| Volume 63 Number 2 |
Subscribe to the Newsletter
Forward this news alert to your family and friends
Helpful Links
Texas Consumer Complaint Center
Credit Reports and Identity Theft
Your Guide to Small Claims Court
Contact Us
1-713-743-2168
The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Never give your social security number to someone you do not know. Identity theft requires a social security number. Protect yours. Click here for more.
Groupon's $750M Initial Public Offering
Social coupon powerhouse, Groupon, has filed the necessary paperwork to raise money for a $750 million initial public offering (IPO). At the end of last year, Groupon refused a $6 billion Google takeover and decided to weigh an IPO. As early as March, some bankers were valuing the company as high at $25 billion. Demand for daily coupons continues to be high, allowing Groupon to increase revenues 14-fold over the past year, while also generating dozens of copycat sites. What will Groupon look like in five, ten, or fifteen years? Will daily deal sites eventually tank? Or, does Groupon have what it takes to see sustained development and growth? Click here for more.
E. coli Outbreak Spreads Through Europe
A new, very deadly strain of E. coli has made over 1,000 people across ten European countries extremely sick. In Germany alone, the lethal E. coli outbreak has already killed at least fifteen people. As the outbreak spreads across Europe, other nations are taking steps to prevent infection in their own countries. This new strain of E. coli can not only lead to kidney failure, but also hemorrhaging in the intestines. Should Americans be worried about the outbreak? Click here for more.
Gas Prices Drop, Confidence Rises
Gasoline prices have dropped about twenty cents in the last month, coming off of recent three year highs. As gas prices dropped, consumer confidence rose for the second straight week, a 2.3-point gain after a 6.8-point month-long slide. On May 4, 2011, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was $3.99. On May 29, 2011, the average price for a gallon of gas was $3.79. Will gas prices continue to drop? How do gas prices influence consumer confidence? Click here for more.
Your Money
How much money can you save in your 401(k) plan? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Landlord’s agent is not debt collector under Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The Seventh Circuit held that an apartment manager is not liable under the FDCPA in connection with an attempted eviction. The court stated, “It follows that AMC ‘obtained’ an interest in Carter’s debt to Jackson Square Properties when AMC became Jackson Square’s agent— which occurred before Carter got behind in her rent (if, indeed, that ever occurred, a question that the state’s court of appeals did not reach). Section 1692a(6)(F)(iii) thus tells us that AMC is not a debt collector and does not owe Carter any duties under the FDCPA.” Click here for more.