Home

What's New

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Consumers in Peril

Analysis of complaint volumes and the types of complaints received shows that, as consumers dealt with the economic fallout of the pandemic, they increasingly faced problems with financial companies.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Study: CFPB complaints shattered records in 2020, exposing how the COVID-19 pandemic battered consumer finances

Consumer complaints about problems with financial companies such as banks, credit bureaus and debt collectors rose by more than 50 percent in 2020 and set new records for each month of the year, according to a new report from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund. The report, Consumers In Peril, which analyzed complaints received by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), was released as part of National Consumer Protection Week.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Consumer Tips

Credit freeze -- A free and fast way to help safeguard your finances | Grace Brombach

My first-hand, step-by-step guide to freezing your credit reports

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Consumer Tips

Happy National Consumer Protection Week! | Teresa Murray

During National Consumer Protection Week, Feb. 28 through March 6, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund is offering a daily dose of tips and advice to help you navigate life’s biggest consumer challenges. We’ve chosen our daily themes based in part on the Top 10 consumer complaints tallied by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Solid Waste

Elizabeth L. Cline: we need policy to stop new clothes from making a ‘straight line’ to the landfill | Olivia Sullivan

We hear from the author and journalist on secondhand clothing, the fashion industry’s addiction to cheap fossil fuels and how to break the waste cycle

> Keep Reading

Pages

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Study: CFPB complaints shattered records in 2020, exposing how the COVID-19 pandemic battered consumer finances

Consumer complaints about problems with financial companies such as banks, credit bureaus and debt collectors rose by more than 50 percent in 2020 and set new records for each month of the year, according to a new report from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund. The report, Consumers In Peril, which analyzed complaints received by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), was released as part of National Consumer Protection Week.

> Keep Reading
News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Tips

Consumer Education Campaign Launched On How To Fight Surprise Medical Bills

To help protect consumers from surprise medical bills, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund launched a campaign today to educate consumers on their rights to push back if they receive a surprise medical bill. As part of the effort, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund developed and is distributing information on legal protections and tips for fighting surprise bills.

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Solid Waste

U.S. PIRG Education Fund urges the public to hold Coca-Cola accountable on its pledge to reduce plastic use

The Coca-Cola Company, a top plastic polluter according to a 2020 Brand Audit from the nonprofit Break Free From Plastic, announced a new commitment today to start using plastic bottles made with 100 percent recycled plastic for select brands in some U.S. states. According to the company, it would account for a nearly 20 percent reduction of new plastic used in North America compared to 2018. The commitment follows similar ones made by other major consumer goods companies, recently documented by U.S. PIRG Education Fund.

> Keep Reading
News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

McDonald’s commits to eliminating toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in food packaging globally

McDonald’s announced a commitment to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging used in its restaurants by 2025. PFAS are linked to kidney and liver problems, high cholesterol, reduced immune system function, and cancer.

> Keep Reading
News Release | US PIRG | Consumer Tips, COVID-19

Money for nothing: Paying the same car insurance while driving less during the pandemic

While COVID-19 is causing financial difficulties for tens of millions of Americans, auto insurers nationwide have made tens of billions of dollars in profit because consumers have driven significantly less during the pandemic.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Result | Transportation

Arizonans Call For Passenger Rail

The Arizona Department of Transportation recently held open houses to gather public input on passenger rail between Phoenix and Tucson. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund provided ADOT, the public, allies and the media with key principles to be considered for a successful rail line — including ridership potential, integration with other public transportation services, and reliable funding.

> Keep Reading
Result | Safe Energy

More Clean Energy For Arizona

The Arizona PIRG Education Fund helped lead efforts to have one of the strongest energy efficiency standards in the country enacted in Arizona. While this standard covers Arizona Public Service and Tucson Electric Power, it does not cover the Salt River Project. Working with allies, we successfully secured a commitment from the Salt River Project to also ramp up its energy efficiency and clean energy standards.

> Keep Reading
Result | Budget

Budget Transparency Earns High Marks

The Arizona PIRG Education Fund worked with the State Comptroller to ensure some of the best practices in budget transparency websites were brought to Arizona. Due in part to our recommendations, Arizona moved from the bottom into the top five state websites for showing taxpayers how our money is spent.

 

> Keep Reading
Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Consumers in Peril

Analysis of complaint volumes and the types of complaints received shows that, as consumers dealt with the economic fallout of the pandemic, they increasingly faced problems with financial companies.

> Keep Reading
Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Tips

Protecting Yourself from Surprise Medical Bills

Imagine you go to a hospital for a routine procedure. You’ve made sure your hospital and doctor are covered by your insurance. The procedure goes well and you head home to recover. Two weeks later, you get the bill, but instead of the copay you expected, you get a bill for nearly $4,000. Turns out, the anesthesiologist who assisted with your procedure was “out of network” and your insurance won’t cover that bill as expected.

> Keep Reading
Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | COVID-19

Nursing Home Safety during COVID: PPE Shortages

One of the many questions this analysis raises: How did the PPE situation not improve and actually get worse throughout this year, as the seriousness of the pandemic became obvious? 

> Keep Reading
Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund

A Guide to Energy in Arizona

A Guide to Energy in Arizona provides elected and government officials, business and organizational leaders, members of the media, and Arizonans with a primer on energy issues in our state.

> Keep Reading
Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Report: Auto Loan Complaints Rise in Pandemic

A review of consumer complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Consumer Complaint Database reveals long-standing patterns of abusive and deceptive practices in the automobile industry. The pandemic has brought to light growing auto sales and loan problems.

> Keep Reading

Pages

Blog Post | Consumer Tips

Credit freeze -- A free and fast way to help safeguard your finances | Grace Brombach

My first-hand, step-by-step guide to freezing your credit reports

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Consumer Tips

Happy National Consumer Protection Week! | Teresa Murray

During National Consumer Protection Week, Feb. 28 through March 6, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund is offering a daily dose of tips and advice to help you navigate life’s biggest consumer challenges. We’ve chosen our daily themes based in part on the Top 10 consumer complaints tallied by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Solid Waste

Elizabeth L. Cline: we need policy to stop new clothes from making a ‘straight line’ to the landfill | Olivia Sullivan

We hear from the author and journalist on secondhand clothing, the fashion industry’s addiction to cheap fossil fuels and how to break the waste cycle

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Solid Waste

Jessica Schreiber: ‘It’s just too easy and convenient to throw things away’ | Olivia Sullivan

We need to make it easier for clothing companies to reuse and recycle. Policy, data collection and nonprofits can help.

> Keep Reading
Blog Post | Solid Waste

Brooke Roberts-Islam: a challenge to reducing fashion waste comes from ordering and producing ‘high volumes’ of clothing | Olivia Sullivan

We hear from the fashion industry expert and journalist on tech solutions to clothing overstock problems and how policy can drive industry change

> Keep Reading

Pages

News Release | Arizona PIRG Education Fund

Study: CFPB complaints shattered records in 2020, exposing how the COVID-19 pandemic battered consumer finances

Consumer complaints about problems with financial companies such as banks, credit bureaus and debt collectors rose by more than 50 percent in 2020 and set new records for each month of the year, according to a new report from the Arizona PIRG Education Fund. The report, Consumers In Peril, which analyzed complaints received by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), was released as part of National Consumer Protection Week.

Blog Post

Credit freeze -- A free and fast way to help safeguard your finances

My first-hand, step-by-step guide to freezing your credit reports

Report | Arizona PIRG Education Fund

Consumers in Peril

Analysis of complaint volumes and the types of complaints received shows that, as consumers dealt with the economic fallout of the pandemic, they increasingly faced problems with financial companies.

Blog Post

Happy National Consumer Protection Week!

During National Consumer Protection Week, Feb. 28 through March 6, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund is offering a daily dose of tips and advice to help you navigate life’s biggest consumer challenges. We’ve chosen our daily themes based in part on the Top 10 consumer complaints tallied by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Blog Post

National Consumer Protection Week 2021

Being a consumer is tough. We want to help make it a little easier. In recognition of Consumer Protection Week from Feb. 28-March 6, U.S. PIRG is providing key consumer protection advice. Check in here every day for our updated tips and tools. 

  • COVID-19 CONSUMER TIPS
    Avoid online scams, protect your credit and more. We have assembled a set of consumer tips and guides, and will add more in the days to come.
    OUR TIPS
  • ENERGY EFFICIENT ARIZONA
    Arizonans are experiencing the impact of recent rate increases on their electric bills. We're urging the Arizona Corporation Commission to oppose cuts to energy-saving programs.
    LEARN MORE
  • 21ST CENTURY TRANSPORTATION FOR ARIZONA
    Arizona is experiencing a shift in how we travel. We're driving fewer miles per person, and looking more to public transportation to get around.
    LEARN MORE
  • THE FIX IS IN
    Our survey shows that independent shops are struggling to access parts, service information and repair software which is necessary to fix phones — which manufacturers won’t let these independent shops have.
    OUR REPORT

Support Us

Your tax-deductible donation supports Arizona PIRG Education Fund's work to educate consumers on the issues that matter, and to stand up to the powerful interests that are blocking progress.

Donate Today

Learn More

You can also support Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s work through bequests, contributions from life insurance or retirement plans, securities contributions and vehicle donations. 

Find out more



Arizona PIRG Education Fund is part of The Public Interest Network, which operates and supports organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.