Ashlee Kieler
consumerist
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Past articles by Ashlee:
Operators Of Phony Rental Credit Check Scheme Must Pay $762K To Feds –
In January, federal regulators announced they had put a stop to an apartment rental scam in which homes (that may not exist) are listed online with the sole purpose of tricking prospective renters … → Read More
Tesla Ends $1,000 Referral Credit Program –
Sure, saving $1,000 on a car that may cost you far in excess of $70,000 might seem like a minor victory, but it’s still better than nothing. But now that Tesla is becoming more of a household… → Read More
Betsy DeVos May Only Offer Partial Loan Refunds To Defrauded College Students –
Education Secretary and champion of for-profit colleges Betsy DeVos is once again siding with this controversial industry and against students who were defrauded by schools that tricked them into p… → Read More
Dunkin’ Donuts Ramping Up Discounts To Bring In Customers –
Dunkin’ Donuts, faced with slipping sales, has undergone a bit of a revamp in recent months, such as dropping the “Donuts” portion of its name at a California store to paring down its menu. Now, th… → Read More
Borrowers In Student Loan Forgiveness Program Shocked To Learn Loans Won’t Be Forgiven –
This month is the first in which student loan borrowers enrolled in the Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program were expecting to see their student loan tab cleared. But t… → Read More
Amazon’s Bookstores Apparently Aren’t Bringing In Many Sales –
Are Amazon’s bookstores headed for the same future as struggling chains like Barnes & Noble? It’s possible, according to the company’s latest financials, which suggest the company’s physical bo… → Read More
FAO Schwarz Is Back — With Piano Mat — At Bon-Ton Department Stores –
It’s been nearly two years since customers have been able to shop at an FAO Schwarz store. That’s about to change… kind of: Department store chain Bon-Ton will open nearly 200 FAO Schwarz toy depar… → Read More
841,000 Ford Fusion Vehicles Under Investigation Because Steering Wheels Shouldn’t Fall Off –
There are a lot of things you’d rather not have happen when driving your car. “Steering wheel falling off and into your lap” likely ranks pretty high on that list. For that reason, federal safety r… → Read More
Researcher Claims Equifax Systems Contained Second Breach-Vulnerable Flaw –
Could Equifax have suffered a second data breach following the massive hack exposing the personal information of more than 145.5 million consumers? It’s possible, according to a security researcher… → Read More
Illinois Sues Payday Lender For Forcing Employees To Sign Non-Compete Agreements –
The state of Illinois has filed a lawsuit against payday lender Check Into Cash, but not for its short-term lending practices. Instead, the company is accused of exploiting its low-wage employees b… → Read More
Amazon Selling Discounted LG Phones, But You Have To See Ads All Day –
Is a $50 discount on a new LG phone enough to offset having to look at ads everytime the device locks? That’s the question some Amazon customer are debating, as the company is offering to knock $50… → Read More
Stolen Backpack Leads To $52,310 Surprise Medical Bill –
Sadly, it’s not uncommon for people to face sudden, unexpected and expensive medical bills. It’s also becoming increasingly normal to find out that your identity has been stolen. These … → Read More
Verizon Finally Lets Unlimited Data Customers Watch HD Video… For $10/Month –
Two months after Verizon revamped its unlimited data plans to severely throttle video, the wireless provider is once again tweaking the system, announcing that customers with “unlimited”… → Read More
Sears Brings Back Holiday “Wishbook” In Search Of Nostalgic Customers –
Sears might be selling off brands, taking loans from its CEO, and ending relationships with long-standing partners, but that doesn’t mean it’s giving up just yet. In an apparent effort to str… → Read More
More Than 342,000 Kia Souls Recalled Over Steering Issue — For Second Time –
When you bring in your recalled car to get a safety defect fixed, you might assume that the problem has been remedied. Yet owners of more than 342,000 previously recalled Kia Soul vehicles are find… → Read More
Lumber Liquidators To Pay $36M To Settle Formaldehyde-Filled Flooring Suit –
More than two years after an investigative report alleged that laminate flooring sold at Lumber Liquidators contained high — and potentially dangerous — levels of formaldehyde, the floo… → Read More
Burger King Definitely Won’t Regret Offering Free Food To Customers Who Dress Up Like Clowns –
In a move that absolutely will not backfire and result in viral videos of terrifying clowns menacing the customers of their local fast food franchises, Burger King has come up with the brilliant id… → Read More
If You’re Flying To The U.S. This Week, Be Prepared For Delays, New Security Measures –
In June, the Department of Homeland Security gave an ultimatum to airports around the world: Beef up your security or face a ban on carry-on electronics on flights heading to America. Tomorrow is t… → Read More
Fisher-Price Recalls 63K Infant Motion Seats Over Fire Hazard –
If you’ve got one of those infant motion seats intended to soothe a baby with gentle swaying or bouncing, you probably want to pay attention: Fisher-Price is recalling 63,000 Soothing Motion … → Read More
Despite New Safety Rules, Family Says Two Of Its Hoverboards Caught On Fire –
While the craze surrounding hoverboards may have died down, that doesn’t mean the self-balancing scooters are any safer. To that end, a Wisconsin family says they recently experienced not one, but … → Read More