Our Office recently did an informal online survey regarding auto insurance that drew 232 respondents, and it showed again that shopping around for a policy can save consumers money on their coverage. The survey found that more than 60 percent of respondents saved money on   …Continue Reading Shopping for Auto Insurance Can Be Worth the Effort

  The $999 MacBook for $53.73, the $500 iPad for $2.83, and the $400 PlayStation 3 for $8.40 are all unbelievable deals. But getting that kind of bargain might not be all it’s cracked up to be. Growing in popularity, “penny auction” Websites like skoreit.com,   …Continue Reading Penny Auctions Can Cost You Much More

  Earlier this month, our Office conducted a survey of Shaw’s, Stop & Shop, and Hannaford grocery stores around Boston and region, checking on prices for a number of everyday items and Thanksgiving staples. We picked these stores because on an everyday price basis they   …Continue Reading Not All Grocery Stores the Same

  This week, our Division of Standards celebrated a new relationship with the Town of Burlington, with Division inspectors handling weights and measures duty in the town. This is a great partnership between state and local government, and expands our efforts to maintain and reinforce   …Continue Reading Consumer Trust Starts at Weights and Measures

  The price of gold is as high as it has ever been, and buyers of gold are making sure consumers know about it as buyers try to use high prices motivation for consumers to pull old jewelry out of their drawers and sell it.   …Continue Reading A Few Nuggets about Gold Parties

  My office received a phone call yesterday from a consumer who said she got a call from the California Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, demanding payment for a payday loan the consumer allegedly didn’t take care of. The consumer said she never   …Continue Reading If the Phone Rings, It Isn’t Us

  You are scrolling through your Facebook status updates, and suddenly you find a couple of friends who have become a fan of what looks like free food at Olive Garden. The title of the fan page, “Official Olive Garden Week, Dine In On Us   …Continue Reading Anatomy of a Facebook Scam

  Once again, we are getting an epic rainstorm here in Massachusetts, and already-waterlogged residents need to be prepared for another round of flooding. While flood insurance is often the last thing on our minds, these past few storms have reminded many homeowners why coverage   …Continue Reading Lost in the Flood

  Today, the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation hosted a press conference to discuss the top five scams that confronted consumers in 2009. Along with information from our office, the Better Business Bureau, Attorney General’s Office and Federal Trade Commission shared their top   …Continue Reading Top Complaints: Contractors, Cars and Foreclosure

  Today, the Division of Insurance begins a schedule of six hearings on small business health insurance costs with a session in Hyannis. As part of Governor Patrick’s reform of small-market health insurance, these hearings will give us the opportunity to hear directly from small   …Continue Reading Weighing in on Small Business Insurance Costs