UPDATE: After he sent an EECB, all of Andrew’s billing errors have been resolved.
internets
7 Scam Warnings For Online Job Hunters
By 7.21.08
According to legends we’ve heard, it’s possible to find a job by searching online. Flimflammers are also looking for you, looking to defraud job seekers. The BBB has 7 red flags to should watch out for that could indicate that job opportunity is just a scam.
Upgrade FiOs Speeds From 5/2 To 10/2
By 7.21.08
Verizon FiOs recently doubled its download speed for consumer and small businesses from 5 to 10mb, but reader Lindsay says she wasn’t automatically upgraded. Luckily, if you’re in the same boat, you can upgrade by calling 800-688-2880, entering the phone number on your account, pressing 3, then 5, then 2. Lindsay writes, “I got to a rep very quickly and she got everything switched. It cost me $3 more due to a rate change since I signed up, but that’s not too much to ask for double the download speed.”
Eforcity Bribes User To Remove Negative Amazon Feedback
By 7.8.08
Sarah bought some car chargers from Eforcity through Amazon, and was disappointed to find that the charger plug doesn’t stay in the phone unless you hold it in. She said as much in her Amazon feedback. In response, Eforcity said they would be happy to give her a refund, as long as she deleted her negative feedback. In other words, a bribe for self-censorship. Eforcity’s email, inside…
Amazon.com Is Was Down!
By 6.6.08
Whoa Amazon is down. It just says, “Http/1.1 Service Unavailable.” Then I tried again and the front page was there, but when I clicked through, same error message. It looks like it’s been this way since at least 1:30 PM, eastern. It was broken for several Consumerist writers who tested it out.
Get Free Sprint Features With URL Hacking
By 4.14.08
Two more instances of Sprint’s insecure online system:
How To Research An Unknown Online Retailer
By 4.7.08
So you just spotted that gizmo you’ve been lusting for at unbeatable price, but the only problem is it’s for sale at an online retailer you’ve never heard of. How do you know if they’re trustworthy?
Tide: Good For Removing Feces Stains
By 4.3.08 — Updated: 10.25.12
One of the many uses for Tide is feces stains, so the company decided to open up the discussion by starting a whole thread devoted to their removal. Sprinkled in and amongst the legitimate feces stain removal company area a few suspect comments, like “im david michler. i had feces all over myslef the other day and this tide works great! i dont know how i got it on me but when i woke up 3 guys ran out my room. and it was all over my shirt and pants. i used tide about 3 days after the incident and it got it out with very little stains left over. thank you tide. i love you.” Then there’s “Josie” who says that until Tide came along, she used to take his soiled underwear back to Walmart for a refund, and “tammy ampersand” who warns against using Mountain Fresh for douching, “as it attracts birds.” No doubt sociologists will some day come up with a technical term for this juvenile online behavior, which has been seen in the past in the Amazon product reviews for the “Oozinator” toy gun, and milk. My only disappointment is that the related thread, “Big Game Stains and Solutions” had nothing in there about getting elk blood out. The sure-to-be-soon deleted message board posts, inside…
Any Joe Sixpack Can Be A Phisher
By 3.17.08
The popular conception of phishers is of shadowy electronic masterminds, using a mix of technical prowess, deception and anonymity to trick consumers into handing over the bank account details. Actually, most of them are too stupid to design their own websites. That’s what two security researchers found when they delved deep into the online phishing community.
Comcast: No Thanks FCC, Blogosphere Polices Us Just Fine
By 2.14.08
In the brief Comcast filed arguing that they doesn’t need the FCC telling it how not to throttle its customers’ internets, Comcast came up with a pretty special explanation:
The self-policing marketplace and blogosphere, combined with vigilant scrutiny from policymakers, provides an ample check on the reasonableness of such [network management] judgments.
So after dissing on the relevance of blogs, Comcast turns around and says that it takes blogs seriously enough that they’re a sufficient proxy for FCC regulation. The lawyer that came up with that one deserve a very big M&M cookie.
By 2.11.08
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Yahoo rejects Microsoft’s takeover bid for reals for reals. We are safe from the threat of the creation of the world’s largest, crappiest, search engine…for now. [AP]
ISP's Sneaky Fees
By 2.6.08
“ISPs create tangled Web of sneaky fees: Companies use hidden charges to generate revenue in competitive industry” is an excerpt Bob Sullivan has published from his new book Gotcha Capitalism. For example, in 2006, the government dropped the federal Universal Service Fund (FUSF) fee on DSL, which meant providers could now charge less, right? Verizon turned around and quickly replaced the FUSF with a new “Supplier Surcharge” fee. Sneaky sneaky.
Why Everyone At Verizon Online Is Utterly Useless
By 2.5.08
Faith writes:
It began the beginning of Oct. 2007. My credit card expired, and I contacted all of my utilities to update my credit card information. It was an annoying process, but it went smoothly. That is, until the notices started coming.
Cable Companies Are Like Bi-Polar Buffet Owners
By 2.1.08
An article over at LightReading questions how cable companies can get away with advertising speeds they can’t provide and then using caps to limit people trying to actually take advantage of the advertised bandwidths:
An MSO talking 100 Mbit/s out of one side of its mouth and usage caps out the other is like a bi-polar buffet restaurateur. They continue adding more entrees to an all-you-can-eat spread, and then reduce the size of the plates and tell diners they only have 10 minutes to chow. It’s a recipe for dissatisfaction. The buffet looks bigger and tastier – so the patron’s hunger grows – and then they are asked to practice portion control.
(Photo: BILLBINNS)
By 1.28.08
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Starting March 11, Comcast will begin charging a $3.99 “human interaction fee” if you want to pay your bill by talking to a live operator. [The Oregonian via DSL Reports]
By 1.23.08
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AT&T broadband subscribers will now get free access to AT&T wifi hotspots. These are mainly found in Barnes & Noble, McDonald’s, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf and airports. [AT&T via Gizmodo]
Reach Blogger Executive Customer Service
By 1.10.08
The Blogger free blogging system is owned by Google and they usually like their customers to talk to robots, but if you have an extreme issue, like all of a sudden your blogs were deleted (this has happened to at least a couple Consumerist readers), here are some executive honchos you can talk to get you fixed up:
