What's On Your Mind? Ford Recalls, Harassing Phone Calls, HughesNet Contracts

Vehicle owners always need to pay attention to recall notices, but sometimes a vehicle that should have been recalled, isn't.

"I am the owner of a 2005 Ford F150 4 door super crew pick up truck," Damon of Monrovia, Calif., told ConsumerAffairs.com. "I went to move my truck, I turned on the ignition and approximately 15 seconds later the airbag blew up in my face. I was leaning forward at the time towards the steering wheel because I smelled smoke. As soon as I did that the airbag blew up."

Damon said he called Ford after doing research on the Internet. He found out recalls had been issued for his year and model truck for that very reason. But oddly enough, Damon's Vehicle ID number was not included in the recall.

"I feel since my truck is a 2005 and the airbag blew up, they should recall my truck and fix it," Damon said.

Chances are, Ford will. However, the company told Damon it would take up to 15 business days for the legal department to make a decision.

Damon might consider consulting an attorney about his problem. If Ford agrees to recall his vehicle, the matter is resolved. If not, then his attorney can perhaps intercede on his behalf.

Not who they say they are

Millard of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla., has been getting calls on his cell phone from someone identifying themselves as Consumer Debt Helpline. Millard thinks it's a bill collector in disguise.

"A man named 'Christopher' would not give me any information about his company, except that it was a nationwide Consumer Debt Helpline, and that he was being paid a salary to answer calls and check the credit of the caller and try to lower their interest rates," Damon said.

Damon was right to be suspicious, but the calls aren't from a bill collector, but a scammer, who is using the name of a real company. On its website, the real Consumer Debt Helpline warns consumers about the scam.

"It has come to our attention that a company using a similar name to ours has been using telesales teams to harass people by telephone," the warning reads. "We would like to inform you that our company 'The Consumer Debt Helpline' does NOT use any internal or external telesales teams to promote our business. Our business is only promoted using our website and other tradional printed means."

Don't take their word for it

Tracey. of Hurdle Mills, N.C., signed up for HughesNet satellite Internet service and agreed to pay for the equipment outright after the installer told her she would not be bound by a service contract if she did.

A year and a half later she cancelled the service and was shocked when HughesNet charged a $130 early termination fee.

"When I called Hughes net to get a refund I spoke with a manager who would not give me his last name," Tracey told ConsumerAffairs.com. "He said 'too bad that I misunderstood the subscriber agreement,' but I owed the money. When I explained to him about the communication that I had with the installer and that I had the document that indicated I had not signed off on the subscriber agreement per the installer telling me it was not applicable, he still said 'too bad.'"

Never take a company's employee's verbal word about policy. Always make sure you read it for yourself in the contract.

Furniture buyer beware

After reading the recent rash of complaints about furniture stores - especially discount stores - we're inclined to do our future furniture shopping at the second hand store.

"I bought a queen size bed from Furniture Discount Outlet and it was delivered Thursday, March 10, 2011, Ada, of the Bronx, N.Y., told ConsumerAffairs.com. “The bed broke down, totally collapsed. The person in charge is giving me the runaround. He said that he was going to send someone to see the damage but so far, he doesn't seem to have any intention of replacing the bed."

Other recent complaints about other furniture stores tell of furniture never delivered, or damaged during delivery. Perhaps the only safe way to buy furniture is to rent a truck and insist on not leaving the store without the furniture, once you pay for it.