We’ve told you about banks that have foreclosed on homeowners while they told the customer they were working with them, electricity companies that tear up customer’s yards and home alarm companies that take customers money even when they’re not monitoring their alarms. But I know everyone has their own story.
The Consumerist wants to hear yours. The website is taking votes for the worst company in America. Cast your vote. I promise to post the results here when all the votes are counted.
Becky Weldon stumped me when she emailed recently with this question:
“I am a previous customer of Conn’s (with no balance on my account). My husband and I made a couple of purchases years ago. I might add that we have excellent credit and this report is not about our relationship with Conn’s.
Apparently a neighbor of ours owes Conn’s money and Conn’s has decided it is okay to call our home (because they told me our phone number remains in their computer bank). These calls are an attempt in getting information about our neighbor. I consider this an obtrusion of our privacy, and this practice has to be in violation of Texas consumer laws. Right?”
I called consumer attorney Dana Karni to find out. She always has the answers! Her response is below:
“Under both Texas state and federal collection laws, debt collectors are entitled to contact third parties for the purpose of locating a debtor. This applies to both original creditors collecting on their own behalf and to third party collection agencies. In essence, if the collector cannot reach the consumer, they can call any third party. The only permissible purpose is to locate the debtor. Collection laws do not entitle the debt collector to notify the third party that the debtor owes a debt or that they are attempting to collect a debt. They are only entitled to ask the third party (neighbor, employer, etc.) whether they have contact information for the debtor.
Consumers might wonder how it is that the collection agency has information on their neighbors or other third parties. Massive database services are available – at little cost – that will provide information on any individual’s neighbors, family, employers and potentially other unrelated third parties.
A consumer is entitled to ask a collector to stop calling them, whether the collector is attempting to collect a debt, or attempting to locate the debtor. If the collection agency does not stop the communication, the individual’s rights may have been violated.”
You saw it here first. Bank of America charging ridiculous overdraft fees when customers actually had money in their accounts.
Today Bank of America announced no more overdraft fees (effective this summer). Here’s how it will work: If you don’t have the money in your account, you can’t use your debit card. Wow! What a concept.
It’s plastic, but it’s not magic, folks!
I spent Saturday night with the awesome staff, teachers, parents & students of Crossroads School at their annual gala. Crossroads is a non-profit organization that offers an alternative to traditional schools for students with special needs, whether they have a learning disorder or are gifted and simply not challenged in a regular classroom.
There is at least 1 teacher for every 8 students at the school. Parents pay tuition; and the remainder of the cost is covered by fundraisers like the gala Saturday night at The Plaza Club of Houston. The event raised approximately $30,000. Crossroads School Director Gila 
Arnoni says it’s a tremendous accomplishment for a school with just 45 students.
Thanks to everyone at Crossroads for your hard work and for a fantastic evening!
Bet you thought I stopped doing this. Not me… I’m in in for a full year! (See original Dec. 13th post for details).
To date, I have been reimbursed $76 for $26.11 in overcharges by Kroger.
Here’s the rundown:
Overcharged Refunded Time Wasted Undercharged
12/13/09 .10 $1.61 4 minutes
12/18/09 No errors
12/20/09 No errors
12/22/09 No errors
12/26/09 .19 $1.65 (Didn’t request refund of $1.44).
12/30/09 .10 (Didn’t ask for a refund of $1.89.) .31 undercharged
1/1/10 No errors
1/9//10 No errors
1/10/10 $8.18 $27.47 >5 min. .14 undercharged
1/12/10 No errors
1/13/10 $1.30 $3.29 2 min.
1/16/10 No errors
1/19/10 .20 .89 Less than a min. Randall’s
1/23/10 .75 3.09 2 minutes
1/26/10 $7.52 $13.54 7 minutes
1/31/10 Undercharged $4.86
2/3/10 Undercharged .44
2/6/10 $5.30 $14.34 11 minutes
2/14/10 No errors
2/19/10 .98 2.79 12 minutes
3/3/10 $.1.49 $8.98 4 minutes
3/7/10 No errors
