Consumerpedia

Whether you enjoy shopping or just grin and bear it, there are things you can do to score the best prices and make the process easier. In this episode, we explain how to ignore the flood of marketing hype and avoid the fake sales designed to mislead you. Also, where to find hidden discounts and cash-back offers, and the potential downsides of using buy now, pay later.

Artificial intelligence has been around for decades, but the world changed in November with the introduction of ChatGPT, the AI app that lets anyone harness the power of this amazing supercomputing technology—including criminals. In this episode, a look at how fraudsters might be able to use AI to their benefit. Will it change the types of scams they create or simply make it easier for them to fool us? Can AI companies make it harder for crooks to use their technology against us? Can the good guys use AI to fight fraud more effectively? Special guests: Chester Wisniewski, Field Chief Technology Officer for Applied Research at Sophos, the global digital security company. Lorrie Cranor, Director of the CyLab Security and Privacy Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. Brett Johnson, a convicted cyber-criminal who stole millions, and now works as a digital security consultant. Additional Resources: Identity and Cyber Theft: How to Protect Yourself Cyber Crime: A Former Cyber Crook Explains How to Protect Yourself Stop, Thief! How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

Today’s windows are technological marvels. They provide better insulation, reduce drafts, are easier to clean, and help lower home energy bills. But all these benefits come with very high price tags. Window companies generate numerous complaints about high-pressure sales tactics and substandard installation. Checkbook cautions that some companies greatly over-promise the energy savings that will result from their windows. In this episode, Kevin Brasler, Checkbook’s executive editor, cuts through the marketing hype, compares the pros and cons of various types of windows, and explains how to find a reliable contractor. Additional Resources: Buying & Installing New Windows How to Hire a Good Contractor Saving Energy at Home

Wearable devices, health apps, and online medical resources can help us stay fit and healthy. They also collect highly personal information that you might assume is confidential. In most cases, this data can be—and often is—shared and sold without your knowledge or permission. In this episode, how to tell if your health information is protected by the federal privacy law known as HIPAA, and what to do before you use medical apps, smart devices, or go online for medical advice. We talk with Pam Dixon, executive director of World Privacy Forum, and Jen Caltrider, a privacy researcher at the Mozilla Foundation. Additional Resource: Health Tracking Apps and Other Tech Might Be Invading Your Privacy

“Buyer beware!” It’s more important than ever for you to heed this warning when buying goods and services. Consumers’ Checkbook regularly reports on scams and shameful selling practices that continue to become more rampant. Unfortunately, even “reputable” businesses treat consumers unfairly, often by using new technologies. In this episode, we discuss how many companies prioritize profits ahead of their customers—and what you can do to fight back. Special Guest: Adam Levin, consumer advocate, digital privacy expert, and host of the “What the Hack?” podcast Additional Resources: FTC Accuses Amazon of Tricking Millions into Joining Prime Amazon and Microsoft Charged with Violating Children's Privacy Law FTC Rule Would Make it Easier to Cancel Unwanted Subscriptions 30 Tricks Sellers Use to Make You Pay Up Consumerpedia, Episode 43: How the CFPB Protects You

Sooner or later all appliances will need to be repaired or replaced. But when the fridge is on the fritz or the oven is burnt out, how do you decide what to do? New home appliances are expensive, but it’s not always easy to know how much repair work will cost. In this episode, how to decide whether to fix what you have or buy something new. When it’s time to go shopping we have advice on how to avoid the misleading sales hype to get a real deal. Read Checkbook's full reports on appliance repair services and appliance stores.

The Consumer Financial Bureau (CFPB) is one of the newest federal regulatory agencies. Its prime directive is to ensure that financial products offered to you are fair, transparent, and competitive. The CFPB’s jurisdiction includes mortgages, auto loans, student loans, credit cards, credit reporting, and debt collection. In this episode, a look at the initiatives and proposed rules in the pipeline that you should know about and may want to comment on. Also, how the CFPB is working to eliminate junk fees and how it may be able to help if you feel cheated or deceived by a company it regulates.

In the last year or so, we’re finally beginning to see a robust market for electric vehicles. More manufacturers are now in the game, which provides buyers with more choices. So, should you go electric now, or wait, or maybe split the difference and go hybrid? In this episode, find out about the latest EV options, how federal tax credits might help lower prices, and why leasing may be a smart move right now. Also, how reliable are the new EVs, and what’s happening to increase the number of charging stations?

There’s a lot to consider when booking a hotel room: location, amenities, and quality. But for most of us, the deciding factor is price. In many cases, your room will cost significantly more than your flights. So, how do you find the best deal? Consumers’ Checkbook did nearly 2,000 searches looking for the best hotel rates. In this episode, find out what our researchers discovered when shopping for hotel rooms. Does it make sense to book with the hotel or an online travel agency, like Expedia or Travelocity? What sorts of tricks do travel websites use to get you to book now? Does it pay to call the hotel directly? And what do you have to do to get an honest-to-goodness lower price? The lessons we learned should help you the next time you plan a trip. Read Checkbook's full report on how to find the best hotel room rates.

Most homeowners pay too much to insure their houses. They waste money on worthless optional coverage—or worse—stick with the same insurers year after year without checking if lower premiums are available from other companies. The potential savings from making a switch are dramatic, and you don’t have to sign up with a poorly rated company or get a bare-bones policy to get a better deal. Checkbook finds that some homeowners will save more than $1,500 a year by switching companies. Yes, shopping for insurance is a bit of a pain, but the potential savings make it well worth your time to request pricing information and evaluate potentially wasteful coverage. In this episode: How much coverage do you need, and how do insurance companies set their rates? Also, why Checkbook believes insurance companies should be prohibited from using credit scores to set premium prices. Read Checkbook’s full report on homeowners insurance.