dear john
Outpatient medical procedure leads to costly insurance problem
Dear John: I have a Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield insurance problem. I had an outpatient procedure done last August at the local hospital. I got a referral to see...
Reader disagrees with view of Jerome Powell, Trump relationship
Dear John: I disagree with you. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has already caved in dramatic fashion by cutting rates in the back half of 2019. At some point, the...
Another Mr. Cooper mortgage 'hell' put damper on reader's Christmas spirits
Dear John: I just read your column about the lady with the Mr. Cooper escrow issue. I am having a similar issue! In late November, we received a letter that...
'Dear John' reader gets their $13K tax refund
Dear John: A promised tax refund hasn’t arrived. I have an IRS letter promising a refund, which I have yet to receive. I contacted the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS), which...
How I finally got the USPS' attention after packages kept getting lost
Dear John: Regarding your column about the US Postal Service losing cremains: You’re being way too nice to it. I’ve had plenty of packages lost by the USPS. Getting any...
My nearly new Electrolux washing machine broke -- and they are no help
Dear John: I have a less-than-2-year-old Electrolux washing machine that broke. I waited to have their expert repair technician look at it and fix it. Since my warranty covers parts...
Amazon's credit card company is a nightmare
Dear John: My problem is not directly with Amazon, but with their credit card company, Synchrony. My card has a very low limit: $120. I rarely go above $100 in...
Amazon's customer service leaves lots to be desired
Dear John: I would like to add my tale of woe to your recent article about Amazon customer service. On March 7, 2019, I received two pieces of mail. The...
Social Security snafu solved for 'Dear John' reader
Dear John: I received a letter from Social Security stating that it changed the date of my retirement from June 2017 to January 2017. This was done without my knowledge or...
Citibank gives customer the runaround after $45K fraud dispute was filed
Dear John: For more than three months I have been involved in a fraud dispute with Citibank Mastercard for the amount of $45,500. There were six consecutive fraudulent charges of...
USPS can't find my mother's ashes -- and there's no good news
Dear John: I am lost and don’t know what to do at this point. My issue all began with the passing of my mother last December. I had a wonderful...
Access-A-Ride made me wait hours for a ride which never came
Dear John: I am in a wheelchair. Access-A-Ride claimed it came to pick me up. When I called and complained that the driver never showed up, the driver told me...
In remembrance of Paul Volcker and his impact on the economy
We should celebrate the life of the late public servant Paul Volcker.
Mortgage hell: 'Dear John' reader stuck in overdue payment loop
Dear John: I’m writing to you today because I was told you may be able to help me with an issue I’ve been having with the mortgage company Mr. Cooper. ...
Lowe's scuffed up my mother's home -- and I need your help
Dear John: We recently purchased a refrigerator from Lowe’s of Rosedale, Long Island. The fridge was delivered to us on Aug. 8 by RPO Delivery Services. The deliverymen caused damage...
I want to hear about your Access-A-Ride experience
Readers: Access-A-Ride reportedly made some changes lately, but the MTA-run transportation system for the elderly and disabled is refusing to tell me what they all are. And I’ve been asking...
Why am I 'not qualified' for a cancer study I was already approved for?
Dear John: This email is being sent to you because you are a smart guy and I hope that you will know what to do, because I don’t. Allow me...
A letter from one of our hearing aid giveaway winners
Readers: Here’s the story of the last of the seven people who received free hearing aids from Lively: Dear John: I am a 64-year-old, three-time cancer survivor. I am on...
The better way to confront a neighbor about their tattered American flag
Dear John: As a VFW member of 17 years (I joined immediately upon eligibility after a year in Iraq), I find the attitude of Joe appalling and not up to...
A mailman weighs in on identity theft scam using USPS
Dear John: I am a mailman in Wichita, Kansas. Regarding the recent letter about identity theft, it happens that the US Postal Service does send out a confirmation letter to...