For some inexplicable reason, you can get any box of cereal right now for $1.79 at the Rite Aid in Grand Central in Manhattan. These normally run $6-plus. $4-plus.
INVESTIGATIONS
Buy Brand Name Cereal For Only $1.79 At Grand Central Northeast RiteAids
By 2.28.07
Home Depot's Contractors Instructed to Intentionally Inflate Estimates, Charge For Items Not Installed
By 2.28.07
Now, NBC4 has heard from customers in 22 states and from insiders from across the country, who have given NBC4 a paper trail of internal documents, suggesting the company overcharges customers on window and siding installations, kitchen remodels and on roofing jobs.”
Home Depot Remodelling Service Investigated For Sucking
By 2.21.07
As Linda alludes to at the end of the newscast, the real problem lies in that Home Depot customers are forced to pay for their services in full, upfront. Typically, contractors don’t get full payment until the job is completed to the customer’s satisfaction. By denying customers this crucial check and balance, Home Depot encourages sloth and incompetence.
Consumerist's Second Job Interview With IDT Energy's Scammy Marketing Firm
By 2.16.07
The office was decidedly busier on our callback. [Editor’s note: this material was written prior to today.] One person was being interviewed while another waited next to us on the sofa. More at ease, we enjoyed our second look at the office. The waiting room walls were covered with pictures of the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. “Bigger. Better.” or something like that. The receptionist had a giant stack of papers on her desk and was busy on the phone as pop music blared in the background….
Your Questions About Our Interview With IDT Energy's Scammy Marketing Firm Answered
By 2.16.07
Thanks for all of the excellent feedback to, “Consumerist’s Job Interview With IDT Energy’s Scammy Marketing Firm.” Here are a few answers to your questions:
Consumerist's Job Interview With IDT Energy's Scammy Marketing Firm
By 2.15.07
115 West 30th Street is the unassuming address for an unmemorable building that serves as the headquarters of Midtown Promotions, a “marketing solutions” company that solves markets for IDT. We interviewed with them as part of Consumerist’s continuing efforts to expose IDT’s deceptive practices.
Connecticut State's Attorney's Office Launches Investigation Into Best Buy's Secret Intranet Site
By 2.12.07
The state attorney general’s office has started an investigation into whether Best Buy maintains a secret intranet site that may have been used by some salesmen to deny customers discounts that appear on the company’s public Internet site.
We applaud the CT State’s Attorney for moving so quickly on this, but wonder if the investigation will have any teeth. As commenter something_amazing pointed out, Best Buy’s price matching guidelines explicitly state that the website does not match store pricing, and the store only matches “a lower advertised price offered by a local retail competitor on the same available brand and model.”
Market Workers Caught Urinating Near Produce
By 2.2.07
Nothing makes for fresh produce like sewage, open urination by workers, and storage next to rat-infested garbage and Port-A-Potties. That’s what a hidden camera investigation by Joel Grover found at a So-Cal produce processing area found at the Seventh Street Produce Market in downtown LA. The market services thousands of SoCal restaurants and stores.
Help Us Find A Button Hole Video Camera
By 1.29.07
We’re looking to purchase a button-hole video camera, but need some help. This type of camera has a lens that can be disguised behind a button and the rest of the apparatus worn on the body. There’s so many to choose from on the web and we’re not sure where to start.
IDT Energy’s MLM Salesforce
By 1.26.07
Reader J. used his powers as recruiter to mine through the resumes on Monster. He found two companies that seem to have run door-to-door campaigns for IDT Energy.
Broadway Photo’s Sheisty-Looking Business Addresses
By 1.25.07
Broadway Photo is a New York area camera cabal infamous for ripping customers off. First they lure in people with camera kits below market value. Then they try to upsell customers on all sorts of accessories and try to make them believe their gear won’t work without it. People have experienced unauthorized charges and report being verbally abused when they try to dispute the charges.
Oh, We See, IDT Outsources Their Door To Door Sales!
By 1.25.07
The reason why we’re having such a hard time finding a job with IDT Energy as a door to door salesman might be because they outsource these jobs.
Help Consumerist Get A Job With IDT Energy
By 1.25.07
We want to get our intern a job as a door to door salesman with IDT Energy, the energy reseller that’s scamming New Yorkers into switching over from ConEd.
Debt Collectors Gone Wild
By 1.18.07
20/20 conducted a three-month investigation into the wacky world of debt collectors and what they found will revolt you. They’ve got several recordings and transcripts up.
GM’s Nazi Past
By 12.21.06
GM sold cars to Hitler, enjoyed it, then tried to cover it up, contends the investigative report, “Hitler’s Carmaker” by Edwin Black. Much of the piece describes the relations between James D. Mooney, head of GM’s overseas operations, and Adolph Hitler.
Jiffy Lube Scam Revealed (Again)
By 8.28.06
We talked about this back in May, but now there’s an excellent YouTube compilation of all four of the NBC4 LA’s hidden camera investigation into Jiffy Lube.
Investigative Reporter Busted for Buying Drugs Online
By 6.8.06
How easy is it to buy prescription drugs online? One Houston Press reporter undertook an investigation into the Vicodin and Viagra airdropping world and found out. Then the DEA showed up at his office and confiscated all the drugs.
