Consumerist
badvertising
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verizon
Reach Verizon Wireless Northeast Executive Customer Service
Got a Verizon Wireless problem that regular customer service won't fix? Try escalating it to this guy. Just remember to be PP2P: polite, professional, and to the point.
Aaron J. Fischman
Northeast Area Executive Relations
Laurel, MD
240-568-2459 - Phone
240-568-2726 - Fax
240-568-1771 - Secondary Fax(Photo: Mat Honan)
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receipt checking controversy
Walmart Enlists Help Of Local Police Officer To Force You To Show Receipt
One would think that Walmart would have had enough of the drama that results from receipt checking — but according to reader Eric, that's just not the case. He says he politely declined to show his receipt to the Walmart employee who asked to see it because, unlike with Sam's Club, he had not signed an agreement obligating him to show it. Walmart didn't see it that way. More » -
health insurance
Man Gets $10,000 Back From Insurance Company Thanks To Metafilter
We readily admit that there are places on the Internet other than Consumerist where one can harness the Internet hive mind to solve consumer issues. Ask Metafilter user Jason sought help when his former insurance company wouldn't stop auto-billing him, and emerged victorious, collecting the $10,000 he was wrongly charged...plus interest! More » -
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recession watch
How Many Jobs Did We Lose In 2008? As Many As If We'd Fired The Entire State of Wisconsin
The numbers are in and we lost 2.6 million jobs in 2008, making it the worst year since 1945. How do you picture 2.6 million jobs? Well, by looking at Wisconsin. Or Missouri. Or Maryland. More » -
arbitration
Sixth Circuit Overturns Arbitrator Who "Showed A Manifest Disregard Of The Law"
Earlier this week, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals overturned an arbitration decision in a dispute between Coffee Beanery and a franchisee. The court found that the arbitrator, hired by the American Arbitration Association, "showed a manifest disregard of the law" by siding with Coffee Beanery. More » -
giant foods
Giant Foods Cashier Said I Had To Be 30 To Buy Zyrtec!
Reader Amie had an odd encounter with a Giant Food cashier today. As she was checking out the cashier asked if she was 30 because he wasn't supposed to sell Zyrtec to anyone under 30. More » -
heartless
Castle Toyota Rescinds Scholarships After Students Decide To Mourn Their Dead Teacher Instead Of Staging A Commercial
Poor Howard Castleman. All he wanted was a little PR for his car dealership. Castleman planned to give four scholarships to students at Patterson High School in Baltimore, but instead of honoring Castleman's charity by inviting the media and displaying his dealership's banner at the senior's farewell ceremony, the school instead decided to honor a long-time teacher who recently died of a heart attack...
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scams
Man Accused Of Gutting Computers, Returning Them To Best Buy So You Can Buy Them
Have you purchased a computer from Best Buy, only to find that it had no internal parts? No hard drive. No video card. No motherboard? If so, you (allegedly) have Joseph Denice of Silver Spring, MD to thank for your gutted PC. His hobby is buying computers from Best Buy, removing the parts, and then returning the empty shell. Best Buy's employees would then put the computer husks back on store shelves where they would be repurchased by unwitting consumers such as... you. More » -
polls
The Legend Of The $1.549 Gas
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... More » -
parking
Circuit City Designates Handicapped Parking Spots "Web Order Pickup" Zone
Ever wanted to park in the handicapped spots but didn't because of pesky laws and social norms? Well, if you place your online Circuit City order for pickup at the Cantonsville, Maryland store, you can! Reader Andy discovered that the store is flagrantly violating the Americans With Disabilities Act by using the handicapped spots as the special web order pickup zone. Andy then went inside and discovered that Circuit City ignores all kinds of policies, including their own price match guarantee. More » -
fines
Comcast Fined $12,000 For Having Crappy Customer Service
Comcast has been fined $12,000 for having crappy customer service by Montgomery County, Maryland.. More » -
Banks lost the paperwork and checks of a Maryland taxi driver who never missed a mortgage payment, and now, his his fourth appeal and stands to still lose his house to foreclosure. His lawyers have vowed to file more appeals. [Baltimore Sun]
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rude
Power Company Apologizes For Charging Customers For Sending Them CFLs They Didn't Ask For
No doubt "taking" the backlash "seriously," the Maryland power company that sent customers unsolicited CFL lightbulbs, and then silently charged them $.96/month for it, has apologized. The company will appear before the Maryland Public Service Commission tomorrow for a hearing. "We stand ready to take whatever corrective actions are deemed necessary by the commission," Allegheny Power President said. Yes, they're probably going to tell you to refund people's money, you jackasses.
Allegheny apologizes for lightbulb upset [FredrickNewsPost]
PREVIOUSLY: Maryland Electric Company Sends You Unsolicited Light Bulbs, Charges $12 -
rude
Maryland Electric Company Sends You Unsolicited Light Bulbs, Charges $12
An electric company in Maryland, Allegheny Power, sent its customers some CFL light bulbs as part of a consumer education program. Sounds nice until you find out that they customers were charged $0.96 a month (about $12 a year) for the two light bulbs. More » -
weights and measures
Royal Farms Gas Pump Charges You Even After The Gas Stops Flowing
Royal Farms refuses to fix a broken gas pump that charges customers even after the gas stops flowing. The pump in Abingdon, Maryland has overcharged Tom on five separate occasions, and Royal Farms refuses to issue a promised refund. More » -
lawsuits
Store Found Not Responsible For Wild Goose Attacking Customer
There are legitimate lawsuits and then there's this: More » -
taking it seriously
News Team To Home Depot: Fix Your Customer's Problems
WBAL news in Balitmore did the usual investigation into Home Depot's notoriously crappy contractors and were hit with a tsunami of similar complaints after the story aired. More »
