Tuesday, March 11, 2008
[complaints] Washington Top 20 Complaints Unchanged At The Top
The most common complaints against Washington businesses remained largely unchanged from 2006 to 2007 according to Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna.
Complaints against communications companies, collections agencies, stores, auto sales, and contractors continue to occupy the top spots among companies Washington consumers complain about. Although many common complaint categories remain in the Top 20 for years regardless of state, Washington did see some interesting surprises.
Landlord/tenant disputes jumped from position 21 to #7, and cable networks moved up six spots from #16 to #10. Despite the mortgage crisis that may be triggering a nationwide recession, complaints about mortgage lenders only showed a slight increase and remained outside the top 10 categories.
Consumer Help Web sees similar complaint patterns from our clients. Auto and communication companies are among the top issues year in and year out. Maryland is another state where this trend is almost repeated. After
winning a $1700 credit for a Maryland consumer on his phone bill, Consumer Help Web also helped a customer there recently with an auto manufacturer issue. The consumer, M. Wilson of Hagerstown, Maryland, later wrote us,
Toyota corrected the problem with my navigation system free of charge last week. The system has been working fine ever since. All that I can say is thanks. I always get results when I contact your service.
Now that National Consumer Protection Week is over, many media outlets will stop covering so many stories about consumer advocacy and customer service problems. Companies like Consumer Help Web continue reporting on issues in this blog and as we
resolve complaints year-round from consumers who can't get a company to respond to them.
Labels: complaint, complaint letter, Maryland, Rob McKenna, Washington
Monday, May 21, 2007
*ALERT* Even Washington Attorney General Not Immune From Phishing Attack
A listserv account used by the Washington Attorney General’s Office to send news items was hijacked as part of a “phishing” scam. State agencies have resolved the problem to ensure further unauthorized e-mails are not sent.
Subscribers received a e-mail message that appears to come from “Military Bank Online” but includes the listserv address in the “from” line. The message aims to trick readers into clicking on a link that resembles a Bank of America Web site and asks for account login information.
Do not follow the link. Do not provide any identifying information. Delete the e-mail.These emails did not originate from the Attorney General’s Office or a bank. The perpetrators of this scam aim to prey on unsuspecting members who follow the link and then enter their account user name and password. They could become victims of identity theft and fraud. Never reply to e-mails that ask for personal information and don’t click on links in e-mails or pop-ups. Legitimate financial institutions will never ask you to verify your identity online.
If you have responded to this fraudulent e-mail, your financial and personal information could be compromised.
• Please contact your bank immediately to protect your account.
• Carefully check credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges each month.
• You can contact the fraud departments of each of the three major credit reports to request a fraud alert be placed on your file. For instructions on requesting a fraud alert, visit the
Attorney General’s Office Web siteFor more information how to protect your identity, call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-551-4636.
Labels: phishing, Washington
Monday, April 30, 2007
Washington Settles With Movieland.com Over Pop-Ups
Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna has announced a settlement with three California-based businesses that resolves allegations they installed software that took control of a consumer’s computer by launching aggressive and persistent pop-ups that demanded payment for a movie download service. The software was installed after users signed up for a seemingly anonymous free trial for the service.
“Under this settlement, Movieland.com and its associated companies agree to cease offering anonymous free trials to Washington consumers for their movie download service,” said Attorney General Rob McKenna “Additionally, the defendants must receive express consent from Washington consumers before installing any billing software on the user’s computer, disclose whether the software will cause any pop-ups and clearly state all important contract terms in any advertisement.”
The state filed its original lawsuit last summer following an investigation by the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection High-Tech Unit. The suit accused the following of violating Washington’s Computer Spyware and Consumer Protection acts: Digital Enterprises of West Hills, doing business as Movieland.com; AccessMedia Networks of Los Angeles; Innovative Networks of Woodland Hills; and Alchemy Communications of Los Angeles.
Allegations against Alchemy were subsequently dismissed and the state reached a stipulated agreement with the remaining defendants that was filed today in King County Superior Court. Two company officials, Digital Enterprises’ Easton A. Herd, and Alchemy’s Andrew M. Garroni, are also parties to the settlement, which does not include a finding or admission of wrongdoing.
The defendants agreed to pay a total of $50,000 to resolve the allegations. They also agreed to provisions that limit their business practices.
According to the state’s complaint, the defendants promoted a movie download service through Web sites including movieland.com, moviepass.tv and popcorn.net that offered consumers a free three-day trial. Billing software was then downloaded onto the personal computers of consumers who accepted the offer.
After the trial period, defendants remotely activated the billing software, causing a popup window to appear that indicated the trial period had expired. Consumers who clicked on a “Continue” link on the pop-up were then shown a 40-second video that recurred hourly and told them that they were legally obligated to purchase a subscription. A statement on the company’s Web site also indicated that failure to pay “may result in an escalation of collection proceedings that could have an adverse effect on your credit status.”
The Attorney General’s Office is offering a refund program for consumers who believe they have been subject to the defendants’ practices. Washington residents who believe they are eligible for a refund should file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division online at www.atg.wa.gov or call 1-800-551-4636 (number only available in-state) to request a complaint form.
Labels: movieland, scam, Washington
