Consumerist
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paranoid
Ulta Manager: "Take Your Pen To Your Car, You're Not Allowed To Write Anything Down"
In a world where smartphones can shoot video, snap photos, record audio, scan barcodes, and let you make price comparisons via text message, it's almost funny to run into a paranoid manager like the one at an Ulta makeup store in Seattle. Well, funny except for that petty tyrant part where she tells you that you'll have to take your old-school pen and papers out to the car and come back empty handed before she'll sell you any makeup. More » -
walmart is your god now
Walmart Goes Crazy On Couple Suspected Of Shoplifting
Walmart can try to spin itself as being on the side of good all it wants, but if it ever suspects you of shoplifting, you may find that you're powerless to fight back. In the case of a couple accused of shoplifting some Bic lighters in Niles, Michigan this past August, Walmart detained them, the police came and cuffed one of them, their two kids were taken to a security room, and—after a review of security footage proved the couple's innocence—they were banned for life from all Walmarts. To top it off, Walmart's legal team has sent the couple a letter asking to be reimbursed for 10 times the value of the lighters, even though the police determined no shoplifting had taken place. More » -
badvertising
Woman Sues Toyota For Convincing Her She Was Being Stalked
It's probably a bad idea to market to consumers by tricking them with practical jokes. It's definitely a bad idea to make a consumer fear for her safety over a five day period because she thinks a stalker is coming after her. That's why a woman in Los Angeles is suing Toyota for $10 million after being on the receiving end of a Punk'd-style stunt to promote the Toyota Matrix. More » -
debt collectors
Lawsuit: Debt Collector Harassment Contributed To Man's Death
When a Florida man suffered a heart attack, he needed to leave his job. Between everyday expenses and medical bills, he fell behind on his mortgage and other bills, and debt collectors began calling. And calling. And calling. Eventually, a lawsuit alleges, the stress from the harassing and abusive phone calls led to the man's death. Frivolous lawsuit? Maybe not. More » -
collection agencies
NY Attorney General Shuts Down Abusive Debt Collection Operation, Puts Owner's Rap Career On Hold
The New York Attorney General shut down a network of debt collection agencies today that were run by convicted felon Tobias Boyland, who along with his colleagues impersonated police officers, threatened debtors with arrest, and told them they were being sued in civil court. Boyland is also an author and a musician, and he has an awesome website, bagsofmoney.us, which—warning—launches into a street-friendly rap song as soon as it loads. More » -
harassment
Traveler Detained For Carrying "Too Much" Cash Sues TSA
Back in March, Steve Bierfeldt was pulled aside while going through the security line at Lambert-St. Louis (Missouri) International Airport, taken to a room, and questioned for half an hour about the box of cash he was trying to check through. Bierfeldt, who works for a Ron Paul organization, recorded the conversation. Now with the help of the ACLU he's suing the TSA. More » -
contests
This Subway Shop In Virginia Promotes Timeshares
Tim thought he was entering an innocent giveaway at his local Subway in Warrenton, Virginia earlier this month. Nope. It was just timeshare bait. We wish the Subway would have known better than to allow the dropbox in their store to begin with, but after reading Tim's story you'll know what to watch out for should you run into a similar contest. More » -
irs
IRS Fires Private Debt Collectors, Plans To Pursue Deadbeats On Its Own
The IRS has ended a controversial program that allowed private debt collectors to pursue individual debts owed to the government. The private debt collectors, described as "bounty hunters who collect taxes from vulnerable people for profit," were allowed to keep 25% of any collected debts for themselves. Before we celebrate, let's all take a moment to join Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa in thinking about those poor private debt collectors who no longer have jobs harassing and abusing people... More » -
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gaming
Microsoft's Policy Regarding Identifying Sexual Orientation On XBOX Live
Teresa, the reader who was banned from XBOX Live for self-identifying as a lesbian, caused quite a stir on the internet. Joystiq managed to get a statement out of Microsoft regarding the issue. Microsoft says they do not allow expressions of sexuality of any kind in GamerTags or in profiles, and that they take harassment "very seriously." More » -
debt collectors
Debunking The Debt Collectors' Spin Doctors
The nation's economic woes make debt collection a topic du jour, but while there are some good bits mixed into the Washington Post's article, "When Debt Collectors Disrupt Dinner," it probably should have been titled "What Debt Collectors Would Like You To Say And Do When They Call About The Credit Card." Read it with a shaker of salt. Read on for the good, the bad, and the lazy reporting, plus what you should actually to protect and exercise your rights as a debtor... More » -
proactiv
Proactiv Saleswoman Goes Insane When You Try To Return The Product
Amanda just had a frightening experience with the woman at the Proactiv kiosk in her hometown of Hattiesburg, Mississippi: "[Mall security] told me to come over and get away from her because she would not stop yelling, and refusing to do anything until I was out of her sight." [Update: we've received more information on who to contact to resolve this issue. Check out the bottom of the post for details.] More » -
telemarketing
Tired Of Telemarketers? Try Suing Them
In yesterday's post on rude telemarketers and the people who hang up on them, reader/advice giver Amy Alkon said she just successfully sued a telemarketer in Santa Monica Small Claims Court—and won! If you're one of those unlucky people who can't get the calls to stop, here's how she did it. More » -
Leverage Connections
Meet Leverage Connections, King Of The Robocallers
Last week we reported that some types of unwanted robocall telemarketing will soon be banned. If you're on the receiving end of Leverage Connections' prerecorded harassment—they frequently operate under the generic names "Consumer Services" or "Credit Card Services"—you'll finally have a way to formally complain to the FTC about them. Why would you want to complain? Because they're the scammiest, most obnoxious robocall telemarketing company we've seen so far—even though what they do is apparently legal. More » -
telemarketing
FTC Listens To Your Complaints, (Mostly) Bans Telemarketer Robocalls
After reviewing the more than 14,000 comments left by living human beings, the FTC yesterday amended its Telemarketing Sales Rule to ban most types of robotic telemarketing calls. By this December, any recorded calls will have to lead off with an automated opt-out option; by September 2009, telemarketers will need prior written permission to contact someone—simply being a recent customer won't cut it.
Of course, there are still exceptions. More »
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att
AT&T Calls 9 Times In 12 Days Trying To Sell DSL
Would you buy DSL service from a company that either doesn't care about Do Not Call lists or doesn't know how they work? A man in Missouri was harassed to the point where he considered calling the police, because no matter what he did, AT&T wouldn't stop calling. Every time he tried contacting AT&T to get it to stop, he ended up in automated phone systems with recorded messages, busy signals, and disconnections—but never a live person. Only after he wrote to a local consumer advocacy columnist did AT&T pay attention and turn off the telemarketing fire hose. AT&T didn't, however, explain why they were targeting this person, or whether anyone else is facing the same barrage of calls. More » -
debt collectors
Psycho Debt Collectors Will Not Stop Calling Me About Someone Else's Debt
Reader Rachael wants to know if there's any way she can get a harassing debt collector to stop calling her 3 times a day — looking for someone else who used to have her number. More » -
rude
Dear T-Mobile: Please Stop Sending 5 Text Messages At 5 AM Every Month To Say That My Billing Cycle Has Started
Dustin is angry and tired because T-Mobile sends him five text messages at 5 a.m. on the 11th of every month to let him know that his billing cycle has started. He asked T-Mobile to stop sending the useless message, but they insist that the texts are a "feature" that can't be disabled. Their solution? "Put [the] phone on silent on the 10th of every month." More » -
leaks
Exclusive: AOL's Collections Guide Encourages Agents To Lie And Deceive
An anonymous tipster sent us AOL's 153 page internal collections guidebook for prying money out of delinquent account holders. The guide shows that AOL is following some of the debt industry's most egregious collection tactics by encouraging agents to deceive and lie to customers. After the jump we present AOL's scare tactics, tricks to negotiating a substantial discount, and the full collections guide.
More »
harassment
New York, 5:29 AM
Thu Nov 12
19 posts in the last 24 hours
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