It’s 8 A.M on the East Coast as this post goes up, and James’ wife has been up for an hour. That’s because she’s getting a 7 A.M. wakeup call on her mobile phone every day from Time Warner Cable. No, this isn’t an exciting new Digital Phone service they’re offering: for some people, a wakeup call would actually be useful. No, their cable has already been installed and everything is fine. Everything is fine except for the 7 A.M. phone call that comes to remind Mrs. James of an appointment with the cable guy that doesn’t exist. [More]
appointments
![U-Haul Forgets Customer, Forgets Guarantee, Then Forgets Extra Day Agreement And Threatens Criminal Charges](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/042009-002-uhaul-trailer.png?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
U-Haul Forgets Customer, Forgets Guarantee, Then Forgets Extra Day Agreement And Threatens Criminal Charges
Consumerist reader Dionicious and his brother tried to rent a trailer from U-Haul over the weekend. First they were faced with a closed location, then they had to ask before the company followed through on its $50 “Right Time, Right Location” guarantee. They hoped that was the end of the screw-ups, but the next day an angry employee called and threatened to file criminal charges against the brothers. Too bad there’s not some sort of $50 “We Threaten You, We Pay” guarantee.
![Time Warner Calls You In Another Dimension, Or Something](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/010609-006-dimension158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Time Warner Calls You In Another Dimension, Or Something
Kushal wants to know how Time Warner verifies the call logs for its installer technicians, because when they say they call, his phone doesn’t ring.
![Vision Therapy Center 'Pencils In' Appointment Without Full Consent, Then Charges $50 No Show Fee](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/111708-005-visiontherapy158.jpg?w=158&h=158&crop=1)
Vision Therapy Center 'Pencils In' Appointment Without Full Consent, Then Charges $50 No Show Fee
Elysse was told by an optometrist to consider “vision therapy” as a treatment for her child’s strabismus (crossed eyes), but the business she was sent to—Children’s Vision and Learning in Versailles, Kentucky—turned out to be one of those places where selling is their top priority, and medical care simply the product being sold. After being lied to about the cost, given a hard sell during the first appointment, and even being asked, “Don’t you care about your child’s vision?”, Elysse decided to look elsewhere. Now, four months after the experience, the business is billing her $50 for a “penciled in” appointment she never agreed to keep in the first place.
![Video: Whoopi Wants Her DirecTV Fixed, And Sherri Wants To Speak To Your Supervisor](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/sherrishepard_01.jpg?w=158&h=132&crop=1)
Video: Whoopi Wants Her DirecTV Fixed, And Sherri Wants To Speak To Your Supervisor
If you’ve ever wanted to see the rants from angry Consumerist tipsters brought to life by the woman who played Patrick Swayze in “Ghost,” here ya go—although Sherri Shephard is actually a bit funnier, describing how the Time Warner CSR makes her go to an evil place. Seen here is Shephard letting out the evil because of the CSR who tells her, “Well my supervisor is going to say the same thing.” Video clip below.
![Comcast Skips 3 Appointments, Hangs Up On You 6 Times, Makes You Want To Cry](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/comcasttruckytruck.jpg?w=300&h=225&crop=1)
Comcast Skips 3 Appointments, Hangs Up On You 6 Times, Makes You Want To Cry
Reader Stephanie wants to cry because of Comcast:
I HATE dealing with tech support. This time, I bit the bullet because my internet connection wasn’t working.
../..//2008/01/10/tony-blair-will-join/
Tony Blair will join JPMorgan Chase & Co Inc, the third largest bank in the U.S., as a senior advisor. We wonder if Countrywide is courting President Bush for a similar position in 2009.
FTC Announces Bureau of Consumer Protection Appointments
The FTC yesterday announced several appointments within the Bureau of Consumer Protection (BCP). Mary Beth Richards became a Deputy Director in the Bureau of Consumer Protection, Maneesha Mithal was appointed Chief of Staff of the Bureau, and Frank Gorman became Assistant Director
![What’s A Girl Got To Do To Get An HMO To Help Her?](../../consumermediallc.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/prayfastlg.jpg?w=194&h=225&crop=1)
What’s A Girl Got To Do To Get An HMO To Help Her?
What lengths do you have to go to to get good coverage from an HMO? Being sick obviously won’t do it. So what about starving yourself? Well, not if your HMO is Blue Cross Blue Shield.