| Volume 122 Number 10 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
The most dangerous scams today involve counterfeit cashier's, bank, or certified checks. Don't ever give someone you don't know anything in exchange for a check until your bank tells you in writing the check has been "finally paid." Click here for more.
Consumers Who Use Online Lenders are Hit with Bank Fees
According to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, consumers who turn to online lenders often miss payments and rack up hundreds of dollars in bank fees. Half of borrowers who use online lenders don't have enough money in their bank accounts to cover a scheduled payment. As a result, when lenders pull payments directly from a borrower's underfunded bank account, banks can charge consumers either an overdraft fee or a non-sufficient funds fee. The bureau is proposing to make lenders do more to ensure that borrowers can afford to pay back their loans and to stop practices that lead to costly bank charges. Click here for more.
Your Money
Symantec just reported more than 500 million digital identities were stolen in 2015 while fake tech support scams increased by 200% and ransomware attacks increased exponentially as well. Hackers are getting better at their game, but fortunately there is plenty you can do. Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Arbitration agreement in employee handbook not enforceable unless it contains a savings clause. Following In re Halliburton, 80 S.W.3d 566 (Tex. 2002), the Fifth Circuit held that the employer’s arbitration agreement, contained within its employee handbook, failed to include a Halliburton-type savings clause that required advance notice before termination of an arbitration agreement became effective—and thus the agreement was illusory and unenforceable. Nelson v. Watch House International, L.L.C Click here for more.