Current Events in March 2025

A federal judge has ruled that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can move forward with its high-profile antitrust lawsuit against Amazon, dealing a significant blow to the e-commerce giant. However, the judge dismissed a handful of claims made by individual states involved in the legal battle, offering Amazon a minor reprieve.

The ruling, issued last week by U.S. District Judge John H. Chun in Washington and unsealed Monday, marks a major defeat for Amazon, which has spent months attempting to have the case thrown out. The trial is scheduled for October 2026, setting the stage for one of the most significant legal battles in the company’s nearly 30-year history.

“We are pleased with the court’s decision and look forward to moving this case forward,” FTC spokesperson Doug Farrar said in a statement. 

Last year, the FTC alleged Amazon.com, which has 1 billion items in its online superstore, was using an algorithm that pushed up prices U.S. households paid by more than $1 billion. Amazon has said in court papers it stopped using the program in 2019.

While Judge Chun allowed federal antitrust and consumer protection claims to move forward, he dismissed some state-level allegations, particularly those brought by New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and Maryland. The ruling limits certain aspects of the case but leaves the core allegations against Amazon intact.

'FTC must prove its claims'

Amazon, for its part, is stridently denying the claims. It argues that the FTC’s claims misrepresent how consumers and sellers engage in online shopping.

“The ruling at this early stage requires the court to assume all facts alleged in the complaint are true. They are not,” Amazon spokesperson Tim Doyle said. He further claimed that the FTC’s case is built on a flawed premise, arguing that it “falsely” assumes shoppers only consider major sites like Walmart, Target, Amazon, and eBay when making purchases.

“Moving forward, the FTC will have to prove its claims in court, and we’re confident those claims will not hold up when the FTC has to prove them with evidence,” Doyle added, asserting that the agency’s approach could ultimately make online shopping “more difficult and costly.”

A closely-watched forecast of America's economic growth is warning of a recession.

Gross domestic product (GDP) growth is expected to be -2.4% for the first quarter of 2025 after forecasts, which are published every few days, fell into the negative starting on Feb. 28, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.

GDP is a key metric on the pace of the economy's health and two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth would signal a recession.

The worrying numbers follow economic uncertainty from Trump's tariffs, which are expected to raise prices on numerous goods and services, including cars and home construction.

Price hikes from tariffs could reduce spending, lower production and cause job cuts.

The stock market has also reacted negatively in recent days.

On Thursday, the S&P 500 fell another 1.8% and brought its multiday decline to 7%.

And the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 index fell into a correction, bringing it down more than 10% from recent highs.

Before Trump's tariffs, there were already fears of a U.S. stock market bubble.

Some 89% of investors said they think stocks are overvalued, according to a February survey by Bank of America.

Bank of America likened the current market scenario, which involves a high concentration in few stocks, to the dot-com crash of the late 1990s.

"If history is any indicator, the current market scenario could lead to a significant downturn, potentially dragging the S&P 500 down by as much as 40%," World Economic Magazine reports.

With daylight saving time just days away, many consumers may not think about some of the unintended risks associated with this bi-yearly event. 

One such risk: an increase in traffic accidents. Several recent studies have highlighted the association between daylight savings time and more traffic accidents. 

To help keep consumers safe this weekend – and beyond – ConsumerAffairs interviewed Katie Ekstrom, the assistant vice president of Auto Product Development for Personal Insurance at Travelers. She shared the biggest risks to consumers on the road, how to stay safe behind the wheel, and the importance of being proactive. 

What are the biggest risks to drivers? 

Though the clocks only shift forward one hour, Ekstrom explained that we’re likely to feel the effects of that one hour. Drowsiness behind the wheel in the wake of daylight savings can be a major factor for drivers. 

“It can take several days to adjust to the time change fully,” Ekstrom told ConsumerAffairs. “Disruptions to sleep schedules can impact reaction times, alertness, and awareness of hazards, increasing the risk of accidents.” 

On top of that, while many consumers won’t complain about having the extra sunlight, it can be a hazard to drivers. 

“Morning sun glare, which is more common after the clocks move forward, can make it difficult to see other vehicles, contributing to crashes. In fact, sun glare is responsible for approximately 9,000 accidents each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” Ekstrom said. 

How can drivers stay safe? 

With this information, consumers can still stay safe on the roads. Ekstrom’s biggest piece of advice is for consumers to be proactive and prepared when they’re driving this weekend. 

“To protect yourself, plan ahead by adjusting your sleep schedule and going to bed a little earlier each night. If you’re on the road and start to feel drowsy – do not push through, pull over and rest,” Ekstrom advised. 

When it comes to cutting down glare, the solution is simple: sunglasses. 

“Keep a pair of sunglasses in your car and use your sun visor to help cut down on glare,” she said. “Be extra cautious at intersections, as bright sunlight can make it difficult to see traffic lights and harder to spot pedestrians crossing the street.” 

Another way to stay safe on the road: eliminate potential distractions. 

“With focus already impacted by sleep loss, it’s best to keep distractions to a minimum by programming your navigation before you leave, saving meals for your destination, and staying off your phone,” Ekstrom said. 

It takes time to adjust to the time change

Ekstrom explained that it takes time for our bodies to fully adjust to the time change from daylight savings. This means that these impacts are not just immediately present, but can also have lingering effects in the following days.

“Make sure you’re giving yourself time to adjust to the changes,” Ekstrom said. “Drivers around you may also be impacted by the time change, so ensuring that you are following safe driving practices can contribute to improved driving safety overall.” 

Her final piece of advice: patience goes a long way. 

“Since all drivers are in the same boat, practicing patience can go a long way,” Ekstrom said. “Defensive driving, staying alert, and planning ahead can make all the difference.” 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is distributing over $905,000 in refunds to nearly 40,000 consumers who purchased Pure Green Coffee, which it said was a fraudulent weight-loss product falsely marketed with deceptive health claims and fake testimonials.

The alleged scam, run by NPB Advertising, misled consumers by promoting the product on fake news websites, featuring bogus success stories and unproven claims about its weight-loss effects.

The FTC first sued NPB Advertising and its associates in May 2014, alleging that they engaged in false advertising and consumer fraud. In 2015, most of the defendants settled the charges. However, in 2016, the FTC won its case against the ringleader of the operation and has since worked to recover funds to compensate affected consumers.

Now, after years of legal action, the FTC is returning money to those who were tricked into buying Pure Green Coffee.

How refunds will be distributed

• 39,977 consumers will receive payments through checks or PayPal.
• Consumers receiving checks should cash them within 90 days of the issue date.
• PayPal recipients must redeem their refunds within 30 days.
• Anyone with questions about their refund can contact the refund administrator, Epiq Systems, at 877-839-1696 or visit the FTC’s website for more details.

The FTC reminds consumers that it will never ask for money or personal information to issue refunds.

Kin, a direct-to-consumer, digital home insurance provider, has expanded into California with a homeowners insurance product, something that's not very easy to find in California these days. 

The policies in California are marketed and distributed through Kin Insurance Services, a California surplus lines broker. California policies are underwritten by a non-admitted carrier in partnership with Kin.

A non-admitted insurance carrier (also called a surplus lines insurer) is not licensed by the state's Department of Insurance but is allowed to sell policies under special regulations. These insurers can offer coverage that admitted (state-licensed) insurers won’t or can’t provide—often for high-risk areas like those prone to wildfires, earthquakes, or floods, which pretty much sums up some of California's most populated areas.

Non-admitted carriers generally step into areas where established carriers have pulled out because of high risks and heavy losses. They offer much the same coverage but are not covered by all the rules that admitted carriers are.

Among other things, this means that if the insurer goes bankrupt, policyholders cannot turn to the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) for compensation.

Chicago, Illinois-based Kin was founded in 2016, and reports more than 240,000 policies in effect.

Coverage Areas

As of early 2025, Kin offers homeowners insurance in the following states:​nerdwallet.com

• Alabama​

• Arizona​

• California​

• Florida​

• Georgia​

• Louisiana​

• Mississippi​

• South Carolina​

• Tennessee​

• Texas​

• Virginia​

The company says it specializes in providing coverage in disaster-prone areas, such as regions susceptible to hurricanes and floods, offering tailored policies to meet the unique needs of these homeowners. ​

Does vaping help tobacco smokers kick the habit? 

A new study conducted by researchers from the University of California at San Diego found that the answer to that question is no. In fact, U.S. tobacco smokers may be more likely to smoke more after vaping – not less. 

“Most smokers think vaping will help you quit smoking,” study co-author John P. Pierce, Ph.D., said in a news release. 

“However, this belief is not supported by science to date. While some researchers have suggested that smokers who switch to daily vaping will be more successful in quitting smoking, we studied quitting success among both daily and non-daily vapers and came up with a quite definitive answer.”

The study

For the study, the researchers analyzed data from over 6,000 smokers in the U.S. who were enrolled in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) Study. Of that group, 943 also vaped, and the researchers compared the outcomes with those who didn’t vape. 

Additionally, the researchers were able to look at some of the factors that most affect whether or not smokers are successful with quitting. These included things like a willingness to stop smoking, regular smoking habits, socioeconomic factors, and more. 

“For example, if a smoker is already very interested in quitting, has a smoke-free home, and does not smoke daily, they are much more likely to successfully quit regardless of whether they vape or not,” senior author Karen Messer, Ph.D., said in a news release. 

“We matched each smoker/vaper on such characteristics. You have to make very sure you’re comparing like with like, and that’s why this analysis is so definitive.” 

How does vaping affect smoking cessation?

Ultimately, the researchers found that vaping wasn’t helpful in aiding smokers in quitting the habit. 

The study found that those who vaped daily were over 4% less likely to quit smoking, while those who vaped regularly – but not every day – were over 5% less likely to quit smoking. 

Quitting both traditional cigarettes and vaping was nearly 15% less likely among those who vaped daily, and over 7% less likely for those who vaped regularly but not daily. 

"As the public health community continues to grapple with the complexities of tobacco control, it is essential that we rely on rigorous scientific evidence to inform our policies and interventions,” Messer said. “Our research shows that misleading associations between vaping and smoking cessation routinely occur unless confounding characteristics are carefully accounted for.”