Current Events in September 2014

Jimmy John's, the nationwide chain offering “gourmet sandwiches,” confirmed today that a security breach involving one of its payment vendors compromised customer data at 216 different locations throughout the country (out of roughly 1,900 locations in all).

Security blogger Brian Krebs first reported the possibility of a breach in July; at the time, his sources in various financial institutions mentioned seeing a spike in fraud complaints involving cards which had been used at a Jimmy John's at some point.

Jimmy John's blames the breach on an unnamed payment vendor (which Krebs' sources suspect is actually Signature Systems, Inc.).

Whoever the vendor is, Jimmy John's said that someone stole login credentials from that vendor, and used them to remotely access point-of-sale systems to steal data between June 16 and Sept. 5 of this year.

The company issued a statement saying “Approximately 216 stores appear to have been affected by this event … Cards impacted by this event appear to be those swiped at the stores, and did not include those cards entered manually or online. The credit and debit card information at issue may include the card number and in some cases the cardholder’s name, verification code, and/or the card’s expiration date. Information entered online, such as customer address, email, and password, remains secure.”

So far, which specific stores used the breached payment vendor in question hasn't been announced, so to play it safe: if you visited any Jimmy Johns location and used a payment card between June 16 and Sept. 5, keep an extra-sharp eye on your account activity.

It's been almost six months now since hackers first managed to breach Home Depot security in April, and started stealing its customers' confidential financial data.

The breach itself wasn't first discovered by independent security bloggers until Sept. 2, and not until Sept. 18 did Home Depot formally announce that yes, hackers had breached its security, and made off with 56 million debit- and credit-card numbers.

Home Depot also said that hackers did not steal anybody's personal identification numbers (PINs), which appears to be true yet might not matter since earlier reports suggested that, while the hackers didn't actually get anybody's PINs, they did get enough other data to change people's PINs without their knowledge.

Yet for all the time this security breach has existed, it appears that only now is the full financial damage starting to make itself felt.

Fraudulent transactions

The Wall Street Journal first reported yesterday that fraudulent transactions traceable to the breach were starting to surface, “rippling across fiancial institutions and, in some cases, draining cash from customer bank accounts.”

The customers who actually had money withdrawn from their accounts (as opposed to seeing fraudulent charges appear on their credit cards) presumably had this happen because the hackers were able to change their PINs by gaming the Voice Response Unit (VRU) banks use to deal with PIN changes; if you're worried your own bank account might be at risk, you might want to double-check your bank's PIN security measures against this hacking technque which security blogger Brian Krebs explained on Sept. 8.

In other news, related to the Home Depot breach, two credit unions (New York's Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union and Pennsylvania's First Choice Federal Credit Union) filed suit against Home Depot in Atlanta federal court last week, over financial damages the credit unions sustained as a result of Home Depot's data breach. An attorney says that the breach has already cost the financial industry “hundreds of millions” of dollars in damages.

The two credit unions are trying to have their lawsuit granted class action status. In Canada, an Ottawa man who says hackers charged $8,000 to his credit card after the breach is also suing Home Depot, and seeking similar class-action status for affected Canadians.

After staying away for 2 straight months, home-buyers finally showed up in August.

Figures released jointly by the U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development show sales of new single-family houses shot up 18% last month -- to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 504,000.

That's 33.0% above the same month last year and the first time sales have topped 500,000 since May 2008. The consensus estimate from economists surveyed by Briefing.com was for sales of 435,000 new homes.

Prices and inventory

The median sales price of new houses climbed by $20,300 from August of last year to $275,600. The median is the point at which half sold for more and half for less. The average sales price was $347,900 -- up $37,100 from the year before.

Inventories, on the other hand, moved lower. The seasonally adjusted estimate of new houses for sale at the end of August was 203,000. That works out to a supply of 4.8 months at the current sales rate, versus 5.6 months at the end of July.

Regional sales

Sales were higher across the U.S. with the exception of the Midwest, which was flat. The West led the advance with a surge of 50%, followed by the Northeast (+29.2%) and the South (+7.8%).

The full report is available on the Commerce Department website.

Defendants based in the U.S. and Canada who deceived consumers through a telemarketing scheme designed to sell them phony mortgage assistance and debt relief programs have been put out of business.

A ruling by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has issued a decision upholding a district court ruling that permanently bars the defendants from working in the debt relief or mortgage assistance industries, and enters judgment -- jointly and severally -- of $5,706,135.48 to be used for refunds to the injured consumers.

“The court decision,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Bureau of Consumer Protection, “is a major win for consumers nationwide. It affirms that marketers can’t get away with using misleading sales pitches and then burying ‘disclaimers’ in lengthy documents given to consumers later.”

Cold-call scam

The FTC filed a complaint against E.M.A. Nationwide and several other defendants in 2012, alleging that since at least mid-2010 they operated a call center in Montreal that cold-called thousands of U.S. consumers -- including those whose numbers were registered on the Do Not Call Registry -- pitching programs that would supposedly help them pay, reduce, or restructure their mortgage and other debts.

Based on this conduct, the agency charged the defendants with violating the FTC Act, the Commission’s Telemarketing Sales Rule, and the Mortgage Assistance Relief Services (MARS) Rule, which prohibits mortgage foreclosure rescue and loan modification services from collecting fees until homeowners have a written offer from their lender or servicer that they deem acceptable.

Lower court had it right

The Court of Appeals upheld the district court’s conclusion that the defendants’ “initial telephone conversations used to solicit consumers consisted almost entirely of material misrepresentations” that created a deceptive “overall net impression” to induce consumers to incur very high costs for virtually worthless services.

The court rejected the defendants’ argument that the district court needed to conduct additional fact-finding proceedings before determining that those misrepresentations were not offset or “cured” by fine-print disclaimers and clarifications in the contracts and other written materials that consumers received only after agreeing to enroll in the defendants’ programs.

In summarizing its ruling, the appellate court wrote, “A court need not look past the first contact with a consumer to determine the net impression from that contact, and a court may consider individual advertisements or messages to determine the net impression. . . . Defendants cannot make considerable material misrepresentations to consumers and then bury corrections and disclaimers in subsequent communications. . . . Therefore, the district court did not err in granting summary judgment.”

Applications for mortgages gave back some of the previous week's nearly 8% surge.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reports applications decreased 4.1% during the week ending September 19.

The Refinance Index was down 7%, sending the refinance share of mortgage activity to 56% of total applications from 57% the previous week.

The adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) share of activity rose to 8.0% of total applications.

Contract interest rates

• The average contract interest rate for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages (FRMs) with conforming loan balances ($417,000 or less) was up 3 basis points -- from 4.26% to 4.39%, the highest rate since May, with points increasing to 0.35 from 0.20 (including the origination fee) for 80% loan-to-value ratio (LTV) loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs with jumbo loan balances (greater than $417,000) jumped to 4.30% from 4.24%, with points increasing to 0.22 from 0.16 (including the origination fee) for 80%t LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 30-year FRMs backed by the FHA rose 5 basis points -- to 4.08%, the highest rate since May, with points increasing to 0.09 from 0.05 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 15-year FRMs held steady at 3.56%, with points increasing to 0.26 from 0.25 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate was unchanged from last week.
• The average contract interest rate for 5/1 ARMs inched up 1 basis point to 3.20%, with points increasing to 0.40 from 0.29 (including the origination fee) for 80% LTV loans. The effective rate increased from last week.

The survey covers over 75% of all U.S. retail residential mortgage applications.

For young people who feel bullied at school, graduation and emergence into the work force might appear to hold relief. But then, they might be in for a rude shock.

When CareerBuilder.com, an employment website, looked into whether bullying was a problem in the workplace, the results were surprising. Bullies don't stay in high school their entire lives – they graduate and get jobs too.

“One of the most surprising takeaways from the study was that bullying impacts workers of all backgrounds regardless of race, education, income and level of authority within an organization,” said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.

Haefner says the researchers discovered something else; many of the workers who said they were being bullied didn't confront their tormentor and didn't report the incidents. The solution for some was to hand in their resignation and find another job.

While 28% of workers in the survey said they felt bullied at work, 19% of those resolved the issue by leaving their job.

Expanding definition?

But is it bullying or something else? Is it possible the explosive growth in bullying is a result of expanding the definition of a bully?

Drilling deeper into the numbers suggests there might be something to that. For example, some bullying may in fact be discrimination.

In the CareerBuilder survey, minorities were more likely to report being the victim of bullies. Forty-four percent of employees with a physical disability reported encounters with bullies. For lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LBGT) workers, the total was 30%.

Female workers were significantly more likely to report bullying at work than their male counterparts, 34% to 22%. Twenty-seven percent of African American workers and 25% of Hispanic workers said they have been bullied at work compared to 24% of Caucasian males.

The victims of bullying identified in the survey don't complain of getting wedgies or other physical hazing typically thought of as bullying behavior.

Instead, they report being falsely accused of making mistakes, being the object of office gossip, being criticized or yelled at by the boss, or having credit for their work poached by a co-worker.

The boss is a jerk

Many would contend this nasty behavior in the workplace is nothing new. And that feeling grows once the researchers begin identifying who these bullies are.

It turns out they are in many cases the same people who have making life miserable for employees for generations – the boss.

Of workers who felt bullied, 45% singled out their supervisor, while 25% said the person was higher up in the organization, but not the boss. So it needs to be asked whether it's a case of bullying or a case of extremely poor management by a boss who is simply a jerk.

That said, it's clear from some of the responses that isn't always the case. One in 5 respondents said the bullying involved more than one person, suggesting that mean high school cliques have migrated to the workplace.

More mean people?

So the question needs to be asked – has the definition of bullying been expanded in recent years to include any unpleasant human contact, or have people everywhere become meaner and more insensitive?

“The definition of bullying at work will vary considerably depending on whom you talk to,” Haefner said. “It’s often a gray area, but when someone feels bullied, it typically involves a pattern of behavior where there is a gross lack of professionalism, consideration and respect.”

A lot of people in the survey reported confronting their tormentor. Nearly half – 48 percent – reported taking matters into their own hands and confronting the bully. Of these workers, 45% said it took care of the problem while 11% said it made matters worse.

Tips for handling a workplace bully

Here's how CareerBuilder suggests people who feel bullied at work should respond:

• Keep records of all incidents of bullying, documenting places, times, what happened and who was present.
• Consider talking to the bully, providing specific examples of how you were treated unfairly. Chances are the bully may not be aware that he/she is making you feel this way.
• Always focus on the resolution. When sharing examples with the bully or a company authority, center the discussions around how to make the working situation better or how things could be handled differently.

Whether it's called bullying or something else, Haefner says allowing a work environment in which people feel threatened or abused is simply bad for business.

“Whether it’s through intimidation, personal insults or behavior that is more passive-aggressive, bullying can be harmful to the individual and the organization overall,” she said.

An auto safety group says the recall of 189,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos to fix a fuel pump problem doesn't go far enough and points to the large number of owners' complaints to back up its assertion.

The Center for Auto Safety says the stalling problem can happen in millions of other Chrysler vehicles that use the same pump power control module; Chrysler argues that stalling is a common problem that can have many causes.

The company said in the recall notice that the defective spring is located in what is called the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM). In a petition filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) last month, the Center for Auto Safety formally asked NHTSA to look into power failures in Chrysler products.

The safety group's executive director, Clarence Ditlow, said the same TIPM is used in 5 million Chrysler vehicles and said all of them should be recalled. He noted that his organization has received more than 70 complaints.

A review of the NHTSA complaint database reveals hundreds of complaints about stalling and related products in Chrysler products -- many of them for models not included in the recall.

This complaint was filed with NHTSA yesterday:

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PULLING OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY, THE VEHICLE WOULD HESITATE AND STALL WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON ANOTHER OCCASION AND WAS NOT ABLE TO RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP RELAY HAD FAILED. HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE.  

In May, Juanita of Eutaw, Ala., said in a ConsumerAffairs review that her 2014 Jeep Compass has been "in the service department constantly for stall starting and engine ticking noise when turning it off" without anyone finding a solution.

"Chrysler states that they are unable to detect the stall starting. I have 3 videos to prove it and they're stressing me out. My Jeep has gone to the dealer over 4 times for the same issue and the only thing that was replaced was a solenoid for the ticking noise when shutting off that is still there."

As we reported in July 2013, ConsumerAffairs routinely receives complaints about Jeep and other Chrysler products stalling. A Chrysler spokesman quoted in that story noted that stalling is among the more common automotive problems and finding a common cause was not always possible.  

"We are unaware of any stalling reports that can be connected to each other or to a particular model," Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said. "Allegations of vehicle stalling are made against all manufacturers’ vehicles and can have multiple causes unrelated to design or production."

Next week, Facebook plans to start using new advertising tools that will let it know what you're doing everywhere online no matter which connected device you use, tools allowing it to “bolster its stalking activities,” according to Pando Daily.

Or, as the original announcement in the Sept. 22 Wall Street Journal said, Facebook “will unveil a new advertising platform designed to improve how marketers target and measure the advertisements they buy across the Web.”

What do those bland-sounding words actually mean? It all started back in early 2013, when Microsoft owned an ad network called Atlas, which it sold to Facebook.

The Wall Street Journal said this about Atlas, the new version of which Facebook plans to unveil next week:

It promises to help marketers understand which Facebook users have seen, interacted with or acted upon ads that appear both on Facebook's services and on third-party websites and apps.

It will also provide an automated ad-buying tool known in the industry as a "demand-side platform" or "bidder," which will offer marketers the ability to buy ads that target Facebook's members as they move around the Web.

"Integrated" activity

But Atlas will let Facebook (and advertisers” “integrate” your online activity across all devices: use your smartphone to look at items for sale at Niftywidgets.com, then when you visit Facebook with your laptop you'll see Niftywidget ads there, too.

As Pando Daily put it:

“the ability to track consumers across devices … fixes one of the technical problems that advertisers have bemoaned since the rise of mobile: the inability to use cookies to track people. … Being able to browse around the Web without having to worry about advertisers connecting the dots between viewing an advertisement on a smartphone and purchasing something on a laptop was just a fluke. Now this new ad network is going to be “correcting the error,” so to speak. Welcome to the modern era, where even a modicum of privacy is viewed as a technical failing that’s going to be solved by some company or another to appease the almighty advertisers.”

And, of course, Facebook users who try to avoid Atlas' all-seeing eye by, for example, signing up for the Do Not Track list are certain to be disappointed; so far, very few websites actually honor such requests, and last June the ad industry urged web-standards groups to abandon its Do Not Track efforts altogether, and focus on other technologies.

The only way that parents used to keep track of their kids was by using the eyes in the back of their heads. These days, those rear-view eyes have become vestigial so we have to use technology to replace them.

Fortunately, there's a lot of it out there. You can watch your infant from your smartphone. You can even track your kids through their clothes. There are apps that do nearly everything -- apps that track your kids’ locations, allow you to block downloads, keep them from texting while driving, and limit how much data they can use and time they can spend on their phones.

CTIA-The Wireless Association has a comprehensive list of parent-friendly apps. Here are a few that caught our eye:

BabyphoneThis app is like virtual eyes on your baby while it is sleeping. Babyphone will call a preset phone number to notify you that your baby is awake. Set the sensitivity feature higher and it will notify you if he even moves. When there is a noise in your baby's room, the Safe Baby Monitor will call you. Free (Android, iOS)

MamaBear James Bond couldn't do it better than this. This all-in-one mobile parental control app allows you to locate a child through a smartphone, keep tabs on social media activity, and find out when your kid has been driving over the speed limit.

MamaBear's location tracking can tell you where your child is, as well as provide arrival and departure alerts from locations such as school or home. The social media monitor can be set to notify you when your child adds new contacts, uses restricted words or uploads photos or tags. Free (Android, iOS).

Alarm.comWant to make sure they came right home from school and started their home work? Get the Alarm app -- it's a little more intricate but it provides a lot of information. 

The Alarm app includes mobile monitoring -- arm/disarm the system remotely, turn light sources on/off, and watch live and recorded video through installed cameras.

Parents can get alerts about a variety of household happenings -- when the children get home from school, when someone is poking around the medicine or liquor cabinet, or when someone has changed the thermostat or left the garage door open.

A subscription is required for a specific Alarm.com home monitoring service and the app works only with certain hardware. Pricing varies, depending on the specific services you are interested in. Check the company's website for details. (iOS, iPad, Android)

Securus eZoom is a GPS tracking device that can be attached to a child's clothing, in a backpack or pocket, on a key ring or in the car. It works for both small children and older kids, as well as teen drivers. eZoom uses GPS and cellular network technologies to pinpoint its location on a map. When continuously tracking, eZoom updates its location every 30 seconds and shows a breadcrumb trail of past locations.

You will be able to find your kids any time by checking the online tracking dashboard, sending a text message or by using the free mobile apps for iPhone, Android and BlackBerry. Parents can receive email and text message alerts when kids arrive at and leave different places during the day.

Many of these apps do the same thing so it's best you research what each does and if you want one that is free or you want to pay a price. Remember those eyes in the back of the head -- though inactive in most of us -- are still there when you need them and they are free.

You know the feeling -- runny nose, not very hungry, a cough and you are tired. You just feel worn-out all over. Odds are you have the flu. Your dog can get the flu just like you, although they can't catch it from you nor can you catch it from them. They are different strains.

So the question is -- should you get your dog a flu shot? Dr. Kimberly May at the American Veterinary Medical Association, or AVMA, says it really depends how much your dog is exposed to strange dogs.

Canine influenza vaccine is classified as a lifestyle vaccine, as opposed to a core vaccine, like rabies, parvo and distemper. If you are boarding your dog, most places will not take your dog unless it has had a Bordetella vaccine and the canine infulenza vaccine falls into the same category.

When your dog is at the dog park or anywhere else in public, it can be exposed to many different things. Other dogs may be in close proximity and, well, we just don't know where some dogs have been so you might want to play it safe and inoculate.

Like kennel cough

When the flu first hits it can be confused with kennel cough.The symptoms are similar but it lasts much longer. The flu itself isn't life-threatening and requires simply supportive care to help a dog recover as quickly as possible and to feel comfortable while the symptoms still appear. Much like humans, it's rest and relaxation with fluids.

Cynda Crawford, an assistant professor of shelter medicine at the University of Florida, said a test is needed to confirm the diagnosis. The big concern with dog flu is that it could go into pneumonia -- it's the secondary infections that are of concern. Experts estimate the fatality rate at 1% to 5%.

Crawford said the real problem is that dogs haven't been previously exposed to the virus, they have no immunity. So nearly 100% of dogs exposed to dog flu catch it, and 80% will show symptoms within four days, she said.

A dog flu vaccine was approved in the spring of 2009 and is now available at veterinary offices. Edward Dubovi, PhD, director of the virology laboratory at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is the one who first isolated the canine influenza virus. He said the vaccine won't prevent a dog from getting the virus, but it will lessen the severity and the duration of the disease.

According to the ASPCA any dog infected with the flu should be kept isolated from other dogs for 10-14 days from the onset of symptoms. Dogs are most infectious before symptoms are apparent, and can continue shedding the virus for around 10 days. This means that by the time symptoms are seen, other dogs may have already been exposed.

Supermarkets have changed over the years, getting bigger, staying open longer and offering a wider variety of food products. But those changes have only just begun.

Consumers can expect even bigger changes in the years ahead, according to Mary Ellen Kuhn, executive editor of Food Technology magazine. Kuhn has identified the major trends that are now shaping grocery shopping – and will influence it in the future.

Price-driven

While there are plenty of high-end, gourmet food markets, Kuhn sees consumers who care very much about prices as being the major influence on supermarkets. Since the official end of the Great Recession, average incomes have remained stagnant and this has been deeply felt at the supermarket checkout counter.

According to Kuhn, middle and low-income shoppers account for 70% of U.S. grocery sales, and even consumers who aren't living paycheck to paycheck tend to be frugal and open to shopping in a variety of different channels in order to economize.

Another trend has influenced the kinds of food supermarkets offer. There is a new emphasis on healthy living and fresh food. Part of this stems from concerns about obesity. Part may be demographic, with Baby Boomers entering their 60s and becoming more concerned about their health.

And in bad news for restaurants, Kuhn says 92% of U.S. adults believe that eating at home is healthier than eating out.

Neighborhood markets

While the “super center” supermarket isn't an endangered species, consumers can also expect to see a growing number of smaller grocery stores. Kuhn says smaller stores should grow rapidly in the next decade, refining their offerings based on neighborhood purchasing patterns.

Walmart is already out in front on this trend, launching Walmart Neighborhood Markets in locations where a super center simply doesn't fit. Earlier this month Walmart announced it would open a Neighborhood Market in Hillsboro, Kan., next year.

It will be a 12,000 square foot facility providing all the services of a regular Walmart, but on a smaller scale.

At the other end of the scale, Supermarket Newsreports Kroger remains committed to its Marketplace concept of huge stores that sell not only food but clothing, jewelry and housewares. However, during an earnings conference call earlier this month CEO Rodney McMullen said Kroger remains open to moving toward smaller format stores in some locations.

Healthy take-out

While restaurants might fall out of favor over consumers' new health consciousness, working parents still want a quick and convenient way to put dinner on the table. But instead of ordering a pizza, Kuhn says they may be more likely to turn to a supermarket that now offers fresh prepared food.

“More than half of the households in the U.S. are composed of only one or two people, according to the latest census records, and consumers often look to stores as their sous chef,” Kuhn said. “Consumers often just want to put the finishing touches on an item and avoid the slicing, dicing, and marinating that often come with food preparation.”

To meet this growing demand more retailers are offering high-quality fare that reflects trendy culinary influences like chef-prepared entrees and salads, ethnic dishes, brunch stations, and gelato bars in stores. Supermarkets are also bundling meal components that are tasty and easy to prepare.

Grocery stores are also using digital commerce to reach out to consumers. Kuhn says there are currently more than 1,000 grocery shopping apps for the iPhone. She says digitizing supermarket ads and coupons for smartphones, computers, and tablets is is driving sales and forming deeper connections with shoppers.

Just about anything can be the basis of a good scam, especially if it involves tickets. That makes Derek Jeter's final New York Yankees games prime territory, according to New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman.

“Unfortunately, major events tend to attract major scammers,” said Attorney General Schneiderman. “Consumers who are hoping to honor Jeter in person by attending his final games should take steps to protect themselves from people trying to sell counterfeit tickets and other scammers."

The future Hall of Famer and five-time world champion is set to play what will likely be his final game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, and his final professional baseball game on Sunday in Boston and demand for tickets is high.

Historically, major sporting events and concerts have seen spikes in scams aimed at duping consumers. For example, when the Super Bowl was played in the New York City area last year, hundreds of fake tickets and tens of millions of dollars in counterfeit merchandise were seized by law enforcement officials.

When purchasing tickets secondhand, Schneiderman advises consumers to:

• Check to see if the venue, sports team, or event has an official, verified source for buying and reselling tickets. The New York Yankees have an officially sanctioned ticket exchange that can be accessed online here.
• Be wary of tickets that are printed at home. Even though a ticket looks authentic, it may not be. Many venues allow consumers to print tickets from their personal computers. Scammers can sell the same ticket to multiple buyers. Based on the bar code, only the first buyer to show up at the venue will get in. Counterfeiters can also reproduce bar codes – you may get into the venue, but then the real ticket holder shows up and you have to leave. When possible, seek out tickets printed by the venue.
• Be wary of ticket prices that are too good to be true and of any high-pressure sales tactics. Ask questions of the seller to verify that the tickets are legitimate. Ask to see their proof of purchase. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
• Avoid paying for tickets by cash, wire transfer or pre-paid money transfer. If the tickets turn out to be fake, it is highly unlikely you will get your money back. If you pay by credit card or PayPal and the tickets turn out to be fake, you can dispute the charge.
• If you buy from an online ticket broker, check out its reputation first through the Better Business Bureau and consumer complaint sites. Tickets from reputable online brokers may be expensive, but they may come with added protections. For example, some brokers will provide replacement tickets or full refunds if the tickets turn out to be fake.

Homes prices rose in July -- but not by much.

According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) monthly House Price Index (HPI), prices were up 0.1% on a seasonally adjusted basis from the previous month -- the eighth consecutive monthly house price increase.

While house prices were up 4.4% from July 2013 to July 2014, the index is 6.4% below its April 2007 peak and is roughly the same as the July 2005 index level.

The previously reported 0.4% increase in June was revised to reflect an advance of 0.3%.

The FHFA HPI is calculated using home sales price information from mortgages either sold to or guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

For the 9 census divisions, seasonally adjusted monthly price changes from June 2014 to July 2014 ranged from -0.5% in the Middle Atlantic division to +0.4% in the East North Central division.  

The 12-month changes were all positive ranging from +1.6% in the Middle Atlantic division to +7.2% in the Pacific division.

The full report is available on the FHFA website.

Not sure which car seat to use for your child?  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) may have what you need.

The agency is launching a new Car Seat Finder Tool, adding the ability to look up car seat recalls on its mobile app, and reminding parents and caregivers to register their child's car seat through its new campaign – “Don't Delay. Register Your Car Seat Today.”

A child under the age of 13 is involved in a crash every 34 seconds and more than a third of children killed in crashes were not in car seats or wearing seat belts. NHTSA's new Car Seat Finder Tool is designed to help parents select the right car seat or booster seat for their child, while the campaign is a reminder of the importance of registering car seats to receive important safety recall notifications.

“Safety is our highest priority, and our new tool and registration campaign are two more ways we're working to protect our most vulnerable passengers -- our children,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Parents and caregivers are the first line of defense by ensuring they are selecting the right car seat, registering it, and using it correctly for every trip.”

Millions recalled

In 2014, NHTSA pushed manufacturers to recall seats with defective buckles to ensure owners received a replacement buckle at no cost. That led to the recall of more than 7.4 million car seats and yet -- on average -- only 40% of people get their car seat fixed, compared with an average of 75% for light vehicles, for which registration is required by law.

The NHTSA campaign urges caregivers to register their car seat so manufacturers know how to notify them of a recall and how to receive the free fix. The agency’s Parent Central site allows parents and caregivers to select their manufacturer or brand of car seat and directly links them to the manufacturer's registration page. In addition, the agency encourages people to utilize the updated SaferCar app which now allows users to search for car seat recalls, in addition to vehicle and tire recalls. The app also provides information on where people can go for help in installing their car seats.

“Regardless of age or the length of the trip, children should always be properly restrained in a car seat, booster or seat belt that is installed correctly and free from safety defects,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman. “The first step for a parent is finding the right seat and our new Car Seat Finder Tool helps sort through the numerous options in car seats to ensure they're making the best choices for their child passengers.”

What to do

NHTSA offers parents and caregivers the following safety tips:

• Utilize NHTSA's Car Seat Finder Tool to determine the right seat for your child based on age and size;

• Read the instructions and labels that come with your child's car seat and read the vehicle owner's manual for important information on installing the seat in your particular vehicle;

• Register your child's car seat with the manufacturer to ensure you receive important safety recall notifications;

• If your child's car seat is subject to a recall, follow contact the manufacturer and follow their guidance to receive a free fix for your seat;

• Go to your local car seat inspection station to have your seat checked by a Certified Child Passenger Safety Technician;

• Use the lower anchors and tethers for child restraint systems or seat belt to install your car seat and use the top tether to secure forward-facing car seats;

• Be sure all children under 13 years are seated and properly restrained in the back seat; and

• Always wear your seat belt to set a good example. Unbuckled drivers are more likely to have unrestrained children in the car.

Glaser Organic Farms has been notified by its supplier of a recall of Organic Carob Powder.

The product may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The following  products were distributed from May 7, 2014, thru July 23, 2014:

• RAW CAROB POWDER 8 ounces Lot# 0507081456 I UPC Code 83291005567
• CAROB FUDGY BROWNIE 5.5 ounces Lot# 0207211406 I UPC Code 832910002061

Consumers who have purchased the products with the above stated lot numbers and UPC are asked not to consume the product and discard it.

Consumers with questions may contact Glaser Organic Farms at 305-238-7747, Monday -Friday from 9 am-5 pm EST,or by email at raw@glaserorganicfarms.com.

General Motors is recalling 5 model year 2013-2014 Cadillac XTS vehicles manufactured April 11, 2013, to June 27, 2013, and 2014 Chevrolet Impala vehicles manufactured May 13, 2013, to November 5, 2013.

The vehicles may have left the factory with the sensing and diagnostic module (SDM) set to "manufacturing mode." In manufacturing mode, the vehicle's air bags will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

GM will notify owners, and dealers are to reprogram the SDM to the correct mode, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in September 2014.

Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 14532.

The diet world has been jolted recently by studies suggesting that eating fat is not such a bad thing after all. It might not lead to heart disease and it might not make you gain weight, researchers have argued.

But it all depends on what kind of fat you consume – and how much. Nutritionists have known for years that some kinds of fats are actually beneficial. Some are harmful.

Writing in the September issue of Food Technology magazine, Linda Milo Ohr makes the case for fatty acids and nutritional oils. They can improve memory function, help manage body weight, and contribute to heart health, eye and brain development, and even improved mood.

She singles out 9 fats that she says can enhance, not harm health.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are associated with improved brain development, memory function, eye health, can reduce chances of dementia and depression. They are also widely well-known for their heart health benefits.

Pinolenic Acid

Pinolenic acid comes from pine nut oil, which in turn comes from a specific Korean pine tree. Ohr says clinical trials have shown that it can help suppress appetite and promote a feeling of fullness.

Conjugated Linoleic Acid

Conjugated linoleic acid also helps with weight management by helping reduce body fat and increase lean body mass. It's found in many meats and dairy products.

Flaxseed Oil

Flaxseed oil is a way to load up on omega-3 fatty acids as well as omega-6 and omega-9 fatty acids. They can be good for your heart and help reduce inflammation.

Hemp Oil

Hemp seed oil is another source of omega-6 and omega-3 linolenic essential fatty acids. It's also high in vitamin E.

Fish Oil

Fish oil is valued for its positive effect on cardiovascular, neurological, and cognitive health.

Canola Oil

“A study showed that a canola oil-enriched, low-glycemic-diet improved blood sugar control in type 2 diabetics, especially those with raised systolic blood pressure,” Ohr writes.

Soybean Oil

Extracted from the seed of the soybean, soybean oil is widely used as a healthy cooking oil.

Coconut Oil

Although not as much research has been done compared to olive or fish oil, coconut oil is believed to enhance energy, skin health, and dental health.

Fats that can be harmful

While adding these healthy fats to a nutritious diet might be a good thing, there are definitely fats that can have harmful effects, according to doctors at the Mayo Clinic.

Saturated fat is fat that comes mainly from animal sources of food, such as red meat, poultry and full-fat dairy products. Too much can raise total blood cholesterol levels and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels, which can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Saturated fat may also increase your risk of type 2 diabetes.

Trans fat occurs naturally in some foods but most are manufactured from oils through a food processing method called partial hydrogenation. The Mayo Clinic cites studies showing that these partially hydrogenated trans fats can increase unhealthy LDL cholesterol and lower healthy high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. This can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease.