Current Events in February 2023

As anyone who’s ever tried to find the absolute cheapest airfares knows, it’s darn near impossible.

No matter where you go to search – be it Expedia or Priceline or the airlines themselves – the prices can vary, sometimes wildly. And once you find one and decide to act on it, sometimes you’re surprised with junk fees that could steal, not seal, the deal.

In its 9th annual Airfare Study, CheapAir.com took a look at 917 million flight prices in more than 8,000 markets across the United States to determine the best times to buy domestic airline tickets. Its goal was to provide travelers with all the insights necessary to navigate the myriad of fare search engines and predictors and get the best airfare value.

Start your search months before

If you really want to find the best deal on a domestic fare, the study suggests that you start at least 70 days out, but that the booking window that offers the lowest flight prices is a bit wider at approximately 1.5 to 5.5 months before departure. 

“This is slightly earlier than previous years when travelers could wait up to three weeks before departure and is likely the result of today's high travel demand, staffing shortages, and fluctuating fuel prices. In order to secure the best deals on flights this year, the message is consistent: book early,” the company researchers said.

CheapAir.com's airfare researchers said that other nuances that could give consumers a leg up on a good deal include the following:       

• Wednesday is the cheapest day of the week to fly. The researchers found that flying out on Wednesday could save an average of $100 per airline ticket compared to the most expensive day, Sunday.

• However, there is no best day of the week to buy an airline ticket. Data show that the average low fare varies by less than $1, no matter what day of the week travelers purchase airline tickets.

• Right now is the perfect time to fly because February is the least expensive month to fly with January following closely behind. Flying in February will save travelers approximately $114 compared to flying in December, the most expensive month to fly (followed by July).

• Airfares remain volatile so don’t be surprised if you see a good fare one day and it vanishes the next. “From the time a trip first goes on sale, fares change 49 times on average and change by an average of $43 each time,” the analysts said.

• The summer travel season requires the earliest timeline to take advantage of the lowest flight prices. Winter, excluding peak holidays, is the bargain season to travel with the shortest window to purchase airline tickets than any other season.

Photo (c) Andrii Yalanskyi - Getty Images

Mortgage interest rates continue to fall and the housing market, left for dead a few months ago, is showing signs of life.

The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) reported this week that mortgage applications rose 7.4% last week from the week before. Some of those applications were to refinance an existing mortgage but the combined increase suggests buyers are beginning to return, just ahead of the spring housing market.

Joel Kan, MBA’s vice president and deputy chief economist, says the continued decline in mortgage rates is a key factor.

“Applications rose last week as the 30-year fixed mortgage rate inched lower to 6.18%, its fifth consecutive weekly decline,” Kan said. “The 30-year fixed rate is almost a percentage point below its recent high of 7.16% in October 2022.” 

One point makes a big difference

One percentage point makes a big difference in the monthly payment, especially on a loan of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Last year, the combination of record-high home prices and a doubling of mortgage rates priced millions of people out of the housing market. Kan says many of those consumers still want to become homeowners.

“Purchase activity that was put on hold last year due to the quick runup in rates is gradually coming back as rates ease and housing demand remains strong, driven by supportive demographics and the ongoing strength in the job market,” he said.

However, the return of buyers to the housing market could limit how much home prices will moderate over the rest of the year. A ConsumerAffairs study, published last summer, showed many people not only expected a housing market “crash,” but were also hoping for one so they could buy homes at a lower price.

More expensive homes

Just a 1% decline in the average mortgage rate has not only drawn more buyers back into the market, Kan says they are able to afford more expensive homes – not good news for those waiting for prices to fall.

“The average loan size on a purchase application increased to $428,500 – the largest average since May 2022,” Kan said. “This increase is a sign that the recent upward trend in purchase activity remains skewed toward larger loan sizes and less first-time homebuyer activity, as entry-level housing remains undersupplied, and buyers struggle with affordability in many markets.”

According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), pending home sales increased in December for the first time since May – another sign that purchase activity is rising. While sales fell 6.5% in the Northeast, they rose 6.1% in the South, where prices tend to be lower.

NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun says mortgage rates will likely level off in the 5.5% to 6.5% range later this year, improving home affordability for some, if only slightly.

It's not something you want to hear, but consumer scammers are getting faster; and smarter. We have Artificial Intelligence (AI) tech to thank for that as the main driver behind the scourge, making these scams more sophisticated and harder to detect. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is warning job seekers about wicked job-hunting scams. AARP called out AI for the stampede of One-Time Password (OTP) bot scams. And with tax season upon us, the IRS raises concerns about tax fraud scams. 

John Gilmore, head of research at DeleteMe, told ConsumerAffairs that the scams of 2023 aren’t the same ones that plagued grandma a decade ago.

When it comes to speed, scammers now have an improved ability to quickly target specific groups of people based on relevant, short-term, real-life events that people may feel the need to respond to quickly – changes in economic trends or specific new benefits programs such as the Covid-19 stimulus checks. 

“Fraud organizations have become better at quickly adapting old methods to new contexts in increasingly convincing ways,” he said.

When it comes to being “smarter,” Gilmore said that the days of heavily misspelled phishing messages from Nigerian princes are long gone, but they have been replaced by organizations that can develop email communications, websites, and log-in or checkout forms that are barely indistinguishable from legitimate, official organizations.

Employment scams

Gilmore said that when it comes to employment-related scams, his company is seeing a glut of fake job offers. Unfortunately, many job-seeking sites are unable to reliably filter out the fake from legitimate employment opportunities.

What scammers have their sights on in an employment scam is getting someone to submit PII (“Personally Identifiable Information”) that can be used in fraud or identity theft (like social security numbers and bank account details for payroll) or try to gain upfront payments from applicants for ‘background checks’ or to pay for hardware the employer promises to provide

How do you prevent being hit by an employment scam? “Always verify the company identity and location from 3rd party sources,” Gilmore said. “Try and call a human being associated with the company before communicating via application platforms. Avoid pursuing job offer links from social media solicitations, [and] do not share any PII other than what is already in your public resume.”

He said that if it’s a legitimate offer, then it’s wise to see if the same company has the same opportunities on its website or on other registered job-seeking sites.

Delivery/shipping scams

ConsumerAffairs has written about delivery scams in the past, but Gilmore says that there’s a growing range of variants around package delivery fraud:

• Fraudulent pre-paid shipping labels; 

• Being notified of a missent item’ where a consumer is asked to forward a package to another destination (often stolen goods themselves already misdirected); or

• Offers of payment to serve as an entrepot for goods being shipped overseas; or eBay-related scams where items are purchased and then returned for refunds as part of money-laundering efforts.  

To prevent any of the new angles from worming their way into your life, Gilmore says to verify any and all messages about package tracking with the original vendor website; make sure any payments sent or received are done via platforms that allow chargebacks in event of non-delivery; and be wary of people who insist on communicating solely on platforms that leave poor records, and are difficult to verify identity, like messaging apps or text-message only.

Tax-benefit/refund-related scams

“With every new federal or state benefit program, fraud organizations see new opportunities.  And new tax-benefits programs bring a range of methods of abuse,” Gilmore advised.

“Scammers are usually faster than the government at communicating with millions of people, and will often get ahead of new programs before they’re even completely implemented – like promised Student Debt Relief which hasn’t yet fully materialized.”

He said the current wrinkle is for scammers to try and convince a person that there’s still an opportunity for them to take advantage of things like an inflation relief fund even though those programs are closed and no longer sending out checks.

“Many special tax credits implemented over the last two years may have expired already – but fraud organizations know that consumers may still be susceptible to claims that they are owed unpaid benefits, and the lure of ‘free money’ remains one of the easiest ways to get people to hand over information,” Gilmore said.

How to avoid scams like this? First and foremost, remember that government tax agencies don’t communicate via phone, email, or text. “If you’re receiving electronic communications about benefits, you can assume they are fake,” he warned, then added three things consumers can do to protect their personal information private and themselves out of an embarrassing situation.

• Keep your account and tax information secure and do not share with any unverified third parties

• Verify the website details of anyone purporting to be a government agency

• File your taxes early: many fraud methods involve the early submission of returns in victims’ names; the earlier you file, the more likely the scammers will be identified.

Football fans will have more bells and whistles thrown at them for the upcoming Super Bowl than they’ve ever had before – if they’re NFL Sunday Ticket subscribers and if they spend a good amount of their Super Bowl LVII viewing on YouTube TV.

Until now, NFL Sunday Ticket has been living on DirecTV, but starting this Fall Google-owned YouTubeTV will take over and the streaming services think it’s a perfect time to promote the digital enhancements fans will get when the shift takes place.

“We think there are a lot of great opportunities to differentiate the user and creator experience with our unique capabilities,” Google Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler told market analysts during a recent earnings call. “Every YouTube viewer who’s interested in the NFL can now have one-click access to the full offering of Sunday Ticket. This will be the first time that Sunday Ticket is available à la carte for fans.”

Google seems determined to make sure its $2 billion annual investment will pay off, too. Schindler hinted that viewers will get a host of features like chatting, commenting, and picture-in-picture functionality.

It’s not free, but the “free trial” angle could work for you

Mind you, all these bells and whistles aren’t a free thing. YouTube TV costs $65 per month – but if you want to play the “free trial offer” angle, you can watch for free, then decide if you want to stick with the plan that offers the first three months for only $55 per.

If you do sign up, you’ll be able to watch YouTube TV’s Super Bowl anywhere – on your desktop or laptop computer’s web browser or phone or tablet apps as well as apps on Apple TV, Samsung and LG smart TVs, Google Chromecast, and gaming consoles for Xbox and PS4/PS5.

During these cold, winter months, many consumers may be thinking of traveling to warmer weather and sunny beaches. But when it comes time to book that vacation, do you know the best places to stay? 

U.S. News & World Report is helping consumers narrow down their list of hotels with its ranking of the best hotels of 2023 in several categories. 

“The travel industry has evolved over the last decade, highlighting the need to support and recognize hotels that maintain excellent standards and consistently provide guests with outstanding hospitality,” said Zach Wilson, senior travel editor at U.S. News. “The 2023 Best Hotels rankings offer a list of dependable places to stay for every type of trip, from solo trips to romantic getaways to family vacations.” 

Where should consumers stay?

When it came time to narrow down the best hotels around the world, the report included data on 35,000 luxury resorts and hotels. Additionally, the biggest factors that influenced the rankings were how many stars the hotels received, the opinions of renowned travel experts, and overall customer experience based on reviews from TripAdvisor. 

In all, there were rankings for:

• Best Hotels in the USA
• Best Resorts in the USA
• Best Hotels in Canada
• Best Resorts in Canada
• Best Hotels in the Caribbean
• Best All-Inclusive Resorts in the Caribbean
• Best Hotels in Mexico
• Best All-Inclusive Resorts in Mexico
• Best Hotels in Bermuda
• Best Hotels in Europe 

So, who won out? 

In the U.S., the top five best hotels were: Acqualina Resort & Residences (Sunny Isles Beach, FL), The Canyon Suites at the Phoenician (Scottsdale, AZ), Pendry West Hollywood (Hollywood, CA), The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (Kiawah Island, SC), and the Inn & Club at Harbour Town (Hilton Head, SC). 

In Europe, the top five best hotels were: the Waldorf Astoria Amsterdam (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), Grand Hotel Tremezzo (Como, Italy), La Réserve Paris – Hotel and Spa (Paris, France), The Goring (London, the U.K.), and the Connaught (London, the U.K.). 

The five best hotels in the Caribbean were: Cap Juluca (Anguilla), Jumby Bay Island (Antigua), Jade Mountain Resort (St. Lucia), Cheval Blanc St-Barth Isle de France (France), and Tortuga Bay (Punta Cana). 

While many consumers may have vacations on the brain and are unsure about where to book their next trip, these rankings can come in handy – whether your trip is domestic, international, or somewhere in the Caribbean. 

Social media has proven to be a highly effective means to raise funds for someone sick, injured, or in crisis. In January when Buffalo Bills safety Demar Hamlin suffered a near-fatal injury on Monday Night Football, his GoFundMe account raised $6 million in a matter of days.

But for all the good uses, scammers use social media for nefarious purposes. Sometimes they get away with it, but not always.

Police in Eldridge, Iowa arrested a 19-year-old woman, charging her with first-degree theft. Officers say Madison Russo collected more than $37,000 in a GoFundMe account to help her in her battle against cancer.

But there was just one problem. Police say Russo didn’t have cancer.

According to police, Russo was active on TikTok throughout much of 2022, posting videos showing her in a hospital gown, hooked up to an IV, and in other healthcare settings. In some videos, she said she had leukemia, in another she was suffering from pancreatic cancer. In all of the videos, she looked tan and remarkably healthy.

Officers who investigated the case subpoenaed her health records and say they found no diagnosis of cancer. They arrested Russo, charging her with stealing from the 439 people who donated to her phony cause.

Police say a search of Russo’s apartment found a number of props, including tubes, IV bags, and a wig. They say the case underscores how people can be vulnerable to fake online appeals for money.

How to spot a fake

GoFundMe says it tries to ensure that all of the funds raised on its platform are used only as stated in the fundraiser story and that all donations are delivered securely to the right person. It says it seeks help from everyone who uses the platform to keep it secure.

According to GoFundMe, the fundraiser page should answer the following:

• How is the organizer related to the intended recipient of the donations?

• What is the purpose of the fundraiser and how will the funds be used?

• Are direct family and friends making donations and leaving words of encouragement?

• Is the intended recipient in control of the withdrawals? If not, is there a clear path for the funds to reach them?

“If any of the points above are missing on the fundraiser, we encourage you to message the organizer by clicking 'Contact' next to their name on their fundraiser to ask for more information.,” the company says on its website.

Excessive credit card late fees that cost consumers about $12 billion a year may soon be a thing of the past.

A proposed rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is designed to help ensure that over-the-top late fee amounts are illegal, reducing late fees by as much as $9 billion per year.

Credit card companies, according to CFPB Director Rohit Chopra, “have exploited a regulatory loophole that has allowed them to escape scrutiny for charging an otherwise illegal junk fee.”

The proposal, he said, “seeks to save families billions of dollars and ensure the credit card market is fair and competitive.”

Gouging the consumer

Regulators point out that if you miss a payment due date, you may be hit with a fee that far exceeds the credit card company’s costs to collect late payments -- even if you pay a few hours after the deadline.

The CFPB adds that these late fees also may be on top of other consequences of paying late, such as a lost grace period on paying interest or a lower credit score.

As an example, companies currently charge people as much as $41 for each missed payment, resulting in billions of dollars in annual junk fee revenue for credit card companies.

Financial and emotional damage

These excessive fees can have a number of consequences for consumers who are hit by them.

“Right now, the max late fee is $29 for a first offense and $40 for any others within the next six months,” said LendingTree Chief Credit Analyst Matt Schulz.

Any change would be good news for consumers. Shultz said “even if you can’t pay in full, you have to make sure that you pay at least the minimum required by your issuer each month. Otherwise, it can do real damage to your credit. You can avoid that by using tools like autopay.”

It isn't just the extra out-of-pocket expense that's damaging.

"The financial stress and difficulties associated with late fees and increased debt can put strain on personal relationships," Levon Galstyan, a Certified Public Accountant at Oak View Law Group, told ConsumerAffairs. "This can make it difficult to maintain strong and supportive personal connections."

What the proposed rule would do

The changes proposed by the CFPB would amend regulations implementing the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 and ensure that late fees meet the Act’s requirement to be “reasonable and proportional” to the costs incurred by issuers to handle late payments.

Specifically, the proposed rule would lower the immunity provision for late fees to $8 for a missed payment as well as end the automatic annual inflation adjustment.

It would also ban late fee amounts above 25% of the consumer’s required payment.

A deal is a deal is a deal, right? Apparently not in the eyes of some unscrupulous auto dealers.

Gradually over the past couple of years, auto dealers have started leveraging so-called “yo-yo’ing” – a scenario where a consumer buys a car, gets it home, and then a few weeks later, gets a call from the dealership saying that their financing wasn’t approved. The kicker is that the consumer could reapply, but at a higher interest rate and monthly payment.

In a new survey conducted by NPR News, 40 consumer attorneys who work on auto cases said they've gotten calls from nearly 900 car buyers in just the past year who say they felt double-crossed by a yo-yo car sale.

And when that happens, the consumer who bought the vehicle could find themselves without the car they bought and without the vehicle they traded in. In the NPR story, a family that was reportedly yo-yo’ed by a Hyundai dealer in Orlando said the experienced left them with no car for a year and dependent on family and friends for rides to doctor’s appointments and getting to and from work.

Yo-yo? No – whoa you!

As ConsumerAffairs found out, there’s not much in the way of blanket protection for the consumer in these situations. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a rule to stop dealerships from employing tactics that can plague consumers throughout the car-buying experience, but that’s not a done deal yet.

In the meantime, protections are a state-to-state thing. According to research done by Lawrence Hodge at Jalopnik, an automotive industry opinion website, different states have different notification timeframe requirements for dealers.

As examples, Hodge points to Maryland where a dealer has just four days to notify a customer if they’re approved or not. In California, it’s just over two weeks.

Without federal protection, a lot of the onus falls on the consumer to make sure they’re not going to be yo-yo’ed. The Auto Fraud Legal Center points out that if someone buys a car that is financed through the dealership, the dealer can cancel the contract, but only if it notifies you within 10 days of the date on the purchase contract.

Still, before anyone puts their John Hancock on a car loan agreement, they need to look at their purchase contract to find out what things could go wrong.

“That’s the long yellow document that says ‘RETAIL INSTALLMENT SALES CONTRACT’ at the top. Turn to the back of the purchase contract, and find the box that says ‘Seller’s Right to Cancel.’ [usually at the bottom of the second column],” the Center wrote.

Fight fire with fire

The FTC suggests that consumers fight fire with fire. For one thing, they can tell the offending dealership that they will report the dealer to the attorney general if they don’t make things right. 

The Auto Fraud Legal Center adds that if the dealership cancels within 10 days, consumers can get either their down payment or trade-in back.

“The purchase contract requires the car dealer to return to you all consideration (i.e., everything) given for the purchase. This includes your trade-in vehicle. If you give a $2,000 down payment and a car as a trade-in, the car dealer must give you back both the $2,000 and the trade-in when you return the car you purchased,” the Center suggested.

And if the dealership says it’s already sold the trade-in? The Auto Fraud Legal Center says that’s another potential problem the buyer needs to ask upfront.

If the language of the purchase contract allows that, the dealership may only have to pay back the value of the trade-in as listed on the purchase contract, (2) the fair market value, or (3) what the car dealer received when it sold your trade-in.

Even though a dealership may turn out to be the bad actor in situations like these, car manufacturers don’t want any part of it. Before buying a car, it may be wise to do a web search for "retail installment sales contract plus the brand name. ConsumerAffairs found that Volkswagen and Ford both offer explanations of those contracts. It’s a safe assumption that other major automakers do, too.

On the CNBC stock picking program “Fast Money,” each show ends with the four panelists – all professional traders – naming a “final trade.” 

In normal times the traders name a stock they would buy the next day. But on Monday’s program, all four traders named stocks they would sell. Such is the stock market in 2023.

The stock market began the year with a strong and surprising rally. But then on Friday, February 3, the Labor Department reported the U.S. economy created more than 500,000 jobs in January.

Ordinarily, that would be great news since it means a half-million more Americans are gainfully employed. But the news sparked a sharp sell-off on Friday with stocks beginning this week drifting even lower.

The reason? The Federal Reserve wants unemployment to rise, not fall. Its policy of raising interest rates is designed to slow the economy to reduce inflation.

Many market observers have said Wall Street traders had convinced themselves that inflation is easing and the Fed would not only stop raising rates but might even cut rates later this year. Friday’s employment report was a cold splash of reality.

Inflation fight far from over

Neel Kashkari, president of the Minneapolis Federal Reserve Bank, says the jobs report is strong evidence that the fight against inflation isn’t over and more pain could be ahead.

“We have a job to do. We know that raising rates can put a lid on inflation,” Kashkari said on CNBC Tuesday morning. “We need to raise rates aggressively to put a ceiling on inflation, then let monetary policy work its way through the economy.”

The Fed started raising rates about a year ago when the federal funds rate was practically 0%. With nearly free money, the stocks of unprofitable companies soared, especially during the pandemic. The cost of borrowing money for these companies is now much higher, weighing on stock prices.

The Fed’s key interest rate is now floating between 4.5% and 4.75%. Kashkari says the rate should keep rising to around 5.4%.

“So far we’re not seeing much of an imprint of our tightening to date on the labor market,” he said. “There’s some evidence that it’s having some effect, but it’s pretty muted so far.” 

Digital assets are suffering

Stocks aren’t the only asset class taking a beating in a rising interest rate environment. Home prices in many housing markets are well off their record highs because many would-be buyers can’t afford the higher mortgage rates.

Digital assets have also suffered. For example, Bored Ape Yacht Club, often referred to as Bored Apes, is a non-fungible token (NFT) collection based on the Ethereum blockchain. The collection features pictures of cartoon apes that are generated by a computer algorithm.

During the pandemic, it and other NFTs were extremely popular and prices surged. In January 2022 Bored Apes was worth a reported $346 million. A year later, its value had dropped 80% to $67.7 million.

Digital currencies such as bitcoin are also sharply lower over the last 12 months. A year ago bitcoin sold for $48,000. This week the price of bitcoin is just under $23,000.

Consumer complaints about customer service have generally been rising across nearly all industries since the pandemic but wireless providers may have finally flipped the script. At least, that’s the finding of a new study.

J.D. Power’s 2023 U.S. Wireless Customer Care Study (Vol.1) found that more wireless providers have improved how they deal with customers, including reducing the time it takes to resolve a problem. On J.D. Power’s customer satisfaction scale, wireless providers have improved their standing by 14 points.

“After a period of fighting through staffing challenges and investing heavily in more dynamic, advanced tool-enabled digital customer support solutions, wireless providers are now reaping the dividends of that hard work in the form of faster customer care resolution and more satisfied customers,” said Ian Greenblatt, managing director of technology, media & telecom at J.D. Power. 

“It is particularly noteworthy that we’re seeing consistent improvement in both digital/automated and live channels via interaction with in-store and phone-based representatives. It is clear from the data that the top-performing wireless providers take a systemic, channel-coordinated approach to customer care and problem resolution.”

Praise for people

ConsumerAffairs has noted more positive reviews of wireless providers in the last 12 months.

Back in late November, Roxanne, of Mound, Minn., had nice things to say about the staff at a T-Mobile store in Chaska, Minn.

“Thank you to Erin, Nick and Josh…for making our Black Friday shopping experience that we were dreading so absolutely fabulous!” Roxanne wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “They each had the patience to answer all of our questions, explain what we needed to do and when, and even giving us a follow-up call.”

Hartney, of Mason, Ohio also credited the AT&T staff she encountered for making her experience a positive one.

‘Made my day’

“I had an issue with my husband's phone and called customer service feeling frustrated but was greeted by this wonderful young man named Torron!” Hartley told us. “He had such great energy and a positive attitude that it just made my day better!”

According to J.D. Power’s rankings, T-Mobile had the best showing among major providers  with a score of 829 on a 1,000 point scale. Metro by T-Mobile ranked highest in the mobile virtual network operators segment with a score of 832, followed by Cricket (830) and Boost Mobile (825).

Consumer Cellular ranked highest in the value mobile virtual network operators segment for the 14th consecutive volume with a score of 869, followed closely by Mint Mobile, with a score of 864.

Can someone hack your phone through a QR code? Can a scammer steal your personal and financial information via a QR code? Can a bad actor encrypt your device until you pay a ransom? Yes, yes, and yes.

A year ago, the FBI raised fears that those possibilities were real and now security and privacy experts are raising the ceiling on those fears even higher. They pose questions about how the general public can protect themselves when they’re scanning QR codes to view confirm package deliveries, add time to a parking meter, or in an advertisement.

“Unfortunately as the popularity of QR codes has increased with the public, its popularity has also increased with scammers who are setting up phony QR codes to lure you to their bogus website where they solicit personal information used for identity theft or persuade you to make a payment with a credit card,” attorney Steven Weisman, wrote for Scamicide. 

“Or even in some instances, merely by scanning the phony QR code, you will download harmful malware such as ransomware or even malware that will enable the scammer to take over your email account.” 

And the possibilities are infinite. When ConsumerAffairs dug into all the ways that QR codes could be clandestinely turned into digital weapons, we found everything from digital business cards, menus, social media links, getting an app, opening a PDF, showing a location, to sending a text message, making a phone call, making payments, getting rewards and discounts and starting a WhatsApp conversation.

How bad can a fake QR code mess up your life?

As Yaniv Masjedi at Aura points out, there’s “technically” no such thing as a “fake” QR code. “The codes themselves aren’t dangerous — it’s how they’re used that can become problematic,” he says.

The real trouble is a rabbit hole that the scammers have built, and once they get a victim inside, there are few ways to burrow out. Here’s everything that could go wrong:

• You could be redirected to a phishing website. With things like Photoshop and website builders in their treasure box, a scammer can easily make you believe that you’ve landed on a real big brand website – one that most people will never detect as fake. Once you’ve taken that bait, they then ask for your sensitive information. “But anything you enter — name, contact information, credit card number — goes to the scammer and can be used to steal your identity,” Masjedi said.

• Your device could be infected by malware. Masjedi continued – “QR codes can also download malicious software onto your device such as malware, ransomware, and trojans. These viruses can spy on you, steal your sensitive information or files (like photos and videos), or even encrypt your device until you pay a ransom.”

• If the scammer is good at their game, a QR code could send an email from your account. On top of designing QR codes to send people to websites, scammers can also program the codes to open payment sites (think PayPal or Venmo), follow social media accounts, and send pre-written emails. 

Is there a solution?

The good news is that there are ways people can protect themselves. The bad news is that most of them are very granular and take extra work.  

“The first step to protecting yourself is to always check the URL of any website the QR code takes you to that requests a payment or personal information,” Weisman said. “If the URL does not begin with https, but only begins with http, you know it is a scam.”

When it comes to updates on orders from places like Amazon or deliveries from UPS or FedEx, Weisman suggests refraining from using the QR code and going directly to your account rather than through the QR code. 

“If you receive an unordered package with a QR code to scan for instructions to return it, go directly to your account at a legitimate company, such as Amazon rather than use the QR code.  And just like you shouldn't click on links in social media posts unless you have absolutely confirmed they are legitimate, the same holds true for QR codes in social media.  Trust me, you can't trust anyone.”

If you have a recent smartphone – ones with iOS 13 and above and Android 9 and above – Beaconstac says that those come equipped with advanced QR Code readers. So you really don’t need to download any third-party app.

But if you have an older phone – or simply want to add another level of security – ConsumerAffairs found these two apps as the best-rated possible solutions:

• Kaspersky’s QR Code Reader and Scanner: GooglePlay 4.4*; Apple App Store 4.6*

• QR & Barcode Reader by Gamma Play: GooglePlay 4.5*; Apple App Store 4.3*

McDonald’s had no sooner put a bun on its plot to overthrow its chicken-driven competition than Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) responded. The Colonel’s counter offensive is a one-two punch of wraps available immediately nationwide – one directed at younger diners who can bolster some demographic growth for the chain. 

And the younger crowd is important to the company. In an interview, KFC Chief Marketing Officer Nick Chavez noted that the new wraps are an integral piece of the company’s wide-ranging strategy to expand its customer base. Just a year ago, it partnered with young American rapper Jack Harlow to kickstart its foray into that segment. 

While McDonald’s latest chicken push doesn’t include a wrap, it’s not like its fans didn’t try. During covid, some McDonald’s chicken wrap fans took to Change.org to try and coax the company to bring back the item which has been mothballed since 2016. However, the effort probably didn’t move the needle enough to get company brass to sit up and take notice – only 16,955 signed the petition in two years. 

Get it while it’s hot – and cheap!

To celebrate their release, those looking for a meal on the go or a deal can enjoy two KFC wraps for just $5. The company’s announcement didn’t say how long the new items will be available, other than to say for a “limited time.”

Trying to find a twist that gives it some uniqueness over McDonald’s, Popeye’s, and Chick-fil-A, but doesn’t put it crossways against its Yum! Brands sister Taco Bell, KFC’s new wraps come with two options.

One is a Classic Chicken Wrap – a hand-breaded Extra Crispy Tender, crunchy pickles and creamy mayo, wrapped up in a warm tortilla – and the other is a Spicy Slaw Chicken Wrap which embodies an Extra Crispy Tender in a flavorful mix of KFC coleslaw, spicy sauce and crispy pickles.

New car dealers continue to sing the blues. The pandemic limited sales because of supply chain bottlenecks resulting in rising prices. But there may be a silver lining for consumers willing to consider a used model.

Now that the supply chains are improving, prices remain high and consumers have taken notice. The Wall Street Journal reports the lack of affordable options has dampened new car sales over the last few months.

Interest rates are a large contributing factor. Thanks to the Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate tightening policy the interest rate on new car loans is several points higher than a year ago.

At the same time, used car prices are falling – meaning a buyer’s trade-in is worth less. The Journal reports new car supplies remain limited and the vehicles that are most available are among the most expensive. Heading into 2023, inventories of new cars are about half pre-pandemic levels.

Dealers expect the pressure on new-car buyers will hurt vehicle sales until availability improves, which analysts say should lead car makers to offer more discounts. While vehicle inventories are rebuilding, they remain at about half of pre-pandemic levels, and automakers expect relatively tight supplies to last at least through this year. 

To counter these trends some dealers are getting creative. According to Pymnts.com, online sellers are trying to speed up the sales process, something that tends to make both dealers and buyers happy. More dealers are moving to an extended test-drive period, allowing buyers to try out the vehicle for as long as two weeks.

Used car prices headed lower

That said, consumers who need a new set of wheels might do better to go to the used car lot. After hitting all-time highs early last year, prices of used cars have significantly fallen.

“These last three years have been extremely volatile for the market, and these declines follow record increases, Cox Automotive Chief Economist Jonathan Smoke said recently. “In December 2021, we were up 47% year over year. The pre-pandemic levels will likely never return, but all indicators point to reaching equilibrium in the second half of 2023.”

Industry experts say used car prices should continue to fall throughout the year, even as new cars and trucks get more expensive. Cox Automotive reported last month that the average new vehicle sold for $49,507 in December. The average used car sold $27,143 in December, $1,050 less than a year earlier.

As services like DoorDash and Uber Eats make it easier than ever for consumers to get just about anything they want delivered right to their doors, Drizly and Gopuff are now making alcohol deliveries more accessible to consumers across the country. 

The companies announced a new partnership that will allow consumers nationwide to get on-demand delivery of their favorite alcoholic beverages. 

“As we continue to build the best shopping experience for beverage alcohol, teaming up with Gopuff is our next step in offering consumers convenient delivery options for drinks,” said Blaine Grinna, senior director of retail ops at Drizly. “Drizly’s infrastructure for alcohol e-commerce coupled with Gopuff’s network of commerce locations will extend the ease of on-demand delivery of beer, wine, and spirits nationwide and help even more consumers of legal drinking age shop the best drinks for the moment.” 

Getting deliveries will be easier than ever

The goal of the new partnership is to make it easier than ever for consumers to get their favorite alcoholic beverages delivered directly to their homes, while also expanding the alcohol delivery options across the country.  

The companies explained that by working together, they’ll be able to reach even more consumers. Liquor Barn, Gopuff Liquor and BevMo! will now all be available through Drizly in more than half the country, including Ohio, Florida, New York and Texas.  

Additionally, the Gopuff platform will be equipped to deliver alcohol in states where this had previously not been available. Liquor Barn stores will now be available through Gopuff across the state of Kentucky, and nearly 20 BevMo! stores will join the site in states like Washington and Arizona. 

Consumers can access these new delivery options by downloading the Drizly app on the Apple app store or Google Play store, or by visiting Drizly.com. 

The 2023 Super Bowl is barely more than a week away and unlike the last couple of years, consumers will have an easier time getting some of the prime food favorites for Super Bowl Sunday – and be able to save money, too.

FoodMarket is reporting that advertisements from grocery stores are already showcasing deals on party essentials. Following up on that, ConsumerAffairs did indeed find Albertsons, Aldis, and Target featuring promotional deals on items like deli trays, cheese and crackers, and wine and beer. 

But what about chicken wings?

However, while there’s plenty of chicken wings to go around – and plenty of mouths ready for their return to the fold – the deals on wings aren’t quite as robust. 

Matt Busardo, poultry market reporter at Urner Barry said that even though demand for wings has picked up and processors and distributors seem to be ready for the onslaught, nationwide promotions aren’t happening on a large scale.

"Our jumbo whole wing quotes have moved over 20% higher since the start of the year,” added Busardo. Urner Barry's East jumbo whole wing quotation is currently situated at $.93 per pound. This is a staggering 65% decline from last year's record-high levels. 

As for non-chicken protein, there’s plenty to be had as well, not to mention a few discounted price points.

For example, meat grinds (burgers, sausages, hot dogs, etc.) is up a tad (1.4%) so far this year, but down 12% from a year ago. This might not make Chiefs fans drool, but lower the price of a cheesesteak in front of an Eagles fan and that’s a touchdown waiting to happen.

Philly cheesesteak

"A typical Philly cheesesteak sandwich is made from thinly sliced ribeyes. Ribeyes posted a stronger than expected rally into the new year, combined with a better than expected grade picture, select and no-roll ribeyes are finding contra seasonal support," said Todd Unger, a boxed beef market researcher at Urner Barry. 

Urner Barry's 112A 3 Lip-On, Boneless Up Select quote is $7.73 per hundredweight, down from $8.03 for Super Bowl LVI. 

Nonetheless, Kansas City fans aren’t completely left out because finger foods like ribs could be an affordable selection.

"While pulled pork is the main item seeing Super Bowl demand, ribs are seeing moderate demand," noted Ryan Hojnowski, a pork market reporter and analyst at Urner Barry. 

Urner Barry's trimmed sparerib medium quotation sits at $1.27 per pound, down nearly 21% from last year's level. 

"Pork butts are definitely the biggest beneficiary from the Super Bowl so far," added Ryan Hojnowski. At present, Urner Barry's pork butt 1/4 trimmed quote resides at $1.01 per pound, 13.5% higher than the prior five-year average.