Consumer Law

Foreclosed and nowhere to go? Stay put.

Posted on January 30, 2009
So says Ohio congresswoman Marcy Kaptur. Stick it to the vultures until they prove they actually have the right to take your home, which is unlikely for many mortgage loans. Embedded video from CNN Video

FDA says peanut plant was ?lab shopping?

Posted on January 29, 2009
If a lab finds salmonella in virtually every peanut product you make, what do you do? If you are Peanut Corporation of America, whose factory is the source of the salmonella-flavored peanut butter outbreak, you keep sending your products to other labs (hopefully with sloppier testing staff) until you get the all-clear...

How to buy a new car in any economy

Posted on January 28, 2009
Now is not the time to run out and buy a new car if yours works perfectly well. But if you are in the market, you can look forward to some great deals, as cars are piling up in storage lots and dealers are anxious to move inventory. Whether the economy is bad or good, there [...

Subscribe to Caveat Emptor

Posted on January 27, 2009
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Green Mountain Coffee apparently unaware people use ?computers? to buy things on ?the internet?

Posted on January 27, 2009
With the best intentions, knowing I love coffee and tea, my mom sent me a $50 gift certificate for Green Mountain Coffee last September. I have not used it yet because I could not figure out how. I finally called Green Mountain Coffee’s customer service (fair points for having real live people answering the phone), and [...

Save money on the digital TV switch; make your own antenna

Posted on January 26, 2009
Once you have a television that gets the digital channels, you will never want to watch standard def again. Better picture and better reception mean you could probably drop your basic cable subscription that you only have so the local channels come in clearly...

Debt collector in the news: two sides to every story

Posted on January 26, 2009
Last night I posted a link to a New York Times story written by debt collector Pat Marshall. Then, this morning, I stumbled across this twitter post from blogger Bill Bauer: I admit, reading “I feel that I?m helping people see that there are options for getting out of their situations?maybe by taking out a second [...

Sears upsells plasma television ?recharging? service (Hint: no such thing)

Posted on January 26, 2009
Imaginary products have infinite margins: a sure way out of the recession. Sears upsells plasma television “recharging” service (Hint: no such thing) | BoingBoing Gadgets

Florida collection agency Smith, Dean & Associates sued by the Illinois AG

Posted on January 26, 2009
Smith, Dean & Associates, Inc. (formerly United Processing), apparently has a few employees who can’t help but abuse the heck out of Illinois consumers. Besides using profanity, shaming consumers by calling friends and family, and lying about being an attorney, SD&A collectors threatened consumers with Arrest; Federal prison; and Losing their children The Illinois Attorney General got a restraining [...

In Tough Times, a Debt Collector Sees the Pain

Posted on January 25, 2009
In Tough Times, a Debt Collector Sees the Pain | New York Times

Landlord takes tenant?s toilet, gets $10,000 fine

Posted on January 23, 2009
Landlord takes tenant’s toilet, gets $10,000 fine | MSNBC

Caveat Emptor ranked #50 out of the top legal blogs

Posted on January 23, 2009
Bob Ambrogi just posted a link to the Avvo Blog’s list of the top 300 legal blogs on the internet. Caveat Emptor made it to #50 as of today. Looking good!

NJ car dealership pays for ripping off Kenneth Hammel

Posted on January 21, 2009
Back in 2006, 80-year old Kenneth Hammel brought his 2000 Chrysler Town & Country minivan to the Cherry Hill Triplex dealership. The dealership kept Hammel at the dealership for 12 hours while they used high-pressure sales tactics to get him to buy a 2005 Kia Sedona...

Happy inauguration day!

Posted on January 20, 2009
Whatever your political views, today is a day of hope, as once again the leadership of the United States of America passes peacefully from one President to the next.

New York Couple Harassed by Creditors Trying to Collect Debt Their Dead Son Owed

Posted on January 16, 2009
N.B., this would not be a “small claim” by any stretch of the imagination. New York Couple Harassed by Creditors Trying to Collect Debt Their Dead Son Owed | Fox News (via Consumerist)

Don?t forget, you can follow Caveat Emptor on Twitter

Posted on January 16, 2009
Don’t forget, you can follow Caveat Emptor on Twitter.

America needs a consumer czar

Posted on January 16, 2009
Lots of consumer groups, bloggers, and tradmedia commentators are calling for the Obama administration to reinstate the White House Office of Consumer Affairs, a long-dead consumer advocate division of the executive branch. Obama needs to do this. Consumers need someone in government looking out for their best interests, someone who can cry foul to the President [...

Minnesota courts to stop handling debt collection lawsuits?

Posted on January 15, 2009
Possibly, along with other “low-importance” cases like shoplifting, traffic violations, trespassing, and small claims, if the legislature delivers the 10% cut to court funding that it has suggested it will. Minnesota courts have been short-staffed and under-funded for years, and further cuts could mean that the judicial system starts to shut down some services...

What?s the Best Fix?

Posted on January 14, 2009
What’s the Best Fix?  Why politicians and economists can’t decide on the best fix for the economy. | Newsweek

Nine FDA scientists say agency is fundamentally broken

Posted on January 11, 2009
Scary stuff: Currently, there is an atmosphere at FDA in which the honest employee fears the dishonest employee, and not the other way around. Disturbingly, the atmosphere does not yet exist at FDA where honest employees committed to integrity and the FDA mission can act without fear of reprisal...

Minnesotans may sue if a debt collector levies funds in a joint account

Posted on January 07, 2009
Back in November, I won an important decision for Minnesota consumers against Messerli & Kramer, a law firm that seems to handle the bulk of debt collection lawsuits filed in Minnesota. Messerli & Kramer served a levy on my clients’ bank for funds in their’ joint bank account, even though Messerli & Kramer only had [...

Kara McGuire is twittering every dollar she spends in 2009

Posted on January 06, 2009
Kara McGuire is twittering every dollar she spends in 2009, which is either awesome or tedious, or a little of both. Follow along at twitter.com/kablog. Twittering every penny that I spend in 2009 | Ka-Blog!

From Joe Johnson: Debt collector called the wrong number

Posted on January 06, 2009
From Joe Johnson, via Twitter: Debt collector called the wrong number. I figure what the heck, a lead is a lead, tried to sell him a house. Not sure why he hung up.

Creditors willing to haggle with debtors in tough economic times

Posted on January 06, 2009
In anticipation of an increase in economic and credit turmoil, creditors and debt collectors are racing to collect as much as possible from their debtors and to minimize future losses. While many banks are cutting credit lines, raising fees, and reducing lending, creditors are also giving debt collectors more latitude to work with debtors in [...

My post about phone book spam on Consumerist today

Posted on January 05, 2009
In which we learn from Consumerist commenters that “to give someone what for” is a severely dated expression unknown by today’s youth, and in which we glorify the exploits of local consumer vigilante Ed Kohler. If you just arrived here from Consumerist, check out the highlighted links just above, or take advantages of the Quick Links [...

It?s a new year, but the same old scams

Posted on January 04, 2009
Debt-relief scams, work-at-home cons will be even more prevalent in ‘09. It’s a new year, but the same old scams. | MSNBC.com

Banks bribe colleges to let them sign up students on campus

Posted on January 02, 2009
In an effort to sign up as many suckers students as possible, many credit card companies advertise on college campuses. They give away things like t-shirts, water bottles, and other cheap prizes, but only to students who apply for a credit card. This access to new borrowers is worth a lot of money...

Where?d the bailout money go? Shhhh, it?s a secret

Posted on December 28, 2008
Where’d the bailout money go? Shhhh, it’s a secret | SFGate

Be realistic about tracking bailout money

Posted on December 28, 2008
Be realistic about tracking bailout money | TwinCities.com

Where to get help when you can?t pay your mortgage

Posted on December 28, 2008
If you are having trouble paying your mortgage, you need to get out your financial paperwork and seek help early. If you wait until you are already missing payments, you will not have the options that are available to you while you are still paying on time...

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