A Flickr user recently woke up to his worst nightmare. His account, to which he had uploaded more than 3,000 photos over five years, was hacked and terminated by someone using a Hotmail account. But that's not all.

According to Gawker, Morgan Tepsic, a photographer and student living in Taiwan, spent days sending e-mails and making phone calls to both Flickr HQ and Yahoo! (owner of the site), only to have customer service reps tell him there was no way to recover the photographs, which he says he spent thousands of dollars developing. Tepsic says Flickr should have gone further to protect his account (for which he paid subscription fees) from hackers. He's right on, especially since he never received so much as an e-mail asking him to confirm the account's termination. As it stands, we can only assume that Flickr users pay to use a site that doesn't even backup its data. Gawker tried to get to the bottom of the site's backup procedures, but its e-mails to Yahoo! reps weren't returned.

Burning question: Should I pay extra for an extended warranty?

The short answer: No.

The much-longer answer: Probably not, though it depends on what you buy, what the plan covers, and how techie you are.

We do recommend warranties for theft-and-loss-prone handheld devices like cell phones, but it's likely that your laptop, TV or cell phone won't bite the dust in that narrow span of time between the end of the manufacturer's coverage and the end of the extended warranty. In fact, tech products don't break as often as we fear they will. And when things fall apart, they do so promptly. "If you get a lemon, things tend to go wrong in the first year when the product's under warranty," says David Carnoy, the executive editor of c|net.

But service plans or other insurance policies might be worthwhile if they offer something beyond the standard warranty, such as better tech support or protection against theft and accidents.

Read on for our 10 tips on protecting both your gadgets and your bank account.

Congregating Web-link-recommendation site Reddit.com, one angry mob recently plotted to thwart the telemarketers shilling auto-warranties and illegally circumventing do-not-call lists. After an anonymous posse member discovered the phone number for 'Auto One' -- a company many believe to be heavily involved in the unwanted marketing calls -- other freedom fighters began Rick Rolling the company, changing its voice mail greetings, and even threatening violence.

If you've ever worked in customer service, you know how infuriating it is to listen to an endless string of mundane complaints or fend off duplicitous customers looking to get something for free. Regardless, there's a line that customer service reps should never cross -- the line between angrily getting a supervisor and mercilessly pummeling the dissatisfied shopper.

According to WEAU, Radio Shack employee James Knol of Eau Claire, Wisconsin crossed that line last Sunday night (April 28). Knol not only refused to accept a return item from customer Leigh Carey, but he also started punching him so violently that a witness called '911.' Apparently, Knol went all 'Incredible Hulk' when Carey asked to see his manager.

Knol was charged with disorderly conduct and battery, but WEAU didn't release any details about Carey's condition or plans for litigation, although we won't be surprised to see a lawsuit in the very near future. [From: WEAU]

With the current state of the economy, companies are under pressure to lower prices and provide excellent customer service in order to appeal to increasingly frugal shoppers. As consumers grow more and more selective about what products to purchase and from whom they buy them, retailers must update and alter existing sales plans to adequately meet shoppers' needs. In his blog this week, Eric Pratum explains how Logitech.com has now joined Best Buy and Office Depot as less-than-credible outlets that discriminating shoppers may want to avoid.

Pratum purchased a diNovo Edge rechargeable, wireless keyboard six weeks ago through Logitech.com. When the keyboard arrived damaged, Pratum engaged in a lengthy and frustrating exchange with customer service that is just now being resolved. In his commentary, Pratum details at least seven instances of shipping mistakes and negligent customer service, one of them involving a rep who told Pratum that he would have to personally pay for the damaged item's return shipping costs.

For a full rundown of other ways to anger and ultimately lose your customers (like mailing their purchased items to the wrong address, for instance), you can read Pratum's itemized Logitech complaint list right here. Ralph Nader would be proud. [From: Eric Pratum]

It's no secret that tech support and customer service, in general, are deep black-holes of wasted time and unsolved problems. What you may not realize is that there are actual reasons for tech support's frequent suckiness.

For example, call centers are staffed with the absolute minimum number of agents, in order to save costs. And, while it may be annoying to be asked if your PC is plugged in or not, calls are monitored to make sure that the reps are precisely following the ridiculous scripts that require they ask such boneheaded questions.

The folks at Cracked do cover 'Why Tech Support Sucks,' in their trademark, snarky, vulgar manner, of course. But, while earning a good chuckle, they also help you to understand that your unpleasant experience is not always the support person's fault.

Verizon touts its high-speed fiber-optic FiOS service as "the top-rated broadband service in America," providing faster Internet access than cable to go along with its "first-class installation." Though plenty of folks would agree that the FiOS service provides fast downloads, one recent customer (and his wife) would vehemently take odds with the company's "first-class installation" claim.

Sam, the displeased Verizon customer, told The Consumerist that the Verizon installation expert drilled a hole into his bedroom closet, instead of the laundry room four feet away. The errant drill bit then penetrated the pricey wedding dress belonging to Sam's wife.

The dress driller apologized to Sam, and told him a Verizon representative would contact him about the damaged gown. Apparently, Sam is still waiting. There are so many possibilities here that we're not sure which direction to take -- how about, "Verizon, can you hear Sam, now?" Or, maybe, "That's the closest a Verizon installation guy will ever get to touching a wedding dress." Hey, we kid, we kid. You Verizon guys are alright. [From: The Consumerist]

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These past months have been tough for retailers, particularly ones selling frivolous electronics that people don't really need. You'd think they'd be a bit more careful with their customers, but not so much, apparently. First we heard about a number of shady dealings at Office Depot and then some improper refusals to match competitors' prices at Best Buy. Now, we're hearing that the latter company is on the receiving end of a lawsuit that alleges, among other things, that Best Buy paid bonuses to managers who denied legitimate price matches.

Recently, some Best Buy managers have reportedly broken with the retailer's advertised price-matching policy in a practice called 'murfing.' The lawsuit quotes an internal memo that instructed managers to refuse price matching and offered them bonuses for doing so. According to the suit, over 100 such denials were made per store each week. If you happen to shop in New York state and were one of those denied, you can get in on the (class) action by calling (845) 356-2570, or by sending an e-mail to mbraunstein@kgglaw.com. Happy hunting. [From: HDGuru.net via The Consumerist]

Related Links:

• Is Best Buy 'Murfing' Its Customers?
• Report: Office Depot Employees Altering Computer Price Tags
• Office Depot Managers Encourage Lying to Customers, Say Employees

As Office Depot and Best Buy attempt to one-up each other in their ongoing war against the American consumer, one brave shopper recently infiltrated enemy lines and performed a little undercover espionage of the latter big box store. The honorable HD Guru (disguised as an average citizen looking for a new Panasonic HDTV) recently went to Best Buy with high hopes of uncovering the truth about the retail giant's price-matching policy.

Not to be outdone by Office Depot's myriad misleading of customers (including lying about stock availability and changing computer price tags), Best Buy allegedly encourages its employees to refuse to match competitors' prices with a tactic known as "murfing." To perform his reconnaissance, Mr. Guru cased three Best Buy locations in the New York area and asked employees at each store to match a competitor's price for the TV, listed at $700 less than the Best Buy price. Salespeople at each location refused, citing nonexistent policy exemptions. At the final location, the incognito blogger asked to look at the store policy sheet, which they are legally obligated to display. After not finding proof of any such exemption clauses, the Guru challenged the store manager who relented and begrudgingly agreed to match the price.

In these situations, HD Guru suggests that shoppers always demand to see a manager, as well as the store's policy sheet. To further aid potential Best Buy patrons, he also provides some helpful do's and don't's for comparison shoppers, as well as some tips about how to protect oneself against murfing. Study his strategy here so you can join the crusade and help him stick it to scammy salesfolks everywhere. [From: HD Guru]

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• Best Buy Sued for Being Scummy
• Best Buy Employee Caught Perving Out
• Best Buy Caught Faking Low Nintendo Wii Supplies

Wow. Things at Office Depot appear to be worse than we could have possibly thought. In fact, the alleged apparent systematic misleading of customers makes the shenanigans at BestBuy look quite tame by comparison.

Laptop Mag has published a follow up to its initial report of employees being encouraged to lie to customers at Office Depot. It turns out that salespeople at other Office Depot locations across the country are telling Laptop that the the same dishonesty is being encouraged at their stores. Even worse, the lying goes beyond mere fibs about laptop stock -- employees have reported Photoshopping and digitally altering price tags, as well as including the price of extended warranties and protection plans in the cost of clearance items. For example, if a $500 laptop were on sale for $450 and the employees needed to push an $80 extended warranty, the store would list the laptop at $500 and claim to be offering the $80 warranty for only $30.



We'd like to say we're shocked, but it has become increasingly clear that dishonesty and unethical behavior (while not "officially" endorsed) are simply standard corporate policy at some major retail chains. We may not be shocked, but we are certainly appalled.

Giving us yet another reason to hate Ticketmaster, the company revealed that it has been scalping tickets through its secondary TicketExchange and TicketsNow Web sites. Designed as a means for fans to sell tickets they've already purchased, Ticketmaster senior vice president for legal affairs Joseph Freeman told the Wall Street Journal that TicketExchange and TicketsNow "only rarely list tickets offered by fans."

Bruce Springsteen originally brought the scam to public attention last month. He lambasted the company on his own Web site when thousands of his fans complained after Ticketmaster began automatically redirecting ticket buyers to its TicketsNow site, where the concert tickets were being sold for heavily inflated prices. Ticketmaster, who would admit no wrongdoing, blamed the redirection on a "glitch." Despite not accepting fault, Ticketmaster agreed to reimburse the ticket buyers and settled with the New Jersey attorney general office for $350,000, mainly for court costs.

Some Office Depot sales managers have been encouraging their employees to lie to customers, Laptop's blog revealed in an investigative report Tuesday.

According to a number of the Web site's readers, who also claim to work for Office Depot, the practice of lying in regards to laptop availability is a common at the company due to strict corporate sales quotas. One reader named Rich, who Laptop confirmed to be an Office Depot employee, told the blog, "I have witnessed lying about the availability of a notebook, and have been told to do so myself."

Apparently, Office Depot corporate policy dictates that "attachments" (including warranties and other computer services) must comprise 30-percent of a store's sales. If that quota is not met, a manager faces retribution from his or her boss. Accordingly, if potential laptop buyers express no interest in those additional services, some managers are telling their employees to lie, claiming that available computers are no longer in stock.

It is important to note that this practice is by no means ubiquitous within the company's stores, and that Office Depot, itself, does not explicitly endorse lying. But, that being said, it seems to us that these managers' unethical decisions are reactions to the corporate office's unrealistic expectations. Let's just be glad that there are folks like Rich, and other ethical Office Depot employees, proving that "honest salesman" is not an oxymoron. We can only hope that the same is true of some folks at AT&T and Radio Shack. [From: Laptop]

It's no surprise that Americans are overpaying for cellular service, but you may be disturbed to learn exactly how much cash you're actually coughing up per minute of air time. A new study from the Utility Consumers' Action Network (UCAN) estimates that people are paying an average of $3.02 per minute of actual talk time.

Of course, that average is skewed by a relatively small percentage of consumers who greatly overestimate the number of minutes they need, and don't use the vast majority of them. But even after removing these most extreme examples, UCAN found that the average consumer was paying about $1 a minute.

Most consumers only use about a third of their anytime minutes, wasting the rest while still paying for them. Of course, you can place a lot of the blame for this at the feet of cellular providers, who structure their plans to dissuade customers from choosing cheaper options. For example, if you want to take advantage of AT&T's unlimited nights and weekends offer, you're required to sign up for a $60 plan with 900 anytime minutes.

You thought the days of the pop-up ads were over didn't you? You thought, "I got my fancy browser with the built in pop up blocker. I got me Google Toolbar and it's got a pop up blocker too." What more could you need?

Well, in case you haven't noticed, pop-ups are coming back worse than before, and one of the companies responsible is Adimpact. The business makes software specially designed to feed pop-ups to Web sites using technology that modern pop-up blocking techniques can't stop. The company primarily uses DHTML, or dynamic HTML, the same technique used to create mouse-over animations and drop down menus on other Web sites.

We hope someone will figure out a way to stop the Adimpact madness before it spreads to any more sites (current high-profile accounts include IMDB) and returns us to the online hell that was the '90s. [From: Den of Geek via Slashdot]

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