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Ben Shimkus

Ben Shimkus is a consumer journalist. He is currently a Contract Reporter for Business Insider.

About Me

Ben (He/They) is a former professional performer and front-line service employee during the COVID-19 pandemic. In December 2023, he received his Master's in Journalism from NYU. 

Ben cut his teeth as an Automotive Staff Writer for The U.S. Sun, where built the publication's first car review section, complete with his  own video editing and production. 

He then spent a year as a consumer reporter for the Daily Mail, while writing freelance for The Verge, Automotive News, TopSpeed, AutoBody News, and Rolling Stone.  

He is now on contract at Business Insider.

Author Page Links

Business Insider: Business News Reporter

Daily Mail: Consumer and Automotive Staff Writer

The Verge: Freelance Reporter

Rolling Stone: Freelance Investigative Reporter

TopSpeed: Freelance Contributor

The U.S. Sun: Motors and Consumer Staff Writer

USA Today: Freelance Automotive Contributor - Homefront 

AutoBody News: Northeast Reporter, Magazine Contributor

UPolitics: Politics Reporter

Headshot by Jessica Osber

Get in Touch

Email me at: benjamin.shimkus@gmail.com

Consumer Reporting:

Business Insider •

Target has a warning if you use Google's AI to shop

Your Target run could soon be handled by AI — and the retailer wants shoppers to know they'll be on the hook for those purchases.

Target updated its terms and conditions on March 22 as it prepares to launch a partnership with AI bot Google Gemini. The integration could enable the AI to suggest products and complete purchases on a shopper's behalf. The agent would not be able to buy products without the shopper's approval.

The new terms and conditions say that if a customer authorizes an AI sho...
The Verge •

When this EV maker collapsed, its customers became the car company

Cristian Fleming paid around $70,000 for his dream car, a Fisker Ocean. He was drawn to the new EV’s 350-mile range, eco-friendly image, and quirky features like “California Mode,” which rolls down nearly every window at once.Early adopters were left with cars plagued by battery failures, glitchy software, inconsistent key fobs, and door handles that did not always open. With the company gone, there was no way to fix any issues. Regulators logged dozens of complaints as replacement parts vanishe...
Business Insider •

This couple used Claude Code make a bot that called 20,000 gas stations, building a price tracker from scratch

"Hey, I'm Bobby from Gas Index, I'm an AI. What's regular goin' for today?"

"Say it again?" an attendant from Manhattan responded — before telling the bot the sign above the station was flashing a $3.89 price for a gallon of regular.

"Perfect, thanks," Bobby said before hanging up.

That's one of nearly 20,000 conversations between a gas station attendant and an AI agent — named Bobby after a character from the animated sitcom "King of the Hill" — created by Matt Cortland and John Fleming.

Co...
Mail Online •

Fury as Southwest CEO nets incredible one-day jackpot for axing perk

By BEN SHIMKUS, CONSUMER REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 00:37, 14 March 2025 | Updated: 00:43, 14 March 2025 Southwest Airlines is making one of its most controversial changes in decades — and its CEO just made a fortune from the unpopular move. Southwest shocked its loyal customers by announcing it would start charging for checked bags, a major reversal for an airline that branded itself with a 'two bags fly free' for over 50 years. Investors, however, loved the move. The share p...
Mail Online •

Stock index suffers worst day since 2022 as Trump stokes fears

By BEN SHIMKUS, CONSUMER REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Published: 14:57, 10 March 2025 | Updated: 20:20, 12 March 2025 Wall Street kicked off the week with one of its worst day in three years, as investors wrestled with economic uncertainty and fresh turbulence from Washington.The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 890 points on Monday, down over 2 percent, while the S&P 500 tumbled 2.7 percent. The tech-heavy Nasdaq fell the furthest, shedding 4 percent in the day's trading. It was the wors...
Autobody News •

Canadian Auto Body Shop Returns Rebuilt GMC Sierra to Make-A-Wish Recipient

CSN Harold’s, a collision repair center in Edmonton, Alberta, finished one of its most important repair projects when it returned a 2006 GMC Sierra 1500 Heavy Duty to its 18-year-old owner in July.
Carter Laframboise, a recent high school graduate, drove the Sierra off the shop’s lot after months of repair. It was his request as part of a Make-A-Wish grant. 
Carter lives with cystic fibrosis (CF). He was diagnosed with the genetic disorder when he was 2 years old. 
Technicians, friends and fa...
The US Sun •

Retailer ripped for abruptly closing 100 stores before weddings 'ruining lives'

WEDDING guests who were turned away from a business that allegedly took their money before shutting down have filed several complaints with a state Attorney General.

In documents obtained by The U.S. Sun, customers pleaded to state officials to get money back from Dapper and Dashing, a defunct wedding supply company.

At least six customers wrote to Ohio's Attorney General Dave Yost pleading to help get their money back.

In the documents, customers begged the consumer protection agency to get
USA TODAY Homefront •

Pros and Cons of Extended Car Warranties

If your car is old and its reliability questionable, an extended car warranty may provide a cost-effective lifeline to keep it on the road longer. The coverage is available at any vehicle age or mileage, providing an extra layer of protection as your vehicle ages out of other warranty options.But not all extended warranty contracts are alike — each has its pros and cons. Some only cover basics, such as your vehicle’s engine parts, while more comprehensive options can pay for towing expenses and...

Investigative Reporting:

Rolling Stone •

'Drag Race' Star Shangela Sued for Sexual Assault in New Lawsuit

Less than a year after Rolling Stone’s investigation into former RuPaul’s Drag Race star Shangela uncovered sexual assault allegations from five accusers — along with a separate civil lawsuit settlement — the celebrity drag performer is facing their second sexual assault lawsuit.



Eric Poff, 35, who performed under adult film pseudonym Dakota Payne, filed a civil lawsuit against Darius Jeremy (“DJ”) Pierce, 44, in New York’s Supreme Court, according to documents obtained by Rolling Stone. Po...
LGBTQ Nation •

GOP candidate who called drag queens "pedophiles" caught partying with drag queens - LGBTQ Nation

As the clock ticked down to the New Year’s Eve ball drop and 2022 became 2023, dozens of LGBTQ+ people and allies gathered at a black-tie event in New York City’s Hudson Yards Mall. With paid tickets required for entry, fancy-clothed guests stepped into a room with sweeping westward views of the Hudson River.Heavy bass reverberated from towering speakers as Aquaria, the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race season 10 and the night’s headline act, took the stage at 11 p.m. The famous drag queen-turned-DJ...
Rolling Stone •

Actor and Drag Star Shangela Accused of Multiple Sexual Assaults

Shangela was a breakthrough star. With her sharp-tongued retorts, viral catchphrases, and distinctive Southern accent, the gregarious Texas drag queen quickly rose to become one of RuPaul’s Drag Race’s most beloved contestants. “[It’s] like ‘Angela’ with an ‘S-H,’” she explained on the show. “The debutantess of the Deep South.”

Despite an early Season Two elimination when the queen was in her late twenties, a more polished version of the future star returned to the runway for two other installm

Car Reviews:

Business Insider •

Lucid's most important car yet is a thrill to drive — if you can afford it

If the Lucid Gravity were an Olympic figure skater, it would go for the quadruple axel — flashy, ambitious, and a little audacious.

The Gravity blends beauty with physical prowess: striking design, blistering speed, and enough battery range to get from New York to Boston and halfway back on a single charge.

Beyond the showmanship, this SUV carries serious stakes for Lucid. It's the money-losing automaker's first SUV, giving the company a foothold in America's most popular vehicle segment.

I t...
Mail Online •

GM's Hummer inspired NASA's moon mission... it falls short on earth

By BEN SHIMKUS, US CONSUMER REPORTER Updated: 13:12, 17 November 2025 The Detroit-built GMC Hummer EV is thronged with Star Spangled Banner-singing, eagle-flying Americana.But nothing in this world is more flag-waving in America than working for NASA. And that is exactly what GM is doing with the Hummer.GM's engineers are sending Hummer-adjacent battery tech to the lunar surface as part of NASA's new Lunar Terrain Vehicle program.It's a great story, and an impressive flex, especially for a t...
Mail Online •

I drove two EVs that cracked the code to seducing gas-loving drivers

By BEN SHIMKUS, US CONSUMER REPORTER Updated: 05:40, 4 November 2025 Americans love a car that talks back.The rumble of an engine, the pops from the exhaust, the vibrations through the steering wheel — it's all part of the thrill.EVs are different. They deliver power in silence — smooth and powerful enough to dust a Ford Mustang off the line, but without the feedback that makes driving feel alive.For many diehards, that's a deal-breaker. Some automakers have tried to fill the void with exter...
Mail Online •

I drove US, Japan, and Europe sports cars to check their dying pulse

By BEN SHIMKUS, US CONSUMER REPORTER Updated: 12:53, 7 October 2025 Car companies can't agree on what a sports car should be anymore. Sales are shrinking, once-popular legends like the Chevy Camaro are dying, and what's left barely feels related. That's left the term 'sports car' feeling fuzzier than ever. Some still worship at the altar of noise and power, which explains the thunderous 5-liter Ford Mustang Dark Horse that screams Detroit's gospel of muscle.Others swear by lightness and puri...
The US Sun •

I drove a 'superstar' electric Hyundai that's faster than a Porsche 911

BATTERY electric cars are typically great sprinters. The immediate electric throttle usually brings EVs to high speeds in a quick lurch - but they're not always faster than some of the most athletic sports cars in the world. But the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N is. Hyundai's Ioniq 5 N redefines the electric crossover segment, blending manic speed, striking design, and an aggressive performance focus into a relatively family-friendly car.But let's take a step back to draw out the history of this EV. In 202...
The US Sun •

I test-drove the Corolla Cross Hybrid - it's fuel-efficient and simple inside

DRIVERS hoping to combine fuel efficiency and practicality in a small, tall daily driver should consider the Toyota Corolla Cross Hybrid. Toyota's latest cute-ute is a great value that ditches over-stimulating interiors for more tame functionality. As its name suggests, the Corolla Cross Hybrid takes the well-known Corolla sedan and transforms it into a crossover.Toyota has raised the ride height by three inches, added protective black wheel cladding around the wheel arch, and finished it off w...
The US Sun •

I test-drove an attention-grabbing $75k Kia - large SUV gets to 60 mph in 4 secs

A TESLA Model Y driver sped up next to my test car on the highway, flashing a gummy smile and an enthusiastic thumbs-up at my giant EV - but I wasn't driving the headline-grabbing Cybertruck. It was an electric Kia. I test-drove the Kia EV9 for eight days. It's a modern six or seven-passenger electric SUV with dazzling good looks, exceptional tech, and great driving dynamics. Drivers around me took notice. On the first test day, I parked near my house, and someone stopped me on the street and as...
The US Sun •

I drove the new 'Swiss Army knife' SUV with a bed that has an unexpected extra

AN icy blue pickup was perched on Manhattan streets on a drizzly day. I hopped into the SUV-like vehicle with a full-size bed, fraught with expectations - the car didn't disappoint. I drove Honda's new SportTrail trim on the Ridgeline pickup series. It's the buffest version of the cozy work tool. The Ridgeline is not a standard mid-size pickup.Most pickups are built body-on-frame, mounting a separate body onto a rigid, ladder-like chassis. The resulting truck receives a muscular, stiff ride that...

Policy Reporting:

Mail Online •

Why you could spend thousands more to own a car this year

15:24, 08 Mar 2025, updated

15:36, 08 Mar 2025



By

BEN SHIMKUS, CONSUMER REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Car owners, get ready to pay even more.

President Trump launched tariffs on steel and aluminum imports in February. The import tax is part of his administration's broader economic agenda that hopes to bring manufacturing employment back to the U.S.

But that policy threatens to drive up car costs for Americans that are already at historic hig...
Mail Online •

Stock market tumbles even further as Trump tariffs spark market panic

18:22, 04 Mar 2025, updated

21:10, 04 Mar 2025



By

BEN SHIMKUS, CONSUMER REPORTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
and
AP

Wall Street fell deep in the red Tuesday as a full-blown trade war between the U.S. and its top trading partners rattled investors.

The losses erased most stock gains accumulated since inauguration day.

The Trump administration's tariffs, which launched on March 4, impose a tax on imports from China, Canada, and Mexico....
Autobody News •

New York State Senate Passes Bill to Curb Sidewalk Parking Near Auto Repair Shops

The New York State Senate approved a bill requiring New York City automotive repair shops to obtain community approval while registering with the DMV. The bill passed the Senate on June 4 and now awaits consideration by the State Assembly after the chamber’s June break.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Gustavo Rivera, D-33, and co-sponsor, Sen. Luis R. Sepúlveda, D-32, hope it will curb illegal parking around auto shops in the space-constrained city. The authors alleged vehicles parked on city sidewalk...

Montana House Votes To Temporarily Expel Trans Rep. Zooey Zephyr - uPolitics

Montana House leaders voted to expel lawmaker Zooey Zephyr for the remainder of the legislative session on Wednesday, following protests outside the state’s capital building.

Zephyr, Montana’s first openly transgender woman elected to the legislative body, said Republicans who back a bill banning gender-affirming medical care would have “blood on their hands.”

“I have been informed that during tomorrow’s floor session there will be a motion to either censure or expel me,” Zephyr tweeted on Tue