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Zeeshan Hyder Memon, an international student at Houston Community College, has been confused about his escalating water bill for months. Despite living in a small two-bedroom apartment, his bill ranges between $100 and $700 per month. “It’s $500, 18,000 gallons of water are being dumped every month, which I’m not even consuming in my two-bedroom apartment,” Memon shared with Click2Houston. “I don’t even have an income.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average shower lasts about eight minutes and uses 16 gallons of water — about two gallons per minute. If you do the math, Memon’s $500 water bill — which accounts for approximately 18,000 gallons of water — is about the equivalent of him showering for 6.25 straight days every month. That kind of consumption doesn’t quite add up for one student living in a small apartment.

By Danielle Antosz | 01.24.25

Amid the charred rubble of burnt-down homes in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, you’ll find one Chautauqua Blvd. home still standing — which the owners credit to fire-resistant features installed during its construction. "Seeing all our friends' and neighbors' houses gone is brutal," Michael Kovac told ABC7 of the wildfire that ravaged the area in early January. Kovac, an architect, and his wife Karina Maher had a feeling such a disaster might happen. After moving into the neighborhood in 2002, according to the local broadcaster, the couple deconstructed the existing 1950s home on the property and built a new one with an emphasis on sustainability and fire resilience. It seems the work paid off, and the couple hopes their story can help others preserve their homes in fire-prone areas. "The good news is we can do this," Kovac said. "Architecturally, as a construction industry, there are not hugely expensive ways to rebuild in a way to make sure this doesn't happen again." Here are five specific fire-resistant features used that the couple believes helped save their home. As always, homeowners considering any of these measures should consult with a qualified expert to see what's appropriate for their home and location.

By Christy Bieber | 01.23.25

Thirty-year fixed mortgage rates decreased this week, down from 7.04% last week, to an average of 6.96%. “The underlying strength of the economy is contributing to this increase in rates," says Sam Khater, chief economist at housing giant Freddie Mac. “While affordability challenges remain, this is welcome news for potential homebuyers, as reflected in a corresponding uptick in purchase applications.”

By Leslie Kennedy | 01.23.25

One of the nation’s largest debt collectors launched tens of thousands of lawsuits in Arizona since 2022, according to 12 News, even as it was issued millions of dollars in penalties for consumer violations. At least one person feels some cases might not be legitimate. Anne Munoz was among those targeted by Portfolio Recovery Associates (PRA) — but the retired school bus driver challenged the debt collection giant in court and won. “When you come after me wrongfully, I’m going to make as much noise as possible, and that’s what I’ve done,” she said to the local broadcaster. “I’m not backing down.” And she wants to help others. Munoz, who spends her days taking care of her husband, who has Parkinson’s disease, at their homestead in Vernon, Arizona, told 12 News that she was sued by PRA in September over a debt she claims she didn’t owe — $2,753.75 for a computer she bought in 2011 but had already paid off. “It’s not my debt,” a confused Munoz said in a story published Jan. 8. “I don’t know if this has to do with fraud, credit fraud or what.” Munoz felt the company didn’t work to contact her before filing the lawsuit and there was insufficient evidence of the debt. Her case was dismissed by a judge on Jan. 15, reports 12 News. But she fears others may be caught up in similar situations who don’t know how to fight back. According to 12 News, PRA has filed more than 20,000 lawsuits in Arizona’s Maricopa County alone since 2022. Meanwhile, the company was ordered to pay over $24 million by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in 2023 for business practice violations.

By Danielle Antosz | 01.21.25

Economist Peter Schiff, renowned for predicting the financial crisis of 2008, supported Donald Trump during the election season. However, right before Trump moved back into the White House, Schiff sounded the alarm about his approach to a critical issue for America: trade. At a press conference in Mar-a-Lago earlier this month, Trump addressed trade deficits with Canada and Europe, announcing plans to impose substantial tariffs to address the imbalance. While he reportedly won’t introduce the 25% across-the-board tariffs he’d discussed in his first few days in office, Trump doesn’t appear to have reversed his plans either with plans to launch a study of the proposal. Schiff, the chief economist and global strategist at Euro Pacific Asset Management, strongly disagrees with the president. “Trump’s take on trade deficits is all wrong,” he wrote on Instagram, sharing a clip from The Peter Schiff Show podcast where he elaborated on his critique. “[Trump] said we have a huge trade deficit with Canada as if somehow that’s harming the United States — it’s actually helping the United States. It’s unfortunate that we’re not productive enough to get by without all those Canadian products,” Schiff explained. “Donald Trump specifically said we don’t need any Canadian cars, we don’t need any Canadian timber — of course we do! I mean, we build houses, we drive cars. I mean, if we didn’t have access to Canadian lumber or Canadian cars or any of the other things that we import from Canada — America imports a lot of stuff from Canada — what does Donald Trump think would happen to the price of all that stuff? It would go way up,” he argued. America imports a significant volume of goods from Canada — and it’s not limited to timber and cars. The list also includes crude oil, petroleum products, natural gas, and electricity, among others. Schiff also criticized Trump’s perspective on trade deficits with Europe, pointing out that America depends on European goods as well.

By Jing Pan | 01.21.25

TikTok is a huge part of American online culture, with millions of users consuming, posting and sharing content every day. But the app’s future in the U.S. is uncertain. If its parent company, ByteDance, doesn’t agree to a sale, TikTok faces a nationwide ban following the passage of a national security law in April. Potential buyers have stepped forward: The People’s Bid for TikTok, a group led by real estate billionaire Frank McCourt and backed by “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary. Their ambitious plan involves purchasing TikTok’s U.S. business while removing its algorithm and replacing it with American-made technology they claim prioritizes privacy and trust. “We believe we can preserve — and enhance — the TikTok experience by giving individuals and creators on the platform the value and control they deserve regarding who has access to their data and how it is used,” McCourt said in a news release. The group announced Jan. 9 it had made a formal offer to purchase the tech company’s U.S. operations. But there’s one problem: TikTok isn’t for sale.

By Victoria Vesovski | 01.20.25

You may have heard that Social Security is facing financial trouble because Congress and presidents raided the trust funds and wondered how such a thing could be allowed to happen. After all, more than 70 million Americans are supported by the crucial program. It’s also the biggest category of spending by the federal government, accounting for even more than national defense and health in FY 2025. But the idea that it is on the brink because it’s being “raided” is a myth, a myth so pervasive that the Committee For a Responsible Budget (CRFB) addressed it on its website. It may be widely believed because money from Social Security's trust funds has indeed been borrowed to fund other government initiatives. Here's what's really happening.

By Christy Bieber | 01.20.25

Erin Downs and Laura Hahn called their 84-year-old mother when they noticed that the Canton, Michigan woman had made three withdrawals in mid-December totalling $65,000. The first two withdrawals totaled $40,000 and the third was made on Dec. 17 for $25,000, Hahn told ABC 7 Detroit. Someone claiming to be a senior fraud officer at the elderly woman’s bank cold called her to initiate the withdrawals. “They’re very convincing,” Captain Joseph Bialy of the Canton Police Department told ABC 7. “They convinced the victim that there was an error in her account, and because of that error, she owed them money.” Canton police set up a sting operation and nabbed the fraudster before he could get away with the last $25,000. The scammer had a partner for the first two withdrawals, but the second man didn’t show up this time and remains at large. “My recommendation for people in our situation would be to really take as many preventative measures as you can even if you think your mom would never fall for that, or your parent would never fall for that,” Hahn said. Seniors are often targeted by fraudsters for their retirement savings. But a recent study from Binghamton University in New York found that studying financial literacy may help preserve seniors’ financial independence and prevent the elderly from falling for a scammer’s bait.

By William Koblensky Varela | 01.19.25

At 2 a.m. in mid-November 2021, 60-year-old John Gall of Cleveland Heights, Ohio was sleeping soundly on his couch. Suddenly, a GMC Yukon smashed through the walls of his house, sending insulation and debris flying. “Suddenly, the whole house explodes on both sides. Everything was just vaporized,” Gall told a Scene reporter in December of 2024. “Insulation was flying in the air. Mud all over. A ton of noise. There was a car in the kitchen — that’s how I woke up." And it's not the first time his home has been hit by a car. After three crashes and four different mayors, Gall is tired of what he sees as the city's failure to fix the issue. So, he's taking matters into his own hands. ABC 5 Cleveland shows his yard now filled with handpainted signs aimed at the city, with phrases including "Speed bump? Seriously? WTF?,” "A promise not kept is a lie" and "Hey! Mayor Seren! Why?" The city told ABC 5 it has taken measures to protect Gall's home. A speed table has been installed, temporary boulders sit on his lawn and a flashing sign now warns drivers of the upcoming T-bone intersection. But Gall insists it's not enough.

By Danielle Antosz | 01.19.25

Online scammers are nothing new but with the rise of AI-generated images, they’re becoming more sophisticated, especially regarding true romance. One such case involved a 53-year-old French interior designer who was tricked into paying €830,000 ($855,000) for someone posing as actor Brad Pitt for alleged cancer treatment. The scam began when the woman received a message on social media from an account claiming to be Brad Pitt’s mother. The following day, another message arrived — this time from an account impersonating the actor himself. Admittedly, she was experiencing marital problems with her millionaire husband and sought comfort in what she believed to be an unexpected friendship with Pitt. The scammer sent her poems and affirmations, creating a genuine bond during a challenging time. “There are so few men who write you this kind of thing. I liked the man I was talking to. He knew how to talk to women, it was always very well done,” she said, originally in French, for a BFMTV interview. Although she admitted to having doubts about the account, the AI-generated photos and videos eased her suspicions. However, as the financial demands grew increasingly absurd, she finally reported the situation to authorities, prompting an investigation.

By Victoria Vesovski | 01.18.25