Author: Elizabeth Blessing
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Federal retirees asking OPM to change their contact details would have to verify their identity on a new form under a proposal open for comment until December 18
The Office of Personnel Management wants retirees who ask to change the contact details on their federal annuity to prove who they are on a brand-new form. The agency published its proposal in the Federal Register on October 19, 2026, and is taking public comments until December 18, 2026. Nothing is required yet, because the…
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Natural Grocers is refunding 2-pound organic mung bean bags sold in 22 states
Natural Grocers is offering a full refund or store credit on its 2-pound bags of bulk organic mung beans after customers reported sharp glass fragments in the product. The company behind the stores, Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Markets of Lakewood, Colorado, announced the recall on October 22, 2026, and the FDA posted it the same…
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North Carolina crypto kiosks must hold new customers’ transactions for 48 hours starting January 1
Starting January 1, 2027, a cryptocurrency kiosk in North Carolina must hold a newcomer’s order for 48 hours before any coins move. The rule comes from House Bill 920, the Virtual Currency Kiosk Consumer Protection Act, now Session Law 2026-45. The governor signed it on July 7, 2026, and the General Assembly’s bill page shows…
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A judge ordered Holly Christina Photography to pay nearly $600,000 after 228 consumer complaints
A North Carolina judge has granted a default judgment against Holly Christina Photography, a wedding photography business, ordering it to pay nearly $600,000 in restitution plus more than $1.1 million in civil penalties. Attorney General Jeff Jackson’s office announced the ruling on October 12, 2026. A default judgment means the defendants did not fully answer…
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Connecticut solar customers signed up through forged or unauthorized contracts can seek uncapped restitution from Sunrun, which must answer fraud claims within 60 days
Connecticut solar customers whose contracts were signed through forged signatures, or without their full consent, can seek restitution from Sunrun with no cap on the amount, under a settlement announced October 23, 2026 by Attorney General William Tong. Sunrun must investigate each fraud claim and send the customer a response within 60 days. The attorney…
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Eternity Pet Memorial’s owner admits stealing over $650,000 from thousands of pet owners
Patrick Vereb Sr., the 72-year-old owner of Eternity Pet Memorial in western Pennsylvania, has pleaded guilty to felony theft charges for taking more than $650,000 from pet owners who paid for cremations and burials. Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday announced the plea on October 22, 2026. The owner admitted the charges, which include first-degree theft…
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A Jacksonville woman is charged with taking VA survivor benefits for 35 years
A 63-year-old Jacksonville woman, Gail Starks, has been indicted on federal charges of stealing Veterans Affairs survivor benefits, with prosecutors saying the payments ran for 35 years. The Justice Department announced the charges on October 23, 2026. An indictment is an accusation, and Starks is presumed innocent unless and until she is proven guilty. The…
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New York seeks $1.3 billion from NovaTech’s founders after four crypto promoters settled
Four promoters of an alleged cryptocurrency pyramid scheme have agreed to pay about $5.98 million to settle with New York, and the state is now asking a court for far more from the couple behind it. The Attorney General’s office says it filed a request seeking $1.3 billion from NovaTech’s founders, Cynthia and Eddy Petion.…
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FTC impostors are threatening to deactivate phone numbers and demanding a security deposit
The Federal Trade Commission is warning about phone calls from people who pose as FTC officials and threaten to deactivate the listener’s phone number. The agency’s consumer alert, posted October 22, 2026 by Bureau of Consumer Protection staff, says the calls end in a demand for a “security deposit.” The FTC says none of it…
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Honolulu’s home exemption for owners 65 and older rises to $180,000 on July 1, 2027
Honolulu homeowners who are 65 or older are in line for a bigger property tax break beginning July 1, 2027. The City and County of Honolulu’s Real Property Assessment Division lists the home exemption for older owners rising from $160,000 to $180,000 on that date, while the amount for all other owners goes from $120,000…