For three years, people have reported losing more money on romance scams than on any other fraud type identified in Sentinel, a fraud database. In 2020, reported losses to romance scams reached a record $304 million, up about 50 percent from 2019.
Verizon is recalling about 2.5 million Ellipsis Jetpack mobile hotspots. The lithium ion battery in the hotspots can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. Verizon has received 15 reports of overheating, including six reports of fire damage to bedding or flooring and two reports of minor burn injuries.
Consumer Reports is launching CR Recommended, a program to bring Consumer Reports recommendations easily to consumers before they buy autos and other products. When consumers shop online, at a dealership, or in a store, they’ll see a “CR Recommended” mark for products.
This week, I wrote the 100th issue of my newsletter Helpful Money Tips for You. To celebrate, instead of offering my usual 10 tips, I offered 100. To sign up to get my free newsletter, go to http://eepurl.com/gkZ6JH. You’ll get it in your email.
It isn’t over yet, so keep wearing masks and social distancing. It’s worrisome that people are rushing to go to activities again. While it’s exciting that millions of people are being vaccinated, kids are back in school, and the cases and deaths from coronavirus went down and are now plateauing, this is far from over.
Fraudsters were busy in 2020. The Federal Trade Commission received more than 2.2 million complaints about fraud, with people reporting they lost nearly $3.3 billion. The top fraud of 2020 was imposter scams.
Google is being sued by 38 attorneys general for anticompetitive conduct. The states allege that Google illegally maintains its monopoly power over search engines and advertising through exclusionary contracts and conduct.
As it has for months, the coronavirus affects my life daily. I mostly stay home, picking up groceries weekly. Today, I mailed my last package to my sister along with my holiday cards.
The Federal Trade Commission is issuing orders to nine social media and video streaming companies, requiring them to provide data on how they collect and use information from their users, the FTC announced Monday.
