Freescore.com is one of those online companies that offers a free trial, and then attempts to enroll its customers in a $30/month subscription service. Now they’re suing Yahoo in an attempt to reveal an anonymous blogger who quoted a Reuters article when criticizing the service, and who pointed out that Freescore is owned by a company with a reputation for billing customers without permission.
Government Policy
Guy Can't Get His Car Back Until December Because Part Is Unavailable
By 9.28.09
Neal can’t get his 2007 Ford Freestyle fixed because Ford tells him the part is backordered until December, and his Ford dealership will only cover a rental for part of the timespan as his car sits in the dealership. He writes:
AT&T Whines To FCC That Google Voice Violates Net Neutrality
By 9.27.09
On Friday, AT&T filed a letter with the FCC accusing Google Voice of violating network neutrality principles. Google Voice doesn’t work with certain numbers that AT&T, as an old-fashioned landline and mobile provider, does.
Cash4Gold Drops Consumerist From Lawsuit
By 9.25.09
Cash4Gold has dropped Consumerist as a defendant in the lawsuits against ex-employees Michelle Liberis and Vielka Nephew.
Man Sues Bank Of America For $1.78 Trillion Billion Dollars
By 9.25.09
Dalton Chiscolm has sued Bank of America and its board, and wants “1,784 billion, trillion dollars” in return for being subjected to what the judge describes as “inconsistent information from a ‘Spanish womn’ [sic]” as well as allegedly misrouted checks. In addition, Chiscolm wants another $200,164,000 in damages. We’re not sure why that amount is separate, but who knows how a mind like Chiscolm’s works?
Tylenol Voluntarily Recalls Children's Medicines
By 9.25.09
Concerned about bacterial contamination, Tylenol is recalling certain children’s liquid medication products manufactured during a certain period in 2008. While the risk of infection is low when the medicines are ingested, still: eww, bacteria.
McDonald's Workers Rescue Marine From Hungry Thug
By 9.24.09
We assume that the typical, well-prepared, parking-lot kidnapper eats lunch before deciding to look for a victim. But Anthony Gibson clearly wasn’t well-prepared, and that’s a good thing. According to police reports, Gibson kidnapped a Marine from a Georgia Walmart parking lot, and after failing to get any money from him, decided the best thing to do would be to have his would-be victim drive him to McDonald’s. Where the staff recognized him as a frequent customer. And where the Marine was able to ask the drive-through attendant to call the police. Oops.
FDA Banned Flavored Cigs, But Not Menthols. Why?
By 9.23.09
Back in June we noted that the FDA was about to get a lot more say over the tobacco industry if the Senate approved a new bill. Well they did, and so yesterday the FDA flexed its new muscles by banning fruit, herb, spice, and candy flavorings from cigarettes. That’s right: clove cigarettes were just banned by the FDA, which is bad news for gothy teens and great news for everyone else.
ATM Ponzi Scheme Was $80 Million Cash Machine For Fraudsters
By 9.21.09
Every Ponzi scheme has to have a gimmick; something to convince marks that they’re investing in a legitimate enterprise, even when they’re being bilked of every last cent. For Bernie Madoff, it was an investment fund that offered ridiculously steady returns. For Vance Moore II and Walter Netschi it was ATMs, an incredibly prosaic setup that managed to siphon $80 million from investors who believed they were putting their money into cash machines. The only cash machine, of course, was the fund itself, which Moore and Netschi allegedly operated from 2005 to 2008.
FCC Proposes New, Awesome, Net Neutrality Rules
By 9.21.09
The FCC today proposed new rules to protect and preserve “net neutrality,” the idea that ISPs must treat all users the same and not prejudice against different types of customers. In a speech, Chairman Julius Genachowski supported adopting the “Four Freedoms” first articulated by the FCC in 2004 (PDF) not just as principles but as formal rules, and adding two more: “non-discrimination” and “transparency.” The big networks are, naturally, incensed.
Ameriprise Bans "Customer Advisor" For Posting Link To Consumerist
By 9.21.09
Hey, we helped get an Ameriprise customer banned from the financial company’s consumer advisory panel! Sorry about that, Brendan.
FCC To Propose Net Neutrality Rules Tomorrow
By 9.20.09
The government is finally cracking down on Net neutrality? Yes, it’s time! Tomorrow, the FCC plans to propose new rules for Internet service providers to prevent them from blocking certain types of traffic.
Lawsuit: Debt Collector Harassment Contributed To Man's Death
By 9.19.09
When a Florida man suffered a heart attack, he needed to leave his job. Between everyday expenses and medical bills, he fell behind on his mortgage and other bills, and debt collectors began calling. And calling. And calling. Eventually, a lawsuit alleges, the stress from the harassing and abusive phone calls led to the man’s death. Frivolous lawsuit? Maybe not.
Cash4Gold Threatened Jail If Negative Comments Weren't Removed
By 9.18.09
Ex-Cash4Gold employee Vielka Nephew filed a motion to vacate the default in the company’s lawsuit against her this week, a lawsuit we’re a party to. By getting rid of the default she would then be able to defend herself in the lawsuit and to seek to undo the default injunction which Cash4Gold had obtained against her. One highlight of Nephew’s legal papers is the declaration attached as Exhibit C, in which she says Cash4Gold’s lawyers told her the company would seek jail time for her and Michele Liberis if the statements Liberis posted on the internet about the company — which Cash4Gold alleged to be false and defamatory – were not removed. Here’s what Vielka declared:
Yeah, Your Eyes Are Discolored And Red, But Your Lashes Look Great!
By 9.18.09
Lash-lengthening drug Latisse can make your eyelashes longer — but it can have some pretty hardcore side effects for a cosmetic. The FDA has issued a warning letter to the manufacturer (PDF) of the glaucoma-drug-turned-cosmetic-product, saying that many claims on its website are misleading and, in fact, unlawful.
Microsoft Goes After Malicious Ad Suppliers
By 9.18.09
If you visited the New York Times website last week, you may have been surprised to have your browsing interrupted by one of those scammy “we’re scanning your computer for viruses OH NO YOU HAVE A VIRUS!” ads that overtake your window. Now Microsoft has filed 5 lawsuits in an attempt to fight back against the jerks who may have been responsible for it, and certainly for other ads like it all over the web.
So You Want To Sue The Company That's Screwing You Over
By 9.18.09
Jon wants us to recommend a good lawyer to sue HP for screwing him over on laptop repairs. We do not offer legal advice like that. We do, however, believe strongly in the power of small claims court.
Bank Of America Board Members Subpoenaed
By 9.18.09
New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s office is gathering information in order to file fraud charges against some BoA executives over what they knew, and what they hid, when they acquired Merrill Lynch & Co. a year ago. Earlier this week, his office subpoenaed 5 board members to find out “what they knew regarding the mounting losses and bonus payments at Merrill before the deal closed on Jan. 1 and what role they played in deciding whether to disclose that information to shareholders,” according to the Associated Press.
