susan hogan shows us how to do it. >> stocking up on healthy foods doesn't need to be pricey. consumer reports is has some pointers. buying organic produce is a great way to limit your pesticide exposure, you can be picky. some nonorganic produce is very low in pesticide. avocados, corn and onions are a few. but you can be thrifty when buying organic. >> you can save money store bought organics and getting them in bulk. in fact some organics are cheaper than regular brands. >> don't be tempted into buying expensive processed foods because they say healthy or natural on the box. instead consumer reports food experts advise that a good rule of thumb is to look for a short ingredient list. those foods will probably be less processed with more whole some ingredients. on average a family of four throws out about 1$1500 worth o food a year. and you can save money by thinking about what kind of food you're going to buy and how you're going to use it. >> buying in-season produce means you'll eat cheeper fresher fruits and vegetables. if you have to eat blueberries in the winter, save

back to you. >> susan hogan, thank you. let's take a look outside, shall we?ks like there's some pretty blue skies out there. in fact, maybe a little deceiving. >> it is indeed. but i want those 70s back. >> i don't think we're going to get that. >> after the break, a look ahead to your forecast. if we're going to warm up and it's going to at ikea, we believe that everything you need should be within reach. that anything that matches your taste can match your budget. that green living doesn't have to cost much green. we believe that you should always have room for the little things. and that your dream kitchen should work as hard as you do. save up to 20% at the ikea kitchen event. >>> a little mouse big problems on british airways. the passengers were all buckled up and ready to go on one particular flight when the crew told them somebody spotted a mouse. it meant they couldn't take off. they had to wait for hours for a new plane and flight arrived in san francisco last night. british aairways apologized and said they were satisfied that only two legged passe

susan hogan. >> hope they catch those scammers. >>> chopper 4 over a brush fire earlier today. this is right next to green belt national park. you can see the flames and heavy smoke. firefighters tell us the windy conditions helped fuel the fire. fortunately it is out now. investigators tell us it is too early to say what sparked the flames. they say the rain helped them out. >> we did get rain right during the 6:00 hour in that location. definitely helped. we didn't see a ton of rain today. let's show you what is happening right now. you can see what has been happening over the last six hours. the rain coming through. it looks like a lot but not a whole lot falling at the local airports. most i saw about a quarter inch. rightow the rain is down to our south and east. it is all south and east. the exception starting to move into the west. we will show you that. let's zoom back down to our south and the front down seeing that we will zoom in more. that is where we are seeing right around the area. lexington park seeing that rain. now, how much did we see. about 0.01 in the distr

it's a big financial mess and we're sorting it out with susan hogan at 5:00. >>> also new at 5:00, it's a tough time to be in the grocery business but it's a great time to be a grocery shopper. it could be a very, very good thing for you. >>> and why you could be paying less for many of the things in your cart. we always like to hear news about this. we had a story about this yesterday on organic. a lot of people getting ready to lace up their shoes. wendy and i are warming up our clapping hands because we are the number one people rooting in the crowd. >> we're great on the side of a road standing there with a hot cup of coffee. >> we're talking marathon. the draw for the lottery begins tomorrow. >> when, where and how you sign up for the marine corps marathon. it always sells out quickly. >> a lot of avid runners always angling for a spot at the marine corps marathon. >>> nbc 4 responds to a woman in laurel desperately trying to get a refund for plane tickets in a cyber monday travel deal that went bad. >> yeah. after months of getting nowhere with the travel agency she called consume

susan hogan knows.president of the school says it is a big win for education. >> teenagers were using it, this was going to be something big for social media. >> a few years back a parent asked the school board to invest in snapchat when the company was just getting started. >> if only we'd done that. >>> at costco. individual and business memberships will now be $60, a $5 increase. executive members will pay $120. that's a $10 jump. the change is effective june 1st. costco last raised membership fees back in 2011. >>> nbc 4 responds to more viewers and recovers thousands more dollars for our viewers. >> consumer reporter susan hogan wraps up the whole week as a matter of fact. >> absolutely. yes, you wrote in or you called us. we are definitely hearing you. from a botched home renovation project to a water meter mishap nbc 4 responds is getting results. yvonne williams is renovating her northwest home. she paid a major retailer to replace gutters and siding on her house. but -- >> the gutter was and th

with spring break around the corner, susan hogan is here now with what you need to know during your next hotel stay. susan? >> no special effects here with the sound of bed bugs is just disgusting. bed bug bites can cause variety from secondary skin infections to allergic reactions and in rare cases trouble breathing which require a trip to the er. the experts at consumer reports have some tips to keep you bed bug free. beware of bed bugs. i started feeling itchy the moment i entered the room. stay away bed bugs. bed bug infested. consumer reviews on sites like trip adviser have some real horror stories. consumer reports says you can avoid these next vacation. >> following some simple steps when you check in can avoid hassle and expenses when you check out. >> reporter: it might sound extreme but put your luggage in the bathroom as soon as you enter the hotel room. >> bed bugs prefer anything that is dark and furniture and inside walls. the bathroom is usually a safe zone while you search the room for signs of critters. >> reporter: check the sheets, mattress and box spring. look for dar

susan hogan, news 4. >>> he promised to fight the new administration.land congressman elijah cummings sits down with a one-on-one with the president. the issue that changed his mind. >>> first at 4, the self-made women who have been so successful in business. a see where >>> now at 4:30 new developments in a story we broke first on twitter. tonight the fallout after a former maryland delegate is indicted in the fbi's probe of corruption in the prince george's county liquor board. >>> you'll have to wait longer to see the cherry blossoms reach their peak. this afternoon the national park service pushed back the peak bloom date to march 19th through the 22nd. officials blame the cold weather that's heading our way. >>> and across the u.s. as people take a stand to mark a day without a woman. >>> it's also been a day without school for thousands of children across the area and the country. >> yeah, that's right. schools in prince george's county and alexandria decided to close today because so many teachers and staff members requested the day off. nbc's ma

susan hogan helped a woman with a water bill five times higher than it should be. what to do if it ever happens to you. >>> and next at at 5:00, why officials will be out in northern virginia at daybreak looking for human remains. fios is not cable. we're wired differently. maybe that's why we've been ranked highest in customer satisfaction by jd power 4 years in a row. and now you can love fios too. get our best offer of the year. 150 meg internet with equal upload and download speeds, tv and phone. all for $79.99 per month, for the first year with a two-year agreement. plus get hbo for a year and free multi-room dvr service for two years. go to getfios.com or call 1.888.get.fios get the best. get fios. >>> welcome back at 4:56. it's about to get easier to pick up a quick bite at mcdonald's. mcdonald's afounsed several changes during its investor day in chicago. the changes include adding more upscale items to the menu. what do you suppose

susan hogan is here with the details. i shared on my facebook page what sears meant to me as a kid and the catalog. >> we were just talking about that. >> i imagine there are millennials going, what? >> as we have been saying, it's no secret that the stores have been struggling for years. and once the largest u.s. retailer, sears, now has a mountain of debt and is facing retailers, of course, amazon. and a new regulatory filing today, the company says there is, quote, substantial doubt that it will be able to keep its doors open. sears has lost more than $10 billion since 2011. the last year it turned a profit. earlier this year, the company said it would close an additional 108 kmart stores and 42 sears locations. kohl's also is looking for ways to maintain a strong competitor to online and brick mortar stores. at a retail conference the ceo said the company needs to change faster to stay in the game. we were talking about staying in the game really means the social media aspect of all this. some of the stores, i mention

after weeks of getting nowhere, she reached out to our susan hogan for help. usan is going to join us. we talked to her live on facebook. pat and chris, did you know today is something else that we're talking about and we've worked up an appetite for, something on a stick day. the one day a year to celebrate all foods that lend themselves to a good skewering. so we're going to be checking out stuff that is fun to eat on a stick. and we hope you help us celebrate. >> it's a tradition. >> kebab, marshmallows. >> corn dogs. >>es tastes good, when you put it on a stick. >> i guess it could be anything on a stick. >> thanks, guys. see you at 5:00. >> watching them do that part of the story with the phone, you know, it's amazing how quickly this has become a part of our life. you need a ride, you tap the app. you get an uber. >> and now the ride-sharing company is offering a new feature. it creates a virtual slug line, matching drivers with commuters. news4 transportation reporter adam tuft shows us how it works. >> reporter: uber has a new idea for how we can all be

our susan hogan uncovered a link to the irs.ht they're responding. >>> also, competition is on the rise and it's good news for your pocketbook. how grocery stores are going after your business. fios is not cable. we're wired differently. how grocery stores are going after your business. maybe that's why we've been ranked highest in cutomer satisfaction by jd power 4 years in a row. get 150 meg internet, tv and phone. all for $79.99 per month, for the first year with a two-year agreement. it's the only internet with equal upload and download speeds. cable only offers upload speeds that are a fraction of the download speeds. plus get hbo for a year and free multi-room dvr service for two years. get the best. go to getfios.com y2ay0y y16fy >>> thousands may have their financial rewards packages delayed or they might not get any aid at all. consumer reporter susan hogan is with us now with the important information that you need to know. >> this info

susan hogan is here to show you how to do it. >> that's right.grocery shop and pick between two items do you assume the more expensive one is the healthier choice? according to a new study, a lot of us do. in fact, we're skeptical of health claims on the cheaper packaging and rely on price to guide us. consumer reports has some tips for saving money while shopping healthy. stocking up on healthy foods doesn't need to be pricey. while buying organic produce is a great way to limit your expose your to chemical pesticide residues, you can be picky about your picks. some non-organic produce is very low in pesticides. avocad avocados, corn and onions are a few. store brand organics and by getting them in bulk. some organics are actually cheaper than regular brands. >> don't be tempted into buying expensive processed food just because they say healthy or natural on the box. food experts advise that a good rule of thumb is to look for a short ingredient list. those foods will be less processed with more whole some ingredients. on average a family of fou

consumer reporter susan hogan is crunching the numbers.sell. >> absolutely great time to sell. fu if you have been on the fence about selling your for sale sign up. the washington, d.c. housing market continues to sizzle. february is 2017's median sales price was up $19,000, over about 5.2% compared to last year. this is the highest median february sales price of the last decade. sales volume across the d.c. area was nearly $1.6 billion, which was up 16.7%. new listings also increased by 7.5%. however, inventory levels declined for the tenth consecutive month. here's something important for those of you who are worried that your house is not going to sell for month f. the median days on the market for february was just 28 days. the baltimore, maryland, metro area is also seeing a hot housing market. of 230,000 is at its best february level since 2009 and inventories are still at their lowest level in over ten years. not a lot of stuff throughout to buy. but if you are, looks like it's pretty decent for sure. >> that's the problem. people g

consumer reporter susan hogan has been going through the results of a new study. it rangks the airlines? >> there's no doubt we all love a cheap pay for. for sure. how much are you willing to give up for that bargain flight? a new study by a travel advice website collected data from the department of transportation and other sources and ranked the ten leading domestic airlines from one to ten, ten being the worst. spirit airlines, the ultra low cost carrier came in as the worst airline, finishing last in criteria such as on time arrivals, customer satisfaction and cab inkomfort. spirit led the pack in offering some of the lowest air fares. a number of new programs have been put into place to improve performance. that is corre they have seen a 64% reduction in complaints since last spring. the top four airlines that passengers like the best, alaska, united and keep in mind, however, that customer satisfaction made up just about 10% of the study. chances are at some point or another depending on your own experience, every airline is going to disappoint you, but they

news4's susan hogan will join us to explain. stick around. >>> and this story has a lot of you weighing in on my facebook page. two girls band from united airlines for wearing leggings. but it's what's behind the sry thatto i to make sure you're on the lookout for what's being called the "yes" scam. susan hogan will tell you what you need to know. >> that's right. this is absolutely crazy. so here's what we know, the scammers call you and try to get you to say the word "yes" during a call and then later use a recording of that response to authorize unwanted charges on your financial account. now the callers impersonate employees from organizations that provide a service, usually. the scam begins when a consumer answers a call and the person on the other end asks, can me? the caller records your "yes" response and now has your voice signature. if you get a call like this, hang up. if you've already responded to this type of call, you gotta review all of your credit card statements for unauthorized charges. we always have to be on

. >>> plus, good news for those of us still plagued by annoying robo susan hogan tells us why they may so ♪ ♪ >>> sick of those annoying robo calls? today steps were taken to protect you against illegal calls. that includes scammers. >> consumer reporter susan hogan joins us with the latest developments. >> well, unwanted calls are the top consumer complaint into the fcc every single year. we're talking more than 200,000 people calling to complain about these annoying calls. now, the fcc is confronting these annoying calls head on. today the agency is proposing new rules that would allow carriers to actually block spoofing caller id numbers. additional rules would also empower providers to block spoofed robo calls when the spoofed caller id cannot possibly be valid including numbers that haven't been assigned to anyone conducted by the robo call strike force members. it reduced irs scam calls by 90%. >> it's a huge problem. every month american consumers are bombarded with 2.4 billion robo calls. our goal is to eliminate as many of those as possible. >> the fcc is also looking to get y

let's get right to susan hogan with details for us. susan. >> that's right. today, we have learned this key tool was taken down by the irs as the result of criminal activity. congressman lloyd doggett from texas confirmed the information to news 4 right after he spoke directly to the irs commissioner about this issue. here's what we know. without warning, march 3rd, the irs removed the data retrieval tool link application for federal student aid's website, also known as fafsa. the data retrieval tool allows student to automatically download their tax return information, including their parents'. the irs called this a precautionary step, following concerns that information from that tool could be potentially misused by identity thieves. the irs told us it saws things that were suspicious but would not say exactly what that means nor would they confirm it was an actual breach. they believe it's relatively isolated. meantime, financial aid experts say getting this tool back up and running is vital to millions of students who are depending on federal financial ai

and when your financial aid pack amount comes back with less than you expected consumer reporter susan hogan explains >> well, you should appeal to both the financial aid office and also the college admissions office. both offer two types of aid if your fafsa aid came up short appeal to the student aid office. you can send them a letter. colleges are pretty strategic what should go out to each student. however, if your financial status changed since filling out your fafsa, you should at least let them know. contact the admissions office if you received a scholarship especially for merit aid. they may increase the award especially if you tell them you're contemplating between them and another college. there's one word which you should never include in that appeals letters. i'll tell what you that is. and you should also have more strategic moves to make before you increase that financial pack avenue of yours. well tell you all about that comes up on >>> now at 5:00 -- what started as a minor accident turned deadly. how things took a quick and dramatic turn. >>> and she put her trust in her to

consumer reporter susan hogan shows us. >> reporter: recently we reported on a recall involving gearshiftfusion. fiat-chrysler recalled cars and suvs because the gearshift makes drivers forget to put the vehicle in park before getting out. for decades cars with automatic transmissions had a simple shifter like this one. but car makers say new designs can set their models apart or offer a touch of luxury. but consumer reports warns those new designs can be complicated and even counterintuitive. >> the problem with these unconventional gear selectors is that they make it hard to consistently pick the correct gear, especially park. in the worst case that means the car could roll away. i'm right now in an merced mer z mercedes-benz. the shifter is a mono stable electronic shifter. that means no matter what returns to the center. it makes it hard to see what gear you're in. to putting it park, there's a small button that completely blocks the steering wheel. >> reporter: another problem, on some models it's possible for the car to roll after the driver gets out. but some manufacturers have bui

consumer reporter susan hogan joins us with what this means to you.l if you have enjoyed having control over what your internet service provider has and does with your data, you may soon that control. what we know now is the house of representatives is expected to vote tuesday to reverse the fcc rules that limit what isps do with information on you. right now, any of your sensitive data, such as information on your health, children, financial, even your used or sht permission. all that would be fair game. the trade group that represents the internet and television industry says it sa prts upport reversing the fcc rule, calling them a misguided apreproacappro. privacy groups condemn the resolution saying it sacrificing privacy rights of americans and interests of protecting profits. now if the house does also repeal these rules, the next step is a signature from president trump. >> now, nbc 4 is a d by comcast, the nation's largest cable and internet provider. >> big plans for his life. he was in a phd program. but now, that tea on hold, after the expl

consumer reporter susan hogan has what this means to you. >> reporter: if you've enjoyed having control over what your internet service provider has and does with your data, you may soon have no choice but to give up that control. what we know now is the house of representatives is expected to vote tuesday to reverse the f.c.c. rules that limit what ifcs do with the information they have on you. right now any of your sensitive data, such as information on your health, children, financial and even your location cannot be used or shared without your permission. all of that would be fair game and will not need your consent if this bill is passed. the trade group that represents the internet and tell l televis industry reverses that calling them a misguided approach and look forward to restoring a consistent approach to online privacy that consumers want and saying it's sabotaging the rights of americans and the interest of protecting profits. if the house does also repeal these rules, the next step is a signature from president trump. >>> susan, thank you. nbc 4 is a division of nbc univer

susan hogan shows us how a mom of six found her gym on the go. >> so why aren't you going to the gym? lack of motivation, money or time? this makes your reason almost excuse proof and people who are doing it are getting results. >> this home schooling mom of six takes multitasking to the extreme. >> we stay busy at our house. >> and she finds time to squeeze in a 30 minute workout. >> i make time to take care of me. >> four years ago she quit the gym and joined an online fitness program called beach body. she downloads free meal plans, streams online fitness videos and works out on her own time. >> once you start getting a transformation and you see that it can happen, you feel amazing. at that >> and this gym on the go kick is catching on. spending for on demand fitness now exceeds spending at yoga and pilates studios. there are other online programs out there that charge prescription fees. some like michelle's sell protein shakes for an added charge. >> we found a large selection of sites also offering monthly subscriptions. >> bottom line, there are a lot of options to choose from.

susan hogan is here. this penny pinching really starting to catch on. >> it is.aying, with age comes wisdom and a few other things too. unless you are of course a millennial, according to a new survey by bank rate, 39% of millennials are saving or investing this year's tax refund, the most of any age group. this mindset is also attracting millennials to retailers like dollar stores and sc racks. over the past few years we've seen legacy department stores like macy's and jc penny's shuttering their stores while discount stores are up. tj maxx sales topped $32.2 billion. that's an increase of 7%. ross stores saw an increase of 14%. burlington sales spiked 9.4%. nordstrom, which also includes nordstrom rack showed an increase of 5.2%. retail experts say department stores could learn a thing or two from the off price retailers who are doing a much better job of connecting with millennials through social media. millennials make up one-third of that population. it really brings up a good point. it's millennials doing this. they're being really cost savvy. >> lived thro

susan hogan has our follow up. >> we have heard from five people who say they paid thousands of dollars for life saving equipment and to this day the owner has repeatedly missed promised refunds. so tonight we're getting answers. lola lee is waiting for her handicapped ramp. she and her son ordered it four months ago. lola, uyou want to get out? >> yes, i do. >> fred franklin paid $1200 for a special chair to lift him up. he's in excruciating pain, still no chair. >> i've been hoodwinked about six times. >> then there's bob philanders, an amputee. he spent $3500 for a stair lift that was never delivered. and judy roth never received her stair lift either. all four of these seniors have one thing in common. >> sign says open. >> and we're helping them get answered. they all ordered their medical equipment from access mobility in fredericksburg. however, when we got there, the doors were locked. customers telling us the owner promised them refunds but some of those promises falling short. >> i still, you know, thought, well, sooner or later he can produce the chair. >> he constantly kept

this morning consumer reporter susan hogan shows us how one local mom of six found her gym on the go.so why aren't you going to the gym? lack of motivation, money or time? well, this makes almost excuse proof and people who are doing it are getting results. >> this home schooling mom of six takes multitasking to the extreme. >> we stay very busy at our house. >> and she finds time to squeeze in a 30 minute workout. >> i make time to take care of me. >> four years ago she quit the gym and joined an online fitness program called beach body for under $100 a year she downloads free meal plans and works out on her own time. >> once you start getting a transformation and you see that it can happen, you feel amazing. at that point, it's your why. >> and this gym on the go kick is catching on. spending for on demand fitness now exceeds spending at yoga and pilates studios. there are other online fitness programs that charge monthly prescription fees ranging from 5 to $20 a some like michelle's sell protein shakes for an added charge. and we found a large selection of sites also offering month

susan hogan shows us how a mom of six found her gym on the go. >> reporter: why aren't you going to the gym? lack of motivation, money or time? this makes your reason almost excuse proof and people who are doing it are getting results. >> this home schooling mom of six takes multitasking to the extreme. >> stay very busy in our home. >> reporter: she finds time to squeeze in a 30 minute workout. >> i make time to take care of me. >> reporter: four years ago she quit the gym and joined an online fitness program for beach downloads meal plans and fitness videos and works out on her own time. >> once you start getting a transformation and see it can happen, you feel amazing. at that point it's your why. >> reporter: this gym on the go kick is catching on, spending for on demand fitness now exceeds spending at yoga and pill latties studios. there are those that charge subscription fees from 5 to $20 a month, some sell protein shakes for an added charmg. if yoga is more your style, a large selection of sites offering monthly subscriptions. >> there are options to choose from, you need the mo

susan hogan, consumer reporter, joins us for the important safety information for you. >> reporter: recently confusion. fiat chrysler recalled more than is million cars and suvs because the gearshift makes it too easy for drivers to put the car in park before getting out. gearshifters use to be intuitive but many carmakers are adding style and design elements to their interiors. they might look on better but confusing and potentially dangerous. >> i'm right now in a mercedes-benz glc. the shifter is a )da]ñmon or st tr -- mono or stableul0shifter. putting it into park is a small button at the end which completely blocked by the steering wheel.s3i >> reporter: consumer reports believes so strongly that these confusing gearshifts can be so dangerous the now doing something about it when it comes to rating these cars. we will have more on that. plus, we will reveal some of the most dangerous shifters consumer reports found. >> see you at 11:00, susan. >>> it is all hand on deck. those words from maryland's heroin epi his state. what his declaration of a state of emergency means. >>> a woman's b

we're breaking down this story starting with consumer reporter susan hogan. >> if you've enjoyed having control over what your internet service provider has and does with your data, you may soon have no choice but to give up that control. what we know now is the house of representatives is expected to vote tuesday to reverse the fcc rules that limit what isps do and the information that they have on you. right now any of your sensitive datah health, children, financial, even your location can not be used or shared yourt permission. all of that would be fair game and will not need your consent if this bill is passed. the trade group that represents the internet and television industry says it supports revursing trevur reversing the rules calling it a misguided approach and looks to privacy protection that consumers want. but privacy groups say it is sacrificing the privacy rights of merns and tamericans. and if the house does also repeal these rules, the next step is a signature from president trump. >>> nbc 4 is a division of increases universal which is owned by comcast. the nation's l

. >> consumer reporter susan hogan was able to get the results that he could not. >> bill peterson dideople would do when trading over the car. he handed over the keys and the title and never looked back. a lesson learned the hard way. >> traded my bmw 2014 to a college park dealer. >> 2 1/2 years later a shocker in the mail. the car had been abandoned and impounded in baltimore. the city wanted $1500 from bill peterson. bill says he tried calling the number at the bottom of the letter but kept hitting roadblocks. he reached out to nbc 4 responds. >> within two days i got all kinds of phone calls from the >> we helped bill track down all the of the paperwork to prove he did indeed trade it in for this honda. >> we got the clear title. we got the clear bill of sale. took them to baltimore. everything was taken care of. and if it wasn't for patti and channel 4 it would have never happened. they wouldn't talk to me. >> why bill's name was still associated with the bmw remains a mystery. we ran a vehicle history report and found it was sold at auction two months after he traded it in. it w

consumer reporter susan hogan joins us now. >> jim, it turns out it is no coincidence.omplete strangers have the same issue with their samsung fridge. the problem, it didn't make ice. we did some digging and gripe, no ice and no help from the company. >> this is totally outside the ice maker. >> not what he wanted from his fridge. then again he didn't expect to buy a top of the line model with an ice maker that doesn't make ice. >> i shouldn't have to buy ice f for five months. >> he contacted samsung numerous times. each time he was told to try various adjustments, all of which he says never fixed the fridge. just when he was about to give up, his luck turned. when he was watchi ing news4 he saw how nbc 4 responds helped a woman who had a similar samsung fridge that also didn't make ice. he contacted us immediately. >> 29 calls, seven calls. february 3rd i wrote you guys. you wrote back on the 7th. literally the 8th i get an e-mail. i'm in dallas on a trip and they're like please call us. i call her and they issue the refund for all of it. you guys saved it. you made i

consumer reporter susan hogan has tips on what to do when financial aid package just isn't enough. >> well, you should appeal to both the financial aid office and the college admissions office. those off two types of aid. if your fafsa aid came up short, appeal to the financial aid office. you can do this by e-mailing them or sending them a letter. there's no guarantee, of course, since colleges are pretty strategic on what they dole out to students but if your financial information has changed since filling out fafsa, you should let them know. contact the admissions if you've received a scholarship, especially for merit aid. they may fill out your award. and there is also one word you appeals letter. i'll tan we'll also have two mo strategic movers that you can make to increase that financial package of yours. we'll tell you about that coming up on news4 at 5:00. >>> good morning, i'm landon dowdy from cnbc headquarters. wells fargo will pay $110 million to settle a class action suit for accounts opened for customers without their permission. it's the first private settlement since t

. >>> consumer reporter susan hogan is working that story and joins us now to tell us how that's going to work. >> kind of crazy, isn't it? >> yeah. >> right now the fcc regulations ban major internet service providers from selecting and selling our data without our permission. but all of that could be scrapped by a resolution jus here's what this means to you. sensitive data such as your browsing history, location information and even some of your financial app data when you do like bills and all of that online, that all can be sold to third party online advertisers. isps would no longer need to contact you before selling your data. the senate passed this bill late last night by using the congressional review act, which means if signed into law, it would not just repeal those fcc regulations, it would actually prevent similar rules from ever being enacted again. while president trump has stayed away from commenting on what's called net neutrality related issues, his nominee to lead the fcc has rallied against regulations on telecom companies and plans to restructure these internet reg

susan hogan has the warning. >> reporter: this slime is so popular right now that just a few weeks agotold you how it actually is causing a shortage of glue. but "consumer reports" is warning about another ingredient in the slime, borax. they say the household cleaner could actually be dangerous for your children. >> borax is meant to be a household cleaner or an additive for your laundry. just because you have it around, just because it seems to be perfectly safe for those types of applications doesn't mean it should be used for anything else, particularly household slime. >> reporter: tonight on news 4, we'll tell you about another concern "consumer reports" has and how you can protect your it, a lot of places include that borax ingredient. diy, make your own slime. it's not widely known. a good alert there. >>> in the coming weeks you will have a new option to help you commute to work. >> our news partner wtop reports that uber is testing a new feature. the idea is to essentially create slug lines using the ride share system's app. drivers will be connected with nearby chuters who n

what happened when susan hogan and news4 responds took the issue to sasu that story. >>> also, thereopening today in d.c. it's not like other hotels in town. it is called a micro hotel room. when you lay down to sleep, your feet are in the hall. it's a new concept. >> i've got to stop eating to get into that room. we'll see you in a few. >> we're picturing that. >>> well, give us a picture of the weather tonight, lauren. >> we've got some rain showers out there right now, but mild. temperatures today made sbiet t -- it into the 50s. it was pretty chilly over the weekend. >> bone chilling. >> winter's still here. for all those snow lovers out there, i may have a little surprise for you. winter might have some tricks up its sleeve. we've got some rain showers out there. now certainly warm enough for all rain. they're moving through the shenandoah valley, through i- 81. we'll continue to watch some rain showers post through the region. anything we do is going to be on the light side. a warm front is lifting to the north. that's what's bringing some of these rain showers throughout our r

when it comes to your personal information, susan hogan reveals why the top four paint a groloo picture to us in all different ways now. we have something that they really want, your identity. what's interesting is which complaint, though, took over the number two spot. for the first time since the ftc has been monitoring complaints, imposter scams replaced identity now the rise in imposter scams is due to an increase in complaints about government imposters, most notably as we've been reporting for years those scammers posing as irs employees. telephone and mobile service comes in at number four on the complaint list. our nbc 4 responds center also keeps track of complaints while the top three are the same as the ftcs. car repair ripoffs come in at number four for us here. >> pat and i talked about your story on facebook live. it's surprising how many people say i got one of those calls. >> absolutely. >> and disturbing how many people still fall for them. >> they're keeping me in business. >>> well amelia, you've been busy today. this is one of the coldest days we've had in a long tim

here with a look at what stays and goes is susan hogan. >> bottom line, consumers are still worried aboutir ability to afford health insurance. according to a recent survey, 55% of respondents had that concern. tonight we're breaking it all down for you. consumer reports spells it out, four important changes in the house plan and how it would affect you. now, there would be less help for low income people. under aca plan, tax credits are based on your income. the less you make, the bigger your credit. the gop credit tied to your age ranging from 2,000 for people 30 and under to 4,000 for those over 60. there are no individual mandate clause. the gop plan would do away with the provision that makes you pay a penalty for not having insurance. you will be penalized you let your insurance lapse. essential health benefits may be cut. the gop plan would allow states to determine what essential is starting in 2020. the more generous the coverage, the more expensive may actually be. it means individual states could let insurers offer skimpier plans. currently the aca allows states to relax the ru

we're talking about this consumer reporter susan hogan has the secret to getting in shape without spending a dime. >> let's face it, going to the gym these days can be really tough. with these work joults all you need is 30 minutes and the best part, they are free. >> reporter: jill doesn't have a lot of time to spare. she's a busy mom of two who runs her own business from home. >> there's always the grocery runs and volunteering at the kids school, something like that. >> she prefers hitting the gym sometimes there's not enough time so she turns to youtube, two of her favorite marshall. >> i can work out for 20 minutes in my bedroom and move on with my day. >> personal trainer marcus davis says he's noticed a trend. >> i'm seeing a lot more people working out at home and trying to do things on their own. >> reporter: but he warns there are risks. >> you could tweak a muscle. you could fall, anything could happen because you're just looking at something that's not really structured to you with no guidance, no one there. >> reporter: as always before you start a new workout, make sure your

. >>> consumer reporter susan hogan is here with a cold weather survival how snow is so devastating but deep freeze can be as devastating for sure. being proactive now can save you a lot of aggravation later on. let's start with your car. there are four essentials that really should be in your trunk if you have to be on the road tonight or tomorrow. rock salt or kitty litter, an ice scraper, windshield wiper fluid and a first aid kit in the event of a crash. start putting salt or kitty litter on your walkway, driveway or stairs now. while we're not having a prolonged freeze, it is still so smart to follow some safety tips. if you're using space heaters to stay warm, keep them away from your curtains or bedding and shut them off before you go to bed. close your crawl spaces and vents now as well. from entering into your crawl space where most of your plumbing lines are located. tomorrow would be a great time to actually consider calling your gas or electric company to get an appointment for an energy audit. they're usually free and it is the first step to assess just how much energy your

as consumer reporter susan hogan explains, you can blame it on the kids and the latest crafting crazeorter: bottles of liquid glue are literally flying off the shelves and retailers cannot stock it fast enough. why you ask? believe it or not this is a thing in fact, it is the latest crafting craze that is causing this phenomenon. glue is the main ingredient, in fact only three ingredients to slime, glue and borax and water. here in d.c., they didn't even notice their stock depletindepl >> i found out that they had been out of stock for some time and now finally back in stock. people can come in and make their silly >> reporter: even elmer's glue said it seen a surge in sales and even increasing production to keep up with the demand. news 4 reached out to other local retailers and their glue stock is dwindling. they didn't know until we called. now they realize slime is the culprit. back to you. >> well that sounds like fun. >> yeah, except if you're the one cleaning up the slime. >> absolutely. >> have you noticed record stores are quickly disappearing around the country? >> coming up

. >> turns out there is a shortage and as consumer susan hogan explains you can blame it on your kids and the latest crafting craze. >> bottles of liquid glue are flying off the shelves. retailers cannot stock it fast enough. it really is a thing and it's the latest crafting craze that is causing this phenomenon. glue is the main ingredient, in fact there are only three ingredients to slime, glue, borax and water. they're showing us bare shelves glue is gone and here at redman's in d.c. they notice their stock depleting. >> i spoke to our supplier and found out that they had been out of stock for some time and now are finally back in stock. so people can come in now and make their slime. >> even elmer's glue sent us a statement that said it's seen a surge in sales and elmer's is increasing production to keep up with the demand and news 4 reached out to other local retailers in our area and their glue stock is dwindling. they didn't know why until we called. now they realize slime is the culprit. back to you. >>> good morning i'm landon dowdy at cnbc headquarters. consumer reports is o

consumer reporter susan hogan has more on how this move will impact you. >> well, this was a widely expected move. and how they actually impact you. well, the feds voted to raise rates to 0.75% to 1%. yes, the increase means it will cost you more to borrow, but you'll benefit from getting a better rate on your high yields according to bank rate. now, if you're in favor, low interest rates have brought about the financial equivalent of a long drought. even a modest improvement is welcome and overdue when savings rates increase and is certainly smart to put your money in a varying interest account. also rising interest rates typically benefit elder americans on fixed incomes and others who rely on interest income to help cover their living expenses. now, today's rate increase follows a slew of improving data which we've been reporting on. strong consumer confidence and solid pay roll gains. back to you. >> all right, susan. >>> d.c. mayor wants the district it to become the first city in the country to have its loans for environmentally friendly projects. such as solar panels on commercial bui

but after getting nowhere with samsung customer service, she called our consumer reporter susan hogan gwen morris is one of millions of americans affected by the recall. but when she tried to return her phone and get the cash refund she deserved, she got no results until she called nbc 4 responds. >> every time i called -- >> reporter: gwen morris is a samsung loyalist. >> i've had samsung for, you know, different models, for a long time. >> you like them? >> i like them. >> reporter: even as the company began recalling their galaxy series last fall, she wasn't ready to give up hers, despite the warning. >> i was thinking at first, i'm not having any problem with my phone. >> reporter: but after seeing pictures like these, gwen decided to return her phone for the replacement. but weeks later, even that replacement phone recalled. now her samsung loyalty was dialing down. now she just wanted a refund. that's where her problem started. >> i think i had made like seven or eight calls. i've talked to supervisors and everybody was te thing that didn't go through. >> reporter: samsung never

this week susan hogan has a warning for parents and students. >> reporter: well, this slime is so popularht now that just a few weeks ago we told you how it actually is causing a shortage of glue, but "consumer reports" is warning about another ingredient in the slime, borax. they say the household cleaner could actually be dangerous for your children. >> borax is meant to be a household cleaner or additive for your laundry. just because you have it around, just because it seems to be perfectly safe for those types of applications doesn't mean it should be used in anything else, particularly household slime. >> reporter: tonight on news 4 at 4:00 we'll tell you about another concern "consumer reports" have on this homemade slime and on how you can protect your family. >>> beware for dogs. a deadly disease impacting texas onhe what you need before their morning walk. >>> if you are taking them for a morning walk, we have showers around. still the thunderstorms likely this afternoon. have the umbrella with you. coming up chuck and i are back and a closer look at your forecast and what you c

. >>> i'm susan hogan at the live desk. just moments ago, the house of representatives voted to scrap fcc privacy rules. this is a big victory for internet service providers like at&t, verizon, and nbc's owner comcast, advertisers. so what's the impact here and what does it mean for you? well, we're talking about your digital footprint, that all of us leave, that big internet service providers would love to cash in on. so when you answer medical questions online, where you bank, online dating, what you do on your apps, even our private e-mails, all of this information can now be sold by internet service providers without asking for your approval. democrats fought vigorously against this, but the house voted along party lines to repeal these rules with only the president's signature needed to make it official. back to you. >> thanks, susan. they used to have to ask our permission. >>> we're also following breaking news. nbc news is reporting the chairman of the democratic national committee has launched a major re-organizati

. >> susan hogan has the secret to getting in shape without spending a time. >>> let's face it. going to the gym these days can be tough. but with these workout webs all you need is about 30 minutes and the best part, they're tree.. >> jill doesn't have a lot of time to spare. she's a busy mom of two who runs her own business from home. >> there's always the grocery runs, volunteering at the kids' schools. >> while she prefers hitting the gym, some days there's not enough time. so she turn toes youtube the two of her favorite channels, pop sugar fitness and the fitness marshals. >> i can work out for 20 minutes in my bedroom and move on with my day. >> personal trainer marcus davis says he's noticed the trend. >> i'm seeing a lot more people work out at home and trying to do things on their own. >> but he warns there are risks. you could tweak a happen because you're just looking at something that's not structured to you with no guidance and no one there. >> as always, before you start a new workout, you want to make sure your doctor sock with that, as well. the hardest thing wi

. >> turns out there's a shortage of glue right now and as susan hogan explains you can blame it on your kids and the latest crafting craze. >> well, bottles of liquid glue literally are flying off the shelves. retailers cannot stock it fast enough. why, you ask? well, believe it or not, this really is a thing. in fact, it is thees this phenomenon. glue is the main ingredient, in fact there are only three ingredients to slime. glue, bo rax and water. they're showing us bare shelves. glue is gone and here at rodman's in d.c. they've even noticed their stock depleting. >> i've spoke to our supplier and found that they had been out of stock for some time and now are finally back in stock. so people can come in now and make their silly putty and slime. >> reporter: even elmer's glue sent news 4 statement that it's seen a new surge in sales and elmer's is increasing production to keep up with the demand. we reached out to other retailers and their glue stock is dwindling. they didn't know why until we called. now they realize slime is the culprit. back to you. >> good youtube plans to launch

susan hogan shares a warning for parents and students. >> well, let's start with the irs. we learned that it removed a voix tall link within the application known as fafsa. that link enabled you to automatically retrieve your w-2s from the irs and put them in the application. applicants are thinking it's working only to be kicked out of the application and forced to start all over again. as a result of this data retrieval tool not working scammers are taking advantage of you so do not respond to any e-mails asking student to give them their common app information and also provide copies of their and students who were asked to fax the irs, we learned that those numbers, some of them are incorrect. bottom line, if you have applied for fafsa you need to check your verification. what does the irs say about this? we'll tell you coming up on news4 at 5:00. >>> good morning. i'm landon dowdy. ebay takes a shot at amazon. it's reallying out guaranteed delivery this summer of three days or list on 20 million listed items. the service comes at no additional cost. that's your morning

and she needed some help from consumer reporter susan hogan. >> she did.ll you traveling to a and in some cases, like you're about to see, it also has some pitfalls, no doubt. in this case what should have been a simple transaction to buy a ring turn under to a cruiseship passenger being grossly overcharged and by the time she realized it, her ship had sailed. walking through aaher silver spring home is like going on a trip around the world. how many cruises have you been on? >> i've been on over 70 cruises. i stopped counting. >> reporter: she purchased something from every country she visited. art, figurines, and she knows how to bargain and knows tourists are prime targets for sale s scams. nothing gets by her. that was until her latest cruise. diamonds international a company that has 125 locations worldwide with a large presence in the caea lows. >> i've dealt with them many times. >> reporter: while in st. kit she purchased this ring. but she was approached by another salesman who showed her the exact same ring in white gold for the exact same price.