It didn’t take long for Intuit to start ruining a great product. They’ve begun upselling Mint.com customers to two “free” credit report sites that are anything but. UPDATE: Turns out Mint was already doing this pre-Intuit. Bully for them.
readers
Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
By 11.20.09
Here are six wonderful photos readers added to The Consumerist Flickr Pool this week, picked for neatness and usability in a Consumerist post. Check ’em out!
AT&T Says Their Rep Doesn't Want To Die
By 11.19.09
AT&T is very concerned that you know the TRUTH about the chat transcript from yesterday’s “AT&T Rep Wants To Die” post that we picked up after hit the front page of Digg. They say the screengrab is “doctored” and “fraudulent.” We say, who cares? It’s a hilarious online pass-around that any normal internet user would takes with a grain of salt. By the time we had picked it up, it was already old news. In any event, they provided us with the REAL conversation between rep Darlene and customer Robert:
Marty McFly's Hat Is A Choking Hazard
By 11.18.09
The biggest danger to Hill Valley isn’t Grey’s Sports Almanac, it’s the small parts in Marty McFly’s cap. This form the inspiration for Back To The Future IV, where Marty travels through time to make sure his future self doesn’t strangle on the drawstrings of a poorly designed hoodie.
Free Muni WiFi Back After MPAA Shut It Down For 1 Download
By 11.18.09
Coshocton, OH has its free muni WiFi back up, less than a week after it was shut down by MPAA actions over a single illegal movie download.
American Airlines Fires Web Designer For Helping Customer
By 11.17.09
Dustin Curtis complained to American Airlines about its poor website user interface. A designer within the company reached out to him to apologize, say how it was hard sometime to design well at a large company, but that better designs were coming down the pike. American Airlines then fired the designer. Authenticity can be a hazard to your job health.
DirecTV Marketer Steals DISH Customers Via 800 Number Squatting
By 11.16.09
A sneaky DirecTV marketer has bought up toll-free numbers that end in “DISH.” When DISH Network customers call up, the operators make it sound like they’re from Dish and offering them a free service upgrade, but in reality, they’re switching the service and slamming the Dish Network customer into a DirecTV service contract.
Verizon Configures Phones So You Incur Erroenous Data Charges? (To The Tune Of $300 Million)
By 11.13.09
If you have a Verizon phone, you’ve probably at one point accidentally hit a button that connects you to “Get It Now” or “Mobile Web.” Arg. And it’s double-arg when it turns out that even if you cancel right away, you still get hit with a $1.99 1MB data charge. According to a tipster, this is totally on purpose. [More]
Citibank: Transfer $5000 In Debt Onto This Card Or We'll Double Your APR
By 11.12.09
“It’s the increased cost of doing business,” was Citicard’s constant refrain when Kent’s husband called to complain about their latest pre-CARD act adverse action insanity: transfer $5000 in balances from other credit cards to this credit card or we’ll double your interest rate. Listen to Kent’s message left on the new Consumerist hotline and/or read the transcript:
Direct Dial AT&T Senior Tech Support
By 11.9.09
If you have an unresolved technical issue that regular AT&T Wireless customer service doesn’t seem to be able to or be interested in helping you, this is the direct number for their senior tech support:
Save The Polar Bear Sweaters Are Nice, But Do The Bears Really Get The Cash?
By 11.6.09
So you’re shopping and have a choice between Sweater A, and Sweater B, the one that saves polar bears. This so-called “embedded giving” where you buy something and part of the money goes towards a charity has become quite popular, especially during the holiday season, but did you ever stop to think if the polar bears are really getting the money?
Borders To Close 200 Bookstores
By 11.6.09
Borders announced that 200 of their stores will be, in the words of their CEO, “right-sized” by January. The shredding focuses on Waldenbooks, Borders Express and Borders Outlet stores, mainly those in malls and airports. We kinda saw this coming.
USAA Expands Membership To All Vets
By 11.6.09
Perennial Consumerist favorite banker and insurance company USAA announced yesterday that they’re expanding eligible membership to all honorably discharged vets, regardless of dates or lengths of service.
Consumerist Meetup Great Success!
By 11.5.09
Last night’s first ever Consumerist meetup went off like gangbusters. At least 75 people showed up to Botanica Bar in New York to drink our beer, mingle with one another, watch movies, and celebrate prolific commenter GitEmSteveDave, who has been asking for a labcoat in the comments for months, receiving said much-desired and deserved labcoat. More pictures and highlights, inside… UPDATE: Adding new event pictures, courtesy of commenter NYBiker!
Verizon Wireless To Hike ETFs On "Advanced" Devices
By 11.4.09
Are you looking to get a smartphone on the Verizon network anytime soon? Make sure that you like it before you sign a contract, since starting November 15th, Verizon will be imposing a higher early termination fee—up to $350—on contracts for “advanced” devices. That means smartphones.
