Archive for July, 2008

Judge Rules That Early Termination Fees Are ILLEGAL In California | Consumerist

Sam on the dubious value of credit counseling agencies and what to look for when considering referring a client to one.
Bottom line: not really worth it.
For more information about credit counselors and debt settlement agencies, see Debt settlement companies and credit counselors–are they worth the fee?
(Click on the picture for the full article.)

Man Sets Himself On Fire At Rent-A-Center After Receiving Too Many Late Payment Notices | Consumerist

About effing time!T-Mobile Introduces Month To Month Contracts | Consumerist

Blue Cross Blue Shield Of Georgia Sends 202,000 Letters Containing Personal Information To The Wrong Addresses | Consumerist

Or at least credit card debt is, apparently. Our Partner CFED released this data as part of their annual Assets and Opportunities Score Card, showing that Alaska has the highest median credit card debt per borrower in the nation, at $3,384. (For those of you who slept through math class back in the day, medians [...]

“President enacts controversial measure that aims to help borrowers, bolster the housing market and provide a fail-safe for Fannie and Freddie.” Bush signs housing rescue law | CNN Money

“A study shows more people are doing the same—using cash, not credit. But that kind of fiscal responsibility worries credit card companies.” $8,000 debt turns credit card couple onto debit | CNN

Perhaps some are. But when NetDebt charges “15% of the amount of debt you bring to their program (regardless of results or the number of creditors it must deal with), plus a “small” monthly service fee of $50,” I have to wonder.
So if a consumer had $20,000 in debt, he or she would owe $3,000, [...]

Please please please Sun Country expand your service so I don’t have to fly Delta when they take over Northwest’s routes in Minneapolis. Delta Makes Woman With Muscular Dystrophy Crawl Off Plane | Consumerist

Most People Can Still File Chapter 7 bankruptcies | Bankruptcy and Consumer Information

Fixing our fuel crisis, credit crunch: a new course in home economics? | MinnPost

Are airline kiosks safe? | Red Tape Chronicles

Larry Lessig, who seeks to Change Congress by pulling out the special interest money that has eroded the public trust to a measly 9%.

Grocery Shopping: The Importance of Checking the Price Per Unit | Queercents

If anyone were still in doubt as to whether or not the United States economy is in recession, the FDIC’s problem list now includes 90 banks at risk of failure. This is not a large number, since there are about 8,500 banks in the country, but it is up from 76 last year.
Historically, only about [...]

Bank Of American Lets Identity Thief Withdraw $40,000 In A Single Day | Consumerist

As a Comcast customer experiencing serious bandwidth throttling on my home and business connections, I am thrilled with this news. FCC Votes To Punish Comcast | /.

Disclaimer: I did not even look at the following article, which has nothing to do with consumer law, but does have what may be the best headline I have seen all year. Behold: Suspect in Spider-Man clothing sought in Golden Valley motel robbery | StarTribune

U.S. Foreclosures Double: 1 in Every 171 Households Affected | Consumerist