Consumer Confidential: Apple attacked, gas prices down, Amazon scam

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Here’s your my-old-flame Monday roundup of consumer news from around the Web:

-- The maker of BlackBerry smart phones isn’t happy, not one bit. Research in Motion says Apple is deliberately distorting issues surrounding its iPhone 4 antenna problems to make it look like an industry-wide problem. ‘Apple’s attempt to draw RIM into Apple’s self-made debacle is unacceptable,’ RIM co-CEOs Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie say in a statement. ‘Apple’s claims about RIM products appear to be deliberate attempts to distort the public’s understanding of an antenna design issue and to deflect attention from Apple’s difficult situation.’ No word from Apple as to whether it’s backing down from its claims.

-- Here’s some welcome news: Gas prices are down. According to our friends at AAA, we’re paying a smidge less at the pump than we were a month ago. The national average for a gallon of unleaded is now $2.722, down 0.7 cent from where it was a month ago. Unfortunately, that’s still 25 cents a gallon higher than it was a year ago. But let’s just accentuate the positive, shall we?

-- Heads up: The Better Business Bureau says it’s getting reports of a scam involving Amazon.com. People are receiving an official-looking e-mail alerting them that Amazon has received their order. A description of the product ordered and its price is included, and there’s a link to see more details. If you haven’t actually ordered anything, you might click the link to fix things. But then you’ll end up at a scammer’s website, where your personal information will be requested. If you do have an Amazon order pending, you might also click the link because the product or price is wrong. Bottom line: Don’t fall for this phishing scam. Forward the bogus e-mail instead to stop-spoofing@amazon.com.

-- David Lazarus