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Want to reduce your Bank of America spam mail? Our commenter tinder posted a link to their opt-out page in our earlier post on Chase spam. [www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/]
Thanks for visiting Consumerist.com. As of October 2017, Consumerist is no longer producing new content, but feel free to browse through our archives. Here you can find 12 years worth of articles on everything from how to avoid dodgy scams to writing an effective complaint letter. Check out some of our greatest hits below, explore the categories listed on the left-hand side of the page, or head to CR.org for ratings, reviews, and consumer news.
../../../..//2008/03/26/want-to-reduce-your-bank/
Want to reduce your Bank of America spam mail? Our commenter tinder posted a link to their opt-out page in our earlier post on Chase spam. [www.bankofamerica.com/privacy/]
Anyone who’s a customer of Chase knows how hardcore they can be about direct mail advertising. Martin writes:
Over the last 12-24 months, I’ve been annoyed with about 3-4 mailings a week from Chase for various add-on services and useless products. Already a customer of theirs, I did not appreciate this onslaught of advertising. Here’s a quick opt-out website in which you can cancel all direct marketing letters from Chase… dnmoptions.chase.com.
Direct mailers don’t believe in the concept of opting in, so if you want to cut down on the amount of straight-to-the-trash mail you receive, you’ll need to contact them directly and request that your name is removed. ForestEthics—the group behind the Do Not Mail Registry petition we blogged about earlier, has gathered several ways to contact the offending parties.
VOIP-News has a list of 50 ways to get through to a real, live, not necessarily well-trained CSR on phone systems. We’re posting this not just because their first tip is “Read the Consumerist,” but because there are some really good ideas here, like hitting up EDGAR to search for contact info on public companies.
Jay writes in with a question: how do you get back your deposit from a car dealership when a deal goes sour? The salesman jacked up the price after an initial negotiation, and now won’t refund the deposit: “He said we’d be surprised at what he can make up to keep the deposit.”
Joseph writes in with a helpful reminder:
Now might be a good time to remind people that they can opt-out of pre-screened offers of credit. In light of the HSBC debacle I’ve been victim of, I checked out my credit report yesterday. I was amazed at how often the major credit card companies (AMEX, Capital One, Bank of America, etc…) access my credit history in order pre-screen me for promotional purposes. Consumers can opt-out at: www.optoutprescreen.com
HowToHaggle.com is a short, easy-to-skim website devoted exclusively to the concept of haggling. It’s not the world’s most extensive resource, but the tips page lists 15 very good things to keep in mind the next time you want to score a better deal on a product.
[protected-iframe id="14eedff4c1ed081d42f5a75be4931995-40783744-40309798" info="http://digg.com/api/diggthis.php?u=http://digg.com/business_finance/The_Ultimate_Consumerist_Guide_To_Fighting_Back_2" width="55" height="82" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"] We’ve posted recently about how to fight back when a business screws you over, and we’ve posted a lot of executive contact info over the years. Now we’re packaging the two together into one big mega-post of usefulness: a one-stop-stop for figuring out what you need to do to start a customer complaint, or how to escalate a stalled one so that it can be resolved.
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You don’t have to spend $30 at Petco to gussy up your small dog in embarrassing winter wear, says the MAKE blog. Just find an old argyle sock and follow their simple, six-cut pattern. Warning: it makes a hat, too! [makezine.com]
The times, they are a changin’: whether it’s for business, a hobby, some drunken money-making scheme at three in the morning, or just to feel like you own something (our girlfriend says it’s “the poor man’s real estate”), there’s a good chance that you have bought or will buy a domain name at some point. One of the cheapest and most popular places to do this is GoDaddy.com, and designer C. Julian Klewes has written a handy illustrated guide to getting through their check-out gauntlet unscathed.
Almost every stadium to which I’ve every been has a sales office open to the public. It’s in here where the managers and full-time sales staff reside during pre-game. These are the people who can get you that extra ticket or find you a seat to a “sold out” event. Don’t waste your breath arguing at the ticket window, those people are usually part-time and can’t do much. Plus, it’s much harder to argue when there’s a big line behind you and a big plastic window in front of you. Sales offices usually have smaller lines and a counter without a window – this makes it much easier to negotiate.
“Sure a Roth IRA is great… there are a few other options for those of us going solo, like an individual 401(k), SEP IRA, or SIMPLE plan.”
“Pour on enough to cover the soiled area and let sit for 15 to 30 minutes. Vacuum to remove the grains.”
Small claims or conciliation court provides a way for individuals to settle their differences with the help of a neutral referee or judge. [More]
Moving sucks, even if you’re trading up. The un/packing, the organization of all your crap, the sound of packing tape being unrolled… I hate it all. I dread it like I dread root canal. At least the dentist gives you Novocaine.
One of the main reasons that lawsuits start–or that people give up once they have been screwed–is lack of good negotiating skills. This isn’t always the case, of course. Some corporations, landlords, customer service representatives, etc., are simply intractable. If you negotiate well, you may just get what you want. But even if you don’t, you will set yourself up to take the situation to the next level.
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