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The retailer was accused of failing to adequately protect customers from fraud

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• The FTC is sending more than $9.8 million in checks to 65,022 consumers affected by fraud involving Walmarts money transfer services.

• Payments cover eligible transfers made at Walmart between January 2015 and December 2024.

• Recipients should cash their checks within 90 days and never pay a fee to receive their money.

Thousands of consumers who lost money to scammers through Walmarts money transfer services are receiving settlement checks, with the Federal Trade Commission distributing more than $9.8 million.

The money comes from Walmarts June 2025 settlement of allegations that it failed to implement effective fraud prevention policies, properly train employees and warn customers about money transfer .

The agencys lawsuit, filed in 2022, alleged that scammers used Walmarts transfer services to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from consumers. Walmart provided those services both through its own offerings and as an agent for companies including MoneyGram, Western Union and Ria.

The settlement required Walmart to pay $10 million and take timely, appropriate steps to detect and prevent transfers induced by fraud. It also prohibited the retailer from sending or paying out transfers it knowsor consciously avoids knowingare connected to fraud.

Walmart said when announcing the agreement that it did not admit to the allegations and would continue its fraud prevention program as a money transfer services agent.

Who is receiving the money?

The FTC says checks are going to 65,022 people who completed eligible money transfers at Walmart between January 2015 and December 2024.

Simply having shopped at Walmart or used its transfer services does not establish eligibility. These payments concern consumers affected by the alleged money transfer fraud failures.

The agencys public refund notice does not spell out its detailed eligibility criteria, explain how individual payments were calculated or list a claim form for additional applicants. Consumers with questions about whether they are included should contact the refund administrator, Rust Consulting, at 1-833-472-1990.

What should recipients do?

Anyone receiving a check should cash it within 90 days, following the deadline printed on the check. Questions about a payment should go to Rust Consulting, using the contact information on the FTCs official Walmart refund page.

Consumers should also watch for scammers trying to exploit news of the payments. The FTC says it never requires people to pay money or provide account information to receive a refund. A request to send money to release a settlement payment is a warning sign of fraud.

If AI stocks are in a bubble, why do investors keep buying them?

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• AI stocks could fall sharply even if the technology continues to grow, especially if profits fail to meet investors expectations.

• Slower spending on chips and data centers, higher borrowing costs and cheaper competing technology could trigger a correction.

• A deeper downturn could develop if disappointing returns lead to spending cuts, tighter lending and further losses throughout the AI industry.

Ken Griffin, head of Citadel, is the latest Wall Street titan to suggest AI stocks are overpriced.

"Corporate America has been very uneven in its ability to extract value from its AI models," he said in an interview with Bloomberg. He went on to suggest that the Street is almost certainly in an AI bubble.

But despite repeated cautionary words from people in the know, AI stocks continue to go higher. So, what would actually cause AI stocks to fall?

The answer may have less to do with whether AI transforms the economy than with how much companies earn from itand how quickly those earnings arrive.

A correction, conventionally defined as a decline of at least 10% from a recent peak, could begin when investors reduce their profit forecasts or become unwilling to pay such high prices for anticipated growth. Individual companies, semiconductor stocks and the broader market could experience different degrees of decline.

The International Monetary Funds October financial stability report identifies weaker or less durable AI investment and profitability as potential triggers for falling AI asset prices. It also warns that financial vulnerabilities could amplify market turmoil.

Strong growth might not be enough

One potential trigger is a disappointing earnings report from a major AI company. Revenue wouldnt necessarily have to decline. If investors expect extraordinary growth, a merely strong result could prompt a selloff.

Rising expenses could have a similar effect. Companies might attract more customers while spending so much on computing, electricity and development that profits fall short of expectations.

Another trigger would be a decision by major cloud providers to slow their infrastructure expansion. Postponed data centers or reduced equipment orders would affect the suppliers counting on that business.

Goldman Sachs has highlighted how AI investment supports supplier earnings, while warning that slower spending growth and increasing depreciation expenses could weaken that support.

When spending fails to pay off

A more fundamental problem would emerge if customers found that AI products didnt generate enough additional revenue or cost savings to justify their expense.

Businesses could reduce subscriptions, delay new projects or demand lower prices. That would put pressure on software providers and eventually the companies supplying their computing infrastructure.

Technological progress could also unsettle investors. More efficient models or cheaper competing chips might make AI more affordable while reducing demand for particular equipment or squeezing suppliers profit margins.

Similarly, excessive construction could leave the industry with more computing capacity than customers need, pushing prices lower.

Borrowing costs could compound the damage

Higher interest rates could pressure AI stocks in two ways: by making infrastructure more expensive to finance and by reducing the value investors assign to profits expected years into the future.

Businesses dependent on borrowing would be particularly exposed. Construction delays or difficulty obtaining electricity could compound their problems, leaving them paying for equipment and financing before facilities generate revenue.

Recent reporting describes lenders demanding greater compensation to finance some AI infrastructure businesses as investors scrutinize their financial risks.

The more severe scenario would combine several problems. Disappointing returns could prompt spending cuts, weakening supplier earnings. Lenders could then tighten financing, forcing additional cuts and spreading losses.

What investors should watch

Market watchers suggest the clearest warning would be several major companies simultaneously lowering revenue forecasts or infrastructure spending plans, especially alongside weakening cash flow and more expensive financing.

A recession, new trade restrictions or a serious security incident could also accelerate a pullback.

A crash isnt the only possible outcome, however. Stocks could move sideways while earnings gradually catch up with valuations.

For households, the exposure can extend beyond individual AI shares to retirement funds holding major technology companies. The central distinction is that AIs success as a technology would not guarantee attractive returns on every stockor at every purchase price.

Most pet owners would pay a fee for premium pet amenities

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Pets are influencing where consumers rent, how they travel and which businesses earn their loyalty, according to a new PetScreening report.

• Many respondents said they would pay extra for pet amenities at home or more welcoming vacation accommodations.

• Pet-friendly workplace benefits also matter, particularly to younger employees.

Pets influence on household budgets extends well beyond food and veterinary bills. New research from PetScreening suggests they also help determine where people live, book vacations and spend their money.

The companys 2026 Pet Influence Report found that 69% of pet-owning renters said pet-related benefits influenced their latest apartment search. Among renters younger than 30, that figure reached 76%.

Eighty-five percent said they would pay a fee for premium amenities, including fenced yards and pet waste stations. Fifty-eight percent would pay at least $25 more monthly.

That willingness has a practical budget implication: An additional $25 a month adds $300 to annual housing expenses.

Influence on travel

Travel choices show a similar pattern. Fifty-five percent of pet owners reported choosing one hotel over another because of their animal, while 48% had opted for a vacation rental instead of a hotel. Sixty-seven percent would pay at least $25 more nightly for a pet-welcoming vacation rental.

Pet owners also place value on workplace accommodations. According to the companys study website, 72% consider pet-friendly workplace benefits valuable, and 11% have changed jobs because of a pet.

Among pet owners ages 18 to 44, 76% said allowing pets would encourage more frequent office visits.

Positive health effects

The emotional connection helps explain those preferences: 97% of surveyed pet owners said their animal improves their mental health. Just over half said businesses that accommodate pets earn greater loyalty. Those findings reflect respondents perceptions rather than a clinical assessment of mental health benefits.

For consumers, the findings highlight a reason to compare total costs carefully. Before signing a lease or booking a stay, ask which pet charges recur, what amenities they cover and whether restrictions fit your animals needs.

PetScreening, which sells pet-policy management services to housing and vacation-rental operators, based the report on surveys conducted during the first half of 2026. The results describe respondents reported preferences; willingness to pay does not necessarily translate into actual spending.

Actionable tips to avoid the shopping traps that can quietly drain your wallet

• Shopping is almost too convenient: A new survey found that 80% of Americans say making impulse purchases is easier than it was 15 years ago.

• We're buying more stuff: More than half of respondents (52%) say they purchase more things today than they did in 2011.

• Make spending a little harder: Removing saved credit cards, turning off shopping notifications, and avoiding free-shipping traps can help keep unnecessary purchases in check.

Shopping has never been easier. And that might be exactly the problem.

With a couple of taps on your phone, you can buy just about anything, anytime, without ever pulling out your wallet.

But all that convenience comes with the potential downside that it's become incredibly easy to spend money you never planned to spend.

A new survey from TopCashBack found that of the 2,000 U.S. adults asked, 80% believe it's easier to make impulse purchases today than it was in 2011. Meanwhile, 52% say they're buying more things than they did 15 years ago.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the survey is that Americans are also getting better at hunting down bargains when shopping online. Specifically, the survey found that 62% of shoppers compare prices more often, while 43% buy more store-brand or generic products.

In other words, we may be getting better at finding deals while simultaneously buying more stuff.

Here are five ways modern shopping conveniences can work against your budget and how to fight back.

1. One-click checkout makes spending almost effortless

Remember when buying something online meant getting your wallet, finding your credit card, and typing in all those numbers?

Now, thanks to saved payment information and one-click checkout, a purchase can take just a few seconds.

That's convenient when you're buying something you actually need. But it also removes the time you might otherwise spend reconsidering an impulse purchase.

Money-saving tip: Delete saved credit cards from your favorite shopping sites. Having to manually enter your payment information creates a small speed bump that might make you think twice.

Pro tip: Beware of those personalized recommendations that tend to pop-up when shopping online. Retailers use your browsing and purchase history to suggest products you're more likely to buy. Those "Recommended for you" and "Frequently bought together" sections can turn a single planned purchase into three if youre not careful.

Instead, get in the habit of searching directly for the item you need rather than browsing the homepage. Once you've found the item, I always recommend going straight to checkout instead of scrolling through any recommended items.

2. Free shipping can convince you to spend more

We've all been there. Your online cart totals $37, but you need to spend $50 to qualify for free shipping. So, many of us will inevitably start browsing for something else to throw in the cart.

The TopCashback survey found that 17% of respondents said adding items to reach a free-shipping minimum was the modern shopping habit they'd be most embarrassed to explain to their 2011 selves.

The problem? Spending another $13 to avoid a $6 shipping charge isn't saving you any money.

Money-saving tip: Do the math before adding anything to your cart. If the extra merchandise costs more than shipping, paying the delivery fee is usually the smarter move. Use a site like CheapFiller or 1DollarThings to find items you actually need to get you over the free shipping threshold.

3. Shopping apps keep tempting you with deals

Flash sales. Limited-time discounts. App-exclusive offers.

Retailers have plenty of ways to get your attention, even when you're not actively shopping.

And when a notification announces that something is 50% off, it's easy to focus on the potential savings instead of whether you actually need the item.

Money-saving tip: Turn off push notifications from shopping apps and unsubscribe from promotional text messages. If you're not actively looking to buy something, you probably don't need a retailer reminding you about its latest sale, as it just creates an urge to shop for something you dont need.

4. A great discount can still be a bad purchase

Here's a question worth asking yourself: If something is 40% off, but you weren't planning to buy it, how much money did you really save?

The correct answer is nothing. You spent money you otherwise would have kept.

The survey found that 62% of Americans compare prices more often today than they did in 2011. Comparing prices is a very smart habit to start, but keep in mind that finding the lowest price doesn't automatically make something worth buying.

Money-saving tip: Before purchasing a sale item, ask yourself two questions:

• Would I still want this if it weren't on sale?

• Was I planning to buy something like this before I saw the discount?

If both answers are no, there's a good chance the sale is creating the desire to buy rather than helping you save.

5. Online shopping makes it easy to buy things you don't need

Nearly half (48%) of survey respondents say they're shopping online more than they did 15 years ago.

And with shopping apps available around the clock, there's no shortage of opportunities to browse. That can turn shopping into something you do when you're bored, watching television, or scrolling on your phone.

Money-saving tip: Stop using your shopping cart as a wishlist. Instead, keep a separate list of things you're interested in buying. Revisit it a few days later and see whether you still want them. You might be surprised how many items lose their appeal.

The bottom line

Modern shopping tools aren't necessarily bad. Comparing prices, finding discounts, and ordering essentials online can genuinely save time and money.

But there's a difference between making shopping easier and making spending smarter.

And sometimes, the best way to protect your budget is to make buying something just a little less convenient.