The filings in bankruptcy cases, especially large and complex ones, tend to be long and not terribly exciting reading. You can find important bits of information like store closing lists and gift card policies, but what one doesn’t expect to find among thousands of pages of legal forms is a handwritten letter from a child defending a chain retailer with 866 stores. [More]
letters
Feds Sue Debt Collector That Allegedly Misrepresented Attorney Involvement
By 4.17.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it is illegal for debt collection firms to use false, deceptive, or misleading representations to collect a debt. One Ohio company apparently didn’t follow this rule when sending consumers letters that claimed attorneys were involved in the collection of their debts, and now it’s facing a lawsuit from federal regulators. [More]
Senators Urge Continued Oversight Of For-Profit Colleges Amid Another Closure
By 9.30.16
For-profit college operators continued to take hits this week, as lawmakers called for federal aid restriction on the Computer Systems Institute brand, and smaller Regency Beauty Institute brand announced it would close. [More]
Regulators Send Letters To Seven Additional Automakers Related To Shrapnel-Shooting Takata Airbags
By 9.28.15
While federal regulators reduced the number of vehicles equipped with potentially deadly Takata airbags, more could be added to the list that already includes 19.2 million after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration sent letters last week to seven additional automakers warning that their cars include the shrapnel-shooting safety devices. [More]
Why Didn’t Dept. Of Education Find Problems With Loan Servicer Fined $100M?
By 8.5.15
Last May, investigations by the Department of Justice and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation into student loans servicing resulted in a $100 million fine against government-contracted servicer Navient for allegedly violating federal laws limiting the amount of interest that can be charged on servicemember student loans. Following those investigations, the Department of Education undertook a review that found its four servicers – including Navient – weren’t cheating military personnel. With such conflicting reports, members of Congress are now getting involved, calling for an investigation into the Dept. of Education’s review process. [More]
Postal Worker Accused Of Delivering 22,000 Pieces Of Mail Straight To His Garage
By 7.23.15
Tempting though it may be for a postal worker to swipe any of the millions of pieces of mail flying around the country, most refrain, and our packages and letters get where they’re supposed to go. But every once in a while, we have the misfortune to hear about a mail carrier gone rogue. Like a Philadelphia postal worker who authorities say squirreled away tens of thousands of pieces of mail. [More]
Authors, Booksellers Call For Investigation Into Amazon’s Alleged Anti-Competitive Business Practices
By 7.14.15
Last year, Amazon and book publisher Hachette engaged in a contentious feud that at times saw the online retailer use its considerable clout to make it difficult for consumers to purchase books by Hachette-published authors. Now, eight months after the two companies came to an undisclosed agreement, groups representing thousands of authors and booksellers are pointing to the online book retailer’s actions as reason for the Department of Justice to open an antitrust investigation into Amazon. [More]
Upcoming Online Airfare Comparison Changes Raise Privacy, Discrimination Concerns
By 4.28.15
A group of senators raised concerns Tuesday that a new airfare comparison shopping system currently being developed could lead to unfair discrimination practices based on information the airlines receive from customers. [More]
Senators Urge FDA To Investigate Allegations That Purina’s Beneful Dry Kibble Includes Toxins
By 3.12.15
Several weeks after a lawsuit filed in California claimed that thousands of dogs became ill or died after eating Purina’s Beneful kibble, two senators are urging the Food & Drug Administration to open an investigation into the allegations. [More]
Advocates Push NHTSA For Answers Regarding Airbag Recall, Remedy Effectiveness
By 2.11.15
The first major automobile recall of 2015 centered on 2.1 million vehicles containing an electronic glitch that could cause the safety devices to deploy inadvertently. While that defect is obviously a safety hazard, little else about the recall seems out of the ordinary. That is until you learn that this is the fourth time these vehicles have been recalled for this particular issue. Now, a consumer group is pushing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for answers regarding the recall, its past remedy failures, and the agency’s ability to ensure owners of recalled vehicles are safe. [More]
United Airlines Forgets To Finish Letter About (SPECIFIC PROBLEM)
By 7.31.14
A few weeks ago, a passenger experienced some kind of problem with (MAJOR U.S. AIRLINE). She sent a complaint letter about this (SPECIFIC EVENT) and received a printed letter back. This letter made it clear that the person who sent the letter had forgotten to use (CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE) to fill in the blanks, resulting in a Mad Libs apology of sorts. Naturally, the recipient posted it to (POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA SITE). [More]
120,000 Pieces Of Mail Lost In Fiery Inferno After USPS Truck Collides With Another Semi
By 3.5.14
If your long lost lover lives near Orange County, California you might be waiting a little bit longer to finally hear from him/her. A U.S. Postal Truck carrying 120,000 pieces of mail went up in flames yesterday after two big rigs collided on the freeway. [More]
5 Sample Letters That Get Debt Collectors Out Of Your Face
By 7.16.13 — Updated: 5.23.17
Calls from debt collectors can make your life miserable when you’re already pretty miserable from being in so much debt. It’s even worse when you already paid the debt, or it wasn’t yours to begin with–what should you do next? That’s why sample letters can be a good starting point, or you can just send them as is. [More]
Free Sample Letters For Dealing With Credit Bureaus
By 5.12.11
Cleaning up a dirty credit report usually involves a lot of letters. Because just mustering the strength to sit down and face this task may have already drained you of your creative juice, via Frugal For Life here are a few sample letters you can use when dealing with the credit bureaus, debt collectors and creditors. Use them as Madlibs or as inspiration to kick your own cleanup spree into high gear. [More]
Chase Does Its Part To Keep Postal Service In Business
By 1.20.11
Dustin says Chase usually checks in with a couple credit card solicitation mailings a week, but decided to step up its game in the past couple days, cramming his mailbox with seven letters advertising zero percent balance transfers. [More]
Join Church Of Nationwide Insurance, Get Accident Forgiveness
By 3.17.10
Sean received an exciting promotional letter from Nationwide Insurance a few weeks ago. Did you know that Nationwide has its own imaginary patron saint? It’s true! Is this mailing a lighthearted way to sell the idea of “accident forgiveness,” or a culturally and religiously insensitive ad campaign? Sean thinks it’s the latter. What do you think? [More]
Are There 10.5 Quadrillion Ways To Customize A Whopper?
By 3.12.10
Dear Burger King, are there really 10.5 quadrillion ways to customize a whopper? Or just 221,184? A demanding customer played around with the Burger King nutritional information section and has a few questions, and he expects some answers. [More]
North Pole, Alaska, Forced Out Of Santa Letter Program
By 11.19.09
New security rules have proven too complex for Alaska’s post offices to bear, so they’re ending their participation in Operation Santa, the 50-year-old program where letters addressed to “Santa Claus, North Pole” are answered by volunteers. The program will continue elsewhere, reports the Associated Press, but when I called the USPS to find out where letters should be addressed I was told parents should contact their local post offices for information.
