Current Events in February 2024

Job scams are not exactly as old as the hills, but they have been around at least since 2006 when ConsumerAffairs first reported on a CareerBuilder.com job ruse.

Almost 20 years later, they continue to climb in popularity. That's mostly because the scammers prey on desperate people who are actively looking for work and scammers are always finding a new way to launch a scam – a new social media platform and, now, artificial intelligence (AI).

ID.me? Do you even know about it?

The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) says the newest avenue is asking job seekers for their ID.me login information and other sensitive personal information. 

ID.me? Yes. You may not even know that you’re signed up for it, but odds are you have. ID.me is a government-run website that simplifies how individuals prove and share their identity online. 

Scammers like shooting at fish in a barrel and ID.me gives them all they want. Altogether, ID.me has 100 million members with over 70,000 individuals joining daily, as well as partnerships with 31 states, multiple federal agencies, and over 500 name brand retailers -- loaded with names, birthdates, Social Security numbers and bank account information. 

So big is the ID.me problem that it’s kept the ITRC busier than ever. The ITRC told ConsumerAffairs that it has witnessed a 545% increase in victims, just between December 2023 and January 2024.

What job scams are happening?

Job scammers are living largely off of the phony job listings they’ve posted, mainly on job posting platforms such as Indeed and Craigslist, as well as being told they were scouted for (fake) jobs on LinkedIn.

And because many (most?) Americans don’t value their ID.me information as carefully as they should, identity criminals are asking job seekers for their ID.me login information so the scammers can log in and drill down to other sensitive personal information.

Today's biggest scams

The big job scams of the moment? Well, first, has got to be the focus scammers are putting on soon-to-be college graduates or students looking for a summer gig. And the scammers are playing on the naivete of those students who aren’t thinking about being scammed as much as they’re thinking about getting off mom and dad’s payroll.

“Many of the scammers posing as potential employers or employment services will ask for upfront application fees which, when paid by the job applicant leave the victim of the scam without a job and being cheated out of their money,” warns Scamacide’s Steve Weisman.

“Scammers also will ask for your Social Security number and bank account information so that they can directly deposit your salary check into your bank account. However, they are really seeking your Social Security number to make you a victim of identity theft and your bank account number so they can drain your account.”

Work at home scams are big

Next on the job scam hierarchy are work-from-home scams. The scammers dangle easy, work-from-home opportunities that require minimal skills. Some are taking their craft up a notch, too, by using things like AI-generated headshots to appear to be more legitimate.

The third easy-money job lure is built around survey and affiliate marketing scams. In this trap, victims are told all they have to do is complete some online surveys or help boost products on e-commerce platforms through affiliate marketing. When they do, they’re supposed to get a small commission, but what they really get is ripped off.

To demonstrate what one of these looks like, the Singapore Police Force – one of the hottest financial and technological hubs on the planet – offers a sample of what it’s caught in action and part of what has led to consumers losing $45.7 million in six months.

The other hot job scam is relatively new, but it’s got the potential to grow because it, too, focuses on college students, but adds in a bleeding heart factor – UNICEF.

Weisman said that scammers are starting to show up as UNICEF reps and are targeting college students with offers of paid internships via email and social media. 

But, the line these students are crossing is where they give personal information or pay some sort of application fee. 

Unbeknownst to them, UNICEF doesn’t ask for application fees, nor does it post job offers through emails or social media. The only surefire way to find out about – and apply for – a UNICEF position is through its website. or on the websites of its National Committees. 

Take steps to stay secure and keep your money safe

ITRC offers these tips to avoid any – and all – online job scams:

Once you find a job posting, be careful how much personal information you share, at least during the application period. Interviews by phone, Skype or Zoom are standard, but if a potential employer asks you to download a separate third-party app, that is a big fat red flag.

Same is true if they initiate the interview through text or email. Do not turn over sensitive personal information like your Social Security number, financial account information or a picture of your driver’s license. Do not send your ID.me login information or log in to an ID.me account that was created for you. 

Know the source of the job listing. This requires you to do some research. Look online for independent sources of information. Search the name of the company or the person who’s hiring you and add a word like “scam,” “review” or “complaint.” Searching for “Acme Co Scams” will give you search results showing whether the company is legitimate and has been associated with identity fraud. 

Is the website real?

Also, check to ensure you are visiting the company’s real website and receiving an email from the company’s actual domain. Would-be identity thieves have gotten savvy and may replace the letter “I” with the number “1” or add something simple like a “-us” to the end of a website or email address to make it look like you are visiting a company’s legitimate website or receiving an email from a legitimate company.

Legitimate jobs don’t usually require any upfront fees or costs. While things like company uniforms or specialized equipment like steel-toed shoes may be required, it’s typical that the cost of those is deducted from the first paycheck or purchased by the employee through an outside company. 

If an employer asks for a finder’s fee, administrative fee, background check fee or other funds, it is probably a scam. Even for legitimate actions like presenting a bank account number and routing number for direct depositing of paychecks, it’s vital to ensure the company is legitimate and the job has already been awarded before submitting the information. 

If you think anything seems a little out of place, you can also contact the ITRC and seek its help. You can speak with an expert advisor by phone (888.400.5530) or live chat. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.

Hyundai Motor America is recalling 90,907 model year 2015-2016 Genesis vehicles, model year 2017-2019 Genesis G80s, Genesis G90s, and model year 2019 Genesis G70s.

Water may enter the starter solenoid and cause an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while the vehicle is parked parked or being driven.

An engine compartment fire can increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete.

Dealers will install a remedy relay kit in the engine junction box free of charge.

Letters notifying owners about the issue are expected to be mailed April 13, 2024.

Owners may contact Hyundai customer service at (855)

371-9460. Hyundai's numbers for this recall are 254(H) and 018G(G).

There’s about to be a whole lot of empty mall space across America. Macy's has announced plans to close 150 stores over the next three years, which will reduce its retail footprint to 350 stores by 2026.

It had previously closed a group of stores in 2022.

The stores getting the ax haven't been fully disclosed to the public, but the company has already shuttered five locations, including stores in Virginia, San Francisco, Hawaii, Tallahassee and Simi Valley Calif. The company is targeting underperforming stores, which according to reports, represent 25% of Macy's footprint but only 10% of its sales. 

Macy’s move is half purge and half shift. The company thinks that the future is in luxury brands and small-format stores. Additionally, approximately 15 Bloomingdale’s nameplate stores and at least 30 new Bluemercury stores, along with roughly 30 Bluemercury remodels are anticipated to be opened in new and existing markets over the next three years.

“A Bold New Chapter serves as a strong call to action, said Tony Spring,  Macy’s CEO. "It challenges the status quo to create a more modern Macy’s, Inc. We are making the necessary moves to reinvigorate relationships with our customers through improved shopping experiences, relevant assortments and compelling value.”  

What is Bluemercury anyway?

For most consumers, the Bluemercury concept isn’t something they’ve seen since theres's not a great number of them or they're tucked inside of Macy’s stores in major markets.

They’re not really – not even faintly – like a “normal” Macy’s, either. Actually, they’re in the same bucket as Sephora, Ulta Beauty, Dermstore, Clinique, and Skinstore --  retailers that primarily focus on skincare and offer a range of brands.

Bluemercury lovers might think the chain is actually a step above its peers since it offers personalized consultations with beauty experts and spa services in some locations. A "beauty haven" of sorts.

Product-wise, it’s nothing like a Macy’s, either. Bluemercury focuses on luxury and prestige beauty brands, offering a curated selection of products not typically found at Macy's.

And make those expensive brands, too. For example, when ConsumerAffairs took a look at the company’s “best sellers,” many – like the AUGUSTINUS BADER creams – ran anywhere from $185 to $540.

Beyond Meat has announced an upgrade to its signature plant-based burgers, and the improvement is sure to get a thumbs up from those looking for healthier plant-based solutions. 

The new burgers, dubbed Beyond IV, are made with avocado oil rather than coconut or canola oil, cutting the saturated fat content in the burgers by 60% and the sodium by 20%. The burgers are also full of plant-based ingredients, like faba beans and red lentils. 

“Beyond IV represents a transformative step forward in delivering plant-based nutrition to the consumer in the form of meat,” said Ethan Brown, CEO and founder of Beyond Meat. “The development of new products occurred within an ecosystem of leading medical and nutrition experts, and were designed to meet the standards of national health organizations to create a product that delivers the taste, satisfaction, and utility of 80/20 beef – yet is demonstrably healthier.” 

What’s in the burgers?

The company explained that this redesign of its plant-based burgers took several years of research before perfecting. Now, they’re announcing Beyond IV, which has a number of key health components that earlier versions of Beyond burgers lacked: 

• 230 calories per serving 

• 21 grams of protein per serving, derived from peas, brown rice, red lentils, and faba beans 

• 2 grams of saturated fat from avocado oil 

• 20% less sodium than the previous version

• No cholesterol

• No added hormones or antibiotics

• No GMOs

More protein, less fat

The company said that Beyond IV has more protein and 75% less fat than traditional beef that’s 80% lean meat and 20% fat. 

“Every ingredient in this fourth iteration was thoughtfully selected to bring the nutritional power of plants – from the heart-healthy monounsaturated fats in avocado oil, to the protein and fiber in peas, red lentils, faba beans, and brown rice,” Brown said. “There is goodness throughout Beyond IV, and we are excited to pass along these benefits to the consumer.” 

Consumers can expect to see Beyond IV in retailers across the country starting this spring. 

Do the “7 Deadly Sins” apply to being a consumer? Yeah, in a way.

It's like gluttony and the overconsumption of goods, or pride when it comes to buying things solely to project a certain image or social status, neglecting actual need or value and exceeding what is truly needed or used. 

But let’s get out of the psychology of consumerism and think about the mistakes consumers make. The common pitfalls we all make are not comparing prices and features, falling prey to marketing tactics, not reading reviews and fine print, not negotiating or using available discounts and not taking advantage of return policies. 

Everyone can raise a hand on at least one of those, right?

But, the most important thing we tend to get wrong is leaving the accuracy of our credit reports to someone else. 

403,552 of you

In a new ConsumerAffairs review of complaints made to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the number of disputes about “incorrect information” in credit reports from TransUnion, Experian, and Equifax, rose from 200,273 in 2022 to 403,552 matches in 2023. 

And things are looking even sadder for 2024. So far – through Feb 26, 2024 – there have been 101,516 gripes filed about mistakes on consumers’ credit reports. At that rate, we could be looking down the barrel of more than 600,000 complaints by the end of this year.

All sorts of complaints

Credit reports have never been perfect, but with Americans buying things and taking out credit like crazy, more stuff is hitting the proverbial fan than ever before.

“The credit bureaus stated my [report] was properly investigated but how is that possible if the open date is inaccurate, the date last active is inaccurate, and the date last reported is not accurate,” complained one consumer.

Is it time for you to take another look at your credit reports?

If your credit score is decent – say above 600 – you probably don’t worry too much about what’s being reported.

But maybe you should. There are three frequent mistakes consumers make regarding their credit reports and with just a little effort, that 600’ish score could go up just enough to lower your credit card interest rate or your mortgage the next time you apply for one.

The most common mistakes on credit reports are:

• Personal information mistakes: And this is quite a catch-all, too – anything from a misspelling of your name or address to an incorrect date of birth or your Social Security number. 

• Account reporting errors: This is a more difficult can of worms because these involve inaccuracies related to individual accounts listed on your report, such as:

  • An account reported by someone as closed that might really be open, or vice versa.

  • Missed or late payments might be incorrectly reported, too, even if you made payments on time.

  • Incorrect credit limits, balances, or dates opened/closed can appear, as well.

• Identity theft: Fraudulent accounts opened in your name are showing up more and more, so stay vigilant.

• Duplicate accounts: Because of reporting inconsistencies between the credit bureaus, your account information might be listed multiple times on a report, so correct that, too.

Earn bonus points!

We’ve covered the basic mistakes consumers make with credit reports, but there are some reporting errors that you might find if you look a little deeper or you take care of them quicker.

The first one is not disputing errors promptly. The faster you dispute an error, the sooner it gets corrected and the sooner your credit score benefits. Leave a mistake on there too long and it’ll just make matters worse. 

Another is closing old accounts in good standing. Sometimes, we pay off credit cards and just leave things at that, but if we don’t close them completely, they still hang out there as active and can lower your score. 

This may be a stretch, but Target’s latest moves suggest that it’s going to play two ends against the middle and smack both the dollar stores and the higher-price retailers where it hurts.

Just a matter of weeks ago, Target unleashed a new budget brand – “Dealworthy” – where products start at $1.99, just pennies away from what Dollar Tree and others use as price points.

Now, the company has decided it’s going to take on women’s fashion retailers like H&M. Target's new Diane von Furstenberg clothing line which features iconic pieces like the wrap dress, is likely targeting customers who appreciate designer fashion but are also looking for affordability.

The collection's price points, with most items under $50 and starting at $4, price points that have been the underbelly of H&M’s value-focused success since its beginning. 

The assortment certainly has heft. It’s got more than 200 pieces that span women's, girls' and baby apparel and accessories, plus beauty and home decor. Target is also throwing H&M a gotcha by offering made-to-order furniture starting at $300 as part of the collection which debuts on March 23. 

"Our partnership with Diane and Talita von Furstenberg represents Target at our best — curating an amazing and distinct assortment and offering it at exceptional prices," said Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer of apparel & accessories, home and hardlines, Target.

"Guests will fall in love with this inspiring and broad collection. There's so much to spark joy, just in time for new spring looks — available only at Target."

What’s Target got up its sleeve next?

Target's dollar store'ish hoopla and its collaboration with Diane von Furstenberg can only go so far. Once it takes enough market share with those two weapons, the company has a serious decision on its hands.

Given the current strategies, Target may try to keep wooing consumers like this:

• Keep expanding its partnerships with well-known brands and designers to offer exclusive, limited-time collections, which have historically driven traffic and sales. In other words, after von Furstenberg, it’s possible Target shoppers could find themselves beset with short-time offers from Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, and Norma Kamali.

• But, we’re also going to have to wait and see how well the Dealworthy brand does, too. If there’s enough fire there, it’s possible that Target could totally reframe stores to have a Dollar Tree’ish feel. 

But, whatever it does, it has to make it seem interesting.

“That's why the chain has partnered with Starbucks, Walt Disney, Apple, and Ulta Beauty while also having affordable takes on luxury brands like its Kendra Scott and Chip and Joanna Gaines merchandise lines,” says TheStreet’s Daniel Kline.

“CEO Brian Cornell has been very careful about cultivating the "Tar-Jay" feeling which makes the brand a destination. People shop at Walmart and Dollar General because they're convenient and cheap. Customers visit Target because it's the new mall, a store packed with interesting merchandise, experiences, and decent pricing.”

Wasted time is a drag. It’s anyone’s guess as to how much the average person wastes a year on all of our “wasted time” activities, like being on hold.

One estimate says Americans spend 26 days per year waiting on hold. And guess who thinks it can get that time back for us? Google.

The company has rolled out an experimental feature named "Talk to a Live Representative," which its imagineers have developed to streamline the process of contacting customer service by phone.

The feature takes its cue from the "Hold for Me" feature on Google Pixel phones but takes it a step further. Google will handle the process and then call the user once a live customer service representative is available to talk.

The "Talk to a Live Representative" feature is currently being tested within Google Search Labs and is available to users in the United States. And the company is playing fair, too. Instead of making the app work only on its own Android systems, it can do its work on Apple/iOS devices, as well as desktop Chrome browsers.

How it works

9to5Google’s test run of the app came off pretty impressively, but it’s not a total fix-all. To begin, the company is sticking with major retailers, airlines, and other brands that have call centers consumers might engage with. 

In instances where you’d call an airline, it would play out like this: 

“Request a call”: You first specify a reason for why you’re calling. In the case of airlines, it’s: Update existing booking, Luggage issue, Canceled flight, Other issue, Flight check-in, Missed my flight, and Delayed flight.

“You then provide your phone number, with Google sending SMS updates. The Request page will note the estimated wait time. After submitting, you can cancel the request at any time,” 9to5Google’s Abner Li said.

So far, the supported business partners include the following according to Li:

Airlines: Alaska Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, United

Telecommunications: Assurance Wireless, Boost Mobile, Charter Communications, Cricket Wireless, Samsung, Sprint (which probably means T-Mobile, too)

Retail: Best Buy, Costco, Gamestop, The Home Depot, Walmart, Services

Services: ADT, DHL, Fedex, Grubhub, Instacart, Securus Technologies, Stubhub, UPS, and Waste Management, Zelle

Insurance: Esurance, State Farm 

Family Dollar and parent company Dollar General will pay $41.675 million in connection with a rodant-infested product warehouse in West Memphis, Ark. Food, drugs and cosmetics were among the products held in unsanitary conditions.

The companies entered a guilty plea to criminal charges and as a result, received the largest fine in a food safety case.

This week’s plea deal also requires Family Dollar and Dollar Tree to meet robust corporate compliance and reporting requirements for the next three years.

In February 2022 Family Dollar temporarily closed 404 stores served by the warehouse after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found a rodent infestation at the distribution center. The FDA said it acted after receiving a consumer complaint.

At the time, the FDA said it acted because it was concerned that some regulated products stored in the distribution center may have become contaminated and could pose a threat to the health and safety of the public. The FDA worked with the company to initiate a voluntary recall of the affected products that were shipped after Jan 1, 2022.

“When consumers go to the store, they have the right to expect that the food and drugs on the shelves have been kept in clean, uncontaminated conditions,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer. 

What the company knew, and when

According to the Justice Department, the company began receiving reports in August 2020 of mouse and pest issues with deliveries to stores. By the end of 2020, certain stores reported receiving rodents and rodent-damaged products from the warehouse. 

The company admitted that by no later than January 2021, some of its employees were aware that the unsanitary conditions caused FDA-regulated products held at the warehouse to become adulterated in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA).

This isn’t Family Dollar’s first brush with the law. In 2019, Family Dollar, Dollar Tree and Dollar General agreed to pay a combined $1.2 million to the state of New York for selling products beyond their expiration dates.

The Justice Department did not say whether any of the $41 million will find its way to affected consumers. In December, Family Dollar settled a class action suit about the infestation and agreed to give affected customers a $25 gift card.

Ford Motor Company is recalling 77,574 model year 2018-2020 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators.

The seat belt pretensioner in the driver and/or front passenger seat may inadvertently deploy and lock the seat belt, which will not allow the belt to retract or extend.

Seat belts that fail to retract or extend may not restrain an occupant as intended, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

What to do

Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt retractors as necessary. Additionally, they will install an HVAC drain tube elbow if it is missing. Repairs will be performed free of charge.

Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed March 4, 2024. A second notice will be sent once remedy parts become available, anticipated second half of 2024.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at (866) 436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 24S06.

Over the last 10 years, we’ve seen Airbnb become America’s destination darling, only to go off the rails when hosts – who should’ve never been hosts to begin with – got greedy with fees and forgot what good customer service is all about.

But, a new study claims that while the company still encounters some unhappy campers, it may have turned the corner in eliminating gripes and frustrations and getting back on its balance beam again.

Getting the right stuff in the right place

The new study, commissioned by Photoaid, found that there are still some things that irk Airbnb guests. The top three are issues with refunds or cancellations (74%), noisy surroundings (73%), and misleading photos/descriptions (72%).

The refunds/cancellations issues are a sore point with many ConsumerAffairs reviewers like Denny from Seattle who claims he spent days trying to get an answer from at least half a dozen people about their cancellation policy. Angela from Sunnyvale Calif., suggests that the company may be playing games with its cancellation policy, too.

“They only grant a full service fee refund if you cancel within the free cancellation period. Otherwise, you're left with zilch. When the host chooses a percentage refund, one would assume that the service fee would align with that percentage refund,” she wrote in a ConsumerAffairs review.

However, most Americans had a positive experience with Airbnb. All told, 80% rated their experience as satisfactory (45%) or very satisfactory (34%). Nearly 83% reported choosing Airbnb over hotels at least some of the time in the past 24 months. And a significant 92% of respondents are likely (54%) or very likely (38%) to use Airbnb in the future.

Failing forward fast

Airbnb didn’t share its priority list with ConsumerAffairs, but it did note that out of the 430+ upgrades it made in the last several years, many of those were designed to specifically improve quality and reliability. 

For example, it updated price tools to make pricing more transparent and has tried to verify every listing in the U.S., Canada, Australia, UK, and France to weed out hosts who aren’t holding up their part of the customer service bargain.

Airbnb CEO and Co-Founder Brian Chesky even reached out to users on X to get a handle on what people think about the product and what they would change.

Getting the right person on the phone looks to be the company’s next challenge. Airbnb’s current goals in this regard are to answer calls in 10 different languages within two minutes and clean up its customer service act so that when guests call, they’ll get matched with the best agents to resolve their specific issues, faster.

The cancellation issue? Don’t hold your breath. When ConsumerAffairs asked Airbnb about the complaints our readers are writing, a fix for that wasn’t addressed.

So, until that happens, following Airbnb’s cancellation instructions to a “T” and keeping a record of everything you did – calmly and politely – is in your best interest. 

Kroger and Albertsons, two of the biggest grocers in the country, have been working on a merger deal since 2022. 

Now, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a group of attorneys general are suing to block the merger, in which Kroger would acquire Albertsons for $24.6 billion. According to the FTC, merging the two grocers would eliminate competition for consumers, resulting in higher grocery prices, and leading to poor working conditions for employees. 

With both grocery chains hosting stores under their supermarket banners, the deal would give the two retailers a combined 5,000 locations across the United States. 

The fact that inflation has hammered grocery shoppers' pocketbooks for the last two years is the exclamation point on the FTC action.

“This supermarket mega-merger comes as American consumers have seen the cost of groceries rise steadily over the past few years,” said Henry Liu, director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition. “Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today. 

“Essential grocery store workers would also suffer under this deal, facing the threat of their wages dwindling, benefits diminishing, and their working conditions deteriorating.” 

Protecting a competitive marketplace

The FTC and attorneys general from Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, and Wyoming are primarily concerned with what this merger will do to the competition in the grocery marketplace. 

They explained that with fewer places to buy groceries, there are two primary ways that consumers can suffer: higher grocery prices and lower grocery quality. 

Currently, with both stores in operation, they work to maintain high quality standards to garner support from consumers. This includes everything from higher quality products, improved private-label offerings, a wide array of in-store services, flexible store and pharmacy hours, and curbside pickup services. 

However, the FTC believes that without that direct competition, prices won’t need to stay within a reasonable range. On top of that, stores won’t be trying to win shoppers, so many of these extra services won’t be necessary anymore. 

Concern for employees

The FTC also worries about the effect this will have on supermarket employees. Workers won’t have as many opportunities to secure higher wages, better benefits, or better working conditions. 

The agency explained that employees at both chains are members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which works to promote better working conditions, better pay, and better benefits for employees at all supermarkets. However, without Kroger and Albertsons competing for employees, the union wouldn’t have as much influence on behalf of workers. 

Kroger and Albertsons fight back

Despite the lawsuit, Kroger and Albertsons believe that teaming up will help them compete with the likes of Walmart and Amazon, while still providing low prices to shoppers. 

“Contrary to the FTC’s statements, blocking Kroger’s merger with Albertsons Companies will harm the very people the FTC purports to serve: America’s consumers and workers,” Kroger said in a statement. “The FTC’s decision makes it more likely that America’s consumers will see higher food prices and fewer grocery stores at a time when communities across the country are already facing high inflation and food deserts. This decision only strengthens larger, non-unionized retailers like Walmart, Costco, and Amazon, by allowing them to further increase their overwhelming and growing dominance of the grocery industry.” 

“Albertsons Cos.’ merger with Kroger will ensure our neighborhood supermarkets can better compete with these mega retailers, all while benefiting our customers, associates, and communities,” the company said in a statement. “We are disappointed that the FTC continues to use the same outdated view of the U.S. grocery industry it used 20 years ago, and we look forward to presenting our arguments in Court." 

When children reach a certain age they outgrow their car seat and graduate to a “booster” seat, a much simpler device that raises the child slightly and adds protection in the event of an accident.

If you are in the market for one of these child booster seats, here’s some good news: The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports the latest versions of these seats are improvements over previous models.

Forty-seven out of 54 booster seats introduced last year earned IIHS’s highest rating of BEST BET.

The BEST BET rating means a booster provides a good seat belt fit for typical 4- to 8-year-olds in almost any car, minivan or SUV. Boosters that are rated GOOD BETs provide acceptable belt fit in almost any vehicle, while those rated Check Fit could work for some children in some vehicles. Seats designated “Not Recommended” don’t provide a good belt fit and should be avoided.

Among the other new booster seats, one is a GOOD BET and six are rated Check Fit. None are Not Recommended.

“Booster seats are simple, low-tech devices that don’t have to cost a lot to be effective,” said Jessica Jermakian, IIHS vice president of vehicle research. “All a booster needs to do is raise the child up a bit and guide the seat belt so it is positioned correctly. The lap belt should lie flat on the upper thighs and not up against the tummy, and the shoulder belt should fit snugly across the middle of the shoulder.”

BEST BET-rated booster seats

If you are shopping for one of these seats, IIHS says these are the best:

• Britax Highpoint (highback mode)

• Britax Skyline (highback mode)

• Century Boost On 2-in-1 Slim High Back Booster (backless mode)

• Century Boost On 2-in-1 Slim High Back Booster (highback mode)

• Chicco KidFit Zip Air (backless mode)

• Chicco KidFit Zip Air (highback mode)

• Chicco KidFit Zip Plus (backless mode)

• Chicco KidFit Zip Plus (highback mode)

• Cybex Solution B2-Fix + Lux (highback)

• Cybex Solution B-Fix (highback)

• Diono Monterey 2XT (backless mode)

• Diono Monterey 2XT (highback mode)

• Diono Monterey 5iST FixSafe (highback)

• Diono Radian 3QXT (highback)

• Diono Radian 3RX (highback)

• Diono Radian 3RXT Safe+ (highback)

• Diono Radian 3QX (highback)

• Diono Solana (backless)

• Diono Solana 2 (backless)

• Evenflo ALL4One (backless mode)

• Evenflo ALL4One (highback mode)

• Evenflo All4One DLX (backless mode)

• Evenflo GoTime (backless)

• Evenflo GoTime LX (backless mode)

• Evenflo GoTime LX (highback mode)

• Evenflo GoTime Sport (backless mode)

• Evenflo GoTime Sport (highback mode)

• Evenflo Revolve360 (highback)

• Graco 4Ever DLX Extend2Fit (backless mode)

• Graco 4Ever DLX Extend2Fit (highback mode)

• Graco 4Ever DLX Extend2Fit SnugLock (backless mode)

• Graco 4Ever DLX Extend2Fit SnugLock (highback mode)

• Graco 4Ever DLX SnugLock Grow (backless mode)

• Graco 4Ever DLX SnugLock Grow (highback mode)

• Graco Nautilus SnugLock Grow (backless mode)

• Graco Nautilus SnugLock Grow (highback mode)

• Graco Tranzitions SnugLock (backless mode)

• Graco Tranzitions SnugLock (highback mode)

• Graco TriRide (highback)

• Graco TurboBooster LX (backless)

• Graco TurboBooster Stretch (backless mode)

• Graco TurboBooster Stretch (highback mode)

• Graco Turn2Me 3-In-1 Car Seat (highback)

• Graco 4Ever DLX SnugLock (backless mode)

• Harmony Dreamtime Elite with LATCH (backless mode)

• Harmony Dreamtime Elite with LATCH (highback mode)

• Harmony Youth Booster Elite with LATCH (backless)