News in February 2019
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One missing wallet proved to be especially valuable to skilled identity thieves.A marine named Brandon Reagin for years has faced accusations that he w...
In 2016, a man named Albert Scaglione crashed and rolled over his Tesla Model X on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. He survived and told police afterward that he...
“Start spreading the news, we’re leaving today. We want no part of it -- New York, New York!”Amazon is deep-sixing its plans to build a new headquarter...
In the wake of Valentine’s Day, many coupled-up consumers are taking stock of their relationships, and a new study may have them thinking about the future....
With a new wave of consumers focused on going green and being more sustainable, a recent study conducted by researchers from Michigan State University foun...
Glyphosate, a key ingredient in Monsanto’s Roundup, increases the cancer risk of heavily-exposed individuals by 41 percent, according to a new analysis....
Payless ShoeSource is reportedly planning to close all of its U.S. stores after filing for bankruptcy for the second time.The retailer had filed for ba...
This season’s flu vaccine is protecting about half of those who received it, federal health officials reported Thursday.At 47 percent effectiveness, th...
President Trump says he will sign the latest government appropriations bill, heading off another government shutdown that could have begun today.Trump...
Even though it was the climax to the holiday season, consumers stayed away from shopping malls and even spent less online in December. Retail sales suffere...
Motorists continue to enjoy relatively low gasoline prices, but price increases could be just around the corner.The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the nat...
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 193,813 model year 2019 Ram 1500 trucks with adjustable pedals.The vehicles have a brake pedal that may move too far...
American Honda Motor Co., is recalling 106,683 model year 2017-2019 Ridgeline trucks.Exposure to acids, such as from car wash soaps, can result in the...
Ford is recalling about 28,200 model year 2017-19 Lincoln Continentals.The autos may have an intermittently functioning door latch motor due to the bui...
American consumers will spend nearly $21 billion for Valentine’s Day this year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). But although Valentine’s...
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is stepping up the pressure on telecom providers to find a way to reduce the number of robocalls directed at co...
While many factors can contribute to children’s performance in school, a recent study highlighted the importance of children eating lunch.Researchers f...
Romance scams -- those in which scammers “prey on people’s loneliness and emotional vulnerability” -- cost consumers more than any other type of scam, the...
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has accused former Apple executive Gene Levoff of engaging in insider trading on multiple occasions between 20...
MoviePass ended Wednesday with one foot in the grave.Less than two weeks after MoviePass subscribers filed a class action lawsuit for pulling a “bait a...
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is a government agency that collects money from consumers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says it’s the agency that...
You might not notice any change in the high cost of college or health care, but the overall inflation rate didn’t budge in January.The Bureau of Labor...
Researchers from Michigan Medicine at the University of Michigan recently explored a new trend happening at hospitals that could be sending patients home w...
American Honda Motor Co., is recalling 437,032 model year 2016-2018 Acura MDXs and model year 2015-2019 TLXs and model year 2015-2017 Honda Accords equippe...
Birdseed Food Co., of Bend, Ore., is recalling Craft Granola Goldenola: Turmeric & Ginger.The product contains cashews, an allergen not declared on the...
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain 280 model year 2019 Toyota Tundra standard and long bed trucks equipped with a spray-in bed l...
Ford is recalling 1.48 million model year 2011-13 F-150s with 6-speed automatic transmissions.The transmission that may experience an intermittent loss...
The price of new cars has hit record highs in recent months. So has the number of consumers who are 90 days delinquent on their car loans.A new report...
A man who hoped to become a firefighter in Bridgeport, Connecticut is discovering what the disabled community and others have grappled with for decades: ev...
Sears chairman and former CEO Eddie Lampert, whose $5.2 billion bid to buy Sears Holdings through his hedge fund ESL investments was approved earlier this...
Johnson & Johnson announced on Wednesday that it is acquiring surgical robotics company Auris Health for $3.4 billion in cash, with the potential for an ad...
Almost three quarters of U.S. consumers (69 percent) said they expect their financial situation to improve over the next year, according to a new Gallup po...
Automotive publisher Edmunds has selected what it says are the seven best vehicles in 2019, using a variety of criteria. Honda was the only carmaker to pla...
Self-driving cars have been a hot topic among technology experts and consumers alike in recent months. While many have been skeptical about the safety and...
Home buyers have faced challenges over the last year because of rising mortgage rates, but those rates have dipped in the last month -- at least for buyers...
Not too many consumers want to think about getting older; however, a new study conducted by researchers from the University of California - San Diego may h...
Ford Motor Company is recalling the following 782,384 vehicles:Model year 2014 Ford Mustangs sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida,...
Target Corp., of Minneapolis, Minn., is recalling about 22,600 pair of Cat & Jack Unicorn “Chiara” boots.The unicorn horn on the boot can detach, posin...
Congressional negotiators trying to reach a compromise on a spending bill to avert another government shutdown are expressing new hope.Top lawmakers fr...
Federal health officials say the sharp increase in the use of vaping devices among teens has caused a significant spike in the number of teens using tradit...
Going to college for free has never been easier.We’re not talking about free rides handed out to students who’ve racked up 10,000 Instagram followers....
Taxpayers were supposed to pay less in taxes in 2018 under the latest overhaul of the tax system. But so far, federal income tax refunds don’t reflect that...
Apple has partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs to enable veterans to see their medical records -- including allergies, known conditions, medic...
President Trump has signed an executive order which encourages the federal government, academia, and the private sector to prioritize research pertaining t...
The Pennsylvania state government says that a major oil and gas pipeline company, currently building a network of pipelines in the state to transport frack...
In the intense competition for credit card customers, Navy Federal Credit Union has revamped its member rewards program by significantly increasing the rew...
For decades, healthcare professionals unanimously agreed that tonsils and adenoids grew until around age 12 and then began to shrink until about 20.Now...
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can lead to countless other health complications, and because one in three adults suffer and just about half have the...
General Motors is recalling 175 model year 2019 Cadillac XTS vehicles.The front seat belt buckles may be missing a rivet that secures the buckle head t...
Volkswagen Group of North America is recalling model year 2018 Audi A5 Sportbacks.The front suspension fasteners may not have been sufficiently tighten...
AT&T;’s decision to update its connectivity logo with a “5G E” icon has drawn criticism from its competitors. Now, Sprint is suing the carrier over the con...
Net neutrality found itself at another fork in the road over the weekend, with the Texas State House of Representatives considering a bill to make throttli...
Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney said the prospect of another government shutdown this year is alive and well.Interviewed on Fox News Su...
Toys “R” Us announced on Monday that, as of January 20, a new company called Tru Kids took over as the parent of Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, and the compan...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has sent warning letters to 17 companies that it says illegally claim that their products treat Alzheimer’s, di...
If your car insurance rates are going up, you aren't alone. The Zebra, an insurance rate search engine, reports that 83 percent of drivers paid more for in...
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has secured a court order that has temporarily seized the assets of a company it accuses of running a debt collection sc...
Treating patients for alcoholism can be difficult for healthcare professionals, as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved only a few different...
Millions of people across the country are currently suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, and experts have yet to find a cure. However, researchers continue...
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling an estimated 573,876 heavy-duty trucks in the U.S.A specific steering-linkage configuration on certain vehicles may...
Over the past year, Toyota, Kia, and Hyundai have all touted “software updates” as the answer to fixing defective cars under open recall, and Tesla has lon...
Are you commuting in a Tesla during the polar vortex? Be prepared. A new study by the American Automobile Association (AAA) found that cold temperatures ca...
A bankruptcy judge in New York has brought the Sears saga to an end, ruling that chairman and former CEO Eddie Lampert’s bid to keep the retailer alive --...
Almost two weeks after Apple disabled Group FaceTime after an eavesdropping bug was spotted by users, the tech giant has released an update that fixes the...
Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Scott Gottlieb has reportedly questioned whether or not Juul and Marlboro-maker Altria are truly committed to com...
Just days after TechCrunch reported that a number of popular iPhone apps are recording users’ screens without their knowledge, Apple has sent a warning to...
It was a banner year for the Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) in 2018. More than 800 million travelers and airline crew members passed throug...
With the legalization of marijuana reaching several states across the country, many parents have taken the time to consider how this will affect their pare...
Children of smoking parents are exposed to a great deal of tobacco residue and all of the chemicals that linger on furniture, clothes, and other household...
Consumers who have been priced out of the housing market, and those who just prefer to rent, are facing higher costs.In its 2019 Rent Report, Apartment...
Gasoline prices rose slightly over the last week but remain remarkably stable amid fluctuating oil prices.The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows the national...
Wells Fargo customers found they couldn’t access their online bank accounts Thursday, nor could they withdraw money from Wells Fargo ATMs.“We’re experi...
Two years into his presidency, President Donald Trump is still finding Obama-era regulations to overturn. The latest dismantling targets regulations on pay...
The student loan debt crisis, with graduates borrowing tens of thousands of dollars for a bachelor’s degree, isn’t going away. Total student loan balances...
For consumers going in to surgery or starting a new prescription, knowing all the information about potential side effects is crucial.However, a recent...
Since a number of states across the country have begun legalizing the sale of marijuana, researchers have been evaluating the ways the decision has affecte...
In the coming year, Chipotle Mexican Grill plans to open several dozen more mobile-order pickup lanes, called “Chipotlanes.” The chain’s CEO Brian Niccol m...
A host of popular travel, shopping, and banking iPhone apps record users’ screens without their permission, according to a new report by TechCrunch and mob...
Over the last year, consumer trust has taken a beating over recent privacy and data security nightmares. In turn, consumers’ expectations for trust has inc...
Instacart has changed its tipping policy after workers argued that it ultimately lowered their take-home pay.“We heard loud and clear the frustration w...
A Southern California city with one of the country’s largest populations of homeless people will stop ticketing people for sleeping in their cars.The S...
Valentine’s Day is next week, and you may be planning an extravagant and expensive surprise for your sweetheart. But wait, you could be stepping on a relat...
Consolidation in the banking industry continues as BB&T; and SunTrust have announced plans to merge, creating what would be the nation’s sixth largest bank...
A man in Texas died on January 29 after his vape pen exploded in his face two days before, causing a massive stroke and torn carotid artery. The exact...
Airlines can boost profits if they can sell more of their “premium service” tickets, but to do that they need more premium seats. In most airliners, there...
The Democratic-controlled House has wasted no time in pressing the Trump administration on a variety of fronts.Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.), chairm...
Is Amazon too big to trust? Is Google? Facebook?The answers would be no, no, and yes according to a new survey on “institutional confidence.” Those res...
J.C. Penney announced in a blog post on Wednesday that it will stop selling major appliances in its stores starting February 28.The retailer said that...
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its annual list of the top ten threats to global health. For the first time, vaccine hesitancy -- which th...
For years, rental car agencies haven’t provided their vehicles to just anyone. Customers had to be at least 25 years old and pay with a credit card.Dol...
Eating fruits and vegetables can be difficult for many consumers -- especially those who are picky eaters. But results from a new study may have consumers...
Depression symptoms can flare up unannounced, and for consumers that struggle with their mental health, it can become debilitating and frustrating.Whil...
Ford is recalling about 3,500 model year 2019 Ford Rangers built at Michigan Assembly Plant from June 4, 2018, to January 9, 2019, and sold in the U.S. and...
Fisher-Price of East Aurora, N.Y., is recalling about 44,000 Power Wheels Barbie Dream Campers.The ride-on Power Wheels can continue to run after the f...
Apple is finding itself in some controversy after tech analysts scolded the company for allegedly endorsing AT&T;’s controversial 5G claim.AT&T; has ta...
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), a long-time critic of drug company pricing policies, has fired off a letter to Catalyst Pharmaceuticals asking the company to...
Google is adding a new password checker to its Chrome internet browser which will automatically run a check to see if any of its users’ passwords have been...
In a letter to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), T-Mobile CEO John Legere vowed not to increase prices for three years if the carrier’s $26 bill...
Following a successful trial in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, Target is expanding the availability of its new Target Circle loyalty program. Beginning Fe...
Many young children are using more toothpaste than recommended by dentists, according to a recent study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Pr...
Just like Christmas, Valentine’s Day is fast becoming a holiday on which consumers spend too much money and sometimes go into debt.A new survey from Le...
In today’s society, it should come as no surprise that teens are always on the move. With those busy schedules, something has to fall by the wayside, wheth...
Head injuries are rather common for children who play contact sports. When a concussion occurs, it’s common for medical professionals to advise parents to...
Hello Fresh Canada is recalling the red chili ingredient included in Hello Fresh brand and Chefs Plate brand meal kits.The red chili ingredient in the...
America’s favorite truck -- Ford’s F-Series -- came under scrutiny on Monday after three Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) professors filed a law...
On Monday, Sears’ unsecured creditors will head to U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York to voice their objections to CEO Eddie Lampe...
Average viewership for Super Bowl XLIII dipped below 100 million, marking the first time since 2009 that ratings were that low.Nielsen said yesterday’s...
Canadian crypto exchange QuadrigaCX can’t repay $190 million in client holdings because its founder died late last year with the only password that would a...
Across the nation, senior citizens are collectively carrying $86 billion in student loan debt -- a figure that rose 161 percent between 2010 and 2017, the...
What would Super Bowl commercials be without a little controversy?Anheuser Busch set off the Twitterverse with its commercial promoting the fact that B...
Many parents work hard to ensure that their children are exercising regularly and moving as often as possible. Now, researchers from Rice University conduc...
For parents of young infants, managing attention can be a difficult task, especially when the children are too young to start speaking.Now, researchers...
Fewer consumers purchased new cars in January, but those who did paid a significantly higher price than a year ago.Analysts are quick to point out that...
After years of worrying about Social Security’s long-term solvency, Democrats in Congress have advanced a plan to increase benefits for the retirement prog...
A bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives are binding together to try and take down the spam call industry once and for all.Charlie Crist (D-FL), Garr...
Apple has apologized for the FaceTime privacy vulnerability that became public news on Monday after having been discovered by a user and reported to the co...
As part of its effort to offer a growing lineup of transportation options, Uber is adding real-time bus and train information on its app courtesy of transi...
Home design website Houzz experienced a data breach last month and is now urging users to reset their passwords as a precaution.In an email to customer...
The 44th annual Winter Fancy Food Show, held in San Francisco last month, has identified key food trends for 2019. According to expert panels at the show,...
The consumer appears to be doing well if earnings from online retailer Amazon are any indication. The company reported fourth quarter earnings of $3 billio...
For many parents, getting children to fall asleep can be a difficult task -- especially on school nights.For parents of bad sleepers, a new study sugge...
Air pollution continues to make its way into headlines, as experts continue to discover negative related health effects.Recently, researchers from the...
January was another good month if you were looking for a job, as employers increased their payrolls by 304,000 positions, according to the monthly report f...
Maybe it’s all those motorists in the Midwest and Northeast driving south to escape the polar vortex, but something has caused a huge spike in gasoline dem...
Hill’s Pet Nutrition is recalling canned dog food products that may have elevated levels of vitamin D.Ingestion of elevated levels of vitamin D can lea...