Consumer News: Probe looks for businesses ignoring consumer privacy requests

Bond yields are surging for a variety of reasons

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Rising federal debt, persistent inflation fears, and uncertainty about future Federal Reserve policy have pushed Treasury bond yields to their highest levels in years.

• Higher yields translate into more expensive mortgages, auto loans, credit cards, and business borrowing costs.

• Savers are finally earning meaningful returns again on CDs, money market funds, and Treasury securities.

For years, interest rates on savings accounts were next to nothing good for borrowers but bad for savers. But in recent weeks, there has been a sharp rise in U.S. Treasury bond yields, lifting borrowing costs for consumers while creating some of the best opportunities for savers in more than a decade.

The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury note a key indicator that influences everything from mortgage rates to corporate loans has climbed to levels not seen since before the 2008 financial crisis. Financial markets are signaling that investors now expect interest rates to stay higher for longer, even as inflation cools from its pandemic-era peak.

Treasury yields rise when investors demand higher returns to lend money to the federal government. Bond prices and yields move in opposite directions, meaning yields surge when investors sell bonds.

Growing debt load

Several forces are driving the increase.

One major factor is the federal governments growing debt load. Washington continues to run large budget deficits, requiring the Treasury Department to issue massive amounts of new debt. As supply increases, investors are demanding higher yields to absorb it.

Investors are also increasingly concerned about rising prices. While inflation has slowed significantly from the highs reached in 2022, investors worry it could remain above the Federal Reserves 2% target for years. Higher inflation erodes the value of future bond payments, so buyers want greater compensation.

In addition, the Federal Reserve has kept short-term interest rates elevated in its effort to control inflation. Even though many investors once expected rapid rate cuts, the economy has remained surprisingly resilient, with strong employment and steady consumer spending reducing pressure on the Fed to ease policy quickly.

Global factors

Global factors are contributing as well. Foreign governments and central banks have reduced some of their Treasury purchases, while geopolitical uncertainty has made investors more cautious about long-term debt holdings.

The consequences are being felt throughout the economy.

Mortgage rates have climbed because they tend to track the 10-year Treasury yield. Higher home financing costs have made affordability worse for many buyers, slowing home sales and keeping pressure on the housing market.

Auto loans and credit card rates have also risen. Consumers carrying balances are paying substantially more in interest than they did just a few years ago. Businesses face higher financing costs as well, which can discourage expansion and hiring.

For the federal government itself, higher yields mean rising interest expenses on the national debt. Interest payments are becoming one of the fastest-growing components of federal spending.

Good news for savers

But the news is not all negative.

Savers, who endured years of near-zero returns after the Great Recession, are benefiting from higher interest rates. Banks, online savings accounts, certificates of deposit, and money market funds are offering yields that would have seemed unusually generous just a few years ago.

Treasury securities themselves have become attractive to conservative investors seeking relatively safe returns. Short-term Treasury bills now often pay more than many traditional savings products.

Retirees and income-focused investors, long starved for yield, are also finding new opportunities in bonds and fixed-income investments.

Motorists in California would save the most

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• California drivers would save the most from a temporary suspension of state and local gasoline taxes about $35 on a 50-gallon monthly fuel purchase.

• Drivers in Alaska would see the smallest savings, at roughly $4.50 a month.

• The average U.S. driver would save about $16.50 a month if state and local gas taxes were suspended nationwide.

As gasoline prices remain a major household expense, some lawmakers have revived the idea of temporarily suspending state gasoline taxes to provide relief at the pump. While such proposals vary widely, the potential savings for motorists depend heavily on where they live.

State and local gasoline taxes differ dramatically across the country, ranging from less than 10 cents per gallon in Alaska to more than 70 cents per gallon in California. If those taxes were temporarily suspended, motorists would see immediate reductions in pump prices.

Based on current state gasoline tax rates compiled by the Tax Foundation and other fuel tax data sources, a driver purchasing 50 gallons of gasoline per month would save the following amounts if state and local gasoline taxes were suspended.

The savings estimates assume motorists buy about 50 gallons of gasoline per month, roughly equal to two fill-ups for many drivers. Larger vehicles and commuters with long daily drives would save significantly more.

California motorists would benefit the most from a suspension because the state has the nations highest combined gasoline taxes and fees. Illinois, Washington, Pennsylvania and Indiana also rank near the top.

By contrast, drivers in Alaska, Hawaii and New Mexico would see much smaller reductions because those states impose relatively low fuel taxes.

Supporters of gas tax holidays argue that suspending the taxes can provide immediate consumer relief during periods of high fuel prices or inflation. Critics counter that the tax revenue funds road repairs, bridge maintenance and transportation projects, and they argue that oil companies or retailers do not always pass the full savings on to consumers.

Several states temporarily suspended or reduced gasoline taxes during the inflation surge that followed the pandemic, though many of those measures have since expired.

The federal government also imposes an 18.4-cent-per-gallon gasoline tax, but most proposals currently under discussion focus on state-level taxes.

It works just like the Microsoft Tech Support Scam

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Cybercriminals are exploiting Apples reputation with fake high alert security warnings designed to panic consumers into giving up passwords, payment information,or remote access to their devices.

• The scam often appears as pop-up alerts, text messages, or phone calls claiming an iPhone, iCloud, or Apple ID has been compromised.

• Experts say the best defense is to avoid clicking links in unsolicited alerts and verify any security issue directly through Apples official channels.

The Microsoft Tech Support Scam has cheated thousands of consumers out of millions of dollars over the years. Lately, scammers have switched brands, posing as another well-known tech company.

Consumers are reporting a surge in fraudulent Apple High Alert messages that attempt to trick people into believing their iPhone or iCloud account has been hacked. The scam uses fear and urgency to pressure victims into acting quickly, often leading them to hand over sensitive information or even allow criminals to take control of their devices.

Cybersecurity experts say the scheme has become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers mimicking Apple branding, logos, and language so convincingly that even experienced users can be fooled.

How the scam works

The scam typically begins with an alarming message claiming that suspicious activity has been detected on the victims Apple account. Consumers may receive:

• A pop-up warning while browsing the web

• A text message claiming an Apple ID has been locked

• An email about unauthorized purchases

• A phone call from someone pretending to be Apple Support

Many messages include phrases such as High Alert, Security Breach Detected, or Your iPhone Has Been Compromised.

The warning often urges consumers to click a link, call a phone number immediately, or download software to secure the device.

Once victims respond, scammers may attempt to:

• Steal Apple ID usernames and passwords

• Collect credit card or banking information

• Install remote-access software

• Gain access to photos, contacts,and stored passwords

• Demand payment for fake technical support services

In some cases, criminals convince consumers to purchase gift cards or transfer money to supposedly protect their accounts.

Why the scam is effective

Apple products are widely trusted, and many consumers worry about losing access to photos, financial accounts, and personal data stored on their devices. Scammers exploit that anxiety by creating a sense of emergency.

Fraudsters know that panic causes people to make quick decisions. If a message tells someone their account is under attack, they may be more likely to react before thinking critically.

The scam also succeeds because fake alerts can look remarkably authentic. Some fraudulent websites closely resemble Apples official support pages, complete with logos and professional-looking formatting.

Warning signs consumers should watch for

Security experts say there are several red flags that can help consumers identify the scam.

Apple does not:

• Send unsolicited pop-up alerts asking users to call support numbers

• Ask for passwords or verification codes through text messages

• Request payment via gift cards or wire transfers

• Pressure users to act immediately to avoid account deletion

Consumers should also be suspicious of:

• Poor grammar or unusual wording

• Unknown phone numbers or email addresses

• Links that do not lead to Apple.com

• Loud alarm sounds or flashing warnings in browser pop-ups

How to protect yourself

Do not click links, download software, or call numbers provided in unexpected messages claiming to be from Apple.

If concerned about account security, consumers should independently visit Apples official website or use the Settings app on their iPhone to check for notifications.

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection to Apple IDs and can help prevent unauthorized access.

Lawmakers are targeting the soaring energy demands of artificial intelligence

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Sen. Adam Schiff has introduced the Energy Cost Fairness and Reliability Act of 2026, targeting the growing electricity demands of AI data centers and other large energy users.

• The bill would require large-load facilities consuming more than 50 megawatts to pay the full cost of grid upgrades needed to serve them, rather than shifting costs to residential ratepayers.

• The legislation also would require data centers and other major users to provide demand flexibility, arrange new power generation, and meet labor and reliability standards before connecting to the transmission grid.

Residential electric bills are rising significantly in some areas and some blame data centers, which require huge amounts of electricity to power artificial intelligence.

A bill introduced in the U.S. Senate would dramatically reshape how massive electricity users particularly AI data centers connect to the nations power grid, amid mounting concerns that soaring energy demand could drive up utility bills for consumers.

Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) introduced the Energy Cost Fairness and Reliability Act of 2026, legislation that would require operators of large-load facilities to bear the full financial responsibility for transmission upgrades and infrastructure needed to support their operations.

The measure comes as utilities and grid operators across the country grapple with explosive growth in electricity demand fueled by artificial intelligence, cloud computing, domestic manufacturing expansion, and electrification initiatives. The bill repeatedly references AI as a major driver of the trend, warning that unchecked growth threatens grid reliability and affordability.

New federal interconnection requirements

Under the proposal, any facility with peak demand exceeding 50 megawatts a category that includes many hyper-scale data centers would face new federal interconnection requirements overseen by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, or FERC.

The bill claims that electricity prices in multiple regions have already increased because utilities must build new infrastructure and transmission capacity to accommodate large new loads. The bill argues those costs should not be transferred to ordinary residential and business customers.

The proposal would direct FERC to establish a formal load interconnection queue system similar to the existing queue process used for new power plants connecting to the grid.

Large-load customers seeking interconnection would be required to pay 100% of interconnection study costs and all network upgrade expenses associated with their projects. Those payments would be nonrefundable, according to the proposed legislation.

The bill also would prohibit utilities and transmission providers from spreading those upgrade costs among other electricity customers through tariffs or future rate adjustments.

In addition to financial requirements, the legislation imposes operational conditions on large-load facilities. Operators would need to demonstrate demand flexibility, meaning they could reduce or shift electricity usage during grid emergencies or periods of congestion.

Facilities would also have to arrange for new generating resources sufficient to meet their energy needs.

How will the industry respond?

The technology industry might not resist these mandates. Several major tech companies are actively exploring and in some cases directly financing, building, or partnering on power plants dedicated to supplying electricity for AI-driven data centers.

Here are some of the most significant examples:

• Microsoft has backed efforts to restart nuclear generation at Pennsylvanias Three Mile Island site through a long-term power agreement intended to support its AI infrastructure.

• Amazon has invested in nuclear-powered data center projects and supported small modular reactor development through partnerships tied to AWS operations.

• Google has partnered with nuclear startup Kairos Power and also worked with energy companies on natural-gas-powered generation for Texas data centers.

• Meta is developing data center campuses tied to new natural gas plants and has signed long-term nuclear energy agreements to secure future supply.

• SoftBank is going even further vertically, planning a large integrated AI infrastructure complex in Japan that includes battery manufacturing, solar production, and an AI data center.

By some estimates, they accounted for 2.3% of global imports in 2021

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Counterfeit consumer products are increasingly infiltrating online marketplaces, prompting brands to issue warnings about fake or unauthorized sellers.

• Hair-care brand Pureance recently warned consumers that third-party affiliates were spreading misleading information and selling potentially counterfeit versions of its HydraLift products.

• Experts say the growth of e-commerce, fake reviews, and sophisticated online marketing has made it harder for shoppers to distinguish authentic products from counterfeits.

As counterfeit consumer products become more sophisticated and widespread, companies across the beauty, wellness, electronics, and supplement industries are stepping up efforts to warn consumers about unauthorized online sellers.

One recent example involves Pureance, a beauty and wellness brand that issued a consumer alert warning shoppers about unauthorized affiliates and counterfeit sellers marketing versions of its HydraLift hair-care products online. According to the company, rising demand for the product has led to misleading third-party advertisements and potentially fake merchandise being offered outside official sales channels.

The company urged customers to buy only through its official website to ensure authenticity and maintain eligibility for its money-back guarantee.

An internet creation

Industry analysts say the warning reflects a larger problem affecting consumers worldwide. Counterfeit goods have expanded rapidly alongside e-commerce growth, allowing unauthorized sellers to create convincing storefronts, fake reviews, and deceptive advertising campaigns that can be difficult for shoppers to identify.

Researchers studying online marketplace fraud note that fake sellers often exploit consumer trust by offering steep discounts, using copied branding, and generating artificial reviews to appear legitimate.

In some cases, counterfeit products may simply fail to deliver promised results. In others, the risks are more serious, particularly when products involve cosmetics, supplements, electronics, or health-related items.

What to do

Consumer advocates recommend several precautions before making online purchases:

• Buy directly from manufacturers or authorized retailers whenever possible.

• Be wary of unusually low prices or limited-time pressure tactics.

• Check for verified contact information and return policies.

• Research independent reviews instead of relying solely on marketplace ratings.

• Look for spelling errors, altered packaging, or inconsistent branding.

Harder to detect

The challenge for consumers is compounded by the increasing sophistication of counterfeit operations. Academic researchers have found that fraudulent sellers and fake-review networks are becoming harder to detect because they mimic legitimate online behavior more effectively than in the past.

At the same time, companies are investing in anti-counterfeiting technologies, including QR-code verification systems, blockchain tracking, and product-authentication tools designed to help buyers confirm authenticity.

Counterfeit and pirated goods accounted for about 1.8% of world trade in 2007. By 2019, that figure had risen to roughly 2.5% of global trade, representing an estimated $464 billion in counterfeit goods.

The latest OECD-EUIPO report estimates counterfeit trade reached $467 billion in 2021, or 2.3% of total global imports.