Blockbuster Fraudulent Late Charges, Tries To Milk Late Fees! ripoff, late fee, fraudulent, deceptive Waipahu Hawaii
This incident is very suspicious to me but it happened a while back. I received a postcard in the mail about a video my girlfriend rented and returned ON TIME!
Apparently, blockbuster claims that I havent returned it and is now charging me for the cost of the DVD and late fees. So I called them and asked them about it and they said they would "look into it" because I refused to pay the fees for it.
I called them the next day to see what was going on with it and all of a sudden the DVD "magically appeared" in their store! Now, it looks suspicious on me because they thought I returned it after I called them! They still insisted on having me pay the fees.
By then, I was already pissed at them because I did not do anything wrong. I told them that it was returned on time through their drop box and they still insist on me paying the fee because it was late. I said that I knew there were surveillance on the drop box and that the manager should look at it to see if it was returned. I told them that I wanted to see the tape also but it was not allowed unless there was police present so I told them "So do you want me to call the police and have them meet me there?" When I said that, they were trying to dodge all my comments and get some type of payment from me.
I kept getting referred to different people until I got fed up with it and asked to speak with their District Sales Manager. I thought by requesting that person, the manager would just try to dismiss it and I wouldnt have to pay it but the ignorant guy gave me a number. I had to explain the whole situation and it we played phone tag for a week about it! Then I basically told them "Who authorized you to rent this DVD to my girlfriend?" As soon as I said that, she went silent! When the conversation started again, she said "you didnt authorize her?" "NO!" She used one of those keychain cards to borrow the DVD without my permission.
Right then, she said I didnt have to pay the fee and I called the store manager back. The fool STILL insisted that I pay the fee. I said "No, why should I pay it, you issued a DVD without my permission" and then he asked if I would consider paying half! HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!
End of conversation!
This argument was basically a matter of principle. The DVD WAS NOT returned late, and not only that, it was not authorized by me! To this day, I have never been back to blockbuster and never will. I believe blockbuster has gotten rid of late fees now so it shouldnt be a problem.
The only thing I keep wondering is-
"why did the DVD magically appear after I made the initial complaint?"
Where did it go?
Did someone forget to scan it back in?
I guess that for those of you who return DVD's, The moral of this story is have someone at the store sign your receipt saying it was turned in. You might be in the situation I was in if you dont.
Don louie
Waipahu, Hawaii
U.S.A.
5 Updates & Rebuttals
L.
Cincinnati,Ohio,
U.S.A.
legally....
#6UPDATE Employee
Tue, July 04, 2006
Technically Blockbuster can take legal action against your girlfriend. She stole what technically is Blockbuster property from you. Your cards are your responsibilty. If you were worried about someone "borrowing" your card without premission you should've put a check ID note on the account.
In granted, the store could have handled your situation a little better. They should have checked with you to make sure the label was on the item, if it was returned to the right location, etc. I don't know how Hawaii stores do things, whether they are different than mainland stores, but the first thing I would do is check the shelf to make sure the DVD didn't get put back by accident. Next I would check the stuff returned without labels. If that didn't take care of it and it doesn't show up via wrong store, I would then tell the customer to double check and if need be contact the SM to check tapes.
Don Louie
Waipahu,Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Stop overexaggerating!
#6Consumer Comment
Thu, September 29, 2005
Thats such an overexaggeration!!! No, he probably DID NOT lose his job over that one incident! After I made the complaint, they put a "flag" on my account which states that I am the ONLY one that can rent videos with my account.
What I feel blockbuster did wrong is provide "keychain" barcodes that people can carry around on their keychain. They don't even verify that account holder.
For example, one day...you lose your keys with one of those mini keychain cards on it. Someone finds your set of keys and goes to a blockbuster and rents a video with YOUR card! They would probably never return it and stick you with the bill! That kind of thing upsets me!
I understand they were doing their jobs and their are policies to follow but when I tried to resolve the situation, I did the best I could. I went to the next level up to have my voice heard!
My main point of my story is.....
Why was the DVD mysteriously found after I made the complaint that it was already returned? I was being made to pay a fee that I should not have to pay at all! Am I supposed to agree with blockbuster and pay the fee? Would you? NO...you'd make a complaint right?
Don Louie
Waipahu,Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Stop overexaggerating!
#6Consumer Comment
Thu, September 29, 2005
Thats such an overexaggeration!!! No, he probably DID NOT lose his job over that one incident! After I made the complaint, they put a "flag" on my account which states that I am the ONLY one that can rent videos with my account.
What I feel blockbuster did wrong is provide "keychain" barcodes that people can carry around on their keychain. They don't even verify that account holder.
For example, one day...you lose your keys with one of those mini keychain cards on it. Someone finds your set of keys and goes to a blockbuster and rents a video with YOUR card! They would probably never return it and stick you with the bill! That kind of thing upsets me!
I understand they were doing their jobs and their are policies to follow but when I tried to resolve the situation, I did the best I could. I went to the next level up to have my voice heard!
My main point of my story is.....
Why was the DVD mysteriously found after I made the complaint that it was already returned? I was being made to pay a fee that I should not have to pay at all! Am I supposed to agree with blockbuster and pay the fee? Would you? NO...you'd make a complaint right?
Don Louie
Waipahu,Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Stop overexaggerating!
#6Consumer Comment
Thu, September 29, 2005
Thats such an overexaggeration!!! No, he probably DID NOT lose his job over that one incident! After I made the complaint, they put a "flag" on my account which states that I am the ONLY one that can rent videos with my account.
What I feel blockbuster did wrong is provide "keychain" barcodes that people can carry around on their keychain. They don't even verify that account holder.
For example, one day...you lose your keys with one of those mini keychain cards on it. Someone finds your set of keys and goes to a blockbuster and rents a video with YOUR card! They would probably never return it and stick you with the bill! That kind of thing upsets me!
I understand they were doing their jobs and their are policies to follow but when I tried to resolve the situation, I did the best I could. I went to the next level up to have my voice heard!
My main point of my story is.....
Why was the DVD mysteriously found after I made the complaint that it was already returned? I was being made to pay a fee that I should not have to pay at all! Am I supposed to agree with blockbuster and pay the fee? Would you? NO...you'd make a complaint right?
Leticia
Anytown,Other,
U.S.A.
I hope you're happy.
#6Consumer Comment
Wed, September 28, 2005
You probably cost the store manager his job. Although he wasn't the one who rented the DVD to your girlfriend. He was only following company policy until then. But because of doing his job, and not doing what you wanted him to do. (Jump through this hoop, monkey, jump! You only work for Blockbuster, I AM SO MUCH BETTER THAN YOU!) You got what you wanted and then called him up and teased him about like a little child.
I REALLY HOPE THAT YOU ARE HAPPY ABOUT THAT!
I just hope that he doesn't have a family to feed. (As if you'd care. I mean you got this guys job due to a small late fee.)