Protecting Consumers

LOOKING OUT FOR THE PUBLIC

Arizona PIRG’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 years, the state PIRGs’ Trouble In Toyland report has surveyed store shelves and identified choking hazards, noise hazards and other dangers. To date, our report has led to at least 150 recalls and other actions to get dangerous toys off store shelves. Click the link to read our report.

BIGGER BANKS BIGGER FEES

In April, the state PIRGs 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.

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Blog Post | Financial Reform

CFPB announces major investigation of bank overdraft fee practices | Diane E. Brown

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will announce overdraft fee investigation, unveil "penalty box" disclosure, and possibly end $39 lattes.

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Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Arizona's Next 100 Years | Diane E. Brown

As we celebrate Arizona’s centennial today, I am reminded how lucky I am to live in a state with an independent nature and breathtaking natural beauty. But I also wonder about Arizona’s next 100 years.

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News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

State, Federal Settlement of Robo-Signing Claims With Big Banks Is Important Step

Today's settlement by the U.S., Attorney General Horne and 48 other state attorneys general with the five biggest mortgage servicers – the big banks Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase – along with Ally Financial, is an important and enforceable first step toward holding the big banks accountable for not only wrecking the economy but using a variety of unfair foreclosure practices to ruin the lives of millions of Americans and, in many cases, taking their homes illegally.

News Release | Arizona PIRG | Financial Reform

Arizona PIRG Applauds President for “Bold and Important” Recess Appointment of Richard Cordray to Head New Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Today, President Obama took a bold and important step to protect consumers from financial tricks and traps by announcing a recess appointment of his well-qualified nominee, Richard Cordray, to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The confirmation of a director also grants the bureau, which has been running since July 2011, all of its new powers to protect consumers.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Survey Finds Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves

Dangerous toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s annual Trouble in Toyland report.

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News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

State, Federal Settlement of Robo-Signing Claims With Big Banks Is Important Step

Today's settlement by the U.S., Attorney General Horne and 48 other state attorneys general with the five biggest mortgage servicers – the big banks Citibank, Bank of America, Wells Fargo and JP Morgan Chase – along with Ally Financial, is an important and enforceable first step toward holding the big banks accountable for not only wrecking the economy but using a variety of unfair foreclosure practices to ruin the lives of millions of Americans and, in many cases, taking their homes illegally.

News Release | Arizona PIRG | Financial Reform

Arizona PIRG Applauds President for “Bold and Important” Recess Appointment of Richard Cordray to Head New Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)

Today, President Obama took a bold and important step to protect consumers from financial tricks and traps by announcing a recess appointment of his well-qualified nominee, Richard Cordray, to head the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The confirmation of a director also grants the bureau, which has been running since July 2011, all of its new powers to protect consumers.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Survey Finds Dangerous Toys on Store Shelves

Dangerous toys can still be found on America’s store shelves, according to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s annual Trouble in Toyland report.

News Release | Arizona PIRG | Consumer Protection

Statement of Diane E. Brown, Executive Director, on Health Insurance Exchanges

The Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG) considers a strong health insurance exchange to be one of the most important measures Arizona can adopt and implement to ensure health care delivers higher quality and lower costs for consumers. With thoughtful design and effective implementation, a well-designed health insurance exchange can use its purchasing power to simplify consumers’ experience signing up for coverage; cut waste and boost efficiency in the insurance system; help control the underlying drivers of unnecessary costs in the health care delivery system; and free small businesses from the burden of administering health benefits.

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

New Consumer Agency Takes Over as Nation’s Consumer Bank Cop

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) officially opened its door today, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund and consumer groups across the nation issued a report documenting “10 reasons” consumers need the new CFPB.

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Result | Consumer Protection

KIDS’ SCHOOL LUNCHES NOW SAFER

For years, America’s schoolchildren have been eating beef, chicken and other foods that would have been rejected as substandard even by fast food chains. Thanks in part to our advocacy, the U.S.D.A. has stopped buying such low-quality meat for school lunches.

Result | Consumer Protection

Keeping Our Families Safe From Dangerous Products

Those who violate product safety laws will face stiff fines and penalties, and hazardous products will be removed from store shelves more quickly, under a landmark law championed by Arizona PIRG.

Result | Consumer Protection

Saving Money By Saving Energy

Consumers and businesses in Arizona will save an estimated $680 million on their energy bills after Arizona PIRG-backed legislation that sets minimum energy-efficiency standards on 12 appliances was signed into law. This legislation will also help reduce water consumption by more than 15 billion gallons.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland 2011

The 2011 Trouble in Toyland report is our 26th annual survey of toy safety. In this report, we provide safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for young children and provide examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Financial Reform

Ten Reasons We Need The CFPB Now

As the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) officially opened its door today, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund and consumer groups across the nation announced the results of a poll showing that an overwhelming majority of likely voters both support a new consumer agency (74%) and want Wall Street held “accountable” (77%). In addition, the groups issued a report documenting “10 reasons” consumers need the new CFPB.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Building A Better Health Care Marketplace

Consumers across the state know that the health insurance marketplace is broken. Insurers don’t compete for their business, instead offering take-it or-leave-it deals. Important information about coverage is buried in the fine print, making it hard to know what’s really covered. Instead of working to lower costs and improve quality, too many insurers focus on covering healthy enrollees and dumping the sick. And costs are continuing their unsustainable rise.

Report | Arizona PIRG | Financial Reform

Halfway to the CFPB

Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Implementation Team staff are making significant progress in their efforts to both build an effective agency and be ready to perform required functions by the transfer date (July 21, 2011). Based on our analysis of several key metrics, on the date halfway between passage and startup, the CFPB Implementation Team is properly focusing on key goals and outcomes. Moreover, the high-quality of its early hires will give it the CFPB the ability to significantly broaden and accelerate its activities over the next six months.

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland 2010

According to the Arizona PIRG Education Fund, dangerous or toxic toys can still be found on America’s store shelves. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund released the 25th annual Trouble in Toyland report, which reveals the results of laboratory testing for toxic chemicals and identifies toys that pose choking hazards. Trouble in Toyland also includes guidance for avoiding common hazards.

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Blog Post | Financial Reform

CFPB announces major investigation of bank overdraft fee practices | Diane E. Brown

Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will announce overdraft fee investigation, unveil "penalty box" disclosure, and possibly end $39 lattes.

Add new comment

Blog Post | Consumer Protection

Arizona's Next 100 Years | Diane E. Brown

As we celebrate Arizona’s centennial today, I am reminded how lucky I am to live in a state with an independent nature and breathtaking natural beauty. But I also wonder about Arizona’s next 100 years.

Add new comment

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