Consumer Protection
Proceed with Caution: The Truth About Online Dating
Roughly 40 million people used at least one online dating service in 2012. The onus is on you to protect yourself.
Certified Preowned Buying Guide
Haven’t thought about buying a certified preowned vehicle? Think again.
Consumers Digest’s 2013 Automotive Best Buys
Forty-three recommendations across 12 categories.
Inner Space: Exploring New Design Features
Vehicles are getting smaller, so automakers are getting creative to produce more interior space.
April 22, 2013—Apple iPhone 5 owners will have a new accessory option—a car.
April 16, 2013—Ford Motor and General Motors will co-develop nine- and 10-speed automatic transmissions that the automakers plan to use in future vehicles.
Refrigerators: The Newest Space Stations
Enhanced versatility is the rule of the day.
Playing All the Angles: High-Performance Dishwashers
The latest dishwashers are quieter, use less water and have more wash options than older models did.
Range Hoods: Under-Cabinet • Chimney • Downdraft
Today's strongest models might need makeup-air systems.
April 22, 2013—General Electric’s newest front-loading washing machine also can dry your clothes.
April, 12, 2013—What are the germiest kitchen products? You might be surprised by the answer.
Making The Grade: Best Buys In Educational Software & Exceptional Apps For Kids
You can’t count on the availability of CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and downloadable programs beyond 2013.
Streaming A/V Gear: Making the Right Connections
Streaming-video boxes deliver more features than ever.
Prime-time: Universal Remotes
Tweaks to the latest models include Internet protocol.
May 6, 2013—U.S. Cellular will start to sell the Apple iPhone later in 2013, according to multiple news reports.
May 1, 2013—Internet companies increasingly take steps to block law enforcement or government agencies from getting access to your personal data, according to a report by an Internet privacy-rights group.
Whole-House Air Purifiers: Efficiency Report
You should be wary about claims of overall effectiveness for whole-house air purifiers.
Home-Security Services: Under Surveillance
A lack of regulation can lead to unlicensed workers installing home-security systems.
Pouring It On: Innovative Kitchen Faucets & Sinks
The latest faucets have higher spouts than ever before.
April 26, 2013—AT&T is the latest telecommunications company to launch a home-security and home-monitoring service.
April 10, 2013—Homeowners who reported foreclosure or loan-modification errors that were caused by mortgage-service companies will receive settlement checks beginning April 2013.
Energy Drinks: Monster Claims, Empty Promises, Marketing to Children
Consumers aren’t any closer to understanding what exactly is in energy drinks.
High-Tech Hearing Aids: Hearing Is Believing
As technologies change in hearing-aids, consumers still must navigate a maze of confusion when it’s purchase time.
Home Fitness Equipment: A New Interactive Experience
Ellipticals • Exercise Bikes • Home Gyms • Treadmills
May 10, 2013—Food and Drug Administration warned consumers not to consume Juices Inc. juice products or other beverages.
May 10, 2013—Three members of a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee are looking into the safety of an ingredient that’s used in muscle-building supplements.
Waterparks: Is Public Safety Going Down the Tubes?
Because of a lack of nationwide regulation, waterpark visits might be an accident waiting to happen.
Amusement Parks: Top Attractions, Hottest Rides & Best Values
Excitement is on the rise. So are admission prices and fees.
Car Rental: How to Avoid Being Taken for a Ride
Disputes over damage claims and questionable tactics when companies rent recalled vehicles can spell trouble for you.
May 17, 2013—Viking River Cruises plans to expand to ocean and sea voyages in 2015.
May 1, 2013—A new study says 4,400 children are injured each year on amusement-park rides.
Making The Grade: Best Buys In Educational Software & Exceptional Apps For Kids
You can’t count on the availability of CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and downloadable programs beyond 2013.
High-Tech Hearing Aids: Hearing Is Believing
As technologies change in hearing-aids, consumers still must navigate a maze of confusion when it’s purchase time.
The Fleecing of America’s Elderly
Government could do a lot more to protect seniors.
May 6, 2013—Senior citizens who have questions about identity theft can submit questions to Federal Trade Commission on May 7, 2013, as part of an agency workshop that will be broadcast on the Internet.
March 11, 2013—Federal Trade Commission exposed another company for allegedly ripping off senior citizens.
Swing Shift: Backyard Playsets Evolve
You’ll want more space and you’ll spend more money to add horizontal climbing bars to your playset.
Grass Seed: Turf Wars: Separating Fact from Filler
It’s unclear whether grass-seed manufacturers’ claims about their products are accurate.
Grounds Keepers: Top-Rated Lawnmowers & Tillers
There are more zero-turn-radius riding models than ever before, and you’ll find more cordless electric walk-behind lawnmowers.
April 5, 2013—The first Cub Cadet electric-powered zero-turn-radius riding lawnmower will arrive in stores this month.
March 25, 2013—This spring, you can buy a riding lawnmower that cuts grass and saves gasoline—sort of.
Reality Check: Third-Party Bill-Payment Services
Third-party bill-payment services, though desirable in theory, still are in their infancy.
Financial Forecast: Smart Money Moves for 2013
Expert Picks • Investments • Interest Rates • Real Estate
The Truth About Estate Sales
An unqualified agent might take no security measures at an estate sale, which makes it easier for someone else to steal.
May 6, 2013—Senior citizens who have questions about identity theft can submit questions to Federal Trade Commission on May 7, 2013, as part of an agency workshop that will be broadcast on the Internet.
April 19, 2013—The wireless telecommunication industry’s voluntary guidelines that are designed to prevent cellphone users from getting unexpected overage fees appears to be effective, according to Federal Communications Commission.
Energy Drinks: Monster Claims, Empty Promises, Marketing to Children
Consumers aren’t any closer to understanding what exactly is in energy drinks.
Home-Security Services: Under Surveillance
A lack of regulation can lead to unlicensed workers installing home-security systems.
Counterfeit Cuisine: The Dangers of Food Fraud
How you end up paying too much for the wrong species of fish or for corrupted versions of olive oil or maple syrup.
Think twice before you take your computer to the nearest repair specialist. Many people are scammed by technicians who are moved more by profit than principle.
You might face more than the grief of the loss of a loved one: grave desecration and double-sold plots.
Home > Special Reports
Consumers aren’t any closer to understanding what exactly is in energy drinks.
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A lack of regulation can lead to unlicensed workers installing home-security systems.
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How you end up paying too much for the wrong species of fish or for corrupted versions of olive oil or maple syrup.
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Medical Debt: Adding Insult to Injury
You can negotiate with health-care providers and debt collectors to reduce your debt or develop a payment plan for medical bills.
'Premium' Pet Food: Begging for the Truth
There is little evidence that cats and dogs benefit from costly and unusual ingredients in their food.
Why Smart Meters Might Be a Dumb Idea
Smart meters are supposed to give you more control over your energy use, but experts doubt that you’ll ever see the touted savings.
Roughly 40 million people used at least one online dating service in 2012. The onus is on you to protect yourself.
Drugmakers want more freedom to market the use of so-called off-label prescriptions.
Plenty of online businesses will sell you pets, but you don’t always get what you expect.
Some medical mobile applications do what they claim to do, but others just siphon bucks from your pocket.
Because of a lack of nationwide regulation, waterpark visits might be an accident waiting to happen.
Disputes over damage claims and questionable tactics when companies rent recalled vehicles can spell trouble for you.
An unqualified agent might take no security measures at an estate sale, which makes it easier for someone else to steal.
Government could do a lot more to protect seniors.
Where to donate in today's economy.
No independent research indicates whether artificial sweeteners are better for your health.
You can negotiate with health-care providers and debt collectors to reduce your debt or develop a payment plan for medical bills.
You might want to use a magnifying glass to read the fine print that’s on power contracts for hidden fees.
Why the Ultimate Numbers Game Is Out of Control
Some insurance companies use tactics to delay death-claim payments to increase their profit.
How Doctors Are Courted By Drugmakers
It’s bad enough that Americans pay $18 billion annually in cellphone fees and taxes. Now state and local governments are diverting that revenue to plug budget holes.
Performance-apparel companies claim that their garments will improve your performance, but no independent data back that up.
The Relentless Banking Money-Grab
The possible connection between cellphone-radiation emissions and health risks is worrisome—and seemingly ignored.
Hidden data collectors track your online activity.
Major brewing companies and beer distributors want to limit your access to the wide array of beers that are available.
Evidence doesn't support claims that because premium infant formula includes supplements, it's an improved product.
There is little evidence that cats and dogs benefit from costly and unusual ingredients in their food.
Smart meters are supposed to give you more control over your energy use, but experts doubt that you’ll ever see the touted savings.
Doctors’ new claims of safety are questionable.
Lawmakers try to dig their way out of their financial hole.
Scam artists find new ways to prey on consumers who are desperate for jobs or who seek extra cash.
Can you trust the “cloud” to keep your personal data safe?
Banks are living high on the hog while consumers are hog-tied by exorbitant fees. The government can’t be counted on to help.
Recall of automobiles and products is hampered by a system that depends on the release of safety information from manufacturers.
The lack of regulation and transparency on ingredients means that you could be applying dangerous materials to your face.
Breakfast cereal has too much sugar and far fewer nutritional benefits than what cereal companies brazenly imply.
Ads are more aggressive as they target an audience that doesn’t use traditional media.
You might face more than the grief of the loss of a loved one: grave desecration and double-sold plots.
Much recyclable waste picked up at the curb ends up in the same place as the trash: the landfill.
New rules provide some more protection for consumers, but banks are exploiting the loopholes that are in the reforms.
The Energy Star logo is supposed to identify highly efficient appliances, but flaws have weakened its usefulness.
Big Water is trying to tempt you to buy with eco-claims and fancy flavors. All this does for us is leave a bad taste in our mouths.
Liquidation sales often lure shoppers with misleading promises of discounts that amount to no deal at all.
The government is pouring billions of dollars into promoting ethanol, but evidence is mounting that it actually damages the environment and fouls up your engines.
The next generation of affordable “green” products includes erasable paper and fuel cells for electronics.
Dubious methods have us raising our hands with questions about the value of earning an online degree.
There’s more hype about products’ eco-friendliness, although many of these claims are far from true.
Most of your purchase money usually ends up in the pockets of the company sponsoring the promotion.
Think twice before you take your computer to the nearest repair specialist. Many people are scammed by technicians who are moved more by profit than principle.
Print-on-demand is not as simple, nor as profitable, as you might think.
Influence by frame makers decreases the medical focus for this product.
Online shopping features offered by stores are meant to make customers feel as if they have the upper hand, but retailers benefit just as much.
New methods for treating drug and alcohol abusers have created confusion and sometimes flawed choices for consumers.
While the number of nail salons grew tremendously in the last few years, the incidence of infection and disease related to their use rose as well.


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