Consumer alerts
Get the information, tools and resources it takes to protect yourself in today’s ever-changing marketplace.
These days we all need to be smart consumers. We need access to the information and resources it takes to avoid the latest scams, stop identity thieves, spot rip offs and keep unsafe food and toxic products out of our shopping carts. PIRG’s consumer watchdog team does the research, conducts media exposes, produces consumer guides, and sends out consumer alerts so we have the tools to make smart, safe, informed choices.
The Latest on Consumer alerts
Avoiding scams, incorrect medical bills, privacy invasions and more
Avoiding scams, incorrect medical bills, privacy invasions and more
Updates
Nuggets fans – watch out for ticket scams
New rules for canceled/delayed flights could help travelers sooner vs. later
Counterfeit tickets are a growing problem for music and sports fans
Featured Resources
Food for Thought Part 2: An analysis of food recalls for 2022
Fake tickets, real heartbreak: Tips for fans to spot scams
The Plane Truth Part 2
What if Frontier doesn’t give me a refund for my airline ticket?
Did You Know?
In times of emergency, our researchers have found price surges of up to 166% for critical supplies like face masks and bottled water.
What We're Doing
Our guide provides tips for avoiding price-gouging and a how-to for reporting bad actors.
The Latest
Type
2023 Hurricane Season resource guide: data, resources & interview opportunities
The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November 30. This resource guide can help members of the media cover it more thoroughly and accurately.
‘Chromebook Churn’ report highlights problems of short-lived laptops in schools
Policies that give every student a laptop are likely here to stay, and the consequences of balancing utility and sustainability are huge. As many schools send notices to kids about returning their Chromebooks before summer break, CoPIRG Foundation highlights the short-lived lifecycle of these devices and the impact on both our schools and the environment. The report shows simple ways we can extend the lifespan of these devices.
Consumer complaints against U.S. airlines hit record in 2022
Frontier, Spirit, JetBlue have the worst complaint ratios, measured per 100,000 passengers. Horizon, SkyWest, Mesa and Delta have the best records.
New airline complaint numbers show severity of December chaos
FCC approves first rules to attack robotexts
We get 15 billion scam robotexts a month, up from 1 billion a month in 2021.
Team
Murray
Teresa
Murray
Consumer Watchdog, PIRG
Mierzwinski
Ed
Mierzwinski
Senior Director, Federal Consumer Program, PIRG