Crypto Scams Yield $1 Billion in 18 Months
Crypto scams have taken $1 billion from consumers since January 2021, 60 times more than in 2018, with losses on track to equal or exceed in the next accounting. The …
‘Buy With Prime’ Buttons Popping Up on the Web
Amazon’s tentacles are ever-expanding as it finds new ways to embed itself in the minds and wallets of consumers. The latest innovation is Buy With Prime, basically a way to …
Fake Government Web Sites Charge Big Bucks for Bogus Info
Whatever you may think of complaints about supposedly “fake news,” there’s no arguing that fake government websites defraud consumers to the tune of millions of dollars and, in the process, …
TransUnion an “Out of Control, Repeat Offender,” CFPB Charges
TransUnion is being sued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which charges it is an “out-of-control repeat offender that believes it is above the law.” The lawsuit names TransUnion …
Etsy Sellers on Strike Over Fees
Things are looking a bit feisty on the labor front lately. First it was Starbucks and Amazon workers trying to unionize. Now thousands of Etsy sellers have closed up shop …
Researcher Targets ‘Sock Puppet’ Requests that Contribute to Profile Hacking
“Hey everyone, don’t accept anything from me. It’s not me!” How many times has a message like this come across your social media feed? They’re often the result of “sock …
Fake Reviews, Corporate Gag Orders Eyed by Feds
Consumers have come to rely on online reviews to make decisions about important purchases but can be misled by fake reviews and by companies’ efforts to waylay negative reviews. The …
Weight Watchers App Illegally Collected Kids’ Info
Many parents don’t think twice about letting their kids use apps specifically designed for children. After all, what could possibly go wrong? Unfortunately, quite a bit can go wrong. There …
Amazon Sues Sites Over Fake Product Reviews
Amazon has filed lawsuits against two websites that it accuses of orchestrating fake reviews in return for money and free products. The suit charges that AppSally and Rebatest are misleading …
How Big Is Amazon? Almost Too Big to Measure
Jeff Bezos’ yacht is so big they may have to disassemble a bridge in Rotterdam to get it out to sea. Back on shore, Amazon’s third-party marketplace now gets 25 …