Herb Weisbaum, The ConsumerMan

45 years ago this week, I became the consumer reporter at KIRO TV/ Radio in Seattle. My journey in broadcast journalism has taken me to CBS News, NBC's TODAY Show, KOMO TV/Radio, and now Checkbook.org. Thanks to everyone who has supported me throughout my journey.

Fraud Prevention: Top 10 Ways to Protect Yourself. Americans lose billions of dollars each year to fraud. You need to protect yourself from the con artists who want to steal your money & identity. Here are 10 ways to do that. bit.ly/4lefEGh

The latest episode of my @CheckbookOrg Consumerpedia podcast is out! Watch a sneak peek on Instagram: bit.ly/3OQ5Oyk

The latest episode of my @CheckbookOrg Consumerpedia podcast is out! Watch a sneak peek on Instagram: bit.ly/3OQ5Oyk

New Consumerpedia podcast episode: Shady Home Improvement Financing. A Checkbook investigation finds that some homeowners are being tricked into leasing their HVAC equipment, believing they were buying it. How does this happen? bit.ly/4cZaN9G

Nick D - "For The People", March 2026 Herb Weisbaum talks data breaches and scams, plus Tom Appel on Tesla and tariffs.

My monthly visit with Nick: Data breaches, dealing with debt the right way, and expert laundry tips. Plus, how consumer scams have changed during the last 45 years of my career. (I start 8:45 into the show) radiomisfits.com/ndp434/

Laundry Tips YouTube video by The ConsumerMan, Herb Weisbaum

New YouTube video! Laundry Tips: Advice from the laundry experts at Consumer Reports: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRSO...

The latest episode of @checkbook.org's Consumerpedia podcast is out! Watch a sneak peek on Instagram: bit.ly/4tYjFme

Did THESE Grocery Stores Expose Your PRIVATE Health Data? YouTube video by Rossen Reports

Thanks to Jeff at Rossen Reports for inviting me to talk about how supermarket loyalty programs have become supermarket surveillance programs. The amount of data collection being done is alarming and outrageous. I hope you can watch. www.youtube.com/watch?v=5t0U...

NEW @consumerpedia.org podcast episode: Landry Day Tips - Expert advice from a senior test engineer and laundry expert at Consumer Reports about detergents, fabric softeners, stain removers, washers, and dryers. bit.ly/4avmhPD

Don’t Ignore All Those Data Breach Notices Companies Send You: There’s a good chance you’ve received a data breach notice recently – perhaps several within the last year. Here’s what to do to protect yourself when you get a breach notification. bit.ly/3Oq6dah

Here's my latest Instagram reel for Consumerpedia Podcast episode #101: Dealing with Debt. instagram.com/p/DUbgvF8kWaG/

Dealing with Debt: Real-Life Success Stories: Americans are struggling to pay their bills; many rely on credit cards to make ends meet. Help is available for those drowning in debt. With hard work and proper guidance, you can be debt-free.
bit.ly/4tn6j2x

My February visit with Nick: A look at the big changes in the federal tax code that could mean a bigger refund for many, how the AI boom has quietly pushed up the price of computers and phones, and the ways marketers are getting sneakier when it comes to kids. radiomisfits.com/ndp426/

My friend, ace reporter & anchor Gary Horcher
@kiro7seattle.bsky.social, was nice enough to interview me for his investigation into how stores monetize your personal information in exchange for loyalty discounts. It's creepy! bit.ly/3ZF64lJ

KIRO 7 Investigates: Grocery loyalty programs sell shopper data for millions Consumer advocates are warning “loyal” grocery shoppers that scanning their loyalty cards at the checkout may be trading far more than they realize for discounts and rewards: their personal informatio...

My friend, ace reporter & anchor Gary Horcher @kiro7seattle.bsky.social, was nice enough to interview me for his investigation into how stores monetize your personal information in exchange for loyalty discounts. It's creepy! bit.ly/3ZF64lJ

2026 Tax Filing Season: Expect the Biggest Changes in Years. Congress made several major changes to the tax code that will affect most taxpayers’ returns – especially compared to last year, when the IRS made only routine inflation adjustments.
bit.ly/4rmjBKM

Free Tax Preparation and Filing Options: Most taxpayers can prepare and file their federal tax returns for free, saving hundreds of dollars. Here are the various ways to do that. bit.ly/4q9EesC

AI Boom Will Raise Prices for Computers and Smartphones: Planning to purchase a new computer or smartphone this year? Buying soon could save you hundreds of dollars, as manufacturers are forced to pay higher costs for memory chips in the months ahead.
bit.ly/4r83tfI

Checkbook's College of Consumer Knowledge YouTube video by The ConsumerMan, Herb Weisbaum

NEW YouTube video: Checkbook's College of Consumer Knowledge. Play along with the morning team @komonews.bsky.social . Good luck! www.youtube.com/watch?v=zutv...

A fun way to celebrate our 100th @consumerpedia.org podcast episode – Checkbook’s College of Consumer Knowledge quiz. Our celebrity contestants: Lisa Dent and Steve Bertrand from Chicago’s WGN Radio. Play along to test your consumer IQ. bit.ly/3LvRhXg

Thanks to everyone who listened to Checkbook's Consumerpedia podcast last year. Our next episode - #100 - drops on Thursday, 1/15. Check it out at Consumerpedia.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for supporting my consumer reporting this year. I appreciate the kind email notes you send and the social media comments/likes/shares. Social media helps us reach a wider audience with our warnings, tips, and advice. Wishing you and yours a HAPPY & HEALTHY NEW YEAR!

NEW Consumerpedia podcast: How Marketers Target & Sometimes Trick Kids. In this episode, what’s being done to protect our children from the deceptive marketing? Is anyone enforcing the rules? And how parents can talk to their kids about advertising. bit.ly/4911xOG

A New Way to Protect Yourself From Credit Card Scams Consumerman Herb Weisbaum stopped by SMN to share a new way to protect yourself from credit card scams. Listen to Seattle's Morning News w/ Charlie Harger and Manda Factor every weekday at 5am on KIRO...

Visited with the morning team @kironewsradio.bsky.social to discuss virtual cards: What they are and how they provide an added layer of fraud protection. bit.ly/4pwN7Nq

How Marketers Trick Kids, and Why Parents Should Worry: America’s children have enormous spending power, which is why companies spend billions of dollars a year marketing to minors, sometimes in ways that are misleading, deceptive, or illegal. bit.ly/48R6867

Shopping local isn’t just for Small Business Saturday! In this Consumerpedia episode, experts share tips and challenges for buying local—and why it matters. Listen now wherever you get podcasts. t.co/rUlulZO1p4

@consumerpedia.org
@consumerman.bsky.social

Virtual Credit Cards Help Fight Fraud: These 16 digit numbers are a proxy for your actual card number when you shop online. The merchant or scammer who receives the virtual code never gets your credit card number. bit.ly/49ZFwlG

Toy Safety YouTube video by The ConsumerMan, Herb Weisbaum

Toy Safety: Counterfeit toys and AI chatbots pose new threats to child safety. youtu.be/Tv6bD6umqkU?... via @YouTube

NEW @consumerpedia.org podcast episode: The Benefits of Shopping Locally. In this episode: The benefits and challenges of shopping at small, independent stores, ways to spend more in your community, and whether it costs more to avoid the big chain stores. bit.ly/4oFqEwz