Current Events in January 2023

Though the holiday shopping rush may be over, Amazon says it is still working to make shopping easier and more convenient for Prime members.  

The company announced that it will expand its Buy with Prime service, which allows shoppers to make purchases with retailers outside of Amazon, while still getting many of the same perks of a Prime membership, like fast delivery and easy returns.

Amazon launched Buy with Prime on an invite-only basis in April 2022. It hand-picked select direct-to-consumer retailers to sell their products through the Prime platform. 

By the end of January, Buy with Prime will expand to feature any eligible retailer that signs up for the service. For shoppers, this means getting access to Prime membership benefits while having a wider reach of where they can shop. 

See Amazon reviews

With the expansion of Buy with Prime comes another feature that might benefit both sellers and consumers: Amazon reviews. 

Retailers will have the option of adding Amazon customer reviews on their own online stores. This can help shoppers feel more comfortable and confident in their purchases and might translate to more sales for merchants. 

Locking in more purchases 

While the expansion of Buy with Prime gives Prime members the opportunity to connect with new brands through a well-established source, the service can also benefit sellers. 

Amazon said it found that the Buy with Prime feature was effective at locking in 25% more sales for merchants. However, this figure is only an average, with some sellers seeing more or less than that number since utilizing Buy with Prime. 

As Amazon expands the service at the end of the month, Prime members will be exposed to even more new retailers while utilizing their Prime membership. 

Travelers woke up Wednesday morning to a flood of cancellations caused by an overnight outage of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Notice to Air Missions system that provides safety info to flight crews.

By 9 am, FlightAware data listed  4,314 total delays within, into, or out of the United States today. The airport hit the hardest was Baltimore/Washington Intl (BWI) where 41% of the flights were delayed.

Southwest, still reeling from its Christmas holiday meltdown, was also hit heavily. Three Southwest hubs – Chicago Midway (37%), Houston Hobby and Dallas Love (31% each) -- were right behind BWI in delays.

By mid-morning, the FAA was able to get things under control and lift its pause on departures. But, on the heels of the Southwest debacle, the question experts are asking is this: does this point to a fragility of the nation's commercial aviation system, which faces heavier demands as air travel demand increases?

“We continue to look into the cause of the initial problem,” the agency tweeted at 8:50 a.m.

Hello, airlines… hello, Pete!

Yaniv Hakim, CEO and co-founder of CommBox, a company that provides digital customer communications platform to airlines told ConsumerAffairs, “The FAA system failure, like the Southwest Airlines fiasco, shows how important it is that every airline will offer their passengers digital services on messaging channels, and provide both human and virtual AI-powered assistance.”

“Airlines need to step it up and offer communication and self-service tasks such as rebooking or canceling flights to their customers in the easiest way possible, not just through websites and apps.”

Hakim said that instead of customers taking to social media to complain about airlines or waiting for hours on hold, they should be able to quickly and easily take care of their concerns through channels like social media messaging, SMS texting, and WhatsApp. 

“When a traveler is stressed and stranded at an airport, especially during a major disruption - whether human, technical or natural - the last thing they want to do is wait on hold, download an app or listen to irrelevant options from an [interactive voice response] system."

In an email to ConsumerAffairs, the Ranking Member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Rick Larsen (D-WA) wasted no time saying that he’s already gotten into Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s ear about the issue.

"I spoke with Secretary Buttigieg about this development and will continue to monitor this disruption to our air travel system until it is resolved."

“Synthetic identity fraud” isn’t a term that’s batted about much in the news, but it may be the biggest problem facing Americans today. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) says that nearly 85% of all identity theft cases are actually synthetic – meaning that a fraudster creates a new identity using a combination of real and fake information. 

This might include using a real Social Security number (SSN) along with a fake name and address or using a real name and address with a fake SSN. The goal is to create an identity that appears legitimate to financial institutions and government agencies, which can then be used to open new accounts, apply for loans, get a credit card, buy a car, collect unemployment, or commit other forms of fraud.

“Think of it as Frankenstein fraud since thieves piece together information from different people to create one new identity,” the Security.org team said in a new report covering the issue.

The biggest targets are children

Children are excellent targets for synthetic ID fraud because they are basically unmonitored in the world of consumerism, with no real credit history for a creditor to take a look at. 

“[Fraudsters] prefer numbers issued in the past 18 years since they’re likely to belong to minors. Children typically don’t apply for loans or credit until age 18, giving criminals ten or even 15 years to wreak havoc before anyone notices,” the researchers said.

The sad thing is that if a child’s SSN has been purloined by a fraudster, by the time they go out in the real world, their creditworthiness could be laid to waste. Student loan? Forget it. New home? Forget it. 

According to Security.org’s report, two out of every three parents are clueless about synthetic identity fraud. Most never check their children’s credit reports or use credit monitoring services to track their children’s credit activity. 

How the game is played

The moment an identity thief gains access to a Social Security number, they’re off to the races. Step number one is applying for credit online. And if they’re turned down? No biggie. And if they apply for $1,000 credit line and only get $500, no great loss there because they’re $500 richer, and if they’re smart, they pay the $500 off on time so they can start a credit history – one which will eventually bring in larger credit limits.

At a point where an ID thief amasses $10,000 to $15,000 worth of credit, a “bust out” occurs, and the perpetrators go on a shopping spree, then – poof! – evaporate from the credit scene, no longer worrying about debt. After all, those things they bought on their way out aren’t really attached to their credit history, but some 10-year-old kid in Paducah, Ky. whose SSN they stole.

And parents will know their child is a victim quickly, too. They’ll start to get documents relating to unemployment benefits you never applied for, credit card offers in the mail, and maybe even a letter from the IRS about delinquent taxes or notices that your government benefits application or student loan application has been denied.

How parents can protect their kids’ SSNs

The Security.org team said the first box parents should check is limiting the number of places where their child’s SSN appears. For example, you might keep the physical card with the number in a locked file drawer and perhaps keep a password-protected computer file with the number.

Other tips to protect your child’s data include:

• Don’t give out SSNs whenever requested. Camps, caregivers, and schools must have a good reason to ask for kids' SSNs. Often, they do not, so leaving SSN fields blank is a parent’s right.

• Be very selective about who can access personal data. The researchers said that more often than not, victims of synthetic identity theft know the perpetrator. It could be the parent of a friend or a weird uncle, but locking up a kid’s Social Security card and number can help protect their identity.

• Check with your child’s school about their cybersecurity policies and encourage them to strengthen their standards. Also, find out how they protect your child’s data during online educational activities.

• Teach your kids what’s appropriate to share when chatting with people online: Explain to your kids that they should not share home addresses, phone numbers, SSNs, and other data online, and monitor their online activities.

• Check your child’s credit score – maybe even set up monitoring their credit. Better safe than sorry. And, remember, credit scores are free.

And if your child’s SSN is stolen and winds up in the hands of a synthetic identity thief? The first thing to do is to go to identitytheft.gov to get started on a recovery plan. There, you can pick and choose the situation that fits you best. For example, if someone files a federal tax return using your information or used your (or your child’s) details to file for unemployment insurance. 

Also, contact all the companies where you know fraud happened. “When contacting the company or firm where the fraud occurred, explain that someone stole your child's identity and opened fraudulent accounts,” the researchers suggested.

“Say your child is a minor and cannot enter legal contracts. Have the company close the account and send a letter confirming your child is not liable for the account, and always note who you talked to and the times of your conversations.”

As inflation raises the cost of living, consumers are trying to keep up by putting more purchases on credit cards and allowing balances to grow. That is a cause of concern at the Federal Reserve, which is trying to fight inflation by raising interest rates.

In a new report, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found credit card balances increased by $38 billion from the second quarter of last year to the third quarter. That coincides with sharp increases in the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

The Fed has two concerns. First, it would rather consumers spend less on products and services to help lower inflation. But a second concern is that, as high-interest credit card balances swell, fewer consumers will be able to make timely payments.

The Fed data doesn’t show which consumers pay off their credit cards in full each month and those who let their balances grow. However, the data does show the younger the consumers, the more debt they had in the third quarter.

Can consumers continue to make payments?

“The real test, of course, will be to follow whether these borrowers will be able to continue to make the payments on their credit cards,” the authors wrote.

In August, LendingClub Corporation, in partnership with PYMNTS.com, released its periodic study of consumer spending patterns and found that 61% of consumers spend all of their money between pay periods. That was up from 52% a year ago.

That makes living paycheck-to-paycheck the most common financial lifestyle in the U.S., with increasingly more high-income consumers now entering that category. Some, an estimated 13%, actually spent more than they earned in the previous six months by tapping savings or going into debt.

That presents a huge problem when prices of nearly everything are rising. It isn’t possible to keep up that kind of spending without an increase in income or an increase in debt.

Balance transfer or personal loan?

To reduce credit card debt, some consumers who can qualify for a balance transfer credit card might consider opening an account that offers a year or more of 0% interest. Another alternative is to take out a three-year fixed-rate personal loan and use the money to pay off a high-interest credit card.

The average interest rate on a credit card is approaching 21% but some are much higher. According to NASDAQ, the average interest rate on a three-year personal loan is less than 13%.

The payments may be higher but you get out of debt faster. A five-year loan might offer lower payments but carries a significantly higher interest rate.

A personal loan may also be a good choice if you need to pay off a large balance because it offers a fixed interest rate. Credit card rates will rise each time the Fed hikes interest rates.

There's good news for car shoppers who consider safety a prime factor in choosing a vehicle. Buyers now have more to choices if they're looking for light vehicles -- those weighing 8,500 pounds or less -- with automatic emergency braking (AEB).

Three more automakers -- Mitsubishi, Nissan/Infiniti and Stellantis -- installed AEB on nearly all vehicles they produced between September 1, 2021, and August 31, 2022, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

That makes a total of 15 of the 20 car companies that pledged to equip at least 95% of their light-duty cars and trucks with the crash avoidance technology by the production year that began on September 1, 2022.

Substantial progress noted

Stellantis, with only 43% of its vehicles with AEB in 2021, made the most progress.

That company's dramatic increase means, according to IIHS President David Harkey, “there’s been another big jump in the number of affordable cars and SUVs with this important safety feature."

General Motors, Jaguar Land Rover, and Porsche also made substantial progress, with around three-quarters of their light-duty vehicles equipped with AEB, compared with around 60% last year.

Maserati’s numbers were essentially flat, with 71% equipped in the latest reporting period.

Automakers that have included AEB on at least 95% of the vehicles they produce include Audi, BMW, Ford/Lincoln, Honda/Acura, Hyundai/Genesis, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan/Infiniti, Stellantis, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota/Lexus, Volkswagen and Volvo.

Supply chain issues

Not all of the news is good, though.

Honda/Acura dipped below the 95% threshold due to supply chain issues, installing AEB on 93% of the vehicles it produced for the U.S. market during this reporting period.

Once an automaker reaches the 95% mark, they aren’t required to continue filing reports, and neither BMW nor Tesla submitted data this time around.

Kia narrowly missed the cut this reporting period, increasing the percentage of its vehicles with AEB to 94% this reporting period from 89% last year.

Still, the news is good overall.

“The overwhelming number of vehicles produced with this critical safety technology means that consumers will receive safety benefits even if they aren’t actively shopping for them,” said Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at Consumer Reports' Auto Test Center.

She notes that additional capabilities that many of these systems also provide – things like pedestrian detection and the ability to function at highway speeds -- “have the potential to save even more lives."

It may be no coincidence that this month, with Social Security recipients are beginning to see a big increase in their benefits, is precisely when scammers have dusted off a couple of old Social Security scams.

All across the country, seniors have reported receiving letters from someone who claims to be from the Social Security Administration (SSA), informing them their Social Security number will be suspended within 24 hours.

The reasons for the suspension vary. Residents of Eastern Pennsylvania say the letters cite “fraudulent activity” associated with the number. One version of the letter claims the recipient’s Social Security number is associated with $14 million in fraud.

When WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa., examined one of the letters, a few things were immediately obvious. For starters, the letter wasn’t addressed to anyone. Also, the date was in the European format, with the day before the month.

Of course, the biggest tip-off of all is the fact that your Social Security number is never suspended for any reason. The object of the scam is to extract money from the victim, as well as their personal information.

Phone calls and texts

 In Montgomery, Ala., seniors have also reported receiving fake communications, purporting to be from SSA. Consumer advocates suggest the motive is to steal money as well as the victim’s Social Security number. Most of the communications are in the form of texts or phone calls.

“We’ve been hearing reports from folks who have been receiving phone calls or text messages purporting to be from the Social Security Administration,” Jamie Harding with AARP Alabama, told WSFA-TV. 

Harding believes there is a strong connection between the increase in Social Security benefits that begins this month and the uptick in Social Security scams. The monthly benefit payment is increasing 8.7%, the largest increase in four decades.

“They can look at demographic data around the country, look for pockets of population where it’s more likely that folks are over 65, and then just basically start spraying that area with robocalls,” Harding told the station.

Unless you live entirely on what you grow, you no doubt got hit by 2022’s troubling inflation at the grocery store – the first time since 1979 that grocery inflation has had a double-digit annual increase.

On Thursday, the Labor Department will release the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December but Datasembly’s 2022 Grocery Price Index Year-End Update reveals that the cost of groceries in 2022 surged a whopping 16.3%, compared to 2021 where we saw a 6.2% increase and 2020 which climbed only 1.1%.  

Who and what got hit?

While there wasn’t a zip code that didn’t get hit by grocery inflation, there were some areas and product lines that got hammered.

Frozen food had the highest percentage of inflation – a 21.3% increase. And for those who decided to drink away their inflationary concerns, they didn’t have to spend too much to do that because alcohol had the lowest increase of 4.2%

The highest rates of grocery price inflation across the states in 2022 were in Connecticut and Louisiana at 19.5% – mostly in Hartford/New Haven and New Orleans; Idaho at 19.3%; Iowa at 19.2%; and Mississippi at 19.0%

The states with the lowest rate of grocery price inflation in 2022 were North Carolina, where the rate was 14.6% in Raleigh/Durham and 14.8% in Charlotte.

Maryland had a grocery inflation rate of 14.6% while it was 15.4% in Maine and 15.1%  in Pennsylvania.

The new year has brought an explosion of interest in the latest step forward in artificial intelligence (AI). Four weeks ago a company called Open AI created a public platform called ChatGPT and it has quickly become an internet sensation.

Unlike a query to a search engine that produces links to hundreds of websites, a question to ChatGPT produces an answer. So we decided to see how smart ChatGPT – and two other AI platforms – are about consumer issues.

We asked, “What are five rights that many consumers might not realize they have with their credit card accounts?” Below is the verbatim response from ChatGPT:

“There are several rights that many consumers might not realize they have with their credit card accounts. Here are five examples:

The right to dispute charges: If you believe that a charge on your credit card account is incorrect, you have the right to dispute it with your credit card issuer. You can do this by contacting the issuer and explaining the problem. The issuer is required to investigate the dispute and provide you with a resolution.

The right to a credit limit increase: If you have a good credit history and payment record with your credit card issuer, you have the right to request a credit limit increase. You can do this by contacting the issuer and explaining why you believe you are a good candidate for an increase. The issuer will consider your request and decide whether to grant it.

The right to a low interest rate: If you have good credit and are a loyal customer of your credit card issuer, you may be able to negotiate a lower interest rate on your credit card account. This can be done by contacting the issuer and explaining why you believe you deserve a lower rate.

The right to opt out of over-the-limit fees: Credit card issuers are required to obtain your consent before charging you an over-the-limit fee. You have the right to opt out of this fee by contacting the issuer and requesting that they not charge you this fee.

The right to a fair and accurate credit report: Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, credit reporting agencies are required to maintain accurate and complete information in your credit report. If you believe that your credit report contains errors, you have the right to dispute those errors and have them corrected."

There are limitations

In a disclaimer, the company acknowledges that some of the information may be inaccurate. It appears it got the response to our question mostly right, though the wording was a little confusing in places.

Chat.GPT has also released a new “playground” – a version of the platform where someone can choose a response written in a specific way, such as “Summarize for a second grader.” 

We also submitted the same question to two other platforms. Both answered in bullet point form. Here’s what we got from YouChat:

• The right to dispute billing errors and unauthorized charges [1].

• The right to receive detailed information about transactions on their account.

• The right to opt out of having their account information shared with third parties.

• The right to receive a credit limit increase or decrease without penalty.

• The right to receive protection from unauthorized charges and fraud through the Fair Credit Billing Act.

Here are the responses we got from Chatsonic:

• The right to opt out of certain changes to their accounts. 

• The right to receive 45 days notice before any interest rate increases. 

• The right to a 21-day grace period between billing and payment.

• The right to dispute any errors on their credit card statement.

• The right to be notified if their credit report causes them to be denied credit, insurance or employment.

The downside

Developers note that all three platforms are new and will undoubtedly become more sophisticated over time, which could produce benefits as well as trouble. Already some detractors are pointing out the downside to easily accessible AI.

Check Point Research notes ChatGPT can easily write code and could become an easy way for criminals to make malware and ransomware even more dangerous. Educational institutions are also leery after being shown that the technology could turn out a well-written term paper in about 10 seconds.

Gary Guthrie contributed to this article

Ever claim you didn’t make a purchase that shows up on your credit card? If you have and you actually received the product, it could come back to haunt you.

A new survey by fraud prevention firm Sift reveals that chargeback dispute rates have skyrocketed 35% in the last year. However, the more shocking number is that nearly one in four of the consumers who filed a chargeback claim admit to committing “friendly” fraud, at an average of $192.53 per claim.

“As the economy cools down from historic highs, consumers are looking to save money however they can, luring many to resort to first-party fraud,” said Sift Trust and Safety Architect Brittany Allen. Allen said that the big three fraud categories are also among the largest spending categories and include clothing and electronics.

Typical friendly fraud scenarios

Friendly fraud can show up in any number of ways according to Chargebacks911.

The innocent versions might come from a mom who sees unknown charges on the family’s cell phone bill which she disputes, only to find out later that her son made several in-app purchases on a game that he plays on his phone. “Oops, sorry.”

In fact, things that appeal to children are the most frequent drivers of unauthorized family purchases, according to ChargebackGurus: in addition to in-app purchases in video games, there’s streaming video and music, one-click shopping options on sites like Amazon, and website subscriptions.

Other not-so-guilty versions are where:

• The consumer has buyer’s remorse and, instead of contacting the merchant to convey that, they go the chargeback route instead.

• The item or service wasn’t delivered.

• The item or service was not as described (counterfeit, wrong color, etc.).

• The merchant didn’t cancel a recurring payment when requested.

The sinful versions revolve around a cardholder trying to get something for free. Cyber-shoplifting, if you will.

Defrauders might wait a couple of weeks before calling the credit card’s issuing bank and claiming that they don’t know what the charge is. They request a chargeback and, effectively score a freebie. 

Circling back to when children innocently make charges in-app that mom and dad don’t know about, there's also a wrongful flip-side called “first-party fraud” where family members – usually male, in their 20s, and struggling to make ends meet,  knowingly make a purchase without telling the cardholder. 

Another dishonorable version according to ChargebackGurus is when a customer wants a refund for whatever reason and the merchant won't give it to them. In many of those cases, the consumer files a dispute with the credit card company because they think that if the merchant ripped them off in the first place, the merchant would only lie or stonewall them if they asked for a refund directly.

Other consumers pay the price

Anyone who does even one friendly fraud chargeback is hurting their fellow consumer. That may sound like a stretch but with these chargebacks costing merchants more than $132 billion each year to eat the costs associated with fulfilling a chargeback, they have little choice but to shorten return windows, raise prices, and charge for returns to try and recoup those losses.

Unfortunately, tackling the issue gets even more tricky when a merchant’s customer becomes a fraudster. Until a customer is caught red-handed, merchants have little choice but to acquiesce because they don’t want to run the risk of losing a customer who may, in fact, be honest. 

Whether they’re an honest customer or a deceitful one, the customer is in the driver’s seat and they use that to their advantage. Allen said the majority of consumers – 83% – are less willing to buy from a brand in the future if they have to file a fraud-driven dispute, and 50% say they’d never shop with a seller again if it failed to resolve their dispute within 30 days.

Playing with fire

Friendly fraud is a temptress. If a cardholder gets away with an underhanded chargeback, 40% are likely to do it again within 60 days. One mother-daughter duo became so enamored with the scheme that they disputed charges with 14 credit card companies to defraud everyone from Chanel to the Dollar Store to the tune of $850,000. They were last seen in court in handcuffs.

Anyone who thinks friendly fraud is their proverbial ship coming in is playing with fire and their own financial reputation.

If they’re discovered, there’s a lot that can happen, none of it good. Ken Tumin, the founder of bank account comparison site DepositAccounts, says that people who commit friendly fraud get hit from two sides.

The merchant may choose to blacklist the consumer in which the consumer is no longer able to make purchases from the merchant.

The bank may close the account of the consumer if they think the consumer may be committing chargeback abuse. A closure like that could result in a drop in a consumer’s credit score, but even more concerning is that person may have a tough time finding another bank that will welcome them with open arms.

Banks can make that heat hotter, too

Tumin said that bank account closures can also be recorded into ChexSystems, a company that provides information about the use of deposit accounts by consumers. “Someone who has too many negative marks in ChexSystems may find it difficult to open a bank account,” he said.

And the temperature can go up even higher.

Anyone thinking that a false chargeback is less serious than true fraud – such as stolen cards and identity theft – may want to consider another defense. Merchants will claim that they have to protect themselves from significant financial losses caused by chargeback fraud and, as the mom and daughter deceivers found out, the courts are showing no fear in taking their gloves off. 

If you’ve committed friendly or chargeback fraud, it may be time for a good, hard look in the mirror – unless you think you look good in orange. 

According to law firm Bachner & Associates, PC, making a false chargeback in most states is punishable with a fine or imprisonment. In general, the penalties for credit card fraud vary from one to three years in jail and a fine of $1,000 to $10,000. 

Most new vehicles have advanced technology features. While that's convenient, there is a downside.

A new report suggests that security bugs were found in 16 vehicle brands including Acura, BMW, Ferrari, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Infiniti, Jaguar, Kia, Land Rover, Nissan, Porsche, Rolls Royce, and Toyota. The vulnerabilities, researchers said, could allow a hacker to start, unlock, and track those cars from point to point.

The vulnerabilities can run even deeper, Sam Curry, a web application security researcher, writes. This includes giving a hacker the ability to dig into a vehicle’s API (Application Programming Interface), and create all sorts of havoc. With the right amount of technical savvy, a hacker could completely take over a vehicle owner’s account, allowing them to modify or delete all sorts of personal information. 

Consumers who own those cars and also have SiriusXM installed run an additional risk of having their personal information accessed.

What vehicles are affected and to what extent

The vehicles impacted and some of the problems that Curry said were possible include:

Acura, Honda, Genesis, Hyundai, Infiniti, Kia, Honda, Nissan, 

• Remotely lock and unlock the vehicle, start and stop the engine, precisely locate the vehicle, flash the headlights, honk the horn, and open the trunk.

• Fully take over the owner’s account and access personally identifiable information (PII) including name, phone number, email address, physical address.

• Locks users out of remotely managing their vehicle and changing the ownership of the vehicle.

For Kias specifically, Curry said his team could remotely access the 360-view camera and view live images from the car.

As for Acuras and Hondas, any associated problems have been fixed according to the company.

“Honda is aware of a reported vulnerability involving SiriusXM connected vehicle services provided to multiple automotive brands, which, according to SiriusXM, was resolved quickly after they learned of it," a spokesperson for the company told ConsumerAffairs.

"Honda has seen no indications of any malicious use of this now-resolved vulnerability to access connected vehicle services in Honda or Acura vehicles.”

Ferrari

• Fully take over a Ferrari customer’s account, including access to all customer records

Ford

• Allows access to a customer’s PII as well as the potential to track and execute commands on vehicles

Porsche

• Ability to send and retrieve the geo-location of the vehicle, send vehicle commands, and retrieve customer information via vulnerabilities affecting the vehicle Telematics service

Toyota

• Access to Toyota Financial data that could contain the name, phone number, email address, and loan status of any Toyota financial customer

Jaguar, Land Rover

• Possible access to user account information including name, phone number, physical address, and geo-location of the vehicle. 

All vulnerabilities appear to have been fixed

Curry told SecurityWeek that all of the automakers whose vehicles were affected had patched the vulnerabilities. However, owners of those vehicles should double-check with their dealer to make sure their systems have been updated to prevent threats like these.

“Software updates for your car are typically free. This applies if they correct an issue covered by warranty, fix problems with emissions systems or safety recalls,” CarVoice’s Christopher said.

“If your vehicle lacks [automatic “over-the-air”] update capabilities, you will need to take it to your local dealership. The process of installing software updates on your car is simple and straightforward. It’s included in the warranty, so you shouldn’t have to pay anything extra for it.”

Photo (c) Phillip Rubino - Getty Images

As taxpayers are preparing to file for the 2022 tax season, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is working to amend errors from back in 2020. 

Following the passage of the American Rescue Plan Act in 2021, taxpayers whose annual income was under $150,000 were eligible to exclude $10,200 in unemployment earnings from their 2020 taxes. For married couples filing jointly, each spouse was eligible to exclude that figure. 

For taxpayers who may have overpaid when it comes to unemployment compensation for 2020, the IRS will issue corrections – and even refunds. After reviewing Forms 1040 and 1040-SR, which identified taxpayers who were eligible for this tax credit, the IRS was able to calculate any errors from 2020.  

What taxpayers can expect

So, what should taxpayers expect from this amendment to 2020 taxes? 

Each individual is likely to have a different experience. However, if your account was corrected, you will receive correspondence from the IRS detailing the changes. The correction could mean an additional check from the IRS, or it could translate to a correction on adjusted income on your 2020 tax return. 

Taxpayers should pay close attention to the following tax credits, as the adjusted returns could show up in: the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Recovery Rebate Credit, the Additional Child Tax Credit, the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Premium Tax Credit, or the Advance Premium Tax Credit. 

What to do if you haven’t received corrections from the IRS

While the IRS reported that 14 million returns were adjusted, and 12 million taxpayers received refunds, the agency has advice for taxpayers if their account hasn’t been updated but they were eligible for the unemployment compensation exclusion. 

The IRS recommends filing an amended tax return for 2020, detailing eligibility for the exclusion, as well as any potentially refundable credits. 

For taxpayers who may not know if they are eligible for a correction to their 2020 taxes, or who may have questions about corrections to their 2020 taxes, more information is available here. 

Cross-country motorists often notice that once they cross a state line, the roads either get better or worse. Highway maintenance is largely a function of state government and some states do a better job than others.

ConsumerAffairs researchers have completed a study of roads in all 50 states and ranked the best and worst. To do this, researchers analyzed data from the U.S. Federal Highway Administration and other government agencies. They also surveyed residents throughout the nation to get drivers’ perspectives on their state’s roads.

While funding is a critical function of highway infrastructure and maintenance, the list of states with the worst roads includes both rich and poor states. Louisiana and Mississippi are on the list but so are Hawaii and California. In fact, ConsumerAffairs found roads in Hawaii are the worst in the nation.

Here are the top 10 states with the worst roads:

1. Hawaii

2. Rhode Island

3. Louisiana

4. California

5. Wisconsin

6. Mississippi

7. Arkansas

8. Colorado

9. South Carolina

10. Iowa

Researchers received feedback from a resident of Wai`anae, on Oahu, who said many of the town’s roads “are in need of repair.” A resident of Eunice, La., said most of the roads in Louisiana are in “horrific condition,” and a driver in Egan, La., blamed the poor conditions on the state relying on “patch repairs” rather than fixes that are built to last.

States with the best roads

What states have the best roads and highways? Again, the list contains a few surprises. Two neighboring states in New England are on it, as well as three states in the South.

Here are the top 10 states with the best roads:

1. New Hampshire

2. Minnesota

3. Vermont

4. Alabama 

5. Idaho

6. Kansas

7. Florida

8. Georgia

9. Nevada

10. Indiana

The researchers said they judged states’ roads based on the roughness of the pavement and highway maintenance and safety budgets. Residents of each state were asked to judge their state’s roads and highways on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest. Survey respondents rated their roads at 4.8 out of 10, on average.