#consumer protection

#consumer protection

The UK government claims a new Telecoms Consumer Charter will stop customers being hit by unexpected bill increases and offer clearer pricing when signing up to deals. Britain's Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) says major telco providers - BT, Virgin Media O2 (VMO2), the newly conjoined VodafoneThree, Sky, and TalkTalk - have signed up to new commitments under the charter. The charter, however, appears to be nothing more than a voluntary code of conduct with no legal enforcement.

Uncontrolled rat infestations, thousands of dollars lost in destroyed items, misleading advertising and unnoticed rate increases are just some of the issues Extra Space Storage renters have dealt with for years, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by the New York City government. The civil action is the first filed by the city's Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) against a self-storage company, and comes as the agency pledges to be more aggressive in its efforts to hold the industry to account.

Federal agencies said Colony Ridge used misleading sales tactics, including misrepresentations about flooding risks, and failed to verify borrowers' ability to repay, which contributed to high foreclosure rates. The settlement reached with the DOJ, CFPB and Texas OAG marks the DOJ's first predatory mortgage lending case and the CFPB's first federal court lawsuit involving the Interstate Land Sales Full Disclosure Act (ILSA).

Nevada Representative Dina Titus has introduced new federal bill in a bid to strengthen oversight of sports-related prediction markets. The proposal reflects growing concern that certain platforms may be operating in regulatory gray areas. In a recent post on X, Rep. Titus expressed concern that some prediction market operators are exploiting loopholes in federal and state law. She argues that these platforms, while structured as financial trading exchanges, can function in ways that closely resemble traditional sportsbooks.

Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

Fashion weeks around the world are dominated by four main shows: New York, Paris, Milan, and London. But in 2020, Copenhagen Fashion Week (CPHFW) made a bold move that helped it garner attention. It launched a framework with nearly 20 sustainability standards that fashion brands must meet to participate. The choice came at a time when fashion's sustainability practices were under increased scrutiny.

If I could move, I would to a place without a heat network. But I can't while this debt is hanging over me, says Anja Georgiou. The mother lives with her family in a rented flat in the River Gardens development in Greenwich in south-east London where, three years ago, residents were shocked to be presented with a surprise 200,000 bill for heating and hot water.

If the warnings are not heeded, civil and criminal penalties could be next in line for the operators. Any games that award money or other prizes of value are prohibited under the state's law. "Illegal online gambling operations threaten consumer protections, undermine responsible gaming safeguards, and are antithetical to the public's interest in regulated gaming," said IGB Administrator Marcus D. Fruchter in a public statement.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren and a group of her colleagues released the first congressional analysis of the impact of the coming changes to federal student loans on the private lending market. The report - exclusively viewed by Business Insider - compiled new information provided by six lenders, detailing how they are preparing for an anticipated influx of borrowers into the private market.

Ryanair stated that the scrapers provide shoppers with outdated or inaccurate information (such as little to no mention of Ryanair's infamous hidden charges which are at least outlined in the official website). Furthermore, the customer details are rarely passed onto the airline meaning it cannot contact them if there's any change in the flight manifest.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground.

Every World Cup arrives with controversy. That is part of the tournament's DNA. Host nations worry about stadium readiness. Fans argue about ticket prices. Security planners lose sleep. What feels different this time is that the warning is not coming from activists in the stands or lawmakers in host cities. It is coming from the top of the sport's old establishment.

When OpenAI announced earlier this week that it would begin testing advertisements within ChatGPT, it marked a key shift in how AI tools make money. The company promised users could opt out of personalized ads and would see clear labels distinguishing promotions from regular responses. However, widespread concerns over the use of ads in AI content has many worried. Senator Ed Markey sent a letter this week to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and other tech leaders expressing concerns over the use of ads with AI.

With the FIFA World Cup set to descend on the region this summer, city officials announced this week that hidden hotel fees and surprise credit card holds will soon be illegal under a new rule finalized by the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. The measure aims to rein in last-minute add-ons like "resort," "destination" or "service" fees that quietly inflate room rates long after travelers think they've locked in a price.

It found that during that period, 19 insurers based in Florida or surrounding regions funneled billions of dollars in fees to holding companies and other affiliates that were not "fair and reasonable," as defined by various industry rules. The insurers were not identified in the study. The study showed that insurers paid investors $680 million in dividends and accepted $951 million in capital contributions from affiliates, clouding regulators' abilities to determine insurers' actual financial health.

In a now viral post on X viewed nearly 400,000 times, Lindsay Owens on Sunday wrote, "Big/bad news for consumers. Google is out today with an announcement of how they plan to integrate shopping into their AI offerings including search and Gemini. The plan includes 'personalized upselling.' I.e. Analyzing your chat data and using it to overcharge you."

All of the teams named as defendants advertise on either their social media channels or website that they are part of the Zillow Flex program. Similarly to the two original complaints, the consolidated amended complaint claims that Zillow, and now the real estate defendants, violated a variety of statutes, including the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA), the Washington Consumer Protection Act, the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and the law of unjust enrichment and fiduciary duty.

France has two government-ordained sales periods, one in summer, one in winter; the rest of the time discounts and special offers shops can offer consumers are strictly limited. While you might be able to get a deal at other times, the best bargains are reserved for the period of les soldes, when retailers are allowed to sell items at below cost price.