this summer investigates the use of prepaid cards — who uses them, and how, and what regulation might be needed. The report found a huge rise in use. More specifically: "The report finds that many 'unbanked' consumers, those without bank accounts, are using prepaid cards like checking accounts, underscoring the […]
…comes to an end tonight with his last episode hosting the show. In addition to covering issues of war and peace, politics, and the media, Jon Stewart has frequently covered issues of importance to consumers. If you're feeling nostalgic for all things Stewart (as I am today), here's a collection of some of his pieces […]
…is the question posed in today's piece from NPR's Morning Edition today. The story covers a new partnership between Yelp and ProPublica to integrate ProPublica data into Yelp doctor reviews. One of the difficulties in Yelp reviews of doctors is that they often focus on the rudeness or efficiency of the office staff rather than […]
In 2009, New York City expanded its regulation of debt collectors to include "a buyer of delinquent debt who seeks to collect such debt either directly or through the services of another by, including but not limited to, initiating or using legal processes or other means to collect or attempt to collect such debt." A law firm engaged […]
The Bureau's release explained yesterday that it is: filing [] a lawsuit in federal district court against the NDG Enterprise, a complex web of commonly controlled companies, for collecting money consumers did not owe. The CFPB alleges that the defendants illegally collected loan amounts and fees that were void or that consumers had no obligations […]
This non-profit organization, which brings together consumer organizations (such as Consumer Federation of America and National Consumers League), governments and insurance organizations, aims to educate the public and expose fraud. Now it's launched a podcast, with the first three episodes covering home contractors, tow-trucks, and medical ID theft. You can check it out here.
Last week, a government report documented the underperformance of the federal Home Affordable Modification Program, which began in 2009 amidst great hope that it would be a big help for underwater homeowners. It hasn't worked out that way. According to the report, the program — run, it should be noted, by the big banks, such as […]
…is the concerning headline of a story last month from the website The Street. The story opens with the tale of one employee and her loan: Payday loans come in small amounts, but the $300 loan cost her $355. Based on the payday loan calculator at the Missouri Division of Finance Website, the fees equaled […]
…says a former Justice Department and FTC lawyer, commenting late last month on the largest merger in the history of the health care industry. Read more about the merger and its implications here.