#consumer-protection

#consumer-protection

"Australia's ANZ, one of the country's \"big four\" banks, has agreed to pay a record fine of $240 million Australian dollars ($159.5 million) over \"widespread misconduct\", the financial regulator said Monday. The fine is the largest ever announced by the regulator against a single entity, the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said. ANZ was fined for \"acting unconscionably\" while managing a $14-billion bond deal with the Australian government."

The US Federal Trade Commission is investigating whether Amazon.com Inc. and Alphabet Inc. 's Google misled advertisers that place ads on their websites, according to people familiar with the matter.

"Starting October 14, we're adding an Exact Amount offer to the Fortnite V-Bucks purchasing page that lets you 'top up' your V-Bucks balance to the exact amount needed for the item you're trying to buy," the company announced on Thursday. "Let's say you want an item that costs 500 V-Bucks but you only have 400 V-Bucks in your account. You'll be able to buy just the 100 V-Bucks needed."

Consumers should be aware AOLs are being offered as substitutes for title insurance but they do not, and legally cannot, offer the same protection as title insurance, the letter states. The gap in coverage may leave consumers without protection that they believe they purchased. White states that as long as the AOL does not offer consumers coverage that meets the definition of insurance as outline in the Code of Virginia, it is not subject to his Bureau's regulation.

This new law is a major victory for mortgage borrowers that will protect them from the barrage of unwanted calls, texts and emails they too often received immediately after applying for a mortgage, Bob Broeksmit, president and CEO of the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), said in a statement. It will create a more efficient, responsible, and respectful home buying process when it goes into effect on March 5, 2026.

"Overdraft and non-sufficient fund (NSF) fees are 'one of the most common exploitative mechanisms big banks use to target the poor,' Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut), and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) wrote to 25 banks on August 28, including JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, PNC Bank, TD Bank, and Bank of America. 'When consumers' finances are already stretched thin, exorbitant overdraft fees can cause other payments to bounce - leading to even more fees in a vicious circle that can 'turn setbacks into crises,'"

Junk fees are "hidden, surprise, or unnecessary costs that increase the total price of a product beyond the advertised price" that businesses often don't disclose until the end of the transaction," according to the state Attorney General's Office. "Similarly, some businesses have engaged in practices related to trial offers, subscriptions, and automatic and recurring charges to conceal the total cost and nature of a product or service, while making it difficult for consumers to cancel or opt-out of such features."

California energy regulators Friday put the brakes on plans requiring oil companies to pay a penalty if their profits climb too high, a temporary win for the fossil fuel industry two years after the governor declared the state had "finally beat big oil." The postponement by the California Energy Commission until 2030 comes after two oil refineries accounting for roughly 18% of the state's refining capacity announced their plans to close in the coming months.

On Friday, a proposed class action was filed in Washington federal court against Amazon over a "bait and switch" in which the company allegedly misleads consumers into believing they've purchased content when they're only getting a license to watch, which can be revoked at any time....Lisa Reingold, who filed the lawsuit, says she bought Bella and the Bulldogs - Volume 4 on Amazon in May for $20.79 but soon lost access to the title.

The change requires landlords to clearly disclose the total price of a product prior to collecting personal information from potential tenants. Additionally, landlords must state the nature, purpose and total cost of a transaction upfront and explain whether charges are optional or waivable. The new regulations also dictate specifics about cost disclosures, including size and location of written disclosures and volume, speed and cadence of audible disclosures.

The Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) issued a compliance notice to the chef on July 28, They highlighted three posts where Skehan promoted goods or events marketed by Wind Shore Goods - which sells such products as olive oil and crockery, as well a running events. Officials said the posts contravened rules aimed at making it explicit when posts are paid promotions, including clear and appropriate disclosure labels

Delta Air Lines and United Airlines were sued this week by passengers claiming they paid extra to sit in "window" seats, but were instead assigned to sit next to a windowless wall. According to the proposed class action lawsuits filed Tuesday in San Francisco federal court and Brooklyn, New York federal court, the two airlines breached their contracts by misleading customers, charging them for window seats but placing them in the gaps between the windows without effectively disclosing the seat placement to the passengers.

Consumer contacts to our helpline are vital in directing our work, particularly in enforcement. The information provided by consumers helps us to identify rogue traders, patterns of potential law-breaking and means we can target our resources for maximum impact.

Kellogg Co. will remove artificial dyes from cereals by the end of 2027, following pressure from government and consumers to eliminate synthetic colorings.

"It took me a while to realize it wasn't an actual institution," said Aaron Ament, president of the National Student Legal Defense Network and a lawyer who has investigated for-profit colleges that have defrauded students.

Scammers advertise pets that don’t exist to deceive buyers. A common method is creating polished websites with false testimonials to gain trust before vanishing after taking deposits.

The entire structure of the arrangement is designed to put Unison in the same position, and to have the same right to payment, as an unadorned nonrecourse obligation to pay Unison 70% of the home's equity, less $194,250.

Walmart, Inc. agreed to pay a $5.6 million settlement in a lawsuit alleging that the retailer overcharged customers by selling baked goods and produce that weighed less than labeled.

Dickson is one of three people who contacted CBC Toronto about StubHub's failure to help them after their accounts were hacked, following a story about a Blue Jays fan whose pricey tickets were sold from his account.

The ASA found that the two ads, which appeared online, omitted key information about the eligibility criteria for government funding available for installing the pumps.

"It's clearly not right that a platform now more watched than almost any traditional broadcaster is still operating under a 'lighter touch' advertising regime."

The executive order directs regulators to investigate potential violations of the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, antitrust laws, or consumer financial protection laws. Banks may face fines or penalties if found in violation.

According to a recent report from economic and financial consulting firm Cornerstone, the number of class-action lawsuits opened against crypto firms in the first half of 2025 has nearly matched last year's total. Investors are still holding crypto firms accountable despite the 180-degree turn in enforcement attitudes from US financial regulators.

Reports indicate that there has been a concerning rise in hospitalizations associated with botulinum toxin injections, particularly when these procedures are performed by unlicensed practitioners.

Italy's competition watchdog imposed a fine of one million euros on Infinite Styles Services Co. Ltd for misleading environmental claims about Shein's clothing products.

The legislation prohibits companies from making credit offers unless the consumer has provided explicit consent or the offer is from their existing mortgage originator or servicer.

Advancements are being driven by profit motives rather than a vision for public good.

Purchasing airline tickets with credit cards ensures better consumer protection and faster refunds, especially highlighted by the recent bankruptcy of Silver Airways.