Daniela Molina

Hospitals across the country are supposed to post their prices online to make it easier for consumers to shop around and choose the best option. But more than two years after federal transparency rule went into effect, consumers still have trouble finding prices on hospital websites.

State and federal law enforcement agencies report a ride in sextortion cases, where children and teens are being coerced into sending sexually explicit images or videos online and then extorted for money. Now, lawmakers in the Senate are trying to strengthen the nation’s centralized reporting system for online child exploitation.

As the rise of a new form of blackmail targets teens, a father shares his son's story about the crime and how internet crime task forces are working to combat those crimes with limited funding and resources.

According to experts, cases of the new form of blackmailing affecting young children, teens and adults have increased exponentially in the past two years.

Rare disorders and conditions are caught in more than 12,000 babies born every year because of newborn screening done across the United States. But despite the critical need, an InvestigateTV survey of screening programs nationwide found many are facing challenges due to a lack of funding.

Doctors across the country are sounding the alarm on emergency medical kits, commonly known as EMKs, on commercial flights saying sometimes they fall short and could be outdated. The Federal Aviation Administration hasn't updated the requirement for items on these kits for almost two decades, leaving it up to airlines to decide what to add.

The state where a baby is born determines what serious and rare disorders he or she will be screened for shortly after birth. It’s a patchwork of policies across the country that could have dire consequences. Some parents call it death by ZIP code.

According to a ChildCare Aware study, in 2021 the national average price of child care in the U.S. was more than $10,000 annually. Availability has also become an issue post-pandemic as childcare providers struggle to meet staffing needs. These factors both play a role when it comes to parents choosing the best option for their kids, with some turning to in-home daycares to fill in the gap. However, some home daycares are unlicensed with little or no regulation.

Imagine paying your debt and having it disappear from your credit report, only to see it resurrected years later haunting your credit score. It’s called “zombie debt”, and while it may sound like a term out of a horror film, Jesse James shares his personal story dealing with this issue that plagues consumers, even forcing some to take legal action against collection agencies for debts they’ve already paid.

Doctors whose struggles with drugs and alcohol put the public at risk don't always face severe consequences for their actions

“Buy Now, Pay Later” – is a type of short-term loan that has taken the American marketplace by storm. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, U.S. consumers borrowed $2 billion via “BNPL” in 2019. In 2021 that number grew by more than 1,000 percent to $24.2 billion. Companies like Affirm, Afterpay, Klarna and PayPal have created these loans for borrowers to purchase everything from high-end electronics and jewelry to everyday staples like groceries and utilities.

Physician health programs across the country are designed as a confidential treatment option for doctors battling addiction. But patient advocates argue they put doctor reputations ahead of a patient's right to know.

According to the World Economic Forum, fake online reviews cost businesses and consumers $152 billion a year. BrightLocal research found 82% of consumers have read a fake review in the last year. Now, one of the largest retailers in the world is fighting back, as Amazon is suing the administrators of more than 11,000 Facebook Groups.

In a 2022 study presented to the National Bureau of Economic Research, data showed that phony testimonies cost customers an extra $0.12 cents for each dollar spent – meaning you could spend up to an extra 12 percent because of fake reviews. But fake online reviews don’t always have an immediate financial impact, some small businesses are seeing their reputations damaged from a barrage of untrue testimonials.

For decades, Supreme Court precedent effectively banned members of the military from suing the Department of Defense. In 2019, Congress passed a law that cleared the way for military malpractice claims. Yet few have won their cases.

Electric vehicle fires can start when cars are parked or charging, which car safety experts say make them different and more shocking than other car fires. Companies are working on implementing a fix for defective batteries, but it's taking longer than owners would like.

The law allows states to create their own special education policies based on the federal IDEA framework. As a result, there are varying policies and parents are left trying to navigate complicated systems.

It’s a $60 billion a year industry that’s a relentless target for cybercriminals. According to a recent security report, web attacks against the global video game industry grew by 340 % in 2020. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa has the security advice you need before you, or your children, get hacked and it's game over.

Checking online reviews when shopping, researching vacations or even looking for a doctor has become an integral part of the modern consumer experience. But experts say many of the products or service reviews you’re reading were either bought or sold and completely fake. In “Five Star Fakes”, InvestigateTV found several posts on social media platforms where people are bartering - even buying and selling - online reviews, despite a federal law that prohibits this act.

Cutting-edge computer technology designed to mimic the human brain is being used by hackers to create lifelike videos of celebrities and politicians. But now, bad actors are using this readily available tech to target everyday social media users in cryptocurrency scams.

A trip to the emergency room can instantly change your life - not just medically, but financially as well. Americans are burdened with at least $140 billion in outstanding medical debt according to the Journal of the American Medical Association. But help is out there. Consumer Investigator Rachel DePompa speaks with experts on the frontline aiding those “Diagnosed with Debt”.

Los expertos dicen que los hackers no solo toman control de cuentas sociales, sino que roban fotos y videos para crear una versión completamente nueva, y a veces es un perfil que no trama nada bueno.

Experts say hackers aren’t just taking over your social media accounts, but many are stealing pictures and videos to create a completely new you, and in some cases, it’s a profile that’s up to no good.

There are two websites you can use to find out whether something you just bought, or have owned for years, has either been recalled or reported as potentially dangerous.

People use Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch, to share memories, and now more and more, to build a clientele. Hackers have taken advantage of this growth to gain access to people’s accounts, often targeting weak passwords.

The lack of access to dental care plagues many parts of rural America.

Without a vehicle or public transportation some in rural America rely on charity for rides to doctors and stores.

Bridging the Great Health Divide explores issues in rural America through the lens of residents, doctors and other health care providers.

The purpose of the food stamp program is to help low-income families access healthy foods, but in rural America, that can be difficult.

Before last year food insecurity impacted about 10% of all U.S. residents. Experts estimate that number has at least doubled since the pandemic.

Antes del año pasado, la inseguridad alimentaria afectó a aproximadamente el 10,5% de los residentes de EE. UU. Una vez que la pandemia cerró en gran medida la economía, los expertos estiman que el porcentaje de personas que sufren de inseguridad alimentaria al menos se duplicó.

In 207 counties in 2018, there wasn’t a family, general or internal medicine doctor – the primary care doctors mainly for adults, according to an InvestigateTV analysis of federal data.

DNA paternity labs are not regulated by the FDA; rather, there is a voluntary accreditation process. The records about those labs are kept largely under wraps.

Every year millions of dollars flow to nursing homes from a fund that is padded with fines collected from long-term care facilities that inspections show have put the health and safety of residents in jeopardy.

Hundreds of nursing homes with poor ratings are waiting to get into a program intended to improve care.

Residents have been abused, neglected and ignored under the government’s watch. Oversight weakened because of COVID-19.

Federal nursing home coronavirus case data remains flawed, and some members of Congress say that needs to change.

Since 2008, the U.S. military has sent more than 1,000 mine-resistant vehicles to local police departments at their request. Now, some are questioning the optics.