Housing Information

Alerts

Consumer Action's Alerts highlight trends in consumer complaints, scams, outrageous fees and other notable consumer information.

Tax refund delays for EITC recipients (Dec 22, 2016)
Some financially strained taxpayers who file early and rely on tax refunds to help cover monthly bills after the holidays…
Access to an affordable home loan for LMI borrowers (Mar 03, 2016)
Low to moderate-income families with few mortgage choices now have access to a new affordable home loan program with low…
More flexible, affordable mortgage option from Fannie Mae (Dec 23, 2015)
Low-to-moderate income borrowers have a new mortgage program to consider when shopping for an affordable home loan.

Housing (Sep 25, 2013)
NEW: SB 603 Protects Renters' Security Deposits

15 million renters live in California, and improper withholding of security…

FCC warns of utility call scam (Nov 28, 2016)
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has alerted consumers to be on the lookout for callers pretending to be utility company…
Beware the 'National Consumer Protection Agency' (Aug 03, 2016)
Consumer Action is warning consumers about a new twist on the government imposter and sweepstakes scam.

Scam artists are calling…
FDIC calling? Not! (Sep 09, 2010)
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is warning of fraudulent phone calls from scam artists or bill collectors who falsely…

New California Consumer Laws - 2009 (Mar 30, 2009)
The County of Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs Staff Training Academy has issued a comprehensive guide to new consumer…
'New low' in mortgage modification scams (Mar 13, 2009)
California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today warned that scam artists have "sunk to a new low" and have…
California Legislative Summary (Nov 12, 2008)
During the 2007-08 session, Consumer Action supported 48 bills and took a position on 51 bills introduced in the California…

Insurance Premium Installment Fees (Jan 17, 2008)
We often hear the phrase, “The poor pay more,” and here’s a couple concrete examples of how people who can’t…
The Opt-Out Fee (Oct 02, 2006)
For years the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), an organization of businesses that send out bulk unsolicited marketing communications, has let…

Consumer Action Insurance Survey (Sep 25, 2008)
Update: The survey closed on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. Please watch for the results in our Fall 2008 issue of…
Credit Limit Survey (Jun 24, 2008)
This survey closed on July 15, 2008. Click here to see the results…