Consumerist

Men Go Mad In Herds [Economy]

Ben Popken — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:54:59 EDT

Men...think in herds; it will be seen that they go mad in herds, while they only recover their senses slowly, and one by one.

- Charles Mackay, Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds [Google Books or download in full at Project Gutenberg] (Photo: tifotter)

Meet Guest Bloggers Carrie McLaren And Jason Torchinsky Of Ad Nauseam And StayFree [PSAs]

Ben Popken — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 08:59:24 EDT

I'm stoked that Carrie McLaren and Jason Torchinsky, co-editors of Ad Nauseam: A Survivor's Guide to American Consumer Culture (which I blurbed, my first blurb!), will be guest-blogging, tag-team style, with us this week and next. Carrie was editor of the awesome Stay Free! Magazine, which alternately skewered and threw cream pies at our marketing-drenched society. Jason is an artist who also writes for the Onion News Network, but just for sport. Please give them a warm welcome and enjoy the show.

AIG's WCIA 2009 Award Mailed [Aig]

Ben Popken — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:04:17 EDT

We put AIG's Worst Company in American 2009 award in the mail today. Here is the congratulatory letter that accompanied their prize:

The Consumerist
101 Truman Ave
Yonkers, NY 10703

70 Pine St,
New York, NY 10005

Dear AIG:

Congratulations! You are the 2009 grand champion in The Consumerist's Worst Company in America contest. In NCAA-style ladder vote-off, you bested 15 other contenders. Comcast, Ticketmaster, Walmart, Citibank, Chrysler, Target, Peanut Corporation of America, HP, T-Mobile, Best Buy, Timewarner Cable, Apple, Verizon, Sprint, Home Depot, AT&T, Chase, Sears, General Motors, United Airlines, US Airways, Capital One, DirecTV and Bank of America, they all lay quivering in your wake, much like our 401(k)s.

In anointing you supreme victor, Consumerist readers cited such achievements of yours as "wrecking the whole economy," and "costing the American tax payer untold billions," and noted both your "greed" and "chutzpah." Considering how influential AIG has been in the events of the past year, I can think of no one more deserving than you to receive our prestigious Worst Company in America Award, the Golden Poo. Please consider displaying it in your booth at your next secret tradeshow.

On behalf of the entire staff at and readers of Consumerist.com, I salute you.

Sincerely,

Ben Popken
Co-Executive Editor
The Consumerist

Personal Finance Roundup [Money]

Ben Popken — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:31:01 EDT

Where to Find the Best Savings Rates [Smart Money] "SmartMoney searched for some of the best rates around. Here's a sampling of what we found."
Are You Being Ripped off at the Gas Station? [Wise Bread] "Here is a simple test to help you ensure you are getting your money's worth at the pump."
To fly or drive: Which is cheaper? [MSN Money] "Your costs and choice of travel mode depend on your tastes and a slew of variables."
10 Ways to Beat the Rising Cost of Health Care [Yahoo Finance] "These 10 smart moves can lower your expenses - but not the quality of the care you get."
How much is that gold jewelry worth? [Mighty Bargain Hunter] "Short answer: Probably less than you think, but more than you'll get from a gold-to-cash place."

— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: Newton Free Library)

10 Things Financial Planners Won't Tell You [Investing]

Ben Popken — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:13:55 EDT

Right after politicians and lawyers, financial planners have to be the most mistrusted, suspected, and questioned profession these days. And with good reason. With the Bernie Madoff's of the world running rampant, fewer and fewer people are willing to turn their life savings over to someone else. (Yes, we realize Madoff was an investment advisor, not a financial planner per se, but you get the meaning.) Well, after reading this, you'll probably be even less likely to hire a financial planner. financial planners won't tell you as follows:

1. "I got this gig on a whim."
2. "I'm a jack-of-all-trades and master of none."
3. "I have ghostwriters draw up your plan."
4. "I'm a high-pressure shill in disguise."
5. "Am I ‘fee-only' or ‘fee-based'? Um, let's not split hairs."
6. "Once I've done the plan, I'm outta here . . ."
7. ". . . especially if you're not so well-to-do."
8. "Confused? That's the point."
9. "In fact, I don't even understand your plan."
10. "Good luck busting me for malpractice."

A list that causes concern for sure.

Ok, Smart Money went a bit over-board with the descriptions, something they're prone to do to make this series more compelling. Then again, in every over-exaggeration there's always a nugget of truth, isn't there?

Our advice? Learn all you can about personal finances so you can manage most of your money yourself. And if you eventually need help, be sure to take the right steps to hire a good financial planner that's qualified, trustworthy, and fits your personality so you can work with her.

10 Things Financial Planners Won't Tell You [Smart Money]

— FREE MONEY FINANCE (Photo: Ben Popken)

Continental Takes 2nd Child To Wrong Airport [Continental]

Ben Popken — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 22:28:26 EDT

Yup, you read the title right. Continental has taken a second child, within a week, to the wrong airport. In both cases a subcontracted regional airline called Express Jet flying under the Continental brand was at fault. Houston Chronicle reports:

...both incidents occurred when flights with different destinations were loaded simultaneously from the same doorway and that "miscommunication among staff members resulted in the child being boarded on the wrong aircraft."

I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to blame the OP here. Truly experienced travelers know the best way to ensure your luggage arrives at the proper destination is to send it Fed-Ex. [Houston Chronicle]
PREVIOUSLY: Continental Puts 10-Year-Old Child On The Wrong Plane
(Photo: FlyGuy92586)

Furloughs: Welcome Or Lousy? [Furlough]

Ben Popken — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:41:29 EDT

Rather than layoffs, a number of employers are turning to furloughs - forced unpaid time off - to meet their budgets. According to a NYT article, employees are handling them in different ways. Some use it as chill time. Others keep working anyway without pay, either out of guilt, routine, or fear of an actual layoff. Has your company been hit with furloughs? How are you dealing? Take our poll inside.

[NYT]

Sell Your House With Well-Lit Photos [Photography]

Ben Popken — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:17:47 EDT

Pictures are the key to selling your house, and lighting is the key to selling your pictures. To that end, here's how photographer Dave Hobby of Strobist.com did "Architectural Digest on the cheap" with his patented array of off-camera flashes. It's cool to see how he tackles the challenges of each area. Even if you don't have any off-camera flashes or a clue what he's talking about, there's bound to be a few ideas in there that can help you stage your house-selling photo shoot, i.e., when shooting the bathroom, pictured: "I left the towel a little rumpled just to not be too anal."

Working Around the House [Strobist]

Zecco Accidentally Increases Some Customers' Buying Power By Millions [Online Brokerage]

Ben Popken — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:00:19 EDT

Online brokerage site Zecco accidentally increased 1% of their customers' Buying Power balances by millions on April 1st, leading some customers to wonder whether it was a system glitch or some horrible April Fool's joke. It turned out to be the former.

The surge in "Buying Power" was an accidental extension of credit to the customers' accounts. Actual funds were not deposited therein. After the error was discovered, the mistaken credit was withdrawn. However, not before some executed trades on the lines of credit, including including one guy who bought over $1 million in shares. The company then acted to reverse the errors, saying on their blog, "Except in a very small number of egregious and fraudulent cases, customers will not be responsible for losses (or gains) incurred for trades in excess of their buying power."

The system glitch was due to one of their vendors giving them an incorrect data feed, said the company. "In no way Zecco Trading was trying to be funny regarding such a sensitive matter as your buying power or account balance, nor would it even consider doing this," said Zecco. By early Monday, the notoriously humor-deprived SEC gave the company a ring.

The affected members weren't laughing either, as evidenced by their posts in the Zecco forums...

md_abbas007: My Order got executed!!!! whats going to happen now? Will they come after me to collect the money? :-(
slkrol: DITTO HERE. As an April Fools joke, I placed several ridiculous orders and they were ACCEPTED!!!! Let's see what happens.
ballen06: Unfortunately, zecco actually executed an order that was for 3200.00 when i only have 2k in the account, all of which was in settlement so I should not have been able to buy anything. I called and e-mailed Zecco immediately and sold the stock within seconds since I was scared to hold something that wasn't mine. Zecco initially assured me it would be takeN care of but is now telling me I have to eat the $800.00 loss. Essentially they executed a trade that should have never been executed.
west: ummmm, this is ridiculous. so i thought it was an april fools joke, put in an order for SKF, and it went through then Zecco just sold it —-- more than likely making me take the loss please let me know if any of you experienced this! lol....and they charged me $19.99 for commission
ctb242: I am new to Zecco, and equally new to stock trading. As you all noticed yesterday, we woke up with an exorbitant number in our accounts. I waited a few hours thinking that this was surely an error, but when it didn't change, I thought let me test this and buy some stocks and immediately sell. Which I did - I bought approximately $14,000 worth of stocks, sold when it was up $70. The money was immediately replenished after that sell, and I didn't touch my account again. By the end of the day, it seemed the issue had resolved itself. However, today, my buying power is -$14,000, approximately the amount of the transaction. Did this happen to any of you that did the same thing? It doesn't seem that this is right since the money was immediately repaid, and if anything, I might just owe zecco that $70 profit. I would appreciate thoughts on this.

Certainly a foul-up on Zecco's part, but c'mon people, only in Monopoly does a "Bank Error In Your Favor" mean you get to keep the cash.

Zecco April Fools' Day: Million Dollar Account Balances [My Money Blog]
Woohoo! I'm a millionaire! Sorta. Maybe not [Zecco Forums]

Note: an earlier version of this post was posted on Sunday afternoon. It was revised Monday morning to reflect new information released by Zecco.

How Badass Is Your Butt-Wipe? Consumer Reports Tests Toilet Paper [Videos]

Ben Popken — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 09:50:51 EDT

The "Wet Strike" test, seen in this video, is one of the ways Consumer Reports tests toilet paper. They stretch the paper over a beaker, wet it, and then dribble lead pellets onto it from a funnel. The paper that holds the most pellets is the strongest. Neat! Results will be unveiled in the May issue.

Toilet Paper Challenge [Consumer Reports]

4 resources for researching if your car has ... [Cars]

Ben Popken — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:44:13 EST

4 resources for researching if your car has a defect. [Examiner] (Photo: nixter)

Comcast's Official Make A New Pot Of Coffee Policy [Leaks]

Ben Popken — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:50:09 EST

From the archives, Aug 29, 2007 : In today's go-go economy, savvy companies know it's important to draft official policies for a variety of circumstances and surprises that can crop up in the middle of a busy workday, and ensure they are clearly communicated and readily available.

Every businesses needs documents employees can refer to, pantra-laterally, to help steer their decisions through times of uncertainty and deal with rapidly fluxing global business enterprise environment, secure touch points that provide direction and solace, Rocks of Gibraltar in miniature, if you will.

Like when you need to make a new pot of coffee.

Inside, Comcast's official new pot of coffee making policy and instruction manual...

We're confused, what do we do after pressing Brew Start?

PREVIOUSLY: Comcast's Official Water Jug Changing Policy

What Happens To This Stuff Left In A Foreclosed House? [Videos]

Ben Popken — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 17:43:58 EST

What happens to all the stuff left inside a foreclosed house when the ex-owners jet? The bank contracts these guys to haul it all away to the dump in what is called a "trash out." Here's a short video following a crew of junk chuckers. It's amazing what people leave behind, including photos and computers.

KCET: The Trashout Squad [Calculated Risk via Boing Boing] (Thanks to Dan!)

Reach Bank Of America Executive Customer Relations [Phone Numbers]

Ben Popken — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 10:12:49 EDT

With stories like this,this, and this, it's not hard to imagine why someone might need to kick their Bank of America problem all the way to the top of the dung heap . Here's some executive contact phone numbers:

Executive Customer Relations general line: 704-386-5687

Nancy M. Condos
VP/ Customer Advocate
Executive Customer Relations
Office of the Chairman
nancy.m.condos@bankofamerica.com

Martha Dominguez, Executive Customer Relations Specialist: 714-792-4264

Corporate Headquarters: 704-386-5972 / 704-386-5681
Operator: 800-900-9000 (press 0 twice)

Corporate Headquarters (Bank of America):
Bank of America Corporate Center
100 North Tryon Street
Charlotte, North Carolina 28255

You can always write the CEO:

Mr. Kenneth D. Lewis
100 N. Tryon Street.
Mail Code NC-1-007-18-01
Charlotte, NC 28255

Several other readers have and they've gotten satisfactory resolutions to their complaints.

(Photo: Spirda Webster)

Updated: Reach HSBC Executive Customer Service [Phone Numbers]

Ben Popken — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 15:54:51 EDT

If regular HSBC customer service are being bitches (as they are wont to do) and you're not making any headway, try calling 877-472-2005 which is the number to reach HSBC executive customer service. Also, a number for card services is 831-755-6699.

(Photo: Maulleigh)

Updated: Reach Verizon Landline Executive Customer Service [Phone Numbers]

Ben Popken — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 11:28:00 EDT

Call 1-800-483-7988 and press 3 to reach the Verizon Customer Advocates for landlines and DSL. Other valid executive customer service contact information:

Ms Beverly Walker - (804) 772-6461
Ms Cassandra Flippin (212) 321-8465
Mr Curtis Owens - curtis.x.owens@verizon.com

Mark D. Reddick
Executive Customer Relations
140 West St.
Manhattan, NY 10007
Mark.D.Reddick@verizon.com
212-321-8457 (office)
212-321-1047 (fax)

1-800-321-8700

(Photo: Maulleigh)

Updated: Contact DISH Executive Customer Service [Call Charles Ergen]

Ben Popken — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:46:54 EDT

If you have a problem with DISH and regular customer service isn't working, try these folks:

(915) 298-5975 - David Hernandez, Customer Resolution Specialist - Executive Resolution Team
(915) 298-5976 - Joey Selik, Customer Resolution Supervisor - Executive Resolution Team

Call 303-723-1000. Wait for a reception to answer. Ask to be transferred to Executive Resolutions
Or Call Mindy at 720-514-7746.
Or email ceo@echostar.com.

Be sure to first read our guide on how to deal with the executive customer service department. Remember to try to be civil, professional and concise.

(Photo: JohnKit)

Updated: Fry's Electronics Home Office Company Directory [Phone Numbers]

Ben Popken — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 10:40:41 EDT

Inside, the Fry's Electronics Home Office corporate directory. Some of these extensions are duplicates, but the list seems to work in general. If you're having trouble getting traction on a customer service issue with the notoriously difficult to reach company, this could be your lodestar. Update: An insider went through the giant phone list and broke out the upper-level people by their job area.

They also add, "Don't be afraid to use the "Tell Randy" forms. He really does read every single one. If its a complaint, mail it yourself so it doesn't get lost. You can find these at the Front Check Out, or by the PIC Podium."

President
Randy Fry - wrf@i.frys.com
[He is very involved with the everyday operations of the company.]

Vice President
Omar Siddiqui - aos@i.frys.com
[Very rarely in the office. Handles the purchasing side of the business. Also in charge of all ads & "ADORS". More on that later.]

Director Of Operations
Ken Lutz - kjl@i.frys.com
[In charge of all Store Managers and their subordinates. Works closely with Randy.]

Director Of Customer Service
Shahriar Saraj - shs@i.frys.com
[Handles front checkout, returns, customer relations, & cafe.]

Head Of Legal
Kathy Kolder - kjk@i.frys.com
[In Charge of Fry's legal affairs, also part owner]

Components Department - (Memory, Processors, Motherboards, Hard-drives, Cases, etc)
Director - Vacant
Purchasing Manager - Steve Monnier - smm@i.frys.com - (408) 487-4665
District Managers
D1 Lerida Gomez - (408) 487-4696
D2 Leo Lopez - (408) 441-0831
D3 Eric Maxwell - (408) 487-4697
[Steve is a good guy. If you can get a hold of him, he will take care of you.]

Computers Department - (Desktops, Notebooks, Monitors, Printers, Thumb Drives, Office Supplies, Apple Computers, etc)
Director - Rajesh Seth - rks@i.frys.com - (408) 487-4520
Purchasing Manager - Inderjit Khera - ijk@i.frys.com - (408) 487-4522
District Managers
D1 Joseph Kerr - (408) 487-4756
D2 Vacant - (408) 487-4757
D3 John Norris - (408) 441-0249
[Rajesh is a pretty busy guy, so getting a hold of him will be tough. Inderjit can be contacted a bit easier so use him to get to Rajesh.]

Software Department - (Movies, Software, Games, Books, etc)
Director - Rayman Cheng - rwc@i.frys.com - (408) 487-4530
Purchasing Manager - Vacant
District Managers
D1 Lynda Luu - (408) 487-4565
D2 Molly Talooi - (408) 487-4761
D3 Jennifer Haddan - (408) 487-4565
[Don't know him too well, but he seems to treat his people well, so maybe he'll do the same for a customer.]

Service Department - (Service Center, All Warranty Repairs)
Director - Jeff Staat - jes@i.frys.com - (408) 487-4542
District Managers
D1 Vacant
D2 Ricky Cheng - (408) 487-4544
D3 Vacant
[Jeff is actually under Rajesh Seth, so if he can't help you escalate it to Rajesh.]

Audio Video - (TV's, Home Audio, Car Audio, Cameras, Telescopes, MP3 Players, etc)
Director - Gopala Ajjarapu - gba@i.frys.com - (408) 487- 4550
Purchasing Manager - Vacant
District Managers
D1 Randy Eaton - (408) 441-0251
D2 Cesar Perez - (408) 487-4593
D3 Eric Weers - (408) 487-4592
[FTP]

Appliances - (Appliances, Cell Phones, AC Units, etc)
Director - Sanjeev Shera - ss11@i.frys.com - (408) 487-4677
Purchasing Manager - Vacant
District Managers
D1 Andrew Patty - (408) 487-4557
D2 Dimpy Sidhu - (408) 441-0264
D3 Vacant - (408) 487-4738
[Good guy. Customer Oriented. Will go the extra mile to help you.]

District Managers. These are the guys who you would contact if you cant get something done on the store level. Each Department (Computers, Software, AV, Service, Appliances, Components) has 1 District Manager per district, so there are 3 DDMs per department. Some are great, others make you wonder what on earth upper management was thinking when they promoted them. Along with reporting to their own Director, they also report to a DDM of Store Operations (listed below), who then report to Ken Lutz.

District 1
Reza Davariar - (408) 487-4716
[On his way out. If you've shopped here in the bay you'll understand why]
Palo Alto, CA
Campbell, CA
San Jose, CA
Sunnyvale, CA
Sacramento, CA
Wilsonville, OR
Fremont, CA
Concord, CA
Roseville, CA
Las Vegas, NV
Renton, WA

Dsitrict 2
Mike Millar - (408) 487-4773
[Very tough guy to work for, but pretty fair and balanced]
Manhattan Beach, CA
Fountain Valley, CA
Woodland Hills, CA
Anaheim, CA
Burbank, CA
San Diego, CA
Tempe, AZ
Phoenix, AZ
San Marcos, CA
City Of Industry, CA
Frys.com
Oxnard, CA

District 3
Todd Smith - (408) 441-0210
[Don't know much about the guy, seems okay]
Dallas, TX
Arlington, TX
Austin, TX
Houston, TX
South Houston, TX
Downers Grove, IL
Alpharetta, GA
Plano, TX
Webster, TX
Irving, TX
Duluth, GA
Fishers, IN

REBATES
If you don't get a satisfactory answer, contact Ginger Bautista at (408) 487-4743. She is the person in charge of all rebate issues at home office. She will cut you a check and ding the vendor who refused to pay. It's written into every contract that Fry's reserves the right to deduct any unpaid rebates from their account. (Please make sure that you did everything as requested. They can't help you if you missed the deadline, or possibly just failed to read the instructions.)

PREVIOUSLY: Departmental Phone Extensions For Every Fry's
(Photo: bryce_edwards)

Email Addresses For 17 Bank Of America Executives [Email Ken Lewis]

Ben Popken — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 19:00:00 EDT

Here are 18 working Bank of America executive/employee email addresses. A Consumerist reader launched a EECB (executive email carpet bomb) that got his overdraft fees refunded; these were the ones that didn't bounce back, plus some more we found recently.

ken.d.lewis@bankofamerica.com, colleen.haggerty@bankofamerica.com, britney.w.sheehan@bankofamerica.com, nicole.nastacie@bankofamerica.com, joe.price@bankofamerica.com, keith.banks@bankofamerica.com, michael.jones@bankofamerica.com, liam.e.mcgee@bankofamerica.com, brian.t.moynihan@bankofamerica.com, amy.brinkley@bankofamerica.com, steele.alphin@bankofamerica.com, liam.e.mcgee@bankofamerica.com, bradford.r.dinsmore@bankofamerica.com, michelle.shepherd@bankofamerica.com, maryellen.baker@bankofamerica.com

We have received numerous requests lately for company-specific email lists. At present, we have very few, but that number can be increased if you send in the results of your successful EECBs. Don't be so lazy, here's all the info you need to build your own EECB.

(Photo: Payton Chung)

Woman eBays $103,254.11 In Debt [EBay]

Ben Popken — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 09:35:49 EDT

This lady is trying to eBay her family's $103,245.11 in debt. It comes with her house and car (loving family not included). I guess it could be useful if you're trying to decrease your tax liability, or you just want to feel part of the credit crunch crisis. Maybe you could work out a Prince and the Pauper thing.

My Debt, all of my worldly bills comes w/house and car [eBay] (Thanks to Ryan!)

The Legend Of The $1.549 Gas [Polls]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:58:04 EDT

Tony was pumping gas at a Maryland convenience store when he noticed something awesome: the gas, advertised for $3.54, was only $1.54. He then did the right thing and told the store about it. "My friends are ridiculing me for informing the store clerk of the error," writes Tony, "but the way i figure it - I would be complaining if it had been ringing up at $4.54/gallon instead so how would it be any better if i tried to rip them off?" Good point Tony, and good consumering! Though, it sounds like not everyone was honest as Tony. He adds, "By the way, i noticed the place was unusually busy today. I imagine a few people informed their friends who told their friends..." What would you have done? Select your answer from our morality poll inside...

Apple Sends You Replacement Laptop With Broken Keyboard, Apologizes Wtih Free Sims 2 [Accolades]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:35:00 EDT

Terry writes:

I work in an IT dept at a tech company in Utah and we have about half Apple computers and half PCs. We had a 17" MacBook Pro with a bad hard drive, so I sent it in with AppleCare and got it back within a couple days. They sent it back with a new hard drive, a new battery, and a broken keyboard! There was tape covering the tab, caps lock, and shift keys and when I lifted it off, the caps lock key came with it! (see picture)...

Also, many of the keys around the caps lock key were very sticky. So, one of the repair techs probably spilled something on the keyboard and then tried to clean it off, but took out the caps lock key in the process. So, I called them back and they were great! They said they wanted to make it up to me by giving me some free stuff. The rep offered me an Apple shirt, or a hat, or some software. I considered Adobe CS3 Premium, but figured that was pushing my luck. My wife wanted The Sims 2 for her MacBook, so asked for that. The next morning, it was at my desk! Apple has 2 new very impressed customers.

Apple once again demonstrates the 3 stages of good customer service when something goes wrong 1. Apologize 2. Fix problem for reals 3. Offer item of material value to show you're really sorry.

Protesting Honda Civic SI Get Transmission TSB [Followups]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 17:20:04 EDT

Those Honda Civic SI owners who were holding protests in front of dealerships about the widespread transmission problem (where the 3rd gear kept grinding, popping out and randomly going into neutral), finally have their day. Honda issued a TSB (technical service bulletin) on the issue, so now owners experiencing the problem can go their dealership and get it repaired for free, provided they are still under warranty. It's not quite the recall owners were hoping for, but it's something. Guess Honda has now heard of the problem they previously said they "never heard of before." Must have been all that negative news coverage. Here's links to the TSB (for Honda dealers, for Acura dealers (PDF)) so you can print it out and bring with you. Inside, one of the original newscasts covering the uproar.

Honda and Acura 6 Speed Manual Problem Addressed - TSB Released [Automotivearticles](Thanks to Mark!)

PREVIOUSLY: Honda Ignores Civic SI Owners' Complaints About Faulty Transmissions

Satire: Home Depot Honors Fallen Veterans With "Memorial Decks" [Videos]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:40:44 EDT

The Onion News Network delivers a mock news sketch where an interview with the mother of a fallen US soldier is interwoven with bald-faced Home Depot ads. It skewers in-programming product placement, retailers bestowing empty honors to capitalize on tragedy and drive sales, and all those morning "news" talk shows with the substance of a used candy wrapper. And, according to America's second-finest news source, Best Week Ever, this is actually sorta based on reality.

ONN Video About Home Depot Cashing In On War Vets Would Be More Funny If It Were Less True [Best Week Ever]

The state of Florida is offering single-family ... [Florida]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:10:14 EDT

The state of Florida is offering single-family homeowners in the state free wind inspections that can then be used to get insurance discounts. [My Safe Florida Home]

Going broke on $100,000: A sample budget ... [Budgets]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 15:01:08 EDT

Going broke on $100,000: A sample budget showing how easy it is for a family making six figures and with 2 kids to get sucked into deficit spending. [Dr. Housing Bubble]

3-Part Amazon Coupon Code Book [Deals]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:56:04 EDT

CouponCodesMall has rounded up some previously published Amazon deal hacks into one Amazon coupon code e-book in three parts:

1) Working coupon codes for specific products and categories
2) an easy-to-use widget to search by category for discounted products depending how much of a percentage they're on sale for
3) An Amazon deal search engine

Number 3 is probably the most useful one. Rebate checks start arriving Monday... just because you're stimulating the economy doesn't mean you need to overpay.

Amazon Coupons & Review [Coupon Codes Mall]

If you thought AT&T's $2 fee to pay a bill ... [Fees]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:39:23 EDT

If you thought AT&T's $2 fee to pay a bill in cash in-store was bad, wait till it goes up to $5. The price increase is scheduled for later this year. [Red Tape Chronicles]

American Express' profits fell 6% as more ... [Debt]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:27:57 EDT

American Express' profits fell 6% as more Americans defaulted on their credit card debts. [NYT]

4 Hints For Getting Your Ticket Money Back When The Airline Goes Bankrupt [Airlines]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:42:56 EDT

We got passed a communique from the Fiserv debit-card processing company to its clients that offers some insights for consumers concerned about getting their money back if they have bought tickets on an airline that has gone bankrupt (as several have recently). Here's the takeaways:

Chargebacks can be filed on all tickets, whether they were purchased directly from the airline or from a third-party
You don't have to take a replacement flight offered by another carrier if you don't want to
You have 120 days from the date of expected travel to file a chargeback
Depending on merchant policy, travel insurance may be transferable or redeemable

(Thanks to mac-phisto!)

(Photo: Getty)

Landlord's Crappy Boiler Costs Us Big Time [Ask The Consumerists]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:27:15 EDT

Marcie writes:

I live in a 750 square foot apartment in Brooklyn, NY. Per the lease agreement, my roommate and I signed to pay the heat separate from the rent. The first gas bill we received was $750, and the following gas bill was roughly the same amount. We knew that the price of gas was expensive, but for two people who make great pains to use the heat only when absolutely necessary, and occasionally use the stove to boil a pot of water, this seemed ridiculous. For all of 2007, we owe roughly $2000 in gas costs.

The gas company inspected our boiler; we were told that it was inefficient and outdated, and that our boiler, though supposedly hooked up to meters separate from the rest of the building, used to heat the entire building. We brought the matter to our landlord, even showing him the graph provided by the gas company that demonstrates that we are paying triple that of the average customer in our area. When we asked him to compensate us for half of what we owe, he laughed in our face and refused. Does Consumerist or any of its readers know - do we have any form of recourse? Are there rules and regulations concerning the standards by which a boiler must run at? Are there rules and regulations concerning the repairs a landlord must make on a utility that is paid for by the tenant? Also, my advice to anyone considering entering a rental agreement where the cost of heat is not included in the rent - don't do it. Thank You for Reading, Marcie

(Photo: Getty)

Round 32: News Corp vs Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company [Worst Company In America]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:12:00 EDT

This is Round 32 in our Worst Company in America contest, News Corp vs Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company, marking the end of tier 1 voting (phew!). Vote which sucks more, inside...

Here's what our readers said when they nominated these two companies:

News Corp:
"The company that brings us Faux News, crappy reality series on Fox and the hive of scum (idiot self-centered teens) and villainy (sexual predators) that is MySpace. Oh yeah, and the Post too! Not only they want the WSJ, they want a piece of Yahoo! as well."
"Allah/God/SpaceInvaders have mercy on you morons that don't know why."

Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company:
No readers specified why, but we suspect it has to do with them putting cows they knew were sick into the food supply for little kiddies to eat for their school lunch. Just look up "downer cows."

This is a post in our Worst Company In America 2008 series. The companies nominated for this honor were chosen by you, the readers. Keep track of all the goings on at consumerist.com/tag/worst-company-in-america/

STILL OPEN FOR VOTING:
Chase vs United Healthcare
Clear Channel vs Toyota
Countrywide Home Loans vs Dish Network
Sprint vs Hewlett Packard
Blue Cross Blue Shield vs CNN
Gamestop vs Monster Cable
Bank Of America vs Toys R' Us
Toshiba vs Microsoft
US Airways vs Washington Mutual
American Airlines vs Blockbuster
Time Warner Cable vs Radioshack
Wellpoint vs Charter Cable
Dell vs Home Depot
Sears vs Citibank
Wal-Mart vs TJMaxx
Mattel vs ATT
Capital One vs Video Professor
eBay/Paypal vs COX
Apple vs SallieMae
Diebold Vs Pfizer
MTV vs TransUnion
CompUSA vs DirecTV
Target vs Best Buy
Allstate vs Verizon
DeBeers vs 1800 flowers
Starbucks vs United Airlines
Exxon vs Crocs
Google Vs Sony
Ticketmaster vs Wachovia
Facebook vs The American Arbitration Association
Comcast vs Menu Foods

Sprint Sends You Bill For $32,669 [Complaints]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:46:09 EDT

Jessie opened his Sprint bill and nearly had a heart attack. Staring back at him was in big bold letters: COLLECTION AGENCY ALERT. After recovering, Jessie looked at his bill and nearly had a second heart attack. It said the amount due was $32,669.00. Huh? Had his cellphone been hacked? Used as a call-home payphone for a neighborhood of Tajikistan émigrés? Used by NASA as a Space Station communications channel? Take a guess and then see the answer inside...

After calling The Consumerist Sprint Executive Customer Service number (703-433-4401), it turns out that Sprint misprinted the bill for lots of people, accidentally moving the decimal two places to the right. The error has now been fixed and Jessie only owes $326.69. "One question remains though," asks Jessie, "will debt collectors be knocking at my door for this mistake?"

Craiglist Sex Ads Were ID Theft Trap [Casual Encounters]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:15:21 EDT

A Minneapolis area crime duo have been arrested for luring people on Craigslist to sexual encounters, then stealing their wallets. Amy Ruth Bergquist and Eric Thorsen are accused of then using the wallets' contents to steal the person's identity to forge checks and pay for their Adderal and Dexedrine addictions. Didn't momma ever tell you not to talk to strangers online and then try to have sex with them?

Eagan couple's sex ads on craigslist were a setup for ID theft [StarTribune] (Thanks to Gregg!)

10 Ways To Save Real Money [Money]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:34:15 EDT

The champagne is dry and crusty, and all the hundred-dollar bills used to light cigars have crumbled into ash. It's time to tighten our belts and get real about spending less and saving more. Here's 10 ways to save some serious cash...

10. Got any bank fees? Ask the bank to waive one as a courtesy
Most banks will give you at least one courtesy fee waive per year, but they won't do it unless you ask 'em first.

9. Lower Your APR by threatening to switch to another credit card company
Try saying this: "I think I've been a good customer. I'd like to stay with you, but I really want you to lower the rate on my card. Can you help me?"

8. Use a 0% balance transfer to get a reprieve from credit card interest for a few months
Many credit card companies offer 0% balance transfer deals where you can move your balance from another company's card to theirs, and enjoy 0% APR for a few months. Be careful to read all the rules though, because if you break some of them, you can shoot back up to your old rate or higher. Also the 0% is for a limited time, so mark your calendar and be prepared to shift your funds again.

7. Lower your cable bill by threatening to cancel
Many of our readers have had success with this one. Mention competing offers you've researched and ask for them to give you a reason to stick around.

6. Get your spending under control so you're paying off your credit card in full every month, and avoid paying extra interest
If you carrying a balance and paying finance charges on it, it amounts to an extra tax on everything you purchased. Why should you pay someone for your own money?

5. Pack your own lunch, make your own coffee, cook at home
Eating out is expensive, and those lattes add up. Rediscover the joy of cooking and you'll feel enriched in more ways than just your pocketbook.

4. Adjust your tax withholdings so you're not giving the IRS an interest-free loan
If you get a big ol rebate from the IRS, you may be claiming too few withholdings. I'm sure you know many better things to do with that money throughout the year than the IRS does. Here's how to do it.

3. Take advantage of new low interest rates by refinancing your home to a lower rate
Pay a little less each month and that can add up to several thousands of dollars in savings over the life of the loan.

2. Switch to paying for most things in cash only...
Money hurts more. Pay for things in physical cash and you may find yourself making better purchase decisions.
...And then put all your pocket change in a piggy bank
The piggy bank can now become your Wii fund, or your vacation fund, or your new wardrobe fund. When it gets full, take it to Commerce Bank's Penny Arcade and cash it in for free.

1. Make a budget
Simply monitoring your money forces you to be wiser with how you use it. I consider the personal budget the financial dashboard to making sure I'm master of my money instead of the other way around. Here's a few tools to get you started:

Consumerist's 9-Step Beginner's Budget
An excel sheet I made that does the job rather well, if I may say so myself.
The Zero Based Budget
The idea behind it is that every single dollar you earn will get allocated to a specific category. There is no money sloshing around, you have total mastery over all of your money.
How To Budget With An Irregular Income
Most budgets assume a steady paycheck, but if your income comes in spurts, here's a great way to still keep your bills paid and your money under control.
8 Free Personal Finance Management Programs (And 4 Pay Ones)
A roundup of Consumerist reader's favorite budget tools.

(Photo: Getty)

Round 31: Chase vs United Healthcare [Worst Company In America]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:22:56 EDT

This is Round 31 in our Worst Company in America contest, Chase vs United Healthcare. Vote which sucks more, inside...

Here's what our readers said when they nominated these two companies:

Chase:
"Nothing about their credit cards is good. They are legalized loan sharks."
"They like to play musical payment-due-dates."
"raises rates without notice, etc."
"I got a credit card with them that was supposed to be 0% interest. The first time I carried over a balance they charged me interest. And than I have received no end to the special offers that they offer through their card. They are the most annoying credit card company out there."
"Their customer service sucks, they abuse their employees and they are one of the big four behind the Payday Loan industry."
"I've been through hell with Chase credit services"

United Health Care:
"Ruining people's lives and/or killing them"
"Their service is abysmal, and they're currently being sued for it. They intentionally underpay both medical providers and consumers."
"All their employees upstairs got to the cafeteria before I did (at 11:55) and bought up all the Chicken Parm Rotellos for lunch. I really wanted one... I had to settle for crappy pizza."
"Any company in the business of letting people die is a bad one."
"operate on "screw the customer" as their guiding principle. United Health also offers the additional service of making life miserable for actual health care providers."
"absolute bottom of the pile insurance company."

STILL OPEN FOR VOTING:
Clear Channel vs Toyota
Countrywide Home Loans vs Dish Network
Sprint vs Hewlett Packard
Blue Cross Blue Shield vs CNN
Gamestop vs Monster Cable
Bank Of America vs Toys R' Us
Toshiba vs Microsoft
US Airways vs Washington Mutual
American Airlines vs Blockbuster
Time Warner Cable vs Radioshack
Wellpoint vs Charter Cable
Dell vs Home Depot
Sears vs Citibank
Wal-Mart vs TJMaxx
Mattel vs ATT
Capital One vs Video Professor
eBay/Paypal vs COX
Apple vs SallieMae
Diebold Vs Pfizer
MTV vs TransUnion
CompUSA vs DirecTV
Target vs Best Buy
Allstate vs Verizon
DeBeers vs 1800 flowers
Starbucks vs United Airlines
Exxon vs Crocs
Google Vs Sony
Ticketmaster vs Wachovia
Facebook vs The American Arbitration Association
Comcast vs Menu Foods

Friday Consumerist Flickr Pool Finds [Readers]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:50:30 EDT

Here are five special photos that readers added to The Consumerist Flickr Pool this week, chosen because they're both neat and could possibly be used in a Consumerist post. Our Flickr Pool is the place where Consumerist readers go and upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click "Join Group?" up on the top right, and start hitting "send to group" on your individual photos you want to add to the pool.

(Photo: dylan.greene)

(Photo: Robrrt)

(Photo: Breslow)

(Photo: AComment)

(Photo: CurtisJoeWalker)

Add your shots to The Consumerist Flickr pool, and perhaps they'll get featured in a future story, or even highlighted in a Friday Consumerist Flickr Pool Finds post.

How To Thaw Your Frozen HELOC [Personal Finance]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 09:47:57 EDT

According to Yahoo Finance, there are several things you can do if you are one of the many homeowners who found out that their home equity line of credit was frozen by the lender. If your HELOC is frozen you can:

Accept the lender's new terms and use other sources
Try to appeal the freeze by contacting your lender and asking them about their appeals process.
Try to refinance with another lender if your current lender won't budge.

The appeals process will most likely require a new appraisal of your home's value, which will cost you a few hundred dollars. If you are in an area that hasn't experienced falling home values, appealing the freeze might work. Just be sure and check your credit report before you appeal as some freezes might occur due to something on your credit report.

It might also be possible to refinance with a different lender if your credit is in good shape and your home's value is stable. Just remember that a refinance may involve closing costs.

— JLP, AllFinancialMatters

(Photo: Getty)

Morning Deals [Shopping]

Ben Popken — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:32:47 EDT

Woot: Electronic Metro Triple Charger for $4.99
AirTran: One-way flights from $39
Buy.com: JVC HANC100 Noise Cancelling Headphones for $39.99

Highlights From Dealhack

Tiger Direct: Lexmark Wireless Inkjet Printer & Trendnet WiFi Router Bundle only $40
Dell Business: Dual Core Vostro 200 Desktop PC & 20-inch LCD $469 Shipped
Geeks: Lite-on Dual Layer DVD Recorder with DivX & HD-Upscaled Playback $80

Consumerist

Men Go Mad In Herds [Economy]

Meet Guest Bloggers Carrie McLaren And Jason Torchinsky Of Ad Nauseam And StayFree [PSAs]

AIG's WCIA 2009 Award Mailed [Aig]

Personal Finance Roundup [Money]

10 Things Financial Planners Won't Tell You [Investing]

Continental Takes 2nd Child To Wrong Airport [Continental]

Furloughs: Welcome Or Lousy? [Furlough]

Sell Your House With Well-Lit Photos [Photography]

Zecco Accidentally Increases Some Customers' Buying Power By Millions [Online Brokerage]

How Badass Is Your Butt-Wipe? Consumer Reports Tests Toilet Paper [Videos]

4 resources for researching if your car has ... [Cars]

Comcast's Official Make A New Pot Of Coffee Policy [Leaks]

What Happens To This Stuff Left In A Foreclosed House? [Videos]

Reach Bank Of America Executive Customer Relations [Phone Numbers]

Updated: Reach HSBC Executive Customer Service [Phone Numbers]

Updated: Reach Verizon Landline Executive Customer Service [Phone Numbers]

Updated: Contact DISH Executive Customer Service [Call Charles Ergen]

Updated: Fry's Electronics Home Office Company Directory [Phone Numbers]

Email Addresses For 17 Bank Of America Executives [Email Ken Lewis]

Woman eBays $103,254.11 In Debt [EBay]

The Legend Of The $1.549 Gas [Polls]

Apple Sends You Replacement Laptop With Broken Keyboard, Apologizes Wtih Free Sims 2 [Accolades]

Protesting Honda Civic SI Get Transmission TSB [Followups]

Satire: Home Depot Honors Fallen Veterans With "Memorial Decks" [Videos]

The state of Florida is offering single-family ... [Florida]

Going broke on $100,000: A sample budget ... [Budgets]

3-Part Amazon Coupon Code Book [Deals]

If you thought AT&T's $2 fee to pay a bill ... [Fees]

American Express' profits fell 6% as more ... [Debt]

4 Hints For Getting Your Ticket Money Back When The Airline Goes Bankrupt [Airlines]

Landlord's Crappy Boiler Costs Us Big Time [Ask The Consumerists]

Round 32: News Corp vs Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing Company [Worst Company In America]

Sprint Sends You Bill For $32,669 [Complaints]

Craiglist Sex Ads Were ID Theft Trap [Casual Encounters]

10 Ways To Save Real Money [Money]

Round 31: Chase vs United Healthcare [Worst Company In America]

Top Posts Of The Week [Roundups]

Friday Consumerist Flickr Pool Finds [Readers]

How To Thaw Your Frozen HELOC [Personal Finance]

Morning Deals [Shopping]