Comments on: Confessions of a Vertrue call-center operator

By: TFF

TFF — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 11:32:28 +0000

The suggestion to remove consumer protections was largely tongue-and-cheek, though I am concerned that the regulators are frequently in bed with the industries they supposedly regulate.

We do need to be more cautious (paranoid?) consumers, though. Teach your kids from a young age that advertising is all lies — and point out the many ways in which ads do so (while staying within those very loose “consumer protections).

By: gabelr

gabelr — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 02:54:31 +0000

I believe in personal responsibility too, however it is a shame that holding the buffoons responsible for running schemes by giving them time in prison and taking any proceeds is difficult. It takes years to gather evidence, organize evidence for a coherent case, indict the offenders, try the individuals in court, and finally allow these offenders to run through their appeals and complete their sentence.

I suppose the alternative, taking these individuals into an alley and ensuring they do not leave said alley might seem faster and more just, however, I doubt that society would be even be livable, much less better, if justice were dispensed in this manner.

Removing apparently ineffective consumer protections might seem like a good idea when incidents like this appear. I can assure you that without government enforcing at least some order there is only one way to go, down, way way down.

By: annies

annies — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 19:57:07 +0000

well, maybe, just maybe, we can return to the age of personal responsibility where individuals are responsible for their own decisions. Why we need all of these bloated government agencies to protect people from themselves is beyond me. Personal responsibility for your own decisions — that seems to be gone — particularly under this nanny state administration

By: TFF

TFF — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 19:30:00 +0000

I can’t help but wonder if we wouldn’t be better off ELIMINATING consumer protections? They have almost no teeth anyways, so the comfort they offer is illusory.

If you eliminate protections, people might be forced to assume that all advertised claims are lies — which isn’t quite accurate, but closer to reality than assuming that they are all true.

By: fresnodan

fresnodan — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 18:29:42 +0000

” a full year after the law went into effect. Why it isn’t being prosecuted for this I have no idea.”

Funny…we have supposedly all these consumer protection laws, state attoney generals, BBB, ad infinitum. But if you ever actually try and use them, they pretty much all practice what the banks with regard to refinancing your mortgage practice. Gee, we lost your paperwork. Send it in again, – Gee, we lost your paperwork.
Complain about losing paperwork. You must send in a written complaint. Gee, we lost your paperwork….about losing your paperwork…
Who can fire somebody or make something really happen – nobody – BECAUSE NOTHING IS DESIGNED TO HAPPEN!

By: annies

annies — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 14:43:54 +0000

I love people who happily take their paycheck, and then bemoan how oppressive it was to earn their money. Can you imagine – “Every day I would go to work thinking it would be my last day.” That’s kind of the way it is in the private sector, Casey. Unless you’re a tenured government employee, you can always be fired – and it sounds like you were

By: walt9316

walt9316 — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:42:32 +0000

“Why it isn’t being prosecuted for this I have no idea.”
It doesn’t help that we have a president who is a deer frozen by the headlights.

By: GlibFighter

GlibFighter — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:20:28 +0000

Another refund option is to go through your credit card company.