Current Events in June 2023

A fraudster’s best friend may be sitting right on your wrist. Cybercriminals are taking advantage of a new breed of scam via fitness trackers and health apps, according to cybersecurity company NordVPN.

And like many other data thieves, they’re feasting on what consumers have allowed social media networks to glean from gadgets like Fitbit and popular exercise apps.

All it takes is craftily befriending users to share their exercise goals. Once that box is checked, then it’s off to mining personal information or manipulating them into sending over money. 

“The trend in fitness tracker fraud shows it’s no longer enough just keeping an eye out for scammers while on your mobile or laptop — now they could be targeting you on the treadmill,” Marijus Briedis, cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said.

“Once a scammer has you in their sights, what begins as bonding over a recent workout can quickly turn into a form of social engineering where they seek to mine as many personal details as possible while your guard is down. This can ultimately lead to attempts to manipulate you with fake personal stories, investment ‘opportunities’ or even identity theft.”

Stopping the scammers in their tracks

This is such a new wrinkle that there's no single switch to flip to stop these fraudsters, yet, there are individual app permissions you can turn off to protect what’s most important to you. 

Note: iOS and Android app permissions may be named differently, depending on the version of your operating system, so it may take a bit of extra digging to determine what’s what.

When it comes to fitness apps, the first line of defense is to avoid sharing any personally identifying information and keeping a basic ‘vanilla’ profile on your online groups, using an avatar or no picture at all.

“As with romance scams, beware of any requests from strangers, chats that veer away from fitness topics, or attempts to move the conversation onto another website or app,” Briedis added.

But, don’t stop there.

"While some running or cycling apps will request special access to your location settings to track your favorite routes, there’s no excuse for a blood pressure checker getting hold of your call history or being able to see your photos. As a minimum, make sure that any fitness apps you add allow you to delete your data,” he said.

The phone camera

If you give an app access to your camera, you’ve made the app developer very happy. With that permission, an app can take pictures and record videos as you might expect, but the Nord VPN researchers caution that some apps may misuse this permission to access your camera without your knowledge. When that happens, all bets are off and a fraudster can invade your privacy.

If you don’t want that to happen, you should only grant access to your camera to trusted apps that actually require camera functionality, such as your camera app.

“Sometimes camera requests make sense for other apps too. For example, social media apps may need it for video calls or posts, while other apps may require it to scan QR codes,” the researchers said. “But if you need help determining whether you trust the app enough, you can always grant access to your camera only when the app is in use.”

Microphone

Another entry point for someone who wants to invade your life and plunder your personal privacy is your phone’s microphone. Just like the camera, you should inspect which apps can access it, too. Some make perfect sense – like Google Assistant or texting via voice – but if you don’t see a significant reason for an app to access your microphone, stay on the safe side and deny the request.

Files and media

Apps with access to your files and media can read, modify, or delete the content on your device, including your sensitive files, photos, and videos. Some of the more notorious ones are apps that claim to clean junk files and save battery life.

Trusted brand apps that truly need access to your photos, such as Google Photos, or security software that needs to scan your files for malware, such as Norton, should be safe, but any off-brand apps should be chosen carefully.

Location

One line that apps like to wave their foot over hoping to cross into a person’s every move is the one with location settings. Google Maps? No problem. But, do you want Facebook to know where you are at all times?

United Airlines has just made Transportation Secretary Pete Buddideg happy. The company’s latest app helps take the airline off the hook when it comes to addressing at least part of a consumer’s rights on cancellations and delays.

Now, instead of stressing out and waiting in line to talk to an agent or search for options when a flight has been disrupted, United’s new self-service tool automatically presents travelers with personalized re-booking options, bag tracking information, as well as meal and hotel vouchers. 

The company’s decision came from finding itself in a tough spot. Even though United had the lowest mainline flight and seat cancellation rates of any airline in the U.S. in the first quarter of 2023, it still has the most flights impacted by weather given the location of four of its seven major domestic hubs – Chicago, Washington D.C., Denver, and Newark.

"Our goal is to get our customers to their destination on time, but we know things don't always go as planned and that's when a tool like this can make a real difference," said Linda Jojo, chief customer officer for United. 

If you fly United, here’s how it works

Suppose you’re flying United this summer and run into an issue, forcing your flight to be delayed by more than 60 minutes or even canceled completely. In that case, you should automatically see all available options for delays and cancellations on the home screen of the United mobile app. 

Here's how it works:

• Get notified: Before you do anything else, click the link in the automatic text notification or enter flight details in the mobile app or united.com to open the tool. Once you do that, your reservation is already loaded in the app, and you’ll see a prompt right on the home screen.

• Check flight and re-booking status: Step two is to confirm the status of your flight and see if you've been re-booked. If you want another flight option, United also offers those and lets you book based on your preference.

• Track your bags: Follow the status of your checked luggage to see when it is checked in, loaded on your flight and received at your final destination.

• View eligible vouchers: Receive hotel, meal and/or rideshare vouchers if eligible.

• Connect to a United customer service agent virtually: Call, text or video chat with a United agent who can offer the same assistance as the agents at the airport.

What it doesn’t cover… yet

While United’s new app takes some of the sting out of a canceled or delayed flight, the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) customer service dashboard says there are still some holes in what it would like the airline to do. Those include:

• Cash compensation when a cancellation results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time
• Credit/travel voucher when cancellation results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time
• Frequent flier miles when cancellation results in passenger waiting for 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time

​However, United isn't the only major U.S. carrier that hasn't stepped up to make those perks available to stranded passengers. American, Delta, Southwest, et al yet to have agreed to those caveats, as well.

As of now, according to the agency's dashboard, JetBlue and Alaska Airlines are the only ones offering credit/travel vouchers when cancellation results in passengers waiting for three hours or more from the scheduled departure time.

And only Alaska offers frequent flier miles when cancellation results in passengers waiting for 3 hours or more from the scheduled departure time.

Energy drinks are popular with many young people but older folks might develop a taste for them too as the result of a new study.

Researchers writing in the journal Science have found that taurine, a supplement found in energy drinks as well as some other foods, may slow the aging process. Their study of animals who received taurine found it helped them live longer.

After determining that the amount of this semi-essential amino acid decreases in humans and animals as they age, the researchers wanted to find out if boosting taurine would help.

“Supplementation with taurine slowed key markers of aging such as increased DNA damage, telomerase deficiency, impaired mitochondrial function, and cellular senescence,” the study authors wrote. “Loss of taurine in humans was associated with aging-related diseases, and concentrations of taurine and its metabolites increased in response to exercise. Taurine supplementation improved life span in mice and health span in monkeys.”

Blood concentration of taurine declines with age in mice, monkeys, and humans. To investigate whether this decline contributes to aging, the researchers fed taurine or a control solution once a day to middle-aged, wild-type female and male mice until the end of their lives. 

The results

The mice that got the taurine, both male and female, lived longer than the mice that did not get the supplement. How much longer?

The scientists say the median life span of taurine-treated mice increased by 10% to 12%, and life expectancy at 28 months increased by about 18% to 25%. 

“A meaningful antiaging therapy should not only improve life span but also health span, the period of healthy living,” the researchers wrote. “We, therefore, investigated the health of taurine-fed middle-aged mice and found an improved functioning of bone, muscle, pancreas, brain, fat, gut, and immune system, indicating an overall increase in health span. We observed similar effects in monkeys.”

Other sources of taurine

You don’t have to consume energy drinks to get a boost of taurine. It’s also found in meat and fish. It’s also available in supplement form.

The Mayo Clinic advises that taurine, in certain amounts, is a safe ingredient in energy drinks. However, it cautions that energy drinks have other ingredients, such as caffeine, that may be problematic.

The big question, however, is whether taurine supplements will improve health or increase longevity in humans. The researchers say the next step is to conduct clinical trials using human subjects.

As always, any change in diet or supplement use should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

Ford recalls a lot of cars and trucks. In late May the automaker recalled 175,000 Broncos to address a seatbelt issue. Earlier this month it recalled 422,000 Explorers and Aviators to repair a problem with the rearview camera display.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has now opened an investigation into one of Ford’s previous recalls to determine whether the remedy was adequate. That recall, issued in March and April 2022, covered 710,000 Explorer SUVs and was meant to address reports of power loss.

According to NHTSA, the problem involved a rear axle horizontal mounting bolt that may fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect. The safety regulator is investigating to make sure the remedy Ford devised fixed the problem.

At the time, Ford said its remedy was focused on preventing so-called “roll-aways.” The remedy was designed to prevent vehicles from moving when left in “park” without the parking brake applied.

The issue popped up on NHTSA’s radar screen after the agency said it received two reports claiming a loss of power on the rear wheels in Explorer models that had undergone the remedy.

Did the remedy work?

According to NHTSA, Ford’s remedy involved updating the software that automatically applies the “electronic service parking brake” to keep the vehicle stationary. The agency said the automaker did not provide a remedy to address the failed rear axle horizontal mounting bolt "which is the basis of this safety issue and the cause of the impaired vehicle." 

"We are working with NHTSA to support their investigation as we always do," Ford said in a statement.

As ConsumerAffairs reported  last September, Ford was leading all other automakers at the time in the number of recalls in 2022 with 7.5 million. By way of comparison, GM only had 2 million at the time.

How about this for a neat movie concept: A plumber named Mario travels through an underground labyrinth with his brother, Luigi, trying to save a captured princess and steal a whole bunch of someone's private credentials.

Like it? Probably not -- it's a movie plot no consumer wants to star in.

But, the billion dollar box office popularity of the Super Mario Brothers Movie has brought many freeloading consumers a Mushroom Kingdom of privacy pain.

Some fans have decided to try and find free downloads of the movie -- skipping the box office or paying streaming services like Amazon Prime and Apple TV $25 to watch the movie. But those cheapskate consumers are quickly finding out that what those sites say is a download of the movie is really a method to get the penny-pinching movie watcher to upload their money and personal information instead.

Where things get scammy

Trying to watch an illegal version of a movie is not only against the law, but it could also lead to you getting scammed. Many of these scam websites and bad files will ask you to take a survey before you can watch the free, pirated movie.

These surveys might ask for your personal information, like your credit card number, which could in turn be used by identity thieves. Sometimes, these websites with bad files will even go further – downloading harmful software onto your phone or computer.

“The first and foremost tip is not to use illegal streaming services,” Steve Weisman of Scamicide, said. “Don't trust search engine searches to provide you with legitimate websites for streaming services. A prominent position in a Google or other search engine search only means that the websites appearing high were adept at understanding the algorithms used to position websites.”

Weisman says that if you refrain from using a credit card as a means of verification, you could also keep yourself from harm. He notes the credit card verification angle often gets played by scammers as a way to verify that the target is located in a country where the website was licensed to distribute the movie.

However, there isn’t a country on the planet where pirated movies are legal. None.

“Another red flag that indicates that the website offering to provide a movie for free is a scam is the extension used for the video file. Common extensions for video files are avi, mkv and mp4,” Weisman advises. “However, malware-loaded files often end in .exe so that if you see that extension on the attached file, you know it is a scam.”

“Finally, as always, you should have unique passwords for all of your online accounts so that in the event that a password on one of your accounts is hacked or otherwise compromised, all of your accounts will not be in jeopardy.”

Plant-based meat now has a new competitor at the supermarket. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the sale of meat produced in a lab. 

Technically, it’s known as “cell-cultivated” meat, and two companies, UPSIDE Foods and Good Meat, will be the first to produce it for sale to consumers. The product is produced by using real chicken cells. According to UPSIDE Foods, its lab-grown chicken will be 99% chicken cells.

"I'm thrilled to share that cultivated meat will now be available for consumers in the U.S.," said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of UPSIDE Foods. "This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table.”

“It's a giant step forward towards a more sustainable future - one that preserves choice and life. We are excited to launch with our signature, whole-textured UPSIDE chicken and can't wait for consumers to taste the future."

It will appear first on restaurant menus

UPSIDE has processed the first order of its cultivated chicken, placed by Chef Dominique Crenn. The cultivated chicken will be on the menu in the U.S. in limited quantities through select restaurant partners, starting with Crenn's restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco.

The company said it will continue its work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA to bring its next consumer products to market, including sausages, nuggets, and dumplings.

Good Meat says cellular agriculture technology traditionally uses Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) as the growth medium to cultivate animal cells into the muscle, fat, and connective tissues that form meat. But the company says it has found efficient and economical methods to make its product without FBS.

Whether lab-grown chicken is a hit with consumers will likely come down to two factors – taste and cost. But some in the food and agriculture industries see the development as a pivotal point, changing the entire way food gets to the table.

The spring housing market finally showed up last month. After declines in March and April, sales of existing homes actually increased in May, albeit only slightly.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports home sales edged up by 0.2% in May from the previous month but remained 20% lower than in May 2022. While mortgage rates above 6% may have contributed to the recent slowdown in sales, there is increasing evidence that the lack of available homes also plays a major role.

NAR reports the inventory of unsold homes increased by 3.8% last month, a significant one-month gain, and gave buyers more options. But inventory levels are still near all-time lows.

Greg McClure, president and broker at Realty ONE Group in Sacramento, says his local market is doing well but would do better with more listings.

“Sales are trending up, home prices are trending up but inventory will remain an issue through the rest of the year,” McClure recently told ConsumerAffairs. “The lack of inventory will continue to hold the market back. With interest rates expected to stabilize and more buyers entering the market we will find ourselves in a micro situation of 18 months ago with many more buyers than available homes."

More stable mortgage rates

Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, says there are clear signs that mortgage rates have begun to stabilize.

"Mortgage rates heavily influence the direction of home sales," Yun said. "Relatively steady rates have led to several consecutive months of consistent home sales."

In more good news for prospective homebuyers, NAR reports prices were slightly lower last month. The median existing-home price for all housing types in May was $396,100, a decline of 3.1% from May 2022, when the median price was more than $400,000. Prices grew in the Northeast and Midwest but fell in the South and West.

But in a sign the overall market remains highly competitive, properties typically remained on the market for 18 days in May, down from 22 days in April. Seventy-four percent of homes sold in May were on the market for less than a month.

Having a hard time sleeping? You’re not alone. Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, there’s been a surge in sleep disorders, with two out of three Americans saying their ability to get a good night’s sleep has become a big problem.

And what do consumer innovators do with big problems? They create answers. In this case, also because they'd probably like a piece of the global sleep aids market that's well on its way to $112 billion of annual revenue. 

But it’s not just melatonin and CBD that companies are using to beat a path to the bank. Now, food innovators have decided there’s a way to make some money from the problem by bringing nighttime snacks to sleep’s rescue.

Cereal, chocolate, ice cream, drinks, and other foodstuffs are walking the fine line between the belief that late-night snacking is bad and that just a little of their product will send a user off to LaLa Land.

“Humans are hardwired to store excess calories as it gets closer to bedtime. Cravings for calorie-dense foods peak at night as does overall appetite. Willpower weakens. It’s a perfect storm, and it traps hundreds of millions of us every week,” Sean Folkson, CEO of Minneapolis-based Nightfood, told FoodDive.

And the power players in the global food and beverage world are all over this. Nestlé has its Good Night chocolate, Post has its nighttime cereal Sweet Dreams, and Pepsi has Driftwell, a product dosed with L-theanine to help promote relaxation and de-stress.

How smart – or dumb – is this?

Many being robbed of a good night’s sleep are desperate to find an answer to their problems, even having a “fourth” meal of the day. But sleep experts warn that sleep-inducing munching can be both good and bad.

Avigail Lev, Founder & Director at Bay Area CBT Center, told ConsumerAffairs that on the plus side of the equation, there are some potential health benefits.

“Sleep-friendly snacks may incorporate ingredients like tryptophan-rich foods, melatonin, rice bran, and vitamins, which have shown promise in promoting better sleep,” she said. “These products could offer potential health benefits beyond inducing sleep.”

On the other side of the equation are four things that concern Lev. The main one is sleep disruption risk.

“Some studies suggest that snacking before bed can lead to sleep disruptions, which contradicts the purpose of sleep-inducing food products. Consumers should be cautious and mindful of their individual sleep patterns and sensitivities,” she told us.

Another problem is taste challenges. As you imagine, incorporating certain sleep-inducing ingredients, such as valerian root, into food products while maintaining palatability isn’t as easy as mixing chocolate and peanut butter and can be quite the challenge.

Lev says consumers should also be aware that going the eat-to-sleep route is not a quick fix. “While sleep-friendly snacks may contribute to overall sleep health and well-being, they are not a guaranteed solution for sleep problems. Consumers should not rely solely on these products and should consider comprehensive approaches to improving sleep, such as maintaining a healthy diet and sleep routine,” she emphasized, adding that the effectiveness of these products can vary among individuals.”

Is CBT-I the answer?

Not everyone is buying this eat your way to a restful night's sleep. Dr. Robert Philip Lindeman, for one, told ConsumerAffairs that he's not impressed. 

"I know of no evidence that snacking before bed is beneficial for sleep. To the contrary, I suspect that regardless of the composition of the snack, eating before bed would interfere with sleep, metabolism -- hence, weight gain -- stress levels, and the ability to exercise the next day," he said.

Dr. Shelby Harris, the director of Sleep Health at Sleepopolis, said the reality is that there’s zero significant scientific data behind these products.

"While they may contain certain amounts of ingredients for things that in limited studies have been shown to set the stage for sleep, there’s no regulation on the amounts in each product, and people might consume differing amounts," she said.

She thinks these products may have some value for someone with occasional sleep issues, but for someone with routine issues, they should seek help from a sleep specialist.

"If there are issues with insomnia, non-medication approaches such as CBT for insomnia [are] considered the gold standard treatment for insomnia, ahead of mediation, as it has the most solid data behind it.”

CBT-I (cognitive behavior therapy for insomnia) is a therapy that explores the connection between the way we think, the things we do, and how we sleep.

People who have trouble sleeping may also have other health conditions. The problem and potential remedies should be discussed with a healthcare professional.

The next time you check into a hotel, travel experts say there are lots of things – freebies, upgrades, a room far away from non-stop plonks of the ice machine – consumers are leaving to luck. You might not get anything, but as they say, the worst thing that can happen is that the clerk says no.

A simple “Hey, how’s your day?” spoken to the clerk always gets the ball rolling. After all, they are the most important person you’ll probably ever meet at the hotel.

“You’re checking into a hotel with a person most of the time. That person has good days and bad days, they can help you if they want,” suggests Gary Leff from ViewFromTheWing.

“Or stick you in an odd-shaped room without any natural light. You want to develop a rapport with the agent. Theirs is a generally-thankless job, except where tipping is involved. They deal with everyone else’s problems. Be nice.”

Know what you really want

Leff says that you shouldn’t go in with a laundry list or a “well, how about this” comeback if your request gets stymied, but rather you think about what’s important to you and stick with those requests. His list is short – five questions total. On top of the “How’s your day been going” warm-up, he likes a good thick laying on of flattery.

“‘I’ve really been looking forward to this hotel for its…’ and finish the sentence as appropriate, views of the X, great big rooms, what have you,” he says. Maybe try something like “I’ve needed this trip for a while. What kind of room do you have for me?”

In Leff’s video on how to get a room upgrade, he says to first ask what rewards points you already have might get you. “I won’t have nearly enough time to enjoy the hotel as I had hoped and wonder if you could help make it special. Would you be able to give me complimentary…” and finish the sentence, breakfast/extra toiletries/free internet, might work wonders, too.

“This hotel has such a great location and I don’t have a lot of time here, what is your one favorite place to...” and ask what you’re most interested in – eat/drink/relax/etc.

Kendyl Grender, the owner at Kendyl Travels, told ConsumerAffairs that rather than waiting to ask for a perk or an upgrade until you arrive, email the hotel in advance of making your reservation. If your request is something the hotel thinks will motivate you to reserve a room, they might just do it. “At check-in mention to the front desk that you spoke with or emailed [insert name] and wanted to ensure your amenities were added to the reservation,” she said. Printing out a copy of the email and taking it with you could confirm your request.

Maybe they’ll forego some of those 'resort fees'

It may be tacky, but with President Biden’s war on junk fees, if you ask what “fees” are included in the price upfront before you sign on the dotted line, you might find a fee that you can ask the clerk to “waive.” For example, if there’s a “spa fee” and you won’t be going anywhere near the spa or pool, ask if they’ll remove that charge.

Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Prime Video

The TVs at hotels these days are pretty much the same as the “smart” ones we have at home. If you have your own Netflix or other streaming service account, ask if they can have someone show you how to access that service and use your account to watch what you want. 

Take advantage of local knowledge. 

Payoffs don’t always have a monetary value, like free breakfast. Since hotel concierge agents have pretty much vanished, Leff thinks another value clerks have is their knowledge of what’s worth checking out such as a wonderful restaurant. “It’s like asking a cab driver for the best food, you may discover someplace new. What you want is their knowledge, so you’re asking where they would go, or where they would tell their best friend from out of town to go,” he says.

“What a great suggestion, I’m going to take you up on it. Could you give me a late check-out, in case I wind up out late because of it?” A-ha – another perk just for a little sweet talk.

Need something pressed? Shoes shined? Forgot your shaver or your charger?

Sure, there are irons and ironing boards in most hotel rooms these days, but not everyone was a natural-born ironing master. However, almost every hotel launders – and irons – things like bed linens, so if you need something ironed, just ask. You might luck out, not to mention save yourself some stress.

And if you need your shoes shined or forgot your shaving kit, toothbrush/toothpaste, or electronic device charger? Ask. Hotels keep those things in the office closet just in case.

Bikes? Board games? Yoga mats?

Ravi Parikh, founder and CEO of RoverPass told us that some hotels offer unique amenities like yoga mats, exercise equipment, board games, DVD players, or even bicycles for guest use. Again, it doesn’t hurt to ask.

'Can I opt for a fragrance-free or specialized cleaning routine for my room?'

For those who are sensitive to certain scents or cleaning products, Parikh said that some hotels might be able to accommodate them by using fragrance-free cleaning products or a specialized cleaning routine. “This is not widely advertised, so asking might open up this option for you,” he said.

How about a free ride?

Why take an Uber or a taxi from the airport when the hotel might offer a free shuttle service to and from, Parikh asks. And it’s not just the airport either. He said many hotels located near attractions offer free rides to those places, too. 

Do you speak another language?

“I noticed your menu/informational signs aren’t available in Turkish/Hindi/Other languages. Would you be interested if I help translate them in exchange for a complimentary dinner or spa tickets?”

Parikh contends that if you are fluent in a language that might be beneficial to the hotel, offering your skills in exchange for amenities can be a win-win.

“Hotels are always looking to improve their services for international guests, and having menus or informational signs in multiple languages is a plus,” he said “This type of barter is not common, but a hotel may appreciate the initiative and the help, and be willing to offer you something in return for your efforts."

Housing economists predict renters could find some relief in the coming months because of an increase in multi-family construction. 

The U.S. Census Bureau this week reported a big spike in residential construction starts which include new apartment buildings. Construction starts on apartments increased in May by the largest margin since 1985.

It comes at a good time for renters, especially those in the most expensive markets. A ConsumerAffairs study published last month identified markets where renters are feeling the most pain, as well as cities where rents are most affordable.

Researchers found that North Dakota, South Dakota, and Iowa are the best states for renters while California, Massachusetts and Nevada are the worst.

Real estate site Real Estate Witch recently listed the seven most expensive cities in which to rent a home and the percentage the cost has risen over the last 12 years.

1. San Jose (85%)

2. Denver (82%)

3. Seattle (81%)

4. Portland, Ore. (72%)

5. San Francisco (71%)

6. Nashville (62%)

7. Austin (60%)

Lots of good jobs

What these cities have in common is a fast-growing population and an abundance of high-paying jobs. San Jose and San Francisco are in the heart of Silicon Valley and have some of the most expensive homes in the nation. Nashville and Austin experienced growth spurts during the pandemic.

What puts additional pressure on renters is the fact that rent tends to go up on a regular basis and it also tends to increase faster than incomes. Personal finance advisers say renters should pay no more than 30% of their monthly income on rent, but in the most expensive cities that’s the exception, not the rule.

However, there are a handful of cities where the rent-to-income ratio is below 30%.

1. Miami (28%)
2. Los Angeles (25%)
3. Orlando (25%)
4. San Diego (25%)
5. Riverside, Calif. (24%)
6. Tampa (24%)
7. Las Vegas (23%)
8. New Orleans (22%)
9. New York (21%)

Low-income renters are getting squeezed

But rents remain high just about everywhere. According to a recent Zillow study, the Housing Choice Voucher program, also known as Section 8, cannot keep up with demand from low-income families in most American cities.

“Renters across the country are struggling as costs have skyrocketed and vouchers have failed to keep up," said Orphe Divounguy, senior economist at Zillow. "Better calculating for voucher values and more funding are good short-term solutions, but building more homes is the long-term answer."

Zillow research found there was not a single large metro area with enough vouchers to meet demand. Across the country, there were nearly 10 times as many eligible voucher recipients as there were vouchers. In addition, there were nearly four times more severely cost-burdened households than voucher recipients.

“Hey, Alexa, set a reminder for 3 a.m. on July 11.”

Amazon has officially etched Prime Day in stone. The 48-hour event will start in the middle of the night on Tuesday, July 11 and run through July 12.

Members of Amazon's Prime program will have access to the lowest prices so far this year on select products from brands such as Bose, those wildly popular unlaced Hey Dude shoes, and Theragun massagers during the sale. Plus, every 30 minutes, deep discounts will drop on top products from the most popular brands throughout the event.

Because Amazon has its own line of company-owned products, those will get some special juice. The shopping experts at RetailMeNot told ConsumerAffairs that Echo devices (speakers and screens), Ring doorbells, and Amazon Fire tablets should be at hard-to-beat prices.

Other categories RetailMeNot deal analysts say should be in ample supply dealwise are pressure cookers, iRobot and Shark vacuums, and wireless headphones.

And Prime Day isn't the only rodeo in town this summer. If previous Prime Days are any indication, Walmart isn't to be denied. Plus, DealNews reports that Best Buy, Eddie Bauer, Nordstrom Rack, eBay, and others all have big sales of their own planned.

Aren't you special?

One new twist designed to make Prime members happy they’re subscribers is that this year's Prime Day event will also feature an invite-only deals program, allowing Prime members to request an invitation for exclusive deals expected to sell out.

Another nuance is added focus on small business owners who can now shop for more business products than ever before. 

Tips to help you prepare for Prime Day 2023

To save our readers some time, ConsumerAffairs has ID'ed the things shoppers can expect and how to get an edge when it comes to landing the best deals.

What’s on sale? Prime members can expect deals from popular brands such as Victoria’s Secret, YETI, Lancôme, Kérastase, Peloton, The Drop, and Sony, as well as save on new Amazon-exclusive deals from D’Amelio Footwear, OPI, and Alo Yoga. 

Beating everyone else to the punch. Amazon, those sneaky devils, may have July 11-12 as the “official” Prime Day dates, but it’s actually made some of those deals available now. There’s special pricing on Amazon Fresh, as well as back-to-school and off-to-college discounts, too. 

Did someone say “free money”? But the brass ring may be the $200 Amazon gift card that the company is offering Prime members who sign up – and are approved for – the Prime Visa credit card, an offer that runs from June 29 through July 26.

If free money is your favorite temptation, the company has more than that, too. Now through 11:59 p.m. PDT on July 7, Prime members will receive a $15 Amazon.com credit when they download the Amazon Photos app and upload their first photo.

Set up personalized alerts. There’s not a company alive that doesn’t want us to do everything possible via their app and Amazon is no exception. The company says that Prime members can subscribe to receive deal alert notifications related to their recent Amazon searches and recently viewed items.

The only thing you have to do is visit the Prime Day event page on the Amazon Shopping app sometime between now and Prime Day to create deal alerts. Then, when Prime Day arrives, you'll receive push notifications on any deals that match.

Give extra thought to how you want things delivered. Amazon Prime customers will get free delivery on millions of products, of course, but if they don’t want to wait for two-day delivery, they can try out same-day delivery for certain products in 90-plus U.S. markets.

Or they can try out the new “Your Amazon Day” option. With “Amazon Day,” a member picks out a day of the week that works for them and the company will deliver the items they order each week for free on that day.

Utilize price tracking. "Price trackers are the easiest way to monitor just how good a deal really is, especially for big-ticket items," a RetailMeNot spokesperson suggested. "By adding an Amazon price-tracking browser extension like camelcamelcamel, you’ll be able to easily monitor the prices of your most-wanted products as well as get price-drop alerts so that you never miss a deal."

Don’t want to spend the money to subscribe to Amazon Prime? We get it. Prime memberships aren’t hamburger-cheap, but the company doesn’t want to force anyone to spend $14.99 a month or $139 a year to take part either. To help those who just want to try the program out and take advantage of Prime Day deals, the company offers free 30-day trials. 

With Father’s Day behind us, scammers turned their attention in the last week to some tried and true schemes. However, the ConsumerAffairs-Trend Micro Threat Alert tracked a huge increase in Father’s Day shopping scams right up to the big day itself.

But while scammers were launching 133,179 Father’s Day scams last week they were also doubling down on delivery and shipping scams.

USPS shipping scam 

• As we saw in the past few weeks, scammers impersonate USPS to ask customers to verify their parcel delivery address and credit card information. 

• The top five states being targeted the most (in order) are Texas, California, North Carolina, Illinois and Florida.

Walmart shipping scam

• With these scams, scammers inform users that their parcel is stocked at the airport and ask users to provide their address and credit card information. 

• The top five states being targeted the most (in order) are North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, California and Pennsylvania. 

 Delivery Phishing 

• These delivery phishing scams impersonate logistic companies to mail customers that their package has been delayed and need them to verify personal information and reschedule delivery time on other fake delivery websites. We found 2,330 logs on Jun 18. 

Jon Clay, vice president of Threat Intelligence at Trend Micro, says scammers are simply taking advantage of the fact that consumers increasingly do their shopping online.

“In this scam, the recipient receives a text or email saying their package is delayed or their address is incorrect or simply there is a problem with their delivery,” Clay told ConsumerAffairs.  “The scammers look to obtain address and/or credit card information from their victims in this scam.”   

 Windfall Scam 

• This scam is a phishing email that pretends to ask someone to do a very large transfer of funds. Trend Micro’s research teams detected 2,973 logs on June 16.  

This category covers a wide range of scams, many of them pretty old. Remember the Nigerian prince email scam? Early victims who agreed to accept the prince’s fortune in their bank account, in return for a large reward, had to provide their bank account information. 

Other windfall scams include things like fake lottery prizes, in which the “winner” has to pay a tax or fee to receive their promised $200,000 sweepstakes prize – which doesn’t exist.

Bitcoin Sextortion 

• A scammer declares that they have hacked the victim’s computer and have access to all of their contact info and social media data, even private videos. Scammers then ask the victims to pay $1,300 via bitcoins. Otherwise, they will distribute and ruin the victim’s reputation with the above material. Trend Micro’s research team detected 1,756 logs on June 19. 

This is a fairly new scam on the Threat Alert radar screen although it’s been around for a while. In its most common form, the scammer claims to have taken over the victim’s computer and used the camera to record a video of the victim watching porn.

While the scammer usually wants to be paid in Bitcoin they may also accept gift cards.

Travel Scam  

• Between April 1 - June 18, Trend Micro’s research team found 1,588 travel-related scam URLs, which increased by 12.7% compared to the past week.  

• The team found three fake Airbnb log-in pages; one-third of the victims are from Oregon. 

• The top five states being targeted the most (in order) are Oregon, Virginia, Washington, Pennsylvania and Illinois. 

With summer officially starting this week we can expect travel scams to be a constant threat for the next couple of months. ConsumerAffairs has covered some of these scams here, here and here. 

What is your favorite summertime activity? Riding your ATV, time at the pool, firing up the grill?

All three of those can be fun but -- if you're not careful -- hazardous.

Fortunately, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has some advice on how to keep everyone safe -- especially children.

ATV Riding

Off  Highway Vehicles (OHVs), especially All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) can be a lot of fun, but they can also be dangerous if not used properly. CPSC figures covering the period from 2017 through 2019 show there were 2,178 deaths associated with OHVs; nearly 70% were ATVs and 283 OHV deaths were children under 16 years old.

The agency estimates that in 2021, there were 106,600 emergency room treated injuries associated with OHVs with 29% to children under 16 years old. The dangers are real and include overturning, collisions, and occupant ejection.

The following ATV safety tips can ensure a safe and enjoyable ride:

• Training: Get hands-on training from a qualified instructor.
• Seats: Never ride with more passengers than there are seats. Most ATVs are designed for one rider.
• Stay off paved roads: Never ride on public roads, except to cross, where permitted by law.
• No Drinking: Avoid drinking alcohol before or while driving an ATV.
• Age Limits: Riders younger than 16 should drive only age-appropriate youth models -never adult models.
• Safety Gear: Always wear a helmet and other protective gear, such as eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt.

Pool Safely

A dip in the pool may be a good way to escape the heat, but it is important to remember to stay vigilant when it comes to water safety. ConsumerAffairs recently covered pool safety in depth here, but it doesn't hurt to review the safety tips:

• Supervision: Never leave children unattended in or near a pool, and always designate an adult to watch over the pool area.
• Barriers: Install barriers around the pool, to prevent unsupervised access by children.
• Swimming Skills: Learn how to swim and teach your child how to swim.
• Drains: Keep children away from pool drains and ensure that they are properly covered to prevent entrapment.
• CPR: Learn how to perform CPR on children and adults.

Outdoor Cooking and Grilling

What is summer without occasional outdoor cooking and grilling? While fun and enjoyable, these activities can also be dangerous if not done with safety in mind.

According to CPSC, 13 deaths occur on average every year, and in 2022, there were 5,400 ER-treated injuries associated with grills -- burns being the most common.

To reduce these risks and have a safe grilling experience, follow some general safety tips:

• Recalls: Check www.cpsc.gov to see if the grill has been recalled – follow the remedy if recalled. Earlier this year, there was one grill recall.
• Inspect: Look over the grill and any gas hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Replace, if necessary.
• Location: Use grills outside only, in well-ventilated areas and never indoors, in a garage, breezeway, carport, porch or under a surface that will burn.
• Starters: Only use appropriate fire starters and only before lighting the fire. Never add liquid fuel after trying to start a fire.
• Observe: Never leave a hot grill unattended and keep children away from the grill area.
• Clean up: Clean your grill with a ball of aluminum foil or nylon brushes, instead of wire grill brushes, to prevent stray wire brush strands from ending up in the food.
• Extinguishers: Keep a fire extinguisher nearby and make sure that everyone knows how to use it.

Summer is a lot more fun if you spend the time in the backyard rather than the emergency room.