Under current federal law, spouses of deceased service members and veterans who remarry before age 55 become ineligible for certain benefits. But new proposed legislation aims to end that penalty.
ITRC reported a record number of data breaches in Q2. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa talks to them about what's going on and how you can protect yourself.
By Jill Riepenhoff, Joce Sterman, Olivia Oliver and Austin Hedgcoth
Many national fraternities have established their own insurance companies that primarily protect headquarter executives, often leaving the burden of cost and blame on the undergraduate members.
As the rise of a new form of blackmail targets teens, a father shares his son's story about the crime and how internet crime task forces are working to combat those crimes with limited funding and resources.
While most of Mississippi’s candidates for statewide office have raised nearly $5 million since January, an incumbent elected official and a political action committee question if Chris McDaniel has raised as much as he claims, and whether he did so legally.
By Emily Featherston, Jamie Grey, Lee Zurik, Bailey Williams and Payton Romans
Insurance companies say these reviews lower costs and protect patients, but what requires advance permission varies plan to plan, and critics argue the policies get between a patient and their doctor.
No police report was ever filed, no employees were interviewed and no action was ever taken by administrators at the New York facility, the lawsuit said.
By Joce Sterman, Emma Uber, Mitchell Tiedman, Mina Denny, Haley Ryan, Jacob Spudich and Lauren Winnefeld
Sports betting now is legal in 36 states and Washington, D.C. But laying down at a bet as a teenager is illegal in every state. InvestigateTV and its reporting partner, the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism at Indiana University, looked into the secretive world of underage gambling on offshore gaming sites and found there’s little public information about these operations. But this much is clear: Many of these sites do not have any protections in place to guarantee that the person betting is of legal age to do so or that winnings actually will be paid.
Senior citizens have long been the target of scammers but according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), the rate of elder financial exploitation has more than doubled since 2020. Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman examines senior scams and how you can help them protect their money.
It’s open enrollment season for Medicare and Medicaid and experts say scammers are on the prowl. Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman explains how to spot the scammers posing as government agents and stop them from stealing your identity.
If you’re struggling to overcome the financial stress of your debt reaching out for help could be the answer. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa speaks to a woman who paid off $37,000 in just two years with the help of a nonprofit debt management company.
There’s always “an app for that”, but your new download could be a security nightmare. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa finds out the rules you should follow before you head to the app store
By Joce Sterman, Daniela Molina and Bailey Williams
Physician health programs across the country are designed as a confidential treatment option for doctors battling addiction. But patient advocates argue they put doctor reputations ahead of a patient's right to know.
The Identity Theft Resource Center reported record identity crime in 2021 with a large increase in social media hacks. Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman explains the impact of the attacks and how you can report them.
For decades, Supreme Court precedent effectively banned members of the military from suing the Department of Defense. In 2019, Congress passed a law that cleared the way for military malpractice claims. Yet few have won their cases.
Only 33% of Americans have an estate plan according to a recent survey from caring.com. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa talks with experts about why creating a will should be a top priority.
Rising prices and inflation continue to make it difficult for first time home buyers to find affordable properties, according to a new report from NerdWallet. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa finds out why not all hope is lost for those trying to get into the housing market.
This year Better Business Bureau has recorded a 187% increase in the amount of money lost to travel scams over 2021. Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman uncovers how much a simple mistake could cost you when booking airfare and how scammers are taking advantage of last-minute flight cancellations.
Robotexts are skyrocketing as experts say scammers exploiting a law designed to slow robocalls. Consumer Investigator Caresse Jackman has expert advice on how to spot scams and avoid getting ripped off.
In a recent energy industry survey, 85 percent of homeowners say they’ve noticed significant price increases on at least one utility bill. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa examines rising utility costs, plus gets expert advice on ways to cut back on your bill.
Rapper Rick Ross’ family, which operates several Wingstop franchises, owns the five Mississippi locations the labor department found to be illegally deducting money from workers’ wages, leaving some with take-home pay less than $7.25 an hour.
An aggressive new filing in the state’s ongoing civil suit asks the court to look at whether Gov. Tate Reeves caused his fitness trainer, Paul Lacoste, to receive improper welfare payments from the state and whether Reeves himself should be a defendant in the suit.
Parents are personally borrowing an average of $11,000 for their student’s college education. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa talks to experts about why parents may want to think twice before shouldering this burden.
Scammers are using text messages to pose as financial institutions. Consumer investigator Caresse Jackman reports on what you need to know to keep your money safe.
The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission said people lost more than $445M last year in government imposter scams. Caresse Jackman reports.
Protecting personal information is critical in the digital age, but according to experts, a simple web search of your name will likely return your age, date of birth or even home address. We show you ways to try to remove your personal information.
Checking online reviews when shopping, researching vacations or even looking for a doctor has become an integral part of the modern consumer experience. But experts say many of the products or service reviews you’re reading were either bought or sold and completely fake. In “Five Star Fakes”, InvestigateTV found several posts on social media platforms where people are bartering - even buying and selling - online reviews, despite a federal law that prohibits this act.
Sometimes a surgeon is the salesman. Across the country, there are physician-owned distributorships where doctors own part of a medical device company and then buy (or have their hospital buy) that hardware to use in their own surgeries.
Cutting-edge computer technology designed to mimic the human brain is being used by hackers to create lifelike videos of celebrities and politicians. But now, bad actors are using this readily available tech to target everyday social media users in cryptocurrency scams.
A trip to the emergency room can instantly change your life - not just medically, but financially as well. Americans are burdened with at least $140 billion in outstanding medical debt according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. But help is out there. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa speaks with experts on the frontline aiding those “Diagnosed with Debt”.
Officials with the Better Business Bureau are sounding the alarm as people have started getting phone calls from businesses and individuals claiming they can help wipe out their student loan debt
The FBI said the scam starts when someone contacts you by phone or email pretending to be a representative from your mobile phone carrier. Once the fraudster gets your personal information, they call your service provider and report a lost or stolen sim card.
Experts say hackers aren’t just taking over your social media accounts, but many are stealing pictures and videos to create a completely new you, and in some cases, it’s a profile that’s up to no good.
As you plan for that perfect Spring Break getaway, experts warn travelers need to watch out for con-artists offering deals too good to be true and plan ahead for pandemic travel requirements.
According to the Better Business Bureau, tax season is a popular time of year for scammers looking to target consumers through email, phone, or text message.
According to the National Consumers League, 2021 was a banner year for scammers. Losses to fraud hit a 10-year high and cryptocurrency-related deals were one of the fastest-growing scams.
According to CARFAX, the median list price for a used car jumped 40% from January 2021 to January 2022. In the midst of this climb, our national investigative team uncovered consumer complaints from across the country accusing dealers of advertising one price, but when it came time to sign, charging a cash price thousands more.
There are two websites you can use to find out whether something you just bought, or have owned for years, has either been recalled or reported as potentially dangerous.
Consumer advocates say the time is long past due to lift the cloak of secrecy at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The issue rests with a provision in the Consumer Product Safety Act, known as Section 6(b), which requires the agency to receive approval from manufacturers before releasing any information about a specific product.
People use Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch, to share memories, and now more and more, to build a clientele. Hackers have taken advantage of this growth to gain access to people’s accounts, often targeting weak passwords.
By Lylla Younes, Ava Kofman, Al Shaw, Lisa Song and Maya Miller
InvestigateTV partnered with ProPublica to look at hotspots where toxic chemicals may significantly raise the risk of cancer. The ProPublica map portrays EPA data in a way never before visualized in this way.
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