Contact 6 helps consumers save $37,000 in January 2023
MILWAUKEE - Online banking and prepaid debit cards can make consumers’ lives easier, to a point.
Contact 6 recently helped two women resolve issues with money that ended up in the wrong places.
"I felt invisible, and I felt kind of stuck," said Kathy Kropidlowski.
For Kropidlowski, it all started with one wrong click on her banking website.
"I thought I put $2,000 to pay my credit card bill, but it actually was a box below it," explained Kropidlowski.
Instead of making her credit card payment, Kropidlowski’s money went to a hospital system that she hasn’t visited in years. She tried calling to stop the payment.
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"They needed an account number. I didn’t have an account number," said Kropidlowski.
After one month of making calls to the hospital system’s billing department, she tried a new tactic. She filed an online complaint form with Contact 6. She credits Contact 6 with helping her get a refund check.
"I really think without having the involvement of Contact 6, they wouldn’t have investigated it," said Kropidlowski.
Kropidlowski’s resolution is among the $37,337.98 that viewers say FOX6’s consumer segment helped them save in January.
The Contact 6 case manager worked behind the scenes to help one woman land a refund for tickets to a canceled Justin Bieber concert. Her actions prompted one man’s warranty provider to cover his car’s new catalytic converter. She also got one automaker to help repair the peeling paint on another man’s SUV.
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Terri Williams says she was the victim of identity theft, but couldn’t get the company that provides her prepaid debit card to acknowledge the fraud.
"Why should I have to accept it?" asked Williams.
Contact 6 wrote to the company about Williams, and she got $760.
"Which would be the sum of what was stolen," said Williams. "It was surprising because it was so immediate."
Both Williams and Kropidlowski said they spent hours on hold with customer service. Contact 6 often helps consumers bypass that process. To find out if they may be able to help you, fill out a complaint form.