ConsumerAffairs
reviews and complaints

As you navigate the vast landscape of consumer reviews, it's crucial to tread carefully, especially when encountering platforms like ConsumerAffairs. With a rating of 1.4 stars and a plethora of dissatisfied customers, it's evident that ConsumerAffairs may not be the beacon of trustworthiness it claims to be. Numerous reviewers have highlighted issues such as censorship, biased practices, and a focus on advertising revenue over honest reviews. The platform's tendency to filter out negative feedback, prioritize paid affiliations, and engage in questionable business practices raises red flags for conscientious consumers seeking genuine insights. When considering where to place your trust in the realm of reviews, it's essential to look beyond the surface and delve into platforms that prioritize transparency, integrity, and the authentic voice of the consumer.

This used to be a very reputable site. Just bought over by new owners and you can se the difference. I still turn to it for advice on online companies. Still recommended but be mindful of their model.

All ok with them, seems like...

I had a wonderful experience with ConsumerAffairs. I posted my complaint and got a really quick response from the company I was complaining about. I had called them a number of times and had been told that nothing could be done, but once I posted on ConsumerAffairs they made a plan.

I have followed ConsumerAffairs for several years. They have excellent writers, do intensive research, and in every newsletter I receive, there's some information I have to pass-along to family & friends. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for "serious consumers".

"Who We Are: ConsumerAffairs.com is a private, non-governmental entity that empowers consumers by providing a forum for their complaints and a means for them to be contacted by lawyers if their complaints have legal merit. Your complaints and comments may be published, shared with the news media and reviewed by attorneys at no cost to you. See the FAQ for more information.

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Here's an idea of the basics you'll find in the CA's newsletter:
Does It Really Pay To Go Shopping On Black Friday?
New Home Sales Rise As Mortgage Rates Fall
Toyota Announces Recall to Fix Runaway Acceleration
Consumers May Soon See Fewer Scam Ads
Recall of Drop-Side Cribs Continues 2009 Pattern
Microsoft May Face Class Action Over Xbox Live Ban
FDA Seeks Permanent Injunction Against Sharkco Seafood
Nearly One In Four Homeowners Under Water
Deadline For Chinese Drywall Claims Looms
More News...

SAFETY RECALLS
Toyota, Lexus Models Recalled to Fix Runaway Acceleration
Toyota Recalling 110,000 Tundra Pickups
Electrolux ICON, Kenmore 30 PRO Gas Ranges
Stork Craft, Fisher-Price Cribs Recalled
2010 Volvo XC60
Evenflo First Choice Car Seats
Cost Plus World Stainless Steel Cookware
Bobby Chupete Pacifiers
Perfect Flame Gas Grills
Century 21 Hooded Sweats
Gorilla EXO-Tech Safety Harness
Three Sisters Baby Hammocks

And so very much more!_____________________________________________

UPDATE: September 2,2013

ConsumerAffairs.com. All the angry (and uninformed) mail I've gotten lately?

Mike g.
New Reviewer
Level: 0 (1 review, 0 helpful)
6/28/13
"This is an absolute scumbag company! As stated by other reviewers a business is prohibited from posting a reply to a review unless they allow consumeraffairs.com to extort money from the business. Clearly this is an unethical outfit operating on the edge of being illegal."

Leo G.
New Reviewer
Level: 0 (9 reviews, 1 helpful)
"are you promoting ConsumerAffairs.com or are you working for them?
My advise is read the comment from raven g. About ConsumerAffairs.com his story is the right one. They are charging money to companies and they are living from fake reviews. If your really are interested in consumer affairs you let companies respond throughout there webcare teams on your own website FOR FREE. But ConsumerAffairs.com is not like that.
Most review website like Consumeraffairs are showing a lot of negative issues just to put pressure on companies to pay them money for a better ranking.
Don't use them, just listen to family and friends to make a decision about a website you want to use or You were using."

Janna C. "Thanks for the review, Ron. Can you tell us about a specific example of excellent information you've passed on to friends and family about something you read in the Consumer Affairs newsletter?"

Yeah, believe I can Jenna, hows this:

"What is a college degree worth in today's job market?"
http://tinyurl.com/n6hnj6q
I think this report is terribly relevant today Jenna, how about you?

Same-sex marriages to get equal federal tax treatment
http://tinyurl.com/jwm47pb

Taxpayer reminder: Report 2010 Roth conversions this year
You may need to report half of the resulting taxable income on your 2012 return.
http://tinyurl.com/m7zgb95

Build-A-Bear recalls stuffed animal toy
The stuffed animal's eye can detach, posing a choking hazard.
http://tinyurl.com/kc4gcz6

Fat & fit? Study says it's not impossible
Inflammatory markers may more precisely identify those prone to disease
http://tinyurl.com/l22mrlp

I personally think these reports/reviews are worthwhile. No, I don't work for CA. Given the plethora of other reviews I've left while active here - thought you guys would have figured out I don't own them all?

As for all the mail (almost ten pieces recently) about Consumer Affairs, why not be good little reporters and go to the source?

Jim Hood
Founder and Editor - ConsumerAffairs.com
"Most people are way too trusting, way too polite and not nearly inquisitive enough. If everyone spent a little time reading worthwhile history, science and journalism instead of listening to blowhards and con artists, the American middle class wouldn't be imploding quite so quickly."

A graduate of Southern Illinois University, Jim occasionally studied English literature but spent most of his time as a radio reporter and free lance correspondent covering the social meltdowns of the 1960s.

A serial entrepreneur, Jim founded ConsumerAffairs.com in 1998. A former Associated Press executive, editor and reporter, he has covered just about everything imaginable and a few things that seemed unimaginable until they happened. He is unduly proud of his many enemies.

He lives in the Washington, D. C., area and Sayville, N. Y., with his long-suffering spouse and two dogs, his children having grown up and moved far away.

Email: ***@consumeraffairs.com
Phone: ***221

Note Jim offers E-mail address and phone, in case anyone has issue with ANYTHING he publishes. That's rather rare.

Site Jabber was originally about sites to make our lives easier, help avoid scams, and help save money... obviously. I've followed James R. Hood's CA site for a long time. They are some of the first with some very erudite reporting.

I don't review here very much currently. Simply too busy. The climate here has changed as well. Not so much community spirited, rather new reviewers solely (it seems) interested in discrediting anyone else. Try and focus on reporting something worthwhile... rather than tear another reviewer down?

So there's the long on James Hood & Consumer Affairs. Before anyone thinks of writing to me (Jenna, Mike, & Leo) about my owning CA, or how it's in league with the devil, do your homework. Call Jim and ask some questions. If you find something dark, then tell me and I'll retract my original review of some two years ago. Smile.

New reviewers need to grow-up a bit me-thinks.

Hope everyone is well & Happy,
Ron Kolman

Don't let every person review?! Commit fraud much? Not sure what else to say other than I will be contacting the AG.

Review:
Don't let every person review?! Commit fraud much? Not sure what else to say other than I will be contacting the AG.

They don't do a good job counting reviews. For instance, on their site, *** has a rating of 3.9/5 stars. There are like 13 pages of 1-star reviews and only 1-3 pages for the other star ratings. Something seems fishy.

ConsumerAffairs is totally fake because they don't post reviews when someone gives one star. They can't be trusted to help people with issues like banks or anything else. I don't trust them anymore because they only post the good stuff and not the bad stuff.

ConsumerAffairs is a total fake! They don't even post reviews if someone gives them one star. How can they claim to be for the people who have issues with banks or anything else? I don't trust them anymore because they only post the good stuff and not the bad stuff. It's not right!

This site ain't that helpful for making decisions. They call themselves ConsumerAffairs, but their reviews ain't worth a dime. They censor and make up rules, so you can't trust what you read. The real deal is letting people say whatever they want, no filters or restrictions.

So, we had this thing with ConsumerAffairs, right? They called us up and started asking about ***. We were like, "Yeah, we got it," and then bam! They just hung up on us. I was like, "What the heck just happened?" So, I tried calling them back, but all I got was some voicemail. I don't know, man, I'm really confused by this whole situation. I guess I'll have to let *** know about this lousy customer experience.

I asked for a moving quote from Consumer Affairs website. They asked for my email address and phone to send a quote. Now I'm getting hundreds of calls from telemarketers that they have sold my information to. This website is a scam to get people's information and sell it. I knew this was a telemarketing scam. Don't visit the Consumer Affairs Website unless you want to be harassed every two minutes by phone.

I asked for info from Consumer Affairs on their website. They wanted my email to send a quote. Then they wanted my phone number, said they wouldn't share it. Instead of emailing quotes, I get calls from telemarketers like the ones I asked about. I block these calls and tell my phone company they're spam. If I knew it was a telemarketing scam, I wouldn't have gone to Consumer Affairs.

I checked out this website called ConsumerAffairs, right? They say this company has like 3.8 stars out of 5, based on over 1000 reviews. But get this, man, every single review on the first page is just 1 star! And it's the same deal on the second page too! So I decided to do some math, you know? After going through 300 reviews, guess what? The rating drops down to a measly 1.2 stars! Can you believe it? They must think we're dumb and can't add up simple numbers. And that's not all, people are saying they're hiding stuff too. Apparently, the owner even admitted that they're all about helping the companies, not the customers. It's a total scam, dude.

Watch out for this company, they're a bunch of scammers. I've posted a bunch of reviews about different companies, but they blocked half of them without even telling me. I only found out by accident when I checked my profile to see if any companies had responded. Turns out, they filtered out those reviews. But guess what? The same reviews were published without any problems on ***, ComplaintsBoard.com, ***, ***, and ***. Consumer affairs filters out negative reviews about certain companies and makes up all kinds of excuses. First, they say we're not a domestic company. Well, if that's true, then why does ComplaintsBoard.com let people review them? Second, they say they don't accept certain language. I gave them feedback on all their points and they promised to get back to me, but they never did. I've tried emailing and contacting them through ***, but it's been a waste of time. If you Google the company, you'll see that they're a scamming company that sells your data to third parties. Don't bother wasting your time writing reviews on their website. By the way, Marnie W's review below is completely accurate about what's really going on with this company.

Watch out for this company, they're a bunch of scammers.

I posted a bunch of reviews about companies and they blocked half of them, without telling me anything about it.
I just found out by accident in my profile when I wanted to check if there were any responses from the companies I reviewed. They filtered them out. The same reviews were published without any problems by ***, ComplaintsBoard.com, ***, ***, and ***, to name a few.

Consumer affairs filters out negative reviews about specific companies and makes up all sorts of excuses.
1) They say we're not a domestic company. Oh really? Then why does ComplaintsBoard.com allow reviews about you?
2) They say they don't accept certain language, etc.

Even though I gave them feedback on all their points and they promised to get back to me, they don't respond anymore.
I've tried emailing and contacting them per ***, but it's been a waste of time.
If you Google the company, you'll also find that they're an organized scamming company that sells your data to third parties - see attached.
Don't waste your time writing any reviews on that website.

Ps: The review by Marnie W below is completely accurate about what's happening behind the scenes of this company.

I posted a review on Consumer Affairs, and they hid it. They published it, and it's hidden from public view (consumeraffairs(DOT)com/auto_warranty/carshield.html#review=9849122) - (ncua(DOT)gov/regulation-supervision/manuals-guides/federal-consumer-financial-protection-guide/compliance-management/unfair-deceptive-or-abusive-acts-or-practices-udaap) Original review: March 12 Verified Reviewer Verified Buyer This story is about a Chrysler 300, that overheats. We replaced the radiator and the thermostat (our pocket). This didn't fix the problem. Called Car Shield, to see if there was a mechanic in our area that accepts Car Shield as no mechanic we know does. They recommended a AAMCO. Steve the owner, nice guy. So we drove the 300 there, and that same day, Car Shield DENIED the claim citing causation of a cracked block was a non covered oil pump. The next day we went up to AAMCO, and the owner Steve told us that's not true. The block isn't cracked, nor is there a malfunction of the oil pump. Steve told us that the head gasket was blown, thus warping the head, allowing water into the oil. Knowing this as fact, per recording played to Car Shield, they still denied us. Opened a ComplaintsBoard.com case (BTW they have an "F" rating), and they repeated the lie of causation as a matter of public record, and closed the case, while still taking money out of the bank account, to pay for? Looking at the reviews here, "This review is featured by CarShield" yeah, that one... They are taking claim that they approve claims. This is also not true according to their statement in the ComplaintsBoard.com case. I'm going to say it... Car Shield is a fraud, Consumer Affairs is paid by the company you review, thus a fraud, and ComplaintsBoard.com is a fraud. Change My Mind.

I posted a review on Consumer Affairs, and they hid it. They published it, and it's hidden from public view (consumeraffairs(DOT)com/auto_warranty/carshield.html#review=9849122) - (ncua(DOT)gov/regulation-supervision/manuals-guides/federal-consumer-financial-protection-guide/compliance-management/unfair-deceptive-or-abusive-acts-or-practices-udaap) Original review: March 12 Verified Reviewer Verified Buyer

This story is about a Chrysler 300, that overheats. We replaced the radiator and the thermostat (our pocket). This didn't fix the problem. Called Car Shield, to see if there was a mechanic in our area that accepts Car Shield as no mechanic we know does. They recommended a AAMCO. Steve the owner, nice guy. So we drove the 300 there, and that same day, Car Shield DENIED the claim citing causation of a cracked block was a non covered oil pump. The next day we went up to AAMCO, and the owner Steve told us that's not true. The block isn't cracked, nor is there a malfunction of the oil pump. Steve told us that the head gasket was blown, thus warping the head, allowing water into the oil. Knowing this as fact, per recording played to Car Shield, they still denied us.

Opened a ComplaintsBoard.com case (BTW they have an "F" rating), and they repeated the lie of causation as a matter of public record, and closed the case, while still taking money out of the bank account, to pay for? Looking at the reviews here, "This review is featured by CarShield" yeah, that one... They are taking claim that they approve claims. This is also not true according to their statement in the ComplaintsBoard.com case. I'm going to say it... Car Shield is a fraud, Consumer Affairs is paid by the company you review, thus a fraud, and ComplaintsBoard.com is a fraud. Change My Mind.

Contact the Attorney General about this company. We need to put a stop on this scam. They are doing consumers no justice. Pay us and you can have good reviews otherwise we will use our nationwide dominance in Google to destroy your reputation. That does not seem like an honest mans business model if you ask me. Anybody that does the research can see paid companies have 4-5 stars and anybody that does not pay has 1 - 2 stars. Consumeraffairs.com is out to make money they have no desire to help people which is really taking advantage of the American public! I attached part of an email they send you to show you how once you pay them you get 4.5 stars. How is that being an honest review site? Somebody in the state of Nevada please investigate this company!

On the bottom of the website... The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice. ConsumerAffairs.com makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof.

Not to mention if they change ownership. I have read happens quite often. The privacy policy states...

If we are involved in a bankruptcy, merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be sold or transferred as part of that transaction. In that case, the terms of this privacy policy may no longer apply.

I stumbled upon 'consumer affairs', a very clever name, during a search for reviews of Bosch appliances. I was captivated by the slick interface and their 'irreverent and seemingly no-nonsense' attitude. I followed many of their links, faqs, and then explored their help wanted ads, thinking I might be able to work for a savvy outfit like this as a content guy.

After a brief duckduckgo search, I found a link to
http://truthaboutpetfood.com/consumer-affairs-threats-of-lawyers-to-truthaboutpetfood-com/
A tale about correspondence sent to the editor of truthaboutpetfood from 'consumer affairs' trying to bully them,.
After reading many of the comments by the pet lovers and supporters of truthaboutpetfood, (who are only interested in getting decent food for their pets) and following a link provided there by one commenter to Sitejabber, a more complete picture emerged.
I almost fell for this company's line of patter, but thanks to all the reviews on both Sitejabber and truthaboutpetfood, I realized what a subtle scam they are running.
I think they represent the worst propensity of the computer age; selling snake oil in the guise of helping people, but really doing just the opposite. Also, their whole business model reminds me of a mafia shakedown racket, as noted by one previous reviewer.

Thank God for the good sense and critical faculties of many good people who have taken the time and effort to express their experiences and their take on 'consumer affairs'. Isn't it ironic that this website cloaks itself with the mantle of an often used title of government agencies, promises aid to consumers, but sells (extorts) 'reputation control' to other companies? Trusting people are reminded to be diligent and look beyond glib promises and slick facades. I almost applied for a job with them!

I put my phone number in for an add to get prices for walk-in bathtubs and the phone started ringing right away. In like 1-2 minutes, I got 23 phone calls blocked by *** as spam. Don't give them your phone number or email, seriously.

I had to write a review for a product I bought on the ConsumerAffairs website. They didn't mention anything about making my Name AND Location public. They went ahead and shared my name and location in the review. There's no option to change or delete it. I'm really concerned about my safety and privacy. I don't want my Name and Location out there for everyone to see.

Consumer Affairs ComplaintsBoard.com form ask you to work out the issue with CA before filing a ComplaintsBoard.com claim. I did that. They did not remove my review. Contacted CA after writing a review, as I decided I did not want it posted. They had me speak to a/their representative on the phone to verify I wrote it--- which I did. They never removed it. I just looked through my yahoo emails and see an email from them stating how popular the review was. I would like it removed asap.

I went to Consumer Affairs to check out some bad reviews on Meow Mix catfood. I decided to share my own experience about how four of my cats sadly passed away after eating that catfood. I filled out my email, but it kept telling me to add an email. Eventually, I received an email from Consumer Affairs asking me to click on a link. When I did, the site asked for the name of the company, so I entered J M Smucker company. However, the site kept saying that there was no such company. This made it impossible for me to submit my review, so I gave up and left the site. But guess what? Right away, I got an email about carfood advertisement. It seemed really fishy to me, receiving an email about catfood right after trying to write a catfood review. So, I went back to Consumer Affairs to delete my account, especially my phone number because I don't want calls from other companies. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any information on how to delete my account, so I came here for help. It's quite suspicious to get an email about catfood after attempting to write a catfood review, don't you think?

ConsumerAffairs.com done used my name to put up a review on their own website without askin' me first. Some person from their company contacted me 'bout my thoughts on 2-10 home warranty. They said they gonna talk to 2-10 'bout what I said, but they never told me they gonna use my name or info to put somethin' up on their website for everyone to see. I never said they could do that. I can't do nothin' 'bout this post 'cause I can't change it or delete it. They don't accept my email address on their systems, so I can't even read what they wrote. It ain't right for 'em to use my identity without askin' me first and puttin' up a public review that I didn't make or give permission for. 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty responded to my review, but I can't see what they said 'cause of the email thing.

Re: Reviews on HOLD on their website C for C, I posted a review/complaint about C and it got accepted. C Customer Service called me and said they would resolve the issue soon. They kept asking me to remove the review from C and promised to refund the $5600 I spent on 5 Tickets booked with them on E. But now that I removed the review, all I hear is that C can't reach E for the past two months. I feel cheated and have no idea when I'll get my money back. When I try to post another review, C puts it on hold. It seems like C and C are working together to ignore me completely. I seriously doubt c*** now and advise everyone not to take back or remove their complaints unless it's truly resolved. I feel cheated and have been waiting for over 2 months for my own money.

A guy from Consumer Affairs (ConsumerAffairs.com) called me up to ask 'bout this movin' company I hired recently, and he said he was callin' from the movin' company itself. I reckon I got the call 'round September 14th, 2022 'round 4pm. I already gave feedback to the movin' company, so I told the guy that. But he acted all confused, like he worked for the movin' company, sayin' my call didn't show up in his system. He still asked for my feedback, even though it was mostly positive. He even pushed me to give some criticism that I didn't even mention to the movin' company 'cause it was so small. But guess what? When Consumer Affairs posted my review, they made my tiny bit of criticism stand out. I can't see the review on the Consumer Affairs website, so I can't change it or complain 'bout it. I agreed to have my review posted with my name 'cause I thought I was givin' a testimonial straight to the movin' company, not some third-party group. That guy was sneaky and used the call to get my personal info and review for some other company's benefit. I wouldn't have agreed to that if I knew. I want my review taken down from their site, my personal info removed from their system(s), and I demand that they get in trouble for trickin' folks with their calls.