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Blockbuster Late Fees

Blockbuster • Late fees • Misleading Claims • Blockbuster Online • Insider's View --- News • Blockbuster Abandons Customer Data on NYC Street • Loss Of Late Fees Hurts Blockbuster • States Settle With Blockbuster • New Jersey Sues Blockbuster • Blockbuster "Eliminates:"Late Fees • Blockbuster Settlement

Rochelle of South Amboy NJ (12/28/07)
I am enrolled in a 2 dvd pass where I can rent 2 dvds at a time at the store and return at any time. My credit card bill is charged monthly for this pass. I gave the store a different credit card to use for the next time it charges, and the charge did not go through. I had 2 movies out at the time. When the charge didn't go through, the dvd pass expired. They then started charging me late fees for the dvds. They called me weeks later saying that I had 2 dvd's that were way overdue. Knowing that I had the dvd pass, this was a mistake. I called the store several times and visited the store twice, and all those times, the credit card machine was broken. They said as soon as the machine was back up, we could restore the account and remove the overdue fee. I checked my credit card statement today and now have a $46.02 charge for the 2 movies. I called the store, and they said there's nothing they can do about it because it's already been charged. So now I don't have a dvd pass, and now have 2 used movies which were charged as if they were new.

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Tara of Kalispell MT (11/29/07)
I used to work at Blockbuster and I would cut everyones' late fees in half or off completely and recomended movie passes to people that had late fees and I got in trouble for trying to help people out and save them money. To buy the pass its $29 or $25 for 2 or 3 movies a month and you keep them for as long as you want with no late fees and exchange them as many times as you want and not get charged anything more. They are a good deal but they taught us not to tell anyone about the pass unless they asked first.

Valerie of Lakeside MT (11/14/07)
This location is charging excessive late fees. I have been late a few days with a few movies and now I am being told that I owe $70.00 in late fees. The Blockbuster advertisements are that We never charge late fees. I expressed this to the manager and she told me that it was a franchise and they could do what they want. I was never told that they were a franchise NOR that they could charge me late fees even under the Blockbuster banner!

I am now in collections for fees I never knew I owed. This will adversely reflect on my credit rating and my ability to grow in my chosen career field since credit resonsibility is looked at when being hired.

Misty of Noblesville IN (10/02/07)
I rented 3 videos from Blockbuster in noblesville. I returned all 3 videos on the same date, at the same time, in the same place. Today, I receive a phone call that they are going to charge me for not returning my videos. I called and spoke to the store manager about my complaint. She hatefully replied, Well, I can tell you this. It is not here. You need to check your house again. She also stated that I was going to get charged.

I told her that dvd was not working and we did not watch it, but returned it with the other dvd's. she said well, she would have put it in a damaged file and not used the video. I returned the video, it is defective.. they would take it off the shelf due to it being defective, but I have to pay for it. She suggested that I find it. I do not have it. We turned in 3 dvd's. She was hateful and basically called me a liar.

Charles of Kalispell MT (09/25/07)
Collections calls to let the household know there is late fees. Fees for a movie rented & returned late a year ago. The problem isn't that there are late fees, the problem is that they don't tell us about them until a year later. Even when renting from there many times since the late return, no notification. Strange how they have no record in their computer database of any late fees paid to them before from times when we have paid them, yet we have the check stubs.

Tracy of Lakeland FL (03/02/07)

I received a notice from Blockbuster stating that I owed $23.53 for a video rented on 11/26/06 and that I had been notified by phone or mail. I could not remember renting any videos in the past 6 months from them. I went to the local store that I have the account with and inquired, as I thought it must be a mistake. I went over to the other Blockbuster and spoke with the Manager. I told him that I had no intention of paying for something that I had not rented and that someone else had rented illegally and not returned I have never rented any of these movies and I refuse to allow Blockbuster to continue to let this happen. Who knows what else is going to show up on my account.

Ron of Myrtle Beach SC (02/21/07)

When I signed with Blockbuster I knew this location was independently owned and charged late fees. My family watched 2 movies over the weekend. I made sure I returned them the day they were due. Of course they wouldn't let a little thing like having them returned on time stop them from collecting a little revenue. They sent me bill for the overdue charges. Late fees aren’t going to break me financially. But I do not owe them and will not pay them.

Karen of Riverton UT (01/25/07)

I rented 3 movies a few weeks ago and my daughter and I turned them in well within Blockbuster's return policy. A week or so ago, we got a notice in the mail stating one of the movies had not been returned. A couple of days ago, we got another notice in the mail stating we owed $23.44, but no movie was listed.

I called Blockbuster to find out why they were charging me $23.44. They claim we never turned in "How To Eat Fried Worms", which was one of the 3 movies we originally rented. I told the store clerk I knew we had turned it in. She said I would have to talk to the store manager. I've tried to call the store manager twice now and they always claim she's not in.

What makes me so angry about this situation is this is not the first time they've done this to me or have tried to charge extreme late fees when I KNEW I had turned it in on time. To have Blockbuster question your integrity and try to charge on top of that is very insulting and it's just not right.

Dawn of Visalia CA (04/16/06)
I returned a game and two movies late, unintentionally, as I had a death in the family and was out of town. Assuming there were no late fees as Blockbuster advertises, I was not concerned about it. Upon returning home, I had a rude message on my machine from Micaela at the Visalia blockbuster store advising that I needed to come get the items, that I owned them and owed $72! I was LIVID!

I asked for the number to Corporate and was not provided with that number. I advised her that I was not paying for something that 1) I did not want and 2) I did not have. She did not care and told me I could no longer rent from the store until the balance was paid. She was rude and unprofessional and I have no interest in renting from them again after this experience. I think the number of people growing angry over their false advertising about late fees is increasing.

I am a single mother of two children and am not able to pay the $72 nor did I think I would owe that. I have no problem paying the restocking fee. I have been a good customer for over 10 years. They have the items and I would like my balance to be cleared to protect my credit rating.

David of Morgan Hill CA (04/01/06)
Blockbuster is at it again. I stopped renting videos last year after they charged my credit card some late fees but signed back up after they advertised no late charges. Well....false advertisement here. Just last week, I was a day late, and they went back in to my account and charged my account late fees. They're just out for your late fees again.

I run a real tight budget and balance my checkbook to the penny. When they debited my checking account, it ended up putting me in overdraft causing NSF fees of $34. I went back in and cancelled my account. Never will rent from Blockbuster again.

Kandi of Forest Hills NY (03/27/06)
I rented a DVD-Flightplan on 03/14/06 and returned it the next day approximately 6pm through their drop box in the store. About a week later I received on my voicemail a computer recording saying the DVD was not returned. I called and spoke with Antonio who said it was not returned. We argued for awhile during which time he accused me of taking the video and that I would have to pay $17.99 for it and that it would stay on my account. This was the first time I rented with them. My card was purchased at another Blockbuster near my home in Forest Hills which I used since 1999 and never was late or anything with videos, DVD's.

All of the sudden I use this Blockbuster and lost or did not return the DVD. I don't feel I should let this blockbuster "rob" me of almost $20.00 for a video they could not locate even after doing a so-called "inventory."!!! They cannot get it through their thick heads that I returned the video and they may have misplaced it or whatever, who knows. This may be a scam going on here. If this is not resolved then all I can say is "what goes around comes around" for this blockbuster and all others. They will not be in business long!! Hello Netflix!

Lynne of Murrieta CA (03/17/06)
In August 2005 my husband and I rented the remake of Amityville. To my horror I have jusr recently received a collections notice demanding $81.48 for the missing item and its extended viewing fees. The only problem with this is we returned the movie the very next day. I remember this because I forced my husband to stop watching Sports Center and return it before 5pm. Begrudgingly he did. I have never received a phone call, a postcard, or anything indicating the movie was missing. Had I been notified, I would have been in that store dealing with the situation. I have spoken to 5 different people who keep telling me I need to speak with some other manager. I am begining to think this manager doesn't exist. Now, I have 3 days before this situation adversly affects my credit.

Barbara of Gorham ME (02/03/06)
We rented 2 movies and one game. The movies were rented in October and returned to them on December 3, 2005. During this time we were not contacted by blockbuster until the end of November saying if we did not return the movies we would be charged. We returned the movies. Since the return of the movies and game, there has been no communication from Blockbuster until the recent delinquent credit notice from a collection agency. Upon receiving this notice I called Blockbuster and was told I now owned the movies, even though they are in posession of them and needed to pay the 72.00.

I asked them how they could charge me for something they have in their possession and was told I needed to come pick up the movies. I told them I would not be picking up the movies and would not be paying for them and wanted to speak to someone in corporate. I was asked if I wanted to speak to the store manager and I said no I wanted corporate's number. I was told I could not have that number and had to speak to the district manager. I was given a number and a first name of Torry. I hung up and called the number and it had been disconnected.

I called the store back and told them they gave me a disconnected number and wanted the number for corporate. I was again told I could not speak to corporate until I went this route first. I was told they forgot the district managers number had been changed and was given another number to call. I called this number and again this number was disconnected.

Bill of Huntsville AL (12/10/05)
I went to Blockbuster tonight to rent a movie and was told that I owed a 2 day late fee for a recent rental. I explained that I thought that Blockbuster had no late fees. The employee explained that the company had recinded the "no late fee" policy. I explained that I was not notified of this when I rented my last movie and that changing the rules without properly notifying your customer was not ethical. The employee offered to half the late fee with me, but I declined. I turned in my Blockbuster card, canceled my account and left the store. I can do business elsewhere.

Pamela of Riverdale, GA writes (8/31/01):
I rented a DVD on 8/11/01 and my husband returned through their drop slot in the front of the store 30 hours later while the store was open. On 8/24/01 I received a postcard notification stating that the DVD was late and not checked in. I was being charged an extended viewing fee.

I immediately called the store manager David Miller who said he would check into my complaint and call me right back as he was very busy right then. I received no call that night. The next day at 10:10am I received a computer-generated collection call from Blockbuster regarding the past due DVD.

I then called the store again and spoke with a very young lady who said she was that day's store manager. After explaining my situation to her, she said she would remove the charge and clear up my account. NOTE: this Blockbuster store frequently charges late fees for videos they don't check in properly. As a practice when I take a video in, I take my receipt in and make them check in the video and sign off of my receipt. When I do that, no problem. However, my husband took the easy way out and used the drop slot.

Now today, 8/31/01, I received another past due postcard from Blockbuster's stating they were going to charge me $29.95 for the DVD and $11.07 EV fees for a DVD I could buy at Sam's Club for $12. I immediately called the store again and spoke with their night manager, Pierre. He would not give me his last name and claimed he didn't know the regular store manager's full name. He could not explain why we were still being "dunned" except the DVD still had not been returned. He refused to discuss the situation any further and said I would have to talk to the regular store manager, which I plan to do again. I also "fired off" a complaint letter to Blockbuster's headquarters last week but received no response.

My records indicate that I am in default and that is an insult to me. They have my credit card number to charge me for a video that I returned. I will not go back to that store or any Blockbusters any more. My friends and neighbors have also complained of this store's practice of trying to charge undue late fees or claiming videos were not returned. This practice has been going on at this store for the past two years. I have excellent credit and do not need their petty practices affecting my credit rating.

Sharon of Minneapolis writes (8/1/01):
On Saturday, 6/16/2001, I rented 2 movies from Blockbuster at 111 East Lake Street in Minneapolis. "Finding Forrester" and "Miss Congeniality", both were DVD. I returned both movies to the store on the following day, Sunday 6/17/2001.

I received a postcard from Blockbuster, stating that as of 7/1/2001, I have incurred $41.69 of expense for the movie "Miss Congeniality". Blockbuster insists that I still have this movie. I do not have this movie. It was returned at the same time "Finding Forrester" was returned. I rented the movies out at the same time and returned them back in at the same time. They say that they cannot find this movie. They have "Finding Forrester" checked in, but not "Miss Congeniality". This is absolutely absurd. I have been calling, making store visits, and trying to figure this issue out with Blockbuster. They are not cooperating, and I am absolutely livid about the whole situation.

Veronica of Daly City CA (7/25/01):
I wanted to rent a video at Blockbuster Video at 6835 Mission St in Daly City, CA. At the check-out counter, the clerk named Lissette informed me that I have a late fee due in the total amount of $10.13. I supposedly have late video rentals. This is what I'm accused of.

In defense of this case, my husband turned in the video rentals on June 26, 2001 at 11:00 pm. The store's closing time is 10:00 pm. Since they do have a video drop in box, I assumed that all video rentals get checked in promptly. In my case it has not.

On my Customer History Report (as given to me by Jose), Blockbuster Video actually checked in the video on June 27th, 2001 at 16:47. This is completely incorrect. I left the store furious. Jose has given me a corporate number to call for my complaint: 1 800 224 2703. This number only announces pending litigation cases involving Texas complaints. I'm frustrated and I would like something to be done about this.

Don of Houston (7/20/01):
Movies were turned in June. there was a massive flood in houston shortly after and blockbuster was flooded. I now have letters from them saying I never returned the movies and have sent me to a collections agency. I can't get a number to anyone but the store manager or District Manager both whom seem to be out most of the time.

My wife is upset, they are trying put negative marks on our credit and consistently trying to charge our credit card.

"D" of Rockville MD (6/19/01):
Blockbuster is at it again, similar to the "Carlos" complaint: On June 19, I received a notice in the mail from Blockbuster that I owed $7.33 for two videos rented from them on June 1, 2001 that they claimed had not been returned to the store at 5576 Norbeck Rd., Rockville, MD.

I know both items were returned within the 5-day time frame, since I NEVER keep them longer than necessary. Furthermore, I was not informed of the supposed late return in a timely manner. When I called that store, they told me the videos had been returned on June 13 and June 18, and I owed still more. I responded that was false, the items were returned within the 5-day rental period. They then spurned my comments and gave me an 800 number to call, which featured voice mail. I left a message but have not heard from them (and do not expect to).

I tried to email Blockbuster to document my request that they drop ALL charges against my account and threatened to inform everyone I can about this overcharging and also contact the current class-action lawyers. In any case, this sure is an easy way for Blockbuster to make money - how can you prove something like this?

Christine of Washington, DC, writes:
At the end of October someone checked out four movies from Blockbuster 95611. They were not checked out by me or by my son, the only two people with access to my Blockbuster card. My son was in California with the card when these movies were checked out. When I received notice from Blockbuster that I owed late fees, I attempted to sort out the problem with three different managers at three different times. On my last visit to the store I was shown a credit card receipt; it was to this card the movies were charged. The card was not in my name, the signature was not mine, and best of all it was a Master Card. I DON'T HAVE A MASTER CARD.

I thought this would be the end of it. But NO! My next communique was from Credit Protection Association, L. P., Blockbuster's strong arm, threatening me with damaging my credit rating. I wrote to the Blockbuster Video 95611, I wrote to Credit Protection, I have written to Blockbuster's main offices. It's been three months; I've just received a third letter from Credit Protection with even dire threats. I want this stopped! The only positive note is after two e-mails and a letter, I now have a reference number from Blockbuster #2616838, with a notation that a field representative will be looking into the matter. But I am not satisfied. I want them to call off the dogs, the threats. I want an apology.

Kevin of Colusa, CA, writes:
We have a new Blockbuster Video store in our small community. By new I mean two to three months or so. We had late fees once before in the amount of $12.74 due to 6 movies being rented and supposedly turned in a little after the time they were due back. While, I and the rest of our family did not feel that they were turned in late, I had nothing to gauge the event on so I paid the fees.

On the 15th of August, I checked out three movies that were due back by noon on the 20th. On the 19th of August around 8 PM, I returned the three movies to the inside drop box, and went and found another movie and checked it out. On the 22nd of August, around 9 pm, I returned that movie and tried to check out another movie and was informed that I had late fees again due in the amount of $9.63.

In that after the last late fee problem it was agreed that no one else would have anything else to do with movies in my family I knew that there was no way possible to have late fees and stated as much. They then proceeded to inform me that one of the movies I had returned on the 19th had not been returned and checked in until 8:04PM on the 20th (24 hours after I dropped them off in their inside drop box) and that the other two had not been returned and checked in until 8:40 AM on the 22nd of August (60 some hour later). When I informed them I had returned them all at the same time, and at the same time I rented the next movie on the 19th, and asked them to explain how this could happen, their only response was that that was when they were dropped off.

In essence they were implying that I was lying and that I was trying to get out of paying late fees which they were rightfully owed. This was very irritating in that this conversation was going on in front of all the other customers in the store. I asked for and received their supervisor's number. I also asked and was assured that the surveillance camera tape would be saved from the night that I returned the three tapes through the time they were checked in.

I then sent a letter to the corporate office for Blockbuster Video, which was responded to by a canned letter from their customer service department. The following morning I contacted the supervisor, and then later went down and visited with the store manager. Neither offered any explanation as how this could happen, nor did they offer any assurances that they would find out and insure that it didn't happen again either to me or others. They did suggest that I could hand the tapes to the clerk on duty at the time and watch that the tape was checked in. But when I told them that I had tried that method on my very first visit to return a tape, that the clerk working that night would not take it but instead showed me where the tape return box was.

I also told them the that assistant manager the night before informed me that people do that, and when I told her of my first experience, her comment was well we are sometimes very busy. Neither the manager nor the supervisor wished to discuss that option any further. The manager did have some new pieces of information, one that she waived my late fees when she got in that morning and that she had checked in the two movies on the morning of the 22nd herself and that she had gotten them from the outside drop box. And she admitted that their surveillance system should indeed show me returning three movies if I had indeed done so, if she wanted so to go back and check it. She did not assure me that she would.

In closing I would like to make the following points:

• If this happened to me at this store in this small town it is very possible or even probable that it has happened to others.
• If it has happened in this small town store it is very possible and again probable that it is happening in other stores.
• Few people could ever remember the date and time that they returned movies, especially since they would not be informed of late charges until the next time they visit and attempt to check out another rental item, whether that is a few days, weeks or even more than a month later.
• Blockbuster has shown no desire to investigate this situation, to correct it or insure that it does not happen again, nor do they show any desire to find out how it has happened in this instance.
• Also, Blockbuster has no procedures to allow you to protect yourself other than their policy stated on their website that their employees are empowered and required to take care of their customers, which could simply be restated as, if you get caught making an error, waive the late fees.
• Either there is an internal problem that allows this to happen, or, and I hope this is not the case, they have found a way of increasing the sales and profits in their stores.
• In that this is such a small amount, in each instance, and in that getting something done about this is quite time consuming and a hassle, if this is an ongoing problem, it is not likely to ever be brought to the public's attention.

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