Consumerist
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scams
FTC Files Contempt Charge Against BlueHippo For Continuing To Rip Off Customers
Today the FTC lodged a contempt charge against scammy no-credit-needed electronics seller BlueHippo, saying that the company hasn't honored its prior agreement to stop scamming customers. BlueHippo agreed to pay back $3.5 million nearly two years ago to reimburse customers who never received the computers they pre-paid for, but the FTC says since then the company has sucked another $15 million out of customers. More » -
hp
HP Returns Computer With Faulty Repair, Bonus Dust Bunnies
Marc thought he was being practical when be purchased a four-year warranty to go along with his HP desktop. After about a year, the computer failed. No problem. Just send the tower in for some of that stellar HP repair service. Except there's probably a reason why you rarely hear the words "stellar," "HP," and "repair" in the same sentence. More » -
dude, you're eventually getting a Dell
Dell Will Overnight Your Replacement Laptop Within 18 Business Days
Rob tells us he ordered a Dell laptop from their outlet store, but received the wrong machine. He says he called up Dell and asked for them to send the computer that he actually ordered. "Sure," said the nice folks at Dell. "We'll overnight you the correct computer within eighteen business days." Rob was confused. More » -
what the dell
Dell Sells Laptop With External Drive But No Way To Connect It To Computer
David says he bought a Dell tablet that came with an external CD/DVD drive but no way to hook it up, making it all but impossible to install his operating system. More » -
what the dell
I Sent Dell My Laptop And All I Got Back Was This Stupid Hard Drive
Maybe Adam is being a bit unreasonable here, but when he sends in a laptop to be repaired he expects to receive not only the laptop's hard drive, but the entire computer. More » -
above and beyond
NeatReceipts Offers Extra Neat Customer Service
Christopher made a mistake when he ordered a NeatReceipts scanner from Woot. He made some incorrect assumptions and ordered the Windows version of the device when he uses a Mac. But even though he was the one who made the mistake, the neat people at NeatReceipts happily swapped scanners with him—for free. More » -
pcs
Microsoft Stores To Sell Bloatware-Free PCs
If you hate buying a new PC that's riddled with bloatware, you may want to pay a Microsoft Store a visit on your next computer shopping trip. They plan on selling PCs free of any third-party trial applications, reports OhGizmo. More » -
online banking
Citibank Doesn't Want Your Business, Linux Users
For some reason, Citibank won't let customers using Linux computers log in to their online accounts. Adam argues that in 2009 this doesn't make sense, especially when no other major corporate website blocks him like this. More » -
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success stories
Reader Receives $900 For Broken Laptop In Small Claims Court
Ryan in North Dakota bought a very nice HP laptop in 2007. This particular model, he DV6000, has a certain flaw, and HP extended the warranty to cover inevitable repairs. But when the computer broke down for the second time at the tender age of two and a half years, and HP wouldn't repair it for free, he was angry. He had expected to get at least four years' use out of the laptop. More » -
computers
Lenovo Screws Up Every Part Of Computer Purchase
Dan and his roommate had a crazy plan. They would use Dan's credit card to purchase a laptop computer from Lenovo. The roommate would write Dan a check for the total amount the computer cost. Lenovo would ship a working computer to the roommate, thus completing a straightforward exchange of currency and consumer goods. Unfortunately, life is not that simple in the Land of Lenovo. More » -
waiting
Dell Lies About Repairs, Ruins Vacation
Michael emailed us, and Dell, from a loaner computer while he's on a trip. His own laptop isn't working, and thanks to a steady stream of broken promises and incorrect information, now he's stuck without access to the software and development files he needs for his work. More » -
what the dell
Dell Slowly Sends Out Crappier Replacement Laptop
Yuriy's Dell laptop conked out last month, and so far the company has said "Dude, you're NOT getting a Dell" via its convoluted replacement process. All Yuriy has to show for the effort of trying to get the computer replaced is an inferior model. More » -
happy endings
EECB Ends Yearlong Dell Notebook Debacle
Greg struggled for more than a year to get Dell to solve myriad issues with his notebook, but moved things along real quick-like once he ignited an Executive Email Carpet Bomb. He wrote us the following, summarized from two separate messages: More » -
windows 7
Your New Computer's Free Windows 7 Upgrade? Not So Free, Actually
Not many people really want a computer with Windows Vista. The sensible thing for customers who need a computer—but not right away—to do is wait until the launch of Windows 7 and then buy a computer with the much-awaited OS pre-installed. Vendors realize this, and are trying to get Vista-laden machines off their shelves with the promise of a free upgrade to Windows 7 when it comes out. A free upgrade that is not, in fact, free. More » -
badvertising
Microsoft Goes After Malicious Ad Suppliers
If you visited the New York Times website last week, you may have been surprised to have your browsing interrupted by one of those scammy "we're scanning your computer for viruses OH NO YOU HAVE A VIRUS!" ads that overtake your window. Now Microsoft has filed 5 lawsuits in an attempt to fight back against the jerks who may have been responsible for it, and certainly for other ads like it all over the web. More » -
busted
Software Rescues Stolen Laptop From Porn Lover
When Florida businessman David Krop's two laptops were stolen from his car back in February, he didn't have much hope of getting them back. But he decided to try to log in using some remote access software he had installed on one of the computers. The software, LogMeIn, let him in, and he soon found himself seeing the world through new eyes. "Unaware that Krop was spying on his activities, the user of the Toshiba laptop visited porn site after porn site, taking breaks to check e-mail ... and place ads to Craigslist.com for what Krop said appeared to be some kind of female modeling business, " PC World reports. "My eyes just lit up," Krop says. "Just the fact he was online at that moment was amazing." More » -
bad neighbors
Do Not Sign For Your Neighbor's Packages, Then Pawn Them
Fedex delivered a Florida woman's new laptop computer when she wasn't home. It was okay, though—her neighbor signed for it. Then, allegedly, he pawned it. Somehow, authorities tracked him down. Maybe it was the part where he signed his name. More » -
why don't you take a seat over there?
Mac Genius Reports Child Porn On Customer's Computer To Police
A man in Connecticut brought his computer to his local Apple Store for repair due to a software issue (likely a—gasp!—virus) but when he returned to pick it up, learned that the Mac Genius had reported him to the police after finding child pornography on the hard drive. More »
computers
New York, 2:38 PM
Sun Nov 15
7 posts in the last 24 hours
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