| Volume 56 Number 4 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Have you been the victim of identity theft? Texas law allows you to put a "security freeze" on your credit report, preventing an identity thief from using your information. If you think you may need a "security freeze," Click here for more.
Consumer Hit With $1.5 Mill Fine for Downloading Songs
Have you ever downloaded a song off the internet for free? You might want to think twice and make sure you're using a reputable website or software. The record industry is losing millions of dollars to illegal downloads. To send a message and recover lost revenue, many record companies are suing consumers they catch illegally downloading music. Recently, a Minnesota mother of four was hit with a $1.5 million fine for downloading 24 songs on a peer-to-peer file-sharing network. To read about the lawsuit, Click here for more.
Public Networks Pose New Problems
Do you use a public network at a local coffee shop? Do you ever use a neighbors unsecured network? Be careful. A new plug-in for Firefox allows users to hijack a stranger's identity on most public networks. For example, if you're using a public network to visit Facebook, another person on the same network can immediately access your Facebook account and have access to all of your personal information. The Firefox plug-in has been downloaded more than 600,000 times in one week. Click here for more.
Airline Quality Rankings
A recently released Airline Quality Ranking Report scored eighteen major airlines based on a number of factors, including on-time arrival, mishandled baggage, delays and involuntary denied boardings. The report focused on the five major airlines and five regional airlines that most need to focus on making their passengers happy. Click here for more.
Your Money
How much money can you save in your 401(k) plan? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Claims against insecticide manufacturer not preempted. The Third Circuit held that farmers’ claims of negligent misrepresentation, fraud, and breach of state consumer fraud statutes based on manufacturer’s brochure were not preempted by FIFRA. Click here for more.