• lawsuits

    How To File A Lawsuit

    Consumerist empowers consumers to take on bad companies, but sometimes even the negative PR that Consumerist can bring to bear is not enough to persuade companies to behave. When that happens, you might have to sue in order to get what you want. Here is a brief guide to your options when you decide you need to escalate your complaint to the courts. More »

    2:57 PM on Mon Dec 1 2008
    By Sam Glover
    6,257 views, 29 comments

    Most discussed Eyebrows McGee: Make sure you check the fees (often available online). I live in a county where filing a small claims case more »

  • success stories

    EECB Convinces Best Buy To Pay For Damage To Car

    Here's a good example of how to write an effective Executive Email Carpet Bomb, or EECB, to break through the "please hold" purgatory of the company's phone system. Alicia's car's bumper was scratched by a Best Buy employee, and calling consumer relations as directed proved fruitless. Now she's got a check in her hands from Best Buy to pay for the repairs.

    We have quite a few stories now about Best Buy responding favorably to EECBs, which goes to show that if you can find a way to reach the company's executives—and you write a good EECB—your odds of having your problem favorably resolved improves considerably. More »

    6:34 PM on Thu Nov 20 2008
    By Chris Walters
    10,590 views, 48 comments

    Most discussed Mless: ...46" TV in a Fit? wow... more »

  • success stories

    Reader Talks Citibank Down To A Lower Interest Rate On Her Credit Card

    Nicole was hit with a surprise 6 point interest rate increase on her Citicard, so she fought back. Her story is a good reminder that you should look at all of your options and be prepared to argue on your behalf, even if you're not in a position where you can just pay off the entire balance and walk away. More »

    1:27 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
    By Chris Walters
    7,069 views, 47 comments

    Most discussed h3llc4t: I like how she casually threw in that the rep didn't have an accent. Classy. more »

  • enterprise

    Enterprise EECB Saves Man From Unjustly Paying $560 For Bumper Scratch

    Enterprise Car Rental charged Mike $560 for a scratch on the bumper he felt was unfair, but after he followed The Consumerist's instructions on sending an Executive Email Carpet Bomb (EECB), all that changed. "Long story short," he writes, "Within ONE DAY, that email was forward with highlights , such as URGENT -PLEASE RESOLVE, and ultimately reached the northeast manager, who called me and apologized profusely for their poor handling of the situation, and WAIVED ALL charges ($560 for repairs). done..all wiped... GONE!!! THANK you for publishing that thread.. it absolutely positively works!!!"

    So, if the low-level peons are ripping you off, try appealing to the higher authorities, en-masse, via EECB.
    (Photo: Alexis Deadly)

    1:33 PM on Fri Nov 7 2008
    By Ben Popken
    6,512 views, 38 comments

    Most discussed okinawadato: reviled? ERAC is most definitely a nightmare. Now that we have gotten the business side's opinion, here's the consumer's: 1. Don't be more »

  • How To Avoid Record-High Bank Fees

    Bank fees are increasingly disproportionate to the cost of business they're supposed to cover, as shown inBankrate's latest annual survey of consumer banking costs.
    • Average NSF (non sufficient fund) fee: $28.95, a 2.5% increase from last year
    • Average ATM surcharge is $1.97, up 1%
    • The minimum balance required to avoid fees on interest checking accounts at a brick and mortar bank: $3,461.84, up 4%
    • The average minimum required to open an online checking account: $650.81, up $517.48
    Fees are designed to take advantage of your inattention. To avoid getting tripped up... More »

    1:00 PM on Mon Nov 3 2008
    By Ben Popken
    4,010 views, 34 comments

    Most discussed RagingBoehner: Where are ATM fees only $1.97? I haven't seen them below $2.50 in a couple years, and usually they're $3 more »

  • halloween

    How To: Carve A Pumpkin Without Butchering Yourself

    We like you, so in the interest of getting you and your family to Thanksgiving with all of your fingers attached, we'd like to direct your attention to some pumpkin carving "how to" info. More »

    12:48 PM on Thu Oct 30 2008
    By Meg Marco
    8,514 views, 43 comments

  • lawyers

    Find A Consumer Lawyer

    Reader Jeff wants help finding a lawyer:

    Ben,

    I have been a long term lurker of The Consumerist. I have searched up and down Google looking for a Consumer Protection Lawyer. I was wondering if you could post on The Consumerist some tips on finding a good lawyer. Any help would be appreciated.

    Here's our advice for Jeff: More »

    7:03 PM on Thu Oct 23 2008
    By Ben Popken
    5,670 views, 41 comments

  • banking

    Stop Payment Orders On Checks Only Last Six Months

    Jennifer says National City Bank has contacted her fiance to inform him that the stop payment order he placed on a check is about to expire, and he'll have to pay another $32 fee to renew it for six more months. She writes, "Have you heard of stop payment now only being 'suspend payment for six months'? This seems to me to be extortion." We're going to come down on the side of the banks in this case—but because of the recurring nature of the fee, it might just be cheaper to close the account. More »

    12:01 PM on Wed Oct 8 2008
    By Chris Walters
    9,129 views, 52 comments

    Most discussed TheWraithL98: most banks have a policy of not taking checks past 6 months. virtually every printed check has a disclaimer on more »

  • how to

    The Idiot-Proof Way To Securely Use Public Wi-Fi

    We talk a lot on this blog about personal data and privacy, but not so much about how to secure that data on your own computer. That's because a.) we're not Lifehacker and b.) the solutions frequently bloat into crazy, jargon-filled recipes that scare away the non-IT crowd. Not this time! For all you novices, here is a single idea you should consider that will help keep your personal data personal, and make your identity that much harder to steal. More »

    Feature

    1:30 PM on Mon Oct 6 2008
    By Chris Walters
    46,444 views, 76 comments

    Most discussed mariospants: Just a question for you uber geeks: after a little researching, I could find no real way (outside of the more »