CVS..."Rewards Coupon" offer needs overhaul says LA TIMES columnst! I agree!

Normally, I am the one that is on the rag about questionable business practices at retail outlets I frequent.

So, it was refreshing to flip open a page in the Los Angeles Times bright-and-early the other morning, and stumble across one columnist's criticism of the "Rewards Coupon" offer at CVS.

In his rant, David Lazarus started off by noting that last year - when he voiced his concerns about the way the coupon offer was being handled - management misrepresented the facts to get him off their back.

For instance, when the journalist complained that the coupons received currently at the cashier were cumbersome and difficult to use in a practical way, the representative he spoke to at CVS assured him the coupons would be automatically calculated on the shopper's rewards card in the near future so the consumer wouldn't have to keep track.

I agree with Mr. Lazarus that the ticker-style coupons are - not only difficult to "stow away" in a wallet - but an indecent waste of paper (I'm an environmentalist, after all).

But, when the reporter followed up recently with a phone call to determine what progress was being made - Lazarus not only got the run-around - but a different take on the issue by another "suit" in management.

Go figure!

In the past, I have reported my own run-ins with staff at CVS, and the fraudulent deceptive way they often conduct their business enterprise daily, at outlets all around California.

In fact, I published one post in which I noted that the Department of Consumer Affairs actually took legal action against CVS, to curb their illegal conduct which was in direct violation of consumer rights.

Post: 08/31/2009

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/08/cvsretailer-dishonest-about-sale-offers.html

So, the drama persists with CVS.

Obviously, management doen't care at this point what their customers (or the government) thinks.

That's what happens when a retailer becomes a giant in the industry.

The "Davids" are few-and far-between; subsequently, if it weren't for folks like Mr. Lazarus and moi - CVS would undoubtedly get away with murder.

And, mounds of ill-gotten gains, in the process.

News at 11!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Walgreens...Nosy staff Violate Consumer Privacy Rights! Managers gouge prices! Deceptive business practices!

I was taken aback when I strolled up to the Pharmacy counter at Walgreens at 3339 South Las Vegas Boulevard day-before-last and overheard the clerk quiz a customer about the cost of a prescription drug pursuant to the individuals insurance coverage.

After noting that the co-pay for the customer picking up the prescription was $3.30, the elderly employee proceeded to poke his nose into the patron's private medical affairs.

"Do you realize that this drug normally costs $1,000.00," he pointedly sniped at the customer (loud enough for all within earshot to hear) who struggled to maintain his composure.

Obviously, the middle-aged man was stunned by the intrusion judging by his negative reaction.

After all, what business was it of the pharmacist's?

Was the crotchety-old clerk jealous of the customer's excellent insurance coverage or was something more sinister afoot?

At this point, the individual stumbled for a response for a second or two.

"I know," he hesitated sincerely at long last, "I am quite lucky. I count my blessings every day," he managed to blurt out, a little emotional over the lack of code of ethics on the part of the ignorant Walgreens employee.

In my opinion, the conversation should never have taken place pursuant to applicable privacy laws.

The pharmacist should have simply checked the ID of the customer, processed the insurance, and collected the co-pay (with no questions asked).

In sum, the Walgreens employee breached a code of ethics and violated the customer's right to privacy in the process.

In fact, his shocking conduct rose to the level of negligence and invasion of privacy.

But, I am not surprised with what went down.

After all, Walgreens has a history of of "crossing the line".

For example, in the past the corporate giant has disclosed confidential private medical information about its customers to third parties without their permission or written consent.

The data was obtained from the prescription records on file which they gathered by virtue of drug sales at their pharmacies around the country.

Walgreens has also been previously slapped on the wrist by the Government for overcharging on sales items (i.e. computer scanners were not adjusted to reflect sales prices so consumers were charged the original ticket price unless they double-checked their bill and noticed the billing error).

The store's actions amounted to false advertising, deceptive business practices, and fraud.

The outlet at 3339 South Las Vegas Boulevard is also guilty of price gouging.

For instance, the items on the shelf are consistently priced at 10% - 20% higher than the products in other stores in the chain around Las Vegas. For example, a container of milk that sells on Fremont Street for $1.39 is sold for $1.99 at the Venetian Hotel location on the strip.

Management has deliberately manipulated the cost of inventory to dishonestly take advantage of the fact tourists lodged at hotels nearby are - not only use that store for convenience sake (distance factors) - also unaware that the items are less costly at Walgreens stores at other locations.

Because I shop at Walgreens stores in - Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Las Vegas - so I am quite familiar with their basic prices and keen to their dishonest business conduct as a result.

Talk about an "evil" Empire!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Expedia...implied threats! Demands I modify & change post! No way, Jose!

A few days ago, I published a post in which I noted that Expedia and a handful of hotels in the Las Vegas area were not fully disclosing deposit requirements, applicable surcharges - such as questionable resort fees that are often not revealed by Hotels in Vegas 'til check out - and business practices that are deceptive in nature and rise to the level of fraud in my own humble opinion.

Post: 05/24/2011

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2011/05/hootersrips-off-vegas-tourists-expedia.html

As my readers at the Tattler are keenly aware, I stand by all features that I author at this site.

As far as I am concerned, the details in the aforementioned post are true and correct, to the best of my knowledge.

Curiously, this morning I received an e-mail from an individual identifying themselves as Director of Sales at Expedia, who issued forth a demand that I modify and change the statements in my post on the grounds that comments were "libellous" in nature.

In addition, the rep from Expedia requested the name of the guests making the accusations, as well.

I laughed out loud in response.

I fired back an e-mail in which I noted that I had first-hand knowledge that the information was true and correct, and that therefore, there would not be any modification or change made to the post.

In response, the individual demanded copies of the documents I have in my possession, which are evidential in nature and establish the truthfulness of my claims.

Does Expedia think I was born yesterday?

I quickly noted that the documents would be available in the discovery process in a legal proceeding, and that I did not intend to acknowledge any further communications, so silly were their overtures.

I studied Law, so if they think they can hoodwink me, they are sorely mistaken.

Stay posted for the fireworks!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Hooters...rips off Vegas Tourists! Expedia scam involves Supervisor Noe Monarrez & Hotel staff!

When you’re booking a Hotel in Las Vegas, by-pass Hooter’s Hotel, unless you want to get ripped off by scam artists like Hotel Supervisor Noe Monarrez and Lisa Krasn who are involved in a conspiracy with Expedia to book rooms without fully disclosing applicable fees and charges in advance.

For example, disgruntled guests were shocked when they appeared at Hooters recently to check in for a brief holiday and a Hotel staff member – Supervisor Noe Monarrez – proceeded to extort money from the tourist.

Although the guests paid for a four-room stay in advance, and booked the room based on the facts and information disclosed on the Expedia reservation site, they were greatly incensed (and felt ripped off) when the Hotel employee demanded a security deposit in excess of $100.00.

Usually, when travelers book rooms and pay in advance, Hotels waive the requirement of a deposit - or if there is one going to be applied at check-in- it is disclosed on the front page of the reservation page.

There is a good reason for this upfront disclosure.

If a tourist does not like the terms and conditions of the booking – or the fees, surcharges and deposits being billed – they have the right to book at another Hotel.

And that is the crux of it!

Expedia is involved in a conspiracy with Hotels like Hooters to hoodwink, deceive, and connive tourists into booking rooms that appear to be a good bargain on their face when they are not!

In fact, because Expedia and Hooters failed to disclose the full details of the financial terms and conditions as aforementioned, the dishonest conduct smacks of deceptive business practices and fraud!

When the guest understandably complains to the Management at the Hotel, they are given the run-around.

“You have to take that up with Expedia, they shrug,” as they lie through their teeth to protect their sorry asses.

Then, when the customer calls Expedia, the booking agency tosses the blame on the Hotel.

“The Hotel did not inform us of their policy,” they argue back.

Essentially, the two companies know they are ripping tourists off, but to avoid blame (and to mitigate responsibility for damages in the event of a lawsuit) they proceed to engage in endless “denials”.

It’s not only called the bum’s rush, but yes, smacks of deceptive business practices and outright fraud.

In addition to the scam regarding deposits, another sinister practice is also about to erupt, which may just land Expedia and Hooters (and others participating in the scam) in court facing criminal charges.

Of course, I am talking about resort fees.

Folks travelling to Las Vegas may be in for a shock when they check in at the front desk of their Hotel (Hooters, for example) and are under the mistaken impression that their upfront payment in advance has taken care of all the sums due.

Surprise.

They may find themselves dinged for – say what? – resort fees!

In retrospect, the despicable conduct of the employees at Expedia and Hooters becomes crystal clear, at last.

The reason why Hotels like Hooters ask for a deposit at the front desk is so that they can collect those “non-disclosed” resort fees at check out when the tourist turns in their room key.

Because the resort fees have not been “disclosed”, Hotels like Hooters are required by law to inform the guest at check in (not at check out) that the resort fees will be charged at the end of their stay.

The reason they don’t reveal the information up-front is because they know the guest will balk, complain, and refuse to pay the fees.

In sum, Expedia and Hooters are involved in a scam to defraud tourists in the dark about ethical business standards that must be adhered to on U.S. Shores.

In a nutshell?

Expedia posts a low-ball Hotel rate (for Hooters, for instance) on the Internet which appears to be a good price to tourists when compared with other Hotels listed on the booking site.

However, when the resort fees (which weren’t disclosed) are figured in later, bet you ten-to-1 that the other Hotels listed alongside Hooters are a better bargain than the one they chose (because they were scammed).

Because Expedia and Hooters, in this instant case, failed to fully disclose the terms and conditions and applicable fees, the two couples willfully and wrongfully denied a consumer the opportunity to shop and compare and choose a Hotel at the best rate within their budget needs elsewhere.

In sum, tourists are being overcharged because the resort fees were not disclosed upfront, as required by U.S. State and Federal Laws.

Frankly, I am appalled by this practice, which has been running rampant for a year or two now in Las Vegas.

It is high time that Law Enforcement (the Dept. of Justice?) conducted a full investigation with the ultimate aim of rectifying the wrongs, including – but not limited to – criminal charges being brought against Expedia and Hooters (and other Motel and Hotels involved in the scam) on behalf of the consumer-at-large.

In addition, the Federal Trade Commission should swoop in and conduct a full investigation of the scam, and likewise, levy heavy fines against the guilty parties to deter such despicable fraudulent conduct in the future.

As to the staff, well the snotty Afro-American clerks at the front desk (who are routinely rude to the guests at the Hotel) leave a lot to be desired (or so I hear from my inside sources in Vegas).

Needless to say, Hooters and Expedia are on my shit list!

Avoid both of these companies like the plague!

Amen!
http://www.thetattler.biz



 

Merck...dragged into Bribery probe by Government!

Because of a flurry of engagements - and travel in-and-out of town - I was a little remiss in updating some news alerts on Merck.

Last year, I reported on the landmark settlement claim Merck entered into with claimants, and complaint issues fielded my way by disgruntled Merck users who felt that the attorneys for the drug manufacturer were giving complainants the run-around.

Needless to say, it was quite a high-spirited dialogue, at both the WordPress and Blogspot sites where my posts were published.

Post:  02/02/10

http://julian1st.wordpress.com/2009/02/21/vioxx-settlementa-fraud-perpetrated-on-the-american-people-by-merck-lawyers/

Post: 08/07/09

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/08/vioxx80-million-dollar-settlement.

Now it appears that Merck is in hot water with the Government in respect to alleged acts of bribery.

The giant in the pharmaceutical industry has acknowledged being in receipt of inquiry letters from the Department of Justice and the Security and Exchange Commission.

Pursuant to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, information is actively being sought arising from Merck's business dealings with a number of countries overseas.

Merck - although cooperating with the authorities - shrugs off the finger-pointing as part of a broader probe that is focusing on the dubious Pharmaceutical practices of foreign companies which they have been allegedly dragged into by virtue of innocent daily business transactions.

News at 11!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Planet Hollywoood...Vegas Hotel drops resort fees! More play money...

Over the years, a large percentage of Vegas Hotels have been billing  additional "fees" - above and beyond those taxes and surcharges required - pursuant to City and State-wide regulations.

For example, in spite of the fact most Hotels in the desert playground are not resorts per se, tourists are often charged "resort fees" in addition to normal surcharges for goods and services.

Owners have argued to their critics that these fees facilitate the upkeep on a fitness center, pay for internet access, and help maintain swimming pool and sauna facilities.

However, in a deceitful effort to get an edge on the competition, many of the Hotels did not always disclose the fees in their ads, or on Internet booking sites such as Expedia, Hot Wire, etc.

For example, when a tourist conducted a search for the lowest-priced suite in a given price range, the computers were programmed to drum up the basic Hotel fees and taxes in bold face to lure a consumer to that particular Hotel.

However, the "resort fees" were often hidden beneath links so that the tourist was sure to miss or overlook the extra costs, or not even mentioned on the site from the get-go.

Consequently, when the traveller arrived at their destination Hotel, they were shocked to learn for the first time that they would be required to pay additional sums ranging from $50 to $150.

I am big on disclosure, so when Palace Station and Expedia tried to pull this stunt on me, I went on the warpath.

For starters, I posted a consumer alert on the Internet.

Post: 10/06/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/10/palace-stationvegas-hotel-in-thick-with.html

Shortly after I published the alert, and it came to the attention of Management at the Palace Station that they were being accused of deceptive business practices and a failure to disclose, they issued credit back right away.

Post: 10/09/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2009/10/palace-station-las-vegassqueaky-wheel.html

A similar post on Expedia's failure to disclose rustled up a similar positive response.

If you peruse Expedia booking sites today, individuals may notice that all the fees are posted on the main page and fully disclosed as required by law.

Post: 05/18/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/05/expediaconspiracy-to-hide-fees-rip-off.html


Now, there is good news out of the Executive Offices at Planet Hollywood.

PH announnced earlier today that they are no longer going to bilk their guests out of the questionable "resort fees" that appear to be the "norm" in Las Vegas currently.

Now Planet Hollywood  joins the ranks of the classy Hotels - like the Bellagio and the Hilton - who do not nickel-and-dime their clients to death.

On the strip, tourists were ecstatic about the change in policy.

"Now, there will be extra cash for a show or restaurant dinner. Maybe a massage at a spa," one visitor to the city gushed happily.

Now, if only those other greedy Hoteliers would fall into line.

http://www.julianayrs.com

Sir Conrad Black...alleged robber Baron released on $2 Million Bond!

In my "Canuck" mind, there are only two high-flying birds worthy of note in the rustic terrain of Canada.

Out front, there is tthe unique mercurial rascal Nelson Skalbania - and lagging behind slightly - that scrappy (Sir) Conrad Black who ended up in the slammer.

Until Wednesday, that is, when a U.S. District Court Amy St. Eve (too precious a thought to wrap my head around) ordered that the once-infamous robber - um - publishing Baron be released on bond.

The high-profile publisher once Lorded over a dazzling media empire which included prestigious rags like the London Daily Telegraph, the Chicago Sun-Times, and Canada's National Post.

The latter was Black's dismal disjointed effort to weave a tapestry of distinct "Canadian" news that just didn't fly in some quarters.

To get a handle on the "Post", imagine a big ballsy bloated version of  USA Today - rife with fluff and pretensions of not being Provincial - and you've got it!

Although media hounds south of the border referred to the rogue investor (who facilitated other people's money ninety-percent of the time to fund his novel ventures) as a hearty Canadian - by choice - he wasn't in the true sense where it mattered most.

In a lofty reach for elite jet-set status, Conrad Black "relinquished" his Canadian Citizenship, in favor of a Knighthood from the Queen!

Black was scorned for that!

Now stones are being heaved his way since the startling news of his rise like a phoenix from the ashes back into polite society?

Until the Judge fathoms up worthy grounds to toss out Black's 2007 conviction for defrauding shareholders, the Court has issued a directive that he limit his carousing - personally and financially - to the continental United States.

To back-track a tad, it should be noted that Sir Conrad Black was hustled off to a Florida jail in 2008.

A resolute jury convicted the in-your-face celebrity (with the trophy wife) of three counts of fraud and one count of obstruction of justice.

Prosecutors painted a sinister portrait of a greedy man consumed by the high life who treated shareholder accounts as if they were open vaults in his own personal bank to spend at whim..

Prosecutors said Black and three fellow Hollinger executives (also convicted in the case) arranged to pay themselves tax-free bonuses disguised as non-compete fees as they sold off gold chunks of the Hollinger spoils.

Clever, if you can get away with it!

The swindling scheme uncovered and proven at trial, determined that Black spirited away $6.1 Million dollars from defunct Hollinger International Inc.

However, the teflon "Don", squirmed out of nine other counts (which including racketeering) which establishes why Lindsay Lohan may have switched lawyers (a tad too late, poor baby!).

Judge St. Eve sentenced Black (after a trial highly-charged with intrigues) to a 6 1/2 years in prison for his cloak-and-dagger dastardly deeds.

As of this July, the once-fiery media King, will have served approximately two years in the slammer.

In cushy country-club environs?

Just betcha!

Conrad Black's surprise "get out of jail card" surfaced when the  Supreme Court (with U.S. jurisdiction) limited the reach of the federal fraud law that prosecutors sought refuge in respect to corruption cases against government defendants.

"The Federal Law is normally applied in fraud cases in which a person is accused of depriving others of their intangible right to honest services."

Until now, the wobbly statute was considered too vague.

Although Black breathes a little easier this week, the pressure may build in the future, if a myriad of litigants pursue civil lawsuits in a concerted effort to recoup their substantial losses at the hands of a man who - in spite of alleging to be a Professional wordsmith - has remained clueless about the value and meaning of the term remorse.

And, that begs the question.

Where's the moolah?

The House that Hollinger built!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Days Inn...commits fraud @ Wild Wild West in Vegas! Failure to disclose fees...

Guests at Days Inn @ the Wild Wild West were startled to spy surcharges (resort fees) tacked on to their credit cards when they checked-out of the Motel.

When the tourists were cruising the Internet for accommodation in the desert oasis initially - they specifically scoured a host of web sites to feret out flat fees, surcharges, and hidden costs - so that they could comparison shop and locate the best holiday deal that fit within their budgets.

At travel worm where the Days Inn Motel is listed as lodging that is reasonably-priced - there was no mention of any resort fees - some complained.

In sum, a failure to disclose the pertinent information to consumers constitutes - not only deceptive business practices - but outright fraud.

For this reason, I am posting a consumer alert on the Days Inn Motel (@ the Wild Wild West location on Tropicana Boulevard in Las Vegas) to forewarn innocent tourists about this despicable illegal practice.

Unless you don't mind being ripped-off, I whole-heartedly recommend you voice your disapproval to the management and owners, by passing on the lodging they are deceitfully offering up under false pretenses.

http://www.julianayrs.com/

Travel Worm...fails to disclose fees to tourists! Rip-off booking agent!

Travel Worm doesn't sound like a very appealing way to book a trip - from the get-go - does it?

As it turns out, these "worms" in the travel industry are just that, spineless rip-off artists.
If a tourist conducts a search at their web site for reasonably-priced rooms in a comfortable setting - like Expedia and Orbitz offer - Travel worm displays a  page on their web site with comparision pricing.

Unfortunately, there's one major hitch!
In a deceitful underhanded effort to land the a booking, Travel Worm willfully fails to disclose all pertienent fees and rates in order to secure a business edge over the competition.

For example, the disreputable Internet entity will post a low-ball cost for a room, but conceal the fact there may be additional service fees, taxes, and resort costs.

Bottom line?

When the dust settles at check-out - and the charges are rung up - it  becomes evident it would have been cheaper and wiser to have booked with the competition.

And, in some instances, Travel Worm engages in criminal activity.

For example, when a guest is inputting the information for their credit card, the company must confirm the total of the charges so that the individual may make an educated informed decision about whether to accept the terms and conditions (and total costs posted).

Travel Worm's continued practice of billing more to the credit card - than  agreed to at the time the confirmation icon was clicked - amounts to fraud, mispresentation, and embezzlement of funds.

I am a witness to these facts since Travel Worm ripped me off today for the sum of $32.00.

Consumer alert!

Book at Travel Worm at your own risk.

http://www.julianayrs.com

The Artisan...tackiest rip-off Hotel in Vegas! Deceptive business practices, fraud, & rude staff!

If you stumble across a listing for "The Artisan" Hotel  on one of the booking sites - such as Expedia (warning!) or Orbitz, cruise on by as if your life depended on it.

In fact, avoid this Hotel like the plague.

The Artisan is - quite possibly - the tackiest Hotel in Las Vegas.

And, that’s saying something, folks.

Whenever I am about to book a suite in Vegas, I always do my homework, because a handful of the Hotels in the desert oasis engage in deceptive business practices, a failure to disclose, and outright fraud.

For instance, Expedia - in particular - is guilty of posting low-ball room rates - without disclosing the all the specific details or  binding legal terms - in order to hoodwink unsuspecting tourists into booking a room.

Later, the victim (the tourist) arrives at the Hotel - and for the first time - they are informed about excessive resort fees, exorbitant deposits on credit cards not in the line with the industry norm, and a host of surcharges they can ill afford.

The Artisan is guilty of these deceptive fraudulent business practices - and then some - from the get-go.

For instance, the Artisan lists its address as 1501 Sahara Blvd just down from the main strip.

However, when the hotel guest arrives at the 1500 block, there is no entrance to the Hotel there.

In fact, the Hotel owners have misrepresented the facts to boost their image in the Hotel industry.
In fact, the front drive is on a lowly side street.

That is another one of the problems that surfaces when guests attempt to check in with a minimum amount fuss after a hectic exhausting day catching the sites.

The tourist will find themselves on an overpass - near the freeway - trying to fathom how to maneuver their way to the front lobby of The Artisan.

At the establishment, a sign at the entrance to the parking lot, also sent me for a loop!

Valet Parking Only

Have you ever heard of anything so ludicrous in all your life?

Personally, I don’t hanker to the idea of some dumb-ass car jockey putting his grubby little hands on my vehicle.

Since the purchase date, no one has ever driven the SUV, and I intend to keep it that way.

In addition, in  the parking lot, there were no signs indicating where the entrance was located.

One sign to my right appeared to hint that it was in that direction so I trotted off to find myself at a servant entrance where a pile of old toilet bowls were strewn all over the parking lot near the kitchen.

How sanitary!

But, things got  tackier, alright.

When I strolled up to the front desk the employee on duty was graced with one of those disagreeable personalities that screams out bit** on sight.

The plump taskmaster  didn’t disappoint when she opened her unattractive yap.

After providing her with my name two or three times, she came up empty-handed.

No reservation in their system.

Imagine that!

I booked the suite a week prior and paid all hotel fees due in advance.

But, The Artisan had no record on file.

I instructed her to call Expedia.

Otherwise, she would have stood around with her finger up her butt, frustrating the process.

After about ten or fifteen minutes, Expedia provided her with the reservation number, and faxed her a second copy of the confirmation.

Did she apologize?

Hell no.

The woman was obviously born in a barn.

At this juncture, she requested my credit card, but did not state whether the Hotel intended to place a hold on funds or how much.

By law, a Hotel is required to provide this information up front, so that a customer may keep track of funds availability in their account and to maintain a proper accounting.

I was forced to probe further to determine if a hold would placed.

“Yes, I’ll be placing a hold,” she responded in the affirmative.

But, she continued to play her dishonest games.

Dragging the dollar amount out of her was like trying to pull teeth.

When she finally revealed the “state” secret, I was flabbergasted.

She informed me that she was going to place a hold on funds in the sum of $150.00.

Another problem with disclosure.

I searched the Artisan web site high-and-low and could not locate the information.

In addition, I scoured the Expedia site, to uncover the elusive deposit detail.

When I noted these facts to the Hotel desk clerk her response was quite revealing.

“Oh, it’s in teenie  weenie little letters on a web page,” she blurted out with all the class of an elephant in heat.

Gotcha!

Obviously, there was a deceitful effort to hide the information.

Why was Hotel management so reluctant to post the information in bold face and in plain site as required by Law?

Most hotels impose $50.00 deposits which can be paid by credit card or cash.

If tourists were aware that this excessive sum was being held (not in keeping with competing  establishments in the Vegas area) they would have cruised on by and booked their accommodation elsewhere (where the legal terms and conditions were properly disclosed).

In essence, the Artisan is heartlessly victimizing tourists, with no shame or guilt!

When I asked the shark at the desk how long the funds would be held by the bank, she squirmed a little before answering.

“Oh, two to five days, I think.”

She thinks?

The clueless clerk may have stupid written on her forehead, but I sure don’t.

The manager was not in to discuss these issues with me.

How convenient.

Coward!

When I trundled up to my room, I got quite a shock.

The halls throughout the floor were covered from ground to ceiling with garish paintings without an ounce of artistic merit and make any sane person puke on the spot.

The dungeon-like ambience was so dark and eerie I found it difficult to find my way.

In fact, the décor was so bizarre, that it was evident that the place was run by a wacko with taste up his (or her) wazzoo.

Some of the trappings were crude, too.

On each door, a makeshift sign screamed out the number of each suite in a child's scrawl.

After I stumbled into my suite, there was one pleasant surprise, however.

My room, for the most part, was decorated with a bit of taste.

For example - a deep leather armchair appealed to my sensibilities - and the king size bed with a rich wood frame was inviting, too.

Unfortunately, the designer went overboard to the Hotel’s detriment.

Instead of hanging a couple of quality  works of art on prime wall space, the decorator rustled up a truckload of gaudy flourishes that ruined any semblance of style or good taste.

For instance, for some insane reason, the Hotel management placed three plastic wall hangings above the bed (the kind you find in low-class brothels in a bad end of town).

Above that, a fake grill with oddball swirls that served no purpose whatsoever, stood out like a sore thumb.

The wide window shutters crafted in rich dark wood were appealing.

Just below, and to the left, a  plastic orchid adorned a side table.

I shrugged in disbelief.

A lamp on a night-stand by the bed was classic kitzch.

It was embellished with fake ironwork and pearl drops that failed to catch the light.

Plastic!

Fortunately, the carpet was relatively new, and weaved in dark masculine tones which worked well with the basic theme of the suite.

A wall-relief with fancy trim acted as a sidebar which offered up an ice bucket, plastic cups in cellophane wrapping, and two bottles of FIJI water.

But, in view of my shocking disheartening nightmare thus far, I was afraid to take even a sip.

After all, there was no directory in the room, enlightening me if the bottled water was complimentary or a chargeable item.

Likewise, there was no disclosure about the costs incurred, if the designer water was downed during the course of the stay.

These folks were  positively evil, weren't they?

The next time-consuming dilemma unfolded when I dialed down to the front desk to ask how to access the free wi-fi promised at Expedia.

“Just click on the icon,” Ms. Smarty pants chirped.

But, when I attempted to do so, I was confronted with four choices:

Artisan 2 - Artisan 4 - Artisan Lounge - Artisan 5

Did I have to click on one in particular, or would any selection open up the connection?

After about fifteen minutes of fiddling - and getting no internet access alerts - I was forced to call downstairs to the front desk for assistance.

Aaron was polite enough, alright, when he snatched up the house phone.

But, I started to get the run-around, from the get-go.

Since there was no Artisan 3 (I was ensconced on that  floor) he promised to have staff activate a connector down the hall.

“Give it five minutes,” he clucked.

Five minutes turned into thirty minutes, then forty-five, and later sixty.

Another call to the desk rustled up this response.

“Our tech guy is looking at it right now.

But thirty minutes later, there was no internet access.

When I rang up Aaron again, he noted that they were waiting for the technician to arrive.

Excuse me?

A half-hour earlier he assured me the tech guy was “on it”.

Now, he switched his story, and was asserting that the dude was still on the way.

Don’t you hate it when lying pieces of sh** play games with ‘ya?

I noted for the record that if the wi-fi wasn’t fixed soon, I would be forced to go outside the Hotel for access.

“I hear ‘ya,” he piped up.

That would mean that The Artisan breached their legal agreement to provide services.

I was promised free wi-fi service but four hours after checking in, there was no resolution to the problem.

Meanwhile, I wasted four hours of my time, because some loser was  not on the up-and-up with the Hotel’s paying guests (who deserve to be treated with more dignity and respec that that).

Curiously, there was another odd incident that took place, which piqued my curiosity.

When I zoomed up to the 4th floor to check the wi-fi service on that level, I was taken aback when I ended up in a construction zone.

The floor was being renovated.

A few minutes later, I overheard Mexican day workers, chatting to each other about the job.

When one of the renovators caught sight of me, a look of fear and uneasiness, swept over his face.

Now, if I was a Nevada Lawman, would I jump to the conclusion that these were undocumented immigrants plying their trade under the table?

By theway, there was a silver lining, though.

Although I was forced to wile any precious hours trying to sort out the wi-fi fraud, I was able to draft and polish this post to publish on the tattler once I access an internet service just down the street. a scant mile away.

Tomorrow morning, the shocking details of this Hotel’s dishonest and deceptive business practices - and the unprofessional fraudulent conduct of its employees - will be streaking around the globe as a consumer alert.

In the final analysis, I trust that my expose on these disreputable businesses - the Artisan Hotel and the high-profile Expedia booking site - will save other tourists, regular travelers and businessmen - the grief I was forced to endure this afternoon at the hands of the despicable scoundrels in the employ of the Artisan Hotel in Las Vegas.

Footnote
After a 4-day stay a couple of problems arose which I thought I should relay to travellers considering staying at this Hotel in spite of the foregoing problems.
If you are the kind of inidividual who likes to relax in the evening in your Hotel suite with the newspaper or a bit of TV you may be put off by very loud music which floats up from the lounge downstaris (which features DJ's and Live Shows) until midnight 2 or 3 nights a week. If you ask for a room on the other side of the building you'll be faced with freeway traffic noise all night.
Also, there is a problem in the event you like to stock up on ice throughtout the sweltering hot nights and days. Guests were surprised to find that when they travelled up and down the floors of the Hotel (5) that there weren't any ice machines. Turns out that management removed them!  If you want a bucket of ice you'll have to go into the lounge on the main floor and ask the bartender for a bucket-full. If you're the type who likes to wear paamas in the evening, it means you will have to get dressed to get the ice, or just ignore the snickers and go down in your PJ's nonplussed.

 

http://www.thetattler.biz/

Pavillions...fraud! Deceptive business practices! Theft at cashier's desk...

When you head to the check out at Pavillions, it may be a good idea to keep track of the charges being inputted into the cash register.

This is especially true if you plucked up some produce or cleaning solvents because you were under the impression the goods were on sale as advertised at the stall, by eye-catching flyer, or in a splashy TV blurb.

The truth of the matter is that quite a few of the Pavillions sales are a scam designed to lure shoppers into the store! 

It is doubtful Pavillions intended to follow through in good faith.

For example, over the past couple of days when I procceded to cash out, my eagle eye caught the clerks ignoring sale items and charging full price.

Just yesterday, in fact, I encountered a frustrating experience which signalled how dishonest (and deceptive) Pavillions management is.

I spied bottled water on sale for 99 cents.  In fact, how could I miss this reduced item, since the tag was about six inches by six inches in size and placed directly where the product sat in neat rows in the cooler.

But, when I attempted to ring the item in at the automated cashier, the price rang up at $1.76.

I called over the box boy standing a stone's throw away and pointed out the error.

Oh, we was quick on the uptake, alright.

"The sale is for bottled water in plastic containers," he snidely remarked.

So, I trotted back to the refrigerator, re-checked the price, and snatched up the spring water in a plastic bottle.

Once again, the item rang up @ $1.76.

Liar!

On the second occasion, he simpleton couldn't even be bothered (too lazy or too embarassed?) to haul his sorry a** back to the display to verify the price.

The skinny as-a-rail loser called over to another employee to check the price (again!).

The word back?

Now the price was two bottles for $3.00

Huh?

At this juncture, I basically hinted at where he could put his bottle of water with the floating price tag.

Needless to say, I have posted this Consumer Alert, to warn customers who shop at Pavillions to keep their eye on those thieves at the check-out stand.

They'll rob 'ya blind!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Netfirms Inc...hi-jacks web sites! Engages in conspiracy & Violates rights!

Netfirms hi-jacks web sites 

Earthlink CEO Rolla P. Huff tried to embezzle funds!

If my readers attempted to cruise over to my personal web site - http://www.julianayrs.com/ - they were  probably shocked at first by what they encountered.

Instead of my usual bevy of juicy daily posts - on gossip, political news, and social events - a DNS notice indicated that the computers were not loading properly, that the highly-trafficked site wasn't accessible, and that Earthlink was responsible.

DNS notice at www.julianayrs.com

Hmm, www.julianayrs.com isn't loading right now.

The computers that run www.julianayrs.com are having some trouble.
Usually this is just a temporary problem, so you might want to try again in a few minutes.
Want more detail?
See which nameservers are failing.
Nameserver trace for www.julianayrs.com:
Looking for who is responsible for root zone and followed f.root-servers.net.
Looking for who is responsible for com and followed k.gtld-servers.net.
Looking for who is responsible for julianayrs.com and followed dns3.earthlink.net.
Nameservers for www.julianayrs.com:
dns1.earthlink.net returned (SERVFAIL)
dns2.earthlink.net returned (NORECORDS)
dns3.earthlink.net returned (NORECORDS)

The note that there were "no records" was quite alarming, too, as you'll understand fully when you read on.

On occasion, if the web site address is inputted into the browser, the individual is actually transported magically to a google site which lists a number of my posts published over the past few months.

Huh? 

What you witnessed was the hi-jacking of my web site by a posse of conspirators I have determined to be the CEO of Earthlink (my original web host provider) and Netfirms, Inc.

My readers may recall that I recently posted an article about Earthlink in which I noted that the company had engaged in acts of attempted embezzlement of funds, breach of contract, fraud, and failure to meet the terms and conditons of a contractual agreement.

Post: 02/02/10

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/02/earthlinkembezzles-funds-engages-in.html

Shortlly after that article was posted on my web site, suddenly, www.julianayrs.com disappeared from the Internet.

In its place was a brief announcement.

GONE

In small type the message (from Earthlink) noted that the resource (once situated at that location) was no longer available.

In essence, Earthlink retaliated against me (illegally and in violation of my rights) by pulling the plug on the web hosting plan.

However, after-the-fact, Netfirms (who obviously has a personal and professional relationship with Earhlink) proceeded to engage in a conspiracy to hi-jack my web site and prevent me from transfering my domain name (which I own) to another host plan I purchased about thirty days ago.

For instance, when I attempted to log in to my control panel - in spite of the fact the security code was correct - an error code appeared.

INVALID CODE

I fired off an e-mail to technical support to ask that Netfirms kindly correct the glitch in their system.

Imagine that, they didn't respond for over a week.

Is it because I accused them in my e-mail of conspiring with Earthlink to deny me access to my site so I could not transfer and/or build the entertainment news website elsewhere?

About a week later (!) Netfirms fired a communication back stating for the record that - indeed - my security code was correct. 

However, they failed to respond to my questions about denial of service to the control panel.

If the security code was correct, why couldn't I log in, and transfer my site to the new host?

Netfirms has not responded to a second e-mail regarding these matters as of this date (February 9th/2010).

Curiously, registration is due in ten days, so I have to consider the possiblity that they are also angry over the fact I have been anxiouss to transfer my account to another company that is not trying to create a monopoly on the registration "domain" business (as Netfirms appears to be doing).

In view of the foregoing, I apologize for any incovenience this has caused my loyal daily readers.

Today, I have lodged a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission against both Netfirms Inc and Earthlink.

In addition, I intend to file a criminal complaint for conspiracy and violations of consumer rights (fraud, attempted embezzlement of funds, etc) at the FBI's cybernet crimes unit for investigation and prosecution in the event these matters fall under their jurisdiction.

Stay in touch, eh?

My personal website will be online soon.

In the meantime, catch all the news thats fit to post (by moi) @

http://www.ijulian.blogspot.com

Later!

Earthlink...embezzles funds! Engages in fraud, breach of contract & false advertising!

Imagine this scenario!

After tracking down a web hosting plan that suits your budget - for approximately $20.00 a month, let's say - you proceed to explore the control panel at the new server to ready yourself for the painstaking task of designing, building, and publishing your web site.

When you stumble on the option to set alerts on the account, you input a request that a notice be sent out in the event you go over your monthly usage, to ultimately ensure that your remain within your budget for the project online.

At the suggestion of the web hosting company - in this instance, Earthlink - you agree to input your debit card information in their data base so that the monthly fee of may be deducted from your acccount without the necessity of writing and mailing in a check each month.

Afer a few months, the site is pretty well-developed, attracting traffic, and everything looks hunky-dorey.

Each month you've been billed the sum due without incident.

Then, out-of-the-blue one day, Earthlink informs you by snail mail that a charge in the sum of approximately $968.00 (and some change) has been returned from the bank unpaid.

Say what?

Obviously Earthlink has not only made a serious error, but acted illegally, for having tried to debit a charge in an excessive sum (1) without notice; (2) for a sum that was not due; (3) in violation of the terms of agreement (no notice was given that any surcharges were tacked on due to overlimit usage either).

Was it all a silly mistake, a typo perhaps?

In response, the account-holder mails out a letter objecting to the charge, on the grounds that no alert was sent.

In particular, the customer expresses their outrage about the illegal attempt to debit an excessive sum of approximately $969.00 from their bank account without legal notice or authority to charge the sum in question.

Earthlink fails to respond, so the customer assumes that  the error was corrected.

Not so fast!

Two weeks later, in spite of the fact Earthlink has not addressed the original complaint, the larcenous  web hosting company fires off a second billing notice alleging that the sum of approximately $1600.00 is now due.
Huh?

How is it possible for a monthly bill of $19.99 to jump to $969.00  in two short weeks, then to the outrageous astronomical sum of $1600.00 ten days later?

And, don't forget that alert!

There was no record of any alerts being e-mailed out as requested, or any proof of any Earthlink response to the allegations of breach of agreement, attempted embezzlement of funds, false advertising, and deceitful business practices.

Notwithstanding the failure to respond, address the issues - and so forth and so on - Earthlink once again attempted to debit without notice or legal authority to do so for the staggering sum of $2200.00.

Fortunately, the customer kept low-ball sums in the checking account, to prevent embezzlement of funds.

In addition to the headaches surrounding the dishonest illegal conduct of Earthlink, there is a second issue the web client must now contend with.

After months of developing the sight with thousands of man hours devoted to the cause, the individual must now relocate the site at considerabe effort (and additional costs), to another web hoster to escape the deceitful and dishonest clutches of the earthlink bank thieves.

In addition to the foregoing, it should be noted for the record, that the service provided was not even that professional or reliable.

Several times a week, the customer was forced to spend a hour or so with customer support online, to sort out problems that continued ad nauseam.

For example, oftentimes the customer and visitors to the site, were not able to access the web homepage, which according to an error message (a denial of access code) stated the site was not available due to a password requirement (???), site publishing errors, whatever.

Also, on dozens of ocasions, images failed to load properly on the web pages, which resulted in ugly gaping holes on the posts (which looked shoddy, unprofessional, and downright amateurish).

After six weeks, Earthlink continued to add surcharges, but as of this date has never met their burden to establish by virtue of accounting and proper documentation how the figures were tabulated.

In the end scenario, the customer was forced to close his bank account (after all, when he attempted to delete the credit card info from the web site data base, his efforts were blocked by dishonest Earthlink employees who obviously intended to keep trying debits with that card automatically until they hit pay dirt by a fluke).

And, get this, when the customer tried to transfer their domain name (which they owned) to another web host plan - Earthlink also blocked the ID code from releasing the site - even though they did not have the authority or legal right to do so.

Talk about scumbags!

Avoid these a**holes and their web hosting plans like the plague!!

CEO rip-off thief at Earthlink!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Hotwire...perpetrates fraud on Travelers! Sleazy rip-off artists tell lies to lure bookings!

Just yesterday, the LA TIMES penned an in-depth article on Vegas Hotels - and the fact that booking agents have been scrambling to offer up bargain prices for rooms in the desert oasis - in a desperate effort to attract travelers in these tough economic times.

So, the tawdry tale I am about to share with you dovetails nicely with their report.

Now that the Hotels in Vegas are slashing prices and reaching out aggressively for the tourist trade, a sleazy underbelly of the "travel" industry has also reared its ugly head,  as I unfortunately found out the hard way on Sunday night (September 6th).

I was in Vegas for a few days, but planned to zip off to the mountains for the weekend, then return on Monday to remain in Sin City 'til Friday.

But, a problem with the battery on my SUV caused me to make emergency alternative plans.

On Sunday, there I was, scouring Expedia & Orbitz in search of a reasonably-priced room for one night.

But, there wasn't any mid-level lodging available at any Inn, or so it seemed.

I guess party-enthusiasts all high-tailed in to Las Vegas for the long weekend to take advantage of the much-ballyhooed bargains in Sin City - and snapped up all the cozy digs for themselves - before I could take a stab at it in the online wilderness!

As I cruised about the net frantically, I was suddenly transported to the Hotwire website - and on the heels of my arrival there - was promised a quality room at an affordable rate in the Las Vegas area.

So, I hit the "book now" button, and waited for confirmation.

My credit card was billed the charge at lightning speed.

Seconds later, the name of a Hotel and a contact number flashed up on the scream.

I was relieved!

Since I was not familiar with Rancho Drive in Vegas, I dailed up the Hotel I was booked in, and proceeded to ask the reservations operator for directions.

Imagine my shock when I was informed that the Hotel was not in Las Vegas at all!

No, the operator informed me, they were situated in far-away Lake Mead.

Whoa Nellie!

I specifically requested Hotwire secure a room or suite in a Hotel in the immediate Las Vegas area so that I could walk or take a bus to the location because of the car snafu.

Not to be deterred, I dialed up the Hotel, and queried an employee about the specifics of  the distance involved

"Oh, it's not too far," she stated matter-of-fact.

Could I walk it?

"Sure," she piped in enthusiastically.

Famous last words!

I found out the hard way:  not true!

Because of  Hotwire's initial dishonesty- and in part because of the  bold-faced lies of the Hotel employee after-the-fact - my evening turned into a bloody nightmare.

With an optimistic bounce to my step, I hopped on a bus and travelled in a westerly direction until I arrived at Rancho Drive, where I proceeded to alight onto the street as instructed.

As the sun dropped in the sky, and I trudged along, the poorly-lit street became a very lonely place (indeed).

For starters, I was alarmed to be confronted with a business section of the community (after-hours a scary lonely-looking section of town) all shuttered up tight.

At this point, I spied a freeway ramp farther down which indicated there was a freeway up ahead, too.

Beyond that?

Now, I was distressed to encounter a stretch of darkness, which spread out ahead of me one or two hundred feet, at a minimum.

Farther down the road, I could barely make out a quiet residential area sprawling off towards the horizon, which I was expected to trek through (I guess!)

 Nope.  Not one bus or taxi or person in sight.

Judging by the numbers on the street (500 South) I had about ten miles to go - on foot!

At this juncture, I back-tracked to Charleston and dialed up Hotwire for "emergency" assistance.

What a mistake that was!

I must have waited on hold for about ten minutes on their 866 toll-free number before I managed to get a live person on the line. 

Hiding from disgruntled customers, do 'ya think?

Then, when a real person (!) drearily picked  up the line, I explained the dilemma.

In response, the operator placed me on hold.

Natch!

Then, I was referred to a "special services" agent who was quite a slow dim-witted nerd from the get-go.

Nothing special about that fella, no Sir!

Steven  (he wouldn't give his last name) listened to my sorry story.

Then  - after having pled my case desperately for about ten frustrating minutes or so on the payphone (did I actually have to kneel down on the pavement and beg a little (grovel) before he would show an ounce of compassion?) - he finally agreed to book me into another room close by.

Now, I was cooking with gas!

But, his next quip caused me to reel a tad!

"The price for the suite will be  $92.50," he stated matter-of-fact.

What?

I already paid for one room.

Now he was going to charge me again - and twice the sum originally agreed to, in spite of the emergency nature of the circumstances?

No way, Jose!

"I expect you to put me in another room at the same price. And, the money you billed to my credit card, has to be applied to the new accomodations," I asserted in no uncertain terms.

Now, the scenario took an unexpected twist, and signalled that I was about to get the old "razzle-dazzle" routine.

"What Hotel would you like me to book you into," he queried.

"One in the area," I responded a bit exasperated by this delayng turn of events.

 "I am near Freemont Street, so a Hotel on the strip is okay."

"What is the address of the Hotel you'd like me to make a reservation at?"

Did he honestly expect me to know the address of a Hotel in Las Vegas - even though it was obvious from the records in front of him (credit card info, for example) - that I resided in Los Angeles?

Since Stephen was a little dense, I elaborated the obvious.

Then, he proceeded to ask me another ridiculous question along the same lines.

"What is the zip code there?"

Huh?

How would I know the zip code of a Hotel I'm never stayed at!

Then, the 866 number (toll free?) demanded fifty cents.

Because I didn't have any change (OMG!) I was disconnected without much warning.

So, I had to start the  process all over again.

The next operator was dumber than the first, tried to prevent me from complaining to a supervisor or manager, and - quite generally - gave me the run-around to avoid taking responsibility.

Before I could resolve the issue, I was disconnected a second time on their toll-free line.

Argh!!!

The third call resulted in a most disagreeable contact with a special services employee (when I heard his voice, I literally cringed) who would also not disclose his name.

Are they all  illegals at Hotwire, hiding their true indentities, do 'ya think?

By the way, he sounded just like one of those catty effeminate-type-operators with the kind of snarky attitude that grates a person's nerves and drives consumers up the wall.

After I ran through the night's events an exhausting third time, and in spite of the fact I noted that the other operator promised me a substitute booking in view of  the misrpresentations at Hotwire, he had the gall to tell me that since it was now 11 p.m. it would not be feasible (or possible) to make a reservation!

What an idiot!

For starters, my telephone calls commenced at around 9 p.m.

And, since I had been on the telephone for about two hours trying to resolve the issues, surely it should have been obvious to any decent human being or honest business entity, that I was entitled to (and the situation demanded) emergency relief.

Unless he had sh** for brains, or - quite simply - lacked any sense of morality or Christian ethic, his lame excuse was obviously just a deceiful effort to thrust the blame on me, avoid the problem, and - ultimately - defraud me of my funds (and right to reasonable accomadation per the terms of the agreement which were paid for in full).

But, he won't get away with it, because I've got him by the short and curlies.

For example, he stated on the phone that because the Hotel was in Vegas, I was required to continue on to the Hotel per the reservation agreement or forfeit fees paid.

And, the little snot asserted (in the final analysis) that I was not legally entitled to a replacement room because I was informed in advance that once I booked I could not cancel the reservation or seek a refund.

Wrong!

When I called the Hotel, the clerk admitted that their establishment was not in Vegas.

"In order to lure me into booking the room, you falsely represented the accomodation was in the Las Vegas area, when it was not," I duly noted for the record.

Once again, he snarled his weak defense argument in a nasty tone of voice.

"You can't cancel once you've booked, according to the terms of the agreement."

For starters, I find it curious that there policy is "no cancellations" or "no refunds". 

In retrospect, after this experience, it's pretty obvious to me why Hotwire enforced this golden rule at the booking stage of the reservations.

The scam artists who run the Internet rip-off know in advance that tourists and travellers alike aren't going to be pleased with the accomodations they are about to be snared into!

Even still, according to applicable laws and statutes in force on the local, state, and national level - Hotwire can not enforce such a legal agreement - when fraud is involved (as I duly informed the slug on the phone).

"There are three elements to fraud. One of the elements is a failure to disclose. Since you did not reveal the true location of the Hotel - and it is outside the Vegas area - you committed fraud."

There was a very loud silence on the other end of the line.

"And," I quickly shot back, "contracts are not binding if a party fails to disclose the true facts."

Well, I could tell he was flabberghasted!

Even still, he refused to do the right thing, follow through on the other agent's promise of a new room, or even apologize for the putting me through such a nightmare/

 Bottom line?

He could care less that I was stranded on the street alone - at about midnight - on a dark street in an unfamiliar part of  Las Vegas.

I noted that I planned to file complaints with the Better Business Bureau and the State Attorney General's Office (Consumer Protection Agency) and my intention to write an expose to warn consumers about their fraudulent business activities at Hotwire.com.

In response,  he issued a veiled threat.

"You'd better be careful about what you write, Mr. Ayrs. Or, you may find yourself in a lot of trouble," he hissed.

Trying to throw a scare in me?  Well, I wasn't born yesterday!

In response I noted that I studied law (my areas of study were libel, slander, defamation of character, tort claims, contracts, trademark infringement, etc.) and that I was a ethical journalist with every intention of reporting the facts in a good-faith effort to warn (and ultimately protect) innocent consumers from their fraudulent business practices.

On that auspicious note (ha!) I hung up.

I trust at this juncture you'll agree that any sensible person should avoid hotwire.com like the plague.

Talk about swine!

Nuff said!

No snug bed for moi as promised by Hotwire.com!

http://www.julianayrs.com

Virgin Mobile...engages in fraud and deceptive business practices!

False advertising at Virgin Mobile

You've probably spied them in Rite-Aid or CVS.

Virgin Mobile hawks cheap phones at the local pharmacy that you can snatch up and activate without a credit check or long-term contractual agreement or deposit.

The premise is simple.

Buy a phone (in the price range of $19.00 for a no frills model or $39.00 for one touting special features such as text messaging), purchase a "top up" card ($20.00 minimum) to cover prospective monthly calling fees, then hop on the internet and activate the phone with little ado.

Ha!

What a load of baloney.

Consumers are complaining that Virgin is not only engaging in deceptive business practices, but outright fraud.

For example, one shopper purchased a lower-priced model and a twenty dollar top-up card, and was taken aback when he logged onto the sign-up web site and encountered a rude onscreen alert informing him the code was not recognized by the system.

So, the customer was forced to return the $20.00 top-up card to Rite-Aid for credit back, and use his credit card to pay the start-up monthly fee.

Annoying, because the purchaser did not want to give out his credit card number online.

Notwithstanding, due to a prior bad experience with another retail store, the consumer was also concerned that if his credit card was on file at Virgin, charges may be billed automatically to his account without notice.

Other individuals have also experienced a wide range of problems which smack of deceptive business practices - and in some instances - outright fraud.

For example, one customer purchased a cell phone to use in emergency situations only.

So, during the course of the month - there being no moments of crisis to warrant use of the cell phone - a credit remained on the account in the sum of approximately $19.00.

At this juncture, the owner of the phone began to receive urgent notices from Virgin that he must immediately "top up" the card with a $20.00 payment or face disconnection.

Calls made fast and furious to Virgin were ignored.

So, when a top-up was not forthcoming, the mobile team cut service.

And, the customer was out $19.00 cash and the cost of the cell phone!

In addition to deceptive business practices, failure to disclose, and fraud - Virgin recklessly and without remorse - violates a customer's right to privacy without batting an eye, too.

For instance, within two days after a cell phone was activated, the startled consumer began to receive rude calls from bill collectors!

Imagine that!

Virgin made the number public without notifying the client or obtaining permission first!

Ironic, because the customer activated the new number for the express purpose of having a private line exclusively for close friends, family members, and co-workers.

Again, in this instant case, Virgin ignored complaints that were lodged with high-level management at the company headquarters.

In fact, when the individual filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau, Virgin did not respond to the BBB queries in respect to their investigative probe, either.

Although Virgin execs have had over a month to address the allegations of wrongdoing, no one at the cell phone carrier has uttered one peep or made any good-faith effort to resolve the dispute.

Clearly, Virgin Mobile is run by a bunch of arrogant S.O.B.'s, who care nothing about providing the goods and services promised, customer satisfaction, or honoring a citizen's right to privacy.

In sum, Virgin is a rogue cell-phone carrier that should be avoided like the plague!

http://www.julianayrs.com