Consumer Resources
Articles Index - page 3
Inadequate 2004 Funding Could Derail Amtrak
The House Appropriations Committee approved $900 million to fund Amtrak's FY04 operations. Not enough. Not by a boxcar, according to a very unhappy Amtrak President David Gunn, who accused Congress of "playing Russian roulette" by keeping passenger rail service in "constant state of crisis."[
'Spoofing' and 'Phishing' and Stealing Identities
The FBI, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Earthlink have jointly issued a warning on how the growing ranks of Internet crooks are using new tricks called "phishing" and "spoofing" to steal your identity.
U.S. Taxpayers Helping Public TV Go Digital
After requiring public television stations to convert to digital broadcasting, the federal government must now use taxpayer dollars to help them comply.
Americans Continue to Support the Arts
Despite the human trauma and travel restrictions resulting from the 9-11 attacks, Americans continued regular attendance at arts events during 2002, according to the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).
Amtrak Announces Half Price Fares for Students
Amtrak has announced it will offer 50-percent discount fares to high school juniors and seniors traveling to prospective college campuses this fall.
Battle of Education Winners and Whiners
Secretary of Education Rod Paige has angrily accused the National Education Association (NEA)of creating a "coalition of the whining" in response to the Association's recent proposal to block the No Child Left Behind Act in court.
Cable TV Costs Jumped 8.2 Percent Last Year
The national average monthly cost of cable TV service and equipment increased by 8.2 percent, from $37.06 to $40.11, over the 12-month period ending July 1, 2002, according to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
Yes, You Paid For It
Taxpayer-funded research by the National Science Foundation has determined that yards in "upscale," higher-income neighborhoods are likely to display a more highly diverse mix of plants than yards in lower income areas.
Anti-Telemarketing List Now Open for Registration
Consumers who do not want to receive telemarketing calls can now place their phone numbers on the national "do not call list," a step federal officials say should drastically reduce their number of unwanted calls.
FTC Warns of Best Buy Email Scam
Thousands of consumers may have fallen victim to an unauthorized and deceptive e-mail from Best Buy, entitled "Fraud Alert," sent on June 18, 2003, according to officials of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Back to 'The Jungle' in Chicago
Reacting to a scene reminiscent of Upton Sinclair's "The Jungle," the USDA and FDA have issued sweeping indictments of three executives of LaGrou Distribution System, Inc., a Chicago-based company that operates cold storage food warehouses.
Feds Move to Stop Citizenship-Based Tax Scheme
The Department of Justice has filed suit to stop a Fort Collins, Colorado couple and their organization from promoting what the government calls an "abusive tax scheme."
Senator Attacks Water Sucking Weed
U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse has declared legislative war against tamarisk, an imported weed Campbell says poses a dire threat to water supplies in Western states.
No Fireworks for the Fourth of July?
Fireworks for large Fourth of July celebrations may not make it to many parts of the country unless the Departments of Justice, Transportation, and Homeland Security can resolve their dispute over the terrorism-driven Safe Explosives Act.
Californians Pay Highest Median Rent: Census
Think your rent is high? Try renting in Irvine, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara or Fremont, California, where median gross rents all top $1,200 a month according to a new report from the Census Bureau.
Bush Backs GM Foods - US Consumers Do Not
Despite gaining a healthy endorsement from President Bush, genetically modified foods continue to be shunned by American consumers.
Security Tips to Speed Summer Flying
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has issued tips to help summertime travelers deal with anti-terrorism security delays.
FBI Taming a Lawless Web
The lawless, Wild-Wild-Web days of the early Internet are coming to a jail door slamming end as the FBI reports the arrests of more than 130 individuals and the seizure of more than $17 million in cases involving internet fraud and abuse.
Federal Posse Busts Spammers and Scammers
The US Federal Trade Commission announces the filing of 45 criminal and civil charges against Internet scammers and deceptive spammers.
US Senator Moves to Slam Spam
A U.S. Senator has announced he will introduce a bill making unsolicited "spam" email illegal under federal anti-racketeering laws.
Websites Run 'Do Not Call' Scams, FTC Says
The FTC has cited two Web site operators for falsely claiming to "pre-register" -- for a fee -- consumers with the national anti-telemarketing "Do Not Call" Registry.
American Airlines Charged with Discrimination
DOT charges American Airlines with 10 counts of discriminating against passengers due to their race, color, national origin, religion, sex, or ancestry.
Anti-telemarketing 'Do Not Call' Registry Timeline
The Federal Trade Commission has announced its timeline for implementing the national "do not call" registry, designed to offer Americans some relief from telemarketers.