Consumer Protection

PROTECTING CONSUMER SAFETY—Toys should not be toxic or dangerous for children to play with. Our food should not make us sick. The terms for banking and credit accounts should be clear and easy to understand.

LOOKING OUT FOR CONSUMERS

CALPIRG’s consumer program works to alert the public to hidden dangers and scams and to ban anti-consumer practices and unsafe products.

TROUBLE IN TOYLAND

For 27 years, CALPIRG’s "Trouble In Toyland" report has surveyed store shelves and identified choking hazards, noise hazards and other dangers. Our report has led to at least 150 recalls and other regulatory actions over the years.

Get our tips for buying safer toys.

BIGGER BANKS, BIGGER FEES

In April, CALPIRG released a report in which we surveyed more than 350 bank branches and revealed that fewer than half of branches obeyed their legal duty to fully disclose fees to prospective customers, while one in four provided no fee information at all. We also found that despite widespread stories about the “death” of free checking, free and low-cost checking choices are still widely available, if consumers shop around.

Find out how to beat high bank fees.

SEE ALL CONSUMER RESOURCES

Issue updates

Report | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Still @ Risk

New Report on technology & identity theft shows that California victims lost more money in identity theft cases Investigated in 2011 than in previous year.

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Blog Post | Food

Farm Bill Still Giving out Corporate Handouts to Big Ag | Emily Rusch

Instead of embracing reform, the Senate decided to continue to send tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to Big Ag. 

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News Release | CALPIRG | Food

Senate Vote on Farm Bill a Disappointment

"CALPIRG is disappointed in the Senate’s approval of the 2012 Farm Bill, which will send tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to Big Ag. The Senate missed a golden opportunity to tackle the problem of wasteful agricultural subsidies, which have cost taxpayers $260 billion since 1995."  

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

As Wireless Plans Change, Consumers Are Priced Out

Verizon announced earlier this week that they would no longer be offering customers cheaper options for limited voice and text plans, shifting to unlimited voice and text minutes instead. While this change may benefit families or business on shared accounts, it will lead to price hikes for most individual smart-phone users.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

IPv6 Day - The Most Important Day You Never Heard Of | Jon Fox

Today marks the beginning of one of the greatest technological overhauls since mankind adopted paper money, with grave implications towards online privacy.

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News Release | CALPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Survey Finds Toxic or Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves

Dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to the California Public Interest Research Group’s 26th annual Trouble in Toyland report.

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KQED: CALPIRG Releases Annual List of "Toxic Toys"

Parents fond of the phrase “don’t put that in your mouth” may read the latest report from the California Public Interest Research Group as avidly as a suspenseful page-turner.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Consumer Protection

New Protections for Cell Phone Customers

 Cell phone companies will alert consumers when they approach and then exceed their limits on voice, data or texting. Users will also receive an alert when their phone connects to a cellular system in a foreign country, which incurs pricy roaming fees. 

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News Release | CALPIRG | Consumer Protection, Financial Reform

November 5 Is Bank Transfer Day

“The recent attempt to add a debit card fee, and the public outrage that followed, shows that consumers do have the power to influence corporate decisions. Consumer activism will ensure that this trend continues to their benefit.” concluded Jon Fox.

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News Release | CALPIRG | Consumer Protection, Financial Reform

Bank of America Joins Others Canceling Monthly Debit Card Fees As Consumers Vote With Feet

Now that consumers are voting with their feet and switching to small banks and credit unions, Bank of America has joined other big banks in canceling the unfair fee.

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TOY SAFETY TIPS ON-THE-GO

From toxic chemicals to choking hazards to dangerous magnets, see what dangerous toys to watch out for while you shop.

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