Trump's push to make the US the "crypto capital" has Australian regulators worried. They fear that if the US eases up on crypto rules, scammers might have a field day. In 2023, Australians lost over $1. 3 billion to investment scams, with crypto playing a big part. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is sounding the alarm, warning of potential "...
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is in the spotlight. Critics, including President Trump, have labeled it a wasteful agency that harms businesses. However, many Americans see it as a lifeline. The CFPB was created in 2010 to protect consumers from unfair practices by financial institutions. It has helped millions of people since its inception. ...
Imagine, you've found your dream retirement home. It's a cozy place. Cool ocean breezes at night. You can see yourself relaxing in it. Just one day before you close the deal, the bank hits you with a surprising fee. You didn't see it coming. You couldn't find it anywhere in the paperwork. Sound unfair? It is. This exact thing happened to Linda Wetzel in 2012. S...
Imagine this: a billionaire with a big plan, a consumer agency that put cash back in people's pockets, and a political move that could put the squeeze on everyday Americans. This is what happened when a major figure in tech made a bold statement about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency tasked with protecting consumers from shady financial pra...
Starting soon, Americans won't have to worry about medical bills hurting their credit scores. The Biden administration is updating the rules so that medical debt can't be included in credit reports. This change will help about 15 million people by removing around $49 billion in medical bills from their credit records. Rohit Chopra, the director of the Consumer Finan...
Welcome to the New Year in Illinois! The state's lawmakers have been busy, passing a bunch of new laws that will affect how we live and work. Let's dive in and see what's changed. First up, there's a big deal with health insurance. The state has banned so-called "junk insurance" plans that don't cover much. This might sound good, but it's important to think about wh...
Imagine buying a car that doesn't work right, or using a product that causes harm. In many states, there are laws to protect consumers from such things. But what about our schools? Two families in Massachusetts decided they'd had enough of the poor education their kids were getting. They sued the creators of popular reading programs, saying these programs were deceit...
Honey, a popular browser extension, helps you find discounts while shopping online and offers reward points for purchases. But a recent YouTube video raised concerns about how Honey operates. The video, created by Jono from MegaLag, suggests that Honey might not always provide the best deals, and it could be changing who gets credit, and money, from your purchases. W...
Imagine having to pay $35 just for buying a $5 coffee with your debit card when you're a bit short on funds. Sounds unfair, right? Well, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) thinks so too. They've just announced a new rule to limit those nasty overdraft fees. The rule says banks can't charge more than $5 or what it costs them to cover the loan. This could ...
Since 2018, when the U. S. Supreme Court allowed states to decide on sports betting, the landscape has changed. Today, nearly 40 states and Washington D. C. have embraced legal sports betting. This change has brought a safe and regulated way for Americans to enjoy their favorite sports. Legal sports betting isn't a necessity like taxes. It's more like going to a con...