I’m just a regular person making about $70K a year in a big city, and I’ve recently felt incredibly powerless dealing with private companies. For instance, my landlord’s auto-pay system had a glitch that excluded my pet rent and water bill. I ended up with over $1,000 in late fees. Despite hours on the phone, it turns out their system doesn’t really do auto-pay and requires a fixed amount instead of covering the full rent. It feels like a scam, and my options are to pay the fees or potentially spend a fortune on legal action.

Another frustrating experience was trying to cancel my pest control service. I had to endure a 40-minute call followed by 35 minutes of arguing, just to finally cancel. There’s no online cancellation option, and the process felt like a timeshare sales pitch.

Why do ordinary people seem so unprotected against these shady practices, and how can we change this? How does one person even start to address these issues?

  • trolololol@lemmy.world
    1·
    3 months ago

    In Australia ACCC takes care of abusive businesses, surely there must be something like that? Even 3rd world countries like Brazil has something like it.

    • AndrewZabar@lemmy.worldEnglish
      5·
      3 months ago

      Nope. America is OWNED by rich people. It’s a corporation and they make the laws so all the laws are to help them have more power.

      • SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml
        2·
        3 months ago

        I wouldn’t see it so black-and-whitely. I don’t think Tim Walz is owned by anyone and he is running for VP.

        • AndrewZabar@lemmy.worldEnglish
          3·
          3 months ago

          He’s beholden to the corporations controlled by the wealthiest 1%. Anyone who gets elected is already someone who “plays ball” because they don’t get to there otherwise.

          • trolololol@lemmy.world
            2·
            3 months ago

            Ha you don’t even get to run without people in line to donate to you. And since corp donates for both candidates it’s a win or win situation for them, which implies lose or lose for everyone.

            • AndrewZabar@lemmy.worldEnglish
              2·
              3 months ago

              It would be nice if corporate bribery were not allowed. Giving tens of millions to them - to their “campaign” - which they all funnel and launder into their pockets - is literal and unambiguous bribery. And yet it’s the reality of our nation.

      • trolololol@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 months ago

        Wait until you see the Brazilian definition of poverty. People literally dream of having the chance to be poor in US.