Discover sent around an email last night informing customers that it would be ending the “Secure Online Account Numbers” service. This feature helped you mitigate the potential for online fraud by letting you generate unique credit card numbers you could use per online retailer or even per transaction. A few Consumerist readers were bummed to see it go. [More]
Blue Plate Mayo Proudly Says "No Shrink Ray Here"
By August 30, 2011
Blue Plate Mayo wants everyone to know that it’s still rocking the 32 oz. [More]
Getting Through The Post-Irene Insurance Claim Process
By August 30, 2011
The first floor of a friend’s house in Vermont was completely flooded by Hurricane Irene, forcing the family with two kids to evacuate to a nearby church. But braving the storm may look like blowing bubbles in the park after they start the insurance claims process. Here’s some tips they, and you, can use to make it easier. [More]
Beware Solar Panel Scams
By August 18, 2011
Contractors are banging on homeowners doors, promising huge savings for installing solar panels on their roofs. But after they’re installed and the customer has paid out big money, the panels have failed to produce a single kilowatt of energy and the salesmen have evaporated. [More]
Check Out This Nearly Undetectable ATM Skimmer
By August 18, 2011
Reader Andrew noticed this picture of an an incredibly high-end professional ATM skimmer that is virtually undetectable. [More]
The Letter That Got My Homeowner's Insurance Company To Pay Up
By August 17, 2011
Reader S finally got his homeowner’s insurance company to pay up for the rebuilding of the glass railings around his condo, thanks to a well-crafted and scary letter he wrote them. Here is his story, and his ass-kicking letter. [More]
Consumerist Techniques Land Reader Free Home Depot Tools
By August 17, 2011
Andrew stared at the row of tools on the shelf at Home Depot and sighed. He had a big new job to do, but after getting all his tools from Home Depot for the past 20 years, there was but a paltry selection. No open stock items and the sets were incomplete. He wouldn’t be able to get all the tools he needed. So, drawing on what he’d learned from reading Consumerist, rather than an EECB, he crafted an email to a specific person at Home Depot corporate he thought might help. [More]
Brian Ulrich's Fluorescent Consumer Hellscapes
By August 17, 2011
I’m a sucker for artistically rendered photographs of consumer behavior, which is why I was so excited to hear that Brian Ulrich has a new series up called Retail. Hi-gloss shops populated by dystopic consumers drenched in fluorescence, framed by an expert hand? Count me in, especially if there’s a BOGO! [More]
Man Finds Camera Hidden In Starbucks Bathroom, Doesn't Even Get A Free Coffee For It
By August 12, 2011
A plumber is pissed after finding a camera hidden inside a Starbucks men’s room. First it was the camera, then it was the employees’ blase attitude, then it was the police seizing his laptop. And he didn’t get a thank you from Starbucks for his deed, not even a free coffee. [More]
After 10 Years Of Selling, Why I Swore Off eBay
By August 12, 2011
After having used eBay for 10 years, Daniel has vowed to never do it again. “If I have something I know I can sell on eBay,” he wrote in a letter to eBay executives, “I’ll give it away before listing it.” Why is Daniel so steamed? [More]
Figure Out Which Model This Maytag Oven Is
By August 11, 2011
Timothy, as he describes it, is in a pickle. His Maytag oven started flashing “F5″ and turning itself off whenever he turned it on. When the Maytag guy came over, he couldn’t figure out which model number it was and so he couldn’t repair it. “He asked for $130 for this useful piece of service, which I refused,” writes Timothy. Can you, dear Consumerist reader, identify which model this Maytag oven is? UPDATE: 13 minutes later, one reader thinks she has the answer. [More]
Wedding Photographer Convicted For Not Turning Over Photos To Couple
By August 11, 2011
This story is sweet justice for anyone out there who’s gotten married and had to beg and plead just to get their photos back: a South Carolina wedding photographer was sentenced to two years of house arrest for not turning over the photos he took of a couple’s wedding, even though they had already paid him $2,450. [More]
Amex Finally Agrees That You're Not Your Mother
By August 11, 2011
After Yuriy’s complaint — Amex was addressing his bills to his mother and had her as the legal name on the account — went up on Consumerist, and he sent them an EECB, he got results. [More]
Time Warner Calls Back With Sweet Deal After Man Cancels
By August 11, 2011
Another reader has written in to say that after they canceled their Time Warner service, the cable company turned around and offered them much better rates if they would stay. In both this one and the one earlier this week, Time Warner Cable said that because of “special circumstances,” they were able to offer a sweet retention deal. In this case, $67/month for two years, down from $150. [More]
Not Even Warm And Fuzzy Cereals Immune From Grocery Shrink Ray
By August 10, 2011
As an avid Consumerist reader, Drew knows to watch out when the boxes on the supermarket shelves get a makeover. Oftentimes these are tell-tale signs that the grocery shrink ray has been at it, reducing the amount of content you get and charging you more. His favorite cereal, Kashi Honey Sunshine, was a recent victim, dropping from 12 oz to 10.5 oz and getting a “New Look!” in the process. [More]
The 30-Year Quest For A Doctor Who Dalek Pencil Topper
By August 10, 2011
Amanda is just thrilled to bits after finding the Doctor Who Dalek pencil topper she had been searching for for 30 years. Even better was the awesome customer service provided by Kulture Shock, the Amazon.com partner that sold her it. [More]
Extreme Couponer Arrested For Stealing 185 Newspapers
By August 10, 2011
A woman who “just loves to save money” is in legal trouble after surveillance cameras caught her stealing bags of unsold newspapers from newspaper boxes. Her goal was to snatch up as many coupon inserts as possible. [More]
Bat Ejected For Refusing To Sit Down On Airplane
By August 10, 2011
On Friday, a Delta pilot was forced to return to the airport when a bat began flying around the cabin 15 minutes after takeoff and ignored instructions from the crew and his fellow passengers. [More]
