David Lazarus

Business Columnist

David Lazarus is an award-winning business columnist for the Los Angeles Times, focusing on consumer affairs. He also appears daily on KTLA-TV Channel 5 and is a part-time radio host. His work appears in newspapers across the country and has resulted in a variety of laws protecting consumers.

Latest From This Author

Business

Big Tech wants in on healthcare. What could go wrong?

Business

Big Tech wants in on healthcare. What could go wrong?

Google, Amazon and Apple each announced health and wellness-related moves in recent days, aiming for a piece of the $3-trillion U.S. healthcare market.
Business

Column: You can deduct charitable donations. Why no tax benefit for volunteering?

Business

Column: You can deduct charitable donations. Why no tax benefit for volunteering?

Contributions of money and property to nonprofits result in tax benefits for the giver. But if you volunteer your time and labor, you get bupkes.
Business

Column: Is a supermarket discount coupon worth giving away your privacy?

Business

Column: Is a supermarket discount coupon worth giving away your privacy?

Ralphs customers are being told that joining the company’s rewards program could result in extensive data gathering, including your job, your education, your health and your insurance coverage.
Business

Some pricing trickery from JetBlue

Business

Some pricing trickery from JetBlue

JetBlue says higher checked baggage fees will ‘reduce transactions in the airport lobby and improve the customer experience.’
Business

Column: Trump hated him as a watchdog. Now he’s helping protect California consumers

Business

Column: Trump hated him as a watchdog. Now he’s helping protect California consumers

The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, as proposed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, “will put California at the forefront of consumer financial protection at the state level,” says Richard Cordray.
Business

Column: Banks should do more to protect seniors from ‘grandparent scam’

Business

Column: Banks should do more to protect seniors from ‘grandparent scam’

A SoCal man says a bank teller barely batted an eye at a wire transfer that wiped out nearly two-thirds of his savings account.
Business

Trouble sleeping? Maybe it’s time for a new pillow

Business

Trouble sleeping? Maybe it’s time for a new pillow

Consumer Reports has conducted its first-ever pillow tests. Here are some of the top picks.
Business

Column: Trump slashed consumer protections. So California is stepping up

Business

Column: Trump slashed consumer protections. So California is stepping up

Gov. Gavin Newsom will introduce the California Consumer Financial Protection Law as part of his proposed 2020-21 state budget, to be unveiled Friday.
Business

Column: Why do gas prices rise quickly and come down really, really slowly?

Business

Column: Why do gas prices rise quickly and come down really, really slowly?

It’s not your imagination. Energy experts say it’s common for gas prices to rise quickly when oil markets are disrupted and then take their sweet time returning to normal.
Business

Column: How did God make it into millions of consumer contracts?

Business

Column: How did God make it into millions of consumer contracts?

“Acts of God” as a legal defense dates back to at least 1581, when an English court ruled that death can make a property deal null and void.