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October 28 2011
After an autistic girl and her service dog were wrongly kicked out of a discount clothing store owned by TJ Maxx, the district manager profusely apologized and gave them a $25 gift card to pick out anything she liked. When she returned and tried to use the gift card, store staff kicked her out for having a service dog again. Looks like someone didn't get the memo.
Three months after the nine-year-old girl, Emily, was kicked out of "Winners," a chain owned by TJ Maxx, she and her mother came back to the store to pick out something nice using the gift card the district manager gave her.
"We were asked to leave the store," Emily's mother told CBC News. "My child's service dog was not permitted in their establishment anywhere. And if that's true, then that includes my child because there is no separation between the two of them."
"I was disappointed that I didn't get anything from the store, even my dress that my mom picked out nicely for me," Emily told CBC News.
The mother said she didn't think the store's apology was sincere because while the manager had made the perfect "putting out of the fire" gesture, the store hadn't bothered to educate their staff on the proper protocol.
Parent company TJ Maxx said that it's standard policy for service dogs to be allowed in stores. "We are looking into the particulars regarding this customer's experience and will reach out to her directly, as well as take whatever actions we believe are appropriate," Doreen Thompson, a TJX spokeswoman told CBC News.
Edmonton store bars girl's service dog twice [CBCNews] (Thanks to Neil!)
October 24 2011
Social worker Mark Lindquist almost gave his life to try to save the three developmentally disabled adults in his care when the big tornado hit Joplin, Missouri in May. But despite being impaled by metal in the course of his work and suffering other near-fatal injuries, his insurance company has denied his worker's comp claims.
The AP reports the tornado started coming towards town as Mark was driving to work. When he got there, he and his partner, as per their training, placed mattresses over the developmentally disabled adults they took care of at the group home they worked at. There wasn't enough time to get them down to the basement. He and his partner then got on the mattresses for extra weight.
Mark was later found in a pile of rubble, impaled by a piece of metal. His teeth were nearly all smashed out and his right shoulder was destroyed. He was in a coma for two months.
When he woke, he was hit by another disaster: $2.5 million in medical expenses and 11 daily prescriptions. He thought insurance would pay for it because it happened on the job.
The letter from the Accident Fund Insurance Company of America said his claim was denied "based on the fact that there was no greater risk than the general public at the time you were involved in the Joplin tornado."
The insurance company would not comment on an individual case to the AP. Several state legislators have petitioned the company to reconsider their decision.
Of the 132 other workers comp claims filed after the Joplin tornado, only seven others were denied.
'Miracle' tornado survivor denied workers' comp [AP] (Thanks to Joe!)
June 14 2011
If the last decade has taught us two things it's that Port Columbus International Airport in Ohio is a prime entry point for terrorists and that a bottle of saline merits a lengthy talking-to from the Transportation Security Administration. Oh, wait... scratch both of those.
While that might all be complete BS, someone apparently didn't tell the TSA screeners at Port Columbus. A couple of newlyweds say they were detained by screeners just long enough to miss their plane and subsequent honeymoon cruise.
The couple, en route from Columbus, OH, to a cruise ship in Florida, say they arrived around 75 minutes before their flight was scheduled to depart. But at the security checkpoint, the bottle of contact solution in their carry-on bag tagged them instantly as terrorists.
They say there were then detained another 30 to 45 minutes while TSA, rather than just throw out the bottle and tell the couple to have a nice honeymoon, brought in staff and equipment to test it.
The mysterious liquid was eventually deemed A-OK and the couple was released. Unfortunately, their plane had left without them, meaning they couldn't make their cruise.
The newlyweds weren't going to be completely put off from celebrating their nuptials. They used frequent flier miles given to them by their parents for a trip to Las Vegas.
The couple say they are now trying to get at least some of their money back after this fiasco.
Local Couple Held By TSA; Miss Flight & Honeymoon Cruise [NBC4i.com]
Thanks -- again! -- to Harper for the tip!
March 01 2011
When billionaires are locked in a labor struggle with millionaires, bet on the billionaires -- especially if they've got guaranteed continuing revenue streams. NFL owners, who are expected to lock players out later this week due to a labor dispute, are in decent shape to last two seasons without any actual football, predicts Standard & Poor's.
CNNMoney reports the NFL's TV deals ensure that the league will receive TV money even if no games are played. The league will have to pay the money back with interest once play resumes, but the funds will help keep most teams in operation for at least two seasons. The league also has a war chest of $900 million teams can draw from in case of a work stoppage.
The players, on the other hand, are a loosely-knit bunch who can't afford to be taking prime earning years off.
If you're a football fan, which side are you pulling for? How would you cope with a year or two of open Sundays?
NFL may be able to weather 2-year lockout [CNNMoney]
January 27 2011
The wife of a Vietnam War vet with multiple myeloma accidentally typed a "7" instead a "9" when she made a payment to Ceridian, the company that administers his COBRA benefits, meaning the $328.69 payment was short by two cents. And as the couple learned, being .006% in arrears is enough to have one's health coverage canceled.
According to ABC News, the couple says they didn't notice the $.02 shortage on their next Ceridian invoice, which they paid in full. But after those two cents remained outstanding, Ceridian slammed the brakes on his coverage.
Reads the original Ceridian statement:
We did not receive a full and timely payment and [the insured] was provided several notices of the shortage and a grace period reminder notice on the last invoice, along with extended grace dates as provided for under COBRA regulations.
Since the payment was not full, it fit into the definition in the regulations of an 'insufficient payment.' ... Ceridian understands nothing is more important than one's health. ... Unfortunately, we simply do not have the capacity to be able to personally call continuants and remind them of the status of their Cobra benefits.
However, after ABC News caught onto the story, Ceridian had a change of heart. "We've reviewed the situation thoroughly," said a rep for the company. "And we're pleased to say... [the policyholder's] insurance coverage was reinstated."
ABC also asked Ceridian if it would apologize to the man who lost his coverage. The rep's response: "For what specifically? ... We followed the normal procedures that were in complete compliance with the law and with regulations."
Since it only acts as a middle man between those with COBRA coverage and actual insurers, Ceridian may not be in a position to look the other way if the payment is off, even by only a few cents. But given the incredibly small amount of this shortage and the fact that subsequent bills were paid in full, couldn't there be a way for companies like Ceridian to identify situations where human error is the likely cause of the discrepancy?
Regardless of whether the policyholder or Ceridian is to blame, please let this be a reminder to always triple-check the amounts on all the payments you make to your insurer or benefits administrator.
How do you think should Ceridian have handled this $.02 shortage?
2 Cents May Mean the Difference Between Receiving Lifesaving Surgery or Not [ABC]
November 03 2010
Be wary when someone offers to clean your glasses for free. Two different readers on opposite sides of the country wrote to us in one 24-hour span with Lenscrafters horror stories. They describe perfectly good glasses ruined after an offer of a nice cleaning from the eyewear giant.
Kevin wrote:
A few weeks ago I finally decided to try contacts. After considering my options I decided upon LensCrafters as I have been using them for years and always had great experiences. At the end of the appointment, I was about to leave with my contacts on and I was stopped by the store manager who insisted on doing a free cleaning on my glasses. I agreed because they had been very helpful before and I trusted them. The manager handed over my glasses to an assistant who cleaned them. After the cleaning, my glasses were put in a case and I was sent on my way.The next morning, out of force of habit, the first thing I did was to grab my
glasses. In the dim light they looked a little off but I was not concerned.
About an hour later, I was looking at my glasses under better light and
discovered that the paint had been worn off the sides of the glasses and
there were visible marks. I attempted to call the store and could not get
through to anyone so I called corporate. After speaker with them I was
transferred back to the store and a lab technician picked up. I explained the
marks and the cleaning and the technician said "Do you have Ray-Bans?" The
first assumption he made were the brand of glasses that I was wearing. I
asked if it was common and he replied "Something in the chemicals we use to
clean the glasses can have an effect on Ray-Bans." After a brief discussion,
he told me to come in and talk to a manager to get it resolved.I went in and explained to an assistant manager what had happened, and the
conversation with the lab technician (who I later found of is the supervisor
of that department.) She was very polite but said that the most she can
offer me is %50 off of a new pair. I declined the offer on the grounds that
I had perfectly good glasses before I went in and now they do not have the
same value. I explained that I should not have to pay out of pocket for a
mistake that was not mine. I was then referred to the Store Manager.After speaking back and forth and returning on multiple visits to try to get
this corrected, I was still only offered %50 off. The manager claimed that
they use only soap and water, and that she personally cleaned them herself.
I knew that I was being lied to and stopped communication with
LensCrafters.As a former LensCrafters patron I will no longer be able to buy from them as
I have simply lost my faith in them. I urge other readers at the very least
to not accept "free" cleanings. As a Consumerist reader for years, I should have
known that free comes with a price.
The next afternoon, Tracey wrote to us:
I took my Dolce and Gabbana eyeglasses to Lenscrafters Saturday night to be cleaned and adjusted, then hours later they fell apart. These glasses are 1 ½ years old. They told me they are unfixable, no longer under warranty, and that the style is discontinued. So they will give me a 50% off discount off of a new pair. That they broke.
Cleaning customers' glasses and breaking them on purpose to encourage sales would be pretty shady, rather illegal, and downright evil, so no one wants to accuse Lenscrafters of doing that. Still, the coincidence was too strange to ignore, and we have to ask: has anyone else had an experience like this at Lenscrafters or another optician?
RELATED:
The Lenscrafters Sales Vortex Will Not Let You Just Buy Frames
Lenscrafters' Guarantee Is Kind Of Crappy Unless You Complain To Corporate
October 27 2010
As mentioned earlier, the World Series starts tonight. Consumerist reader Louis is doubly ticked-off because A) his Yankees aren't playing and B) Ticketmaster is still holding onto some of the money he paid for tickets to a game he'll never see.
Writes Louis:
Unfortunately I'm a Yankee fan. I managed to snag World Series tickets. Today I received an email saying that my refund was processed as a result of no World Series games being played in NY.
I was told that my handling fees were not going to be refunded, and to take it up with Ticketmaster. So I call them and they explain that this is the UPS fee. They say I used the service, so I cant get a refund.
Fair enough, except, I never received anything, and after some inquiring, it's explained to me that since the event was canceled, nothing was actually mailed.
So if a service is not rendered, I should be refunded, no? According to them, a REQUEST was put in for the refund, but it is no guarantee.
I was even told that part of the reason for not being refunded was because Ticketmaster printed the tickets. Now, pardon me, but if I'm not refunded a UPS fee, then I totally expect to receive SOMETHING from UPS, useless or not.
Louis says he's been told he'll receive some sort of response from Ticketmaster in the next 24-72 hours. In the meantime, he plans to talk to his credit card company to see if a chargeback is in order.
October 06 2010
It sounds like the sort of prank a bratty little brother would pull in a wacky Hollywood comedy from the '80s, but it's not. A woman in Arizona recently reached for what she thought was eyedrops, only to end up squirting superglue into her eye.
"The bottles are identical and I am not young anymore, but I am not senile," the woman, who recently had cataract surgery, told the local Fox affiliate.
After an unsuccessful attempt at washing the glue off, she had to call in paramedics who were finally able to pry the eyelids open and wash out the adhesive.
"They had to cut off the glue substance and it was all hard and in the eye, and I couldn't even see," she said.
According to MyFoxPhoenix.com, there have been several reports over the last three decades of people mistaking superglue for eyedrops because of the shape and size of the bottle.
The unfortunate woman in Arizona will be interviewed by someone from the Food and Drug Administration.
Woman Mistakes Superglue for Eyedrops [MyFoxPhoenix.com]
June 09 2010
Did you know you can get thrown in jail for not paying your debts? Yes, in America, in the 21st century, debt collectors are effectively deputizing local police forces to collect on debts, manipulating the system and using your tax dollars to do their dirty work.
Debt collectors buy five to six year old debts for pennies on the dollar from companies that have already written off ever collecting the debt. Then, the firms, frequently run by attorneys, employ a system of auto-dialers and call center teams to get the cash. They aim to get double what they paid for the debts. Anything after that is just gravy.
In some states and counties, the collectors can seek court orders to get debtors to pay, which can result in a civil warrant for the debtor's arrest. Some precincts then apparently have the luxury and manpower to enforce them and a deputy sheriff shows up on the debtor's doorstep and arrests them. The debtor can spend 24-48 hours in jail until their court appearance.
Debtors often don't even know that there is a warrant out for their arrest until they get the knock on their door and the bracelets on their wrists.
The point of bail is get a person to show up to court. But in some cases, the judge will set the bail at the exact amount of the debt owed.
"It's certainly an efficient way to collect debts, but it's also highly distasteful," Hennepin County District Judge Jack Nordby told the Star Tribune. "The amount of bail should have nothing to do with the amount of the debt."
Deborah, a debtor who was arrested and spent 25 hours in jail, said she was groped in an elevator during her incarceration and slept in a cell with 16 other women, one of whom offered her drugs.
Her crime? $250 in credit card debt.
"We hear every day about how there's no money for public services," Deborah told the Star Tribune. "But it seems like the collectors have found a way to get the police to do their work."
In jail for being in debt [StarTribune] (Thanks to FlackmanFTD!)
May 27 2010
Usually when we write about taxi-related horror stories, it's cab drivers trying to scam passengers out of cash. But this time the tables have been turned in big way, after a driver in Ohio was stiffed on a $1,427 fare.
According to the driver's complaint filed with the police, he picked up a couple in Jackson, TN, and dropped them off over 10 hours later in Lorain, OH. News reports put the distance at around 500 miles, but Google Maps estimates it at more than 600 miles.
Regardless, the driver said the couple had agreed to pay the $1,427 fare for the drive, even signing a billing statement to that effect. The woman passenger had told the driver they were going to Lorain because of a family emergency.
While he waited for his passengers to pay up, they instead hopped into a minivan and drove off without handing over any cash.
As of yesterday, no charges had been filed and no specific suspects had been named. According to reports, police spoke to a woman at the address the couple had originally given the driver. That woman said the female passenger was her niece, but that she had no way of contacting her.
Not Fare! Cabbie Stiffed After 500-Mile Trip to Lorain [Fox8.com]
December 22 2009
Company Forecloses On Wrong Condo, Throws Out Everything
It's still unclear exactly what's going on between this Las Vegas woman and a realty company, but they definitely sent someone to clean out her home when they weren't supposed to. She says they came and emptied the place of everything she owned, all because of an address mistake with the foreclosed property next door. They say she's misrepresenting the amount of her belongings to the media.
Las Vegas Now, the local CBS affiliate, reported yesterday that Nilly Mauck's condo was "trashed out," a foreclosure term for removing everything left behind by a previous owner, even though her condo wasn't the one that had been foreclosed on.
A few weeks ago, the foreclosed home was supposed to get locks changed but Mauck says that's not what happened. "I came home to pick up something and there was a note on my door from the Brenkus Team of Keller and Williams Realty stating that they accidentally re-keyed the wrong door," she said.
It was a problem Mauck thought was fixed, until she came home to find a man going into her home. Mauck says everything inside was missing.
She told the news station that she asked the realty company for compensation but was only offered $5,000.
If you watch the accompanying video report, however, the reporter points out that the realty company contacted them right before going to air and said that the photos she gave the media don't match up with what they found in the apartment. There are about two dozen "before" photos on the TV station's website, and they show a nearly empty condo.
So what's going on? As of this morning there's no update on either side's claims. Honestly, it doesn't look like Mauck had much more than $5,000 worth of property in the condo; on the other hand, if strangers showed up and threw it all away it seems like she deserves more than just the market value of the goods.
"Las Vegas Woman Victim of Foreclosure Mistake" [LasVegasNow.com] (Thanks to William!)
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