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THE RED TAPE CHRONICLES

Technology has hidden side effects -- we reveal them here

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Gotchas / Consumer

Gotchas / Consumer

BofA ate my debit card, then tried to charge me $5 for a replacement – 90 minutes later, I got my $5 back. Did I win?

September 17, 2019 Bob Sullivan 4

Bank of America recently destroyed my debit card, then tried to charge me $5 for a replacement. Really! Worse still, it took about 30 minutes on the phone for me to get that $5 replacement fee waived, something no rational person would do — heck, that’s less than minimum wage [Keep reading]

Bob Sullivan's podcast projects

Want your Equifax hack settlement bucks? There’s more red tape now

September 9, 2019 Bob Sullivan 1

This should come as a surprise to no one: Equifax is making hacked consumers wrestle with additional red tape.  The firm is asking for more paperwork from consumers who were victimized by the credit bureau’s giant data breach in 2017.  The additional red tape seems designed to shrink the ranks [Keep reading]

Barstool MBA

New book release: The Barstool MBA: Why Running a Bar Beats Running to Business School

July 18, 2019 Bob Sullivan 0

Today is a very exciting day for us: Our book is out — The Barstool MBA: Why Running a Bar Beats Running to Business School. Book birthdays are very special. I’m lucky to say this is the fifth time for me, but this book is realllly different from anything else [Keep reading]

Gotchas / Consumer

VIDEO: Zelle fraud includes clever text message intercepts, foiling two-factor authentication

June 26, 2019 Bob Sullivan 0

I’ve written a lot about Zelle fraud in recent months, as banks keep erroneously rejecting victims’ requests for “refunds” after their money is stolen.  NBC recently reported on the story and asked me to help.  Their piece does a good job of illustrating the scope of the crime – based [Keep reading]

Gotchas / Consumer

The side hustle trap, and the rise of the ‘Four-Income Household’

June 5, 2019 Bob Sullivan 6

The side hustle? It’s a trap! And if we’re not careful, we’re going to end up with a new economic category: The Four-Income Household. In fact, we might already be there. A new Bankrate survey found that 45% of American workers say they have a side hustle. At the moment, [Keep reading]

Gotchas / Consumer

Financial therapy: How your childhood impacts your views on money

June 3, 2019 Bob Sullivan 1

You know that family of origin / childhood issues have a big impact on your adult relationships, on your work habits, and of course your love life. But have you ever thought about the way your childhood impacts the way you handle money? You should. CNBC / Acorns recently asked [Keep reading]

Gotchas / Consumer

Are you paying too much in cell phone taxes? And other tips to save on that smartphone bill

May 24, 2019 Bob Sullivan 0

CNBC’s Acorn site recently ran a month-long series on how to save money called “Easy Money Makeover.”  I contributed a piece on how to lower your cell phone bill. Below, you can read a taste of the piece, along with a couple of bonus tips. But please head over to [Keep reading]

Bob Sullivan's podcast projects

So, Bob podcast: Why is my sleep app recording me at night? Did I consent to that?

May 17, 2019 Bob Sullivan 1

How would you feel if you discovered your smartphone was recording you while you sleep without your knowledge? Last year, co-host Alia Tavakolian came to me when she discovered a sleep app had made dozens of such recordings. Worse yet, to hear what was on the files, she had to [Keep reading]

Bob Sullivan's podcast projects

To begin at the beginning: Is the Internet good or bad? So, Bob… podcast, episode 1

May 7, 2019 Bob Sullivan 2

I’ve spent a year working with Alia Tavakolian and Spoke Media developing this podcast, and I’ve spent almost 25 years preparing for it. So, please give it a try. Click play below, if a play button appears, or click on this Stitcher link or this iTunes link.  I started [Keep reading]

Cognitive bias

Where I did leave that? Oyea, on Google

April 16, 2019 Bob Sullivan 0

Quick: Which British king had six wives? And now, who won the 2012 World Series? Not a sports fan? Then try this one: Who was the runner up in the 2012 Republican presidential primary race? There’s a good chance you remember the name Henry VIII from high school. I remember [Keep reading]

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About me

BOB SULLIVAN is a veteran journalist and the author of four books, including the 2008 New York Times Best-Seller, Gotcha Capitalism, and the 2010 New York Times Best Seller, Stop Getting Ripped Off! His latest, The Plateau Effect, was published in 2013, and as a paperback, called Getting Unstuck in 2014. He has won the Society of Professional Journalists prestigious Public Service award, a Peabody award, and The Consumer Federation of America Betty Furness award, and been given Consumer Action’s Consumer Excellence Award.

Bob Sullivan

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