Current Events in March 2022

The eyes of cryptocurrency aficionados across the U.S. will be on President Biden this week. According to sources, he is set to sign an executive order that will lay out the framework for the country’s cryptocurrency strategy.

Bloomberg News reports that the White House will direct federal agencies to explore the national security and economic impact of digital assets, and it's possible that those efforts may lead to regulatory changes.

The timing of Biden’s move is interesting given the sanctions the U.S. and its allies have imposed on Russia, not to mention the tourniquet Coinbase applied by blocking 25,000 Russia-linked crypto addresses. However, reports indicate that the executive order has been in the making since last year. 

The order is predicted to require federal agencies such as the Commerce Department and the State Department to pull together their list of what they're doing with cryptocurrencies by the end of the year. 

Will the U.S. have its own cryptocurrency?

One of the possibilities being floated as part of Biden’s order is a U.S.-issued central bank digital currency (CBDC). In a white paper released by the Federal Reserve in January, Federal Reserve officials said a CBDC could potentially offer a range of benefits. 

“For example, it could provide households and businesses a convenient, electronic form of central bank money, with the safety and liquidity that would entail; give entrepreneurs a platform on which to create new financial products and services; support faster and cheaper payments (including cross-border payments); and expand consumer access to the financial system,” the officials said.

However, they also noted that a CBDC might also present certain risks and would raise important policy questions. Some concerns include how it might affect the financial sector's market structure, the cost and availability of credit, the safety and stability of the financial system, and the efficacy of monetary policy. 

ConsumerAffairs asked Dr. Robert R. Johnson, Professor of Finance at the Heider College of Business at Creighton University and CEO and Chair of Economic Index Associates, to weigh in on the possibility of a CBDC.

“Biden's proposed Executive Order addressing cryptocurrency regulation is long overdue. Many consumers are speculating in cryptocurrencies without understanding what they are and the risks inherent in speculating in them,” Johnson told ConsumerAffairs. He also drove home how volatile cryptocurrencies can be, saying that there is no method to value the various cryptocurrencies utilizing fundamental analysis.

“The cryptocurrency industry has done a fabulous job of marketing these risk assets … encouraging the commitment of funds to crypto. Naive investors might infer that these assets are regulated in the same manner that stocks and bonds are regulated,” Johnson stated.

Johnson also said that if CBDCs come to pass, it might mean bad news for the current crop of cryptocurrency apostles.

“Do market participants really believe that the Fed is going to cede control of the money supply to Bitcoin and other non-governmental virtual currencies? I believe we are seeing the beginning of the end of the crypto gold rush,” he said. 

The average U.S. gasoline price hit a record high Tuesday as oil prices continue their surge. A key industry analyst says the move will prove costly for the average household.

According to AAA, the national average price of regular gas increased 11 cents a gallon from Monday to Tuesday, rising to a record $4.17 a gallon. That eclipses the previous record of $4.11 a gallon, set in July 2008.

Adjusted for inflation, however, the 2008 average price is equivalent to $5.37 a gallon in today’s dollars.

Even so, the sudden escalation in prices, triggered by worldwide sanctions on Russia, the world’s second-largest oil producer, is delivering a hammer blow to household budgets. In a research note published on LinkedIn, Edward Yardeni of Yardeni Research estimated that the rising price of oil will cost the average U.S. household an additional $2,000 to fill up their vehicles in 2022.

Impact beyond the gas pump

But the impact doesn’t end at the gas pump. Yardeni notes that rising fuel costs will spread throughout the economy, causing many businesses to raise prices.

“We estimate that the average household is currently spending at least $1,000 (seasonally adjusted annual rate) more on food as a result of rapidly rising grocery prices,” Yardeni wrote. “That’s $3,000 less money that households have to spend on other consumer goods and services, which also are experiencing rapid price increases.”

Economist Joel Naroff, of Naroff Economics, agrees that the surge in oil prices will have a ripple effect throughout the economy and will probably last for a while.

“Transportation costs rise so businesses pass those costs along to all their products, most of which have nothing to do with energy,” Naroff told ConsumerAffairs. “Sanctions are also making it harder to transport goods as airspace is affected and overland trucking and rail routes are being modified.  The global supply chain is being challenged further as a result.”  

Some regions affected more than others

A report released this month by Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah) traces the rise in inflation and concludes that it will affect some areas of the U.S. more than others.

“Last year, the average inflation cost per household rose from roughly $100 in April 2021, when the annual inflation rate first started accelerating, to over $380 in January 2022 when it hit 7.5%,” the report by the Joint Economic Committee stated.

Americans in the Mountain region of Utah, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming are expected to feel the effect of inflation the most, paying an extra $500 in household costs.

“Alternatively, those in the East South Central region, made up of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, and Alabama, are experiencing the lowest monthly inflation costs due to relatively lower inflation rates and average spending levels,” the authors wrote. 

Two hundred thirty former Hertz customers have signed onto a lawsuit against the rental car giant, claiming they were unlawfully arrested because Hertz accused them of stealing their rental car instead of turning it in.

Francis Alexander Malofiy, the Pennsylvania-based lead attorney for the plaintiffs, says the former customers have faced prosecution in some cases that required them to hire legal counsel.

It turns out Hertz is targeting more than just a few of its customers. Recently unsealed court records reveal that Hertz files 3,365 police reports each year that claim customers have “stolen” its cars.

Internal issues

Malofiy told ConsumerAffairs that part of the issue stems from the way Hertz controls its inventory and how the company processes debit cards.

The legal team for the plaintiffs says many of the alleged thefts are actually sloppy bookkeeping. They say a customer may call Hertz and ask to extend the rental agreement for a few more days, resulting in a temporary hold on the customer’s payment card.

But if the hold fails to go through for one reason or another, Hertz reports the car as “stolen by conversion,” a term that applies when someone is legally using personal property or funds and then takes control of the property in a way that violates an original agreement.

The Philadelphia Inquirer quotes a Hertz spokesperson as saying that the company does not withdraw the theft report to law enforcement, even when the customer eventually pays for the rental and returns the car.

Hertz’s response

In one widely reported instance, a former Hertz customer applying for a job at her local sheriff's office was handcuffed and taken into custody when her background check revealed the arrest warrant triggered by Hertz’s theft report.

In a statement to USA Today, Hertz said it “cares deeply” about its customers and successfully provides rental cars to millions of consumers, However, it stopped short of directly addressing the arrests.

"Unfortunately, in the legal matters being discussed, the attorneys have a track record of making baseless claims that blatantly misrepresent the facts," the company stated.

Hertz also claims that most of the customers involved in the suits failed to return their cars for "weeks past their due date," violating their rental agreements.

The Bankruptcy Court recently ruled that some of the cases can move forward. Malofiy says the 230 former Hertz customers he represents are the “tip of the iceberg,” saying there are likely thousands more who have faced arrest and even prosecution.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) have issued a warning to organizations that operate in critical infrastructure sectors that there’s a heightened possibility of new ransomware attacks.

In the warning, the agencies state that the Ragnar Locker ransomware group has launched 52 attacks in 2022 that focused on the manufacturing, energy, financial services, government, and information technology sectors.

"Ragnar Locker ransomware actors work as part of a ransomware family, frequently changing obfuscation techniques to avoid detection and prevention,” the agencies said. 

Officials say Ragnar Locker has encrypted files on systems and apps that include Windows software, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Recycle Bin, Google software, and Opera software.

FBI seeks help from ransomware victims

The FBI says organizations that are targeted with ransomware by Ragnar Locker should not pay the group's ransom to get their files back.

“Paying a ransom may embolden adversaries to target additional organizations, encourage other criminal actors to engage in the distribution of ransomware, or fund illicit activities. Paying the ransom also does not guarantee a victim’s files will be recovered,” the Bureau said. 

Although it believes that companies shouldn't pay ransom demands, FBI officials admit that some businesses may need to pay a ransom if they cannot function without certain files. They say company executives should evaluate all options to protect their shareholders, employees, and customers. 

“Regardless of whether you or your organization decides to pay the ransom, the FBI urges you to report ransomware incidents to your local field office. Doing so provides investigators and analysts with the critical information they need to track ransomware attackers, hold them accountable under US law, and prevent future attacks,” the agency stated.

With many consumers now working from home, it can be difficult to differentiate between working and non-working hours. However, a new study conducted by researchers from Cornell University found that this may be the key to long-term motivation. 

According to their findings, consumers who work outside of designated working hours – whether late at night or on weekends – may be less likely to stay motivated during working hours. 

“Even if you’re still working 40 hours a week, you’re working during time that you’ve mentally encoded as time off, or as time that should be for a vacation, and that can make you feel suddenly that your work is less enjoyable,” said researcher Kaitlin Woolley. 

Taking time off can help motivation

The researchers conducted three studies – one on college students and two on full-time employees. The researchers surveyed the participants on either a holiday or a weekend and asked the group to rate their level of interest in their work, how satisfied they were with their roles, and how engaged they were with what they were doing. In each of the trials, half of the group was reminded that it was either a holiday or a weekend, while the other half carried on with their work. 

Overall, it was clear to the researchers that working during what should be non-working hours greatly affected the participants' motivation and satisfaction. In each of the trials, when participants were notified that it was a holiday or weekend, their work wasn’t as enjoyable and they weren’t as satisfied in their roles. 

The college students reported that studying and doing homework was 15% less enjoyable when they knew it was President’s Day, while full-time office employees said their jobs were nearly 10% less enjoyable on Martin Luther King Day. Similarly, workers reported lower levels of job satisfaction when working on a Saturday versus a Tuesday. 

“The real benefit of time off on the weekend or on holiday is that it’s not just that I have time off, but my family and friends have time off, too,” said Woolley. “And so one thing we suggest for managers is, can you create a ‘weekend shift’ so people feel like they’re in it together with other people?” 

Moving forward, the researchers hope these findings help employees find a greater balance between work life and personal life. 

“It’s hard sometimes for workers who aren’t in a position of power, whereas I think managers have the responsibility to create that environment for their employees,” Woolley said. “I do think people are becoming more aware of the importance of that, and shaping their jobs and their life choices to allow for it.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania has explored how consumers’ alcohol intake may affect their brain health.

According to the findings, alcohol may have a negative impact on consumers’ brain size; the more alcohol that is consumed, the more brain volume consumers are likely to lose. The researchers say this finding also holds up for moderate drinkers. 

“These findings contrast with scientific and governmental guidelines on safe drinking limits,” said researcher Henry Kranzler. “For example, although the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women consume an average of no more than one drink per day, recommended limits for men are twice that, an amount that exceeds the consumption level associated in the study with decreased brain volume.” 

One drink may have an effect on brain health

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 36,000 participants enrolled in the U.K. Biobank. Participants answered questions about their alcohol consumption and underwent brain scans to better understand the link between drinking and brain health. 

The researchers learned that alcohol doesn’t have a positive effect on the brain, with brain health becoming worse for participants who drank more. However, drinking heavily wasn't necessary for participants to experience brain changes.

The study found that having as few as two drinks per day instead of one can age the brain up to two years. Similarly, going from two drinks to three drinks each day aged the brain more than three years. The researchers found that those who had as many as four drinks per day added a decade onto their brain’s health.  

“The fact that we have such a large sample size allows us to find subtle patterns, even between drinking the equivalent of half a beer and one beer a day,” said researcher Gideon Nave. 

“There is some evidence that the effect of drinking on the brain is exponential,” added study author Remi Daviet. “So, one additional drink in a day could have more of an impact than any of the previous drinks that day. That means that cutting back on that final drink of the night might have a big effect in terms of brain aging.” 

Kelly Wynne, of Austin, Texas, is recalling about 1,050 Mama & Me MINI Children’s Handbags.

The handbag's metal zipper slider, zipper 0-ring, d-ring, rivet, and stud contain levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban. Lead is toxic and can cause adverse health issues if ingested by young children.

No incidents or illnesses are reported.

This recall involves the Mama & Me MINI children’s leather handbags measuring about 6.5 inches high, 9.5 inches wide, and 3.25 inches deep. They were sold in three different colors or color combinations: coral, coral/purple, and taupe.

The handbags have a top zipper, an interior slip pocket, and a detachable, 21 inch-long, gold and leather strap that can be shortened or removed. The Kelly Wynne logo is printed on a golden sewn-in label located on the inside of the handbag.

The following SKU and UPC numbers combinations can be found on the order invoice: SKU MINI505 and UPC 850023783271; SKU MINI875 and UPC 850023783288; and SKU MINI500 and UPC 850023783288.

The handbags, manufactured in China, were sold online at kellywynne.com and nordstrom.com from July 2020, through October 2021, for about $28.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled handbags away from children and contact Kelly Wynne for a full refund if purchased on kellywynne.com. Consumers can contact Nordstrom if they purchased the product on Nordstrom.com.

Kelly Wynne and Nordstrom are contacting all known purchasers directly, and will provide pre-paid shipping labels for consumers to return the recalled product for a full refund.

Consumers may contact Kelly Wynne collect at (512) 472-5762 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (CT) Monday through Friday, by email at recall@kellywynne.com, or online for more information.

Consumers can contact Nordstrom at (800) 804-0806 anytime, by email at contact@nordstrom.com, or online for more information.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 155 model year 2021 Escape Hybrids.

The engine crankshaft may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can result in engine damage.

Engine damage can cause a vehicle stall or fire, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

What to do

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

Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were expected to be mailed on March 2, 2022. Second letters will be sent once the remedy is available.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S10.

Samsung has announced that a data extortion gang named Lapsus$ has breached the company’s internal data and stolen confidential source code related to its Galaxy-branded devices (smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, etc.). The company did not disclose exactly what information was hacked, but it did note that it does not foresee any impact on its end-user products or private customer data.

Lapsus$ is certainly making the rounds. It recently released what it claimed to be data and employee passwords stolen from Nvidia, a company that designs graphics processing units (GPUs) for the gaming and professional markets. BleepingComputer reports that it is unclear if Lapsus$ contacted Samsung for a ransom, as it claimed in the case of Nvidia. 

“We were recently made aware that there was a security breach relating to certain internal company data. Immediately after discovering the incident, we strengthened our security system,” a Samsung spokesperson told CNBC.

“According to our initial analysis, the breach involves some source codes relating to the operation of Galaxy devices, but does not include the personal information of our consumers or employees.”

This is just the latest setback that Samsung has faced in recent weeks. Last week, Samsung made the news when phone owners reportedly experienced a slowdown of more than 10,000 apps.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 79,271,466 (79,268,716)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 958,621 (958,449)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 446,559,210 (445,579,817)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 6,001,094 (5,976,759)‌

Global death toll tops 6 million

According to the official numbers, the worldwide death toll from COVID-19 passed the 6 million mark today, even as new cases begin to slow. Most of the new cases and deaths are occurring in remote countries that are just now beginning to feel the impact of the pandemic.

In the world at large, death rates are still the highest among people who have not been vaccinated against the virus, according to Tikki Pang, a visiting professor at the National University of Singapore's medical school and co-chair of the Asia Pacific Immunization Coalition.

"This is a disease of the unvaccinated - look what is happening in Hong Kong right now - the health system is being overwhelmed," Pang told CBS News.

Long COVID and the Hispanic population

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have launched a joint study to determine why COVID-19 – and in particular “long COVID” – appears to affect people of Hispanic heritage to a higher degree.

While Hispanics make up 19% of the U.S. population, the CDC has previously reported that they account for 24% of COVID-19 cases and 16% of deaths from the virus.

Some members of Congress have asked the CDC for a demographic breakdown on sufferers of “long COVID” since anecdotal evidence suggests that the condition is prevalent among Hispanics. 

Hospitals prepare for the end of the pandemic

While the COVD-19 pandemic may not be over, the numbers suggest it is quickly fading, at least in the U.S. A comparison of data collected by Johns Hopkins University shows that there were only 6,753 new cases of the virus recorded on Sunday, March 6. That compares to 56,585 on March 6, 2021.

Hospitals are still struggling with pandemic-induced staff shortages, but capacity levels have dropped sharply, giving most institutions some breathing room. 

"Rates of cases are not at a very low rate, but they are low enough and hospital capacity is good enough that it's appropriate to roll back many of the restrictions. Looking right now at these figures, for spring and summer, there's a lot of hope," Amber D'Souza, an epidemiologist with Johns Hopkins University, told CNN. "This would not have looked this good two or three months ago in the middle of the surge."

Around the nation

• New York: New cases of the coronavirus are dropping sharply in New York, once considered the epicenter of the disease. The percentage of New Yorkers testing positive remained below 2% for 10 straight days. Health officials report that 91% of New Yorkers ages 18 and older have been vaccinated with at least one vaccine dose.

• Georgia: A newly released state audit shows that thousands of unemployed Georgia residents waited weeks or months to receive their first unemployment check during the pandemic. Officials say the state agency in charge of the payments was short-staffed and unprepared.

• Virginia: The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association (VHHA) reports that COVID-19 hospitalizations in the state dropped 36% last week, a result of fewer people testing positive. The report shows that there were fewer than 700 Virginians hospitalized for COVID-19 at the start of this week.

• California: The state may have lifted its mask mandate, but Dr. Mark Ghaly, head of California’s Health and Human Services Agency, says he still wears one in crowded public places. He told Kaiser Health News that vaccines, testing, and masking are all part of the state’s strategy of living with COVID-19.

• Nevada: The Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) has dropped plans to fire employees who did not follow a now-expired COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The sharp decline in cases across the state apparently made the difference. “After careful review and discussions, there's no path forward for NDOC to continue disciplinary action after the emergency regulation expired and the Legislative Commission failed to approve the regulation,” a spokeswoman for the governor’s office told The Nevada Independent.

Happy National Consumer Protection Week! There won’t be balloons or cake, but the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is inviting consumers to take part in a series of webinars, Twitter chats, and livestreams that it is hosting on subjects ranging from cryptocurrency scams to financial caregiving and everything in between.

Here are some of the events that the agency will be hosting throughout the week:

All week long

Consumers can follow the FTC on social media for quick, shareable consumer tips all week long.

• Facebook: Federal Trade Commission

• Twitter: @FTC (english) and Spanish @laFTC

Tuesday, March 8

3 pm EST: Join the FTC and the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs for a webinar on how to protect yourself from scams and where to report them.

11 am EST: Join the FTC, AARP Georgia, the Better Business Bureau, and the Georgia Department of Law for a webinar about how to avoid common scams, including impersonator, gift card, romance, and pet scams.

Wednesday, March 9

1 pm EST: Join the FTC and the National Student Employment Association for a webinar about college students and cryptocurrency scams. Consumers will learn the basics of cryptocurrency and some of the common scams that people are reporting. The experts will also go over how cryptocurrency is affecting college students.

Thursday, March 10

Join NCPW Twitter chats on avoiding Coronavirus and impersonator scams.

1 pm EST: Join the Twitter chat in Spanish with @laFTC, @USAGovEspanol, and @SeguroSocial. Follow the conversation by using the hashtags #OjoConLasEstafas and #NCPW2022.

3 pm EST: Join the Twitter chat in English with @FTC, @USAGov, and @SocialSecurity. Follow the conversation by using the hashtags #SlamTheScamChat and #NCPW2022.

1 pm EST: Join the FTC, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the Diverse Elders Coalition for a webinar about financial caregiving. Consumers will learn about free resources to help caregivers and older adults plan for financial caregiving. The FTC will also share information about how to spot, avoid, and report scams.

2 pm EST: Join the FTC, SAGE, and AARP’s Fraud Watch Network for a webinar about how to recover from fraud. This interactive discussion will highlight possible ways to recover money lost to scammers and how to cope with the emotional impact of scams and fraud.

2 pm EST: Join the FTC, the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs, the BBB, the AARP, and the Internal Revenue Service for a panel focused on top scams affecting people in Massachusetts.

7 pm EST: Join a Facebook Live event with the FTC and the SSA’s Office of the Inspector General. Consumers will learn how to spot and avoid government impersonator scams. 

Friday, March 11

11 am EST: Join the FTC and the Texas Senior Medicare Patrol for a webinar about fighting fraud.

The surge in the price of gasoline, which began last week, picked up speed over the weekend. The AAA national average price of regular today is $4.06 a gallon, the highest level since just before the financial crisis in 2008.

Today’s average price is 45 cents a gallon more than last Monday, and it’s 62 cents a gallon more than the average price a month ago. That means someone filling up with 15 gallons today is paying nearly $10 more per fill-up than in early February.

‘No place where prices might not be affected’

The impact on consumers in the coming weeks is likely to extend far beyond the cost of filling a gas tank, according to economist Joel Naroff, of Naroff Economics. Rising fuel costs will weigh on an already over-burdened supply chain, making it more costly to deliver food to supermarkets and consumer products to big-box stores. At some point, those higher costs are likely to be passed along to consumers.

“There is almost no place where prices might not be affected,” Naroff told ConsumerAffairs. “The obvious are energy and food, given Russia’s importance as an energy exporter and Ukraine’s importance in supplying grain to Europe.  In a global economy, a shortage in one part of the world leads to rising demand in others and the price shock is spread across the world.”

Naroff says there are also secondary and tertiary effects that will result in higher prices across a broad spectrum. He says consumers should prepare for higher prices from businesses that aren’t that affected by global events. 

“For the first time in decades, firms have pricing power and they know how to use it,” he said. “It is not just firms that are directly or even indirectly affected by energy and food prices. Every firm sees it can raise prices and get away with it because so many other firms are raising prices, so they do it also. It is likely to get uglier and more widespread before it gets better.”

No sanctions yet on Russian oil

Fuel prices are surging because oil prices have skyrocketed in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But Troy Vincent, a Senior Market Analyst at DTN, a data, analytics, and technology company, notes that the sanctions the West has imposed on Russia don’t yet include its vast oil exports. 

“Even though sanctioning Russian energy exports would be one of last resort given that it’s the most globally devastating sanction option, as the risk of doing business with Russia rises, so do oil prices,” Vincent recently told ConsumerAffairs. “Even without outright sanctions on oil and gas exports, already many global oil buyers are avoiding cargoes of Russian oils as these trades become increasingly scrutinized and avoided by creditors, insurers, and shippers.”

Meanwhile, the record-high average price of gasoline could be breached as early as Tuesday, energy experts say. The AAA average has moved between six cents and 10 cents a gallon per day. Another similar move would put the average price of gas just over the $4.11 per gallon mark recorded in July 2008, which as of the moment is the record high.

While many high school students may be tempted to put off going to college right away, a new study conducted by researchers from Cornell University has found evidence that this may not be the best idea.

In analyzing two populations of high school students in Colombia, the team learned that taking time off after high school may prevent students from ever enrolling in college at all. 

“In Colombia, as in many countries, college dropout rates are really high,” said researcher Evan Riehl. “There is wide variation in the quality of colleges and the amount of resources that colleges have to help students graduate. So students must be academically prepared and motivated to earn a degree. 

“We find that individuals who were prepared to succeed in college would have had large returns to attending college, and in this sense they made a ‘mistake’ by not enrolling. Other students, however, may have dropped out of college anyway, and so forgoing college did not have a big impact on their careers.” 

Understanding college enrollment decisions 

For the study, the researchers analyzed college enrollment outcomes in a group of nearly 30,000 high school students in Colombia. In the two regions that the study was focused on, a policy had altered the students’ academic calendars that required them to start college a semester later than they normally would. 

While one semester may not seem like a lot of time, the researchers learned that it made a difference in terms of how many students chose not to return to school. Overall, nearly 10% of students never enrolled in college. 

The study showed that students from disadvantaged socioeconomic and academic backgrounds were the most affected by this policy change, and they were the least likely to go back to college. 

The researchers also learned that this gap in schooling impacted the earning potential of many higher-achieving students. By starting school later, they weren’t making as much money in the early parts of their careers as they could have if they started school on time. 

Moving forward, the researchers hope more efforts are implemented that help guide students through the end of their time in high school and either the beginning of college or their lives in the workforce. 

“In the U.S. and Colombia, students have more flexibility in choosing which colleges to apply to after high school,” the researchers wrote. “More flexible education systems can lead to indecision in the transition from high school to college, and thus create breaks in students’ academic careers… The returns to college may be low if students are less prepared or less motivated.” 

A new study conducted by researchers from the American Heart Association explored how different kinds of exercise may impact consumers’ sleeping habits. According to their findings, resistance training may be better than aerobic exercise for improving overall sleep quality. 

“It is increasingly recognized that getting enough sleep, particularly high-quality sleep, is important for health including cardiovascular health,” said researcher Angelique Brellenthin, Ph.D. “Unfortunately, more than a third of Americans don’t get enough sleep on a regular basis. 

“Aerobic activity is often recommended to improve sleep, yet very little is known about the effects of resistance exercise versus aerobic exercise on sleep. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines Advisory Committee Scientific Report identified the need for more research into resistance training and sleep outcomes. Our study is one of the largest and longest exercise trials in a general adult population to directly compare the effects of different types of exercise on multiple sleep parameters.” 

Resistance training and sleep outcomes

The researchers divided nearly 400 overweight study participants into four groups for one year. Each group focused on aerobic exercise, resistance exercise, aerobic and resistance exercise, or no exercise. The groups exercised three times per week for an hour, and over the course of the study, they completed questionnaires that assessed their sleep quality and duration.

The researchers learned that the participants performing the resistance exercise had the most improved sleep in nearly every category that was tracked. In terms of sleep duration, those in the resistance exercise group slept an average of 40 extra minutes per night. Comparatively, those in the aerobic group saw a 23-minute increase, those doing both kinds of exercise had a 17-minute increase in sleep, and those who didn't exercise had a 15-minute increase. 

Participants in the resistance exercise group were the only ones to see improvements in how long it took them to fall asleep. This group was falling asleep around three minutes faster by the end of the study. 

The researchers also observed improvements for both the resistance exercise and the aerobic exercise groups in sleep efficiency. This is the total amount of time someone is asleep compared to how long they’re in bed. 

Moving forward, the team hopes these findings are used to encourage consumers to incorporate more resistance-based exercises into their routines to improve their sleep. 

“While both aerobic and resistance exercise are important for overall health, our results suggest that resistance exercise may be superior when it comes to getting better ZZZs at night,” Dr. Brellenthin said. 

Ford Motor Company is recalling 330,784 model year 2015-2017 Mustangs.

The rearview camera wiring may be loose or damaged, which can result in a blank or distorted image.

A rearview camera that displays a blank or distorted image can reduce the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and repair the decklid wiring harness and/or replace the rearview camera -- as necessary -- free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk are expected to be mailed on March 7, 2022. Second letters will be sent once the remedy is available.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 22S06.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 50 model year 2021 GLB 250s.

The vehicles may be equipped with an incorrect front driver's airbag module.

An incorrect airbag module may not properly restrain an occupant in a crash. In addition, the airbag module could detach from the steering wheel during deployment.

Either of these can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the front driver's air bag -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on April 12, 2022.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372.

ConsumerAffairs recently noticed comments regarding “cost recovery fees” that were issued by Brinks Home Security in reviews posted by Alan, of Duncan, S.C., and Paul, of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 

Alan claimed that Brinks used a cost recovery fee “as a way to raise prices.” He noted that his monthly bill from Brinks is $25.00 and that his cost recovery fee is now over $6.00 per month. Paul’s concern was that since he was on a month-to-month contract with Brinks, his rates kept going up. When the cost recovery fee was added last year, his rate went up even higher.

Alan’s and Paul’s concerns raised a question about how these cost recovery fees work, so ConsumerAffairs decided to research the legality of the fees and what options exist for consumers who have to pay them. Here’s what we found out.

Are cost recovery fees legal?

In Alan’s and Paul’s case, Brinks has the right to charge cost recovery fees. While they might not sit well with consumers, those fees are not illegal. In fact, they’re used for everything from vehicle rentals to fisheries. The bottom line is this: companies and service providers are allowed to cover any fee that is imposed on them such as regulatory fees for operating their service. 

In Brinks’ situation, a company spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs that the cost recovery fees that it charges customers help offset things like the company’s out-of-pocket costs to keep its technology up to par. 

“By the end of 2022, the company is estimated to spend ~$125 million on 2G and 3G technology upgrades as cellular companies eliminate previous generation technologies. The cost recovery fee is charged by the company to fairly recoup a portion of such fees,” a company spokesperson told us. 

Like Brinks, companies that charge cost recovery fees tend to disclose them on their websites. The amount of the fee depends on the service provider, where the consumer lives, and the level of service or plan a customer signed up for. As an example, AT&T charges a $1.50 fee per line in Hawaii to cover some of the costs from government-imposed fees. 

Are there alternatives to paying those pesky fees?

ConsumerAffairs asked consumer and money-saving expert Andrea Woroch if there’s a way consumers can either avoid cost recovery fees or find an alternative where the fees have less of an impact on their bill. She said doing consumers should do their research before signing up with a company to give themselves the best deal.

“You can find details about cost recovery fees in your contract or on the service provider's website. Keep in mind, comparing rates with different service providers can help you spend less on this fee. Negotiating may also help recover some of these fees, but the fastest way to stop wasting money on this fee is to lower your overall bill,” Woroch told ConsumerAffairs. 

Woroch cautioned consumers to keep in mind that fees are often charged on a percentage of the overall bill. She suggests that consumers scrutinize their plan (cable, wireless, home security systems, etc.) to figure out if they’re actually using everything they’re paying for. If they’re not, they should consider switching to a lower-cost option. 

“For instance, you can now get premium wireless service for just $15 a month through an online-only carrier like Mint Mobile-- with less overhead, they can pass on savings to the consumer,” Woroch said. “Switching to a cheaper option can help you spend less on these cost recovery fees!”

Asking for some help might get you some

To Brinks’ credit, the company does a thorough job of responding to reviewer complaints on ConsumerAffairs. In both Alan’s and Paul’s situations, the company asked them to reach out to discuss the matter further. As Alan found out, Brinks was helpful in resolving his issue. 

“Brinks agreed to honor the monthly price, which was agreed a year ago, until the end of my contract (2 more years),” he told ConsumerAffairs in an email. “I still have not received a written explanation of the ‘cost recovery fees’ but the seemingly random pricing increases was my main concern and this will not happen in my case.” 

In response to Paul’s review, Brinks stated that it “takes all complaints seriously, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention.” A representative asked Paul to email the company with details about his experience and that they looked forward to speaking with him.

Brinks’ response is proof that asking for help doesn’t hurt, but it’s no guarantee that every company will respond in a similar fashion. Still, writing a review starts the process of possibly achieving a win-win result for both parties.

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

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌confirmed‌ ‌cases:‌ 79,199,366 (79,144,919)

Total‌ ‌U.S.‌ ‌deaths:‌ 956,349 (954,519)

Total‌ ‌global‌ ‌cases:‌ 442,528,817 (441,243,792)

Total ‌global‌ ‌deaths:‌ 5,981,759 (5,977,229)‌

New COVID-19 cases slow down in the U.S.

The United States leads the world in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. With more than 78 million cases since the pandemic began, no other nation comes close.

But in recent weeks, new cases in the U.S. have dropped dramatically. Numbers compiled by the COVID-19 Tracking Project at Johns Hopkins University show that the U.S. is now in third place in terms of the number of cases recorded over the last 28 days. 

Germany has logged the most cases with 4,807,896, and Russia is second with 4,355,095 cases during that period. In the U.S., there have been 3,216,847 new cases in the last four weeks. On March 3, there were 487 fewer deaths in the U.S. than on March 3, 2021.

NFL suspends COVID-19 protocols

Among the organizations that are declaring it’s time to get back to normal, the National Football League has suspended COVID-19 protocols effective immediately. The league took the action with the support of the NFL Players Association.

All 32 NFL teams received a memo outlining the league’s decision. The memo said the move is "based on current encouraging trends regarding the prevalence and severity" of the coronavirus.

"Should there be a reason to reimpose aspects of the protocols or to take other measures, we will work closely with clubs, the NFLPA and our respective experts, and local, state and federal public health officials to continue to safeguard the health of the NFL community," the memo stated.

Prosecutors charge tea company with making COVID-19 claims

We're two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, and government regulators are still targeting companies that are making unfounded claims about their products' ability to treat or prevent the coronavirus. 

Three federal agencies - the Justice Department, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have taken action against B4B Earth Tea LLC. The company is charged with violations of the COVID-19 Consumer Protection Act, the FTC Act, and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

According to a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, the defendants advertised that their herbal tea product, Earth Tea, could prevent or treat COVID-19. However, regulators say the company lacked competent or reliable scientific evidence to support those claims. Further, the defendants allegedly made deceptive statements about a scientific study to bolster their claims. 

The complaint seeks civil penalties and other available equitable relief, as well as an injunction to stop the defendants “from continuing their unlawful marketing and sales of Earth Tea.”

Around the nation

• Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Insurance has announced that the Massachusetts COVID-19 Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“MEPSL”) will expire on March 15. The law, passed in May 2021, provides 40 additional hours of paid sick leave (pro-rated for part-time employees) for COVID-19 related reasons.

• Wyoming: Because new cases of COVID-19 are in sharp decline, the Wyoming Department of Corrections (WDOC) has announced plans to return to normal operations at its facilities. Visitation rules have already returned to pre-pandemic practices, and volunteers will be allowed back into the facilities after completing annual training.

• Maine: The state’s childcare workers have petitioned the state's public health officials to revise COVID-19 quarantine rules. They’re asking that children who have been exposed to the coronavirus be allowed to remain in the facilities so parents do not have to miss work.

• New Jersey: Gov. Phil Murphy has announced that he is ending the state’s mask mandate for public schools. The governor said students and school staff can go maskless beginning March 7. The governor said he thinks the action is warranted since case numbers have fallen across the state.

• Florida: Gov. Ron Desantis, holding a press event with a group of college students, appeared angry when many students showed up at the indoor event at the University of South Florida wearing masks. DeSantis told the students to take off their masks, saying it was “time to stop this COVID theater.”