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December 15, 2022

28 – Being a Better Consumer of Social Media

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Bob Costas - Emmy-Award Winning Sportscaster and Journalist
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Social media was designed to bring us together, but it often fosters scams, spreads misinformation, and amplifies hate. The problem isn’t going to go away, so we need to become better consumers of what shows up on our feeds.

In this episode, Emmy-award winning sportscaster and journalist Bob Costas talks about social media responsibility. Bob tackled the subject head-on in a recent episode of his HBO show, “Back On The Record,” discussing the highly-publicized case of Brooklyn Nets all-star guard Kyrie Irving, who recently shared a link to an antisemitic movie.

Additional Resources:

Facebook Privacy Settings Checkup

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April 9, 2026

106 – Avoid a Vacation Rental Nightmare

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Kevin Brasler - Executive Editor at Checkbook.org

A recent Checkbook investigation found widespread problems with vacation rentals, including fake listings and stolen deposits. Even worse, many victims get little or no help from Booking.com or Vrbo to recover their lost money.

In this episode: We share results of our investigation and provide tips on how to protect yourself when booking a vacation rental. One key: Your best move to avoid losing money to scams or bad actors is to book with a credit card.

Read our full report about vacation rental scams at Checkbook.org.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

March 26, 2026

105 – 10 Tips to Fight Fraud

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Amy Nofziger – AARP Fraud Watch Network; John Breyault – Fraud.org

Fraud is on the rise. Scammers stole more than $12 billion in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The number of Americans who are victimized is also skyrocketing. Investment scams, romance scams, crypto scams, and imposter scams are driving much of the increase.

Criminals around the globe have a powerful new tool to use against you: artificial intelligence. AI can make their cons more polished and personal, so you need to be on guard more than ever.

In this episode, we’ll explain how you can fight back: 10 things you can do to reduce your chances of falling prey to a fraudster. And we have two expert fraud fighters taking part in this discussion.

More Info:

⁠Deep Fake Challenge 2025⁠

⁠AI PSA (Show this to Uncle Frank before he shares another fake video!)⁠

More from Checkbook:

⁠Fraud Prevention: Top 10 Ways to Protect Yourself ⁠

⁠Credit Cards Have Consumer Protection Superpowers

⁠Scam Alert: Fake Loan Approval Robocalls⁠

⁠Why It’s Safer to Use a Credit Card Than a Debit Card, Especially for Online Purchases⁠

⁠Virtual Credit Cards Help Fight Fraud⁠

⁠Don’t Ignore All Those Data Breach Notices Companies Send You⁠

Related Consumerpedia episodes:

#88 – ⁠Cyberthieves Weaponize AI to Perfect Online Scams⁠

#11 – ⁠Stop, Thief! How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft⁠

#5 – ⁠Cyber Crime: A Former Cyber Crook Explains How to Protect Yourself⁠

December 18, 2025

99 – How Marketers Target & Sometimes Trick Kids

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Bonnie Patten - Executive Director, Truth in Advertising (TINA.ORG); Dona Fraser - Senior Vice President, BBB National Programs

America’s children have enormous spending power. Most have cash or access to their parents’ credit cards—and plenty of influence over what the family buys through their “pester power.” Marketers know this, which is why they spend billions of dollars a year targeting minors.

Advertising can easily exploit a child’s limited ability to distinguish between entertainment and selling. AI and digital animation make it easier than ever for advertisers to cross the line. The growth of online marketing to children raises serious concerns about privacy and data collection.

In this episode, what’s being done to protect our children from the pervasive and persuasive marketing? What are the rules regarding marketing to minors, and is anyone enforcing them?  And most importantly, how parents can talk to their kids about advertising.

Additional Resources:

Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU)

BBB National Programs – Children’s Initiatives

TINA.org: Monetizing Minors

More from Checkbook:

Unsafe Toys: How to Spot the Hidden Risks That Could Harm Your Child

Are Your Kids’ Smart Toys Spying on Them?

Buying Toys on Overseas Websites Can Be Risky

Related Consumerpedia Episode: 20 – Whatever Happened to Truth in Advertising?

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

December 4, 2025

98 – The Benefits of Shopping Locally

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Stacey Price - Founder, Shop Made Brands; Jenn Barger - Checkbook's Director of Content

The “Shop Local” movement encourages consumers to buy goods and services from independent, locally owned businesses rather than national chains or online giants. It’s both an economic strategy and a social campaign aimed at strengthening your own community’s businesses, fostering regional identity, and promoting sustainability.

In this episode: The challenge of shopping locally, ways to spend more in your community, and whether it costs more to avoid the big chain stores.

Find out more about Stacey Price at Shop Made in DC.

Related Consumerpedia episodes:

#96: Checkbook’s Holiday Shopping Tips 2025

#92: Thrift Store Shopping Advice

November 20, 2025

97 – Checkbook Investigation: Sale Prices Are Usually Fake Discounts

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

Researchers at Consumers’ Checkbook tracked prices at 25 major retailers for six months and found that most of the advertised markdowns were bogus.

It’s now common practice for retailers to deceive their customers by displaying crossed-out “regular” or “list” prices, with lower sale prices featured nearby. But the higher “regular” prices are rarely, if ever, what customers pay. Our study found that at most of the stores we surveyed, the products tracked were offered at questionable discounts more than half of the time. And, at many retailers, the fake sales never end.

In this episode, we’ll tell you which retailers were the worst offenders, as well as the few that seem to offer legitimate discounts.

⁠Read Checkbook’s full analysis⁠.

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

October 23, 2025

95 – Cryptocurrency: Coins, Cons, & Chaos

Host: Herb Weisbaum
Amanda Fisher - Policy Director and COO of Better Markets and former Chief of Staff at the SEC; Corey Frayer - Director of Investor Protection at the Consumer Federation of America and former senior advisor at the SEC

Despite lingering concerns about volatility, scams, and lax regulatory oversight, cryptocurrency has evolved from a digital curiosity into a mainstream financial asset. About 28% of U.S. adults now hold some form of digital currency. Major financial firms and banks are increasingly offering crypto to their clients, and a growing number of merchants now accept crypto payments.

Consumer advocates worry about the “gold rush” mentality that’s taking place as millions try to cash in on the boom, seemingly unconcerned about the potential bust.

In this episode: What’s crypto, how does it work, and why are people buying a currency that’s virtually unregulated? We’ll explain “meme coins” and “stable coins.” Plus, is crypto as secure as we’re led to believe? (Spoiler alert: It’s not!)

Additional Resources:
NerdWallet: Cryptocurrency Basics: Pros, Cons, and How It Works

Bankrate: About 78% of Americans say they’re uncomfortable investing in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. Here’s why

Related Consumerpedia Episode: Episode 81: Algorithms Secretly Control Your Financial Fate

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

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