Reuters reports a class-action lawsuit has been filed against Sears for its managemyhome.com site which allowed you to type in anyone’s name and address or phone number and get a record of everything they ever bought at Sears. The suit alleges that in doing so, Sears engaged in “unfair or deceptive” practices. Not too long after our post went up on Friday reporting on the matter, the purchase history feature was turned off. Sears said it had “turned off the ability to view a customer’s purchase history on Manage My Home until we can implement a validation process that will restrict access by unauthorized third parties.” Yes, a validation process, that would be good to have.
followups
Chase Rep Insider Answers Your Questions
By 1.7.08
The Chase customer service rep whose 10 Confessions we posted last week has been reading your comments and has responded to some of your questions. The rep also offers five more tips that they forgot to include in their original post.
Sprint Solves Krystyl's $14,062.27 Phone Bill Mystery
By 1.4.08
Krystl and Sprint tell us that the cellphone provider has seen the error of its ways and decided that Krystl no longer owes them over fourteen thousand dollars:“They dropped all the charges and had told me that the person who had initially signed me up for sprint was supposed to put me on the new EVDO technology system at which they didn’t.”
Slumlord Dermot Company Finally Installs Boiler
By 1.2.08
Huzzah! Dan’s quest to not live in an icecube has succeeded. He writes:
The boiler’s been replaced and I’ve had consistent heat and hot water since xmas. Now i just have this unholy clanking coming from the steam pipe every morning b/t 3 and 5 am which jolts me from my bed in fear that its about to explode and take me with it. The super says hopefully it will get resolved this week.
By 12.21.07
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The lawyer for the family whose daughter died after CIGNA declined to pay for her liver transplant said that he will urge the DA’s office to press manslaughter charges against CIGNA for having “maliciously killed her.” [AP]
Slumlord Dermot Company Installs New Boiler (For Four Days And Counting)
By 12.21.07
On Monday, I returned home from work to discover an unexpected message from the city building inspector tucked under my door, stating that he had come to check on my heat and hot water, but that, since I wasn’t home, he’d check things out in a neighboring apartment.
You Can't Buy A Car Without Agreeing To Arbitration
By 12.18.07
Having failed at VW dealership, a Mother Jones reporter continued her journey to buy a car without signing an arbitration. She tried half a dozen dealerships over a month, and none of them would let her buy a car without signing an agreement waiving her right to sue. Finally, she found the car she wanted from a guy who was selling it on his own, but then the loan document from her bank contained a huge arbitration clause.
By 12.16.07
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A critical look at the veracity of the claims mentioned in “Mandatory Binding Arbitration Means Alleged Halliburton Rapists Could Go Free” [Overylawyered]
Best Buy Apologizes For Sending Cease And Desist Letter To Blogger For Reporting Factual Information
By 12.12.07
Best Buy has backed off and apologized for sending the Laughing Squid blog a cease and desist letter over their posting on other group’s Best Buy parody shirts. Initially, Best Buy didn’t feel the blogger’s free speech rights were of importance, saying Laughing Squid was “promoting” rather than reporting.” Now Best Buy says, “…we do not object to fair and accurate reporting of fact, and respect the First Amendment rights of Laughing Squid and other bloggers to provide articles or commentary on current events. Now that we have a better understanding of your website, we regret sending you the demand letter.” Hooray, the internet wins again!
CompUSA Will Close All Stores After Holidays
By 12.8.07
Last Tuesday, based on industry-insider information provided “on background,” we told you that this could be coming, and here it is: CompUSA announced Friday it will close all its stores after the Christmas shopping season. So to all you doubters, we offer a rousing, “nyah, nyah.” Rumor of the impending shutdown was also given to The Boy Genius Report via a leaked internal Best Buy memo.
Coldest Day Of Year. No Heat On. Thanks, Slumlord Dermot Company.
By 12.4.07
The roach situation has improved, but Daniel still has to call the super every time he wants to take a shower. Also, on Sunday, when it was 21 degrees in New York, he didn’t have any heat until 6pm.
SOLVED: Comcast Charges You For Service You Never Ordered, Threatens To Ruin Your Credit
By 12.3.07
After her story appeared on The Consumerist, Allison is no longer being defrauded and threatened to be sent to collections by Comcast to pay for service she never ordered. A rep in the Comcast executive office contacted us, we put them together and the problem got solved.
By 12.3.07
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I was going through old posts and realized that on “Delta Wants Me To Rebook For A Later Flight Because I’m One Minute Late,” I never said why I got there only 44 minutes before departure instead of 45. So here it is: the car service was 20 minutes late, and we hit traffic. Cheers.
Explanation For The $307.06 Harry Potter DVD
By 11.30.07
On Wednesday, we posted a picture a reader sent us of a Harry Potter DVD priced at $307.06. Not only was it not Photoshopped, several CompUSA employees chimed in to let us know there was actually a very good reason for it to have this huge price. Whenever a movie is supposed to be held until a certain street date, the price for that item is set to the release date. In this case, Harry Potter and the Goblet Of Fire came out on March, 7th, 2006, 03/07/06. By mistake, this tag was moved out to the floor when it should have been kept in the backroom. Mystery solved!
Probably Why HomeDepot.com, et al, Doesn't Accept Gift Cards
By 11.19.07
Here’s a probable answer for that reader who complained Friday that HomeDepot.com won’t let you use gift cards, forcing him to drive 20 miles away to get his tool fix. It’s probably better than driving all the way there, only to find his gift card was empty. If you recall, last year there was a big problem with thieves stealing git cards….
Can't Watch Your Premium Cable Channels ? Ask For "CCV Hit"
By 11.15.07
Now you don’t need to get special tender loving escalation to enjoy the same solution as Charlie of Charter Decides To Care That Reader Can’t Watch Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares fame. Reader Mangopants had the same problem where he couldn’t watch a specific channel. He writes, “After 5 months, 60+ calls to Charter (not exaggerating) and 3 visits from technicians I finally got a supervisor visit this site and read this article and the related problem article – she sent a “CCV Hit” to my box – fixed the problem right up!” A little Googling shows it’s the reset code for premium channels and it’s not just for Charter, “CCV Hit” works for other with other cable companies and on other DVRs.
Dinner Plates On Walmart Shelves Contain Lead
By 11.14.07
What are you feeding your children tonight? How about a hearty helping of lead? KUTV did a followup on their report yesterday about lead in dinner plates. Their investigative reporter bought more plates from Walmart. After heating them to 85 degrees, the plates leached out lead at .381 parts per million. The plates were made in China. The government says that anything below 2.0 is acceptable. But unlike a toy where you’re mainly just coming in skin contact with the toy, with a plate, the lead is actually seeping into the food and you’re eating it.
Sur La Table Responds To Reader's Hot Handle Incident
By 11.13.07
We have an official company response in regards to our post, “Sur La Table Mug Handle Found Scorchingly Hot After 2 Minutes In Microwave.” Susanna Linse, Sur La Table Media Relations Manager writes:
