consumeraction

Featured News

Ten Most Recent Features

Monday, September 10, 2018

Are credit card surcharges legal?

You may encounter a retailer surcharge, or “checkout fee,” when you use your credit card to buy goods and services. A number of states prohibit these fees.

Monday, August 27, 2018

Online eyewear prescription renewal tests can save time and money

If you are eligible, generally between ages 19-55 with no medical eye problems, you may be able to use an online eye test in order to renew your contact lens or glasses prescription. Many states allow the tests, however the American Optometric Association, representing optometrists, is lobbying state legislatures and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Federal Trade Commission to pass laws and federal rules prohibiting online eye tests.

Thursday, August 09, 2018

Higher-ed student resources mentioned on ABC15 Phoenix

Did you catch Consumer Action’s Alegra Howard on ABC15 with Joe Ducey on Aug. 9? Here are the resources she mentioned during the segment.

Wednesday, August 01, 2018

Traveling abroad? Be aware of dynamic currency conversion

When you are traveling with a credit card, you can save money by saying “no thanks” to dynamic currency conversion offers at the point of sale. One woman’s story illustrates why consumers should be given the choice.

Friday, June 29, 2018

A guide to protecting yourself from liars, cheats and crooks

Scammers cheat unsuspecting consumers out of millions of dollars each year, but there are ways to avoid becoming a scammer’s next victim. This guide will help consumers understand how crooks reel in their prey, recognize and evade scam attempts, and learn about scam prevention and reporting resources.

Friday, June 15, 2018

Is there malware in your wireless router?

SCAM GRAM: June 2018: The FBI warned Americans that Russian hackers had infiltrated their home and office routers with a sophisticated type of malware (malicious software) called VPNFilter.

Thursday, June 07, 2018

Using social media to address consumer complaints

Consumer Action’s hotline counselors often recommend using social media channels to bring attention to complaints—especially when a consumer hasn’t had any success with the company’s customer service representatives. The opportunity to shame a business publicly has grown in the age of the internet. We’ve found that using Twitter and Facebook often works to get companies’ attention.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

SCAM GRAM: Know the real thing when you see it

SCAM GRAM is a monthly newsletter. This is the May 15, 2018 issue.

Thursday, April 19, 2018

SCAM GRAM: Avoid medical quackery and dubious claims

Read our April 2018 SCAM GRAM e-newsletter.

Wednesday, April 04, 2018

Our online Consumer Services Guide updated for 2018

Visitors to ConsumerServicesGuide.org can easily find the appropriate resources for the issue they need to resolve. A search for an organization name, state and/or keywords will offer matching results. Or, users can browse the database alphabetically, by category, by location or by date (resulting in a list with newest resources at the top). The 44 categories in the directory range from “Attorneys General” to “Workplace Issues.”