Consumer News 2002
Archives: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Conseco Files for Bankruptcy Finance and insurance giant sunk by mobile-home loans.
Blue Stuff Faces $3 Million Fine Feds charge potion not proven to relive pain, as its infomercials claim.
Suit Charges UnumProvident Wrongly Denies Disability Claims Doctors rubber-stamp clerks' decisions, litigants contend.
AOL Time Warner's Oxmoor House Book Club Fined $500,000 Bogus "Free Trial" Offer
Slip and Fall Accidents No Joke Inside Edition Finds 13 Million Injured Per Year
Infomercial Doctor Agrees to Stifle SNORenz Claims Federal Trade Commission accused Dr. Robert Currier of lacking scientific evidence.
"BioResonance" Promoter Settles Charges Cancer "cure" not proven, prosecutors charge.
States Sue Qwest for Consumer Fraud Utah, California, Colorado charge slamming, cramming.
Canada Filling U.S. Rx Needs Big savings, some risk in online prescriptions.
Dial-Around Rates Climb Sharply Slumping telco stocks force companies to maximize profits.
California Snuffs Tobacco Samples U.S. Smokeless Tobacco fined for handing out samples.
Household Settles for $484 Million Other suits still pending against lending giant.
New Jersey Accuses Sears of Auto Repair Fraud Not the first time Sears Tire & Auto has been in trouble.
Title Companies Settle California Suits Companies dinged customers with hidden feeds during real estate transfers, suits alleged.
Electronic Processing Systems Settles FTC Charges Another work-at-home medical-billing scheme.
California Sues European Health Concepts Magnetic mattress pads useless, suit alleges.
CitiGroup Settles Predatory Lending Charges for $215 Million Consumers will receive refunds and credits.
Bio Lab/Quick Slim Charged with False Advertising Weight-loss claims unproven, Federal Trade Commission chargse.
Feds Slam Weight-Loss Advertising More ads, more blatant deceptions, study finds.
Cost of Calling Directory Assistance Keeps Climbing Dial-around, cellular plans offer some relief.
Medical Billing Scam Quashed Judge blocks operations of International Trader.
Hyundai Admits Horsepower Claims Were Exaggerated Extends warranties to those most seriously misled.
Feds and States Crack Down on Finance Scams Advance loan fees, credit repair lead the list.
Airlines Follow US Airways' Lead and Raise Cancellation Fees Travelers canceling leisure fares won't be able to carry a credit or fly standby without stiff fees.
FTC Swats Lentek's Claims Bug repellant, air fresheners don't work, feds claim.
Canadians Warn of Deposit Certificate Scam At least two American investors already bilked, agency says.
Big Blot for Inkjet Sites Used-inkjet sellers to pay $40,000 penalty.
Chinese Diet Pills May Contain Fenfluramine Potions blamed for deaths and illness in Japan.
Continental Recalls Tires Used on Ford SUVs Uneven tread wear noted on Expedition and Navigator models.
GM Recalls Vehicles to Fix Airbags No incidents reported, company found problem during tests.
Satellite Radio Looks Wobbly Sirius warns of possible bankruptcy, XM not much better off.
Feds Probe Ford Focus Fires One of six investigations surrounding the troubled model.
Rebuilt Air Bags May Fail, Group Warns Used cars may have faulty bags, or none at all.
Conseco's Financial Condition Deteriorates Bankruptcy filing possible this week, observers say.
First FTC Action Against Rebate Foot-Draggers "Changed rules of game while it was being played," FTC charges.
Medicor Ordered to Pay Over $16.5 Million Promoted medical billing at home "opportunity."
Court Closes Arizona Boiler Room
Fax Blast Goes Bust Car dealer to pay up to $6.5 million.
Home Depot Changes Gift Card Policy Gift cards still riskier than credit cards, attorney general warns.
D.C. Credit Pays $300,000 For Collection Violations Violated federal debt collection rules.
Online Cigarette Sales to Minors Skirt Regulations Wide-open Web contributs to "normalization" of tobacco.
AOL Agrees to $15 Million Settlement of Class Action Suit Users claimed AOL Version 5.0 blocked access to other providers.
Feds and state agencies gang up on suspected scam artists
Insurance Companies Scrutinizing Customers' Credit Reports
Companies claim poor credit equals more claims.Citibank Blocks Online Gambling Charges After Threat of Prosecution New York Attorney General warns banks they may face criminal charges for promoting online gambling.
GM Will Sell Rebadged Daewoos But GM still insists it has no obligations to former Daewoo dealers, leaving consumers on hold for now.
Questionable Doctors Database Debuts on Web Public Citizen publishes records from 12 states, says more will follow.
Investigators Close Down Longitude Pill Works Pills supposedly enlarged "strategic" body parts.
Ford Focus Setting Recall Record 9 recalls, 5 defect investigations blurring Ford's vision of rebuilding its reputation.
Six children's deaths blamed on imported candy.
Consumer Class Action Names AB Energizer Says "jiggle belts" do nothing to strengthen abs.
Rental Scooters, Mopeds Can Be RiskyInside Edition finds tourists often don't get adequate instruction.
Sears Buys Direct Marketer Lands' End
Ab Belts Charged With Beefing Up Claims The problem this time involves a fuel filter fitting.
Dangers of Petting Zoos Often Overlooked Harmful bacteria often present on animals.
Consumers File Class Action Suit Against Household Suit alleges predatory lending; Wall Street shrugs it off.
GM Buys Daewoo; US Dealers Bereft
U.S. Probes Ford Adjustable Pedals Drivers can step on both pedals at once.
Media Warned About False Advertising of Vitamin and Weight-Loss Products "Nothing stops us" from prosecuting media, FTC commissioner notes.
Debt Collector to Pay $240,000 Penalty Houston company targeted Hispanics.
FTC Accuses 11 Companies of Telemarketing Fraud Medical billing schemes, advance fee cards lead the list.
GM Recalls Cars to Fix Ignition Switch Problem Switches can overheat and start a fire.
Nasty New Email Virus "My Life" spreads through email and instant messaging.
First Alliance Mortgage Faces $60 Million Settlement "Predatory lending" violations alleged in one of largest FTC settlements ever.
PayPal Named in Class Action Suit Illegally froze client accounts, suit charges.
Wonder Bread Ads Disputed Does calcium really build strong minds?
Violent Death Among Children Linked to Household Firearms Harvard study finds drastically higher murder and suicide gun-death rates in regions with higher gun ownership.
FTC Sues Cell Phone Radiation Blockers
Toyota Agrees to Cover Engine Sludge Problem for One Year Consumers irate over early engine failures in their Toyotas.
Federal Regulators Close NextBank NextCard Visas will remain active, at least temporarily.
AT&T Flat-Fee Plan Falls Flat Not likely to stem AT&T's customer erosion, critics say.
