complaints

Does Cingular Deduct Night & Weekend Minutes for Mobile to Mobile Calls?

Does Cingular Deduct Night & Weekend Minutes for Mobile to Mobile Calls?

    a request would be sent to the billing department, and it would take 2 billing cycles to take an effect. I asked her if I would be able to find out the billing department’s decision and she said, “no,” which sounded remarkably like she was just trying to get me off the phone and have me call again in two months.

Is this happening to anyone else? Is Cingular charging you Night and Weekend minutes when you are supposed to have “Unlimited Mobile to Mobile Calling?” Check your bill and tell us about it at tips@consumerist.com. —MEGHANN MARCO

Spoke.com Sells Your Friends’ Contact Info

Spoke.com Sells Your Friends’ Contact Info

If, for example, I pressed the button for Spoke’s free service, the Spoke toolbar would install and then copy the roughly 2100 names, phone numbers, and email addresses out of my Outlook Contact database and then add them to Spoke’s database. Spoke would then be able to sell those names, titles, companies, addresses, and email addresses to direct marketing organizations.

It’s probably best to avoid Spoke.com.—MEGHANN MARCO

United Still Wants To Screw Parents Bilked For $3000

Mahesh’s complaint against United bilking his parents for $3000 moves two steps forward, one step back. A United rep called him back:

HOW TO: Fight Companies Online And Win

The Consumerist’s step-by-step guide to posting your complaint against a company online and getting results.

Tigger “Punches” 14 Year-Old Kid, Kid Goes To Hospital

Tigger “Punches” 14 Year-Old Kid, Kid Goes To Hospital

Home video of a New Hampshire family’s trip to Disney world shows Tigger “punching” a 14 year-old boy. “The boy’s father, Jerry Monaco, says the costumed character “sucker punched” his boy Friday as his children posed for a picture. He says his son later experienced neck pain and he took him to a hospital.”

BofA Identity Theft Victim Gets Massive Runaround

Carmela’s Bank of America bank account was stolen. Someone was posting fraudulent transactions on her account. When she reported it to BofA, she entered into a colossal fun trap of transfers and incompetent support staff, even after visiting the branch on 107th and Broadway in Manhattan. However, rather than fighting The Man, she should have:

United Agrees To Right $3000 Wrong

United Airlines seems to have apologized and agreed to help refund look into the $3000 Manesh’s parents had to pay extra after United’s ticketing system error lost Manesh parent’s tickets to Sri Lanka.

Tell Kinkos It Sucks And Make Them Lose Money

If you went to Kinkos, and had a sucky experience, you should first try to resolve your complaint with the manager in-store and on-the-spot. Failing that, write down the store address and call 1-800-463-3339.

United Airlines Flub Costs Parents $3000, Refunds Only $600

United Airlines Flub Costs Parents $3000, Refunds Only $600

Manesh’s parents flew from NE to Sri Lanka, but at LAX, United Airlines (UAL) refused to honor their tickets, saying that had not “been approved, authorized and authenticated.” The family ended having to pay $2860 extra to complete their journey. Apparently, Sri Lankan Air Lines, a United code-share partner, could not find the reservation Manesh’s parents made.

WeddingDepot Wants Our “Libelous” Post Removed

WeddingDepot.com wants our post detailing an exchange between themselves and a customer, which they call libel, removed.

Threatening To Cancel Cable Can Get You Discounts

Threatening To Cancel Cable Can Get You Discounts

As we mentioned yesterday, threatening to cancel your cable for another provider can sometimes unleash a shower of freebies and rebates as the company tries to get you to stay.

WeddingDepot’s Nonresponsive, Passive Aggressive, Customer Service

UPDATE: WeddingDepot calls this post libel and requests its removal.

Comcast Sets 60-Day Waiting Period For Customers Snagging Discounts By Threatening to Leave

As we’ve discussed before, in areas where there’s true competition in the cable market, you can call up the cable company, threaten to leave, and watch in delight as they try to persuade you to stay with discounts and freebies.

UPDATE: Dish Charges You Extra For Not Having A Phone

Dee writes in with an update to her letter posted under Dish Charges You Extra For Not Having A Phone. Of special note: plugging in a phone to the dead line will not help her situation…

Customer Overhears Target Employee Lying Over The Phone

According to David, the employee then explained her technique of never checking to see if things were really in stock to her coworker, while standing right in front of David.

Best Buy Calls 911 On Customer Asking For Refund

Best Buy calls 911 after Consumerist reader RJH asks for a refund on a nonworking Tony Bennet CD.

HOW TO: Fight Fraudulent Credit Cards, Like CCA

HOW TO: Fight Fraudulent Credit Cards, Like CCA

Thomas got scammed.

Chemlawn Charges For Services Never Performed Or Requested

Chemlawn Charges For Services Never Performed Or Requested

The lawn wasn’t the only thing this grounds service was doctoring. Reader Al claims Chemlawn billed him for services he never received, even after he canceled his contract and they agreed not to charge him.