Your cellphone rings from a number you don’t recognize. You pick it up. At first there’s silence. Then the sound of a call center kicks in and a person asks, “Hello, can I speak to Karen?” It’s a telemarketer, or a debt collector, using an autodialer. And they just broke the law. And just for funsies, you can collect $500 or $1500 with just a few hours of work if you go after them. [More]
small claims
Mother Wins $7,500 After Suing Debt Collector
By 5.19.11
Mayling, mother of two, says she was inspired by Consumerist stories and when a harassing debt collector wouldn’t stop calling her family, she took matters into her own hands. With a 6 month-old and a toddler in tow, she sued them in small claims court and won $7,500. This is her story. [More]
Target "Not Responsible" For Flying Carts of Doom
By 12.30.08
Jason likes his car a lot. Apparently, so do the shopping carts at the local Target, because they just can’t stop themselves from colliding with his vehicle. Luckily, it isn’t Target’s fault, according to Target.
Small Claims Court Winners Having Trouble Collecting Money From Elusive "Spa Man"
By 10.7.08
“People think when they come to court that they are going to get instant relief,” said Judge Rebecca Dallet of the Milwaukee County Circuit Court. “We can give what the law allows, but we have no way of getting the money for them. I don’t think people realize that.”
Travel Agency Charges For Airline Tickets, Cancel Tickets, Can't Be Reached For Refund
By 7.14.08
Dhanushka is having some trouble getting money back from his travel agent. He writes,
Reader Sues Best Buy In Small Claims Court And Wins
By 2.29.08
Should it take several months and a small claims lawsuit to get Best Buy to take back their defective washing machine? No, but that’s what it did take for reader Keith.
Yankees Fan Sues: Steriods Are Almost "Consumer Fraud"
By 1.14.08
A longtime fan is suing the New York Yankees over some players’ reported use of performance-enhancing drugs, saying he wants repayment for $221 in tickets and a public response from his once beloved team.
Instruction Manual? Check. Battery? Check. Cords? Check. Camera? Whoops!
By 9.9.07
I purchased a camera from Target the day before my vacation. Later that night I opened the box and there was no camera! Everything else was in there the owner manual, battery, cords, etc. but no camera! I called Target customer service and they said to bring the box back.
115 Calls To Verizon, And FIOS Still Doesn't Work
By 8.8.07
Poor Jason. Eight months after ordering Verizon FIOS, he is still without decent phone, television, or internet service, though not for lack of effort on his part:
I have spoken with 115 service representatives and 44 supervisors over a period 64 hours combined on the phone with Verizon. I have been hung up on 37 times, placed on hold a total of 21 hours, and been promised callbacks, which I did not receive, a total of 18 times. It has been 8 months since I ordered the service, and I still have not been given a single resolution.
Jason’s full ordeal, after the jump:
Woman Sues Spirit Airlines In Small Claims Court And Wins
By 7.17.07
Jane Waun sued Spirit Airlines in the small claims division of 54B District Court in East Lansing, Mich., as a last resort this spring after trying unsuccessfully to resolve her beef with the airline directly.
Red-i-Lube is ‘The Smoking Engine’
By 3.14.06
Melissa writes in a a comedy of car errors, a spiral of compounding auto troubles and escalating costs. A simple oil change ends up as an engine getting replaced and several hundred dollars. Now she wants to know if she should take Red-i-Lube to small claims court. You be the judge, after the jump.
