Archive for the 'Consumer' Category

New Mystery: 702-520-1214

I’m in my recliner and watching some TV in my living room when the phone rings. I am watching the local news station that I get directly off the roof-top antenna so I don’t get the Caller ID display that my Dish Network DVR serves up when we get a call. Figures.
Since my wife is [...]

I Confess: It was 866-266-9317 And I Answered

Knowing that another call from 866-266-9317 would be coming as sure as the Sun would rise, I had some time to ponder my next move.
Another call from these annoying idiots came Saturday and I did not pick it up since I had not decided on my plan of action quite yet. Who knew that telemarketers [...]

Is It 866-266-9317 Calling? Don’t Bother Answering!

I must admit that being on the national “Do Not Call” list has done wonders to reduce telemarketing here in my home. For the past few years, telemarketing calls have been very rare here in my home. A true blessing.
There are however, loopholes in the “Do Not Call” laws that allow for telemarketing calls in [...]

Cell Phone Companies: Grow Up And Learn To Get Along!

Apparently, cell phone companies are acting like a bunch of toddlers in a sand box who just cannot get along with each other.
I say this because not every cell phone company will allow cell phones from other companies have access to their cell phone network. Heck, I don’t know if there is a single cell [...]

Is it Pat Haines or Is It AARP?

At first glance, I thought the latest sleazy-looking item that showed up in my mailbox was from good old Pat Haines at N.M.E. This time, I was wrong.
It appears that AARP, otherwise known as the American Association of Retired Persons, has taken a page from the N.M.E. playbook. Go ahead and compare this recent mailing [...]

Massachusetts Passes ID Theft Legislation

It’s certainly not often that I am able to praise the actions of the government in my former home state of Massachusetts, so I will seize this rare opportunity to report passage on what appears to be a good bill aimed at preventing identity theft.
You may recall the well-known data breach a while back where [...]

NH Attorney General Warns of ‘Cardmember’ Scams

There are reports that some New Hampshire residents are receiving letters that are intended to convince the recipient to send personal information.
These letters are often started by addressing the recipient as “Dear Cardmember,” a greeting that has been used by credit card companies in communications with customers.
At least on variation of this scam involves [...]

AOL: Be Obnoxious And Make $3000!

According to this report, AOL or America Online as they are otherwise known, has agreed to pay $3 Million to settle with 48 states and Washington, D.C. to avoid lawsuits.
The once-mighty Internet giant has been accused of somewhat-less-than-satisfactory customer service when dealing with customers who wished to cancel their AOL service.
You may recall a recording a [...]

How Badly Do You Want The Apple iPhone?

It’s amazing how much excitement a new gadget can create when it is marketed the right way. More than a few people are calling the iPhone marketing campaign one of the best in history.
I don’t plan on getting an iPhone any time soon. I just don’t need it since I don’t go out all that [...]

Ohio "Loses It" Again

I guess state employees in Ohio are on a roll. It was recently discovered that in addition to the 225,000 Ohio taxpayers whose personal information is on a missing computer backup tape, a laptop computer was stolen from another state employee.
On the stolen laptop is the social security numbers and other personal information belonging to [...]