In a move that is both hypocritical and underhanded, Comcast is reportedly adding a $1.50/month “Broadcast TV Fee” to some customers’ bills in 2014, pretty much putting a lock on the cable giant’s appearance in the next Worst Company In America tournament. [More]
the land of the fee
Time Warner Cable Jacking Up Modem Fees
By 7.29.13
Not even a year after Time Warner Cable ticked off its entire customer base (except maybe some who are also heavily invested in TWC) by deciding to charge a $3.95/month modem rental fee for equipment that customers already had in their homes, the company has done as we predicted and begun raising that rate to $5.99 a month for equipment that is now even older and more out-of-date than it was last October. [More]
Surprise! AT&T Adds New $0.61 Monthly Administrative Fee To Wireless Customers’ Bills
By 5.24.13
Start up the chorus of grumbling and shine up your best “What in the what now?” faces: AT&T has just added a $0.61 monthly administrative fee to wireless customers’ bills. It’s totally great for AT&T of course, as reports indicate the move could bring in about $518 million in extra moolah for the company in 2014. So, yay for you, AT&T? [More]
Oakland Decides It Doesn’t Need All Those Fees On Its Combination ID/Debit Cards
By 4.9.13
A few weeks back, we told you about the new photo ID cards being issued by the city of Oakland that could also be used as prepaid debit cards. We also told you about how these debit cards came loaded with sky-high fees. Now it looks like the city has decided to ditch some of these exorbitant charges. [More]
Oakland Residents Will Be Slammed With Fees If They Use City IDs As Debit Cards
By 3.20.13
The city of Oakland has begun offering ID cards that can also double as prepaid debit cards. Not inherently a bad idea, except for the fact that these cards come loaded with fees that will chisel away at the user’s funds. [More]
Beware Of Expensive Venue-Specific Add-Ons When Buying Tickets Online
By 3.11.13
Consumerist reader Ben recently went on Ticketmaster to buy six tickets to catch the Book of Mormon at the Bank of America Theatre in Chicago. The tickets alone were pricey enough (around $90/each) and of course there were more than $10/ticket in fees. But when he looked at the receipt, he saw he’d been hit with another $245.10 above what he’d expected to pay. [More]
HSBC Confuses, Angers Online Customers With Vague New Fees
By 8.21.12
UPDATE: A rep for HSBC has finally responded to our request for clarification on the fees. [More]
Water Company Wants Me To Pay $30 To Activate Service I Already Have
By 8.16.12
A few years back, after the death of her parents, Consumerist reader Jen took over the running of the house in which she’d grown up. Since then, she’s been paying the bills without problem. But now the water company wants her to pay $30 simply to change the name on the account. [More]
Couple Sues JPMorgan Chase For Ignoring Instructions, Enriching Itself On Fees
By 7.16.12
In 2005, an Indiana couple sold their baking business for a nice sum of $6.5 million and turned to JPMorgan Chase to place that money in “safe and liquid investments.” But the investors say Chase deliberately ignored their wishes and put the millions into high-risk investments that also padded the bank’s coffers with “fees upon top of fees upon top of fees.” [More]
Got A Good 'Drip Pricing' Story? The FTC Wants To Hear From You
By 5.18.12
You may not be familiar with the term “drip pricing,” but you’re probably all too familiar with the concept. It’s when a company advertises only one part of a product’s price and doesn’t reveal other associated charges until later in the the buying process. [More]
Massachusetts Official Urges State To Pull Funds From BofA Over Fees
By 3.2.12
Following yesterday’s news that Bank of America is testing new checking account fees in Massachusetts, that state’s Secretary of State has said it may be time to pull out the millions of government money currently stashed in the BofA coffers. [More]
Starbucks Busted For Hidden Fee On Bagged Coffee
By 11.14.11
See that bag of coffee grounds at Starbucks that’s listed at $12/pound? Well, if you buy less than a pound, there’s a fee of $1.50 that isn’t mentioned anywhere in the store and doesn’t show up as a fee on the receipt. But now, after being busted by authorities in Massachusetts, the java giant has decided to stop charging the fee. [More]
United CEO: Airfares Are Only Going To Get More Complicated
By 11.10.11
While regulators continue to push through rules intended to make airfares more transparent, airlines continue to pare base ticket prices down while charging fees for everything else that used to be included in the listed cost. Given all the potential permutations, it’s not surprising that Jeff Smisek, CEO of United Airlines, doesn’t see things getting simpler anytime soon. [More]
Bank Of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Visa, MasterCard Sued Over ATM Fees
By 10.19.11
Have you ever glared angrily at the ATM, knowing that you’re going to be saddled with fees and wishing you could sue everyone involved? Well, it looks like more than one person has followed through on this idea. [More]
Consumers Union Calls For Investigation Into Bank Of America Debit Card Fee
By 10.4.11
It’s not just Senator Dick Durbin and scissor-happy Fox Business Network anchors who disapprove of Bank of America’s announcement that it will begin charging a $5 monthly fee to some customers who use their debit cards to make purchases. Our benevolent benefactors at Consumers Union are now calling upon legislators and regulators to investigate this move by the nation’s largest bank. [More]
Dick Durbin Slams Bank Of America Over $5 Debit Card Fee
By 9.30.11
Yesterday, Bank Of America announced it would begin charging a $5 monthly fee for some BofA customers who use their debit cards to make purchases. Not surprisingly, this did not go over well with Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, one of the leading proponents of swipe-fee reform. [More]
Bank Of America To Charge $5 Monthly Fee For Some Debit Card Users
By 9.29.11
Even though swipe fee reform resulted in a bank-friendly compromise, it still managed to halve the amount banks earn every time you pay for something with a debit card. And so the hunt to make up for that lost money continues, with Bank of America looking to charge a $5 monthly fee to some debit card users. [More]
It Could Now Cost You Over $400 To Check A Bag On Some Flights
By 9.20.11
Fees for checked bags vary wildly, from absolutely nothing to arm-and-a-leg-and-an-ear. And according to a new round-up of fees from the various carriers, you might need to throw another limb in there if you’re checking an oversize bag on your international flight. [More]
