Chase Returns Retired Teacher's Stolen $6,200
For some reason, Chase bank decided to take a second look at the $6,200 an unidentified person removed from Bronx retiree Ernest Nitzberg's checking account. It just might have been the outcry after he shared his story with a global audience on the Huffington Post. More »
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Survivor Star Jerri Manthey Gets Mad At U.S. Airways, Writes 3,300-Word Complaint Letter
Whenever readers ask for advice on writing a good complaint letter, we always suggest that they keep the letter on-point, even-keeled and as direct and brief as possible. That is not exactly what 3-time "Survivor" contestant Jerri Manthey has done. Displeased with her experience on a recent U.S. Airways flight, the reality star might have gone a little too far in penning a 3.300-word, three chapter epistle to the airline. More »
Food & Entertainment Industries Get Failing Grade For Pushing Unhealthy Snacks On Kids
The folks over at the Center for Science in the Public Interest recently took a look at how 128 different food and entertainment companies market food to kids. And, perhaps not surprisingly, they gave failing marks to 95 of them for having either weak policies for marketing food products to children or having none at all. More »
Scarves With Microwaveable Heat Packs Recalled Due To Fire And Burn Hazard
The Therma Scarf, a polyester/cotton blend scarf with pockets and microwaveable heat packs marketed by infomercial powerhouse Telebrands, has been recalled. The scarf's heat packs, made of flaxseeds, pose a fire and burn hazard to wearers. In a related story, someone actually thought it would be a good idea to make a microwaveable scarf with pockets. More »
Making The Most Of Medical Expense Tax Deductions
(bsdfm)
Kiplinger has advice on on how to maximize your medical expense deductions at tax time. You can only deduct out-of-pocket expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income, so you should try to bundle medical procedures in the same year if possible. More »
Don't Buy Your Crack With Monopoly Money
If there's one thing every crack dealer hates, it's being paid in Monopoly money. A 33-year-old man in Wichita, KS, was pulled over by officers last week and found bleeding from the head. He told police he'd just been tricked by his angry crack dealer into coming over to his house, whereupon the dealer pistol whipped his face. According to the police report, the victim told them that "a couple of weeks ago he bought several hundred dollars of crack-cocaine with Monopoly money and now the dealer was ready for pay back." More »
Cadillac Is Ashamed Of The GM Name
In a move to remove some of the taint of bankruptcy and bailout, luxury car maker Cadillac is taking steps to distance itself in the public eye from its parent company, General Motors. More »
Man Complains About Cellphone Talker At Movie Theater, Gets Stabbed In Neck With Meat Thermometer
(fiatluxe)
This might make you think twice about asking someone to shush the next time you're at the movies. According to police, a man in Lancaster, CA, recently made such a request to some fellow moviegoers, who retaliated by stabbing him in the neck... With a meat thermometer. More »
5-Year-Old Speaker Dies, Logitech Replaces Entire System For Free
Sifting through readers' customer service stories, it seems that Logitech has really great customer service, and the company stands by its products: once you're actually able to get hold of them. Reader Matt writes that when he called in looking for a replacement for a dead speaker, expecting to pay for it, Logitech simply shipped him an entire new system instead. For free. More »
VIDEO: Does Putting A Runaway Prius Into Neutral Slow It Down?
As more reports of runaway Toyota Prius vehicles begin to pile up, there is an ever-widening chasm between those who ask "Why didn't the driver just put the car into neutral?" and those who reply "Because it doesn't work on a Prius." Well, one series of incredibly interesting — but also entirely unscientific — road tests will likely only add fuel to the debate's fire. More »
"Mad Men" Barbie Dolls Launch
The cast of Mad Men just got Barbie Dollized. For only $74.95 a pop, you can have just as much fun toying with Don, Betty, Roger and Joan as they have toying with each other. Sorry, only G-rated accessories; they will not come with any cigarettes or martini glasses. However, fans will be glad to know that just like in the show, the characters will be trapped inside plastic coffins and their movements determined by powerful external forces. More »
How Do I Protect My Gullible Grandma From Psychic Scams?
Last week, Jon wrote to us asking how he can help protect his grandmother from falling for any more direct mail scams. She'd answered a piece from psychic Maria Duval, and subsequently her mailing address was sold to all sorts of scammers who thrive on easy marks. We suggested filing a prohibitory order via the USPS, but the core problem remains: how do you convince someone who wants to believe in psychics that she's being lied to? More »
Deceptive "Just Energy" Salespeople Cruising Brooklyn
Reader Dan reports that salespeople from the "Just Energy" ESCO are going around his Park Slope neighborhood, banging on doors and incessantly ringing doorbells. Their opening gambit it to say they're there to "make sure every bill payer in the house is signed up for the ConEd and National Grid price protection insurance program." A warning by the Citizens Utility Board says the company routinely poses as representatives of other energy companies... More »
Domino's Gross-Out Video Star Gets 24 Months Probation
Last spring, two morons videotaped themselves doing unspeakable things to the food they were about to serve at an unidentified Domino's restaurant. The video was posted to YouTube, and the situation didn't end well for anyone.
Based on a few clues, Consumerist commenters tracked the specific location down. The employees behind the video lost their jobs, that location closed a few months later, and no one could eat products from Domino's without imagining that parts of their meal had been crammed up someone's nose. While camerawoman Kristy Hammonds is still waiting for her trial, star Michael Setzer has been sentenced to 24 months of supervised probation. More »
Expedia Baited And Switched Me On Vegas Vacation
(Credit Card Outlaw)
Credit Card Oultaw posts about an Expedia Las Vegas vacation ad for airfare and a stay at a 4-star hotel starting at $39, but clicked on it, went through the process and discovered the total cost of the cheapest trip was $2,000. More »
Monoprice Not Taking New Orders During Fraud Investigation
Popular a/v cable site monoprice is back up but is not taking any new orders while it investigates the potential theft of banking information from its customers. Monoprice took its site offline this weekend after a few customers complained that credit cards they used at the site had fraudulent charges. More »
Aw, You Missed Your Earnings Target. Here's A Pity Bonus.
Some execs are getting a "pity bonus" in their stockings this year. With the recession on, many execs are finding it hard to meet earnings targets or suffer from pummeled stock prices. So boards are having heart and changing the rules so the execs can still get a bonus. More »
Personal Finance Roundup
Making the Most of Your Most Valuable Financial Asset [Free Money Finance] "Consider this post a reminder that what we do with our careers can make a tremendous amount of difference to our net worths."
Hard Times Turn Coupon Clipping Into the Newest Extreme Sport [Wall Street Journal] "Penny pinchers deal for discounts."
Ten Tips for Maximizing Your Savings at a Warehouse Club [The Simple Dollar] "You really can do much better on some items by utilizing a warehouse store, but you’ve got to follow a good plan. Here’s how."
Is your retirement fund leaking? [MSN Money] "Frequent trading by fund managers can inflate costs that aren't reflected in the numbers most investors watch. That's money from your retirement kitty."
5 Smart Uses for Your Tax Refund [Kiplinger] "Use the influx of cash to improve your financial situation."
— FREE MONEY FINANCE More »
