Deals on Wheels
 An estimated 1 million bicycles are stolen every year in the U.S. Some are recovered and but most remain unclaimed. Now police departments across the country are using online auctions to sell these bikes.
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Some Stations Not Ready for Smog Check
If your car is due for a smog check soon, beware. Not only is the price higher, but some smog check stations aren't quite ready with the new, state-mandated equipment!
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Get Rich Quick Scheme Targets Co-Eds
There are new developments in a Contact 4 investigation involving a money-making scheme that dozens of students fell victim to last year.
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Smog Test Costs More, Do Not Call News
New rules mean smog shops now have to use a treadmill test to better simulate driving conditions. The test detects more pollutants, but equipment costs are being passed onto drivers..
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Is 0% Financing Really a Deal?
Zero-percent financing is a popular sales gimmick, but it can be a consumer's enemy. Many shoppers say they end up paying far too much through no fault of their own.
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Fate of Do-Not-Call List Up in Air
Will you or will you not be getting calls from telemarketers as of Wednesday? That depends on who you talk to and who you believe.
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Counties Help 1st-Time Home Buyers
Bay Area Counties are helping first-time homeowners afford new houses. Find out how.
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Do-Not-Call List Back on Track
Nearly 51 million people have signed up for the list, which would block about 80 percent of telemarketing calls. Violators face $11,000 fines.
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"White Van" Scam Hits Bay Area
It's hard to turn down a deal, and that's just what some scammers are banking on. they've got a shady sales pitch that dozens of Bay Area victims have already fallen for.
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Judge Puts US Do-Not-Call List on Hold
50 million Americans were hoping to finally get relief from telemarketers, but a federal judge has thrown a monkey wrench into the national do-not-call list.
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Fire Warning For College Dorms
A fire in a crowded college dorm can lead to tragic results. Most college students don't worry about that sort of thing, but statistics indicate they ought to be making fire safety a top priority.
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Do Airlines Recycle? Contact 4 Finds Out!
At the end of a flight, the only thing you're thinking about is getting off the plane. But have you ever stopped to think about what happens to all the garbage that's left behind?
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Learn Fuel Efficient Driving Habits
Drivers are still paying more for gas in the Bay Area than anywhere else in the country. We've been telling you about various ways to pinch pennies at the pump, but how much can you really save?
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Protect Your Home From Insects
One neighborhood bugged by an insect infestation turned to Contact 4 for help evicting the pests from their property.
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Airline, Water Bottle, Elder Abuse News
Find out about rebooking flights due to Hurricane Isabel, a bottled water recall and financial elder abuse.
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ID Theft Program; Honda Investigation
Local, state and federal agencies are teaming up to tackle the growing problem of identity theft, and safety experts are investigating Honda CRVs and Accords.
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Old Scams Taking New Victims
Maybe it's a deal on jewelry or no-cost computers or a message that you've won a big contest. Every day thousands of unsuspecting Bay Area consumers are being tempted with deals too good to be true.
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Airline, Settlement News
Continental Airlines takes back frquent fliyer miles, US Airways makes rescheduling easier and time is running out to claim part of a settlement with Household Finance.
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Get Rebates on Gas Purchases
There are no indications that gas prices will drop anytime soon and Californians are still paying more than consumers in other states. But there are ways you can actually use that to your advantage.
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Clown With Car Crisis Calls Contact 4
A clown's life may seem to be all smiles and fun, but appearances can sometimes be deceiving. Clowns have consumer problems too, no joke.
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Consumers Pay for Workers' Comp Crisis
Job cuts, hiring freezes, even bankrupt businesses, those are just some of the ways that the state's workers' compensation crisis is hurting consumers. But even if you're not directly impacted you are paying the price for this problem.
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Workers' Comp Crisis Hits Day Cares
The workers' comp crisis is taking a toll on businesses and non-profits across the state. While workers' comp may sound like a dry, complex issue, this crisis is affecting many of the services and businesses you use everyday.
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State Finds Rampant Car Repair Fraud
There are some alarming statistics tonight involving car repair fraud in California.
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Cingular Refunds, Contact 4 Successes
Learn about refunds from Cingular Wireless and people Contact 4 has helped.
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Kids Playing With Sand Risk Cancer?
Children play in it, builders make homes with it, but now, some Bay Area parents are raising a red flag. The concern is over a label on the product that says it may be a cancer risk.
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Couple's Washer Gets Clothes Dirtier
One Napa couple ended up with a washer that actually got their clothes dirtier and spent years trying to get that washer replaced with one that works properly.
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Get A Great Deal On A Computer
As students head back to school or college this month many families are shopping around for a new computer. We'll tell you about some great deals.
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Contact 4 Helps Man Get Car Title
Contact 4 helps a man get the title for a car he had paid off.
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Public Speaking Can Lead to Privacy Loss
It turns out that everything said during some public meetings ends up becoming public information including those first two questions you're asked when you speak - your name and your address.
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ID Theft More Widespread Than Thought
Millions of new victims a year and billions of dollars in losses. That's the scope of the identity theft problem in the U.S., according to a report released by the Federal Trade Commission.
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Cruise, Hotel and Airfare News
Contact 4 has the latest news about cruise safety, Hotels.com and great fall travel deals.
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Phone Cards Can Carry Nasty Surprises
Buying a calling card is supposed to save you money but in the end, can cost a lot more than you bargained for. In one consumer's case, the rate jumped to ten times the initial rate he was quoted.
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Legal Music Download Sites Ranked
With the music industry cracking down on users of illegal free music sites a growing number of consumers are checking out the legal ones. Should you pay to play?
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Co-Eds Taken in Possible Pyramid Scam
A warning this evening for students as they head back to college. Watch out for job offers that sound too good to be true. Dozens of students apparently fell victim at SFSU last semester.
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Seniors Sold Inappropriate Insurance
We found there are a growing number of complaints about seniors being sold inappropriate insurance.
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Davis Signs Financial Privacy Bill
Governor Gray Davis tried to rise above the recall fray today by signing a bill that creates the nation's toughest financial privacy law.
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Do-Not-Call List Warning
The national Do-Not-Call Registry has caught fire, with millions jumping at the chance to block telemarketers. But consumers should beware of people who are trying to take advantage of the do-not-call movement.
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College Aid Warning
This is the time of year when college-bound students start hunting for loans and scholarships. Unfortunately, it's also the time many fall prey to unscrupulous companies.
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Financial Privacy, Window, Toy Suit News
It's Contact 4 reports on the latest news involvolving california's financial privacy bill, kid-safe power car windows and a settlement with a major toy retailer.
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Beware of Bogus Bills
Just because you get a bill in the mail doesn't mean it's for something you owe. Contact 4 is putting out this warning because of an old scam that's taken a new twist.
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Get Great Long Distance Rates
Rich Sayers shops around for deals on phone rates all day long and he's got advice for those who want the best prices.
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Loan Lock Warning
If you think you escaped the recent mortgage rate surge by locking in your refi weeks ago, think again. Many borrowers are finding their rates aren't locked in after all.
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Privacy Bill Passes Major Hurdle
After constant setbacks and some compromises, Senator Jackie Speier's plan is being accepted by the people who would be hurt most: banks.
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Contact 4 Solves Debit Card Dispute
Imagine checking your bank account and finding that businesses you never heard of have been taking money. If you don't review your bank statements, you will after this story.
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Cable Refund, Warranty, Teen Car News
Find out about Viacom Cable refunds, the bankruptcy of an extended car warranty company and teens' choices for best and worst cars.
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Wedding Video Takes Nearly 3 Yrs?!
The classic wedding video. Well photographed, well edited - oh, well!Dwain and June Richardson would love to show off their special day, if they had their video.
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Furniture Fiasco Frustrates Family
New baby. New house. And brand new furniture. It should all be good news, but for one Bay Area family it wasn't.
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Get Great Bay Area Restaurant Deals
The Bay Area has some of the best restaurants in the world, with the prices to prove it! But would you believe dinner at a nice restaurant for just a couple of bucks?
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Beware of Dishonest Movers
The Better Business Bureau gets many complaints about deceptive movers. Find out how to protect yourself.
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Costly Adoption Ends in Success
Ron and Barbara Reher are doting parents to 7-month-old Rachel, who is now the center of their lives. But these precious times have come at a huge cost, as we learned when we first met the couple.
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Hospital Safety; Travel, Finance Refunds
Find out the latest news about hospital safety and travel and finance refunds.
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Some Cars Help Prevent Rollovers
If you drive an SUV, you probably know the risk: in an accident you are more likely to roll over. The good news is a new technology can lessen your risk. It's called Stability Control Technology.
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Do You Have Money in Your Attic?
Take a close look at which toys your children love to play with and if you're smart, you'll buy another and keep it in the box.
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