Contact 6 gets $160K in refunds for FOX6 viewers in 2020
MILWAUKEE - In the more than 40 years that Contact 6 has been Milwaukee’s consumer watchdog, there’s never been a year like 2020.
When the coronavirus arrived in Wisconsin, Contact 6's Jenna Sachs shifted her focus to the unprecedented issues that affected your pocketbook, health and home.
U.S. President Donald Trump's name appears on the coronavirus economic assistance checks that were sent to citizens across the country April 29, 2020 in Washington, DC.
Problems with stimulus checks led to several Contact 6 reports. People in Wisconsin spoke with Contact 6 about their checks that never arrived, were intercepted by the government, or went to deceased loved-ones.
Then there were the issues affecting the health of people in southeast Wisconsin. People experienced delays in COVID-19 test results, canceled health screenings and telehealth billing mistakes that Contact 6 helped to rectify. Early on, Sachs reported on the progress toward a vaccine and Wisconsin’s plan for distribution.
Contact 6 also uncovered possible cases of price-gouging online and in local stores. Sachs reported on widespread product shortages of items like sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer and thermometers. At the same time, she found that alcohol sales for the home were surging.
FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX6 News app for iOS or Android
Contact 6 reported on the workplace issues affecting business owners and their employees. While closed, business owners spoke out about their non-essential status. When employees returned to the workplace, they turned to Contact 6 to voice concerns that adequate protections were not in place.
At home, thousands of renters in Milwaukee were spared eviction thanks to federal and state moratoriums. Even with millions of dollars in rental assistance available, one family spoke to Contact 6 about ending up homeless anyway.
(ERIC BARADAT/AFP via Getty Images)
Every year, Contact 6 helps its viewers pursue refunds. In 2020, those refunds were for massive cancellations of flights, hotel rooms, sporting events, concerts and more. Not every case filed with Contact 6 for a refund was successful. Many couples with canceled weddings told Sachs they lost thousands of dollars in down payments.
Some things remained the same for Contact 6 in 2020. There were questionable billing practices to expose, problems with home contractors and sudden business closures that left customers hanging.
Contact 6 continues to work remotely but is still highly effective. FOX6’s consumer segment helped its viewers get more than $160,000 in refunds in 2020.
Many people don’t realize that most of Contact 6’s work is done behind the scenes. The majority of cases our team helps to resolve never end up on TV.
You can file a complaint with Contact 6 here.