By NANCY PARADIS
© St. Petersburg Times, published April 12, 2001
On Jan. 16, the phone rang and the operator said: "I have a collect call. Will you accept it?" I asked: "Who is it?" She repeated: "I have a collect call. Will you accept it?" Again I asked: "Who is it?" Then I heard someone say "cancel the call" so I hung up.
On Feb. 23, I received a bill for $6.39 plus tax. When I called AT&T, I was told this was considered a completed call and the charges couldn't be removed from my bill. The call was from Palos Park, Ill. Virginia Dvorak
Response: AT&T will adjust your bill.
Last June, a group that included myself booked a trip to Germany with Nawas International Travel in Los Angeles. We have been trying to find out since then why some of the group who did not want to stay in private homes during our two nights in Oberammergau were charged an additional $300. The schedule was subsequently changed to only one night in Oberammergau. We asked at the time why those who paid the additional money didn't receive a partial refund. We were given an explanation about the additional costs of staying in Munich because that had not been scheduled. This was not a satisfactory answer to me or the others.
In the end, no one stayed in private homes in Oberammergau, so we basically all had the same accommodations. I would like to know why 13 of our group were charged this extra amount. Roy Palmateer
Response: Neil Dellis, vice president of Nawas International Travel in Los Angeles, said your tour program included first-class hotels with private bath except in the Oberammergau area, where accommodations were to be provided in private homes. According to the tour's terms of conditions, those attending the Passion Play in Oberammergau stay in private homes in and around the village. Some of your group, yourself included, voluntarily accepted upgrades to hotel category; hence, the additional charge.
Dellis said that during the Passion Play season, all accommodations in the Oberammergau area -- homes, pensions, boarding houses, hotels, etc. -- are controlled entirely by the Oberammergau Committee, which sets the rates and assigns them to various tour operators.
I had two new tires and a new tube put on my bicycle at ABC Bicycles. I had a gift certificate for $25 that was purchased December 2000 and was good for one year. The owner, Rick, took my gift certificate and said I owed him $32.10.
When I got home and and told my husband, we figured that $32.10 plus $25 was $57.10, so we went back to the store on March 10. Rick pointed to a sign saying he couldn't accept gift certificates purchased before Feb. 1. I'm not even sure the sign was there the day before. He tried to say he gave me discounts, but I think he still owes me at least $16. Mary Hildebrand
Response: Rick Fidanzato said he bought the business' assets on Feb. 1 and posted the sign stating he would not honor any gift certificates because there was no way to account for them. He said he has tried to explain to you that he charged you for the two tires but did not charge you for the labor or the tube. He said he offered to have you bring back the new tires and he would remount the old ones, but you didn't want to do that. He said he does not know what else to do at this point.
If you do not want to have your old tires remounted, we suggest you live with the new ones; $32.10 for two new tires, in addition to labor and a new tube, does not seem unreasonable.
On Aug. 22, I ordered a copy of my credit report from the credit bureau Experian. On Jan. 16, I followed up with a letter sent by certified mail, since I had been unable to reach a company representative by phone. On Jan. 29, I received a form from Experian wanting more information before it could issue a refund for the report I never received. To date I have received no response.
Seven months have passed since my initial order. I do not believe that Experian can deliver the credit report, nor do I now want it. I request your assistance in recovering my $8.50. I realize this is a very small amount of money to dispute, but I feel if it is enough for Experian to keep, it's equally enough for me to recover. Joyce Martin
Response: We were relieved to learn that you received your refund.
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