Current Events in September 2022

If you ordered a small Stella Artois beer at Red Robin during the last five years, you may be due a refund.

The restaurant chain has settled a class-action suit that charged between June 25, 2017 and July 21, 2022, Red Robin served patrons a portion of beer that was smaller than advertised. The suit claims the beer was served in a Stella Artois chalice that was not large enough to hold the entire serving of beer for which customers paid.

The suit, filed on behalf of Red Robin customers, claimed customers who ordered a small Stella Artois beer were overcharged. Claims include “breach of contract, breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair deadline, violation of state consumer protection laws, and unjust enrichment.”

The company agreed to pay $450,000 to settle the case but has not admitted any wrongdoing. Red Robin said its actions were entirely legal under state and federal laws.

Beer-drinking customers will be entitled to compensation in the form of $3 per beer, up to five beers. Those five beers will not require any proof of purchase. 

Class members who claim six or more beers during that five-year period will have to come up with some receipts.

The deadline for submitting a claim is Dec. 23, 2022. Here’s the link to the claim form.

Samsung reports that it’s suffered another data breach – its second this year and one that exposed the names of customers and their demographic information like birth dates.

On Friday, the company announced that the breach happened in late July when an unauthorized third party acquired information from some of Samsung’s U.S. systems. When the company completed its investigation the first week of August, the probe revealed that personal information of certain customers was affected. 

“We have taken actions to secure the affected systems, and have engaged a leading outside cybersecurity firm and are coordinating with law enforcement,” the company said in its notice to customers about the incident.

Should you be worried?

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Samsung asking how many personal information records were involved but the company didn’t offer an answer in its response. Still, with nearly a billion consumers worldwide using a Samsung phone and another billion with a Samsung TV, the situation could be concerning for a great number of consumers.

MakeUseOf’s David Rutland says that on top of what Samsung “officially” revealed as to what data was exposed, contact details “likely” include home address, phone number, and email. Rutland thinks that it could go even deeper because the additional information Sansung collects during product registration includes gender, geolocation data, Samsung Account profile ID, username, and more. 

“Even just your email address can be valuable to criminals,” he said. “Samsung's half-hearted reassurance may console some customers that the criminals aren't using their credit card details to, for instance, buy untraceable cryptocurrency. However, the amount of information which the company admits may have been taken is staggering, and not something so easily passed off as immaterial.”

Steps that should be taken

Some cybersecurity experts warn the world has reached a dangerous crossroads where companies want as much personal data as they can amass and cybercriminals want as much as they can steal. 

In an email to ConsumerAffairs, Scamicide's Steven Weisman says that the lesson every consumer needs to learn is to limit just how much private information they give to companies when they sign up for an account or register a product.

“For example, your doctor doesn't need your Social Security number for his or her records,” Weisman said.  

Until this issue is resolved completely, anyone who has any sort of Samsung device might be wise to freeze their credit at the major credit reporting agencies – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. If whoever laid hands on the Samsung data wants to try and leverage someone’s personal information, they’ll be blocked from credit-related records. If freezing your credit report sounds like a hassle, it’s really not. 

“This is offered through all three major credit bureaus and certain software and can conveniently be switched on and off in order to allow approved third-parties to access reports when needed,” Hari Ravichandran, founder and CEO at Aura, an online privacy safety service, told ConsumerAffairs in the recent “Pandemic to Scamdemic” report.

“If you suspect that your personal information has been compromised in a data breach or otherwise, seriously consider freezing your credit in order to prevent bad actors from opening accounts or taking out loans in your name,” Ravichandran said.

New car shoppers are often swayed by flashy technology but a new survey of car owners finds some of the latest in-dash technology may not be ready for prime time.

J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Tech Experience Index (TXI) Study conducted a deeper dive into advanced vehicle technology and found that 46% of vehicle owners reported at least one problem with the technology in their vehicles.

The study follows similar research a year ago that found problems with the vehicle infotainment system were the major source of customer dissatisfaction with new cars and trucks. Specifically, more consumers were unhappy about how their smartphones connected -- or didn’t connect -- to their vehicle’s system.

‘Automakers should keep innovating’

J.D. Power researchers say the auto industry should address the issues identified by new car owners but should not back away from experimenting with new technology.

“Innovation is non-negotiable,” said Kathleen Rizk, senior director of user experience benchmarking and technology at J.D. Power. “The fact that the average problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) for a technology is high should not discourage automakers from innovating, as there is often a wide range of total problems experienced for a technology across the brands.”

Steve, of Beaumont, Calif., recently reported problems with the infotainment system in his Honda Civic.

“It used to go blank for some time and come back, touch screen stopped working, could not see the backup camera on the right-hand side camera,” Steve wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review.

“Did some research on the web and Youtube.com and found out that a lot of Civic owners had these issues.” 

Fingerprint reader frustrations

In the latest study, J.D. Power researchers found that the fingerprint reader was the most problematic tech issue in the study’s history. Included in the study for the first time, the fingerprint reader experienced the lowest overall satisfaction score.

Hyundai introduced the fingerprint reader in 2018. Using a fingerprint reader on a smartphone, the technology allows the driver to unlock doors and start the engine remotely.

In the 2022 study, Hyundai's Genesis ranked highest overall for customer satisfaction with in-car technology. It was also the highest among premium brands with an Innovation Index score of 643. In the premium segment, Cadillac, with a score of 584, ranked second and Mercedes-Benz ranked third with a score of 539.

Hyundai ranked highest among mass market brands with a score of 534. Kia earned a score of 495 to rank second, while Buick, GMC, and Subaru tied for third with a score of 482.

With school back in session and many Americans hitting the road more often, Wawa is offering discounts on gas for members of its rewards program. Now through October 30, consumers who use Wawa’s app to pay for their gas will save $0.15 per gallon every time they fill up their tanks. 

Wawa first launched the Mobile App Fuel Discount earlier this year, running from early May through mid-June. The success of the program, and the positive feedback from customers, have prompted the company to bring back the discounts on gas once again. 

“Wawa is pleased to announce the return of its fuel discount for mobile app users and encourages customers to sign up to save on fuel and earn rewards all year round,” said Dena Pizzutti, senior manager of personalization for Wawa. “Since our last fuel rewards offer in May, we have doubled the number of users and are thrilled to be able to help even more customers save on fuel purchases with this offer.” 

Wawa customers need to download the Wawa app, load a credit card into their rewards account, and find the option for fuel at the bottom of the screen. Once you’re at the store, the discount will be automatically loaded into your account when you pay for gas.

The promotion is similar to Walmart’s, which offers Walmart+ subscribers extra savings on gas. 

Teachers can save at Wawa in September

In addition to gas, Wawa is also offering additional discounts to teachers and school administrators for the month of September. Known as the “Cheers to Classrooms” celebration, teachers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington D.C. can receive any size hot coffee for free every day in September. 

Faculty members should tell the cashier that they work at a school to receive their free beverage at checkout. 

“Wawa is excited to bring back its Cheers to Classrooms initiative to put a smile on the faces of teachers and administration that work so hard to do the same for children in our community,” said Dave Simonetti, senior director of Store Operations at Wawa. “Our associates are also looking forward to visiting local schools throughout the month to welcome teachers back and show our appreciation for everything they do!” 

In another sign of a softening housing market, real estate broker Redfin reports the typical home sold in August at a price that was less than the listing price.

That’s a sharp reversal from 2021 when homes in many areas sold for well above the asking price and would-be buyers engaged in bidding wars. It’s the first time in over 17 months that a typical seller has accepted less than the list price.

Redfin reports the home price surge began in March 2021, as the market produced an average sale-to-list ratio of over 100%, meaning that the average home has sold for more than its final asking price, after all price reductions. 

While the decline in prices is good news for buyers, Redfin says there has been no rush to take advantage of it. Mortgage purchase applications and pending sales are both lower compared to 12 months ago.

The market may continue to slow

"While the cooldown appears to be tapering off, there are signs that there is more room for the market to ease," said Redfin Chief Economist Daryl Fairweather. "The post-Labor Day slowdown will likely be a little more intense this year than in previous years when the market was super tight.”

Fairweather expects homes to stay on the market for longer than they did in 2021 when some homes went under contract within hours of their listing. She says that could be a sign that home prices will continue to drift lower.

“Homebuyers’ budgets are increasingly stretched thin by rising rates and ongoing inflation, so sellers need to make their homes and their prices attractive to get buyers’ attention during this busy time of year,” Fairweather said.

Rising mortgage rates have reduced home affordability, raising the cost of a monthly mortgage. For the week ending September 1, the average 30-year mortgage rate rose to 5.66%. In January, the average mortgage rate was just 3.22%.

Waiting for a bargain may take a while

It remains to be seen just how quickly home prices will fall. Buyers hoping for a large adjustment may have a long wait or be prepared to buy in the nation’s most expensive housing markets. By all indications, prices are falling fastest in markets where they went up the fastest.

In some markets, prices are rising, albeit at a much slower pace. Redfin’s median home sale price in August was $370,000, up 6% year over year. 

Prices have declined 6% from the record high of $393,725 hit during the four-week period ending June 19. A year ago, they rose 0.4% during the same period.

Only three metro areas in the Redfin survey saw a year-over-year decline in their median home-sale price: Honolulu, Oakland, and San Francisco, where median sale prices were between $600,000 and $1.4 million. 

A new analysis of how people are tracked on the internet confirms that wherever you lead, Big Tech will follow – and, Big Tech doesn’t always ask your permission. 

According to an analysis by StockApps, the titan of tracking is Google. Out of the five major digital firms – Google, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and Apple – Google mines the biggest chunk of data on its users at 39 different data points.

On top of the company's tracking being considerable, it's also concerning. Earlier this year, four state attorneys general sued Google over its tracking policies

“Most people do not have the time or patience to read privacy policies that can be several pages long for each website they visit,” StockApps’ Edith Reads said. 

“Also, it is quite unlikely that all users have a background in law to properly grasp the privacy policy. Besides, users lack time, patience, or energy to try to figure out what information websites are storing and how they are using it to their advantage. As a result, users end up allowing Google to harvest all the data they need by agreeing to the privacy policy terms.”

How to stop Google in its tracks

The analysts say other than random user information, Google also silos a considerable amount of data on several domains running from users' specific location to their browser history. Moreover, it stores user activity on third-party websites or apps and emails on users' Gmail accounts.

What can Google users do to try and keep Google’s prying eyes off their data? ConsumerAffairs reached out to several experts and here are their suggestions:

Turn off location tracking: Location tracking is important to Google because it’s part of what it can collect, and then offer to advertisers and vendors who want to provide a better user experience or feed information that might be of more interest to the user, says Jon Clay, VP of Threat Intelligence at Trend Micro. 

“But it also comes at a cost of privacy. In many cases, these companies may sell the information to other businesses that will use it as well. Many users may not want this invasion of their privacy and want to opt-out of this type of data gathering.”

He said that turning off location tracking has both a good side and a bad one. “As an example, one trade-off would be that the user wouldn’t have the ability to utilize location services when they need them.” 

To test Clay’s point, when ConsumerAffairs looked at what phone apps had “location” turned on as part of an app’s permission, there were several that did help a consumer get to, say, the closest CVS or Costco store. Turning those off if you always use the same store location might make sense. 

Consider changing your browser: "Your choice of browser matters,” Melissa Johnson, a content marketing and SEO specialist at MerchantMaverick, suggested.

“Using Chrome, especially while signed in, is one of the simplest ways to allow Google to track your movements and searches. Using Incognito by default limits some of this, but a better option is to switch to a browser such as Firefox Focus, which is designed specifically to limit tracking and protect privacy,” Johnson said. 

Clay added that DuckDuckGo – which claims that it never tracks anyone – is another viable search engine alternative.

Change your ad personalization settings: “One of the ways Google tracks users is to provide them with personalized advertisements. While sometimes personalized ads can be helpful in providing you with information about products and services you're most interested in, their tracking isn't 100% perfect,” Irene Muchai, Business Development Director at Online Optimism, said.

Muchai suggests that users turn off certain factors that Google thinks they are interested in. She said the steps are simple: go to Google Ad Settings then Ad Personalization and switch off any attributes that aren't relevant to you or turn them all off entirely.

“By doing so, Google won't track any behaviors you may exhibit online based on certain factors or just won't track you at all so your ads will no longer be as personalized as they once were,” Muchai noted.

People on vacation at a resort often end up in a high-pressure timeshare sales presentation, being persuaded to buy a unit, then having a strong case of buyer’s remorse. 

Maybe they aren’t interested in spending their vacation in the same place year after year. Or perhaps the maintenance fees are higher than expected.

With inflation now eating into discretionary income, some timeshare owners may be looking for a way to exit their timeshare agreements and ads on radio and television assure them they can. But can they?

There isn’t a simple answer because laws covering timeshare sales vary from state to state. But Lisa Schreier, who writes a blog called The Timeshare Crusader, says owners who want out of their contract can usually find a way to do it.

“I advise anyone looking to get out of a timeshare contract to first contact the developer to see what, if anything, they’ll do,” Schreier told ConsumerAffairs. “If that fails, contact a timeshare savvy attorney, not one of a myriad of self-proclaimed exit companies.”

Changes since the 1980s

Robert Persichitte, a financial planner at Delagify Financial, tells us he has worked with several clients who have felt burdened by their timeshare obligations. He says the structure of timeshares began to change in the late 1980s, making most newer timeshares somewhat easier to get out of. 

“In the past, timeshares were commonly tied to a single property,” Persichitte said. “Suppose that property was expensive to maintain, like many mountain properties or beach properties in hurricane-prone areas. As an owner, you generally have a financial obligation to pay for repairs. On the other hand, modern timeshares are connected with multiple properties and act more like a pooled vacation fund. These generally don't have a big financial burden, making them easier to walk away from.”

If the developer is not open to canceling the contract, Persichitte says a lawyer with experience in dealing with timeshare issues may be able to help, but that will require money. 

“You may need to hire an attorney for additional support for more restrictive contracts,” he said. “They will likely charge hourly based on the complexity and will probably have fees upward of $2,000-$3,000. You will probably need an attorney if you believe you were defrauded when you signed the contract.”

Schreier says not everyone who claims they can get you out of a timeshare contract can do it. She says they can often cost more than hiring an attorney.

“I’ve heard charges of $2,000 up to $20,000,” she told us. “Mind you, that’s money out the window more often than not. The owner pays upfront, months or years go by and the mortgage and/or maintenance fees rack up.”

Other options

Both Schreier and Persichitte say there are options short of canceling that might give timeshare owners some relief. Some developers who manage multiple properties maintain rental pools where owners can advertise their unit for rent, offsetting some of their costs.

There are also companies in the business of renting timeshares. Koala is a timeshare rental platform, connecting owners’ listings with travelers seeking resort accommodations.

“For most clients, it makes sense to sell a timeshare rather than surrender or cancel it,” Persichitte said.

Robert, of Colorado Springs, said he used SellMyTimeshareNow to sell his unwanted unit. He said the process doesn’t happen overnight – in his case it took three years – but he said the company ultimately delivered.

“The staff was very responsive to keep me informed of inquiries from potential buyers and to help process their questions,” Robert wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “They also offered strategies, such as a reasonable sale price and ways to enhance interest in my listing.”

If you’re planning to serve turkey at Thanksgiving this year, it will come with a generous side dish of inflation.

Economists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) report an ongoing outbreak of avian influenza in the U.S. has devastated both commercial chicken and turkey flocks. As a result, retail prices of breast meat have risen above $6.50 a pound this year. In 2020, the price per pound was around $2.

The price of whole turkeys is also sharply higher. The market research firm Urner Barry estimates the price this year is 57% higher than the latest five-year average.

USDA says avian influenza has been reported in 39 states so far in 2022, reducing the commercial turkey flock by about 6 million birds. In recent weeks new cases have been reported in the major producing states of California and Minnesota, causing concern that the disease may start spreading again in the fall.

When it reported its latest quarterly earnings on Thursday, Hormel Foods said its Jennie-O Turkey Store sold significantly fewer turkeys, with sales volume declining by about 20%. However, profits surged for the division.

“As anticipated, volume and sales declined as a result of the supply impacts on the company's vertically integrated supply chain from highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI),” the company said in its earnings statement. “Foodservice and whole-bird sales increased due to favorable pricing, partially offsetting lower commodity and retail sales. Higher commodity prices and food service sales drove the substantial improvement in segment profit.”

Availability issues

Dr. Jerry Bailey, a certified nutritionist and functional medicine physician at Lakeside Holistic Health, said the current avian flu outbreak is already causing availability issues for turkey and chicken-based products and lunch meats. 

“With the lack of recovery time for farmers, your Thanksgiving turkey may be 20% to 50% higher than in prior years,” Bailey told ConsumerAffairs, adding that going the ham route will cost more, too. “If you choose a Thanksgiving ham it may also be elevated at least 20% to 30% above prior years' prices.”

Holiday chefs looking for an alternative to turkey might consider beef. Its price, which rose sharply during the height of the pandemic, has fallen in recent months because of an increase in supply.

For those still willing to pay a higher price for a Thanksgiving turkey, the National Turkey Federation told the Wall Street Journal that there should be plenty of turkeys at the supermarket during the holiday season.

It can be difficult to get a bargain anywhere these days. With efforts to find discounts for back-to-school supplies, holiday gifts, or airline tickets, the Cinema Foundation is giving movie lovers the opportunity to save some money – and head out to their local movie theater. 

The non-profit organization has named September 3 “National Cinema Day,” with all movie tickets costing just $3. This deal is in effect for movies shown in IMAX or 3D, and over 3,000 theaters across the country will be participating – including big-name chains like Regal Cinemas and AMC. 

As the last big weekend of the summer, very few moviegoers end up in theaters over Labor Day Weekend. The goal of the promotion is to generate interest with $3 tickets and build on the momentum from a successful summer for movie theaters nationwide. 

Scoring deals on snacks and drinks

For consumers with a local AMC or Cinemark theater, the deals don’t end with the $3 ticket to any movie. Both companies have also announced savings on snack and drink options for National Cinema Day. 

Cinemark will be offering moviegoers: $3 for a small popcorn (with the option to upgrade to a large for $1), $3 for a medium ICEE or fountain soda, and $3 candy. AMC theaters are offering its cameo combo of popcorn and a fountain drink for $5 plus tax. 

Depending on the success of this first National Cinema Day, industry sources say this may turn into an annual occurrence in the U.S. 

If you’re one of the millions of Americans planning on traveling over Labor Day weekend, you need to ask yourself if you’re ready for anything that could go wrong – canceled flights, lost baggage, etc. And if you are worried, you’re not alone. A new survey from Insuranks found that 71% of those planning to travel this year are worried about those things, too.

In the good news department, there are two things that might give you hope: One, FlightAware lists relatively few cancellations or delays for U.S. based airlines or domestic airports. Two is that the Department of Transportation is full speed ahead on providing travelers a “dashboard” of what types of accommodations that airlines have committed to provide to customers in the event of a delay or cancellation – anything within an airline’s control, such as a mechanical issue. 

With the new dashboard, passengers who are stuck in Scranton or delayed in Des Moines can pull up the new widget and quickly find out what they can expect to happen. The new dashboard is also a good tool for people who are booking flights to see what carriers are offering when things go bad.

What airlines are the most committed and the least committed?

When you first look at the dashboard, the stark contrast between the green checkmarks and the red X’s speaks volumes. Among the U.S. five largest airlines, American, Delta, JetBlue, and United all had checkmarks in every category – every single one of the DOT’s 10 requested commitments, including rebooking passengers on the same airline at no additional cost and complimentary hotel accommodations for any passenger affected by an overnight cancellation.

The two things that the other member of the big five -- Southwest -- didn’t commit to were: rebooking passengers on another airline at no additional cost when a flight was “controllably” canceled or delayed. However, one of those X's apparently has a caveat. A Southwest spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs that it does offer other-airline rebooking when Southwest is not an option.

Other airlines where the red X’s marked the spot included Allegiant, which had yet to say “yes” to any of the DOT’s requested commitments; Frontier was uncommitted on six caveats; Spirit, uncommitted on four; and Hawaiian had an X on one commitment. 

To make sure it covered all the bases, the DOT’s dashboard also provides links to all U.S. airlines' current customer service plans.

Why do Allegiant and Frontier appear uncommitted?

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Allegiant and Frontier to get their side of the story on their red X’s.

Allegiant said it welcomes and supports the DOT’s efforts to give travelers a consumer-friendly platform that catalogs all the U.S. airlines’ policies in one place, but it said that in its current form, the dashboard does not accurately portray all that Allegiant does for its customers in the event of cancellations and schedule changes. An airline spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs that it was in the process of publishing the information from its contract of carriage and expects the dashboard to reflect that when it’s updated next week.  

So, until then, what?

“Allegiant has always gone above and beyond its Customer Service Plan in assisting and providing for its customers when they experience controllable travel disruptions,” the airline said in emailed comments.

What does that mean in layman’s terms? Allegiant’s spokesperson gave the example of when it cancels a flight for a controllable reason, the airline offers customers re-accommodation on other Allegiant flights, or refunds for the affected leg of their trip. 

“Depending on the circumstances and length of delay, we also issue vouchers to use for future travel, as well as extra cash compensation through Paynuver, our online payment distribution platform,” the spokesperson said.

“In many cases, we also provide reimbursement for hotel accommodations and ground transportation expenses incurred due to a controllable flight cancellation.”

Allegiant said that when it comes to a minimum one-hour delay, it will serve customers complimentary non-alcoholic beverages and snacks.

“If a delay stretches to four hours, we provide customers with a meal or meal vouchers. These are all established practices that Allegiant has long used to take care of our customers when a flight is unexpectedly disrupted,” the company said.

In response to the items the DOT listed Frontier uncommitted to, it too has policies in place to accommodate and assist passengers in the event of a travel disruption. As to exactly what a Frontier passenger can expect in the event of a controllable delay or cancellation, here’s what a company spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs: 

“Accommodation on the next available Frontier flight at no additional cost; one night of hotel accommodation if the next available Frontier flight necessitates a hotel overnight; meal vouchers for flight delays of three hours or more or cancellations that result in a rebooking on Frontier that results in a flight departure three hours or more from the originally scheduled flight; or alternatively, if a flight is canceled or delayed in excess of three hours, a full refund of the unused portion of the ticket.”

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has served notice that there are limits to how far a person can be tracked. In a new lawsuit against data broker Kochava Inc. the agency claims that Kochava sold geolocation data from “hundreds of millions of mobile devices that can be used to trace the movements of individuals to and from sensitive locations.” 

And sensitive it is. The FTC said that Kochava’s data has the potential to reveal everything from someone’s visit to reproductive health clinics to places of worship, and even deeply personal facilities like homeless and domestic violence shelters, and addiction recovery locations. 

By selling data that tracks people, the FTC considers that Kochava is enabling others to identify individuals and exposing them to threats of stigma, stalking, discrimination, job loss, and even physical violence. 

“Where consumers seek out health care, receive counseling, or celebrate their faith is private information that shouldn’t be sold to the highest bidder,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC is taking Kochava to court to protect people’s privacy and halt the sale of their sensitive geolocation information.”

The FTC’s lawsuit seeks to halt Kochava’s sale of sensitive geolocation data and require the company to delete the sensitive geolocation information it has collected. 

While Kochava may not be a household name, it’s a considerable force when it comes to data. The company claims it has more than 4,500 “partner integrations” and its clients are a who’s who of consumer-focused companies including Airbnb, Kroger, McDonald’s, Disney, John Hancock, Chick-fil-A, and CBS.

ConsumerAffairs reached out to Kochava, but did not receive an immediate response.

FTC wants this type of collection stopped now

The Kochava lawsuit may be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to data collection. The FTC’s not showing its hand, but recently it went on record as saying that almost everything a consumer touches and places they go can be collected. 

“Smartphones, connected cars, wearable fitness trackers, ‘smart home’ products, and even the browser you’re reading this on are capable of directly observing or deriving sensitive information about users,” the agency said. 

“These data points may pose an incalculable risk to personal privacy. Now consider the unprecedented intrusion when these connected devices and technology companies collect that data, combine it, and sell or monetize it. This isn’t the stuff of dystopian fiction. It’s a question consumers are asking right now.”

How people can minimize their exposure to location tracking

Location tracking is important to not just Kochava, but lots of agencies that collect data and then offer it to advertisers and vendors who want to provide a better user experience or feed information that might be of more interest to the user, says Jon Clay, vice president of Threat Intelligence at Trend Micro. 

“While this may be a good thing as it delivers relevant information to the user as they change locations or visit areas where they've never been before, there is a potential for this to be abused by malicious actors,” Clay told ConsumerAffairs. “From scammers to criminals to worse, if this data gets into the wrong hands, these people could target the user."

Clay says that where the question of risk comes up is the crossroads of whether the benefits outweigh the potential harm that could occur.

“The FTC suing an organization that sells this data to others is a potential game changer as it should cause other data processors to rethink their business practices and ability to secure their customer data,” he said.

If consumers are lucky, Clay said that they’re likely to see regulations start to be created that help consumers be more in charge of their data instead of "the opposite as it is now.” Until then, what can someone do? Clay offered these suggestions on how people can help manage their data now:

• Turn off location tracking on your mobile devices. On an iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy, then select Location Services. Select an app, then turn Precise Location on or off. On an Android device, open your phone's Settings app. Under "Personal," tap Location access. At the top of the screen, turn Access to my location on or off.

• Look to use browsers that don't gather your data or limit what your browser can track

• Opt out of ad tracking and opt out of ads altogether. Here’s one way to do that.

• Control what permissions you give apps on your mobile devices. Here’s how to do that on an Android device and how to do it on an Apple device.

• Install a modern security app that can detect scams or threats in email, texts, and voice. Clay said his company's free Trend Micro Check tool can do that, as well as identify fraud and misinformation.

• Regularly check your online accounts for suspicious activity. 

The big increase in inflation this year has sent more people to warehouse membership clubs where, for a fee, consumers can buy in bulk and sometimes save money. As demand for these memberships grows, one warehouse – Sam’s Club – is increasing its membership fee.

The retailer, owned by Walmart, is increasing the annual membership fee from $45 to $50 – still less than rival Costco’s $60 annual fee. Sam’s Club’s top-tier membership is also going up from $100 to $110.

The new fees take effect Oct. 17.

It’s the first fee increase for Sam’s Club in nine years and the first for the top-tier membership, known as “Sam’s Club Plus.” The retailer, along with its competitors, has benefited from inflation. Budget-conscious shoppers have increased their memberships, especially as gasoline prices hit a record high in June.

According to CNBC, Sam’s Club CEO Kath McLay disclosed the fee increase in a message to members, saying the company is mindful of the economic pressures that many families face. Because of that, McLay said the company will reimburse members the amount of this year’s fee increase in the form of “Sam’s Club Cash” that can be used in stores.

Membership income is growing

Sam’s Club operates about 600 stores in the U.S. and in Puerto Rico. The company does not report the number of members it has but has apparently seen the membership rolls grow this year. In its most recent quarterly earnings report, Sam’s Club said income from membership fees rose nearly 9% during the quarter that ended July 31.

In addition to food and gasoline, warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club, Costco, and B.J’s Warehouse sell home furnishings, apparel, and electronics. Faye, a Sam’s Club member from Warren Mich., uses the store as a place to purchase hearing aids.

“I came in on April 19, 2022, and he spent a long time preparing my hearing aids and be sure they worked well,” Faye wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I left (the) same day and I could hear. I would recommend him to anyone.”

A 2021 study found that members of warehouse clubs do save money if they can afford to buy in bulk. The study found that more affluent consumers shop at these warehouses because they can afford to buy in bulk while lower-income consumers end up paying more for smaller quantities at other retailers.

After three straight months of declines, consumer confidence, as measured by the Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index, rose in August. The Index now stands at 103.2, a significant increase from 95.3 in July. 

The Present Situation Index, based on consumers’ feelings about business and labor market conditions, gained six points in the index. The Expectations Index, based on consumers’ short-term outlook for income, business, and labor market conditions, increased to 75.1 from 65.6.

“The Present Situation Index recorded a gain for the first time since March,” said Lynn Franco, senior director of Economic Indicators at The Conference Board. “The Expectations Index likewise improved from July’s nine-year low, but remains below a reading of 80, suggesting recession risks continue. Concerns about inflation continued their retreat but remained elevated.”

So it’s not like everything’s rosy all of a sudden. Consumers are still having to deal with inflation just about everywhere. 

Falling gas prices may boost confidence

But it might not be a coincidence that consumers are gaining confidence as gasoline prices, which hit a record high in June, have come down significantly since then. According to AAA, the national average price of regular gasoline is $3.83 a gallon, down from its recent record of $5.01.

At the same time, job growth is slowing. The Labor Department reported this week that the number of job openings was little changed at 11.2 million on the last business day of July. Hires and total job losses were also little changed.

After reviewing the consumer confidence data, Robert Hughes of the American Institute for Economic Research, writes that consumers may be enjoying lower gas prices but still encounter higher prices elsewhere and don’t expect them to go down anytime soon.

Still high inflation expectations

“Inflation expectations remain extremely high as prices for many goods and services continue to rise at an elevated pace,” Hughes said. “The extreme outlook for inflation is a key driver of weaker consumer expectations.

Hughes believes there is reason for some optimism that supply chain bottlenecks are being resolved and that shortages will soon dissipate, removing some of the upward pressure on prices.

Franco also sees glimmers of hope in the latest report. She notes that more consumers have indicated they plan a major purchase soon and that intentions to take a vacation reached an eight-month high in August.