Will a weakened CFPB be up to the job of protecting consumers from rogues and charlatans?

Unsolicited job offers are almost certainly

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• You don't get legitimate job offers from companies you didn't apply to.
• Anyone who wants money from you is probably not offering you a legitimate job.
• Be very careful corresponding with anyone who doesn't have an official, corporate email account and website.

Scammers posing as recruiters for high-profile companies are preying on job seekers with fake remote job offers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned this week, as reports of employment-related fraud continue to surge across the country.

Scammers are always hiring, but they dont actually want to employ you, the FTC said in its latest advisory. Instead, they want your money, personal information, or both.

Fake offers arriving by text and email

The often begin with emails or texts that appear to come from legitimate employers, offering remote jobs with attractive salaries and benefits. These messages frequently include official-looking logos, sophisticated language, and even links to seemingly professional websites.

But a closer look reveals red flags. Scammers may use personal email accounts such as @gmail.com or @yahoo.com instead of corporate email domains. After initial contact, they often rush applicants into sharing sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or copies of drivers licenses under the guise of setting up direct deposit or completing employment paperwork.

Real employers wont ask for that kind of information before theyve actually interviewed and hired you, the FTC emphasized.

cost victims millions

Job are far from a new phenomenon, but theyve become increasingly sophisticated and widespread, particularly as remote work has become more common. According to the FBIs 2023 Internet Crime Report, employment cost Americans more than $300 million last year alone, a sharp increase from previous years.

These scammers know people are eager for flexible, work-from-home opportunities, said Lisa Plaggemier, executive director of the National Cybersecurity Alliance. Theyre exploiting that desire to steal money and identities.

In one common variation of the scam, victims receive fake checks for office equipment or other job-related expenses. Theyre instructed to deposit the check and then quickly wire funds back to the employer to pay a vendor. Later, the bank flags the check as counterfeit, leaving the victim on the hook for thousands of dollars.

How to protect yourself

The FTC offered several tips for spotting and avoiding job :

• Check the senders email address. Legitimate recruiters typically use official business emails rather than free personal accounts.

• Be cautious of requests for personal information. Employers shouldnt ask for Social Security numbers, bank account details, or scans of ID cards before an official job offer and legitimate onboarding process.

• Research recruiters and companies. Search online for the recruiters name, the company, and keywords like scam or complaint.

• Watch for urgency. Scammers often pressure victims to act quickly, leaving little time to verify details.

• Never pay for a job. Legitimate employers wont ask you to pay upfront fees for training, equipment, or background checks.

For more guidance, consumers can visit the FTCs official resource page at https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-

Take your time and do your homework, the FTC advised. It could save you money, your personal information, and the heartache of a job that never existed.

Small, rural communities face higher risk

By Truman Lewis of ConsumerAffairs

• EWG study shows tackling several tap water contaminants at once offers far greater health benefits than treating pollutants individually.

• Arsenic and chromium-6 frequently occur together and can be reduced using the same technologies.

• Small and rural communities face the highest risks and costs, underscoring a call for updated federal regulations.

A new study suggests that changing how America treats contaminated drinking water could save tens of thousands of lives. Instead of tackling one pollutant at a time, water systems should adopt multi-contaminant treatment strategies that can significantly reduce cancer risks nationwide, according to research published by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) in the journal Environmental Research.

The peer-reviewed study analyzed more than a decades worth of data from over 17,000 community water systems. EWG scientists found that simultaneously targeting dangerous chemicals like arsenic and hexavalent chromium, also known as chromium-6, could prevent more than 50,000 lifetime cancer cases in the U.S. Chromium-6 alone has been detected in water supplies serving about 251 million Americans.

Drinking water is contaminated mostly in mixtures, but our regulatory system still acts like they appear one at a time, said Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D., EWG senior scientist and lead author of the study. This research shows that treating multiple contaminants together could prevent tens of thousands of cancer cases.

Higher risk where pollution overlaps

Arsenic and chromium-6 frequently co-occur in drinking water systems and can be removed using similar technologies like reverse osmosis and ion exchange. The study found that reducing arsenic levels by as little as 27% to 42% in systems already dealing with chromium-6 contamination could quadruple the number of cancer cases avoided compared to treating chromium-6 alone.

States like California, Arizona, and Texas face the highest burden from arsenic pollution and would benefit most from a multi-contaminant approach. In California alone, nearly eight out of 10 preventable cancer cases linked to drinking water are due to arsenic exposure.

Health risks from these pollutants are particularly severe for children, pregnant people, and residents in small or rural communities, which often rely on groundwater and lack resources to upgrade outdated water systems.

Outdated regulations and cost challenges

Under current regulations, the federal government evaluates each contaminant in isolation, considering costs and benefits pollutant by pollutant. But EWG researchers argue this approach is outdated and leaves millions vulnerable to cumulative health risks from chemical mixtures in drinking water.

The federal nitrate limit was set decades ago to prevent infant deaths, but we now know cancer and birth complications can occur at much lower levels, said Anne Schechinger, EWGs Midwest director.

Nitrate contamination, particularly common in agricultural regions, poses significant health risks including cancer and birth defects. EWG estimates that cutting nitrate levels by just 20% could prevent 130 cancer cases each year and save $35 million in healthcare costs, especially when combined with treatment for arsenic and chromium-6.

Despite proven technologies capable of removing multiple pollutants at once, small water systems face steep costs and limited technical support, leaving many communities exposed to significant health risks.

This is about more than clean waterits about protecting health and advancing equity, said David Andrews, Ph.D., acting chief science officer at EWG. We have the engineering solutions to fix the broken drinking water system in the U.S., but we need state and federal policies to reflect the reality people face when they turn on the tap.

What consumers can do

While policymakers debate reforms, consumers worried about tap water contaminants can take steps to protect themselves. EWG recommends reverse osmosis filters for removing arsenic, chromium-6, and nitrate, though filters must be replaced on schedule to stay effective.

Consumers can also search EWGs Tap Water Database to learn which contaminants are present in their local water systems.

As concerns grow about drinking water safety across the country, experts say a shift toward multi-contaminant solutions could be key not only to preventing cancer cases but also to promoting health equity and saving millions in healthcare costs.

Earlier recalls tried to solve the problem but may not have succeeded

• Despite earlier recalls, the problem may still be occurring, with nearly 20 incidents reported.
• The transmission may shift out of park without the driver pressing the brake pedal, the agency said.
• About 1.2 million Ram trucks could be affected if another recall is ordered.

U.S. auto safety regulators have launched a new investigation into whether earlier recalls involving more than one million Ram pickup trucks sufficiently addressed a dangerous defect that can cause the vehicles to roll away unexpectedly.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it has received at least 20 reports suggesting that the original recall repairs failed to fix the issue, leading to further incidents including six cases where seven people were injured and 12 incidents that resulted in a crash or fire.

At the center of the investigation is a flaw that may allow the trucks transmission to shift out of park without the driver pressing the brake pedal or even having the key in the ignition. Such a malfunction could let the truck move on its own, posing a significant risk to drivers and bystanders.

Scope of the investigation

The recall query announced by NHTSA covers roughly 1.2 million Ram pickups built between the 2013 and 2018 model years. The vehicles were subject to earlier safety recalls in 2017 and 2018 addressing this same issue.

In December 2017, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (now part of Stellantis NV) recalled approximately 1.48 million Ram trucks under NHTSA recall number 17V821000, citing concerns that the brake transmission shift interlock (BTSI) could fail in high-temperature conditions.

According to the official recall notice, If the BTSI becomes inoperative, the shifter can be moved out of Park without depressing the brake pedal or having the key in the ignition. Being able to shift the transmission without the key in the ignition increases the risk of unintended vehicle movement, which may result in a crash and/or injury.

In February 2018, the company expanded the recall with NHTSA number 18V070000, adding certain 2017 Ram 1500 and 2500 trucks that were not included in the initial action.

Despite these recalls and dealer-performed repairs that involved replacing faulty BTSI components, NHTSAs ongoing reports indicate the defect might persist in some trucks.

NHTSA is opening this Recall Query investigation to understand the scope, frequency, and potential root causes of the additional rollaway incidents, the agency said in a notice posted this week.

Automaker Response

In a brief statement, Stellantis confirmed it is cooperating with NHTSA as the investigation proceeds but did not offer further details about any new corrective actions.

The outcome of the probe could determine whether Stellantis will be required to conduct yet another round of repairsor possibly expand the recall even further.

Ram trucks are among the most popular vehicles in the United States, meaning a widespread defect could have significant safety and financial implications for both the company and its customers. For now, drivers of affected models are urged to ensure their vehicles are on level ground and the parking brake is engaged whenever the truck is left unattended.