Defend Your Dollars http://www.defendyourdollars.org/ Defend Your Dollars is the website of the Consumers Union Financial Services Campaign, where we support reforms to the financial marketplace to curb bad practices by banks and lenders. en Copyright 2012 Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:02:00 -0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/?v=3.2 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Contracts http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/contracts.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/contracts.html Intro Text Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:02:00 -0800 Economic Downturn Did your plans for the future change because of the economy?

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/tell_us_your_story.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/06/tell_us_your_story.html Story Ask Mon, 08 Jun 2009 08:46:48 -0800 APRIL 29 – Arbitration Fairness Day Guest Blogger Arone Silverman
Mandatory arbitration clauses- which are buried in the fine print of many consumer contracts- have the effect of denying consumers the opportunity to evaluate whether arbitration is suitable for the dispute and prevent consumers from choosing their preferred forum for resolving disputes - including the choice to go to court.

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/04/april_29_arbitration_fairness_1.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/04/april_29_arbitration_fairness_1.html Blog Post Tue, 28 Apr 2009 11:33:08 -0800 State oversight needed to fight bank abuses Consumers Union urges Obama to repeal Bush era regulation that blocks states from protecting consumers

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/02/cu_banks_needed.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2009/02/cu_banks_needed.html Press Release Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:31:50 -0800 House to vote on credit card reforms CU joins with other consumer groups to urge Congress to curb abusive credit card lending practices

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2008/09/house_to_vote_o_1.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2008/09/house_to_vote_o_1.html Press Release Mon, 22 Sep 2008 12:12:15 -0800 Bills in the 110th Congress on notice of security breach and other data security issues Key issues on financial privacy and identity theft in Congress

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2007/06/bills_in_the_11.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2007/06/bills_in_the_11.html Research Mon, 04 Jun 2007 22:52:29 -0800 U.S. Senate hearing exposes credit card abuses Consumer groups call for action on unjustifiable fees, outrageous rates and questionable lending practices

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2007/03/us_house_hearin.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2007/03/us_house_hearin.html Research Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:03:38 -0800 Abusive credit card practices come under fire Senate Banking Committee takes up reform bill as new Congress convenes

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2007/01/abusive_credit_1.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2007/01/abusive_credit_1.html Testimony Thu, 25 Jan 2007 12:21:52 -0800 FAQs on SSNs and ID Theft Why is it a risk to have your social security number in your wallet or on your mail? Find out!

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/10/faqs_on_ssns_and_id_theft.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/10/faqs_on_ssns_and_id_theft.html Tips Tue, 31 Oct 2006 16:27:09 -0800 Consumer Reports investigation warns your privacy is for sale The practices of commercial data brokers can rob consumers of their privacy, threaten them with identity theft and profile them as dead beats or security risks, according to an investigative report in CR's October Issue.

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/08/post_109.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/08/post_109.html Research Thu, 31 Aug 2006 18:58:33 -0800 CU supports requiring data brokers to abide fairly in contracts to Homeland Security CU supports Markey amendment requiring data brokers to abide by fair information practices in contracts with the Department Homeland Security

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/07/cu_supports_req.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/07/cu_supports_req.html Letter Tue, 18 Jul 2006 18:17:53 -0800 Consumer Reports finds personal privacy concerns in planned uses of RFIDs Not many consumers know about Radio Frequency Identification (RFIDs), a wireless technology that allows objects and people to be tagged and tracked.

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/05/post_97.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/05/post_97.html Press Release Thu, 04 May 2006 16:46:42 -0800 CU supports rebate reform While some retailers have moved away from rebates, consumers continue to experience delays and difficulties in obtaining rebates. When rebate processing rules or practices make it difficult for consumers to get the promised rebate, the consumer is in essence paying a higher overall price for the goods than what was advertised as the post-rebate price.

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/03/cu_supports_reb.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2006/03/cu_supports_reb.html Letter Fri, 03 Mar 2006 16:41:58 -0800 Reservation Rewards -- and Rebate Risks Information from Consumers Union's WebWatch about hidden costs of signing up for rebates.

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2005/09/reservation_rew.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2005/09/reservation_rew.html Research Tue, 20 Sep 2005 14:24:46 -0800 Consumer Groups call for end to use of binding mandatory arbitration clauses More than two dozen public interest organizations launched a nationwide effort to stop the corporate use of binding mandatory arbitration (BMA) clauses, those insidious paragraphs that are tucked in the fine print of an array of contracts and through which millions of consumers unwittingly waive their right to access the courts.

]]> http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2005/02/consumer_groups_3.html http://www.defendyourdollars.org/2005/02/consumer_groups_3.html Press Release Thu, 24 Feb 2005 17:48:33 -0800