Current Events in April 2025

Key takeaways:

• Platform defaults to displaying full stay cost—including fees and, in some cases, taxes—starting Monday
• Change aligns with upcoming U.S. federal regulations banning hidden “junk fees”
• Airbnb says the update has already led to lower cleaning fees across thousands of listings

In a long-anticipated move aimed at restoring affordability and trust, Airbnb says it is now displaying the total cost of bookings upfront—including fees and taxes in some locations—for all users by default. The update, which went into effect Monday, replaces the often-misleading nightly rate pricing model that excluded service, cleaning, and other hidden fees until checkout.

New default view: All-in pricing

The change means that whether you're booking a weekend getaway or a long-term stay, you'll see the full price before clicking “Reserve.” The total includes taxes and fees (depending on location), making it easier for users to compare listings without the unpleasant surprise of inflated costs at checkout.

An Airbnb spokesperson told ConsumerAffairs that the "total price display is inclusive of fees but excludes taxes in the U.S. and 200+ other countries." In some regions, such as the European Union, taxes are included in the total price due to local regulations.

Airbnb said the update reflects the company’s broader commitment to “affordability and transparency,” especially as consumers grow increasingly frustrated with unclear pricing in the travel and event industries.

Regulatory pressure on “junk fees”

Airbnb’s pricing update comes just weeks ahead of new federal regulations in the United States. Beginning May 12, the Federal Trade Commission’s “junk fee” rule will require hotels, ticketing platforms, and short-term rental companies to clearly disclose total prices upfront.

The FTC’s goal: stop businesses from tacking on last-minute “service” or “convenience” fees after consumers have already decided to purchase. While the regulation doesn’t cap prices, it does mandate that full costs be prominently displayed—a shift Airbnb has now preemptively embraced.

Early results show fee reductions

Airbnb began testing this feature in Europe, Australia, and parts of Canada in 2019, with U.S. and Canadian users gaining optional access in 2022. Since then, the company says more than 17 million guests have used the total price display option.

The impact has gone beyond consumer satisfaction. According to Airbnb, the pricing transparency tool has pressured hosts to lower or eliminate excessive fees. In 2023 alone, nearly 300,000 listings either reduced or completely removed cleaning fees, with 40% of active listings eliminating them entirely.

A more competitive landscape

As travelers increasingly seek budget-friendly options, price transparency has become a competitive advantage. Airbnb’s shift not only improves the booking experience but may also pressure hotels and rival platforms to follow suit ahead of the federal deadline.

Whether planning summer travel or comparing stays for a work trip, users can now breathe a little easier—knowing the price they see is the price they’ll pay.

Key takeaways:

• North Dakota, Oklahoma and Arkansas are the three best states for price of rent per square foot.
• New York, Massachusetts and Hawaii are the three worst states for price of rent per square foot.
• States in the Midwest, South and West typically have better rent prices for the cost of space.

It's no secret renters end up paying a lot more for less space across the country.

But some states have much lower rents based on the cost of space.

Rent prices per square foot varied widely from as little as $1.10 a square foot to as much as $3.23 among states, according to data provided to ConsumerAffairs by Cash For Home, which analyzed the average rent price per square foot by state.

North Dakota is the best state for renters by price per square foot, costing $1.10 a square foot, followed by Oklahoma ($1.19), Arkansas ($1.20), South Dakota ($1.25) and Wyoming ($1.27).

North Dakota outpaced the rest of the U.S. in domestic migration in 2023, the latest year of data from the U.S. Census, in part because of its low cost of living and and economic opportunity attracting Americans from other states, ConsumerAffairs previously reported.

"In states like New York, you’re paying top dollar for less room," Nathan Richardson, real estate expert and founder of Cash For Home, told ConsumerAffairs. "In places like North Dakota, the same money gets you space to live, grow and breathe." 

The worst state for price of rent per square foot is New York, costing $3.23 a square foot. The other five worst states are Massachusetts ($3.16), Hawaii ($3.16), California ($2.99) and New Jersey ($2.64).

"Affordability in real estate isn’t just about monthly rent—it's about what you're getting in return," he said.

Cost per square foot is an often overlooked figure in the rental market that gives a more accurate picture of value when comparing across locations, he said.

"In lower-density areas, you're not only getting more space for your dollar, but often a better quality of life: less congestion, more privacy, and room to grow, literally and figuratively," Richardson said. "With remote and hybrid work becoming the norm, renters are no longer tied to high-cost urban centres, making states like North Dakota or Arkansas even more appealing."

Key takeaways

• Tariffs boost second-hand market: Thrift, consignment, and second-hand stores are thriving amid global tariffs, as their merchandise originates from consumer donations rather than international manufacturers.

• ThredUp sees financial gains: Online consignment retailer ThredUp reports benefits from tariff policies, with stock prices rising since the U.S. administration’s tariff announcements.

• Thrifting tips for newcomers: Experienced shoppers recommend planning ahead, budgeting carefully, inspecting items for quality, and being willing to leave if nothing appealing is found.

There’s one segment of the U.S. retail economy that isn’t worried about tariffs. In fact, tariffs on imported goods just may be good for business.

Thrift stores, second-hand stores and consignment stores – whatever they are called – don’t rely on factories in other countries. Their merchandise comes from other American consumers, either in the form of donated items or consigned products, in which the store and the consumer share the money.

“Resale is a rare industry that benefits from the administration’s global tariffs,” Alon Rotem, chief strategy officer at online consignment and thrift store ThredUp, told the Financial Times. “Everything we sell comes from the closets of Americans, so everything we sell is immune.”

ThredUp is a consignment store, a publicly-traded for-profit enterprise, has already benefited from the tariffs. The company’s shares have rallied since President Trump announced the tariffs on April 2.

 Most second-hand stores are operated by churches and other non-profit organizations. One of the largest is Goodwill Industries, where shoppers say you can get lightly-used designer clothing and dinnerware for pennies on the dollar – if you know what to look for.

If you’re new to thrift store shopping, regular “thrifters” offer these tips:

• Plan ahead: Visit some stores in your area before going shopping. 

• Make a budget: Even though items cost less, you can still spend a lot of money if you get carried away.

• Inspect items closely: Look for signs of wear, damage, or stains.

• Be ready to walk away: If you aren't finding what you want, don't hesitate to leave.

Key Takeaways

• Walgreens to pay $300 million to resolve allegations it unlawfully dispensed and billed for millions of opioid and controlled substance prescriptions, with an additional $50 million penalty if sold or merged before 2032.

• Federal investigation reveals systemic failures at Walgreens, including filling prescriptions with clear red flags and pressuring pharmacists to prioritize speed over safety.

• Landmark compliance measures imposed, including seven years of DEA oversight and a five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with HHS-OIG to prevent future violations.

Walgreens Boots Alliance and its subsidiaries have agreed to pay $300 million to settle federal allegations that the company illegally dispensed millions of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances over more than a decade.

The U.S. Department of Justice said the settlement marks one of the largest civil settlements involving the Controlled Substances Act in U.S. history, following a sweeping investigation led by the DOJ, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General. The settlement also resolves False Claims Act allegations related to billing federal health programs for these prescriptions.

Pattern of negligence

From August 2012 to March 1, 2023, Walgreens pharmacies allegedly filled prescriptions that lacked legitimate medical purposes or were not written in the usual course of professional practice. The DOJ claims these included excessive quantities of opioids, early refills, and so-called “trinity” drug combinations — a cocktail of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants known to heighten overdose risk.

The complaint further claimed that Walgreens' corporate leadership fostered a profit-over-safety culture, where pharmacists were pressured to fulfill prescriptions at breakneck speed without adequate due diligence. Compliance staff allegedly withheld crucial data on suspicious prescribers from frontline pharmacists and discouraged internal alerts about high-risk prescription activity.

The settlement

While Walgreens denies liability, it has agreed to the $300 million payment based on its ability to pay. Should the company undergo a sale, merger, or transfer before fiscal year 2032, it will be required to pay an additional $50 million.

“This Department of Justice is committed to ending the opioid crisis and holding bad actors accountable for their failure to protect patients from addiction,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Pharmacies have a legal responsibility to prescribe controlled substances in a safe and professional manner, not dispense dangerous drugs just for profit.”

Key takeaways:

• Historical figures suggest that tariffs aren't helpful to U.S. Amazon sellers and e-commerce merchants elsewhere, despite China's dominance on the platforms.
• Chinese sellers have overtaken Americans as the majority of top-performing sellers on Amazon and have made big gains on Walmart Marketplace.
• Chinese e-commerce merchants have advantages that American sellers don't and they will likely hike prices to make up for the tariffs.

President Trump's tariffs aim to boost American businesses, but if history is the judge, they won't be helpful to the country's Amazon sellers.

"Despite promises that tariffs will help American businesses, historical evidence shows they simply make products more expensive for American consumers while failing to shift market share to domestic sellers," said Ben Donovan, analyst at e-commerce consultancy Marketplace Pulse, in a blog post.

Donovan pointed to a 2019 study in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, which found that when the first Trump administration placed tariffs on $283 billion of imports, the costs were "almost completely passed through into U.S. domestic prices."

The study also said that 2018 tariffs caused companies to reroute around $165 billion in trade a year through workarounds, such as shipping through other countries.

"These supply chains were reconfigured rather than repatriated while the underlying marketplace dynamics continued to evolve in favor of Chinese sellers," Donovan said.

The study came years before the dominance of Chinese merchants on U.S. e-commerce platforms.

Chinese sellers overtook Americans on Amazon in 2024, accounting for more than half of top 10,000 sellers by revenue, according to Marketplace Pulse.

On Walmart Marketplace, Chinese sellers now account for around 28% of active merchants, up from less than 1% at the start of 2021, Marketplace Pulse said.

Donovan said that Chinese sellers have advantages that tariffs won't fix.

"Many are either manufacturers themselves or have a closer proximity to manufacturing than American businesses," he said. "They benefit from Chinese government support through export subsidies and tax rebates."

"And they’ve become increasingly sophisticated in marketplace operations through years of platform experience," he added.

Key takeaways:

• Losses from text scams hit a record high in 2024.
• Victims are losing more money to text scams even though fewer scams are being reported.
• Popular text scams include delivery scams, fake jobs and unpaid tolls.

Text scams keep stealing money from victims.

People reported around $470 million in losses from text message scams in 2024, which is more than five times the $86 million in losses in 2020, according to data from the Federal Trade Commission.

"Since the vast majority of frauds are never reported, this number likely reflects only a fraction of the actual harm," the FTC said.

Losses from text scams have gone up while reports have declined, suggesting that scammers are getting better at stealing more money from victims.

The FTC said these five text scams account for around half of those reported:

1. Package delivery scams

Scammers can pretend to be the U.S. Postal Service or UPS, saying there was an issue with a delivery and link to a fake website to steal credit card details.

Victims have reported having to pay a small "redelivery" fee that is a trick to get their credit card information.

Package delivery scams were the most reported scam in 2024, the FTC said.

2. Job scams

Fake job offers via text messages, often from scammers pretending to be recruiters, have been around for a while.

But the FTC said the job scam has seen new life as a "task scam," which is when fraudsters offer a job to complete repetive tasks, such as rating products or apps.

Eventually, scammers ask victims to send money to finish their tasks and withdraw their fake earnings.

3. Fraud alert scams

Fraud alert scams can appear as text messages warning victims about supposed big purchases they didn't make.

Sometimes they are given a number to call or are asked to reply yes or no to verify a big transaction. Then, they are connected to a bogus fraud department.

"The scammers then pressure people into moving money out of their accounts to supposedly keep it safe, but it really goes to the scammers," the FTC said. "And people who move that money do not get any of it back."

4. Toll scams

Scammers are constantly sending texts that appear to be from legitimate toll collection agencies, such as E-ZPass, Florida's SunPass and San Francisco's FasTrak.

Tolls scams send a text that ask victims to click on a website to urgently pay an unpaid balance, but it is a trick to harvest credit card and even Social Security numbers.

Toll scams have gained in popularity in 2025: The first three months of the year have had back-to-back increases in the number of toll scams sent by text messages from fraudsters pretending to be toll collectors such as E-ZPass, ConsumerAffairs previously reported.

5. Wrong number scams

The wrong number scam isn't as popular but is still tricking victims by pretending to be an innocent mistake, starting with messages like "hello" or "do you want to get coffee?".

But responding can lead to a costly scam after fraudsters try to strike up a fake friendship or romance and then try to rope victims into a bogus investment.

Key takeaways: 

• HP agrees to $4 million payout over claims of misleading “strike-through” pricing and false scarcity tactics.

• Eligible customers may receive $10–$100 if they bought discounted HP gear between June 2021 and October 2024.

• HP admits no wrongdoing, settles civil lawsuit that alleged violations of FTC deceptive pricing guidelines.