Questions tagged [consumer-protection]
For questions related to the laws designed to protect consumers from fraudulent or unfair business practices.
418
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Must electronic funds transfers in the US be completed within some maximum amount of time defined by law?
I am moving some money between 2 US banks via ACH (Automated Clearing House) and it's taking almost 1 week ("Hold Placed on Electronic Deposit added"). This makes me wonder: since US banks ...
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151
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Do I have to leave my backpack at the door at Dollar General?
Because I am a student, it is hard to go places without worrying about being accused of shoplifting. Recently, Dollar General has placed a "No Backpack" policy for students, not allowing ...
2
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69
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Does a price of a service have to be provided by businesses to customers before the service is provided?
I went to a new hairdressers today in Sussex for cut and blow dry. I pre booked the appointment, it didn’t cross my mind to ask the price and they didn’t tell me the price over the phone.
I arrived at ...
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90
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Are there EU consumer protections on annual subscription renewals for digital content?
A year ago I had subscribed on an annual basis to an expensive online platform based in Portugal. I used it a few times in the first 6 months, found it the information provided to be inaccurate and ...
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130
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when does a car quote become an executed contract?
I realize contract law may differ between different jurisdictions, so let's narrow this down to countries where it is generally accepted that a courts can adjudicate all contracts as long as long as ...
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174
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What resets an old debt in the state of Texas
I just got a call from a debt collector regarding a 16 year old debt. I live in the state of Texas. They called using a number I thought might be from a job prospect. They then verified my name and ...
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92
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(NJ) Can somebody be bound to a contract by not opting out? [closed]
I am dealing with a situation where I was charged several years for an HVAC service contract that the prior owner of my home had with a company. There was time left on the contract for the year we ...
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68
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Do California's whistleblower protections apply to non-employees and private businesses?
In California, do the whistleblower's protections apply to non-employees and private businesses?
For example, suppose you live in a small town with a single gas station. And you notice that its ...
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112
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Is there any limit on how long a travel agent can take to book a flight?
When one purchase is a flight ticket via an online travel agent, the online travel agent may take some time to process the booking and send the actual ticket to the customer. Is there any limit on how ...
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310
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Are airports allowed to charge whatever they like for 'drop-off' areas?
This question has been rumbling in my head for some time, but was prompted by an article about taxi drivers striking due to an airport surcharge on their passengers. I don't fly often but know those ...
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3
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167
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How to get my money back I put down on a purchase and never received item
I sent someone $100 on cash app to hold a camper until I got down there to get it per her request. She then blocked me on everything even cash app and will not even give me an address. What can I do I ...
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Does consumer protection cover price changes at point of sale?
Just now I booked a flight on booking.com in the following sequence:
The flight was listed as £460
I went through the entire purchase procedure and entered bank details
I went through 2FA to ...
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55
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Disclosure of delivery fees in advertisement
If a product is only available for purchase online, and an ad for the product (e.g. on YouTube) displays its price, it is my understanding that under the Australian Consumer Law, the total price must ...
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152
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If you arrive late to a hotel, can they keep your entire payment even if they resold your room to someone else?
Consider this scenario: You book a hotel stay for two nights: May 1st through May 3rd, paying the full cost in advance. You end up missing a connecting flight and arrive at the hotel on the afternoon ...
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Can hotel booking companies make up any "original price" they want, or does the claimed original price have to be somehow grounded in reality?
I was booking a hotel room via Agoda in the United States and saw that the claimed original price was much higher than the hotel price rate if booked at the hotel front desk or using the official ...
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US Retailer Reprints Hard Copy Of My Receipt Without Consent [closed]
I feel like I am being profiled at a neighborhood store that is a part of a national retail chain. Example similar to the likings of TJ Maxx, Marshalls Ross Dress For Less.
I shop there quite ...
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Are there lies that can be punished without any demonstrated harm?
Another answer says, without qualification (emphasis mine): "Lying per se is not illegal. For it to be so, the person lied to has to suffer a detriment that the lier [sic] ought to prevent."
...
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Giving up protections for balance billing in hospitals
In certain states, one is protected from balance billing for emergency, hospital, and ambulatory services. Balance billing is when one is surprised that an out-of-network doctor/group bills rack rate ...
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Is it legal to sell Christmas themed products that taste of liqueur but have no clear/apparent indication of any alcoholic contents on the label?
Waitrose and partners sell in their CHRISTMAS series of products an EXTRA THICK VANILLA CREAM which is described at the top of the back label as a
“Sweetened blend of pasteurised extra thick double ...
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I traded in expensive phones to a cell carrier that falsely advertised service in my area, now they're holding my trade-in credit hostage [closed]
In Arizona. This large cell provider claims they have full coverage in my area, but there is zero. I took no action for months because I worked long hours away from my town and didn't realize the ...
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341
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Can a company lie to a person in the course of a business relationship?
I've heard rumors that, if a company finds you suspicious or costly as a customer, their support agents might deliberately give you the runaround until you stop trying to do business with them.
That ...
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Could buying goods with the pre-formed intention of exercising one’s contractual right to change one’s mind to return/refund them attract legal stigma
Bob buys some things from a shop that allows purchases from it to be returned within 30 days with the receipt without any reason. Bob buys them with a ready formed intention to return them a few days ...
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I had work done on my dentures, but they did not tell me the work was not coved by my insurance [closed]
I live in Nashville TN. I went to the dentist and had work done on my dentures.
They did not tell me that the work wouldn't be covered by my insurance, then handed me a bill before I walked out the ...
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3
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Are plane tickets purchased online subject to “cooling off period” / buyer’s remorse right of withdrawal
I roughly recall that the distance selling regulations were superseded and thus “rolled into” the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
And they included a special right of withdrawal that applied to contracts ...
35
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Would it be legal to supply an item that deliberately stops working after the guarantee expires?
I have TV that failed about a week after the 3 year guarantee expired.
Obviously this is annoying, and I'm back to using a 15 year old TV that I dug out from the attic.
Realistically, this failure so ...
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Can a company lend an individual money "by way of business" if secured on a commercial property in the UK with any regulation?
I am curious to know if a company can lend an individual money at a high interest rate for many years without a licence or following any guidelines in the UK
The loan was secured on a commercial ...
2
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1
answer
155
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What is “making it right”?
ACME, Inc. maintains a “satisfaction guarantee” whereby if anyone isn’t fully satisfied with one of their products, they need just get in touch with them about it with proof of purchase within 60 days,...
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Conflicting information in different points - is it false advertising if one is wrong?
Adam purchased a battery from eBay where the product image contains the eye catching text 40000mAh. But the product description in much Plainer typeset mentions that it is a 10ah battery.
Adam ...
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should we contact a lawyer if we have non stop issues and warrenty repairs in a new home for the last 4 years? [closed]
We have been in a new build home for for years and have non stop issues. we have had everything in the home worked on more than once, in some cases they are still doing repairs. we have had to deal ...
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Is demanding backpayments of “arrears” after suspending access to subscription service an unfair contractual practice?
A periodic (eg monthly) membership contract can have two ways of dealing with temporary nonpayment of fees.
Suppose Alice joins a members club for a 6 month contract and after the third month she has ...
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1
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257
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What consumer protection laws apply for toll roads that don't make change?
In California there are several toll roads where you "pay to exit." There is a light and a license plate camera if you fail to pay. A vending machine accepts only cash and only exact change. ...
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If this has nothing to do with GDPR, is this acceptable legally?
I was advised to ask only one question per post.
In my earlier post
Does this action violate GDPR
If a company is aware that a customer cannot provide a receipt, yet still requests their personal ...
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0
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39
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Do non-EU consumers have EU consumer rights protection when buying from EU-registered companies?
if consumer is citizen and resident of non EU Member State (e.g. Egypt) buy online service from a company registered in EU, can this consumer use EU Consumer protection law? In particular 14 days ...
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129
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Online fraud (but not sure)
This may sound funny to some, but it's very frustrating to me. So I ordered some live crabs from an online store as pets. I ordered a specific species of these crabs. The shipping info said 1 - 7 days....
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Can a big box store sue me or demand I return items I did not order?
I'm in California for reference.
I've been working with the kitchen design people at a big box store and they came out and did the measurements. They were paid for by me. We decided on a design after ...
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Must Alice provide ingredients for baked goods she sells produced by a third party
Alice’s Restaurant sells pastries prepared by Bob’s bakery but when asked for ingredients listing she suggests that a customer look at Bob’s bakery’s website or if that fails then even looking to its ...
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Is a relationship consultant an introduction agent?
With regard to Part 5.1 (starting on page 81) of the Australian Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 regarding introduction agents, I have the following hypothetical question:
Let us suppose that ...
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438
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In UK, how hard can you hold a builder to their quoted price?
I was hoping to have some building work done in England and got two quotes: I would have liked three or four, but it was quite enough work to get two. To my surprise, they different hugely: one was ...
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Business overcharged me: Can I refuse to pay?
Say a business overcharges me. Examples:
Cleaner quoted me a price of $50, but failed to mention it was actually $50 per hour so the total bill was $200 instead of the $50 I expected.
Restaurant ...
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2
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0
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119
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An insolvent company still operating
I have made an order online for a company early September, however found out the company filed for insolvency early August.
However they are still taking money from customers and never sending their ...
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Is it legal to collect payment for event entertainment services up front in case they cancel?
Is it legal for a children's entertainment company (that provides services like face painting and balloon animals) to take full payment up front to reserve a client's date? It would be in order for ...
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Do I have legal recourse for suspected financial fraud?(US) [closed]
I have a tenant whom for the last 23 months has been depositing their rent into our bank account with no issues. This month, however, their rent was deposited and then immediately withdrawn from my ...
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“No returns” policy for private individuals selling items “buy it now” style on eBay
Alice a private individual (natural person not acting in the course of business) lists an item she doesn’t need anymore on eBay, though not as an auction. She specified in the listing “No returns.”
...
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212
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What is the legal definition - and consequence - of “pressure selling”?
A term used in enough appropriate contexts to suggest that its origin is in some law or other is that of “pressure selling.”
What is the definition of this practice, and is it prohibited? If so, then ...
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1
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66
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Are online auction sales subject to the sale of goods Act?
Certain commercial regulations have specific exemptions for auction sales. Does the sale of goods act apply to auction sales? If not, what consumer protection regulations govern them?
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58
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EU law regarding delivery location of online purchases
There is EU law regarding delivery of online purchases but I am struggling to find the specific section regarding the physical location to which it is acceptable to deliver to.
My experience is that ...
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Missing the deadline for statutory cancellation period but inquiring about it before
Bob has entered into an extended service contract. As is required by the law there must be allowed a 14 day cooling off period.
But how is this figured? In other words, what types of communication are ...
3
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1
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487
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Have been waiting for the seat belt part without any ETA for more than 10 months now [closed]
I got into a minor accident last year. My car is at the repair shop ever since. All the repair work is complete except for the seat belt part. The repair shop has placed an order with the dealership. ...
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Does the provision sought by this question apply equally to coworking spaces?
See this question: What rule of law requires gyms to release members from long term contracts when they relocate out of the area?
I intend to edit this question once that one is duly answered, but in ...
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What rule of law requires gyms to release members from long term contracts when they relocate out of the area?
In OFT v. Ashbourne Management Services Ltd, the high court apparently ordered gyms to relinquish members from ongoing liability after their life circumstances change such as an injury or a relocation ...