JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Thousands of drivers in Missouri could be driving cars that have been previously totaled in an accident, and never even know it. That's because current law says if the car is more than six years old, the title does not have to be stamped as salvage.

This week, a proposed new law that would change that - SB 369 - is expected to get a hearing in the state Senate Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee. Jason Levine, executive director at the Center for Auto Safety, said drivers have a right to know what they're buying - no matter how many years the vehicle has been on the road.

"People should know that a car has been beyond 80 percent or more damaged,” Levine said. “And this is particularly of concern when things like flooded cars are at risk. It's really a consumer education bill."

SB 369 would remove the age limit on salvage vehicles so any car that has been totaled will forever have "salvage" on its title. Levine said some salvage cars can be repaired so they are safe to drive, but many can have invisible damage to the sensors and rot from the inside out.

Opponents of the bill say consumers already can get the necessary information with a title search, and note the change could hurt sales of pre-owned cars.

Levine said after Hurricanes Harvey and Irma, lots of cars that had been flooded ended up for sale in states with weak salvage title rules.

"After there's a flood somewhere else in the country, and we certainly saw this the summer before last in Houston, Texas, a lot of those vehicles unfortunately get shipped around the country,” he said. “Some of them are fine, but some of them should probably never be driven again."

Missouri just declared a state of emergency because of flooding, and the spring rainy season is just getting under way. So there will likely be a lot of salvage vehicles coming out of the Show-Me State and across the Midwest in the coming months. Experts advise consumers to buy a report showing a vehicle's entire history and to get the car checked out by a mechanic before purchasing a used vehicle.


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MINNEAPOLIS -- With forbearance protections ending during this stage of the pandemic, some struggling homeowners are sorting out their mortgage options, prompting fears scammers will take advantage of unsuspecting borrowers.

Minnesotans are encouraged to instead seek out free assistance programs.

Homeowners affected by the pandemic got relief through initiatives allowing them to pause their monthly payments. But those limits have been reached for many, and aid groups are reporting forbearance scams, including phony offers to extend protections.

Katherine Kelly, assistant Attorney General for Minnesota, fears they will soon hear more about scams, because they may not be evident right away.

"It takes a very long time for that person to realize it was a scam, because they think they can rest easy knowing that they've extended their forbearance, so they're not monitoring things," Kelly explained.

Inattention to detail raises the risk of foreclosure. The Minnesota Homeownership Center said a common scam right now involves dubious offers for a cash purchase of the property. Or, if the borrower is working with their lender on options, hackers might intervene with phony messages demanding immediate payment or a fee.

The Center and other nonprofits provide foreclosure prevention help at no cost.

Julie Gugin, president of the Center, said knowing the situation can be stressful, it is best to secure the help of organizations to guide you through the process without asking for a fee.

"We can help you navigate negotiations with your lender," Gugin pointed out. "We can help you understand your rights, during foreclosure and the process leading up to foreclosure."

And if you do end up deciding to sell, she advised working with a trusted real-estate professional, not an unfamiliar name who might end up taking your money while your past-due bills pile up. Earlier this fall, an estimated 1.5 million U.S. homeowners were in forbearance plans.

PHOENIX -- A new report shows, despite getting billions of dollars from the federal government under the American Rescue Plan, many airlines continue to interrupt travelers' plans with cancellations and are slow to issue refunds.

When the pandemic hit in early 2020, air travel in the U.S. and across the world almost completely stopped. But in recent months, as the airlines begin to add flights, customers are complaining of multiple canceled and delayed flights, denied refunds and customer service failures.

Diane Brown, executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group, which issued the report, called it outrageous the airlines took taxpayer funds but refuse to deal fairly with their customers.

"The airline industry has been short-staffed, and that has caused consumers to have flight cancellations that often have a rippling effect," Brown explained.

Airlines have said their industry was gut-punched by the pandemic, and they are working to get back on track. They blamed air traffic control, inclement weather, computer outages and a lack of available flight crews for stranding or delaying travelers.

And consumers have not been shy about telling the U.S. Department of Transportation just how unhappy they are. Between February 2020 and August 2021, Brown noted the number of complaints about airline service increased 460%. And refunds have been hard to come by.

"Consumers often prefer to just get their money back, to save it for another trip versus having to use the funds by a certain period of time," Brown pointed out.

Brown added travelers need to know their rights and alternatives.

"Consumers do have options when it comes to which airline they choose, which airport they may lay over in, and their ability to contact policymakers and urge better protection," Brown emphasized.

BISMARCK, N.D. -- Over the coming weeks, North Dakotans will be clicking the "purchase" button as they order holiday gifts online, and fraud experts say scammers are finding ways to exploit consumers.

Amy Nofziger, director of fraud victim support for AARP, urged the public to avoid abrupt transactions done with little research, adding fake social-media ads are a big concern this year.

She said as people quickly scroll through online ads, they might not do enough vetting to make sure the company behind a post is real. She added supply chain issues could prompt people to bypass trusted companies through internet searches.

"And they're finding these websites that look legitimate, but they're not," Nofziger observed. "Take the name of the company, put it in a search engine, and do your research. "

When entering the unknown company's name, she suggested typing the words review, scam and complaints to see what pops up. Another common scam right now is getting a message disguised as a warning from well-known delivery companies, indicating something went wrong with a shipment to your address. Experts pointed out the messages often include harmful links.

Parrell Grossman, director of the consumer protection and antitrust division for the North Dakota Attorney General's Office, said they continue to field calls for a variety of scams, including online romance situations where someone loses their money to the person they connected with.

He worries people might be more vulnerable to those scenarios right now.

"When you're lonely at the holidays, it might be the time you decide to engage with someone over the internet," Grossman remarked. "And they can be very convincing, and they will have a myriad of reasons why they need money."

Nofziger emphasized you should never feel ashamed about falling victim to a scam, and taking immediate action is the best approach.

"These are good criminals that are targeting you to steal your money," Nofziger cautioned. "You should be mad, you should be empowered to report it."