ConsumerWatchdog

Google Inc. revealed Monday that its self-driving cars have been in 11 minor traffic accidents since it began experimenting with the technology six years ago.

State officials have stripped Blue Shield of California of its tax-exempt status, an exemption the nonprofit health insurer has held since its founding in 1939. The decision could put Blue Shield on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in state taxes each year.

Consumer Watchdog warned that a failure of the deal by Prime Healthcare to purchase DCHS, would force hospitals including St. Francis, into bankruptcy and closure: “by rejecting this bid because of this highly-charged political debate, an underserved community and its hospital will be caught in the crosshairs."

Consumer Watchdog today called on Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg to “suspend the suicide prevention program until it is fully protective of the rights of all individuals and contains safeguards against abuse,” following a misfire in the program in Northern California. See our full report here: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/facebook%E2%80%99s-new-suicide-prevention-program-leads-false-imprisonment-man-mental-instit

Consumer Watchdog urges Governor Jerry Brown, Attorney General Kamala Harris, and leaders of the California legislature to send independent inspectors to Tesoro's Martinez refinery and Exxon's Torrance refinery to verify whether companies are restricting supply to drive up gasoline prices. The two refineries represent more than 16 percent of the state's refinery capacity.

TurboTax has resumed filing of state tax returns Friday following a temporary halt after noticing several attempts to use stolen identity information to file fraudulent returns and claim refunds.

With a recent rise in data security breaches in high profile businesses this form of fraud has become all to common as Consumer Watchdog's John Simpson explains.

For more information see our website at: http://www.consumerwatchdog.org

Bite Back! Consumer Watchdog's new weekly segment where our seasoned advocates talk about the great hypocrisies of the day. This week Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court takes on the Keystone XL Pipeline and the Koch Brothers influence. See more of our Bite Back videos here or on our official YouTube channel.

A Sacramento judge has tentatively ruled that Mercury Insurance cannot pass on the costs of institutional advertising, like its golf tournament the Mercury Open, to policyholders. Auto and home insurance ratepayers will saving millions.