Blockbuster just stole 19.84 from my checking account!

[Wcross]

Should I go down there and kick some ass? I rented two movies for the first time two weeks ago. I returned them on the due date and got a prerecorded message asking me to return them three days later. I called the store and was told "not to worry about it". I got another call four days after the first, I called the store, they checked my account and said I didn't have any outstanding rentals.
Now a charge to my debit card shows up, they charged me for the movie!

Would you consider this theft? I sure do.

[lonestarnot]

1. What agreement did you sign allowing them to withdraw money from your

acct? and how did they get the acct #?

[Wcross]

4. Used a debit card when I signed up. n/t

[barackmyworld]

2. oh sorry edited

I didn't see that you had returned them. Yes, go bitch!! Someone forgot to scan them in or something.

For education's sake, here was my previous response:
There are no late fees. But after a while, they charge you for the movie. That was the replacement for the late fees. I think you have a couple weeks then to return it to the store and get a refund. If not, the charge stays and it's your movie.

[Wcross]

3. If you don't return them....

As I said, both movies were returned to a clerk in the store.

[Feathered Fish]

5. Go talk to the manager

But do it nicely, they are minimum wage movie flunkies. Find out why you were told not to worry about it. If you want to scream and freakout, call the head office. Those people are better equipped to deal with it. By the way, this is what happens when you rent at Ballbuster.

[underpants]

6. 1-9-8-4

?

I think they are trying to tell you something. Probably some poor worker troll deep in the bowels of the Blockbuster corporate headquarters.

[GalleryGod]

7. N.J. Att'y General is Suing the Company

on behalf of all the incredibly confused customers who are getting "dunned" in this the "alleged" No More Late Fees Era:argh:

[Skittles]

8. GO KICK THEIR THIEVING ASSES WCROSS

DO IT

[Wcross]

11. I think I can take them all on at once!

I just hope the short skinny guy is working today! Seriously though, I am mad as hell about this. I am yet again forced to spend my time correcting somebodys mistake.

[Briarius]

9. Burn down the building

well, talk to the manager first. If that doesn't work, break out the gas and torches!

[Wcross]

15. Naw, its in a shopping mall.

I wouldn't want to put all those people out of work. I think a drive-by mooning might be in order though!

[fishwax]

10. I once had them insist that I hadn't returned a Jaws DVD

They were going to charge me for the disc and for a while I had to go to a different Blockbuster, but it finally showed up a few weeks later at a monthly inventory audit. They never actually charged my credit card for it, though.

Anyway, I would call the manager and (nicely) inform them of the mistake and inquire as to when the next audit of inventory is. Also, I'm not sure, but I think each individual copy at Blockbuster has it's own UPC code. You might ask for the serial number of the copies that were allegedly lost, and then you can periodically check for yourself in the display to see if any numbers match.

[Wcross]

13. I guess I should have asked for a reciept when I returned?

I have two free rentals from the online rental service, I ought to rent something, then return it and insist on a reciept. I bet that would piss them off!

[fishwax]

20. that would be funny

I'm sure they wouldn't know how to handle it. Personally, I stopped going to that blockbuster after they tried to screw me over anyway, but asking for a receipt might be a good/fun idea.

[lenidog]

12. The State of NJ

is already warming up the judges over it. There is a lwasuit in the works. Another reason I never rent from Blockbuster and breathed a sigh of relief that it seems they have failed to take over Hollywood Video.

[BlondieK143]

14. Can't STAND Blockbuster.

good luck, raise hell. Then go to Netflix.

[Wcross]

18. Yup, net flix has a new customer.

[Cooley Hurd]

16. A class-action lawsuit in the making...

New Jersey Targets Blockbuster Fee Policy

February 19, 2005
The state of New Jersey says the movie rental chain Blockbuster Inc. has violated the state's consumer protection laws with its new late fee policy.

In a lawsuit filed Friday in Superior Court in Trenton, N.J., the state said Blockbuster failed to disclose key terms in the policy, including that overdue rentals are automatically converted to a sale on the eighth day after the due date. The state is seeking restitution for customers whose overdue rentals were converted to a sale. It also wants compensation for people who were charged late fees by stores that were not participating in the new policy, but that failed to make that obvious.

State Attorney General Peter C. Harvey called the company's advertising and marketing "deceptive."

Dallas-based Blockbuster said it has "taken a number of very thorough steps to let customers know how our new program works. Blockbuster has trained store employees on how to effectively communicate the program to customers, both on the sales floor and at checkout." The stores also have free brochures explaining the program, the company said.
</snip>

[Pab Sungenis]

17. This is common.

They include in the fine print of their "No More Late Fees" that after eight days, a rental becomes a purchase, and you're charged for it.

The NJ Attorney General is suing them over the process. Other states are likely to join.

[Wcross]

19. Problem solved.

It still burns me up though. They had both items back, couldn't tell me which one the charge was for. This is the first time I had ever rented from them, do you think I will go back? HA!
I am going to the online site next and cancel my account there.

[freestyle]

21. A similar situation is why I left blockbuster

They tried to charge me late fees for movies returned on time. I cancelled my membership. Now the assholes are trying to buy Hollywood. I usually go to my local independent video store, but Hollywood really does have a good selection of old and foreign films.