Column: What to do when recall work doesn’t repair your car
I am taking care of my son-in-law's 2009 Ford Escape while he is in the service. The steering has been erratic. I called Ford and they said the steering was...
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Column: What’s the real reason for all these free credit scores?
Free credit scores are everywhere! Why is this? Is some entity making money from this suddenly pervasive online offering? Should consumers be clicking on these links each time they have...
Column: Although sometimes mean, online reviews of Airbnb guests often are not defamatory
This week is a continuation of last week’s Help Squad column, which looked at a complaint from an Airbnb guest, Stefanie, who said she was evicted from an Airbnb host’s...
Column: Airbnb guest’s bad experience turns worse after host’s negative review
In October 2017, I got a job offer in Chicago and traveled cross country by car with all my belongings from San Francisco. I reserved a monthly Airbnb rental as...
Devil is in the details for revised association health plans touting cost savings
While speaking with Oak Park attorney Larry Grudzien for my Aug. 22 column, “When employer deducts health insurance premiums but provides no insurance, who can help?”, he informed me of...
Help Squad: Health insurers and other corporations analyze our plentiful personal data, then devise ways to profit from findings
I recently read a ProPublica article that both concerned me and inspired me to learn more. It was titled “Health Insurers Are Vacuuming Up Details About You — And It...
Help Squad: When employer deducts health insurance premiums but provides no insurance, who can help?
Within a span of a few days I received the below two emails requesting advice on what to do about an employer who deducts health and dental insurance premiums from...
Column: New homeowners face difficulties when removing photos from online listings
We recently purchased a property and, like many other consumers, we want the listing photos removed for both privacy and security reasons. However, as you may know, this is a...
Column: How to stay secure when all your devices rely on the Internet of Things
Have you ever stopped to think about how many items in your home are connected to the internet? If you have (or even if you are doing it just now),...
Column: Prepare for the unexpected when shopping for new cars
I came across your great article, "Consumer learns new car warranty started prior to purchase," while doing research on our potential new vehicle purchase. We are in the process of...