Hate this symbol? We do, too. But if Big Cable has its way, you’ll be seeing a lot more of it. Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like Comcast, Verizon and AT&T are already famous for bad customer service and exorbitant prices. Now they want to take on the their last competitor–the free…...
Keep those annoying telemarketers in line!
Ever been bothered by obnoxious telemarketing calls? (I don’t know how it happens, but it seems like telemarketers have a sixth sense for knowing when you’ve sat down for family dinner!) Now’s your chance to act: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) introduced the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) in 1995 to prevent abusive telemarketing…...
Say cheese! Enter CUB’s photo contest and you could win $300
Are you proud of your community? Show it off for CUB’s 30th Anniversary Photo Contest! Take a photo of yourself (or a loved one) incorporating some aspect of your community—a town sign, landmark, natural wonder, roadside attraction, etc. Email your photo to [email protected] or mail to 309 W. Washington St.,…...
Results are in… Your thoughts on the “Clean Power Plan”
In June, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the “Clean Power Plan” for states to reduce carbon emissions from power plants. The plan has stirred up quite the debate, so we asked CUB Action Network members for their thoughts on the important issue. The plan’s nationwide goal is to help…...
Uh oh! 4 red flags in the electric market
Ballooning rates. Misleading marketing. Changing rates. Aggregation deals gone awry. Some pretty crazy stories have emerged in the Illinois electric market this year. CUB has been keeping an eye on developments to help consumers protect themselves in these treacherous times. While many alternative electric suppliers are acting appropriately in the market,…...
Update to Chicago Power Deal Calculator
CUB introduced the Chicago Power Deal Calculator in June to help you decide if the City’s deal with Integrys Energy Services was the right choice for you over the summer. Integrys recently announced rates for October 2014 through May 2015, and CUB has updated its calculator to help you determine whether…...
Scam Alert: Beware Microsoft tech imposters!
Getting a call from Microsoft? Think twice before you answer! Scammers claiming to be from Microsoft technical support are now targeting Illinois residents. Here’s how the scam works: Microsoft impostors call claiming to have detected viruses or malware on a user’s computers (often perpetrators use public directories to determine a customer’s name or other personal information, which…...
CUB consumer advocates 2, big cable 0
Comcast has been receiving a lot of flack for its less-than-stellar customer service calls. It’s unfortunately no surprise to the members of CUB’s consumer advocacy team, who know a thing or two about dealing with unruly cable/Internet customer service. Take the case of Tony R.: Tony’s father, Robert, had switched…...
5 tips for staying safe on public WiFi
Using public WiFi for your laptop or cell phone has many advantages. It’s usually free (thanks, Starbucks!), doesn’t use up the data on your phone, and…well, did we mention free? But people often surf away without realizing that public WiFi connections rarely have the same type of security protections as…...
