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Some mobile phone relationships are just not meant to be
THE FIXER: Customer’s T-Mobile service plan and Walmart-bought phone deal doesn’t work out.
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T-Mobile lets client off hook
Dear Fixer: I have had a T-Mobile account for the past 10 years, and up until recently my service has been fine. I moved on July 1, and for some reason I get no service in my new apartment. I live in a two-flat building …Read More
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Waive fee? Get it in writing
D ear Fixer: I attempted to make reservations online for my wife and 4-year-old daughter to fly to Japan in October on American Airlines, using frequent flier miles accumulated in two of my other children’s accounts. The problem is that the website would not let …Read More
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A lesson in student loan torture
Dear Fixer: I’m at the end of options for dealing with a tremendous inaccuracy in my student loans. If there’s any way that you could help, I would be so grateful. The short story is that I now owe $68,000 MORE in student loans than …Read More
FIXER: Some problems just can’t be fixed
Dear Readers: The Fixer’s got the Labor Day week off, so to kick off the party we’ve decided to run some of the goofier letters we’ve received over the years. These are letters that never made it into the column. And while these problems probably …Read More
Deflated by overdrawn fees
Dear Fixer: I was on my way to take my son to his doctor’s appointment when I got a flat tire. Luckily — or so I thought — I was two blocks away from an NTB tire shop. I had my flat tire fixed and …
Buyers bugged by pests in newly purchased furniture
D ear Fixer: Several months ago, I purchased a piece of furniture from T.J. Maxx. It’s a chest/cabinet that appears to be hand-carved, possibly made in India. I recently discovered some very fine sawdust in several places surrounding the chest. I investigated and found out …
Romance scams one of the oldest, cruelest tricks around
Dear Readers: In this column we hear about a lot of problems that are unfair and annoying, but not necessarily life-or-death situations. Today, we bring you a story of a fraud that could happen to anyone who falls in love. And it has an ending …Read More
Women’s Workout World steps up for stroke victim
Dear Fixer: I joined Women’s Workout World in August 2011. My membership was payable on a month-to-month basis. The month after I joined, I went into the hospital for routine hernia surgery. There were some complications and two days later, while still in the hospital, …Read More
Sister struggles to get reimbursed for late brother’s cable payment
Dear Fixer: My brother passed away in March. A week later, I paid his final cable bill to Comcast, for $131.72. I wrote a check from my account.
United charges for extra legroom customer didn’t ask for
Dear Fixer: In April, I purchased two airline tickets on United Airlines in two separate online transactions. I did not select a seat assignment. After I finished and printed the confirmation, I noticed a $29 charge on each ticket for extra legroom. I immediately called …
Insurer’s website causes in-network, out-of-network confusion
Dear Fixer: My in-network doctor wrote an order for me to get a mammogram, so I logged on to the United Healthcare website to look up in-network providers. The closest one was a radiology practice in Arlington Heights. I had my mammogram performed at that …
Airlines urged to permit families to sit together
Dear Fixer: I read your column all the time and you are amazing. I am actually writing on behalf of my children and grandchildren, but also for the benefit of all children. My problem is with the airlines! My son purchased tickets from American Airlines …
Car heat poses threat
Dear Readers: Our normally glorious summer weather is supposed to return this weekend, so it’s a good time to remind you all of something that, unfortunately, can bring a chill to any sunny day: Each year, dozens of children die after being left behind in …
Moving mess
Dear Fixer: I hope you can help me. I have severe rheumatoid arthritis and am on a fixed income from Social Security disability. Last year, I applied for an apartment in Hillside Apartments, a low-income building in Sioux City, Iowa, where my son lives. They …
Renter in the dark after ComEd snafu socks him with $1,000 bill
Dear Fixer: I moved into an apartment in the 8900 block of South Cottage Grove in September 2008. I only lived there for three months because I lost my job and had to move. I lived with family for a while. Then, I was diagnosed …
Account overdrawn due to linked phone lines
On July 2, Verizon decided to make a $406.82 debit from my account to themselves. Meanwhile, I was swiping away with my debit card, knowing there were no problems with my account.
Neighbor gets too much static trying to help with phone service
D ear Fixer: I’m writing on behalf of my friend and neighbor, who’s had the same telephone number for close to 45 years. Wanda is 85 years old and doesn’t hear well enough to call the phone company on her own, so I did for …
Sirius Radio gets serious about refund
Radio service easily canceled but auto payments kept going for two years
Trilogy of terror finishes series on awful customers
D ear Readers: We’ve really enjoyed reading your submissions for most obnoxious customer. (And we’re relieved to have not seen ourselves in these stories.) Here is the final installment: From M.N.: Back in the day, I tried my hand at waitressing. There was one jerk …
