MilConsumer Blog Feed

When ads for products don’t tell the truth, you can bet the FTC will take notice. Today, the FTC brought a case against NourishLife , a company that allegedly made unsupported and false claims about its Speak line of children’s supplements. According to the complaint, the company advertised that Speak products were clinically proven to support “normal and healthy speech development” for kids — including kids with verbal apraxia or those with autism spectrum disorder. The truth, the FTC says, is that the company didn’t have the proper scientific evidence to back up its claims.

The holidays are over. Hope you had a grand time! I know I did, but I also know a few people who are experiencing a bit of post-holiday frustration with products and services they bought. But never fear, the FTC is here with some tried and true tips to help resolve your problems. The fact is, most businesses want to keep you happy so you'll keep coming back.

It’s that time of year when everyone’s compiling their Best of 2014 list. We didn’t want to miss the fun so here’s our own list of the 10 Most Read Consumer Blog Posts of 2014.

Thinking about giving a fancy new gadget as a holiday gift? Or maybe there’s something on your wish list that Santa forgot to bring? If so, you might be tempted by an ad for high-tech at a low price. But if a merchant other than Amazon.com asks you to pay using an Amazon gift card, it’s probably a scam. In fact, Amazon’s gift card terms don’t allow you to use Amazon gift cards to make payments anywhere besides amazon.com and a few specific sites.

Some current and former T-Mobile customers are about to get their money back. As part of a $90 million dollar proposed settlement , T-Mobile is refunding customers who were unfairly billed third-party charges by the company.

It’s holiday season; time to visit family and friends, buy gifts and celebrate. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of sales and shopping, but if money is tight right now, you may wonder if you can afford all that holiday cheer. Before you start ringing up holiday expenses, make a budget and get a fix on your income, expenses and what you have to spend. Keep your budget — and long-term finances — in mind as you decide how to cover holiday expenses.

Close to half a million people who bought Sensa, a sprinkle-on weight loss product, will share more than $26 million in refunds , thanks to the FTC. The money comes from the FTC’s settlement with Sensa’s marketers, who said their powder would help people lose weight. According to the FTC, the company didn’t have the scientific evidence they needed to back up the claims. The FTC is mailing checks to eligible consumers this week, and checks must be cashed within 60 days. If you have questions about the refunds, call 1-800-420-2914, or visit the FTC’s Sensa refunds page . And remember, the FTC never requires people to pay money or give personal information before they cash a refund check.

Mark Twain once said, “Never put off till tomorrow what may be done day after tomorrow just as well.” If you live by this mantra, you might find yourself scrambling at the last minute to finish your holiday shopping this season. Enter the gift card. If you have gift cards on your shopping list, you’re not alone. Industry experts estimate gift card spending will top $32 billion this year – both for cards you can use at a specific store (think department store or coffee shop), and for bank or credit union cards that are accepted at many businesses (think Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, and the like). When you’re giving gift cards, here are a few things to know:

Come hangout with Holly! Holly Petraeus joins the Government Services Administration’s own #AskMarietta for a Google Hangout on ways servicemembers and veterans can find help tackling debt, scams and fraud. Submit your questions to askmarietta@gsa.gov or using #AskMarietta on Twitter to get answers from Holly during the live event on Dec. 9 at 1 PM ET: http://bit.ly/1xOx6o8

Have you seen news reports about foreign websites showing live feeds from unsecured wireless cameras — like nanny cams, baby monitors, and security cameras — in the U.S. and around the world? It’s creepy stuff, but there are steps you can take to protect your camera from prying eyes.