Current Events in January 2024

In its yearly review of the identity landscape, the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) suggests that, as others have hinted at, the walls really are crumbling when it comes to your identity’s safety.

As this reporter experienced, last summer, the possibility that your Personal Identity Information (PII) will wind up on the dark web is a Vegas-worthy, bet-the-house possibility.

Last year witnessed a record-breaking spike in data breaches, marking a worrying trend for cybersecurity. The ITRC’s tracking saw a 78% increase in 2023 compared to 2022.

However, a disturbing trend emerged: more than 1,400 public breach notices lacked crucial information about how the attack happened, representing a significant drop from the 100% transparency rate seen just five years ago. How did that Comcast hack happen? Who knows? The one involving T-Mobile? Your guess is as good as ours.

Companies are embarrassed by these thefts

The report suggests that even though nearly 11% of publicly traded companies faced compromises in 2023 — a worrying statistic on its own – transparency remained elusive.

Companies withheld attack details in 47% of cases compared to 46% for other organizations. This lack of openness makes it difficult to assess threats and hold entities accountable. 

It’s also a reputational concern. Case-in-point is Norton Healthcare, which waited nearly six months before admitting to its patients that it had been the victim of a cyberattack.

Even though the company said that information that may have been impacted included names, contact information, Social Security numbers, birth dates, health information, insurance information, medical identification numbers, driver's license numbers or other government IDs, financial account numbers, and digital signatures, it opted to couch its breach to its customers as “We regret any inconvenience this incident may cause you.”

One reason why 2024 will be worse

The snowball effect of this is that more and more of us will see our PII on sale to anyone who wants to buy it. 

It’s a safe bet, too, that Generative AI will also contribute to a rise in the sophistication of phishing attacks and other forms of identity fraud and scams using personal information stolen in data breaches, Eva Velasquez, executive director of ITRC, said.

While other "techsperts" think that AI will enable cybercrooks to leverage a person’s data in ways like voice cloning or deep fake videos, Velasquez thinks the opposite. That the sheer volume of personal data available via the dark web, coupled with the ability of hackers to employ AI to send out phishing emails and texts, is a much larger issue.

And, if 2024 repeats what the ITRC saw in 2023, consumers need to pay extra attention to four categories: healthcare, financial services, transportation, and utility companies – which, despite having fewer breaches – topped the list for estimated victims in 2023.

“Therefore, the probability of being hacked is unpredictable but on the rise unless you take measures to protect yourself,” suggests Miklos Zoltan, founder & CEO Privacy Affairs, a company that monitors personal data available on the dark web.

“By adopting a few straightforward rules and habits, you can make it more difficult for hackers to access your data and remove yourself from their line of sight.”

Telling the real from the fake

While AI can create convincing messages, there’s one way you can figure out which are real and which are not – one that seldom gets mentioned: take a quick look at the “who” and “what.”

Let’s look at the email below that a member of the ConsumerAffairs team received.

The email says:

1. It’s from “T-Mobile,” yet the “via” says it’s from “susd12.org” which happens to be the Sunnyside School District in Arizona. Not exactly “T-Mobile,” is it?

2. There's an attachment – a document that says “Translate to English.” Ask yourself why.

3. When you click on the triangle next to your name (“me”), it brings up the full details of the sender. The “reply to” doesn’t go to “T-Mobile” or the Sunnyside Schools, but rather to a website in Russia. A real T-Mobile email would come from a .com in the U.S.

As John Fahd, founder and CEO of ITegrators, explained, “If a scam email needs a reply from you, you'll see that the ‘Reply To’ field has a different email address than the one that actually sent you the email.”

“Scammers use this technique to get replies by enticing you to read and respond to the emails they send using the names of reputed brands, companies, governmental organizations, and so on.”

And you can’t beat common sense either. Ask “why” T-Mobile is sending you an invoice when you’re actually an AT&T customer. If a truly legit company really needs to get in touch with you and you don’t respond, trust us, they’ll find a way, probably by sending you a letter with a real request and a real phone number to contact. 

Clark Associates of Lancaster, Pa., is recalling about 53,800 Allegro plastic side chairs.

The plastic chairs can break apart while in use, posing a fall hazard.

The firm has received 16 reports of chairs breaking apart while in use, resulting in two injuries.

This recall involves Lancaster Table & Seating brand Allegro plastic side chairs for outdoor use.

The chairs sold in 14 different colors, has Lancaster Table & Seating stamped on the underside.

The chairs were sold in assembled form, constructed of glass reinforced polypropylene, and measure about 17 inches wide and about 33 inches high.

A list of the recalled model numbers may be found here.

The chairs, manufactured in Turkey, were sold at Clark Pro and Clark National Accounts nationwide and online at www.webstaurantstore.com and www.therestaurantstore.com from November 2020, through August 2023, for between $45 and $66.

What to do

Consumers should immediately stop using the chairs and contact Clark Associates for a full refund or a store credit.

Consumers should submit a photograph to Clark online at lancastertableandseating.com/recalls/allegro-side-chair-recall/ displaying “DO NOT USE” in paint or thick permanent marker in a clear visible location on the chairs, and dispose of the product(s).

Clark Associates is contacting all known purchasers directly.

Consumers may contact Clark Associates toll-free at (844) 895-5694 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (ET) Monday through Friday, by email at allegro@lancastertableandseating.com or online at lancastertableandseating.com/recalls/allegro-side-chair-recall/ for more information.

Volvo Car USA is recalling 17,409 model year 2024 XC40s.

A diagnostic error in the Central Electronic Module (CEM) software may cause the left rear turn signal indicator to not function.

A nonfunctioning exterior turn signal may not notify other drivers of a turning vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

The CEM software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed February 28, 2024.

Owners may contact Volvo customer service at (800) 458-1552. Volvo Car's number for this recall is R10256.

If you’re driving an older Toyota Corolla or RAV4, you could be in danger. The company has issued a “do not drive” order for 50,000 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and model year 2004-2005 RAV4 vehicles.

The issue involves Takata airbags, which were responsible for the largest auto recall in U.S. history, over more than a decade. 

“Certain airbags found in the subject vehicles are under an urgent airbag safety recall,” Toyota said in a statement. “Due to the age of the vehicles, if the airbag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers.”

The issue is so critical that Toyota said owners should not drive these vehicles until they are repaired. That includes not driving them to a dealer.

“Toyota urges owners to contact their local dealer instead of driving their vehicle to be repaired,” the company said. “Dealers may provide one of several options free of charge, such as mobile repair at the vehicle’s location, towing to the dealership, vehicle pickup and delivery, or other alternate transportation options.”

Toyota is notifying known owners of these vehicles every month through a variety of communication channels. To see if your vehicle is involved in a safety recall visit Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate information.

The Stanley cup, the biggest consumer sensation of 2024 so far, is back in the news. But it has nothing to do with long lines at Target or the social media craze that made it a “must-have” product.

Concern arose after reports that the cups contained lead, posing a threat to users. So, do the cups contain lead?

The company says that they do, but that it’s nothing to worry about. According to a statement from the company, the bottom of the insulated cup has a lead pellet that is sealed by a stainless steel circular barrier. It’s possible for the barrier to come off, exposing a user to the lead pellet, but the company said that rarely happens.\

But why is there lead in the cup in the first place? According to Stanley, it’s part of the process of sealing the insulation.

“Our engineering and supply chain teams are making progress on innovative, alternative materials for use in the sealing process,” a spokesperson for the company said. 

‘Meets all U.S. regulatory requirements’

The statement said all of its products products meet all U.S. regulatory requirements. Not only that, Stanley says the products meet California’s stringent Proposition 65 which requires companies to alert consumers to any heavy metal exposure.

Stanley says the liquid inside the cup never comes in contact with the lead pellet, so there is no potential harm to users.

Stanley has been producing insulated cups for over 100 years but the product found new life, thanks to social media influencers who tout the cup’s ability to keep hot beverages hot and cold beverages cold.

Demand increased when some people found they could buy a Stanley for $45 and double their money by selling it online.

BrightFarms is recalling spinach and salad kits distributed under the BrightFarms brand.

The products may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.

No illnesses have been reported to date.

A list of the recalled products, which come in 4-oz, clear, plastic containers, may be found here.

The recalled products were sold by retail stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.

What to do

Customers who purchased the recalled products should not consume them but discard them and present a photo of the product or receipt at the place of purchase for a full refund.

Consumers with questions may contact the company at (866) 857-8745 between 8:00 am-6:00 pm (EDT) or by email info@brightfarms.com with the subject line: Recall.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 139,730 model year 2016-2018 Focus and model year 2018-2022 EcoSport vehicles.

The oil pump drive belt or drive belt tensioner may fail, resulting in a loss of engine oil pressure.

A loss of oil pressure can result in an engine stall and a loss of power braking assist, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

Dealers will replace the oil pump tensioner assembly and oil pump drive belt, free of charge.

Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed February 13, 2024. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 23S64.

There are 39 funeral homes across the U.S. that probably wish they’d paid attention a year ago when the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) went after two major funeral home groups for violating the “Funeral Rule.”

The FTC had an inkling that funeral homes hadn’t paid attention to the law, and that the violations they were making were so severe, that it conducted the agency’s first undercover phone sweep to try and stop the flimflam once and for all.

The Funeral Rule is all about consumers who are already in a tough spot,  having to plan a funeral for a loved one. The rule gives consumers important rights when making funeral arrangements, including specifying that a funeral home has to “tell persons who ask by telephone about the funeral provider’s offerings or prices from [their] price lists…. and any other readily available information that reasonably answers the question[s].” 

Investigators went far and wide, placing undercover calls to more than 250 funeral homes from across the country to try to obtain price information.

In 38 of the 39 instances, funeral homes either refused to answer questions about pricing at all or provided inconsistent pricing for identical services. On other calls, funeral homes also erred by misrepresenting things like local embalming-related health codes and sending one of the undercover agents a list of package prices that didn’t meet the Funeral Home requirements, when it promised the agent that it would.

And if a funeral home doesn’t change its tune, there’s a price to pay. Failure to comply with the rule results in penalties of up to $51,744 per violation.

Who are these funeral homes and where are they?

The FTC’s list of the funeral homes it contacted regarding these violations and where they are is as follows (sorted by state):

How to avoid a funeral home’s traps

Any family – no matter where they live – should be presented with the full terms of the funeral home’s charges, both in person and on the phone. 

If you’re inquiring about funeral arrangements by phone, here are some things you’ll want to ask — and that the law requires the provider to answer:

• What type of services do you offer?

• How much does the service cost and what’s included?

• Will there be other costs, like for transportation, death certificates, or obituaries?

If a funeral provider doesn’t want to give you information about prices, services, and merchandise over the phone, the FTC suggests you say “Thank you very much” and then take your business elsewhere. 

The need to make funeral arrangements comes at the most unexpected times. This action by the FTC might be a reason to check out what other reviewers have to say about specific funeral homes and services, about what questions to ask. and your rights when shopping for funeral services.

How satisfied are you with your wireless provider? Your answer may indicate your age.

When J.D. Power polled consumers about their wireless customer experience, they found that what it calls “pre-boomers” have more complaints about their wireless service than baby boomers, with the number of issues increasing as consumers get younger, with Gen Z reporting the most.

One possible explanation could be that Gen Z uses their phones a lot more than older generations. According to the J.D. Power survey, Gen Z averages 300 minutes a day on their phones while boomers use their devices much less.

“Younger generations, particularly Gen Z, are very demanding of their wireless networks,” said Carl Lepper, senior director of technology, media and telecom at J.D. Power. “Not only do they heavily rely on their devices, but they also stream and game at higher rates than older generations and have less tolerance for data-related issues. As wireless users get younger, network speed and reliability must remain at the forefront for providers to retain and attract customers." 

When it comes to reported problems with service, AT&T and Verizon Wireless ranked the highest in a tie for fewest problems in the Mid-Atlantic and North Central regions, each with nine problems per (PP) 100 uses.

Verizon Wireless ranked highest in the Northeast region with eight PP100. T-Mobile and Verizon Wireless ranked highest in a tie in the Southeast region, each with nine PP100. Verizon Wireless ranked highest in the Southwest region with 10 PP100 and ranked highest in the West region with 10 PP100.

What ConsumerAffairs reviewers say

When it comes to ConsumerAffairs reviewers, none of the “Big Three” providers poll particularly well. Verizon has an overall rating of 1.3-Stars, with 1-Star reviews accounting for 88% of all reviews.

T-Mobile also manages only an average of 1.3-Star reviews. Complaints range from coverage to service.

AT&T does slightly better, averaging 1.4-Stars with our reviewers. Eighty-seven percent of its reviews are 1-Star.

LordRoadS of China is recalling about 12,440 Yaomiao children’s rhinestone silver tiaras.

The rhinestones embedded in the tiaras contain levels of lead that exceed the federal lead content ban. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects.

No incidents or injuries are reported.

This recall involves the rhinestone silver tiara with red rhinestones that was sold in a package with three other tiara styles that are not included in the recall, including blue, purple, and clear rhinestones.

The four tiara styles were sold and shipped together in the same cardboard packaging marked “Yaomiao”.

The tiaras, manufactured in China, were sold exclusively online at Amazon.com from January 2021, through November 2023, for about $19 for the set of four.

What to do

Consumers should immediately take the recalled tiaras away from children, stop using them and contact LordRoadS for a refund. LordRoadS and Amazon are contacting all known purchasers.

Consumers may contact LordRoadS by email at simlordroadple@163.com, or online at their Amazon storefront on Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/s?me=A1ISSCMO2YO2PL&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER for more information.