Careful travelers, there’s a panty-stealing baggage screener lurking in San Francisco’s international airport, according to reader Ari, whose girlfriend lost eight days worth of underwear on a recent trip.
complaints
Vonage Routing Causes Reader To Miss $1,000 Giveaway
By 7.18.09
Ari’s wife had ten minutes to call into her local Washington D.C. radio station to claim a $1,000 giveaway, but couldn’t connect because Vonage routes all calls to 1-800 numbers through New York, and the radio station was only accepting local calls. For ten anguishing minutes Ari and his wife suffered through busy signals, worried that the radio station was deluged by other callers. After emailing both Vonage and the station producer, Ari and his wife finally realized what happened…
DISH Network Will Pay $5.9 Million Back To Customers
By 7.17.09
In 2006, five states launched an investigation into DISH Network‘s crummy sales practices after hundreds of complaints from consumers. Now the company has agreed to pay $5.9 million to 46 states in a settlement announced today—and at least some of that money is earmarked for DISH customers.
Delta Screws Man Out Of Family Trip, Business Conference, WSJ Interview, And Two Flights
By 7.15.09
Wow, the folks at Delta really must hate the creative director behind and star of those UPS whiteboard commercials, Andy Azula. On the open letter he published today, he notes that he’s a frequent-flyer with Platinum status on Delta, and until this past June one of their “biggest fans.” Then Delta forced him, his wife, and his twin seven-year-olds to wait 13 hours in the Richmond, VA airport, while their luggage remained trapped on a plane that was forever “almost fixed.”
Game Crazy Customer Gets Response From District Manager
By 7.15.09
Lu, who caught a Game Crazy cashier adding bogus fees to a purchase, has sent in a couple of updates.
Thrift Lodge: Come For The Bed, Stay For The Hypodermic Needles!
By 7.13.09
Xmitter was checking his Thrift Lodge bed for bed bugs when he discovered a bag filled with hypodermic needles. The clerk on duty refused to offer either an apology or a refund, and explained that “you can even find needles [in] 5 star hotels.” When told that this was an inappropriate response, the clerk asked: “Is this a test?”
Better Business Bureau Kicks Out Four Businesses
By 7.9.09
What can you do if you’re too small to have a shot in our Worst Company In America contest, but too awful to not earn some sort of notoriety? Well, you can get your BBB membership revoked and earn a big fat F ranking. It’s no golden poo, but it’s a start.
Psht, Bank Of America Doesn't Need Your Consent To Give You A Credit Card
By 6.29.09
Hector didn’t know whether or not he was going to accept Bank of America‘s offer of a new credit card with a $3,500 limit, so the bank made his decision easy by issuing the card without his permission. When Hector discovered the surprise credit line, he called Bank of America with two requests: explain how they could open a new account without his consent, and keep the account open until he could figure out the new line’s impact on his credit score. Of course, without a peep, Bank of America immediately canceled the new credit card, leaving Hector wondering what might happen to his credit score…
EECB Convinces Jiffy Lube To Pay For Repairs After Damaging Car
By 6.27.09
Jiffy Lube agreed to pay Alison over $250 after botching routine work that forced her to interrupt her road trip for emergency car repairs. Alison’s mechanic said that Jiffy Lube’s attempted transmission fluid flush could have caused “catastrophic car damage” if left unfixed. Jiffy Lube denied all responsibility until Alison fired off an Executive Email Carpet Bomb to C.E.O. Rick Altizer, who agreed not only to reimburse for the repairs, but refunded the original cost of the transmission fluid flush, and tossed in a few coupons for free oil changes.
Why Does The UPS Store Ship Packages With FedEx?
By 6.14.09
Alex shipped two packages to San Francisco from the UPS store in Boston. One was delivered, the other wasn’t—until without any explanation or notification, it arrived back at Alex’s house in Boston on a FedEx truck. Huh?
WaMu Saddles Credit Card Theft Victim With Thousands In Fraudulent Charges
By 6.10.09
Someone stole reader A’s WaMu credit card number and racked up thousands in fraudulent charges, and now WaMu wants A to pay for it. The fraudsters also made a PIN request for a cash advance over the phone, and WaMu said that phonecall orginated from A’s parents house. Because of this, which A says is impossible, WaMu demands A be responsible for the charges. He’s written letters and called executive customer service and it’s gotten him nowhere. His crappy story, inside…
Repo Man: Borked Chrysler Site Can't Take Your Money, But Can Rack Up Late Fees
By 6.3.09
Late last Thursday night, two guys rang reader Sean’s doorbell and asked if he’d like to get anything out of his 2007 Jeep Compass before they repossessed it. Since then, Sean has tried to get current on his payments, but Chrysler’s web site snafus have kept him from getting the cash to Chrysler, which won’t let him get his car back unless he forks over hundreds of dollars in fees. Oy. Sean’s story, inside..
This Certified Refurbished Dell Laptop Comes With Large Scratches And A Pirated Copy Of Microsoft Office
By 5.30.09
Ever wonder if “certified refurbished” is just corporate doublespeak for “not entirely broken crap?” Well, at Dell, it is! The refurbished Dell Studio Joseph bought as a gift for his father-in-law arrived with large scratches and a CD-R in the optical drive containing a pirated copy of Microsoft Office. Dell’s response? They’re willing to take back the laptop and waive the restocking fee, but that’s it.
Honda Owners Say Brakes Are Made Of Worthlessness — Honda Hasn't Responded
By 5.26.09
While it’s OK for messages from top-secret government agencies to self destruct, that’s not the case for car brakes. But more than 200 owners of 2008 and 2009 Accords have complained that keeping their brakes in working condition has proven to be a mission impossible.
HP Calls About Pants Burnin' Laptop
By 5.21.09
HP called Consumerist about our inquiry about Jillian’s sparking and flaming HP dv2845se laptop adapter that she says burned a hole in her pants and caused a welt on her leg. Jillian had also alleged that HP customer service, regular and escalated, was both unresponsive and rude. HP told us….
"60 Days Notice Required Before Dying" Landlord Loses Appeal
By 5.21.09
The sun has set for Sun Harbour Apartments in their attempt to steal money from a dead man’s family. Court documents obtained by Consumerist indicated the landlords recently lost their appeal in a case where they tried to charge the estate of the late Arthur Zissenfor the 3 months left on the man’s lease, as well as taking his security deposit. The apartment complex have a 60 days advance notice required before vacating the premises policy and not even a swoosh of The Reaper’s scythe could break it, Sun Harbor believed, erroneously. Inside, the local newscast from when the case first went to court.
Delta Can't Be Bothered To Sell The Obese Two Adjoining Seats
By 5.17.09
Evan’s on the large side and wants to buy two adjoining seats, but Delta doesn’t seem to care whether or not he inconveniences other passengers. The airline won’t assign two seats to the same passenger name, and if he buys a second seat under a different name, it won’t necessarily adjoin the first. Delta also warned that “they will give [his] second seat away if they need it, even if [he] paid for it.” One agent thought he had a solution, but it was going to cost Evan $200 more than Delta’s online fares.
