consumer protection
Take a Hard Line to Get Rebate Results
2:30AM Lifehacker US Edition | If you’ve ever bought an item on the premise that it eventually will be a bargain after all the rebates come back, you know the process is far from simple and streamlined. About.com has a handy guide to getting all the rebate cash you deserve. Along with linking helpful rebate-tracking sites, the guide recommends skipping any re-sending of receipts if a company claims a problem with your rebate: f the rebate check never arrives or arrives late, file a complaint with the FTC, the state Attorney General, or the local Better Business Bureau.Also write to the corporate headquarters of the company where you made your purchase and include copies of your correspondence with the above organizations. From experience, playing hardball with rebate providers is sometimes the only way to paying the “Give Up Tax.” What tactics have you used to ensure all your cash comes back to you? Share your war stories in the comments. Thanks Gina N.! Photo by ninjapoodles. Steps to Take When Your Rebate Check Does Not Arrive [About.com] More »
Avoid being duped by a shonky domain registrar
2:27PM Sarah Stokely | If you’re on the lookout for a new domain name, here’s a trap to look out for. When checking domain availability via a registrar, ensure you’re using a site you trust. Most domain registrars have a tool on their website which lets you search for available domain names (for example, Network Solutions WHOIS Search).
But you may want to careful when you use WHOIS services – and here’s why. Some domain registrars have been known to immediately register a site (for a period of a few days) when you query a .com domain for availability through their website – thus preventing you from registering it via any other registrar.
While operators doing this may claim they are doing it to stop someone else grabbing the domain while you’re completing the shopping cart process, it’s effectively a lockin, and it looks like it’s against ICANN’s registrar agreement too.
ICANN’s registrar agreement says:
3.7.4 Registrar shall not activate any Registered Name unless and until it is satisfied that it has received a reasonable assurance of payment of its registration fee. For this purpose, a charge to a credit card, general commercial terms extended to creditworthy customers, or other mechanism providing a similar level of assurance of payment shall be sufficient, provided that the obligation to pay becomes final and non-revocable by the Registered Name Holder upon activation of the registration.
Thanks for the tip, Andrew!
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Avoid Bait and Switch Scams on Digital Cameras
2:00AM Kevin Purdy | Computer magazine Maximum PC posts up a helpful guide to finding deals on electronic gifts this shopping season without getting taken advantage of—either by con artists or the retailers themselves. In particular, the magazine recommends staying away entirely from too-good-to-be-true digital camera deals from independent retailers. That’s because after you place your order: Months later, you still haven’t received your camera. You call the vendor, and you’re given a song and dance about it being back-ordered because of X excuse, (but) would you like to buy the camera bundle with some accessories for $1,700? … If you fall for the up-sell … you’ll notice that your package bundle includes (only) the battery and charger (which are normally included with the camera for MSRP). If you give up and cancel the order, you’ve wasted a ton of time, you don’t have a camera, and the company has had your $600 for three months. Also worth checking out before making those major gift purchases are how to avoid warranty problems and tips on spotting holiday shopping scams. Photo by orangeacid. Seven Rules for Safer Holiday Shopping [Maximum PC] More »
