Press Release Archive

2019

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

July

26

• Consumer Action condemns the Education Department’s borrower defense rule. The new proposed rule tells defrauded students “You’re on your own” Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s proposed borrower defense rule

16

• Protect the CFPB’s critical complaint process. Groups representing consumers, students, seniors, servicemembers, homeowners and underserved Americans joined forces today to tell the temporary leadership of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

June

25

• Threats to privatize the U.S. Postal Service jeopardize universal access (Selling the U.S Postal Service to the highest bidder is a horrible idea ). Washington, D.C.—While there’s no lack of horrible ideas in the White House’s recent proposal to restructure the federal

07

• SEC ignores investor sentiment about mutual fund disclosure delivery (Consumer organizations decry ‘mutual fund industry giveaway'). Consumer groups decry SEC action to allow mutual funds to switch delivery default for mutual fund reports from paper to electronic delivery.

04

• Groups tell temporary CFPB director: Hands off the public database!. Keep the public consumer complaint database open was the clear message sent by scores of groups to the temporary acting director of the Consumer Financial

May

24

• If companies can protect user data in Europe, they can protect it everywhere (Advocates release letter urging companies to adopt Europe’s new data protection rules worldwide). Washington, D.C. – U.S. companies should adopt essentially the same data protection rules that are poised to go into effect in the European

09

• Mick Mulvaney turns his back on student borrowers, closes Office of Students and Young Consumers. WASHINGTON, DC — Mick Mulvaney, acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), announced Wednesday that the Office of Students and Young Consumers will

08

• New Vision Action Center educates consumers on their rights (New videos on online prescription renewal and the right to purchase eyewear where you want). Consumer Action has launched a new Vision Action Center to help ensure that hundreds of millions of glasses and contact lens wearers in America know their consumer rights.

April

30

• Consumer groups stand up to threats to take complaint database dark (Groups tell acting CFPB director to react after he collects all the facts). Consumer, privacy, civil rights and fair lending groups from across the nation called on temporary, Acting Director Mick Mulvaney today to retain availability of the

March

29

• CFP Board puts investors first in its new standards. Statement by Consumer Action on CFP Board’s new Code of Ethics and Standards of Conduct This statement may be attributed to Linda Sherry,

27

• California eye doctors keeping patients in the dark (Required prescription rights signage nowhere in sight). Consumer Action finds barely a sign of required contact lens/glasses patients’ rights notice in California eye doctors’ shops. Mandated signage in optometrist offices is designed to inform patients of their right to an automatic copy of their eyewear prescriptions.