Consumer News & Alerts

February 5, 2001

HELL ON WHEELS
We're always harping about the hazards of buying from salesmen who come to your home. These sharp-tongued devils particularly target the young and inexperienced, older persons and the disabled. "Inside Edition" airs an illuminating report about Electric Mobility Corp.'s Rascal Scooter sales policies this Thursday, Feb. 8. Check local listings for time and channel.

DO WOMEN PAY MORE?
We innocently posed this question last week after talking with a reporter who was looking into the higher prices many dry cleaners charge for women's garments. The results -- from men and women alike -- were just about unanimous but dry cleaning finished a distant second to, what else, car repair.

BEST BUY THIS ... OR ELSE
It's getting nasty out there. As margins shrink, retailers scramble to squeeze every penny out of hapless consumers. One of the few remaining high-profit items is the service contract -- and if you don't think retail salespeople are under severe pressure to do whatever it takes to sell these lemons, listen to Mark, whose days at Best Buy may be drawing to a close.

E-PUSHERS TAKE MONEY & RUN
It's ironic that while our prisons are bulging with young men rousted for selling drugs on the street, the drug dealers of the Internet apparently thrive, even having the temerity to cast themselves in the role of online physicians. We took a tour of a few of these dubious establishments after receiving a complaint from Vickie, who wanted to shed a few pounds.

WITH LASER-LIKE SPEED...
Diane's money was zapped right out of her account to pay the $1,000 deposit on the Lasik surgery she wanted. But the surgeons decided she wasn't a good candidate and now they're trying to see their way clear to carving the funds out of their bank account and back into Diane's.

ESSENTIALLY OUTRAGEOUS
What is it about $84 that's so magic? This seems to be the amount that one mysterious group after another charges to unsuspecting consumers' credit and debit cards. The latest is something called MWI Essentials. Most of those hit by it don't yet know how MWI got their account number. But at least one of our readers thinks Copa Hair Products may be tangled up in this somehow.

RECALLS

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