ARTICLES BY TERRI DICKERSON CDA CONSUMER GAL
The irony of hacking systems that make us feel safe
I visited friends for dinner last week. We enjoyed a nice evening with fun conversation, just the three of us. Then a voice from the kitchen rudely interrupted. We first thought it was just Alexa spying on us.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Alexa, please forget everything I've said
Many consumers wonder how much of their data is being collected by Alexa — and for what purpose.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
WhatsApp? Well, malicious spyware attack, perhaps
If you use WhatsApp and received a notice to update your software, don’t ignore it. Facebook has confirmed that malicious hackers were able to install spyware on Android Smartphones and Apple iPhones. Now Facebook is urging its 1.5 billion users to immediately update their software to the latest version of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Publishers Clearing House is real, but those phone calls are not
The promise of $5,000 a week for life sounds great, but does anyone ever win this prize? If you or someone you know has ever really won the Publishers Clearing House (PCH) sweepstakes, then this question is moot. But to the rest of us, the question seems relevant.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 5 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Don't get caught in genetic testing web
Our friends at Senior Medicare Patrol are warning seniors that various companies are showing up at senior centers and health fairs offering genetic testing or cancer screenings and falsely claiming that Medicare will pay for it.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Extended vehicle warranties might (or might not) be OK
If you’re considering a new vehicle purchase or made a recent purchase, here’s advice on extended warranties.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Awareness is the best antivirus for scams
Last week, AARP Idaho held a town hall meeting with Brett DeLange of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. A summary of the meeting was in last Thursday’s paper.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Duck! Here come the email bombs
What’s email bombing? Simply put, it’s a form of cyberattack that sends hundreds or thousands of messages to an email address in a single day. Email subscription bombing automatically subscribes victims to dozens or hundreds of electronic mailing lists, each of which sends multiple messages a day until the recipient …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Your wits will serve you against a fake process server
I recently received an email from a reader who let me know she received a call from someone claiming to be a process server. He informed her she would be served on a certain day between 3 and 5 p.m. She wanted to check with me to see if this …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Boo-boos that can burst your credit score bubble
I recently received a pleasant email from a reader letting me know that he bumped up his credit score by almost 100 points with information I shared in this column. In that spirit, I thought I would share some more practical tips to avoid mistakes — and maybe boost your …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
We all love charity, but beware of this
Let’s face it: We all like a good deal. When we go to a charity event, what better way to get a deal and help a good cause at the same time?
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS AGO
Don't ignore CareCredit bill
With all the junk mail we get these days, it can be hard to spot a bona fide bill, especially from a company you don’t recognize. A Post Falls reader recently ran into this problem with CareCredit.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Zombie debt conquered!
A Post Falls reader fought the credit zombie monster and won!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
No, you shouldn't pay to get that job
Looking for a job can be stressful enough, but now we can add one more layer of stress to the mix: recruitment scams.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Do you need to buy car rental insurance?
Anytime you rent a car you can bet the agent will ask if you’d like to purchase Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) coverage. These add-ons can cost between $10 and $30 per day, so for a several-day car rental these fees can really add up. When …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 6 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
