Report

Ringing in Our Fears 2023

Consumer alerts

Ringing in Our Fears 2023

More than 5,000 phone companies still haven't installed robocall defense equipment. Tens of millions of consumers lost money to scam calls last year, with a median loss of $1,400. We look at what's being done to fight robocalls and robotexts, and what's next.

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The Threat of “Forever Chemicals”

Clean water

The Threat of “Forever Chemicals”

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, are dangerous for public health. Because these “forever chemicals” are nearly indestructible, PFAS build up in the bodies of humans over time and persist in the environment. PFAS can cause kidney cancer, thyroid disruption, reduced responses to vaccination, and other health problems.

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‘Chromebook Churn’ report highlights problems of short-lived laptops in schools

Right to repair

‘Chromebook Churn’ report highlights problems of short-lived laptops in schools

The pandemic pushed schools to provide every student with their own device, often turning to Chromebooks. A laptop for every student is likely here to stay, but now this new tech is failing. That’s because while we know milk goes bad, it turns out Chromebooks have expiration dates too.

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The Plane Truth

Consumer alerts

The Plane Truth

Passengers fed up with airlines' performance; analysis of DOT data shows complaints quadruple, cancellations soar

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Big credit bureaus, record complaints
Exterior of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Washington, DC USA

Consumer alerts

Big credit bureaus, record complaints

This is the 26th report in PIRG’s series of reports based on complaints in the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s public consumer complaint database. Consumer complaint totals set new records in 2021 and again in 2022, rising 61% from 2021 (496,000) to 2022 (800,394). Total consumer credit reporting complaints nearly doubled, from 2021 thru 2022.

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