November 21, 2008 — Consider this the next time you see a teenager take a drag on a cigarette: Your state government likely has a financial stake in that kid continuing to smoke. And quite possibly, so does your retirement portfolio. That was hardly the intention 10 years ago, when a [Keep reading]
ARCHIVE – August 4, 2011 Imagine being able to sit down in a bar, snap a few photos of people and quickly learn who they are, who their friends are, where they live, what kind of music they like … even predict their Social Security number. Now, imagine you could [Keep reading]
Ever see a price for an item online, then look again and see a different price, and think you were going crazy? Probably not. You were probably encountering some form of dynamic pricing, which retailers have quietly dabbled in for many years. Quietly, because every time consumers find out about [Keep reading]
Every year I make a calendar for my family and friends — been doing it 20 years. It’s my way of saying, “Here’s what I’ve been up to for the past 12 months when I probably should have been spending more time with you.” The 12 months, and the cover, are [Keep reading]
You’ve probably heard that residents in “rich,” high-tax coastal states like New York and California are getting badly screwed by the Republican tax bill that’s about to pass. What you haven’t heard is that plenty of people in decidedly not-rich places like Ohio, Arkansas, Nebraska, and even West Virginia will [Keep reading]
Con men always need a dance partner. I’ve spent 25 years writing about scams, and I’ve interviewed 1,000s of victims. I’ve talked to 90-somethings who are sure a woman (or man) in Nigeria loves them and just needs money for a flight home. To people who are sure that [Keep reading]
What are the 10 biggest ripoffs Americans complained about last year? And which new, fast-growing ripoffs do you need to know about before they find their way on this dastardly list soon? Read on. Consumers who feel cheated or abused often turn to local or state authorities – instead [Keep reading]
Many Americans still find themselves visiting a bank branch at least once in a while — to deposit a large check, for example. When big bucks are involved, dealing with a human being can be a nice security blanket. But that may be about to change. Banks are closing local branches at [Keep reading]
Remember the BillFixers brothers I wrote about last month (and I’ll write about each month in The BillFixers Files). That story got a lot of attention: I did a version for NBCNews.com, the New York Times picked it up, and NBC Nightly News is going to feature the brothers on national [Keep reading]
Bob Sullivan