What's On Your Mind? Price Tags, T-Mobile, Facebook, Sirius XM

If you're shopping on a budget, knowing what each item costs before you get to the checkout counter  is important.

“I'm just curious; isn't there a law that all retailers have a price on the items they sell?” asked Mary, of Lone Pine, Calif. “The cost of the item should be stickered on the item, or showing on front of the row it is stored in. The two Mobil stations in our area do not have prices on any of their drinks; water, sodas, tea, etc. There is no price on the bottles, nor on the row they are stored. The customer has to ask the cost.”

Mary is correct, at least as far as her state is concerned. California and nine other states have laws requiring each item to bear a price tag. However, one of the states, Michigan, recently passed a law doing away with the requirement, calling it an unnecessary expense for businesses.

Wrong number

Helen, of Brooklyn, N.Y., says her bill from T-Mobile has begun charging her for an additional number that isn't hers and never has been. She says she can't get anyone to listen.

“I tried to contact customer service to solve the problem for multiple time but got disconnected,” Helen told ConsumerAffairs.com. “Also, I went on line for support. I asked them to investigate this the number I do not have, but they refused.”

Call centers aren't always equipped to deal with sticky issues, and this sounds like one. Helen should take her bill to a nearby T-Mobile store where an employee can look into the issue for her. It's possible someone hacked into her account and added a line. Or, it could be a bureaucratic error. Either way, it's a hassle for Helen.

Facebook virus

Dana, of Plentywood, Mont., has discovered that her Facebook account is infected by a virus, not an unusual situation with the social networking site becoming a favorite vehicle for scammers.

“When I sought help I was locked out of my account and to access my account I had to identify friends' photos, which on multiple attempts they said I failed,” Dana said. “They provide no support other than their automated support which does not address problems with their system.”

We recently reported that a technology expert at Sophos Security called on Facebook to improve its security and privacy, to protect members from rampant scams and malware. Sounds like good advice. 

Not interchangeable

When Sirius Satellite Radio merged with XM Radio, they created some confusion, in addition to a single company. When consumers hear the new name, Sirius XM, some assume subscribers get access to either channel.

“I have Sirius XM Radio with a life time membership,” Edward, of West Keansburg, N.J., told ConsumerAffairs.com. “I bought a new car which has XM. I called Sirius XM to upgrade. I should have a choice of Sirius or XM when I buy a new car.”

Actually, you don't. You subscribe to one service or the other. If Edward subscribes to Sirius and his new car has an XM radio, he'll need to replace it with one that receives Sirius. Though they are under the same ownership, the two services' programming remains separate. However, their are premium packages available in wnhich XM subscribers get some Sirius programming and vice versa.