Current Events in July 2021

Nissan North America is recalling 30,799 model year 2020-2021 Titans, Titan XDs and Versas.

The front right and/or left turn signal bulb can crack and fail to illuminate.

Inoperable front turn signals cannot alert on-coming drivers and/or pedestrians that the vehicle will be turning, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the bulbs -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 20, 2021.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at (800) 867-7669. Nissan's numbers for this recall are PM986 and PC811.

Avanti Frozen Foods is recalling certain consignments of various sizes of frozen cooked, peeled, deveined, shrimp (with some packaged with cocktail sauce).

The products may be contaminated with Salmonella.

There have been six reports of Salmonella-related illness to date.

A list of the recalled products, sold nationwide from late December 2020, to late February 2021, may be found here.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but return them to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at +91402330260 or +914023310261, Monday – Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., GMT+5.5.

If you’ve ever been to the point of pulling your hair out over a bad experience with a service only to find that there’s a hefty early termination fee involved with cutting ties, you’re not alone. As a matter of fact, ConsumerAffairs reviews are rife with horror stories about early termination fees.

Companies that charge early termination fees run the gamut, but internet and satellite TV providers seem to use them frequently.

The White House was evidently seeing the same thing that we were at ConsumerAffairs. In an executive order President Biden signed last week, the White House outlined steps that it’s taking to tackle early termination fees. The Biden administration acknowledged the reality that many consumers face when it comes to these charges. 

“If a consumer does find a better internet service deal, they may be unable to actually switch because of high early termination fees -- on average nearly $200 -- charged by internet providers,” White House officials stated in a fact sheet. 

Consumers struggle with early termination fees

Cutting out early termination fees will not only take some incidental revenue out of the pockets of vendors who demand that consumers pay one, but it will also make life easier for consumers who would like to make choices without feeling like they’re being taken hostage. 

Take ConsumerAffairs reviewer Leticia of Texas, who was one of the many reviewers who had a sour experience with DISH Network. She urged other consumers to not get into any long contracts with Dish, even if they’re offered special prices.

“They will promise you to go to your house to install on a certain date then they don’t show up and you still have to abide by the contract,” she wrote in her review.

While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to depend on internet service to work from home or allow their children to attend school virtually, it also impacted people financially. One of those people -- Sarah of California -- was a Cox Internet subscriber and thought the company would be understanding of her situation. However, she said the company wouldn’t move off its early termination fee policy.

“I was told when I initially changed my plan due to my low income and illness during COVID-19 that I would not be charged these fees due to the fact my high school student and 2 college students needed COX’s online services, as I am low income and qualify for their low income plan for my students and myself,” Sarah wrote in her ConsumerAffairs review. 

“COX advertised $19 internet for low income families with students in San Marcos and refused to give me that plan. My bill is over $1000 in fees that they refuse to credit me. [Cox’] Retention Supervisor said they can’t credit over $200 and can only submit a request for any further fees, therefore I am responsible for all remaining fees.” 

How to handle early termination fees

To see what options consumers have when it comes to addressing early termination fees, ConsumerAffairs reached out to Ben Kurland, one of the co-founders of BillFixers -- a company that negotiates on behalf of consumers like Leticia and Sarah who feel stung by early termination fees. He said many people don’t realize that there are ways to get these charges waived.

“There are a handful of options available to consumers and most people are surprised to learn that it is actually possible to waive them or negotiate them down. And what we do isn’t some sort of secret sauce — consumers can absolutely contact their providers and try to get out of them. It’s not a sure thing, but worth a shot versus paying hundreds of dollars,” he said.

Your best bet? Kurland said consumers should contact their provider, be cordial and reasonable, and get a helpful representative on their side. 

“Short of that, your best option is to escalate, since it is a lot easier for supervisors or corporate offices to waive early termination fees. There are definitely steps past that, but that’s the starting point.”

It’s important for consumers to remember that they’re agreeing to a contract when they sign up for any service, even if they’re simply acknowledging that they understand what a representative is telling them on the phone. Kurland says this is especially true when companies offer introductory or discounted rates.

“Before you say yes to a special rate or promotion, ask the rep to email you a copy of the agreement or where you can find the terms and conditions on the company’s website,” he said. “As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Until the federal government puts down the hammer on early termination fees all the way, companies are still going to use them to their advantage when and where they can.”

Earlier this month, Tropical Storm Elsa made its way up the East Coast of the U.S. to devastating effect. The storm produced heavy rainfall and intense winds, and early estimates project that it will lead to $290 million in insured losses based on damage done to residential, commercial, and industrial properties and vehicles.

In the aftermath, consumers who live in states that are frequently ravaged by hurricanes may be considering moving to a new area to put them out of harm’s way. But a recent analysis of review-based data at ConsumerAffairs suggests that doing so may not reduce your overall risk.

Data researcher James Li recently conducted a word frequency analysis of ConsumerAffairs reviews that mention natural disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and tornadoes, among others. He found that moving to an area to avoid one natural disaster may very well increase your chances of being affected by another one of a different type.

“The main point here is that no matter where you decide to move to avoid the specific natural disaster of hurricanes, you will almost always be at risk for a different natural disaster,” he said. 

Trading one natural disaster for another

Li points out that residents living in coastal areas tend to be more concerned with hurricanes -- and for good reason. Consumers living in coastal states were 1.7 times more likely to use the word “hurricane” in reviews left at ConsumerAffairs when compared to the national average. 

Florida led the way with the most mentions, at 4.7 times above the national average. It was followed by North Carolina (2.7), Hawaii (2.6), New Hampshire (2.2), Louisiana (2.2), South Carolina (1.6), New Jersey (1.5), and Texas (1.4). However, Li says moving away from these states could potentially lead to a whole host of other problems. 

He cites California as a prime example. Although consumers submitting reviews from that state mentioned the word “hurricane” at 0.1 times the national average, the word “earthquake” was mentioned 4 times more often than the national average, and “wildfire” was used 2 times more often. 

Further inland, consumers in Nevada and Illinois mentioned the word “hurricane” just as often as those living in California. However, they mentioned terms like “earthquake” and “flooding” 5.7 times and 2.2 times more often, respectively.

Protect yourself and your home

Since moving to any state in the U.S. will increase your risk for some kind of natural disaster, what should consumers do? Li says the best option is to make sure you’re protecting your home and your property with available insurance options. 

“In most circumstances, it is simply not worth uprooting one’s life in a community solely out of concern for a natural disaster. Moreover, it is difficult to completely avoid being at risk for natural disasters,” he stated.

“Except in the most extreme circumstances, when a home is constantly damaged by natural disasters, the optimal route would instead be to ensure that one’s home is properly insured against damage caused by natural disasters. On a fundamental level, insurance for one’s home is designed to spread the risk of a sudden, one-time financial hit into smaller, more predictable payments over time,” he added.

Consumers who want to learn more about the best home insurance options should check out ConsumerAffairs’ guide here.

Coronavirus‌ ‌(COVID-19)‌ ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌ 

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 33,980,758 (33,951,558)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 608,432 (608,152)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 189,126,795 (188,565,395)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,069,936 (4,061,263)‌

Cities in California told to put their masks back on

With an increase in cases of COVID-19 spiking nationwide, two California cities are telling residents to wear masks when they are in public indoor spaces. Officials in Los Angeles and Sacramento say the order applies to everyone, even those who have been vaccinated.

Los Angeles County Public Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said the move is a response to the surge in cases that is occurring across the country. “We’re seeing the rates go up too high. We all need to do our part to try and prevent the need to do something else.”

The order goes into effect at noon on July 17.

WHO: U.S. should be concerned about variant spread

Two weeks after Independence Day gatherings were held across the country, the coronavirus is spreading in just about every state. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that the U.S. should remain vigilant against the Delta variant, which spreads more easily.

The New York Times Tracker shows that the U.S. average case count on Wednesday was 26,513, an increase of 111% from two weeks ago. 

Health officials say infections are occurring in both vaccinated and unvaccinated people, though symptoms usually don’t manifest in vaccinated people. Despite the increase in cases, hospitalizations remain low.

More states resist mask and vaccination mandates

In recent weeks, eight states have passed laws barring schools from requiring vaccinations or requiring unvaccinated students to wear masks in the classroom. Supporters of these laws insist that these decisions should be left up to individuals and families.

Many colleges and universities have already enacted policies requiring students and staff to be vaccinated before returning to campus. Health officials say banning these policies will only result in more infections.

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Montana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Utah have outlawed the vaccination requirement. Three of these states -- Arizona, Arkansas, and Oklahoma -- have outlawed the required use of masks in schools. 

Around the nation

• New York: The New York Yankees’ game against the Boston Red Sox was postponed Thursday night after three Yankees players tested positive for COVID-19. "We have three positives, and we have three pending that we've had rapid tests on," said Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman.

• Alabama: Some politicians are beginning to ask why Alabama has some of the lowest vaccination numbers of any state. State Senator Jim McClendon thinks the state health department needs to be reorganized. “The purpose of this is to not throw rocks at anybody, but I think it’s time to find out what’s going on and what the shortcomings are,” he said.

• Colorado: At the beginning of the pandemic, business organizations in Colorado expected an economic Armageddon. Now that things are reopening, business leaders say it appears the state dodged a bullet. “We didn’t have as many go out of business as I think a lot of people had predicted or thought we would,” said Diane Schwenke, CEO of the Mesa County Chamber of Commerce.

• Vermont: In another sign of the reopening, Amtrak will resume rail service to Vermont next week. It was suspended 16 months ago at the beginning of the pandemic. The Vermonter and Ethan Allen Express will resume their normal runs starting on Monday.

• Texas: The city of Austin has reimposed some of its COVID-19 protocols that were lifted weeks ago in response to an increase in cases within the city. “We cannot pretend that we are done with a virus that is not done with us,” said Austin Mayor Steve Adler. 

Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) have another Boeing 737 issue to deal with. On Friday, the agency ordered urgent inspections of thousands of Boeing planes due to concerns with cabin altitude switches, the mechanism that keeps the cabins adequately pressurized during a flight. 

When Boeing took a look at the issue in 2020, it came to the conclusion that it didn’t pose a crucial safety risk. But when the same failure showed up again, both Boeing and the FAA reversed their stance -- and for good reason. If those switches fail or malfunction, it could potentially lead to immobilizing everyone aboard -- passengers, flight crew, and pilots. 

Altogether, 11,817 of Boeing’s 737 jets could be impacted --  2,502 airplanes registered in the U.S. and another 9,315 overseas. Even though the FAA has no legal authority on aircraft that don’t fly in or out of the U.S., a report from Bloomberg News suggests that it’s likely the order will also be rubber-stamped by foreign aviation agencies. 

According to a separate report from Reuters, the FAA is requiring that the switches be tested within 2,000 flight hours from the time the last test was administered, before airplanes have flown 2,000 hours, or within 90 days of the order’s effective date.

“Safety is our highest priority”

While the switch issue is yet another problem for Boeing to deal with, at least travelers who fly on American, United, and Southwest -- the U.S. airlines that use 737s -- can feel that their safety is not at stake.

“Safety is our highest priority and we fully support the FAA’s direction, which makes mandatory the inspection interval that we issued to the fleet in June,” Boeing said in a statement.

One other tidbit that might give fliers some comfort -- these switches are not the same ones cited in the Ethiopian and Lion Air 737 Max crashes. Those were stabilizer trim switches, according to a Boeing report when those incidents occurred.

Dr. Scott Gottlieb believes the number of cases of the highly contagious Delta variant of COVID-19 are higher than believed due to several factors. 

On CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” the former FDA chief said he believes the U.S. is undercounting the number of infections because the “denominator” is still unknown and vaccinated people who are infected are likely to have mild symptoms and not seek testing.

“I think we’re vastly underestimating the level of delta spread right now because I think people who are vaccinated, who might develop some mild symptoms or might develop a breakthrough case, by and large are not going out and getting tested,” he said. “If you’ve been vaccinated and you develop a mild cold right now, you don’t think you have Covid.”

Nearly half of Americans are fully vaccinated, but the Delta variant has been driving a rise in cases. Over the past seven days, the average of new daily infections has gone up 67% from a week ago. The CDC now says the Delta variant is the most common coronavirus strain in the U.S. 

Spreading through the population

Gottlieb, who now serves on the board of vaccine maker Pfizer, said it’s obvious that the Delta variant is more transmissible than the original COVID-19 strain. He added that this has serious implications because roughly half of the population is still unvaccinated. 

“There’s no clear evidence that this is more pathogenic, that it’s causing more serious infections. It’s clearly more virulent, it’s clearly far more contagious” than earlier virus strains, he said. “People who are worried about Covid have largely been vaccinated. I realize not everyone has been able to get vaccinated, but most people have been vaccinated who are worried about this infection.”

“People who remain unvaccinated aren’t worried about the infection and don’t want to be wearing masks either. Now, the bottom line, that means this is just going to spread through the population,” he added.

A Delta pilot has sued the airline for allegedly stealing his idea for a crew text-messaging app. 

Captain Craig Alexander said he came up with the idea for the app in 2016 after a power outage resulted in hundreds of flight cancellations. The five-hour outage cost Delta upwards of $150 million. 

In a suit filed this week, Alexander said he pitched the QrewLive app to the company a few years ago, saying it could be a valuable tool for helping crew communication in the event of disrupted flights. However, his idea was turned down. 

Then in 2018, Delta launched a nearly identical tool called Flight Family Communications. According to Alexander’s complaint, Delta’s official app is a "carbon copy, knock-off of the role-based text messaging component of [his] proprietary QrewLive communications platform."

He is suing Delta for $1 billion, a figure he says is "based solely upon operational cost savings to Delta, [which] conservatively exceeds $1 billion." Delta CEO Ed Bastian, Chief Information Officer Rahul Samant, and four other company executives are named in the suit.

"While we take the allegations specified in Mr. Alexander's complaint seriously, they are not an accurate or fair description of Delta's development of its internal crew messaging platform,” Delta spokesperson Morgan Durrant told Bloomberg.

While several studies have emphasized the cognitive benefits for older consumers that stay physically active, a new study has explored the importance of also staying mentally active. 

According to researchers from the American Academy of Neurology, older consumers that are engaged with activities like reading, crossword puzzles, or card games are more likely to keep their brains active, which can delay the onset of dementia or Alzheimer’s. 

“Our study shows that people who engage in more cognitively stimulating activities may be delaying the age at which they develop dementia,” said researcher Robert S. Wilson, Ph.D. “It is important to note, after we accounted for late life level of cognitive activity, neither education nor early life cognitive activity were associated with the age at which a person developed Alzheimer’s dementia. Our research suggests that the link between cognitive activity and the age at which a person developed dementia is mainly driven by the activities you do later in life.”  

The benefits of keeping the brain active

The researchers had nearly 2,000 participants around the age of 80 involved in the study. Each year of the study, the participants had their cognitive skills tested, and they also answered questions about how often they engaged in hobbies like playing cards, doing crossword puzzles, or reading. 

The researchers determined that participants who completed more of these activities had better overall cognitive function. This is especially important for older consumers because higher cognitive function was associated with delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s by five years. Those with lower cognitive function typically developed Alzheimer’s at 89, but participants that regularly played card games or wrote letters typically developed Alzheimer’s at 94. 

The researchers explained that participants were more likely to have strong cognitive function when they engaged in these activities several times per week. It’s also important to note that consumers can pick up these hobbies at any point in older age to reap these benefits. 

“The good news is that it’s never too late to start doing the kinds of inexpensive, accessible activities we looked at in our study,” said Dr. Wilson “Our findings suggest it may be beneficial to start doing these things, even in your 80s, to delay the onset of Alzheimer’s dementia.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development explored the brain benefits associated with spending time outdoors. 

According to their findings, fresh air can have powerful effects on consumers’ overall well-being. Regularly spending time outside can boost consumers’ moods, improve cognitive function, and even help memory abilities. 

“Our results show that our brain structure and mood improve when we spend time outdoors,” said researcher Simone Kühn. “This most likely affects concentration, working memory, and the psyche as a whole. We are investigating this in an ongoing study.” 

Getting outdoors matters

For the study, the researchers followed six healthy adults over the course of six months. The participants were regularly scanned via an MRI machine to analyze their brain function. They also reported on their lifestyle habits, including physical activity, time spent outside, and caffeine and fluid intake. The team paid particular attention to how the brain responded to time outdoors. 

Ultimately, time spent outside was associated with better brain outcomes. The researchers learned that being outdoors was associated with more gray matter in the brain’s prefrontal cortex; not only is this part of the brain responsible for our cognitive functioning, but lower levels of gray matter have been previously linked with mental health concerns. 

The researchers say consumers can improve their moods, cognitive abilities, and have better overall brain function by spending more time outdoors. These findings held up regardless of any of the potentially influential factors that might impact brain function, including caffeine intake and physical activity. 

The researchers hope these findings can help improve consumers’ mental health going forward. They say encouraging consumers to spend more time outside may even be helpful in maintaining certain mental health disorders. 

“These findings provide neuroscientific support for the treatment of mental disorders,” said researcher Anna Mascherek. “Doctors could prescribe a walk in the fresh air as part of the therapy -- similar to what is customary for health cures.” 

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is suing Amazon to force the online retailer to accept responsibility for recalling potentially hazardous products sold on the site. 

“Today’s vote to file an administrative complaint against Amazon was a huge step forward for this small agency,” said Acting Chairman Robert Adler. “But it’s a huge step across a vast desert—we must grapple with how to deal with these massive third-party platforms more efficiently, and how best to protect the American consumers who rely on them.”

Over the years Amazon has expanded its product offerings by allowing thousands of other merchants to sell their products on Amazon.com. But the addition of so many independent sellers has not been without issues.

The government’s complaint charges that some products are defective and pose a risk of serious injury or death to consumers. The suit said it is Amazon’s responsibility to recall them.

Among the allegedly defective items named in the suit are 24,000 carbon monoxide detectors that fail to alarm, numerous children’s sleepwear garments that are reportedly in violation of the flammable fabric safety standard, and nearly 400,000 hair dryers that the CPSC says pose a threat of shock and electrocution.

The company responds

In a statement to media outlets, Amazon said it had already removed most of the objectionable products from its website and offered refunds to customers who purchased them. 

The CPSC complaint acknowledges as much but complained the refunds were offered in the form of account credits. One Amazon customer, Barbara of Riverdale, Ga., also finds that objectionable.

“Requested a refund credited to original form of payment but it was applied to an Amazon gift card,” Barbara wrote in a ConsumerAffairs post. “Called and was told that it cannot be reversed. Amazon always tries to keep your money. Always check that refund is applied to correct form of payment.”

The CPSC voted 3-1 to file the suit, which seeks to force Amazon to stop selling dangerous products, work with CPSC staff on a recall of the products, and to directly notify consumers who purchased them about the recall and offer them a full refund. 

“Although Amazon has taken certain action with respect to some of the named products, the complaint charges that those actions are insufficient,” CPSC said in a statement.

For its part, Amazon pushed back against the federal agency, saying it failed to provide the company with enough information for it to identify and take action on the few remaining objectionable products. 

"Despite our requests, CPSC has remained unresponsive," the company said.

While Americans used a lot of gas over the July 4th holiday weekend, gasoline demand has fallen over the last few days, and prices have stayed roughly the same.

The AAA Fuel Gauge Survey shows that the national average price of regular gas is $3.16 a gallon, two cents more than last Friday. Some states saw price increases while a few states enjoyed slightly lower prices at the pump. The price of premium gas is also two cents higher at $3.77 a gallon. The average price of diesel fuel is $3.27 a gallon, almost the same as last week.

“It feels like we may go a touch higher over the next few days, but without major unforeseeable events, I think we're in the 8th or 9th inning of the rise in #gasprices,” GasBuddy’s Patrick DeHaan wrote in a Twitter post.

The latest news on oil prices appears to be good for motorists. After initially failing to reach a deal, oil-producing companies have now agreed on production guidelines that will likely increase oil supplies and bring down prices. But for a while, at least, the pain may continue.

“Motorists are paying, on average, nearly a dollar more a gallon than last summer to fill up and close to 40 cents more than in 2019,” said Jeanette McGee, a AAA spokesperson.

Western states continue to see the sharpest price increases. The statewide average has risen 10 cents a gallon this week in Utah, nine cents a gallon in Idaho, seven cents a gallon in Wyoming, and five cents a gallon in Nevada. 

The states with the most expensive gas

These states currently have the highest prices for regular gas, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge Survey:

• California ($4.31)

• Hawaii ($4.06)

• Washington ($3.83) 

• Nevada ($3.83) 

• Utah ($3.77) 

• Oregon ($3.69) 

• Alaska ($3.63) 

• Idaho ($3.63)  

• Colorado ($3.50) 

• Wyoming ($3.42) 

The states with the cheapest regular gas

The survey found that these states currently have the lowest prices for regular gas:

• Mississippi ($2.78)

• Louisiana ($2.81)

• Texas ($2.83) 

• Alabama ($2.83)

• Missouri ($2.85)

• Arkansas ($2.85)

• South Carolina ($2.87)

• Oklahoma ($2.88) 

• Tennessee ($2.88)

• North Carolina ($2.90)

General Motors is recalling 380,498 model year 2010-2016 Cadillac SRX and model year 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles.

The rear suspension toe link adjuster may not have been tightened properly, which could result in a loose toe link.

A loose toe link can separate and cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the adjustable toe link with a non-adjustable one free of charge.

Owners are advised to not drive their vehicle if they experience certain Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) warnings or other issues, such as unusual steering behavior, while driving.

Such warnings may include:
• Service Traction Control message
• Service Stabilitrak message
• Stabilitrak malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) stays on or flashes
intermittently
• Service Rear Axle message
• Chimes in combination with any of these messages or MILs
• Sway or wander while driving
• Loud metallic or other unusual noise from the rear suspension
• Off-center steering wheel
• Uneven wear between the rear tires

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 9, 2021.

Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at (800) 458-8006 and Saab customer service at (800) 955-9007. GM's number for this recall is N212340980.

Starting Thursday, many American families with children under 18 will begin receiving monthly payments as part of the American Rescue Plan.

Ninety percent of families are expected to qualify for at least a partial credit, and those who are eligible will get payments every month through December -- either through direct deposit, paper checks, or preloaded debit cards that come in the mail. Who are the other 10%? The child tax credit zeroes out at $240,000 for single taxpayers and $440,000 for joint filers.

By the time 2021 ends, these payments will add up to half the child tax credit that families should be entitled to for the year, but families will be able to claim the rest next year when they file their 2021 tax return.

“This is one of those times when parents need to pay extra attention and do what's needed to take care of their families,” Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, told ConsumerAffairs. “Families may receive up to $300 per month for the rest of this year for each child 5 and under, or $250 per month for each child between ages 6 and 17. That's a lot of money!”

Not the same as a stimulus check

It’s important to note that checks from the American Rescue Plan are completely different from the stimulus payments that the government issued earlier in the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The big difference that people need to understand is that while the stimulus checks didn’t count as income or affect future tax returns, the American Rescue Plan payments that start on Thursday are advances on what would be included in your tax return in April 2022.

Expert tips

Murray offered a variety of tips that people should keep in mind to make things easier when tax time rolls around.

• To see how much money you’ll receive and check whether you qualify, go to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website. You can contact the agency to see if it has your bank account information; if it doesn’t have that information, you can provide it in time for the August 15 payment. If you don’t already have an online account with the IRS, you may need your photo ID. 

• Regarding taxes, Murray suggests that parents keep track of their payments so they know how much they can still claim when they file their tax return next year. If they don't get the July 15 payment by direct deposit or mail, they should check their status on the IRS tax credit website. When they get notices from the IRS -- probably early next year -- they need to make sure the information on payments actually matches how much they received.

• If you’re supposed to receive a payment and it doesn’t show up by direct deposit in your bank account, don’t fret -- you may get a paper check or debit card, even if the IRS has your current bank information. 

• If you don’t want to get the advance payments, you can unenroll through the same site. 

Murray says consumers do not need to pay fees to receive these payments. If someone contacts you claiming as much, then there’s a good chance that you’re being targeted by scammers.

“I can't stress how important it is for consumers to avoid scams,” Murray said. “They're out there. Don't be so eager to get your money that you let your guard down and click on a link in your email or give out information in a social media message. The IRS is not going to message you on Facebook or Instagram. They're not.”

A word to the wise

While some families may look at these payments as a reason to celebrate and go on a shopping spree, Murray says consumers shouldn’t be too quick to splurge.

"Families should use this money wisely. Virtually all of us either experienced a drop in income last year or know someone close to us who was hit financially by the pandemic,” she told ConsumerAffairs.

“These payments are an advance on the credit you would normally get next year. So you'll get only half of the child tax credit next year. You're essentially borrowing from yourself. We would hope people would use the money to get caught up on bills or save for the next rainy day."

With inflation surging in the U.S., Americans on Social Security could receive a significant pay increase next year.

Each year, seniors’ monthly benefit is adjusted to account for inflation. In the last two decades, as inflation has largely been absent from the economy, the monthly payment has risen only slightly. In 2021, the increase was 1.2%. That could change in 2022. 

The Senior Citizens League has calculated next year’s cost of living adjustment (COLA) and projects that Social Security benefits will increase by 6.1%. It would be the biggest increase since 1983, an era when inflation was increasing at double-digit rates.

The COLA is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Consumers in July, August, and September. It’s also heavily weighted for the price of gasoline, which has risen sharply in recent months. The COLA will be announced in October, and the first adjusted benefit payment will be made in January.

Changing the formula

Meanwhile, there’s a move in Congress to change the way the benefits COLA is formulated, and that could increase benefit payments to seniors even more. Last week, Rep. John Garamendi (D-Calif.) introduced a measure to base benefit increases on the cost of things seniors use most, such as health care.

“Seniors and disabled citizens rely on Social Security benefits for a large portion of their income, and it’s about time for Social Security benefits to reflect their lifestyles,” Garamendi said. “Using a COLA that actually reflects how retirees spend their money – especially in health care – is a no-brainer that will increase benefits and make Social Security work better for the people it serves.”

Garamendi’s bill has already attracted broad support, with 23 original co-sponsorships and senior advocacy groups urging its passage. Nancy Altman, President of Social Security Works, supports the change, saying the current way inflation is measured doesn’t reflect the rapidly rising costs of prescription drugs.

“By more accurately accounting for the costs faced by Social Security beneficiaries, this legislation better prevents the erosion over time of Social Security’s modest but vital earned benefits,” she said.

Coronavirus‌ ‌(COVID-19)‌ ‌tally‌ ‌as‌ ‌‌compiled‌‌ ‌by‌ ‌Johns‌ ‌Hopkins‌ ‌University.‌ ‌(Previous‌ ‌numbers‌ ‌in‌ ‌parentheses.)‌ 

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 33,951,558 (33,921,025)‌

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 608,152 (607,863)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 188,565,395 (188,015,773)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 4,061,263 (4,052,630)‌

Surgeon General Murthy wages war on misinformation

Posting something on social media might seem harmless enough, but U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy says it could do great harm if it’s some unverified piece of nonsense about the coronavirus. In an interview with NPR, he called misinformation “an urgent threat.”

Murthy said erroneous information about the vaccines has spread on social media because people, often without giving it much thought, have shared it with others who might not even know its source.

"COVID has really brought into sharp focus the full extent of damage that health misinformation is doing," Murthy said. "Every life that is lost to COVID-19 when we have vaccines available, is a preventable tragedy,"

Unemployment claims fall to new pandemic low

Fewer people are losing jobs as the economy continues to ramp up. The Labor Department reports that initial claims for unemployment benefits fell to 360,000 last week, the lowest number since the pandemic shut down the economy in March 2020.

Two weeks ago, there were 386,000 new claims for benefits. Since the beginning of the year, claims have mostly trended lower.

The number of people still drawing unemployment benefits also continues to fall but remains elevated as many states continue to pay an extra $300 a week in benefits. According to a poll conducted by Axios, an estimated 1.8 million Americans have turned down job offers because of the benefits they receive.

U.S. Olympic basketball player on COVID-19 protocols

Olympic officials say they have taken every precaution possible against COVID-19, but as the postponed Olympic games are about to get underway in Tokyo, a USA basketball player has been placed on COVID-19 protocols and may miss much of the action.

"A member of the USA Basketball Men’s National Team has been placed under USA Basketball’s health and safety protocols," a team statement said.

Though the team did not identify the player, two media reports said the player is Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal. The games were supposed to be played in 2020 but were postponed because of COVID-19 risks.

Around the nation

• Massachusetts: Some Android users have reported that the state’s COVID-19 notification app was automatically installed on their mobile devices. Google confirmed that the app was installed automatically but said users still have to activate it.

• Arkansas: New cases of the virus are still on the rise statewide. Health officials reported more than 1,300 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday as the state's hospitalizations for treatment of the coronavirus increased for the 15th straight day.

• Missouri: The pandemic is far from over in Missouri. Halfway through the month of July, health officials have recorded more cases of the virus than the entire month of June. There were 12,680 cases in June, but there were 13,000 cases in July as of Wednesday.

• Washington: State health officials are celebrating a milestone, reporting this week that Washington achieved a 70% vaccination rate. As of July 12, 70% of people 16 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

• Maryland: Several states have ended enhanced unemployment benefits before the September expiration, but Maryland won’t be one of them. State officials tried to eliminate the extra benefit to encourage more people to return to work, but a judge blocked the move this week.

In a report released Thursday, the Department of Labor said that new applications for unemployment benefits fell to a new pandemic low last week. 

“In the week ending July 10, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 360,000, a decrease of 26,000 from the previous week's revised level,” the Labor Department said. “This is the lowest level for initial claims since March 14, 2020 when it was 256,000.” 

The numbers add to mounting evidence that the economy and job market are bouncing back from their pandemic depths. However, companies are still struggling to fill open positions. 

“Businesses are still having trouble finding people,” Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell said on Wednesday in testimony to Congress.

Some businesses have suggested that federal unemployment benefits are the reason unemployed people aren’t filling open positions. Twenty-six states have stopped distributing extra benefits in an effort to spur hiring. Federal benefits are set to expire in all states in September.

There are other factors keeping hiring down, including lingering health concerns and childcare responsibilities. Many Americans are still hesitant to work around large numbers of people, and others have stopped looking for work because they’re still caring for their children in the wake of the shutdown of schools and day care centers. 

With a strong presence in the film and TV market, Netflix thinks that video games are the next profitable frontier and plans to set out to capture a niche in that space.

The company is reportedly looking to roll out video games on its platform sometime within the next year. Netflix isn’t building out a separate channel for the games; instead, they’ll appear alongside its other content. The good news for Netflix subscribers who also happen to be gamers is that the company’s plans don’t reportedly include an extra charge for the content. 

That’s good news for some customers like Joel from New Jersey. In a ConsumerAffairs review of Netflix, he asserts that the platform’s “base content is never strong enough to justify its pricing.” With the addition of a whole new type of content, maybe signing up for an account may be more worth it to some people.

The company is starting this new venture from a position of strength. It hired Mike Verdu, the vice president of Facebook’s virtual reality and augmented reality content and previously the head of EA Mobile. In that position, he oversaw a portfolio of games that included titles like Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes.

Moving into video games also gives Netflix a leg up on competitors like Disney and Amazon, which, for the moment, don’t have gaming as part of their lineup. 

Are video games the next great frontier?

If you’re someone born with a joystick or controller in your hand, you’re probably thinking Netflix's move into gaming isn’t new. And you’d be correct -- at least historically speaking. However, Statista reports that video games are experiencing a renaissance, and the market is only at the beginning of its newest revolution. 

Researchers say revenue in the video games segment is projected to reach over $154.6 billion in 2021 and continue to grow at a rate of 9.28% over the next few years. Those numbers speak volumes to content services like Netflix. The company also has to be licking its chops over future forecasts.

The number of users in the video games segment currently sits at around 2.8 billion, and it’s expected to grow to 3.1 billion by 2025. If Netflix was successful in signing even a small percentage of the new users, it could be swimming in tens of millions of dollars in additional revenue each month.

“This feels like a significant event with broad ramifications across the video games landscape,” Citi analyst Jason Bazinet wrote in a note Thursday. He said Netflix’s move creates “obvious risks” for larger game developers and publishers.