This fall, Consumers Union and other consumer groups asked Congress to look into whether consumers are getting gouged by the practice.

WSJ: FCC Sets Comcast-Phone Probe

Consumers Reports and other consumer groups are publicizing the information in more patient-friendly terms.

NPR: Doc Groups Issue List Of Overused Tests, Therapies

Consumers Union, Consumer Federation and other advocacy groups asked the Federal Trade Commission in September to help prevent gift card losses by requiring retailers to put money from card sales in a separate trust fund that would be affected by a bankruptcy.

FORBES: Retail

Other consumer-advocacy groups, including Consumers Union and the Center for Democracy and Technology, praised the bill, as did four big technology companies: Hewlett-Packard Co.

WSJ: Senators Propose Privacy Bill of Rights

The coalition of consumer groups and charities fears increasing number of consumers unable to put money in their meters will disconnect from supplies this winter.

BBC: A pensioner by a heater

Responses flooded in from commentators, including companies like DaimlerChrysler, consumer groups like the London-based Consumers in Europe Group, and lawyers'trade organizations such as the Chicago-based Defense Research Institute and the Nottingham, England-based Pan-European Organisation of Personal Injury Lawyers.

FORBES: Sue Everywhere

The reform will focus primarily on facilitating damages claims from groups of individual consumers, and possibly SMEs, giving a central role to consumer associations.

FORBES: EU Expected To Hit Hard On Antitrust Enforcement In 2013

Consumer groups, meanwhile, say that these loans bleed consumers dry with high-interest rates and fees.

FORBES: Should There Be National Interest Rate Caps?