michael finney jumped in to help her out. michael? >> yeah. unfortunately, this is becoming quite common problem. i'm hearing a lot about it. so here's what you should do if you end up in the same situation. >> ann hilliard shows off some of her artwork. she teaches art in schools, to youth and therapy programs. >> those venues have been shut down, they're closed. private venues are closed. >> she applied for unemployment and won approval without a hitch. the next step would be to receive her ebd debit card where benefits would be loaded. >> so i waited and i waited and i kept waiting. >> she had been informed the card would arrive in less than ten days. more than a month passed. >> meanwhile, they're putting money into some account that i don't have access to because i don't have a debit card. >> they acknowledge there have been a wide variety of issues. some don't realize they can reuse cards from past claims. >> those cards are good for three years. you can use them. >> but some have lost their cards or their passwords. bank of america admi

hey, zal, i'm michael finney. how are you? >> good.you're michael finney. >> that seemed like a good start. we talked about video games and missing mrs. stockwell. then we got down to business. >> so why did you send me the note? >> because i want miss stockwell to come to my house right now. >> yeah, you miss her, huh? well, the bad news is i haven't been able to make the coronavirus go away. >> you can't? because it's too small for you. >> it's too small for me. well, in its size, in a way you're correct there, zal. but here's the good thing. by all of us being safe and by you staying at your home and mrs. stockwell staying at her home, both of you are keeping from being sick. and then you can grow up and you can fix the coronavirus. he's not sure that's going to happen, but he was glad to get confirmation that mrs. stockwell would be visiting once it was safe. he said i might want to tag along. >> you can come too if you want do this with me. >> i would love to. i'll come too. so i have a play day with zal and mrs. stockwell once we

michael finney joins us with more. michael? >> the fear is that older americans will lose a place to live right when the economy is tanking. many are expected to have issues paying taxes and insurance. the state attorney general along with 26 other attorneys general are urging the federal government to give seniors with reverse mortgages a break. in a letter, they asked for lenders and servicers to be required to recognize local property tax for barns, deferral, forgiveness. class action has been filed against department of education accusing it of garnishing wages for student loans during the crisis. the federal student loan payments and debt collections were supposed to be suspended in march, we told you all about that. however, student borrower protection center says it has been flooded with reports of complaints. the department of education says it has already taken action to stop the money grab. use of smart speakers has risen as people stay home, according to national public media and edison research. american adults are

, 7 on your side. >> if you have any helpful tips or ideas, drop them on michael finney's facebooke or on our website, abc7news.com/7onyourside. >>> heads up if you're making any essential flights in or out of the bay area next week, there are new changes starting next monday. you'll be required to wear a face mask at any bay area airport. these can include bandannas, homemade masks or nonmedical masks. this follows every airline requiring face coverings on flights, starting monday. some airline also now also block some or all middle-row seats for distance. the number of people flying and going through tsa checkpoints has steadily risen in the past weeks, raising new concerns about the need to fly amist the outbreak and how to do it safely. it will include on-site testing. emirates has started conducting blood tests in dubai. it reportedly returns results in ten minutes. >>> a san francisco institution will be getting back to business and hoping to get the word out to neighbors. for weeks, the presidio golf course has provided a refuge for families during the lockdown. on monday, t

michael finney is here with more on that. michael? >> we have a bunch of new statistics in. what we are finding is americans are raiding their retirement accounts to get through this pandemic. probably not a surprise. but still disappointing nonetheless. a bank rate.com survey shows more than a quarter of those who are still working or have recently been unemployed have taken money from their 401ks or i.r.a. one in five are contributing less to their retirement accounts, nearly 50% are contributing the same amount as before the pandemic. only 8% of americans are contributing more. a poll from the kaiser family foundation shows nearly half of american adults have skipped or postponed medical treatments during the pandemic. the reason? well, kaiser says, non-emergency facilities have often been closed and many patients have postponed non-emergency appointments. of those who delayed, nearly a third plan to get treatment within the next three months. a federal judge approved a preliminary settlement between students and the department of education over a loan forgiveness program

. >> 7 on your side's michael finney always helping people. so it's natural he'd be helping people now trying to find employment. and michael joins us now from home with how all this is going to work today. michael? >> yeah, look. let me start off by telling you, this isn't kidding around. this isn't some vague thing going on. these are real jobs that you can apply for and land. hopefully you can apply for them today. i have an expert from ziprecruiter. she really knows what she is talking about. she has strategies and advice, and we'll be taking your questions live. now let me explain how this is all going to completely roll out. at 4:30, we're going to be on facebook live, and on abc7news.com. on the program again we have a problem expert. we're going look at the companies hiring, the big companies and small. strategies for finding work, and job openings again that are available today. now this is serious. we plan to find you a job. if you have a friend or a loved one who needs a job, tell them to tune in. we're building a better bay area tod

we want to bring in 7 on your side's michael finney with more on this. michael? >> wow, those judges really blasting the fda administration. says iing purell, get this, to make false claims about its hand sanitizer for 15 years. the company that makes purell claims its products prevented diseases like ebola and the flu when a smaller hand sanitizer company made the same claim, the fda took action against them but not against purell. the fda now says purell's claims are not true and could put consumers at risk by giving them a false sense of security. the judge called the fda's oversight of purell a total lack of enforcement. >>> uber eats is introducing a new feature allowing those being sent a meal to track the delivery. now in the past, only the sender could do that. so how does it work? well, let's say you send your grandmother a meal via, via, uber eats. until now, you had to let grandma know when the food was on its way. now she can track it on her own phone. >>> more and more of us are using streaming services like netflix, hulu, and disney plus and it does

. >> let's bring in 7 on your side's michael finney working from home to tell us more. michael?> reporter: yeah, it's being called an international day of action. tomorrow is may 1st. that is international workers day. employees at biggest corporations like amazon, walmart, and target, plan to stage a one-day strike to protest working conditions during this pandemic. reports say workers at instacart, whole foods, and fedex, also plan to walk off the job. amazon issued a statement saying, "while we respect people's right to express themselves, we object to the irresponsible actions of labor groups and spreading misinformation and making false claims about amazon during this unprecedented health and economic crisis." >>> americans are hoarding more than just toilet paper. they're hoarding cash, too. the savings rate has just hit its highest since ronald reagan was president. back in 1981. that savings rate has surged just past 13% to 13.1% in march. that's up 8% which is what it was in in february. americans had $2.17 trillion in savings during march. dan and kristen, this shows n

our own 7 on your side's michael finney, who is live on the story tonight., people all overreached out to you. >> yeah, i have heard from people from coast-to-coast looking for answers. they desperately need this money. so i've been looking for answers too for you. and the news right now, some of it is good. some of it not so good. it was supposed to be quick cash to tide over american families as the pandemic crippled the economy. millions lost their jobs, and no relief in sight. >> i'm definitely waiting because i've been laid off my job. >> reporter: we told you about sharon broussard of san leandro. the irs sent her payment to a closed account by mistake. >> it's an invalid card. it has nothing on it. >> now she is not sure if she will ever get it. >> it would be nice to know it is coming, you know? >> the irs confirmed that he is eligible for payment but he has received nothing. >> it would be nice if they said well, okay, it's on its way. >> a lot of people are out of work. my husband lost his job last week. >> she keeps getting locked out of the irs w

michael finney is sorting it out and is live with the story tonight. michael? >> reporter: this is causing a lot of anxiety, dan. people have ended one a check that they apparently don't deserve or maybe they do. and it comes with a threat that they better take care of things correctly or could end up in jail. >> it's a maximum penalty is a $10,000 fine and ten years imprisonment. >> reporter: amy saw this dire warning on the stimulus check sent to her deceased mother. forgery is a federal crime, punishable by ten years in prison. >> it was really pretty shocking. i have no intention of keeping money that doesn't belong to me. it shouldn't have come to us to begin with. and then they're putting the onus on us. >> reporter: amy's mother, shirley, passed away, but the irs sent her a stimulus check and says deceased right there on the check. >> it was clearly noted that she was deceased. >> reporter: more puzzling were the instructions on the envelope, saying if the recipient is deceased, check this box and drop it in the mailbox. >> my greatest fear was okay, if

. >> reporter: i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >> if you have any questions, drop that at michael finney or abc 7 news website. >>> heads up if you're making any essential flights in or out of the bay area next week, there are new changes starting next monday, you will be required to wear a face mask at any bay area airport, these can include homemade masks, bandannas as well. >>> some airlines will now also block some or all middle-row seats to make more distance. the number of people flying and going through tsa checkpoints has steadily risen in the past weeks, raising new concerns about the need to fly aduring the outbreak and how to do it safely. it will include on-site testing. emirates has started conducting blood tests in dubai. it reportedly returns results in ten minutes. fascinating stuff. >>> institution will get back to business. presidio golf course has provided a refunlg for families looking for space during the lockdown. the course will be reopening to golfers. >> reporter: on a friday sunny, it could have been mistaken for the world's largest sand box. the course w

plus, if you want to get creative in your own home, michael finney examines two top food processors.t's coming up. >>> and abc 7 has launched new streeping a in streaming apps, so you can get breaking news, weather and more with our "abc7 news" app on all these that could mean an increase byin energy bills.. you can save by using a fan to cool off... unplugging and turning off devices when not in use... or closing your shades during the day. stay well and keep it golden. right now, you need and endless entertainment. xfinity has you covered, with reliably fast speeds, the most in-home wifi coverage, and advanced security included. plus, access all your streaming apps in one place, including peacock. and now you can get up & running quickly with contactless equipment drop off. now that's simple, easy, awesome. get started with xfinity for thirty four ninety nine a month for 12 months and get xfinity flex a personalized streaming dashboard for all your favorite apps. click or call today. >>> all right. time now for spencer joining us. four bay area counties started easier restrictions.

are struggling to pay their bills, and new information i at least their rent. 7 on your side's michael finney joins us with more. michael. >> yeah, it's not just a few that are paying their rent, it's the vast majority are finding the money and turning it over to their landlords. a national group looked at rent payments due for more than 11 million apartments, and landlords report 80% of their tenants made either full or partial rent payments by may 6th. that compares to 78% for last month during a historic surge in unemployment.ks. >>> uber is considering using existing security technology to asure tre wearing masks or face coverings. uber already requires drivers to snap selfies every now and then to verify who they are before picking up customers. well, now realtime i.d. check could be modified to detect masks. lyft announced today that de canstard riders must a they mustgree to wash thean theo fron. >> moreuyin after l unveilandorl tiets surge by, get ou after last year's schedule was released. many fans may have chosen to buy through seat geek because it offers a generous of md during th

i'm michael finney. we're asking tough questions and getting answers, coming up. >>> another important abc7 news town hall tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. this one on mental health and coronavirus. watch tomorrow at 4:00 right here on abc7, or stream it online at abc7news.com or through the abc7 news app. great conversation. great resources for we are destined to do something meaningful. what do you think a private, christian, education looks like? gcu offers over 175 high quality online programs. find your purpose at grand canyon university. visit gcu.edu. >>> building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc7 news. >> going to the gym and going to school. as of today, all 50 states are in some form of reopening. the rules vary widely. that you can do in one state might still be banned in another. >> now here is some good news. abc7 news looked at 21 states that eased restrictions two weeks ago and found no major increase in coronavirus. despite the progress, though, protests continue. >> i hav

i'm michael finney.t kind of behavior may i of metastatic breast cancer.e but i did pick clarity by knowing i have a treatment that goes right at it. discover piqray, a treatment that specifically targets pik3ca mutations in hr+, her2- mbc. piqray is taken with fulvestrant after progression on hormone therapy and helps people live longer without disease progression. do not take piqray if you've had severe allergic reactions to it or any of its ingredients. piqray can cause serious side effects, including severe allergic and skin reactions, high blood sugar levels, and diarrhea, that are common and can be severe, and pneumonitis. tell your doctor right away if you have symptoms of severe allergic reactions or high blood sugar while taking piqray. your doctor will monitor your blood sugar before and during treatment, and more often if you have type 2 diabetes. before starting, tell your doctor if you have a history of diabetes, skin reactions, are or plan to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. common side e

eligible, you have until june 30th to apply. >>> time for consumer news now. 7 on your side's michael finneyk at the headlines. hi, michael. >> michael. >> hey, you guys. got some bad news here. homeowners, the number of homeowners that are not making their mortgage payments has hit the highest number since 2008. and you remember what happened then. 3.6 million homeowners did not make their mortgage payments as of the end of april, doubling the percentage of delinquencies seen in march. now the national delinquency rate now stands at 6.45%, just less than 6.5 as compared to 6.0 in march. the number of foreclosures has hit record lows, mostly due to government moratoriums on evictions and foreclosures. >>> those still traveling by air will need to go through new procedures to get on an airplane. the transportation security administration issued new guidelines today to limit physical contact and prevent cross-contamination. travelers must scan their own boarding passes and hold them up for a tsa employee to inspect. food and carry-on bags must now be placed in clear plastic bags that can then

i'm michael finney, and this is a story you'll see only on 7. >> abc7 is partners with iheartradio to help support local businesses being hit hard by this pandemic. go to abc7news.com to find resour >>> building a better bay area for a safe and secure future. this is abc7 news. [ closing bell ] >> stocks ended down today amid more dismal economic news and rising tensions with china. the dow lost 101 points. the nasdaq down 90. the s&p lost 23 points. unemployment numbers also released today. there were more than 2.4 million first-time filings last week. >> it's well above anything before the pandemic, but still the seventh straight week of declining pace. total unemployment filings are now at 38.6 million in the nine weeks since the virus hit the economy. global coronavirus cases have now surpassed $5 million. today president trump visited michigan and continued to call for governors to reopen states. >> i think a lot of the states, the ones that are sort of sticking to a certain very rigid pattern, i think they're going to stop. i don't think the people are going to stand for it. >>

there is an adjustment period going on. 7 on your side's michael finney is live with the story. michael? >> the self-employed gig workers were thrilled when they found out that for the first time they would actually qualify for unemployment checks. the problem is as you just said, dan, the state isn't geared up to send them out. so many have still not even received their first check, including one east bay stylist who came to me for help. just weeks ago, alicia orbela's oakland hair salon was buzzing. >> i can easily do eight to ten if not more services in a ten-hour day. >> here it is today, empty, silent. banished by a pandemic. >> arms are only so long. there is no way we can stand within six feet or more back from the clients. >> the work she had been doing for 24 years was suddenly illegal, forbidden, a public health threat. all hair salons were ordered shut. overnight her income was gone. >> the immense amount of tears that were shed and sleepless nights we're never going to get pst that. >> so alicia did something she's never done before. she applied for unemployment. >>

. >>> 7 on your side's michael finney is here. the coronavirus continues to take a heavy toll on businesses and consumers. >> boy, does it ever. let me start today by talking about two visible bankruptcies. j. crew and gold's gym. j. crew is filing for reorganization. you have to read the press release for quite some time before you see those words. there should be few changes at the stores and gift cards are still accepted. golds gym has closed 40 corporate owned stores. most franchises remain in business, even though there has been that corporate bankrupty filing. the gym says locations will reopen as soon as allowed by authorities. there is a plan to socially separate, including using every other machine in some circumstances. there are going to be a great many bankruptcies, it is best to prepare for them now. many gift cards will remain good, we have seen consumers lose money in the past. it's better to use all gift cards sooner rather than later. review all loyalty programs and consider using your points right now. mazda and

customers to come in for a meal once public health conditions allow that to happen. 7 on your side's michael finneylive tonight taking a look at the changes that we are likely to see. michael? >> there is much still to be decided, but there is one thing most agree on. things are going to be different. this is hardly what he expected following a remodel. his san francisco restaurant aziza has been awarded a michelin star on multiple occasions. but now it's reduced to being a takeout restaurant. >> we've been building this house for the longest time, since i could remember. and now everything fell down to the ground. >> glory thomas owns two restaurants in san francisco's cow hollow neighborhood, rosa's cafe and tirza. the director of the golden gate association points to a survey taken by the california restaurant association which estimates only 30% of restaurants will reopen. >> it goes to how many of us can access the help, the personal or the payroll protection policeman. >> thomas has been meeting with city health officials, hoping to get a timeline and guidance on reopening. >> because we have

i'm michael finney. i'll explain how that's happening, coming up on 7 on your side. >> abc7 is partnering with iheart raid wrote to help support local businesses being hit so hard during this pandemic. just go to abc7news.com to find resources. click on support the bay. it's all right there for you. and while you're online, check out our new interactive online experience about life after covid-19. we've been talking with experts to get an idea about how things will change. it's really interesting, and you will find it all at ab we are destined to do something meaningful. what do you think a private, christian, education looks like? gcu offers over 175 high quality online programs. find your purpose at grand canyon university. visit gcu.edu. >>> building a were bay area for a safe and secure future, this is abc7 news. [ closing bell ] >> wall street rallied back from a sharp morning drop. the dow ended the day with a 377 point gain. the nasdaq went up by 80. the s&p gained 32. also rising, american unempl

. >> and i'm ama daetz for sandhya patel, michael finney, all of us here, thanks for joining us tonightl see you again at 6:00. mrs. walker. michael vasquez! come over here. i've heard such good things about you, your company. well, i wouldn't have done any of it without you. without this place. this is for you. michael, you didn't have to... and, we're going to need some help with the rest. you've worked so hard to achieve so much. perhaps it's time to partner with someone who knows you and your business well enough to understand what your wealth is really for. >>> tonight, several developing headlines on coronavirus as we come on the air. scientists and the new data late today. amid fears people were getting this twice, what they now believe instead. and this is potentially significant. we'll break it down for you. and president trump making news, now defending his decision to take hydroxychloroquine. >>> first, that new research tonight, just in from south korea. fears there and elsewhere that people were testing positive for the virus twice. they're now saying in south korea there w

i'm michael finney, 7 on your side. >>> cal fire is ramping up its effort to prepare for fire season. firefighters say this small brush fire in brentwood is a sign of what is to come. they shared this photo of the burned hillside yesterday. luckily it was contained to two acres. cal fire crews are changing how base camps will work so they comply with social distancing protocols. they're training for minimal contact in large groups while sleeping and eating. firefighters on the front lines will have to be more conscious of how they use shared equipment. seasonal fire crews have been called back early because of the lack of rain this winter. >> we're trending anywhere from four to six weeks ahead of schedule when it comes to the fuel moistures. that just means conditions that are out there right now are what we may be seeing in late june. >> wow. as cal fire gets a step ahead of the season, they said we should be doing the same thing. they recommend using this time while we're all sheltering in place to prepare our homes and property, especially with more warm weather on the way. >>> mi

michael finney will show us what to look out for. >>> plus, goodwill and the salvation army preparing for an onslaught of donated goods. you may soon have a problem locating a store near you. that's all coming up on abc 7 news at 6:00. >>> a bay area cafe chain, a really good one, gave customers a parting gift today. >> yeah, more than 400 people lined up at a specialties bery of its frozen cookie dough. the address was released on the company's instagram at 8:00 this morning and people rushed to get there by 10:00. >> specialties, which is based in pleasanton, announced their closure over the weekend. they said covid-19 and shelter-in-place orders decim e decimatdecimat decimated revenues. their locations were known for sandwiches, popular for catering. >> >>> tonight, as america reopens, what the head of the cdc said about a possible second wave hitting the u.s. it made news. and then, the president late today and what he said about any second wave. saying the country will not close and what he added. >>> tonight, several states reporting cases on the rise now, as we reopen. in alab

7 on your side's michael finney has the answer coming up at 6:00. >>> finally tonight, something to help us feel a little better during this tough time courtesy of a bay area-based nonprofit. >> canine companions for independence is providing a live webcam of some adorable four-week-old puppies. these golden lab retriever mixes are trained to become assistance dogs for people with disabilities. canine companions hopes watching the pups will make people feel better and help raise money for the program. >> in times of crisis, disability doesn't disappear. there are still about 400 people on the waiting list nationwide. so giving tuesday now is a really important way for us to bring in more money to make our great work continue. >> they should keep that camera up all the time. you can watch the puppies by logging into cci.org/puppycam. it's up every weekday from 8:00 to 5:00. great thing to see. thank you for joining us. "world news with david muir" is next. i'm ama daetz. >> i'm dan >>> tonight, from phoenix, arizona, the abc news exclusive. one-on-one with president trump. his first major

bring in "7 on your side's" micha michael finney with the latest. >> reporter: plenty of issues with stimulus checks and their distribution. we've been reporting on that extensively. let's take a moment tonight and talk about what's going right, and how it's going to help you in the upcoming months, or at least could. california has received more stimulus checks than any other state, 13.6 million of them, the total dollar amount more than $22 billion, with talk of another set of checks being sent out, just talk in washington now, but it's good to know that the system for getting checks from washington to the west coast is, indeed, smoothing out. the new report by adobe says online sales jumped nearly 50% in april, mostly because of a srge in online grocery shopping which saw a 110% increase between march and april, wine, beer and other drinking accessores saw the highest increase, purchases of electronic gear online also jumped substantially. not only are we shopping online, the way we shop online is changing too, stuck at home and needing supplies has caused americans to try out new

grocee michael finney tackled those questions. >> reporter: grocery stores have a lot of rules but it begs the question, is there covid on those carts. carts getting cleaned after every use all to stop a coronavirus attack. but what about all those degr s groceries inside? can the virus live on the boxes and cans? what about those who handle veggies? we posed the question to james rogers at consumer reports. he says research is just beginning but so far no known covid cases are linked to groceries. >> what i've seen from our federal regulatory agencies, such as the fda, they have no evidence that suggests that people are picking up this virus from packaging and getting sick. >> reporter: many hands may touch that package and fresh produce, then it stocked on shelves, picked up and put back by shoppers what if someone along the line was infected? >> we just have to wait for the research to be done to give us the data on this. >> reporter: however he says it seeps unlikely that someone could carry enough virus on it to make you sick. >> it would have to have virus on the package, you wo

. >>> time now for your consumer news and 7 on your side's michael finney joining us, with a look at y's headlines. hi, michael. >> the coronavirus it's been tough on a lot of people. lendingtree just did a survey and found that 57% of parents say they are in debt because of the coronavirus. 36% of them have taken money out of their kid's college funds to get through. and then get this, what is the percentage here? 60% say they have had to spend extra money on their child's learning, the average is $1,000. students going to college this fall may not get all the group activities that come with campus life, but they may not have to pay as much. the new york times is reporting the student loan interest rates will cost undergraduates about half of what they cost last year. this is great news. 2.25% verse more than 4.5%. the savings are eenormous. student s paying off loans in 1 years will save $1,000 for every $10,000 borrowed. >>> the cruise industry will survive the pandemic, but the buffets may not. the industry says it will continue feeding its passengers plenty at each meal. but thho

7 on your side's michael finney looking at that side of the pandemic story joining us now. , michael. >> reporter: when i decided to drill down on this subject, i started on facebook. i asked everyone to give me your experiences, and fortunately, many of you did. with so many trapped at home, i was worried ripoff online pharmacies were taking advantage of the pandemic. so i asked on my facebook page if anyone had ever been ripped off by an online pharmacy. thousands checked the post and none reported any outright fraud. marjorie clifton heads up the center for safe internet pharmacies. i told her what you told me, and she isn't so sure the picture is that rosrosy. >> one of the things we've learned is a lot of consumers are shamed about getting duped online. >> reporter: she told me mixed in with the pharmacies are little known brands that are not known to u.s. regulators. >> the usa and national boards of pharmacy report that 75% of online pharmacies you find online are illegitimate, which means they're not certified under u.s. law. >> reporter: she says some are fake websi

so they came to 7 on your side's michael finney to get some answer. michael, what an interesting dilemma. >> yeah, can you imagine? it's a real shock for grieving families to receive these checks after someone has passed. a loved one has passed. and it's all because of a weird quirk in the c.a.r.e.s. act. i told you earlier about robert lynch of san francisco. he lost his wife jacqueline to brain cancer two years ago, and now an eerie reminder. >> it's one of those things that you don't expect to come out of nowhere. >> to his shock, robert discovered a stimulus check in jacqueline's name deposited in his bank account, and he isn't alone. terry in the east bay writes my father died april 3rd, and yep, wednesday, his stimulus check for $1200 was right in his account. darryl in the south bay writes my mom passed away a little over a year ago. today i get a $1200 check made out to her. >> i say almost all the people that passed in 2019 will be receiving a check. >> cpa jim mchale says the irs is sending out stimulus payments to untold numbers of dead peop

>> oh, yeah, work from home, a lot of people need one. 7 on your side's michael finney joins us live.el? >> a whole lot of people were happy with their computer when they only used it occasionally, but if you're sitting there all day in front of it, like you're working, or if your kids have a computer and they're trying to do distance learning, you need a computer that actually works. so here are some tips to buying a new one. soon after adam shafer started helping his kids with their remote learning, he >> having a lot of freezing up and problems on the websites and we only could have just about two websites open at a time, otherwise it would crash. >> if you're in the same boat, it may be time to start shopping online. >> laptops are great option because they're portable, more powerful and less expensive than they used to be. >> if you like pcs, the lenovo flex 15 is a consumer reports best buy. and cr says this convertible laptop is comfortable and if your amac, o of cr's top rated laptops is the 16-inch apple mac book pro. >> apple is at the top of the ratings when it comes to rel

change in the financial sector is really stunning, and it is hard to keep up. 7 on your side's michael finney is live with a group of new rules, michael, that can make your financial life really shine if you put your mind to it. >> yeah, i got to tell you, the rules are changing quickly. it's hard to keep track of all of this, like you just said, dan. but if you do take the time, you can make the system work for you. and that means money in your pocket. if you can't pay your bills during this pandemic, most credit card companies, banks, and other financial institutions will work with you. you know that. but did you know they can't tell anyone you had a problem. >> the law has changed. they cannot report you as delinquent if you were on time in your payments when you made a deal with the bank. the founder of consumer world.org. he says the credit reporting agencies are involved too. they have all agreed to give you one free credit report each week. it used to be one a year. >> you do it by going to the same old place you have been going for the past few years, annual credit report.com. you can

. >>> time now for consumer news and 7 on your side's michael finney here with a look at the headlines. hi, michael. >> hey. >> hey, you guys. we're going start off with some good news. rebates are going to get from your auto insurance company. at least one of them is going to continue the rebates through june. all state says discounts for all u.s. residents will stay in effect through next month. customers will get an automatic discount of about 15%. now we're still waiting for word from other insurance companies. consumer advocates have been calling for much steeper givebacks saying insurance companies are making unfair windfall profits. >>> a warning from microsoft about a scam hiding in some excel attachments. scammers send an email claiming to be from johns hopkins or the world health organization and offers the very latest numbers on coronavirus infections. but hidden within the file is an install -- a tool that can be installed that lets them remotely access your computer. it's a good reminder to never open attachments until you're sure, sure the attachment is safe. >>> american

reason people are moving away from the bay area, in particular san francisco. 7 on your side's michael finney joining us live now. michael, these numbers are really interesting. >> wow. they're mind-blowing to me, b i live in san francisco. maybe that's why. half of san franciscans say they would skedaddle out of the city if working from home became a full-time permanent thing. how do we know this? redfin surveyed home buyers and sellers and found that most would move if they never had to return to the office. expensive coastal cities like san francisco or most likely to be affected by this new love of the suburbs. so are new york, seattle, and boston. >>> grocery stores may be thriving these days, but you can't say to the same for retail. stores took a record plunge in april, dropping by 16%. clothing and furniture stores took the biggest hit. the commerce department says the pandemic collapsed things so quickly that sales are down a crippling 21% overall compared to this time last year. it's the opposite story for the video gaming industry. check this out. sales have soared to nearly $11 bi

viewers came to michael finney who is live with answers tonight. it's a good question, michael. >> it is a good question, and we're talking money here. look, the governor signed an executive order that says that stores or recycling centers no longer to v to take your recyclables if they're worried about issues concerning the pandemic. so what is a consumer supposed to do? well, you go on to the state's website. there is no guidance there. so people are coming to 7 on your side. >> this is glass, bottles. >> the garage of alissa's san bruno home is filled with empties. >> bags and bags of plastic bottles. >> for years she would take them to her neighborhood replanet recycling center until replanet closed all 279 locations last summer. >> no bag. this is my two liters. >> bottles and cans piled up in her garage, and then pandemic. >> it was already a challenge because so many of the places that i used to go to along the peninsula have closed. but now with shelter in place, i just don't eno what the rules are, if they're even open. i'm super confused.

. >> so 7 on your side's michael finney joins us now with tips on making that food last. michael? >> hey, guys. before the pandemic, americans in general threw away a third of the food they bought. now that doesn't make sense during good times. it is especially a poor idea now. so here are some tips to save some money and a whole lot of food. if you want the waste less food, consumer report says to maximize the way you store it. starting with the refrigerator. make space for new food before heading to the store or accepting a delivery. cold air that can circulate throughout the space will keep your food best. for optimum freshness, your refrigerator should be set at 37 degrees, and the freezer at zero. go through your kitchen and check out the best by dates and move the oldest foods to the front. and you don't need to take those dates as throw-out dates. >> best by dates may mean the food will taste best before this date, but it doesn't mean it's unsafe to eat. examine foods past their best by date. if you see signs of spoilage, when in doubt, throw it out. >> the dry goods in you

summer is around the corner but the traditional travel season is all but gone. 7 on your side's michael finney looks at the changes we can expect post pandemic. michael, to ensure a safe and healthy trip once we get back to taking trips. >> we're used to carrying a passport when we travel internationally but how about domestically? that is one thing being looked at. a passport like document that is all about your health. james canton calls himself a futurist, one that looks ahead to upcoming trends. he runs san francisco bay's think tank called institute for global futures. >> you are going to have to carry a proof of health certificate, digital certificate that will be on your watch or your phone. >> reporter: you may be asked to show that certificate when entering a mall or before boarding a plane. tourist attractions may require it. places like amusement parks. even entire cities and countries he predicts. >> if i'm carrying the right proof of health status on my wearable i'll just walk right through. everything is cool. it's going to be green. if i have a fever it is going to be yellow. >>

and happening today at 4:30 this afternoon, join abc7 news and michael finney for our virtual and howsnag that job and make that money, honey. you can watch it on the air and also abc7news.com and youtube and facebook. reggie, i'm excited about this because i think hopefully one person out there will learn something new and get that role. >> that was the cutest jobs video package i've ever seen. i'm loving this. what did you say? get that money, honey. >> get that money, honey. 34,000 open roles in the bay area. let's do it. let's get back to work. >> i love the pause tiv tae. jobina, just the fact that your name goes with jobs. this was meant to be, obviously. thank you for that. and thank you your mom and dad for that. >> any time. >> we'll check with you later. >>> happening now some more good news. police and firefighters cheering on and thanking health care workers in south san francisco as they leave and get to work. a live picture outside kaiser permanente. look at this, they made this great for these folks. i love seeing american flag and the arch they made and look at this, t

time now for consumer news and 7 on your side's michael finney with some advice for parents. chael. >> hey, you guys. we're cleaning up our homes, disinfecting, disinfecting our workplace, and even our cars. but if you have a child safety seat in your car, you need to be very careful. it's different. parents are following public health recommendations using bleach-based and other disinfectants to kill the coronavirus on surface around their homes. everything from countertops to cabinets. ead with the harsh chemicals is a child's car seat. >> when it comes to car seat, each component needs to be able to withstand high forces and repeated use in order to keep kids safe during a crash. you don't want to use any cleaners or disinfectants that can compromise the seats a performance in any way. >> so what should you use? to find out what you need, refer to your car seat's owner manual. there you'll find washing and drying instructs that are specific not only to your car seat model, but for each of the seat's components. if you no longer have your manual, many offer an online version

7 on your side's michael finney is live with some answers. that's easy to say. ugher to actually do, michael. >> absolutely. this is not an easy thing. look, the federal government started by say thanksgiving didn't know or it didn't know if the checks had been sent out. then it didn't know if it wanted the checks back. now it wanted you to get going. the irs has sent these economic impact payments to nearly 100 million americans. but it turns out many of them are deceased and grieving loved ones were left to wonder what to do with them. like robert lynch of san francisco whose wife received a check two years after she died. >> it's one of those things that you don't like to just come out of nowhere. >> at first the irs said there were no rules about what to do with these extra payments. then officials realized it wasn't just a few. the checks went out apparently to millions of dead people. >> and originally it was thought that we would just cost benefit analysis, not worth trying to collect it. but now it appears it's become so prevalent, it appears they are goi

let's get to 7 on your side's michael finney with a look at today's headlines. hi, michael. >> hey there, you guys. great, great deal going on today. let's begin in the house where nancy pelosi announced a new $3 trillion aid package that is expected to be voted on by this friday in the house. the new package includes $1200 payment in direct aid to individuals and allows a household to collect as much as $6,000. the bill also keeps unemployment checks from the federal government of $600 a week going into next january. there is also housing assistance that would help pay rents and mortgages as well as hazard pay fund for essential workers. senate republicans say they really won't even look at the bill until next month. >>> consumer advocates are calling on airlines to return the money of passengers who have had flights canceled or who canceled their flights because of the coronavirus. many passengers have only been offered vouchers for future flights. the transportation department has already ordered the airlines to pay up. no word if there is a change from the ai

. >> michael finney is here to tell us all about it. michael?uesday now is all about helping those organizations that are helping those affected by the pandemic. but before giving, you have to really be careful. california's attorney general says it's important that you do your research, only to give to charities that are legitimate and trustworthy because there are those out there trying to take advantage of the crisis. either give to charities you already know and trust or check the attorney general's website for a list of registered charitable organizations. >>> nordstrom stores have been closed since march 17th. but now the company is preparing them to slowly reopen. there will be a phased approach to get all 380 locations back in business. when they do reopen, stores will limit the number of schommers inside and will change operating hours to allow more time for cleaning. clothing that has been tried on or returned will be held off the sales floor for a period of time. >>> san francisco-based lyft is expanding a low cost ride option across

bankers association says that's an astounding 7 out of 100 mortgages in america. 7 on your side's michael finney news for anyone in danger of being in this situation. >> reporter: yeah. anyone who has got a mortgage listen up. stop what you're doing and listen to this. a new survey has found that those who miss payments when they talk to their lenders they get misleading information. that's the bad part. the good is it's beginning to change. mark has been a realtor since 1979. he's seen home prices dip in his territory of los gatos since the pandemic. >> the prices have been depressed slightly, maybe 3 to 5% of where they would have before covid. >> he recalls the pain the '08 recession had on -- he immediately picked up the phone for his clients. what he found out did not make him happy. >> christina is manager of financial policy for consumer reports. she says what mark has been told by his bank is similar to what consumer reports has heard from dozens of homeowners. >> we were told when -- they were told when they requested forbearance any skipped payments would need to be paid back in a lump

really interesting dilemma here. 7 on your side's michael finney tells us even after the lease expires, many manufacturers don't want to take those vehicles back. michael, this is a really fascinating problem. >> dan, this is so odd. when i first started hearing about this, i thought really? really. ken's three-year lease on this infiniti expires in a few weeks. >> oh, my gosh, what a complete headache. >> victor's lease on a volkswagen ran out last month. >> they just told me oh, we're closed. we don't serve any clients. >> both say dealerships would only see them if they extended their lease or wanted to buy a new car. >> i don't understand. it's part of my financial obligation to pay you every month for this leased vehicle. i would think that your obligation would be to take the vehicle back. they said no, no. >> state attorney general xavier becerra, along with nearly one dozen attorneys general doesn't think their problem is unique. they recently sent a letter to ten major auto manufacturers, accusing them of predatory and harmful practices. the coalition urged them to comply with

many came to 7 on your side and michael finney is live with some hopeful news tonight. >> it is. this has been tough on a whole lot of workers. you see, back in the day that. >> wouldn't have qualified for unemployment benefits, but new laws mean they can get them. the edd has had a hard time keeping up. coronavirus cases started to flatten out t month.ne start to. but california's jobless rate, it keeps climbing. >> some 4.6 million of you have filed for unemployment claims just since march 12th. we are at a time that's simply unprecedented. >> and yet possibly thousands more californians are still waiting to file claims. >> i mean, it's not a matter of being approved or denied. i have no way to file, period. and so i'm sitting here in purgatory. >> james pacheco of richmond was laid off two months ago, but has yet to receive a penny. the edd website keeps shutting him out. >> and i've made no less than 50, 75 phone calms at 2:00 in the morning, 5:00 in the morning, 3:00 in the afternoon. it didn't make any difference. and going online, click here, click there, click there, neve

. >>> time for 7 on your side's michael finney. y's headlines, including a staggering price tag of how much the pandemic might cost the global economy. michael? >> this is going to be a figure we'll be talking about what we'll be talking about 50 years from now. this is expected to cost the economy $82 trillion. that's from a brand-new study out of cambridge university. the more optimistic number is 3.3 trillion. that's if the economy recovers really fast and right away. for the u.s., the risk ranges from $550 billion to 19.9 trillion. the study is not a forecast but a projection of what may happen. >>> airbnb is warning customers not to throw r this coming memorial day weekend. the platform says people who violate this rule will be banned permanently from renting airbnb. it notes the state is officially still in shelter in place mode. that means large gatherings and parties with people who are not in your household should not be happening. >>> the irs has added 3500 additional phone representatives to answer questions about stimulu