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.
Consumers Digest’s 2013 Automotive Best Buys
Forty-three recommendations across 12 categories.
Certified Preowned Buying Guide
Haven’t thought about buying a certified preowned vehicle? Think again.
Top Tires: Get a Grip
Low-rolling-resistance tires soon might be standardized.
June 12, 2013—A vehicle feature that’s designed to reduce driver distraction doesn’t deliver the intended benefits and is more distracting than is talking on a cellphone, according to a new study.
April 22, 2013—Apple iPhone 5 owners will have a new accessory option—a car.
Home Cookin’: Ranges, Cooktops & Wall Ovens
More ranges and cooktops that have five burners or cooking elements exist than ever before.
Feature Attractions: Best Values in Microwave Ovens
New features appear to deliver limited cooking benefits.
Refrigerators: The Newest Space Stations
Enhanced versatility is the rule of the day.
June 12, 2013—Air-conditioner and refrigerator manufacturers will phase out the use of coolants that harm the ozone layer over the next few years, but experts tell Consumers Digest that the change likely won’t have a significant effect on prices.
April 22, 2013—General Electric’s newest front-loading washing machine also can dry your clothes.
Streaming A/V Gear: Making the Right Connections
Streaming-video boxes deliver more features than ever.
Viewer’s Choice: Inside the Streaming-Video Maze
It’s difficult to judge which service best suits your demands.
Sound Opinions: Today’s Best Home-Theater Audio
The number of sources of digital media is on the rise.
June 17, 2013—Microsoft created a version of its Office software for Apple’s iPhone.
June 13, 2013—Apple might launch new iPhones in 2014 that have larger screens than current iPhone models do, according to Reuters.
The Latest in Siding, Decking, Roofing & Fencing
Manufacturers struggle to introduce innovations.
Affordable Kitchen Makeovers: What’s Below the Surface: Top-Rated Kitchen Cabinets, Countertops & Flooring
Makers of kitchen countertops and flooring have cooked up new features on their latest products.
Pouring It On: Innovative Kitchen Faucets & Sinks
The latest faucets have higher spouts than ever before.
June 4, 2013—You might be able to purchase groceries through Amazon.com in 2014, according to a report from Reuters.
April 26, 2013—AT&T is the latest telecommunications company to launch a home-security and home-monitoring service.
Medical Apps: Gambling With Your Health
Some medical mobile applications do what they claim to do, but others just siphon bucks from your pocket.
Energy Drinks: Monster Claims, Empty Promises, Marketing to Children
Consumers aren’t any closer to understanding what exactly is in energy drinks.
Home Fitness Equipment: A New Interactive Experience
Ellipticals • Exercise Bikes • Home Gyms • Treadmills
June 10, 2013—Movie star Angelina Jolie’s decision to have a pre-emptive double mastectomy in an effort to reduce her exposure to breast cancer has made waves in both Hollywood and health-care circles. However, Jolie’s radical approach is one that very few women should follow.
June 4, 2013—Food and Drug Administration revised the form that consumers use to report adverse side effects or interactions from prescription medications.
Waterparks: Is Public Safety Going Down the Tubes?
Because of a lack of nationwide regulation, waterpark visits might be an accident waiting to happen.
Game Day: Game Tables that Score
Consumers should expect to pay more for the latest in game tables, particularly pool tables.
Bicycles: Tailor-Made Rides
Expert Picks in Road, Mountain, Hybrid & Comfort Bikes
June 11, 2013—School’s out for summer, which means that it’s waterpark season again. However, the latest government estimates for waterpark injuries reinforce the notion that no reliable safety statistics exist.
June 6, 2013—United Continental introduced an annual subscription service that allows you to bypass fees for checked luggage each time that you fly.
The Fleecing of America’s Elderly
Government could do a lot more to protect seniors.
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.
Baby Gear: Playing It Safe
New safety concerns have emerged about soft bedding and infant car-seat weight limits.
June 14, 2013—Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have published handbooks that are designed to help consumers to identify financial elder exploitation more easily.
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.
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.
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.
Credit-Score Outrage
Why the Ultimate Numbers Game Is Out of Control
Reality Check: Third-Party Bill-Payment Services
Third-party bill-payment services, though desirable in theory, still are in their infancy.
June 14, 2013—Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have published handbooks that are designed to help consumers to identify financial elder exploitation more easily.
June 6, 2013—United Continental introduced an annual subscription service that allows you to bypass fees for checked luggage each time that you fly.
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.
Out of Control
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.
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 > Consumer Protection
Some medical mobile applications do what they claim to do, but others just siphon bucks from your pocket.
Read More
Because of a lack of nationwide regulation, waterpark visits might be an accident waiting to happen.
Read More
Disputes over damage claims and questionable tactics when companies rent recalled vehicles can spell trouble for you.
Read MoreRoughly 40 million people used at least one online dating service in 2012. The onus is on you to protect yourself.
Plenty of online businesses will sell you pets, but you don’t always get what you expect.
A lack of regulation can lead to unlicensed workers installing home-security systems.
An unqualified agent might take no security measures at an estate sale, which makes it easier for someone else to steal.
How you end up paying too much for the wrong species of fish or for corrupted versions of olive oil or maple syrup.
Why the Ultimate Numbers Game Is Out of Control
Some insurance companies use tactics to delay death-claim payments to increase their profit.
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.
The Relentless Banking Money-Grab
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.
Lawmakers try to dig their way out of their financial hole.
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.
New rules provide some more protection for consumers, but banks are exploiting the loopholes that are in the reforms.


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