Current Events in August 2023

Some Wells Fargo customers got a shock when they checked their accounts. Direct deposits they were expecting never showed up. At least in some cases, other deposits disappeared as well.

In a statement to the media, Wells Fargo said the issue affected “a limited number of customers” and that most of the cases were quickly resolved. The bank didn’t elaborate on what caused the problem but some customers had a similar experience earlier this year.

In March, some Wells Fargo customers complained that money disappeared from their accounts before eventually being returned. At the time, the bank blamed the issue on an unspecified “technical issue.”

Some problems with direct deposit may have appeared sporadically before this latest incident. In July ConsumerAffairs heard from David, a business owner from Woodland, Calif., who said his new “Direct Pay” account was suspended for two weeks as a precautionary measure.

“I found out when our payroll and rent didn't go out as scheduled,” David told us. “Missing payroll right after a rocky buyout didn't go over very well with the employees. Two weeks without online banking has been a nightmare in itself. It is mind-boggling that Wells Fargo had absolutely no way to resolve the issue sooner. The local bank manager thought it was absurd, yet couldn't do anything about it.”

Bumpy PR road

Wells Fargo has experienced a bumping public relations road over the last few years. The bank has paid out billions of dollars in fines and reimbursements for opening unauthorized checking and credit card accounts and wrongfully repossessing automobiles.

NBC News has reported that at least one consumer, who has never banked at Wells Fargo, received a statement from the bank for an account he never opened.

“Whoever did that had my name and Social Security number,” Jay Patterson, the consumer, told NBC News. “My date of birth was wrong, the driver's license information was wrong.”

Patterson believes the account was set up by a fraudster, who created a synthetic identity to establish an account to launder money. NBC News quotes security experts as saying Wells Fargo should have flagged the account as fraudulent.

As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to make headlines, a new Sweden-based study looked at the ways AI can benefit long-term health. 

The study focused on mammogram screenings and readings to determine whether or not women had breast cancer. Experts utilized AI to support the screenings and read the results of the tests, and compared their accuracy with a standard radiologist’s screening. 

Ultimately, the combination of AI and experienced radiologists led to 20% more cancer diagnoses compared to cases looked at solely by radiologists. This is an encouraging result, as early detection of the disease is likely to lead to better health outcomes for patients. 

Detecting disease

The researchers had over 80,000 women between the ages of 40 and 80 who were eligible for mammograms participate in the study. Half of the women received their screening and had the report read by two experienced radiologists, while the other half received their screening and had the results read by a combination of AI and experienced radiologists. 

The combination of the technology and the radiologists proved to be effective at detecting more cases of cancer than just the radiologists alone. In the AI group, 244 cases of cancer were identified, and 861 women were called back for further testing.

In the radiologist-only group, 203 cases of cancer were identified, and 817 women were called back for further testing. 

The overall cancer detection rate was 6.1 per 1,000 women in the AI group, compared with 5.1 per 1,000 women in the radiologist-only group. 

How does it work?

Experts from BreastCancer.org explained that doctors basically teach AI what a normal mammogram looks like versus what a cancerous mammogram looks like by inputting millions of images of different scans. 

Then, once a new image is uploaded into the system, an algorithm determines whether the patient has a clear scan, needs further testing, or has cancer. Typically, two radiologists read the scans to determine the outcome, and this technology can help detect more details in mammography scans. 

Will AI be at your next doctor’s appointment?

Though these findings are promising, the study remains ongoing and experts believe that more work needs to be done to fine-tune this technology. However, these results are a good starting point for more in-depth research in this area that can benefit consumers’ health. 

“These promising interim safety results should be used to inform new trials and program-based evaluations to address the pronounced radiologist shortage in many countries,” lead researcher Dr. Kristina Lång said in a statement. “But they are not enough on their own to confirm that AI is ready to be implemented in mammography screening.

Lang said health researchers still need to understand the implications on patients’ outcomes, especially whether combining radiologists’ expertise with AI can help detect interval cancers that are often missed by traditional screening, as well as the cost-effectiveness of the technology. 

“The greatest potential of AI right now is that it could allow our radiologists to be less burdened by the excessive amount of reading," Lang said. "While our AI-supported screening system requires at least one radiologist in charge of detection, it could potentially do away with the need for double reading of the majority of mammograms, easing the pressure on workloads and enabling radiologists to focus more on advanced diagnostics while shortening the waiting time for patients.” 

Taco fan? Notice anything different about the meat on your taco lately?

If you haven’t yet, you might soon. Ground beef and steak are being sent to the bench at many taco eateries in favor of… birria.

Birria is spiced and stewed meat, usually served with some of the broth that it was cooked in – like roast beef with au jus. For those of you who live in Southern California, birria is nothing new, but it’s starting to move its way east and hit Main Street.

Its origins rest in the Mexican state of Jalisco and traditionally, birria is composed of goat meat and a mix of garlic, cumin, and adobo spices. Foodies have seen it listed on the menus at their favorite Mexican food restaurants for years. 

Little by little, the word on birria has gotten out. Consumer research firm Datassential recently reported that birria’s presence on restaurant menus had increased by nearly 150% since 2019. 

However, there’s a slight change in how it’s presented. As restaurateurs try to take birria to a more mass market crowd, many are replacing goat meat with beef.

Enter Taco Bell

Now, Taco Bell is giving birria its due which could move it to the top of the beef-filling list for diners. The chain has announced that its new grilled cheese dipping taco features birria, alongside a blend of cheddar, mozzarella, and pepper jack cheeses and creamy jalapeno sauce.

If it sounds inviting, keep in mind that this is only a test. The company didn’t say how long it would be around, but it hinted that diners could see more in the way of grilled cheese’y items in the future.

“The rich and spicy flavors often found in birria were a major point of inspiration as we created the new grilled cheese dipping taco. By combining slow-braised shredded beef with the two dipping sauces, our fans can enjoy a new range of flavors they may have never had from Taco Bell before,” Liz Matthews, global chief food innovation officer, said in a press release. 

“This Mexican-inspired dish represents an evolution of what fans typically expect from Taco Bell. We’re excited to bring this menu item nationwide after an incredibly successful test in 2022.”

In a shock to the Biden administration and the financial markets, Fitch, a debt ratings agency, has downgraded the U.S. government’s credit rating from AAA to AA+.

The firm explained its move by pointing to the Congressional brinksmanship in early June that nearly resulted in the U.S. government defaulting on its debt. 

"In Fitch's view, there has been a steady deterioration in standards of governance over the last 20 years, including on fiscal and debt matters, notwithstanding the June bipartisan agreement to suspend the debt limit until January 2025," the agency said. "The repeated debt-limit political standoffs and last-minute resolutions have eroded confidence in fiscal management."

Legendary investor Warren Buffet, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, spoke up to calm the markets.

"Berkshire bought $10 billion in U.S. Treasurys last Monday. We bought $10 billion in Treasurys this Monday. And the only question for next Monday is whether we will buy $10 billion in 3-month or 6-month" T-bills, Buffett said in an interview with CNBC. "There are some things people shouldn't worry about, this is one."

But it’s one thing for a billionaire not to be concerned. How about someone like you?

It depends

Personal finance experts say it all depends on your circumstances. If you have savings, it might actually be good for you in the long run if interest rates keep rising. But if you have lots of adjustable-rate debt, it might have a real downside at some point. But there are few signs of that on the horizon.

Matthew Schaller, MBA, CFA, CFP at Compardo, Wienstroer, Conrad & Janes at Moneta, in St. Louis, says there has been only muted bond market reaction so far.

“We are not expecting material changes to consumer debt, at least not as a result of the downgrade,” Schaller told ConsumerAffairs. “Mortgages are tied to the 10-year Treasury, which rose on the news of the downgrade vs. an expected drop.  The same goes for credit card debt and car loans, which tend to be influenced by the two-year Treasury.  

Schaller says the two-Year Treasury should have spiked if the market was truly worried about the U.S.'s fiscal state, but it only rose two basis points,  which he said is not an abnormal move in a given trading day.

“The downgrade news itself seems immaterial on interest rates, at least for now,” he added.  “Fitch’s main reasoning behind the downgrade discussed dysfunction in Washington. Which, quite frankly, there has been dysfunction in Washington for a long-time – it just seems this time it was enough of a reason to downgrade the U.S. debt.”

In spite of everything, Schaller says the U.S. economy is still showing resilience, “perhaps more surprisingly than most economists were predicting this time last year.”  

In the United States, we’re accustomed to phony investment scams coming from within our borders. But increasingly, Americans are being tempted by foreign investment “opportunities” that may sound enticing.

Maybe because the investment seems exotic, or maybe it promises huge returns, this week’s ConsumerAffairs-Trend Micro Threat Alert finds overseas investment scams are targeting more Americans.

Investment Scam 

• We saw this scam case last week. Trend Micro’s research team identified scammers impersonating a Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Nature Resource representative, inviting email victims to invest in a fake fund. However, Trend Micro did not detect a significant increase since identifying the scam last week.  

• Trend Micro detected 24,982 logs from July 25-August 1. 

“This is common to use impersonations to build trust that the investment is legitimate,” Jon Clay, vice president of Threat Intelligence at Trend Micro, told ConsumerAffairs. “Consumers should be wary of unsolicited emails or texts for investment opportunities and should investigate the opportunity before taking action."

 UPS Shipping Scam 

• Trend Micro's research team identified scammers impersonating UPS, asking customers for their personal information such as name, address, phone number, and credit card authorization to reschedule their parcel. 

• The top five states being targeted are Florida, Texas, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and California. 

There are several UPS Shipping scams but one of the more recent ones tries to make you think you’ve missed a package delivery and have to pay a fee to reschedule it.  

The tip-off that it’s a scam is that you are asked to pay through a portal that is not part of UPS. And yes, you might even be asked to pay with gift cards.

DHL Phishing 

• Trend Micro identified a scam, a type of phishing email impersonating DHL, where scammers asked the receivers to check the delivery status and make the payment via fake DHL pages.  

• Trend Micro detected 264 logs on August 1.

UPS is not the only delivery service scammers are using. DHL is being used in exactly the same kind of ruse.

“In most cases the communications concern the sale of consumer goods over the internet where payment may be requested before the goods are delivered,” the company warns on its website. “Please be advised that DHL does not request payment in this manner. DHL only collects money due for official DHL-related shipping expenses.”

Fake AVG Scam 

• Trend Micro's research team identified a fake alert SMS message from scammers pretending to be AVG, informing iPhone users that their phone is at risk for viruses and other malware. The scammers lure a 75% discount as bait to prompt victims to renew their anti-virus protection in order to get access to credit card information. 

• The top five states being targeted are California, Texas, Colorado, Illinois and Arizona.

AVG advises consumers to only contact AVG Support through the official support website. In other words, don’t click on links in a text.

The offer of a 75% discount is another dead giveaway. Companies go broke by offering discounts that large.

Travel Scam  

• Between April 1-July 30, the Trend Micro research team identified 2,244 travel-related scam URLs, which increased by 9.8% compared to the past weeks.  

• Trend Micro found three fake booking.com pages, with over one-third of the victims from Oregon (32.68%). 

• The top five states being targeted are Oregon, Virginia, Washington, Pennsylvania and Illinois.

The lasting power of travel scams should be no surprise this summer because of the massive number of trips consumers are taking.

International travelers have to be extra careful. They may be in a strange land and be unfamiliar with local laws and customs. Many overseas scammers specifically target American travelers, expecting a bigger payoff.

Email System-Related Phishing 

• Trend Micro’s research team found a phishing email showing victims that they received several emails identified as spam. To access those spam emails, they are prompted to log in with their personal information/account information to access these emails.  

• Trend Micro detected 3,634 logs on July 31. 

This begs the question of why anyone would want to read their spam emails. But apparently, some people do. Just don’t give anyone your login credentials to do so.

Earlier this year, Bed Bath & Beyond announced that it would file for bankruptcy and close and liquidate all of its brick-and-mortar stores. 

Just a few months later, Overstock.com acquired the Bed Bath & Beyond name, and they’ve now launched the new Bed Bath & Beyond mobile app and website. 

The website, which can be found at bedbathandbeyond.com, features both the traditional BB&B logo and the Overstock logo, and assures shoppers that this will be a “bigger, better beyond.” The mobile app will also be rebranded to Bed Bath & Beyond by Overstock. 

“Bed Bath & Beyond is back with a new website and app where you’ll find the quality items you know and love,” the website explains. “And now we’re offering an even bigger ‘beyond’ with a wide selection of furniture, decor, rugs, and more to help you create the home of your dreams.” 

Expect deals and savings

The deals and discounts that shoppers have come to expect from both Bed Bath & Beyond and Overstock are easy to find on the new website and mobile app. 

For starters, the website boasts a 25% off coupon for downloading the new app and making your first purchase from that platform. There is also an “exclusive discount” of 12% off your purchase, and subscribing to the email list nets a 10% off coupon. 

Some of the other big deals include: 

• 15% off select Lucid mattresses

• 20% off select Bush furniture

• 20% off select Christopher Knight patio furniture

• Back-to-college items from $19

• Kitchen essentials from $39

• Extra 20% off area rugs by Artistic Weaver, bedding, and bath 

• 15% off select furniture 

Making the most of rewards programs

Overstock’s former loyalty program was “Club O,” which has transitioned to Welcome Rewards for the new Bed Bath & Beyond launch. Former Club O members will log into Welcome Rewards with their same username and password, while old Bed Bath & Beyond rewards members will need to activate a new account with the same email address. 

There are also benefits for members of both old rewards programs. Bed & Bath & Beyond rewards members will receive up to $50 in unused rewards points to their accounts, while former Overstock rewards members will receive a 20% off coupon. 

Welcome Rewards costs members $19.95 per year, and the program comes with exclusive benefits designed to save consumers money.

Each purchase yields 5% points for every $1 spent, all purchases are eligible for free returns, members earn up to 40% in extra rewards when purchasing from the Extra Rewards Store, and more. 

The term “muscle car” usually conjures up images of speed, high performance and a fun time on the open road.

But according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), that may not be a totally accurate picture.

Recent calculations by the organization show these vehicles with high horsepower rank among the deadliest vehicles on the road, both for their own drivers and for people in other vehicles.

Of the 21 vehicles with the highest driver death rates for model year 2020, six are variants of the Chevrolet Camaro, Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Ford Mustang. Eight others are small cars or minicars.

Conversely, 18 of the 23 vehicles with the lowest driver death rates are minivans or SUVs, and 12 are luxury vehicles.

“We typically find that smaller vehicles have high driver death rates because they don’t provide as much protection, especially in crashes with larger, heavier SUVs and pickups,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “The muscle cars on this list highlight that a vehicle’s image and how it is marketed can also contribute to crash risk.”

IIHS calculations

IIHS has been calculating driver death rates approximately every three years since 1989. For the first time, IIHS this year also calculated the best and worst models according to the number of drivers in other vehicles killed in crashes with them.

This turns the picture on its head, showing the danger that large vehicles pose to other road users.

Three Dodge muscle cars with excessively high driver death rates also rank among the worst performers when it comes to other-driver deaths, suggesting these vehicles are driven aggressively.

Seven of the 20 vehicles with the highest other-driver death rates are large or very large pickups, and four more are midsize SUVs — categories that aren’t represented among the models with the worst track record for protecting their own drivers.

Seven of the vehicles with the highest other-driver death rates also rank among the worst for driver death rates: The Dodge Challenger two-wheel-drive, Dodge Charger two-wheel-drive, Dodge Charger HEMI two-wheel-drive, Kia Forte, Kia Optima, Kia Rio sedan and Nissan Altima.

Vehicles with the lowest other-driver death rates include two small, two midsize and one large car, as well as six small and ten midsize SUVs. Ten models are luxury vehicles.

The rates include only driver deaths because all vehicles on the road have drivers, but they don't all have passengers or the same number of passengers.

Why some and not others

The explanation may lie in the image of the vehicles. Luxury cars are associated with ease and comfort, while muscle cars are associated with the early days of the drag strip, as illustrated by features like racing stripes, hood scoops and spoilers, and that seems to influence how they’re driven.

The Dodge Charger HEMI's marketing, for example, focuses on its “ground-shaking” power, its acceleration “bolting off the line” and its “racing-inspired” high-performance brakes.

The Chevrolet Camaro promises buyers the ability to “dominate on the daily” with an “extreme track performance package” and the Ford Mustang offers “adrenaline chasers” with the power to “keep ahead of the pack.”

“We can measure horsepower and weight and test for crashworthiness,” Harkey said, but adds, “the deadly record of these muscle cars suggests that their history and marketing may be encouraging more aggressive driving.”

Ford Motor Company is recalling 38,695 model year 2023 Escapes and Super Duty F-250, Super Duty F-350, Super Duty F-450, and Super Duty F-550 pickup trucks with a digital instrument panel cluster.

The module may have been improperly soldered, preventing the instrument panel from illuminating.

An inoperable instrument panel cannot show critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, which may increase the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the module or instrument panel -- as necessary -- free of charge.

Notification letters to owners are expected to be mailed August 14, 2023.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23C25.

We’re a little late to the party, but the U.S. has finally gotten around to banning the incandescent light bulb and putting an end to Thomas Edison turning over in his coffin for the umpteenth time.

Over the course of the last 18 years, countries around the world have enacted legislation to phase out incandescent light bulbs in favor of more environmentally friendly and energy-efficient alternatives such as LED lights, which use 75% less energy and are said to last up to 25 times longer than incandescents.

It’s not like the Department of Energy (DOE) didn’t try to save the light bulb. It did all it could to find a way to increase the efficiency of incandescent lamps, but it found that doing so could cost consumers more than 300% compared to the price of today’s alternative lights. 

Yes, LED light bulbs cost more – as much as 3x the price of an incandescent – however, LED light bulbs last longer and consume less energy which could save consumers who use them an estimated $100 per year. As an example, a string of LED bulbs around the Christmas tree could still be in use 40 holiday seasons from now.

By the way, halogen bulbs and compact fluorescent lights have also been banned.

The lightbulb isn’t the only thing that’s getting improved

The Energy Department is also establishing new efficiency standards for three other consumer goods: water heaters, pool pump motors, and boilers, which it claims will result in significant energy efficiency gains and cost savings. DOE expects that when the new performance standard for the pool pump motors and boilers begins in 2026, it will save American consumers approximately $926 million per year on their utility bills. 

“Today’s announcement reinforces President Biden’s efforts to update and strengthen outdated energy efficiency standards that cut costs for working families and businesses while slashing greenhouse gas emissions,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. 

“This Administration remains laser-focused on promoting innovation that saves Americans money, and we’ll continue to work with our industry partners to improve consumers’ options and increase the reliability and performance of household appliances and critical commercial and industrial products.” 

The DOE’s got one more advancement, too. It recently launched the Energy Savings Hub—an online one-stop shop for consumers to access savings tools President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is promoting to significantly cut utility bills.

And it’s not just for homeowners, either. The new guide also offers tips to renters on how they can save money within their own apartments. For information on upgrading to a cleaner and more environmentally friendly system – and save some money – visit www.Energy.gov/Save. 

Here’s some good news for off-road enthusiasts who have missed the Land Cruiser since Toyota retired the brand three years ago – it’s back.

Toyota has announced the Land Cruiser will return for the 2024 model year with a significant design refresh. The new version will be slightly smaller than the 2021 model, the last before the model disappeared from the North American market.

The reborn Land Cruiser will also be slightly less expensive. The previous version had a starting price of around $80,000. The price of the 2024 model will start at around $55,000. The first deliveries should arrive in the spring of 2024.

“Since its introduction in the U.S. market in 1958, the Land Cruiser evolved over the years from the legendary two-door models like the 40 Series with its fold-down front windshield, white roof, and rear jump seats to the capable yet fully loaded 200 Series, which was the last generation to be sold in the States and combined Land Cruiser’s unbreakable strength with premium luxury features,” the company said in a press release announcing the Land Cruiser’s return.

The company says Land Cruiser will stay true to its heritage, returning as a “high-quality off-roader at a more accessible price point.”

Good reviews

Before it disappeared from the marketplace, the Land Cruiser was popular with ConsumerAffairs reviewers. It earned an overall 4.1 out of 5-star rating, with 80% of reviewers giving the vehicle either a 4 or 5-star review.

Toyota says the new Land Cruiser will be available with the range-topping i-FORCE MAX hybrid powertrain producing 326 horsepower and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. Toyota is only producing 5,000 units for the first two months of production and will be offered in a First Edition grade that includes two new two-tone paint colors and additional off-road equipment.

“This icon belongs in our lineup,” said Toyota Group Vice President and General Manager Dave Christ. “For 2024, Land Cruiser returns to its origin with a heritage-inspired design paired with the legendary capability and durability Land Cruiser is known for, and it will take even more customers on adventures across the globe as it has done for generations.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into complaints about steering issues in the 2023 Model 3 sedan and Model Y crossover utility vehicles.

The agency said it has received some complaints from Tesla owners who reported either losing power steering control or complete steering control. One owner said the loss of control resulted in a crash.

During the pandemic, Tesla began modifying software so it could use different semiconductors when supply chain issues created shortages. Tesla has recalled some Model S and Model X cars to address power steering problems attributed to a software update that didn’t go quite right.

ConsumerAffairs reviewers have on occasion, mentioned various issues related to steering their Teslas.

‘Awkward and dangerous’

Lars, of Manhatten Beach, Calif., told us he considers the new yoke steering wheel in his 2022 Model S “awkward and dangerous.”

“I'm not sure how they got this approved but it is super disappointing,” he wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review. “I'm sure there will be some people who like it, but it is not safe.”

Amanda, another Tesla owner from Atlanta, told us she has issues with the quality of her Tesla, including how the steering wheel was put together.

“My vehicle also has some screws missing in the steering wheel but they don't allow you to go to the service center for this,” Amanda wrote in her review. “They've had issues with steering wheels falling off, but there's no one to tell you if your car is safe.”

It’s not certain that the current investigation will lead to a recall. Federal agencies like NHTSA cannot order a recall but only request the company to issue a voluntary recall. As part of its investigation, NHTSA is asking Tesla owners to submit complaints about any steering issues.

You can file a complaint with NHTSA here. ConsumerAffairs would like to hear about your issues here.

Suya Slice of Memphis, Tenn., is recalling approximately 445 pounds of ready-to-eat beef products.

The products did not undergo inspection by the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions.

The following items, produced between October 16, 2021, and May 20, 2023, and do not bear the USDA mark of inspection, are being recalled:

• 1.5-oz. plastic resealable bag packages of beef jerky containing “Suya Slice Kilishi Beef Jerky” on the label.
• 5-oz. plastic resealable bag packages of marinated skewered beef containing “Suya Slice Suya” on the label.

The recalled products were shipped directly to customers through online sales and to retail locations nationwide.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them, but discard or return them to the place of purchase.

Consumer with questions may contact the firm at (662) 812-7845 or by email at suyaslice@gmail.com.