Consumerist
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wire transfer fraud
MoneyGram Agrees To Pay $18 Million Back To Fraud Victims
MoneyGram International announced today that it would pay $18 million to the FTC to settle charges it allowed wire fraud to happen between 2004 and 2008. MoneyGram's press release notes that they disagree with the FTC's view of the matter, but $18 million is a hell of a lot of money to pay if you don't think you were in the wrong. The press release from the FTC, on the other hand, provides plenty of detail illustrating MoneyGram's negligence, as well as the criminal behavior of some of its employees who were in on the frauds. More » -
zombie brands
Linens 'N Things Resurrected (In Canada)
In today's marketplace, going out of business doesn't mean you go away forever. Your storefronts may disappear, but you'll just pop up again online—like CompUSA and Circuit City—or you'll come back on someone else's shelves as a brand, like Linens 'N Things. More » -
privacy
Complaint From Canada Prompts Facebook Privacy Changes
If you're suspicious of Facebook's use of your personal data, the social networking site has made some recent changes that may make you very happy. And for this, you canblamethank Canada. More » -
airlines
Sunwing Airlines Also Breaks Guitars - Then Replaces Them
Musician Dave Carroll told us that United breaks guitars, but did you know that other airlines break guitars, too? Oh yes!
...You probably could have guessed that. More »
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Tim Horton's a Canadian doughnut place that, I'm told, is awesome. The chain opened 12 locations in NYC today, prompting excited people to email us about it. Example: "Tim Hortons is in NYC! Tim Horton's takes Manhattan! Exciting! Let's tell the world!" The world has now been told, but help us out here — what should New Yorkers order on their first trip to Tim Horton's? [Tim Horton's] (Thanks, Dave!)
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mobile data
Data Roaming: Don't Try This On The AT&T Network
For as long as there's been mobile Internet, there have been outrageous roaming charges for using mobile Internet abroad. Now, people affected by this issue have a celebrity spokesman: Adam Savage of "Mythbusters" fame. More » -
smuggling
Movie Theater Pays $10,000 Damages In Snack Search Lawsuit
What ruins your movie-going experience more than being searched for surreptitious snacks? Having your mom discover that you're taking birth control pills when movie theater employees go through your purse. More » -
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facebait
Debt Collectors Using Cute Chicks On Facebook As Bait
Debt collectors are using cute chicks as bait on Facebook to track down and keep track of debtors. For some reason, someone at CBV collections decided to out the truth behind the online construct "Jenny Anderson," that she was the tool of professional skiptracers, to all 658 of her "friends." Reader Bryan, who happens to be a reporter, was one of them, and he took a snapshot and interviewed "Jenny" a bit. The story, inside... More » -
the source
Circuit City Puts The Source Up For Sale
With the demise of Circuit City, several of you wondered what's going to happen to The Source (that's how you say Circuit City in Canadian). The answer is that they're on the auction block. [Canoe.Money] (Thanks to Mario Pants!) -
advance fee scams
No, You Should Not Give Nigerian Scammers $150,000 To Claim Your Inheritance
22 year-old John Rempel gave Nigerian scammers $150,000 while chasing what he thought was a $12.8 million inheritance. Rempel ended up borrowing money from his parents and uncle, and even traveled all the way to London to meet with the scammers in person.
They met Rempel the next day with a suitcase. They said it had $10.6 million in shrink-wrapped U.S. bills. Rempel wanted more proof. His new friends pulled out one bill and “cleansed” it with a liquid “formula,” which washed off some kind of stamp. Rempel was told that process made the money “legal tender.”
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oh canada
Why Are People Finding DayQuil Inside Smarties Candy?
Well, this is a weird one. People in Canada are finding DayQuil capsules inside sealed boxes of Smarties candy. So far, seven small "Halloween sized" boxes of the candy have been found to contain the cold medicine. More » -
coke
Coke Never Advertised To Kids, Is "Wholesome"
I don't have kids, but if I did, instead of breastfeeding them I would give them bottles of Coke. That's because Coke is "wholesome." And if they grew up drinking Coke, it would be because of the decisions I made and choices I taught them to take, because Coke has never advertised to kids. Both these "becauses" are supplied by Coca-Cola. See, Dr. Dr. Yoni Freedhoff spotted an ad page 1632 of the June 17th edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal that said: More » -
coupons
People Think Coupon Users Are Cheapskates, Unless You're Hot
If you use coupons in a store, your fellow shoppers are probably negatively judging you as being cheap, according to a new study. The stigma extends to those around the coupon redeemer as well. However, if you're hot, you get a reprieve. The study had people watch consumers cash coupons, and then interviewed the participants afterward for their reaction. The stigma is lessened if you don't know the person using the coupon, the coupon is of high value, if they're in a different line, and if the coupon-user is a hottie. Researchers proposed that the reason for the coupon-hating is "the modern consumer tends to prize status and luxury over thrift."
Stigma by Association in Coupon Redemption: Looking Cheap because of Others [Journal of Consumer Research] (Photo: Getty)
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scams
Scammers Pose As Grandchildren Pleading For Emergency Cash
The BBB has issued a warning about a distressing telephone scam that's increasing in popularity. The target? Grandparents. Scammers based in Canada are thought to be randomly dialing US phone numbers until they reach someone who sounds like a senior citizen. They then pose as a grandchild who has been in a car accident and needs emergency money. More » -
ask the consumerists
$50 Import Charge For eBay Items From USA To Canada?
Inquiring readers named Kurt want to know: If a buyer from Canada buys something from someone in America on eBay, pays for it, including shipping, and then it shows up with a $50 C.O.D. charge for imports and customs, is that kosher? Discuss... -
att
The $19,370 ATT Phone Bill
You really got to be careful when using cellphones or wireless data plans internationally, otherwise you'll end up racking up $19,370 on your AT&T AirCard like this American kid did in Canada. It would be nice if they made some kind of warning system that said hey, you're spending several hundred times what you normally do, are you sure you want to continue, but then again, it would also be nice if a cupcake appeared on my desk right now.
Family Racks Up $19,370 Cell Phone Bill [WFTV] (Thanks to everyone who sent this in!)
canada
New York, 8:27 AM
Sun Nov 8
7 posts in the last 24 hours
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