News in April 2018

Wells Fargo could face a mega-fine for the way it conducted its auto loan and mortgage businesses.The Washington Post quotes two sources close to the s...

A social networking website for sex workers has been temporarily shut down in response to a new United States law meant to combat online sex trafficking, r...

Cybersecurity firms speaking at a tech conference this week shared some of the more memorable data breaches they were hired to solve. Nicole Eagan, CEO of...

Ads for major corporations that are household names are routinely shown on YouTube videos identified as “extremist content,” according to a CNN investigati...

Lyft co-founder John Zimmer announced Thursday that all Lyft rides are now carbon neutral thanks to the transportation service’s multimillion-dollar invest...

Healthy diets are a leading cause of food waste in America, according to new research by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Researchers say that’...

A new white paper -- "Understanding and Improving Privacy ‘Audits’ under FTC Orders’" -- calls the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) on the carpet for its len...

The nation’s largest teachers union has cut ties with Wells Fargo over the bank’s financial relationship with gunmakers and the National Rifle Association...

Since the financial crisis of 2008, and the resulting housing market crash, fewer American families have been able to purchase homes.A report by The Pe...

Wild & Wolf of the U.K. is recalling about 2,900 Petit Collage musical jumbo wooden xylophones sold in the U.S. and Canada.The ball on the end of the t...

Seacrest Foods International of Lynn, Mass., is recalling 29 cases of Formagere de la Brie brand, l’Explorateur soft ripened cheese.The product may be...

Federal safety investigators continue to examine the engine of a Southwest Airlines jet that killed a passenger when it exploded in midair. They suggest it...

As part of its integration with Amazon, Whole Foods will retire its existing rewards program and fold everything into Amazon Prime.The grocer said in a...

Google’s Chrome browser has competent protection against malicious websites already in place, but Microsoft feels it can make Chrome’s armor even stronger...

Facebook has been dealing with a number of privacy-related issues in recent months, and now it has another one to worry about. The company has confirme...

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has announced the launch of a “fact-finding inquiry” into the policies and practices of cryptocurrency trading...

The U.S. Senate has voted, along mostly  party lines, to overturn a 2013 consumer protection rule aimed at preventing costly discrimination against minorit...

Gasoline prices have surged in the last week, propelled by the annual switch-over to summer grade fuel, strong demand, and a sharp rise in oil prices.T...

Rose Acre Farms of Seymour, Ind., is recalling more than 206.7 million eggs that may be contaminated with Salmonella Braenderup.Twenty-two illnesses ha...

Fresh Foods Manufacturing Company of Freedom, Pa., is recalling approximately 8,757 pounds of ready-to-eat salads that may be contaminated with E. coli O15...

Badass Helmet Company is recalling 64 Metalhead 2.5 helmets.The helmets may not adequately protect the wearer in the event of a head impact during a mo...

Facebook has announced that it plans to roll out Europe’s strict new privacy rules to users worldwide.  The social media giant says it’s taking ste...

The first legal cannabis product in Texas was delivered to a six-year-old girl in February who suffers from epilepsy. Advocates hailed the delivery as a ma...

Despite the urging of more than 40 states and the Trump administration, the U.S. Supreme Court couldn’t come to a decision regarding how sales taxes should...

A group of 34 tech companies have signed an agreement to refrain from helping world governments wage cyberwar on each other. Microsoft, Facebook, Cisco...

The crush of last-minute tax filers crashed an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) computer network, so the tax agency is extending the tax deadline through tod...

A bipartisan group of lawmakers are once again pushing the the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to soften its attitude on marijuana.Representatives...

Following the arrest of two African American men at one of its Philadelphia locations, Starbucks has announced that it will close 8,000 stores for an after...

Southwest Airlines says it is accelerating its engine inspection program after an exploding Boeing 737 engine nearly caused a flight to crash Tuesday morni...

A report by the Educational Testing Service (ETS) raises concerns about the long-term future of many members of the millennial generation.The report, b...

Koch Foods of Fairfield, Ohio, is recalling approximately 119,480 pounds of beef rib-shaped patties.The products may be contaminated with extraneous ma...

An international team of researchers may have accidentally engineered an enzyme that could help mitigate the global plastic pollution crisis.The enzyme...

A federal judge ruled that consumers in Illinois could proceed with a class action lawsuit over the facial recognition technology that helps Facebook power...

Tesla has again pressed pause on the production of its Model 3 electric vehicles -- cars billed as the "world’s first mass-market electric vehicle." It’s t...

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is issuing new Medicare cards to seniors, with random letters instead of Social Security numbers.The Soc...

A poll conducted for IBM finds consumers have a heightened concern about privacy after Facebook's disclosure that user data fell into unauthorized hands....

In its first-quarter earnings update, Netflix disclosed that it signed up 26 million new subscribers in the past year. In the first quarter alone, the stre...

T-Mobile will pay $40 million to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to settle charges that it failed to correct ongoing problems with its service...

Badass Helmet Company is recalling 134 Rogue helmets.These helmets may not adequately protect the wearer in the event of a head impact during a motorcy...

Whole Foods Market is recalling Explorateur French Triple Crème cheese from nine stores located in New Mexico, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, Connecticut and N...

A new study by the Privacy Enhancing Technologies Symposium (PETS) has uncovered an alarming statistic: a majority of the most popular and free children’s...

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Friday new guidance on the sale of supplements containing high amounts of caffeine.  Supplements...

Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson has issued an apology to two African American men who were arrested in one of its Philadelphia stores late last week.The co...

Earlier today, Chinese electronics maker ZTE was hit with a seven-year ban on American exports from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The restriction will k...

Surgery has long been an option to treat breast cancer, but new research suggests that it could make the disease worse in some cases.Findings published...

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear a case this week that will determine, to some degree, what you pay for things purchased online.At issue is whether onl...

Google is reportedly testing a self-destructing option for emails as part of its upcoming Gmail redesign. Sending an expiring email will ensure that only t...

Club 13 of St. Augustine, Fla., is recalling "Maeng Da Red" and “Maeng Da Red XS” kratom.The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.No illnes...

Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods is recalling 2,099 cases of Organic Amaranth Flour.Testing has revealed the presence of Salmonella in a single lot of the...

In a report recently published for its biotech clients, Goldman Sachs questioned whether curing people is good for business. "Is curing patients a sust...

A diet full of fruits and vegetables is better than a diet without them, but if possible, consumers should go organic when purchasing certain leafy greens...

Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer has pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy to facilitate prostitution, according to a Washington Post report. The execu...

Uber announced on Thursday that it’s “getting serious” about passenger safety. It’s not only amping up background checks on drivers, but its new app update...

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit heard oral arguments Thursday in a case seeking to remove Mick Mulvaney as acting director of the Consumer F...

People watching the music video “Despacito” this week may have been slightly confused by the cover photograph and description displayed on their screens. B...

Zillow is one of the go-to websites for consumers seeking to buy or sell a home. Now, the real estate marketplace is getting into the business of buying an...

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has removed Tesla from the investigation of a fatal crash involving one of its Model X vehicles. The mo...

In a desperate bid to regain profitability a decade ago, airlines slashed services and added fees for things that once were free.It worked, and now tha...

Although Toys “R” Us has formally announced that it will be closing its U.S. stores, it seems that not everything is going wrong for the retailer.While...

L.L.Bean of Freeport, Maine, is recalling about 600 Allagash fixed blade hunting knives with sheaths.The knife blade can cut through the protective lea...

Uber took another step toward becoming the king of mobility-on-demand on Wednesday by integrating electric bicycle rental, public transit, and car sharing...

The trade group representing wine and spirits wholesalers is proudly supporting autonomous vehicle technology, even if they don’t want to fully explain why...

Google has confirmed that it will be rolling out a redesigned version of Gmail in the coming weeks. The company says the update will feature a “fresh, clea...

In a series of warning letters sent to six different companies, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) noted that the practice of placing “warranty void if rem...

We know how hard it is to buy a home in today's market, with rising prices and declining inventories.But it's no picnic for sellers, at least when it c...

A federal lawsuit filed by the City of Birmingham Relief and Retirement System accuses Netflix of rigging its executive bonus program so that “multi-millio...

In appearances on Capitol Hill this week, the acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is urging Congress to take steps that crit...

In a state with a history of water quality issues, locals are questioning why Nestle will soon be able to speed up its bottled water operations.The Mic...

This week's consumer price report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows prices of used cars actually went down in March, making them an even better dea...

J.T.M. Provisions Company of Harrison, Ohio, is recalling approximately 14,525 pounds of fully cooked not shelf stable pulled barbequed beef.The produc...

BRP U.S. of Sturtevant, Wis., is recalling about 8,300 model year 2017 Can-Am Outlander and Outlander Max All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs)sold in the U.S. and C...

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 57 model year 2018 AMG GT, AMG GT C, GLC43 AMG 4Matic, GLC300, GLC300 4Matic and GLC350e 4Matic vehicles.The hou...

Mark Zuckerberg’s “I’m Sorry 2018” tour played to an SRO crowd on Capitol Hill on Tuesday with the Facebook honcho taking all the punches he could withstan...

Bank of America is the latest major bank to pull back from clients who produce military style rifles for civilians, such as the AR-15.The revelation ca...

Not long after going public, Spotify may be planning changes to its free subscription tier.Sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that the mus...

Consumers may find clothing, self storage, and even groceries in spaces once occupied by Sears. The struggling retailer is reportedly auctioning off severa...

President Trump has signed an executive order calling for federal agencies to establish or strengthen employment requirements for those on public assistanc...

Kroger said in a statement Tuesday that it is adding 11,000 positions this year, including nearly 2,000 management jobs. The Cincinnati-based chain als...

The government's gauge of consumer prices fell in March, pulled lower by an unexpected decline in gasoline prices.The Consumer Price Index (CPI) fell 0...

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 12,595 model year 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvios.Water may leak into the wiring connectors for the rear liftgate and the l...

Izzy’s Ice Cream is recalling a limited amount of its Maple Nut Ice Cream pints.The product may contain peanut residue, an allergen not declared on the...

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 3,088 model year 2017-2018 C43 AMG 4Matic Coupes, C300 Coupes, C300 4Matic Coupes, C300 4Matic Cabriolets, C300 Cabr...

In its early, unregulated days as a ride-hailing company, Uber introduced itself by simply showing up in major American cities. The company soon became kno...

Wells Fargo could face record fines for past financial abuses, according to a published report.Rueters quotes three sources close to the situation that...

Seven people face a total of 93 federal charges in connection with the now-seized Backpage.com for allegedly facilitating prostitution and other charges....

U.S. District Judge Gonzalo Curiel signed off Monday on a $25 million settlement in lawsuits filed by attendees of a real estate seminar called Trump Unive...

Walmart is partnering with delivery service Postmates to expand its grocery delivery program, the companies announced today.Walmart Online Grocery Deli...

Apple announced on Monday that its entire global business is fueled by 100 percent clean energy. Everything that powers the company -- from its new Cuperti...

Payday lenders sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) on Monday in an attempt to block the agency’s “draconian” final rule on short-term loan...

A study of salaries paid by major corporations, and commitments to disclose those salaries, finds Facebook and Walmart among the laggards when it comes to...

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 12,595 model year 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvios.Water may leak into the body control module and its connectors, causing c...

Vornado Air of Andover, Kan., is recalling about 350,000 VH101 Personal Vortex electric space heaters.The space heater can overheat when in use, posing...

NutriZone of Houston, Texas, is recalling various lots of multiple dietary supplements that may be contaminated with Salmonella.No illnesses have been...

Ford Motor Company is recalling 142 model year 2017-2018 Ford F-150s, and model year 2018 Ford Expeditions, Mustangs and Lincoln Navigators equipped with 1...

Internet users going to personal ads website Backpage.com over the weekend found the site is no longer active. The FBI and other fed...

In a complaint filed Monday, a group of child, consumer, and privacy advocates claim YouTube illegally collects data about underage viewers and uses that d...

In the face of everything else it’s trying to remedy, Facebook is doubling down on how it deals with what it calls political “issue ads.”It’s a new lay...

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating possible antitrust violations over the way some colleges share information about applicants who were...

Best buy customers who used a payment card for purchases should monitor their accounts closely. The company reports a data breach has compromised some cust...

This month, four of the largest credit card companies -- American Express, Discover, Mastercard, and Visa -- will stop requiring a signature for purchases...

Singapore Airlines is the favorite carrier for international travelers while Southwest is consumers' favorite U.S. airline, according to the latest TripAdv...

PFP Enterprises, also doing business as Texas Meat Packers of Fort Worth, Texas, is recalling approximately 7,146 pounds of raw beef products.The produ...

Healthy Nut Factory of Bayside, N.Y., is recalling 7-oz. pouches of Organic Coconut Smiles that may be contaminated with Salmonella.No illness have bee...

Ford Motor Company is recalling 292,909 model year 2018 F-650s and F-750s equipped with 6-speed automatic transmissions and model year 2018 Ford F-150s and...

Police in Virginia are now investigating a hacking attempt to change grades at a local high school. Back in November, police say, an email purporting to be...

Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg went on the Today Show Friday to continue the company's damage control.Sandberg said Facebook does not...

Johnson & Johnson has been sued thousands of times over the past few years over its marketing of talcum powder. Many women have claimed the company knew of...

In his annual letter to shareholders, JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon outlined some of the goals for his company’s new healthcare venture with Amazon and B...

Coinbase, a digital currency exchange, is opening Coinbase Ventures, a venture capital arm set on funding promising, early stage cryptocurrency companies....

The US Surgeon General released a rare public health advisory on Thursday urging more Americans to carry naloxone, a drug which can reverse the effects of...

Target has reached a settlement with plaintiffs who sued the retailer, claiming racial and ethnic discrimination in its hiring practices.The company ha...

The nation's economy added fewer jobs than expected last month, but workers enjoyed a modest boost in wages.In its monthly report, the Bureau of Labor...

Polaris Industries of Medina, Minn., is recalling about 107,000 model year 2014-2018 Polaris RZR XP 1000 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs).If th...

In updated estimates, Facebook says it’s possible that up to 87 million people had their data repurposed by Cambridge Analytica.However, that metric co...

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who will testify before a House committee next week, took questions from reporters on a conference call Wednesday and discuss...

An online customer chat service company used by Delta Air Lines and other major corporations has been hacked, exposing an unknown number of customers’ cred...

Several gas pipeline operators were forced to shut down computer communications with their customers over the last week after their systems were compromise...

McDonald’s has announced that it will invest an additional $150 million into its tuition assistance program for employees over the next five years.The...

Considering a new credit card? Temkin Group has released its 2018 credit card ratings, giving USAA and Discover the highest marks for customer experience....

BMW has launched a pilot “Access by BMW” program in Nashville that lets members swap one BMW vehicle for another through a mobile app.  For a monthly p...

Consumers hoping to lease a new car found plenty of deals in March, and one industry source reports many of those bargains have spilled into April.A nu...

Grindr, the popular dating and hook-up app targeted to gay men, is facing tough questions from United States senators after European researchers revealed t...

Last minute tax filers aren't always that choosy about who prepares their tax return -- but they should be.They might see a hand-painted sign in their...

China has announced it will impose tariffs on 106 U.S. products, the latest shot fired in a brewing trade war between the two trading partners.The anno...

Facebook is not done with Russia… yet.The social media leader is still uncovering accounts linked to the Internet Research Agency (IRA), the Russian co...

Following its decision to go public via an unconventional direct listing, music streaming service Spotify kicked off trading Tuesday just after 12:30 p.m....

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg will testify before the House Energy and Commerce Committee next week, the committee has announced.Zuckerberg has been in...

Despite high vaccine coverage in many developed countries, pertussis – otherwise known as whooping cough – has made a comeback in recent years. The conditi...

At the end of March, Toys “R” Us continued its liquidation process by shutting down its website. In a final farewell message, the retailer said that it wou...

Les Schwab is recalling 41,336 steel-belted radial truck tires that were retreaded for customers.The vulcanizing compound used during the retreading ma...

Toyota Motor North America is recalling approximately 6,000 model year 2018 Camrys and Highlanders and model year 2017 Siennas, Tacomas and Lexus RX350s....

An Alaska cannabis lab that is permitted to operate under state law is being forced to relocate  after Wells Fargo apparently discovered what they were doi...

A new report from the National Safety Council finds most states have failed to implement effective policies to tackle the opioid addiction crisis in Americ...

Apple took a large bite out of Intel on Monday. The company announced that it will be making its own chips for its Mac computers by 2020, which sent Intel...

A new report finds many college students don’t have enough to eat or enough money for a secure place to live as they pursue their college education.Res...

Consumer confidence surged to its highest level since 2004 towards the end of last year, but millennials now have less consumer confidence than their paren...

Consumers are falling behind on their bills and have a slightly increased chance of having a bill in collections, according to the latest financial literac...

It's a rare event when the head of a federal agency asks Congress to limit that agency's power. But that's exactly what Mick Mulvaney, acting director of t...

Consumers who ordered food online from the bakery-cafe chain Panera Bread via the company’s website could potentially have had their payment information ex...

Target Corporation of Minneapolis, Minn., is recalling an undetermined amount of frozen ready-to-eat and not-ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.Tem...

Tesla has issued an update on the fatal accident involving one of its cars in California last month, drawing a rebuke from the government agency charged wi...

Hudson’s Bay Co. says customer payment card information may have been stolen from shoppers at certain Saks Fifth Avenue, Saks Off Fifth, and Lord & Taylor...

Following pilot programs in select rural communities in North and South Carolina, Google is expanding its Rolling Study Halls program to 16 more school dis...

Starting May 7, those called to serve federal jury duty will get paid 25 percent more. Last week, President Donald Trump signed a bill increasing the daily...

Cloudflare has released a free website performance and security tool called 1.1.1.1., billed as “the fastest, privacy-first consumer DNS service.”At a...

While surveys show consumers continue to have doubts about self-driving cars, homeowners may feel differently about a new application of autonomous technol...

Motorists across the country have seen gasoline prices rise as refiners make the switch from winter-grade gasoline to summer blends.The AAA Fuel Gauge...

Mrs. Gerry’s Kitchen of Albert Lea, Minn., is recalling the following salad products: Product Size Used By Mrs....