Andrew has a common problem: he keeps getting someone else’s mail. Not in his paper mailbox, but someone else’s e-mail. A Justin Bieber fan in a different state entered his e-mail address when renting a DVD, and Andrew received the receipt. When he contacted Redbox to straighten out the mixup, their unhelpful solution was to block all e-mail receipts from Redbox. Yep, including his own. [More]
Do You Like E-Mailed Receipts For Offline Purchases?
By 4.15.11
Our smart-shopping colleagues over at ShopSmart magazine recently noticed a promising trend at some high-end retailers: stores e-mailing your receipt to you rather than printing it out on old-fangled paper. Stores trying it out include Apple Stores, Nordstroms, Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, and a few Whole Foods stores. [More]
Facebook Announces 'Gmail Killer' Messaging Service
By 11.15.10
Even though more and more people have been using their Facebook accounts to send e-mails to their friends and family, apparently that’s not enough for the site’s head honcho Mark Zuckerberg. Earlier today, the youngster announced a new e-mailing service that he says is the next step in messaging. [More]
Comcast Can Read Your E-mails, But Swears They Aren't
By 10.5.10
Somewhere on page 4 of Comcast’s Acceptable Use Policy [PDF], the company states that while it’s not obligated to monitor customers’ e-mails, “Comcast and its affiliates, suppliers, and agents have the right to monitor these transmissions.” But, the cable giant tells Ars Technica, they don’t really want to read your messages to your Aunt Lolly in Wisconsin. [More]
Nitpicky Bank Robber Outs Himself With Pissy E-Mails To Press & Police
By 8.19.10
A bank robber in Germany was so angered by inaccuracies given by police and reported in the newspapers that he felt compelled to send them indignant e-mails with his corrections. And while his correspondence might have served to clear up the public record of his robbery, they also led cops right to his doorstep. [More]
Send AT&T CEO Too Many E-Mails, Get A Free Cease And Desist Order
By 6.3.10
If you’re planning to send AT&T Wireless an Executive E-Mail Carpet Bomb regarding their changes to iPhone and iPad data plans, maybe remove CEO Randall Stephenson from your address book. Engadget reports that a customer who sent Stephenson one e-mail too many got a friendly call from the Executive Response Team…. threatening him with a cease and desist order. [More]
Toys R Us Advertises Zhu Zhu Pet Sale, Forgets To Stock Zhu Zhu Pets
By 11.11.09
Arnold was excited to receive an e-mail from Toys R Us advertising a special early-bird sale of Zhu Zhu Pets. The inexpensive little robot hamsters are in short supply, and the chain promised critters to the first fifty households who showed up at their local store on Sunday morning. Only Arnold reports that not only did his local store never have any of the battery-operated rodents in stock, it wasn’t open at the advertised hour at all.
Contact HSBC Bank USA's CEO
By 11.7.09
Having trouble with HSBC? Executive customer service no help? Here’s where to contact the president and CEO of HSBC Bank USA.
Laser-Guided E-Mail Bomb Scores Hit On T-Mobile
By 9.27.09
Sometimes, the executive e-mail carpet bomb, or EECB, is too blunt an instrument. When Joe had a problem with T-Mobile, he elected to send a LGEB, or laser-guided e-mail bomb, just to CEO Robert Dotson, with great results.
Bank Sends Sensitive Customer Info To Some Random Gmail User
By 9.24.09
Here’s the problem with Gmail: so many people use it that a mistyped e-mail address probably will not result in a bounced message. It will result in your message going to the wrong person, since nearly every derivation of a name is probably a working address.
Online Stores Send Customers Handy Pre-Expired Coupons
By 9.12.09
BJ received the coupon at left, offering $9.99 off at Heartland America on September 9 (9/9/09, get it?) Which would be great if they had mailed it to him before 10 AM on September 10th. “Looks like if I want to use the coupon I will need to build a time machine,” he wrote.
Amazonfraudcheck.com Is Amazon Fraud
By 7.27.09
No, Amazon is not contacting its members and performing regular fraud checks. Jason received this e-mail, which is associated with a rather convincing Amazon phishing site.
By 7.13.09
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Is AOL ripping off your mom? …or stepdad, or aunt, or neighbor? Mainstreet.com gets to the bottom of why AOL continues to charge many, many not-terribly-Internet-savvy customers for their AOL e-mail accounts. You know, the same AOL accounts that are actually offered for free and have been since 2006. [MainStreet]
Bacon Love Story: A Man, A Dream, A Salted Meat
By 6.26.09 — Updated: 3.28.13
Brooke’s husband, like many sensible people, loves bacon. As a gift, she bought him a subscription to the Bacon of the Month Club. For a few months, they received fantastic bacon and whimsical bacon-related merchandise through the mail, just as promised. Then, suddenly, things went awry in mail-order bacon paradise.
No, You Can't Opt Out Of Capital One's E-Mails, Ever
By 6.9.09
What’s an account-related message from your company, and what’s marketing? Kevin, the subject of this week’s Red Tape Chronicles column, wants to know, because he’d like Capital One to stop sending him advertisements for their products. Capital One claims that he can’t opt out, since the marketing pitches are “account management communications.” Right.
Tagged.com Will Spam Your Friends And Family
By 6.9.09
Tagged.com has been around for a few years now, but it’s spread across the Internet with a vengeance in the last few weeks. The service promotes itself by getting inside the address book or e-mail contacts of people who sign up and e-mailing everyone they know. It’s disingenuous, since the e-mail looks like an invitation from your friend or family member…but they didn’t initiate it at all.
Is Pottery Barn Stalking Me Through Facebook?
By 6.8.09
Jacob got engaged last weekend. Yay! Mysteriously, before the wedding plans could even begin, his fiancÈe received an e-mail from Pottery Barn inviting her to start a wedding registry. Except she never signed up with them, or told any other retailer that she was engaged. What she did do was…change her Facebook status.
