Another Washington Mutual insider has stepped forward with a slew of tips to help save your ass from overdraft fees, check deposit holds, and talking to Filipino bankers. Details, inside…
insiders
5 Confessions Of A Bank Of America Personal Banker
By 5.22.08
We confess, we love confessions. We are fascinated that BOA can be the largest and the most despised bank chain in the country. We received a letter from a person who identifies himself as a former Bank Of America personal banker and he’s ready to talk. Have a seat in the Consumerist confessional. 5 confessions of a BOA personal banker, inside..
Insurance Insider Tells How To Appeal Coverage Denial
By 5.22.08
We’ve heard plenty of horror stories about people’s coverage being denied for situations where they’re darn sure that they were covered, and now, an insurance industry insider has come forward with some tips on how best to make an appeal.
10 Confessions Of A Kmart Manager
By 5.21.08
Most people consider Kmart’s merger with Sears the marriage from hell. It should come as no surprise that this sinking chain is leaving thousands of upset customers and employees in its wake, which perhaps explains a letter we received marked “10 Confessions” from a person identifying his/her self as a Kmart manager. The confessions, inside…
A Radio Shack Manager Explains Why They Ask For Personal Info On Cash Returns
By 5.16.08
Last week, we pointed out that even with a receipt and the product in hand, and even though you purchased it with cash the day before at the same store, Radio Shack won’t give a refund unless you give them your home address first. We got a lot of insider tips from former employees in the comments section, and the next day we received the following perspective from a Radio Shack store manager. We think his explanation still doesn’t explain why you need personal ID to refund a cash transaction when you’ve got the item and the receipt in front of you, but read on if you want an unverified store manager’s point of view.
"Series Of Tubes," Mario Reference, Found In ATT Manual
By 5.14.08
A testament to the “Series of Tubes” meme’s pervasiveness is its inclusion in an AT&T FastAccess business DSL tech support manual. According to a former employee, her bosses who made the manual were big nerds and read BoingBoing, Gizmodo, and The Consumerist. She also says in one of the the tech support training videos for the new customer Yahoo portal that’s rolling out later this month, it shows how to create a feed for The Consumerist. Note too that the internet is depicted as a giant fluffy cloud.
Best Buy Trained MePossibly Trained Other Employees I Heard About To Commit Credit Card Fraud, And 4 More Bad Things
By 5.13.08
A commenter to our Worst Company in America nominations picked Best Buy, his employer of six years, to win it all. His reasons, including the credit card fraud, phony bundling scams, and other schemes they made him do to keep his job he heard rumors about happening at other Best Buys, inside. UPDATE: The original commenter has contacted us to say that these things did not actually happen to him and he was not trained to do them by Best Buy. Rather, he heard about them happening at other Best Buys or read about them in other Consumerist articles, and, in a pique of anger, wrote a long comment that remixed all this information together and framed it as if it happened to him. Consumerist regrets the error, and the commenter has been banned.
Tmobile Call Center Bans Kleenex
By 5.9.08
Update on that outsourced Tmobile call center that banned paper and pens earlier this week: our insider reports that Kleenex is now verboten as well. He furthermore notes that, “paper and pens, if they are to be used, have to be signed out from a supervisor. When signed back in, the paper is shredded by the supervisor.” Any reps feeling the need to cry about their vaporizing dignity can use the back of their sleeve, after their request form is approved. A comment from our previous post explains why this might be a bad idea…
2nd Insider Says Comcast Indeed Decentralizing Network Operations Centers
By 5.1.08
Another Comcast insider says that the cable…
Circuit City Denies Its In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam
By 4.30.08
Speaking on behalf of Circuit City in regards to…
Insiders: Circuit City's In-Home TV Calibration Is A Total Scam
By 4.29.08
According to a Circuit City employee, their…
"BBB Is Useless" Says Cable Company Call Center Manager
By 4.28.08
If you have a hassle with a cable company and you…
7 Confessions Of An Apple Macintosh Specialist
By 4.28.08
It was a dark and stormy night, and the Consumerist team was hunkered down at HQ poring over leads. Suddenly, we heard a ruckus coming from the alley. Footsteps, followed by the sound of breaking glass and a cat crying out as if to say, “OMGWTF?”
Comcast Decentralizing Network Support Groups?
By 4.24.08
A Comcast insider part of a network operations group tells me that Comcast is doing some behind the scenes reorganization and decentralization so as not to suck as much. The insider says:
Sprint Reps No Longer Allowed To Quote Customer In Quotes In Case Of Subpoena?
By 4.23.08
Interesting, completely unverified, tidbit from an anonymous Sprint employee: “We’re no longer allowed to quote the customer in our notes [on the account] because if they’re subpoenaed by a judge then they’ll be evidence proving they’re telling the truth regarding their situation.” Any Sprint insiders care to comment?
