Press Release Archive

2020

May

07

• Coalition formed to protect right to pay with cash (Many U.S. consumers lack access to digital payment mechanisms). Consumer Action has joined a new coalition whose purpose is to advocate for the continued availability of cash as a payment option for consumers throughout the U.S. Availability of cash payments remains extremely important during times of natural disasters and other emergencies.

05

• White House must protect privacy in response to COVID-19. Groups Tell Pence to Set Standards to Guide Government and Public-Private Partnership Data Practices and Technology Use Washington, D.C. – Today, 15 leading consumer, privacy,

March

24

• Consumer Action survey found most respondents are saving for retirement (February survey completed before stock markets tanked on coronavirus news). The vast majority (82%) of the 926 people who participated in Consumer Action’s online Retirement Savings Survey in early February 2020 said they have been saving for retirement.

2019

December

19

• Class actions: A vital consumer tool not fully understood by those who stand to benefit (Consumer Action devotes its latest issue of Consumer Action News to explaining the power and value of class action claims). While class action lawsuits are designed to help right some of society’s wrongs and to compensate those who’ve been harmed, it

05

• Bipartisan bill aims to reinstate mailed Social Security earnings statements (Document is an important retirement planning tool; many have lost access to the annual statement). Consumer Action and allies herald new bipartisan legislation that would require that the Social Security Statement of Earnings be mailed annually to individuals who have not set up an online Social Security account.

October

09

• Consumer Action takes a look at the crisis in drug prices. Consumer Action releases a new issue of Consumer Action News (Fall 2019) looking at the crisis in prescription drug prices. The group surveyed community organizations about the impact of rising drug costs on consumers and examined some of the bills pending in Congress to address the crisis.

02

• Consumer Action receives support from JPMorgan Chase (Project will introduce financial technology tools to underrepresented consumers and help them save more). A new Consumer Action project will distribute financial technology tools to low- and moderate-income (LMI) consumers, measure changes in financial health and help LMI consumers improve their financial health through the use of financial technology tools.

September

30

• California funeral homes use loophole to hide prices. Today two national groups – the Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) and the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) – and two California-based groups – Consumer Action (CA) and the Funeral Consumers Alliance of California – released a report showing that 26 percent of the 205 funeral homes in six large urban areas in California use a loophole in state law to hide their funeral prices.  The report – Hidden Funeral Prices: An Evaluation of California Funeral Homes Price Disclosure and Lack of Disclosure prepared by FCA and CFA also identified the 46 percent of funeral homes surveyed who prominently display their complete price and service lists.

20

• House approves bill to allow you to sue companies (An uphill battle still awaits the FAIR Act in the Senate). Today, in a 225-186 vote, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan bill that would end forced arbitration requirements in consumer contracts. However, the Forced

August

09

• FHFA decision harms limited English consumers, advocates warn. For Immediate Release:  The Americans for Financial Reform (AFR) Language Access Task Force strongly opposes the decision announced by the Federal Housing

July

12

• D.C. stands up for consumers in deceptive hotel pricing scheme. The Washington, D.C., Attorney General’s office announced a lawsuit against Marriott International Inc. for charging consumers “deceptive resort fees.” These

May

30

• Consumer Action survey finds respondents want location data used only for the purpose for which it’s collected. White paper calls for banning sale or sharing of data without upfront permission.

March

07

• CFPB must live up to its name (Protecting consumers should not be a sideline but a full-time job for the regulator tasked with consumer protection). As the U.S. House Financial Services Committee hears the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's semi-annual report, Consumer Action calls on the Bureau's new director to stick with protecting consumers, not enabling companies predatory practices.

February

06

• CFPB throws borrowers to the sharks. Consumer Action's statement on the CFPB's revised proposal to regulate payday loans.

January

17

• Consumer groups urge action on bill to stop “spoofed” robocalls. For Immediate Release WASHINGTON, DC — A bipartisan bill reintroduced today in the Senate will address the growing problem of “spoofed” robocalls that

15

• Consumers prefer a paper trail (Survey says consumers choose paper statements over electronic notices). The message is clear: Consumers overwhelmingly prefer to receive bills and statements on paper rather than electronically, according to a new survey of more than 2,600

2018

December

06

• New director of Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is shockingly unqualified in consumer protection (Kathy Kraninger has no record of holding financial firms accountable ). Despite the nominee having no related experience or qualifications, the Senate voted today in a lame duck session to confirm Kathy Kraninger as the next

03

• Paper or digital? Consumer Action joins new campaign to protect consumers’ right to choose (Keep Me Posted North America launches today). Consumer Action joins new global advocacy campaign working for the right of every consumer to choose, free of charge, how they receive important information from their service providers—on paper or electronically.

November

13

• 34 civil rights, consumer and privacy groups release privacy principles (Call for comprehensive federal legislation to protect consumer privacy). Public interest privacy groups urge Congress to pass legislation that ensures fairness, prevents discrimination, advances equal opportunity, protects free expression and facilitates trust between the public and companies that collect their personal data.

October

16

• Consumer groups applaud expanded resources for LEP borrowers. WASHINGTON, D.C.- Today, consumer advocacy and civil rights groups, including Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund, the Center for Responsible Lending, Connecticut Fair

02

• Consumer Action explores frustrating travel fees and passenger rights (New report gives consumers a rundown of airline passenger rights). Consumer Action explains airline passengers’ rights when traveling domestically and abroad.

September

12

• Privatized air traffic control systems exhibit pain points (Evidence of good reasons not to privatize U.S. ATC system). Leading airline passenger advocates find that foreign air traffic control privatization schemes have made flying far more inconvenient for consumers, not necessarily safer. The groups oppose privatizing the U.S. air traffic control system.

August

15

• Consumer Action adds 'Ocular Innovation' video to its Vision Action Center (Ophthalmologist Dr. Darius Moshfeghi discusses benefits of online prescription renewal services). A new educational video titled “Ocular Innovation” features Dr. Darius Moshfeghi, a leading Stanford University ophthalmologist and eyecare innovator, and Consumer Action Director of National Priorities Linda Sherry, discussing how online prescription renewal technology works and how it can help patients and consumers save time and money.

10

• DeVos’ latest regulation rollback a blank check to scam schools written by taxpayers. The Department of Education has moved to repeal the gainful employment rule, a 2014 regulation that seeks to ensure that students who graduate from career education

09

• SEC faces lawsuit over forcing e-delivery of shareholder reports (Consumer groups and paper/print industry petition U.S. Court of Appeals for DC). WASHINGTON, D.C. – Consumer Action in early August joined the American Forest & Paper Association, the Printing Industries Alliance, Twin Rivers Paper Company