Gotchas / Consumer

CFPB: Navy federal Credit Union threatened soldiers with debts, cut off access to ATMs, veterans’benefits

Navy Federal Credit Union threatened to contact soliders’ commanding officers and cut off access to ATMs as part of a pattern of illegal debt collection practices, federal regulators said Tuesday.  The credit union, which is the nation’s largest, grants membership only to current and former U.S. military servicemembers, civilians working [Keep reading]

The Red Tape Chronicles

Time out: Buffett paid the equivalent of $20 in federal taxes last year. Why he, and Trump, and most owners, are laughing about the tax bill

I just can’t let this go by without comment. Warren Buffett seemed heroic this week when he released his federal tax bill after Donald Trump called him out in the Sunday night presidential debate. “No Donald, I’m not like you,” he was saying, “I pay federal taxes.” In fact, Buffett [Keep reading]

Cybercrime / Privacy

Russians attacking U.S. election systems? Here’s the real risk, from a man who fought Soviet electronic attacks during the Cold War

With U.S. officials openly blaming Russia for hacker attacks on state election computer systems, and the myriad possibilities for election chaos such attacks raise, it’s important to put them in proper context. I went to Harri Hursti, a globally-known election security consultant, for some answers. Hursti cut his teeth in [Keep reading]

Cybercrime / Privacy

Is there another Wells Fargo lurking? And why did the CFPB only get 28 complaints when there were a half-million fake credit cards issued?

You probably can’t help but follow the continually unfolding fake account scandal at Wells Fargo.  When that story first broke, I wrote that the Wells way to do business – perverse incentives that encourage underpaid employees to cheat their fellow woman and man – is common.  Well, today brought more [Keep reading]