Cathy Cunningham

A recent study found that when users have more granular privacy controls online, they actually tend to share more personal information.

Research shows greater online privacy controls can result in sharing more personal information

December 13, 2018 at 3:55 p.m.

Here is an interesting – and potentially alarming – research finding for anyone concerned about online privacy: The more control individuals have over their personal data online, the more information...

This March 20, 2018 photo shows the Gmail app on an iPad in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

Column: How much information is Gmail collecting from users?

December 13, 2018 at 3:27 p.m.

As a result of my April 18 column, "How European Union rules on data privacy will help people in the U.S.," I received an email from Mark in Chicago, who...

This week, the Help Squad looks into a retiree who lost his health benefits.

Column: Help Squad looks into retirees losing health benefits

December 13, 2018 at 2:49 p.m.

Dear Help Squad, I read your 2016 piece on an Allstate retiree who unjustly lost his monthly health reimbursement benefit. I, too, am an Allstate Insurance Company retiree who unjustly...

Are subscription-based legal services right for you?

Column: Three companies explain their subscription-based legal services to the Help Squad

December 14, 2018 at 7:00 p.m.

Dear Help Squad, I have enjoyed your recent columns that provide a lot of consumer education. Please do one about prepaid legal services with monthly fees. I was looking into...

Column: How European Union rules on data privacy will help people in the U.S.

December 14, 2018 at 5:55 p.m.

You probably haven't heard of the General Data Protection Regulation but chances are, you've heard of Facebook. And the social media behemoth's current problems with data privacy make next month's...

Scammers who work online are tricky and can be very convincing.

Column: A pop-up tells you there’s something wrong with your computer. How to tell if it’s a scam

December 14, 2018 at 5:06 p.m.

Dear Help Squad, Can you tell me if something called 'My Expert Advise' is a phishing scam? A little more than two weeks ago, I was using my computer, when...

This week's Help Squad column looks more into why certain medications aren't covered by insurance.

Column: More questions answered on medications not being covered by insurance

December 14, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.

As a follow-up to my recent column, “Why are so many more medications not covered by insurance?” I decided to dig a little deeper and ask the following questions. What...

How can someone who has to or wants to represent himself or herself in a court of law make the best of the situation?

Column: How can people representing themselves in court make the best of a bad situation?

December 14, 2018 at 11:55 p.m.

Perhaps you remember a column I wrote last May about Kathleen, who had decided to file a malpractice lawsuit against her divorce lawyer for tacking on an additional $15,000 in...

The Help Squad looks into whether people can do anything about high drug prices and health insurance not covering an increasing number of medications.

Column: Why are so many more medications not covered by insurance?

December 14, 2018 at 11:52 p.m.

Jim from Oak Brook wrote to me and asked: “Why have so many of my previously-covered prescriptions been dropped from my health insurance plan?” For answers, I spoke with National...

Scam phone calls like the "Can you hear me?" ruse are getting more and more common.

Column: How does the ‘Can you hear me?’ scam work?

December 14, 2018 at 10:03 p.m.

My column last month titled, “Is there any way to stop spam phone calls that look local?” included a tip from FCC spokesman Will Wiquist, who advised consumers to never...

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