Main Street Dollars

—

by

The story reads like a warning label for a whole category of fraud. Federal prosecutors say an elderly woman was talked into handing over nine gold bars worth more than $137,000 to strangers who claimed to be protecting her, and was nearly pressured into draining $429,000 more from her retirement account before agents stepped in.…

Two million Duke Energy Florida customers are getting about $90 million back on summer bills after a storm-cost overcharge

—

by

in Utilities & Energy

Most of the news about power bills runs one direction: up. So a genuine refund is worth paying attention to, and roughly two million Duke Energy Florida customers are getting one this summer. State regulators ordered the utility to return about $90 million it collected but did not need, and the money is arriving automatically…

Colorado seniors and people with disabilities can claim a rebate of up to $1,178 for property tax, rent, or heat

—

by

in Credits & Deductions

A lot of state help for older residents goes unclaimed simply because no one knows it exists. Colorado runs one worth a second look: a rebate of up to $1,178 a year that puts money back in the pockets of low-income seniors who paid property tax, rent, or heating bills. For a household living on…

Comcast is paying $50 or more to Xfinity customers hit by a 2023 data breach, with claims open until September 14

—

by

in Settlements & Claims

If Comcast is your internet or cable provider, there is a good chance you are owed money right now, and the deadline to claim it is close. A $117.5 million class-action settlement over a 2023 data breach is paying eligible Xfinity customers a flat $50, or more if they can document losses, and the window…

Fairview hospitals are leaving UnitedHealthcare’s Medicare Advantage network in January, and about 11,000 patients must switch or pay out-of-network

—

by

in Medicare

For about 11,000 older Minnesotans, a routine Medicare Advantage plan is about to stop working the way it always has. Fairview Health Services, the Minneapolis-based system behind M Health Fairview hospitals and clinics, has told patients it will stop accepting UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage plans starting January 1, 2027. That leaves affected enrollees with a decision…

Tip-over dressers sold on Amazon and Wayfair were recalled this month, with full refunds offered

—

by

in Recalls

A dresser looks like the last thing in a home that could hurt someone, which is exactly why tip-over accidents keep happening. Federal regulators this month pulled several inexpensive dresser lines sold through Amazon and Wayfair off the market because they can topple over, and the remedy for owners is a full refund. If one…

Americans reported losing $3.5 billion to imposter scams last year, and no real bank tells you to move money to protect it

—

by

in Fraud & Scams

Of every kind of fraud the government tracks, one costs Americans more than any other, and it works by pretending to be someone you already trust. Consumers reported losing $3.5 billion to imposter scams last year. Buried in that staggering number is a single defensive rule that stops most of the costliest versions cold: no…

NV Energy is refunding over $63 million to customers it overcharged for years

—

by

in Utilities & Energy

Utility customers rarely learn when they have been overcharged, and even more rarely get the money back. In Nevada, both are happening at once. NV Energy is returning more than $63 million to customers it overbilled for years because of a classification mistake, and the refunds are already going out. The story is a small…

Claiming a survivor’s benefit too early cost widows an average of $21,200

—

by

in Social Security

Deciding when to claim a Social Security survivor’s benefit is one of the most consequential money choices a widow or widower makes, and it is often made in grief, with incomplete information, and under pressure to just get something coming in. A federal watchdog found that filing too early, without hearing all the options, cost…

Iowa homeowners 65 and older can claim up to $1,000 off property taxes

—

by