Here’s a new trick for getting satisfaction from a reluctant company, using Twitter. We can call this one “tweet to power.”
readers
Executive Email Carpet Bomb Scores Hit On Time Warner Cable
By 6.14.09
For the past two years, Time Warner has charged Eric $10 per month above its published rates. Eric called and made what he thought was a fair offer: In exchange for refunding only one year’s worth of overcharges, he would add a premium cable service. A Time Warner supervisor responded with: “this is not let’s make a deal,” and then offered to refund three months worth of overcharges. Offended and armed with a reasonable request, Eric decided to unleash the mighty Executive Email Carpet Bomb.
Delta Is Going To Flip Out If You Wear A Neck Brace In The Emergency Exit Aisle
By 6.14.09
Ned wears a neck brace when he flies, not because he’s injured or disabled, but because he prefers it to one of those floofy neck pillows. This didn’t sit well with a Delta flight attendant who was intent on keeping disabled-looking folks out of the emergency exit aisle. The attendant wouldn’t leave Ned alone, even after Ned demonstrated his range of mobility and explained that the brace was from a minor car accident thirty-three years ago. Ned managed to hold onto his seat after a chat with the senior flight attendant, but the original flight attendant later came back, “got in [Ned’s] face ñ literally, just inches away” and complained that Ned had “bucked his authority.”
Why Does The UPS Store Ship Packages With FedEx?
By 6.14.09
Alex shipped two packages to San Francisco from the UPS store in Boston. One was delivered, the other wasn’t—until without any explanation or notification, it arrived back at Alex’s house in Boston on a FedEx truck. Huh?
The Variable APR On This Macy's Credit Card Is Either 23% Or 716%
By 6.14.09
Rick writes: Check out the first bill I received for a Macy’s card I just opened last week (because they offered me 20% off if I did). 716% APR has to be some kind of record. Even loan sharks couldn’t charge that with a straight face.
The "New" CircuitCity.com Ships Shoddily-Wrapped TV Mount Missing Half Its Parts
By 6.13.09
The new CircuitCity.com is already disappointing customers, this time by shipping a half-complete TV mount that looks like it was wrapped by an over-caffeinated octopus. Unsurprisingly, our anonymous tipster had to slog his way through two customer service departments before extracting a promise to ship out the missing parts. Why can’t CircuitCity.com just ship him a new mount? Apparently, they have to first botch the parts shipment. Our tipster decided this wasn’t worth his time, and instead ordered a second mount. Circuit City promises to refund his money once they receive back the defective mount…
Help, Dell Won't Ask UPS To Trace My Lost Monitor!
By 6.13.09
UPS’ website promises that they will deliver Corey’s Dell Vizio 37″ LCD monitor tomorrow, which would be exciting, except the website has said the same thing every day for the past two weeks. UPS’ customer service representatives insist that the package is lost and that Dell needs to initiate a trace. Dell would be happy to accommodate—who wouldn’t want to trace a lost package?—but their customer service representative claims that it’s Dell policy not to initiate a trace until 48 hours after the scheduled delivery date, which according to UPS, is tomorrow.
Gold's Gym "Misplaces" Serviceman's Deployment Letter, Keeps Billing For Membership
By 6.13.09
Gold’s Gym in Oxnard, California won’t stop billing Molly’s brother for membership, even though both he and his mother have repeatedly sent the gym copies of his deployment orders to Afghanistan. Two months later, the gym claims that it has “misplaced” the deployment orders, and is still billing for services Molly’s brother can’t use.
AmEx Charges You For Having A Negative Balance. What?
By 6.13.09
American Express hit Mike with a finance charge because his Blue card had a balance. A negative balance. Incredulous, Mike called and said, “so you dinged me for carrying a balance and not making a payment, even though it was a negative balance?,” to which AmEx replied, “Right, even negative balances.”
Cox Sees Your Double Payment, Raises You A Double Bill
By 6.13.09
Tamera accidentally paid her $134.61 Cox Cable bill twice, but instead of refunding or acknowledging the overpayment, Cox thought it would be fun to send Tamera an extra bill for $269. If she’s lucky, Cox says they’ll consider waiving their late fee.
UPS' "Professional Packaging" Destroys Antique Car
By 6.13.09
UPS ruined this antique 1953 Willys Aero Wagon concept studio model by shipping it in three boxes taped together with packing peanuts and bubble wrap. UPS claims they can “pack almost anything,” and that their “certified packing experts” “specialize in fragile and high-value items, including antiques.” Whoops!
Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
By 6.12.09
Here are eight wonderful photos readers added to The Consumerist Flickr Pool this week and one handy weight-loss tip, all picked for neatness and usability in a Consumerist post. Check ’em out!
WaMu Saddles Credit Card Theft Victim With Thousands In Fraudulent Charges
By 6.10.09
Someone stole reader A’s WaMu credit card number and racked up thousands in fraudulent charges, and now WaMu wants A to pay for it. The fraudsters also made a PIN request for a cash advance over the phone, and WaMu said that phonecall orginated from A’s parents house. Because of this, which A says is impossible, WaMu demands A be responsible for the charges. He’s written letters and called executive customer service and it’s gotten him nowhere. His crappy story, inside…
Dirty Credit Report Scuttles Job Prospects
By 6.9.09
Dan Denton was about to get a much-needed job. Then the recruiters saw his blemished credit report and took away their offer.
Beware The Radioactive Cheese Graters
By 6.8.09
Ever feel like everything gives people cancer these days? Well, you might not be too far from the truth. A Scripps News investigation found that “radioactive waste is being mixed with other metals in scrap yards and recycling facilities, often overseas, and then shipped into the U.S. in a range of consumer products.” The products include household cheese graters, recliners, handbags and forks and knives, along with fences, shovels, elevator buttons, airline components and building steel. [Yahoo! Green] (Thanks to Liz!) (Photo: Richard Faulder)
Change The Name On Your Utility Bills When You Move Out
By 6.6.09
Add “change the name on your utility bills” to your post-breakup checklist or you’ll end up like reader Noah, who had to pay a $140 cable bill for three months of service his ex-girlfriend used after he moved out. Why? Because the bill was in his name, and if he didn’t pay up, it was his credit report that was going to suffer.
Man Causes Thousands In Fire Damage After Walmart Refuses Return
By 6.5.09
After Walmart wouldn’t let him make a return, Phillip R. Wright, 41, of Monroe, Louisiana, pictured, left, looking disgruntled and pretty “arsony,” set a men’s clothing rack inside the store on fire.
