Articles by Rachel Cohen - The Daily Dot https://www.dailydot.com/author/rachel-cohen/ The Daily Dot | Your Internet. Your Internet news. Mon, 29 Jul 2024 21:00:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 ‘I’m done scanning’: Woman warns of QR code scam that was sent to her doorstep https://www.dailydot.com/news/qr-code-ring-scams/ Tue, 30 Jul 2024 01:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1634629 woman holding pamphlet, ring box, and card, all with caption "Scam alert for all my girls out there"

Scammers are using QR codes to steal people's information. While they've commonly replaced real QR codes with links to fraudulent websites—some unsuspecting are receiving these scams right at their doorsteps.

TikTok user Nena Rome (@nenarome777) warns about a recent scam that arrived as a free package containing a ring in her latest video. It has received almost three million views as of Monday evening.

QR codes are barcodes that people can scan with their phone camera to direct them to various websites. These codes, frequently used on restaurant menus, parking meters, posters, and more, are vulnerable to scammers in the public.

However, Rome's experience consisted of a QR code she received in a package. In the video, she says she unexpectedly received a package with a piece of jewelry, a ring, at her store. 

“Apparently, a lot of women are receiving this. It’s a pretty cheap ring. It’s cute, but pretty cheap ring,” she alleges. 

Rome says the package came with a few cards, which she shows in the video, one of which has a QR code on the back. Immediately suspicious, she called her bank to make sure there were no charges on her card. 

QR code scams are a rising an issue

Earlier this year, the FBI released a warning about QR code scams. The agency says last year there had been about $150 million of reported losses involving fraudulent QR codes.

One Atlanta resident noticed the QR in her local parking garage was extra shiny. She realized that scammers were putting fake QR codes over real ones.

In an interview with GMA, the FBI said this scam is relatively widespread. Not only can scammers access your information through these links, but they can also drop a computer intrusion software that can alter your phone and steal credentials. 

One user on Rome’s video commented, “Yep I work at a bank and we were notified of the QR code scam.”

The bank's warning

Rome’s bank told her that these scammers are sending these rings (and QR codes) to many women.

“What they’re doing is they’re getting access to your phone, to all the accounts that are linked on your phone,” Rome says. “They’re wiping out bank accounts, doing whatever they want to do if you give them complete access.”

The TikToker ends her video by warning others that these packages with QR codes can come from all over the country, stating she got hers from Texas and others have gotten some from New York. 

“Guess you can keep the ring, but do not do that. Do not scan the QR code," she advises.

TikTok’s reaction to the scam

Viewers were shocked to hear about Rome's experience—and grateful that she is spreading the word.

“No more scanning with my phone. Thank you,” one user commented.

Another user said, “Wow.. high level scam. Thank you so much for sharing.”

One viewer wrote, “I recently saw someone post this EXACT RING! She thought it was a secret admirer.”

A further user said this wasn’t their first time seeing the ring. “Omg! My best friend got the same ring and box!!!” they wrote.

Other commenters were skeptical of the scam.

“I’d be more afraid the ring has tracking or something. That it’s a pretty big financial investment to buy the ring and ship just hoping you use the QR code though,” one wrote.

Another said, “I thought the ring has a chip in it.”

@nenarome777

♬ original sound - Nena Rome

How to prevent scammers from hacking your phone through QR codes

The Social Security Administration released precautionary steps people can take to avoid QR code fraud.  

First, users should always verify the origin of the QR code. This includes making sure it comes from a reliable source. If after you scan it and it seems fake, do not enter any information into the webpage. 

The SSA also recommends inspecting the code to check for any signs of tampering, unusual colors, or misspellings. 

Another precautionary step is to always be cautious of unsolicited QR codes, like ones that come in an unexpected package. People should also be aware of urgent requests using QR codes. 

The SSA says scammers often pretend to be government officials and use fake QR codes to defraud people.

For example, a scammer may pose as a Social Security employee claiming that you have an outstanding debt or a problem with your account and demanding immediate payment. The scammer may send fake QR codes via text or email requesting the payment. 

The final precautionary step the Social Security Administration recommends is to stay informed on the latest QR code frauds and scams. They recommend following sources like cybersecurity blogs, news outlets, and official government websites for updates. 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Rome via TikTok direct messages. 

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I’m done scanning’: Woman warns of QR code scam that was sent to her doorstep appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> woman holding pamphlet, ring box, and card, all with caption "Scam alert for all my girls out there"

Scammers are using QR codes to steal people's information. While they've commonly replaced real QR codes with links to fraudulent websites—some unsuspecting are receiving these scams right at their doorsteps.

TikTok user Nena Rome (@nenarome777) warns about a recent scam that arrived as a free package containing a ring in her latest video. It has received almost three million views as of Monday evening.

QR codes are barcodes that people can scan with their phone camera to direct them to various websites. These codes, frequently used on restaurant menus, parking meters, posters, and more, are vulnerable to scammers in the public.

However, Rome's experience consisted of a QR code she received in a package. In the video, she says she unexpectedly received a package with a piece of jewelry, a ring, at her store. 

“Apparently, a lot of women are receiving this. It’s a pretty cheap ring. It’s cute, but pretty cheap ring,” she alleges. 

Rome says the package came with a few cards, which she shows in the video, one of which has a QR code on the back. Immediately suspicious, she called her bank to make sure there were no charges on her card. 

QR code scams are a rising an issue

Earlier this year, the FBI released a warning about QR code scams. The agency says last year there had been about $150 million of reported losses involving fraudulent QR codes.

One Atlanta resident noticed the QR in her local parking garage was extra shiny. She realized that scammers were putting fake QR codes over real ones.

In an interview with GMA, the FBI said this scam is relatively widespread. Not only can scammers access your information through these links, but they can also drop a computer intrusion software that can alter your phone and steal credentials. 

One user on Rome’s video commented, “Yep I work at a bank and we were notified of the QR code scam.”

The bank's warning

Rome’s bank told her that these scammers are sending these rings (and QR codes) to many women.

“What they’re doing is they’re getting access to your phone, to all the accounts that are linked on your phone,” Rome says. “They’re wiping out bank accounts, doing whatever they want to do if you give them complete access.”

The TikToker ends her video by warning others that these packages with QR codes can come from all over the country, stating she got hers from Texas and others have gotten some from New York. 

“Guess you can keep the ring, but do not do that. Do not scan the QR code," she advises.

TikTok’s reaction to the scam

Viewers were shocked to hear about Rome's experience—and grateful that she is spreading the word.

“No more scanning with my phone. Thank you,” one user commented.

Another user said, “Wow.. high level scam. Thank you so much for sharing.”

One viewer wrote, “I recently saw someone post this EXACT RING! She thought it was a secret admirer.”

A further user said this wasn’t their first time seeing the ring. “Omg! My best friend got the same ring and box!!!” they wrote.

Other commenters were skeptical of the scam.

“I’d be more afraid the ring has tracking or something. That it’s a pretty big financial investment to buy the ring and ship just hoping you use the QR code though,” one wrote.

Another said, “I thought the ring has a chip in it.”

@nenarome777

♬ original sound - Nena Rome

How to prevent scammers from hacking your phone through QR codes

The Social Security Administration released precautionary steps people can take to avoid QR code fraud.  

First, users should always verify the origin of the QR code. This includes making sure it comes from a reliable source. If after you scan it and it seems fake, do not enter any information into the webpage. 

The SSA also recommends inspecting the code to check for any signs of tampering, unusual colors, or misspellings. 

Another precautionary step is to always be cautious of unsolicited QR codes, like ones that come in an unexpected package. People should also be aware of urgent requests using QR codes. 

The SSA says scammers often pretend to be government officials and use fake QR codes to defraud people.

For example, a scammer may pose as a Social Security employee claiming that you have an outstanding debt or a problem with your account and demanding immediate payment. The scammer may send fake QR codes via text or email requesting the payment. 

The final precautionary step the Social Security Administration recommends is to stay informed on the latest QR code frauds and scams. They recommend following sources like cybersecurity blogs, news outlets, and official government websites for updates. 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Rome via TikTok direct messages. 

Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I’m done scanning’: Woman warns of QR code scam that was sent to her doorstep appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘That’s why I only accept $8 or higher’: DoorDash driver completes 10 orders in 2 hours. Her earnings are less than one meal https://www.dailydot.com/news/doordash-driver-cant-afford-meal/ Wed, 24 Jul 2024 02:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1629665 Woman talking(l+r), Doordash app on phone(c)

Working as a DoorDash driver is not cutting it financially in this economy, as one delivery driver recently discovered after delivering 10 orders left her with less than expected.

New college graduates are already stressed about making ends meet. 59% of the class of 2024 say they’re concerned about covering basic expenses after leaving school, according to a March survey of 2,687 students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2024.

College graduates turn to DoorDash gigs

According to a CNBC article, more than 40% of college seniors expect to pursue a gig or freelance work after graduation with nearly a a third saying they’ll do it on top of a full-time job. Nearly half say they plan to put in these extra hours because they’ll need the additional income to pay for their everyday expenses and debt.

Becoming a DoorDash driver is a common part-time job, but as Dom, a TikTok creator, and others are learning, it is not as financially sustainable as they expected. 

Power California, an account on TikTok “trying to build an unapologetic youth movement, one vote at a time,” reposted Dom's TikTok video. The reshared clip has already garnered over 200,000 views and has sparked a conversation about how little DoorDash drivers make, especially with the cost of living expenses today. 

How much do DoorDash drivers make?

According to the DoorDash site, there are various ways for a Dasher to make money off of delivering orders. 

They can initially make a base pay, which is DoorDash’s base contribution for each offer made to Dashers. This can range from $2-$10+ and is determined based on time, distance, and desirability. 

The base pay is always guaranteed but Dashers can also make money off of tips and promotions, which vary by order.

Promotions can come from peak pay, challenges, and delivery streaks. Peak Pay allows Dashers to earn extra money on each offer. Challenges give Dashers the chance to earn extra money for completing a certain number of deliveries in a set amount of time. Delivery Streaks allow Dashers to earn extra money by accepting and completing offers consecutively when they dash.

Tips vary by how much the customer who placed the order gives. Dashers receive 100% of the tips. 

The struggle of being a Dasher 

Dom calls out the unsustainability of DoorDash delivery as an income in her video. She shares that she completed 10 DoorDashes in the last two hours and only made “a whopping $24.76.” She notes that’s not enough to get her food DoorDashed. 

Dom continues to share the financial struggles she has faced since moving from Texas to California.

She was excited to be “living the Cali dream,” noting she has a full-time job that has health insurance and benefits. “All the stuff I thought I needed to live a comfortable life,” she describes.

But unfortunately, that isn’t the case. “I can never make ends meet," she says.

The cost of living in Texas versus California 

According to 2021 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the annual average cost of living in California is $53,082. Based on that, it costs $4,423 per month to live in California. 

The same data states that the average total personal consumption cost in Texas is $45,114 per year, making Texas the state with 19th lowest cost of living. 

The cost of living in California is 38% higher than the national average, while housing is 97% higher. Similarly, utilities are 22% higher and food, clothing, and groceries are 10% higher than the rest of the country. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology tracks living wage calculations for cities and states across the United States, defining a living wage as the “approximate income needed to meet a family's basic needs.” MIT further defines basic needs as “food, clothing, housing, and medical care.” 

According to its 2021 figures, an individual has to have 28.5% more income to earn a living wage in California than in Texas.

Housing is the biggest disparity between Texas and California, as 2021 housing costs were 48% higher in California than in Texas.

But, Texas does have more transportation costs. The average adult in Texas spends 9.9% more on transportation than the average adult in California. 

Frustrations while trying to make ends meet

Dom continues to voice her issues, noting that despite her college degree, she's unable to be in financial control.

"I’m just so frustrated because I feel like I’ve done everything right," she says. "I went to school, I got my degree, I got a job. But with rent and bills and student loans and groceries it just feels like I just cannot get ahead.” 

TikTok users in her comment section felt the same way. Some viewers said that as DoorDash or Uber Eats delivery drivers, they've become more selective about the orders they accept.

“I did 6hrs made $200 last night. I don’t accept anything under $9.50 short distance. Dont accept anything,” one said.

Another wrote, “I double dip. I ubereats and DoorDash. My acceptance rate is 3% though. Only accept orders that make sense.”

Dom feels like it’s time billionaires do something because they have money but “have never had to lug 5 Big Mac meals and drinks up 3 flights of stairs.” 

The CEO of DoorDash, Tony Xu, reached billionaire status in 2020—and has a current net worth of $1.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Dom ends her video by saying, “The billionaires need to start opening their pocketbooks because I can’t afford to keep opening up mine.”

Support from the TikTok community 

Dom received support from the TikTok community on the reposted video. 

“Noo because you’re right…this is unsustainable,” one user commented.

Another said, “This is ridiculous. I always tip my delivery drivers $10 and I’m learning that’s still not enough. Even after I’ve paid $60 for an order.” 

@powercalifornia We are hustling and grinding and still can't make rent. ?? 👎🏾 We should be able to afford our rent and bills, and not struggle! Via @domthefurious #RentersRising #WorkersWillWin #HouseTheHomies #PeopleOverProfits #doordash #gigworker #doordash #CommunitiesOverCorporations #gigworkertips #doordashpartner #doordasher #doordashlife ♬ original sound - Power California


Financial stresses linger over many new grads and young adults

Student debt is something that many new grads are left to deal with. Just over half of the 2024 college graduates expect to carry student loan debt. Within that group, almost 70% say their debt will influence jobs they consider after graduation, according to Handshake’s report that surveyed 1,148 students. 

Having to work a five-to-nine after working a nine-to-five job can be taxing on young adults, which can lead to burnout. 80% of the class of 2024 report that they’ve felt burned out as undergrads, with feelings of persistent exhaustion, a lack of motivation, and unusual negativity. 25% of this class say they’re “highly worried” about being burnt out once they start working. 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Dom via TikTok direct message and DoorDash via email for comment.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘That’s why I only accept $8 or higher’: DoorDash driver completes 10 orders in 2 hours. Her earnings are less than one meal appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Woman talking(l+r), Doordash app on phone(c)

Working as a DoorDash driver is not cutting it financially in this economy, as one delivery driver recently discovered after delivering 10 orders left her with less than expected.

New college graduates are already stressed about making ends meet. 59% of the class of 2024 say they’re concerned about covering basic expenses after leaving school, according to a March survey of 2,687 students graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2024.

College graduates turn to DoorDash gigs

According to a CNBC article, more than 40% of college seniors expect to pursue a gig or freelance work after graduation with nearly a a third saying they’ll do it on top of a full-time job. Nearly half say they plan to put in these extra hours because they’ll need the additional income to pay for their everyday expenses and debt.

Becoming a DoorDash driver is a common part-time job, but as Dom, a TikTok creator, and others are learning, it is not as financially sustainable as they expected. 

Power California, an account on TikTok “trying to build an unapologetic youth movement, one vote at a time,” reposted Dom's TikTok video. The reshared clip has already garnered over 200,000 views and has sparked a conversation about how little DoorDash drivers make, especially with the cost of living expenses today. 

How much do DoorDash drivers make?

According to the DoorDash site, there are various ways for a Dasher to make money off of delivering orders. 

They can initially make a base pay, which is DoorDash’s base contribution for each offer made to Dashers. This can range from $2-$10+ and is determined based on time, distance, and desirability. 

The base pay is always guaranteed but Dashers can also make money off of tips and promotions, which vary by order.

Promotions can come from peak pay, challenges, and delivery streaks. Peak Pay allows Dashers to earn extra money on each offer. Challenges give Dashers the chance to earn extra money for completing a certain number of deliveries in a set amount of time. Delivery Streaks allow Dashers to earn extra money by accepting and completing offers consecutively when they dash.

Tips vary by how much the customer who placed the order gives. Dashers receive 100% of the tips. 

The struggle of being a Dasher 

Dom calls out the unsustainability of DoorDash delivery as an income in her video. She shares that she completed 10 DoorDashes in the last two hours and only made “a whopping $24.76.” She notes that’s not enough to get her food DoorDashed. 

Dom continues to share the financial struggles she has faced since moving from Texas to California.

She was excited to be “living the Cali dream,” noting she has a full-time job that has health insurance and benefits. “All the stuff I thought I needed to live a comfortable life,” she describes.

But unfortunately, that isn’t the case. “I can never make ends meet," she says.

The cost of living in Texas versus California 

According to 2021 data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the annual average cost of living in California is $53,082. Based on that, it costs $4,423 per month to live in California. 

The same data states that the average total personal consumption cost in Texas is $45,114 per year, making Texas the state with 19th lowest cost of living. 

The cost of living in California is 38% higher than the national average, while housing is 97% higher. Similarly, utilities are 22% higher and food, clothing, and groceries are 10% higher than the rest of the country. 

Massachusetts Institute of Technology tracks living wage calculations for cities and states across the United States, defining a living wage as the “approximate income needed to meet a family's basic needs.” MIT further defines basic needs as “food, clothing, housing, and medical care.” 

According to its 2021 figures, an individual has to have 28.5% more income to earn a living wage in California than in Texas.

Housing is the biggest disparity between Texas and California, as 2021 housing costs were 48% higher in California than in Texas.

But, Texas does have more transportation costs. The average adult in Texas spends 9.9% more on transportation than the average adult in California. 

Frustrations while trying to make ends meet

Dom continues to voice her issues, noting that despite her college degree, she's unable to be in financial control.

"I’m just so frustrated because I feel like I’ve done everything right," she says. "I went to school, I got my degree, I got a job. But with rent and bills and student loans and groceries it just feels like I just cannot get ahead.” 

TikTok users in her comment section felt the same way. Some viewers said that as DoorDash or Uber Eats delivery drivers, they've become more selective about the orders they accept.

“I did 6hrs made $200 last night. I don’t accept anything under $9.50 short distance. Dont accept anything,” one said.

Another wrote, “I double dip. I ubereats and DoorDash. My acceptance rate is 3% though. Only accept orders that make sense.”

Dom feels like it’s time billionaires do something because they have money but “have never had to lug 5 Big Mac meals and drinks up 3 flights of stairs.” 

The CEO of DoorDash, Tony Xu, reached billionaire status in 2020—and has a current net worth of $1.7 billion, according to Forbes.

Dom ends her video by saying, “The billionaires need to start opening their pocketbooks because I can’t afford to keep opening up mine.”

Support from the TikTok community 

Dom received support from the TikTok community on the reposted video. 

“Noo because you’re right…this is unsustainable,” one user commented.

Another said, “This is ridiculous. I always tip my delivery drivers $10 and I’m learning that’s still not enough. Even after I’ve paid $60 for an order.” 

@powercalifornia We are hustling and grinding and still can't make rent. ?? 👎🏾 We should be able to afford our rent and bills, and not struggle! Via @domthefurious #RentersRising #WorkersWillWin #HouseTheHomies #PeopleOverProfits #doordash #gigworker #doordash #CommunitiesOverCorporations #gigworkertips #doordashpartner #doordasher #doordashlife ♬ original sound - Power California

Financial stresses linger over many new grads and young adults

Student debt is something that many new grads are left to deal with. Just over half of the 2024 college graduates expect to carry student loan debt. Within that group, almost 70% say their debt will influence jobs they consider after graduation, according to Handshake’s report that surveyed 1,148 students. 

Having to work a five-to-nine after working a nine-to-five job can be taxing on young adults, which can lead to burnout. 80% of the class of 2024 report that they’ve felt burned out as undergrads, with feelings of persistent exhaustion, a lack of motivation, and unusual negativity. 25% of this class say they’re “highly worried” about being burnt out once they start working. 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Dom via TikTok direct message and DoorDash via email for comment.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘That’s why I only accept $8 or higher’: DoorDash driver completes 10 orders in 2 hours. Her earnings are less than one meal appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘My cart went up $7!’: Shopper calls out Amazon for jacking up prices during Prime Day deals https://www.dailydot.com/news/amazon-prime-day-deals-scam/ Wed, 17 Jul 2024 23:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1624982 Woman talking(l+r), Prime Day notification(c)

Amazon Prime Day is an exciting day for Prime subscribers. They look forward to steals and discounts on items that are typically more expensive. But as users are discovering, these supposed deals appear to manufactured by Amazon.

Many are calling out the brand for jacking up prices a few days before the bi-annual sale event and discounting it to the original price, marketing it as a “deal.” 

TikTok user Katelyn Montalban (@kb.montalbano) took to her account to share why she won’t be ordering during Amazon Prime Day in a trending video. 

Amazon Prime Day is a shopping event with deals exclusively for Prime members from July 16, 2024, at midnight PST to July 17, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PST. 

In her video, Montalban says she had about 25 items in her cart before Amazon Prime Day. She claims she took a screenshot of her items and their prices and when she checked this morning there was something off.

“When I got on this morning, I noticed that all they did was up the price and then keep it at its original price and tell me it’s on sale,” she says.

She then tells Amazon to “do better.” 

Black Friday all over again

This isn’t the first time Amazon has faced scrutiny over its deals. This past Black Friday, the corporate giant was under fire for jacking up prices as well.

A TV was discounted by 36% on Amazon this past Black Friday.

“This 56-inch TV is supposedly 36% off,” TikTok user Sam Thibault (@samthibault04) explained. During the Black Friday sale, it was listed at $289.99, reduced from a price of $449. “While it technically used to be $449, it wasn’t always $449,” Thibault explains.

This resulted in a 2023 class action lawsuit filed against Amazon citing this specific issue. 

Plaintiffs in Kinney, et al. v. Amazon.com Inc., et al. contend that “Amazon.com posts a false price that was not consistently used and then discounts from that price instead,” which the lawsuit alleges is a violation of FTC guidelines.

The proposed class action included any Amazon customer who purchased a discounted product with a price of $500 or more where the original price posted was not used for at least six months of the previous year.

Lead plaintiff Ben Kinney claimed he purchased an LG television on Amazon that was priced at $1,496.99, marked down from $2,499.99, and tagged as “40% off.” After the purchase, the price of the television then changed to $2,199 and stated “$700 off,” according to the lawsuit.

The television was normally sold on Amazon for $1,500 and the price rose to $2,000 for approximately a month, the plaintiff later found out, he claimed.

The case, however, was dismissed in February 2024. 

How Amazon prices products 

According to Amazon's site, third-party sellers set their prices. Amazon also offers tools to help them offer competitive, low prices. 

For other products, Amazon claims it compares prices from physical and online competitors. 

Amazon's pricing model “revolves around offering the most competitive prices to shoppers.” Amazon’s prices don’t stay constant and can change multiple times a day. 

The lower prices can keep brand loyalty and retention. But, marking up prices and then offering big discounts is slowly drawing customers away. 

Online backlash over Amazon Prime Day deals 

@kb.montalbano Amazon Prime im disappointed. Dont market prine day if all youre going to do is up the original price and “discount it” to itd original price. So disappointing. Thats not a deal #amazonprime #primedealsgonebad #amazonscams ♬ original sound - Katelyn B. Montalban


The comments in Montalban’s video were in agreement that these misleading deals have happened before. 

One user commented, “Amazon is messy! My cart went up $7!”

Another TikToker said, “I did this too! Some items were even more today than yesterday.”

One other user provided specific details. “Yes! I had a spiral notebook on there, and it was $8 regularly. Today they had it marked up to $14 then “discounted” to $8.”

Another TikTok creator, Martha Rosey (@martharoseyy), made a similar video about her Amazon cart. In her clip, she wrote, “Tell me why I made an entire Amazon cart for $400 only for it to cost $540 on Prime Day.” 

The comments on her video were very similar to those on Montalban’s. 

“The best thing about Prime Day is all the other stores having ACTUAL sales to compete,” one user wrote. 

Another added, “I made a 300 cart and it went to 296 on prime day. I bought nothing.”

One TikTok user wrote a suggestion: “But keep it in your cart. Last year I waited a week after prime day and there were a few things that were discounted.” 

@martharoseyy Just increased all the prices and said everyrhing was “on sale” #amazonprimeday ♬ original sound - Elijah Ybarra


Amazon Prime Day's price spikes

Shoppers across the internet have been calling out Amazon over its Prime Day deals. X (formerly known as Twitter) user Kristian Marie (@GoofyKriss__) argued that Prime Day is a scam, after showing screenshots of prices of the projector she waited to purchase until Prime Day.

In the post, she says, “Yesterday the REGULAR price was $89.99 WITH a 40% coupon (Total wouldve been $54) ....Now magically the "list price" is $116 and its $69 “Sale.” 


How to check Amazon items' price history

Sites like Keepa and camelcamelcamel.com are two places customers can go to price-check Amazon products. 

Originally listed at $159.99, the Ninja Air Fryer is now listed at $89.99 for the sales event, a 44% discount. Checking the price history on Keepa, it shows that the exact Ninja Air Fryer was originally listed at $89.99.

Amazon Prime users are threatening to cancel their Prime membership after these price discrepancies from both Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.

The Daily Dot reached out to Amazon for comment on Marie's screenshots. Amazon has yet to respond. We've reached out to Montalban via email.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘My cart went up $7!’: Shopper calls out Amazon for jacking up prices during Prime Day deals appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Woman talking(l+r), Prime Day notification(c)

Amazon Prime Day is an exciting day for Prime subscribers. They look forward to steals and discounts on items that are typically more expensive. But as users are discovering, these supposed deals appear to manufactured by Amazon.

Many are calling out the brand for jacking up prices a few days before the bi-annual sale event and discounting it to the original price, marketing it as a “deal.” 

TikTok user Katelyn Montalban (@kb.montalbano) took to her account to share why she won’t be ordering during Amazon Prime Day in a trending video. 

Amazon Prime Day is a shopping event with deals exclusively for Prime members from July 16, 2024, at midnight PST to July 17, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PST. 

In her video, Montalban says she had about 25 items in her cart before Amazon Prime Day. She claims she took a screenshot of her items and their prices and when she checked this morning there was something off.

“When I got on this morning, I noticed that all they did was up the price and then keep it at its original price and tell me it’s on sale,” she says.

She then tells Amazon to “do better.” 

Black Friday all over again

This isn’t the first time Amazon has faced scrutiny over its deals. This past Black Friday, the corporate giant was under fire for jacking up prices as well.

A TV was discounted by 36% on Amazon this past Black Friday.

“This 56-inch TV is supposedly 36% off,” TikTok user Sam Thibault (@samthibault04) explained. During the Black Friday sale, it was listed at $289.99, reduced from a price of $449. “While it technically used to be $449, it wasn’t always $449,” Thibault explains.

This resulted in a 2023 class action lawsuit filed against Amazon citing this specific issue. 

Plaintiffs in Kinney, et al. v. Amazon.com Inc., et al. contend that “Amazon.com posts a false price that was not consistently used and then discounts from that price instead,” which the lawsuit alleges is a violation of FTC guidelines.

The proposed class action included any Amazon customer who purchased a discounted product with a price of $500 or more where the original price posted was not used for at least six months of the previous year.

Lead plaintiff Ben Kinney claimed he purchased an LG television on Amazon that was priced at $1,496.99, marked down from $2,499.99, and tagged as “40% off.” After the purchase, the price of the television then changed to $2,199 and stated “$700 off,” according to the lawsuit.

The television was normally sold on Amazon for $1,500 and the price rose to $2,000 for approximately a month, the plaintiff later found out, he claimed.

The case, however, was dismissed in February 2024. 

How Amazon prices products 

According to Amazon's site, third-party sellers set their prices. Amazon also offers tools to help them offer competitive, low prices. 

For other products, Amazon claims it compares prices from physical and online competitors. 

Amazon's pricing model “revolves around offering the most competitive prices to shoppers.” Amazon’s prices don’t stay constant and can change multiple times a day. 

The lower prices can keep brand loyalty and retention. But, marking up prices and then offering big discounts is slowly drawing customers away. 

Online backlash over Amazon Prime Day deals 

@kb.montalbano Amazon Prime im disappointed. Dont market prine day if all youre going to do is up the original price and “discount it” to itd original price. So disappointing. Thats not a deal #amazonprime #primedealsgonebad #amazonscams ♬ original sound - Katelyn B. Montalban

The comments in Montalban’s video were in agreement that these misleading deals have happened before. 

One user commented, “Amazon is messy! My cart went up $7!”

Another TikToker said, “I did this too! Some items were even more today than yesterday.”

One other user provided specific details. “Yes! I had a spiral notebook on there, and it was $8 regularly. Today they had it marked up to $14 then “discounted” to $8.”

Another TikTok creator, Martha Rosey (@martharoseyy), made a similar video about her Amazon cart. In her clip, she wrote, “Tell me why I made an entire Amazon cart for $400 only for it to cost $540 on Prime Day.” 

The comments on her video were very similar to those on Montalban’s. 

“The best thing about Prime Day is all the other stores having ACTUAL sales to compete,” one user wrote. 

Another added, “I made a 300 cart and it went to 296 on prime day. I bought nothing.”

One TikTok user wrote a suggestion: “But keep it in your cart. Last year I waited a week after prime day and there were a few things that were discounted.” 

@martharoseyy Just increased all the prices and said everyrhing was “on sale” #amazonprimeday ♬ original sound - Elijah Ybarra

Amazon Prime Day's price spikes

Shoppers across the internet have been calling out Amazon over its Prime Day deals. X (formerly known as Twitter) user Kristian Marie (@GoofyKriss__) argued that Prime Day is a scam, after showing screenshots of prices of the projector she waited to purchase until Prime Day.

In the post, she says, “Yesterday the REGULAR price was $89.99 WITH a 40% coupon (Total wouldve been $54) ....Now magically the "list price" is $116 and its $69 “Sale.” 

How to check Amazon items' price history

Sites like Keepa and camelcamelcamel.com are two places customers can go to price-check Amazon products. 

Originally listed at $159.99, the Ninja Air Fryer is now listed at $89.99 for the sales event, a 44% discount. Checking the price history on Keepa, it shows that the exact Ninja Air Fryer was originally listed at $89.99.

Amazon Prime users are threatening to cancel their Prime membership after these price discrepancies from both Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day.

The Daily Dot reached out to Amazon for comment on Marie's screenshots. Amazon has yet to respond. We've reached out to Montalban via email.

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The post ‘My cart went up $7!’: Shopper calls out Amazon for jacking up prices during Prime Day deals appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘Should’ve went to Dollar Tree’: Woman warns against buying snacks at Five Below after finding something inside Combos bag https://www.dailydot.com/news/five-below-snacks-warning-combos/ Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1621702 Woman warns against Five Below snacks after finding someone unusual in bag 

A Five Below customer is raising red flags on TikTok over the discount chain’s snacks after finding something disgusting in the Combos pretzel bag she and her boyfriend purchased there.

Amy (@kristinethakween) posted a video on the social media site about what happened when she and her boyfriend went to Five Below in the Seminole Mall located in Largo, Florida before catching Longlegs at the movie theater. 

Finding something disgusting in a bag of Combos

“This video is for Five Below and for anyone that likes to get snacks at Five Below because they committed a serious health violation last night,” Amy starts the video. 

Amy explains that she and her boyfriend were going to see the opening of the highly anticipated horror movie Longlegs. They stopped by the Five Below across the street to get some snacks because they had gotten to the theater early.

“That’s what we always do,” she says. 

They picked out birthday cake Cookie Dough Bites and Lindt's Lindor chocolates. But when Amy tried a few of the Cookie Dough Bites, she says they “tasted like straight-up Play-Doh.”

Her boyfriend went back inside to return the original snacks. He walked out with Combo pretzel bites and a Slim Jim. After his first few bites of the pretzels, he spit them out, saying they didn't taste right.

He then dumped the entire bag outside of the car and after looking down, immediately puked. 

Laying in front of him were dead roaches mixed in with the pretzel bites, Amy recalls. 

“He’s downing my water because he cannot get the taste of his mouth of dead roach,” Amy says. “I’m like, 'Alright, we need to go back inside and complain,' because I was livid. That’s serious food poisoning right there.” 

Bringing the issue to Five Below’s attention

Amy's boyfriend put the dead roaches back in the bag to show them to a Five Below manager. After checking the store's inventory, manager found other Combos bags with holes in the back. Amy says the roaches chewed through the bags and then died inside. 

Five Below gave the duo a refund, and Amy's boyfriend contacted HR. They asked if he needed medical assistance, which he said he didn’t need. 

Concluding the video, Amy cautions anyone who lives in the Largo, Florida area to check the bags and dump out the food as a precaution.  

Despite Amy and her boyfriend's experience, the Five Below in Largo, Florida has a rating of 4.5/5 on Google reviews. Several of the reviewers speak highly of the store's staff and cleanliness.

The response on TikTok

Amy's video garnered over one million views. But several users were skeptical of the story, because the TikToker didn't share photos of the Combos.

One user commented, “girl this math ain’t mathing…”

Another said, “I’ve never in life heard of a roach chewing thru a semi-plastic bag.”

A further user commented, “Did he not notice the bag was chewed open??”

One viewer was critical of them returning snacks in the first place. “Who returns snacks at first because he doesn’t like them?” they wrote.

Other users were startled by what was found. “Roaches chew through bags????” one user commented. 

According to a blog post from Arrow Exterminating Company, roaches can chew through thin plastic materials.

@kristinethakween Im still completely disgusted by this. Cant imagine eating dead roach air 🥴 @Five Below ♬ original sound - Amy


Some viewers were unsurprised by Amy's experience.

“Five Below, Marshall's, Ross, Gabes.. Etc, NEVER buy anything edible there. Probably shouldn't buy anything at all,” one commented.

Another commented about their experience. “My friend ate those nutella breadsticks she got from 5 below, turns out they sold her ones that expired over a year ago, she got serious food poisoning do not trust 5 below snacks.”

Five Below's response to Amy

Amy made a follow-up video with some updates, including that Five Below sent her boyfriend a $25 gift card as compensation for the situation. She also responded to the comments saying the story is untrue. 

Considering that the bag of pretzels were covered in puke, Amy says she didn't want to take a photo of it.

She also responded to the comments that the issue was Combos’ fault, not Five Below’s. She responded by saying that because it had already left Combos’ warehouse, it was not their responsibility. She claims the pretzels became contaminated while sitting in Five Below’s warehouse.

Combos reached out to her boyfriend, apologizing for the situation. Amy says the health department reached out to him as well, with intent to send an inspector to that particular Five Below location.

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The post ‘Should’ve went to Dollar Tree’: Woman warns against buying snacks at Five Below after finding something inside Combos bag appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Woman warns against Five Below snacks after finding someone unusual in bag 

A Five Below customer is raising red flags on TikTok over the discount chain’s snacks after finding something disgusting in the Combos pretzel bag she and her boyfriend purchased there.

Amy (@kristinethakween) posted a video on the social media site about what happened when she and her boyfriend went to Five Below in the Seminole Mall located in Largo, Florida before catching Longlegs at the movie theater. 

Finding something disgusting in a bag of Combos

“This video is for Five Below and for anyone that likes to get snacks at Five Below because they committed a serious health violation last night,” Amy starts the video. 

Amy explains that she and her boyfriend were going to see the opening of the highly anticipated horror movie Longlegs. They stopped by the Five Below across the street to get some snacks because they had gotten to the theater early.

“That’s what we always do,” she says. 

They picked out birthday cake Cookie Dough Bites and Lindt's Lindor chocolates. But when Amy tried a few of the Cookie Dough Bites, she says they “tasted like straight-up Play-Doh.”

Her boyfriend went back inside to return the original snacks. He walked out with Combo pretzel bites and a Slim Jim. After his first few bites of the pretzels, he spit them out, saying they didn't taste right.

He then dumped the entire bag outside of the car and after looking down, immediately puked. 

Laying in front of him were dead roaches mixed in with the pretzel bites, Amy recalls. 

“He’s downing my water because he cannot get the taste of his mouth of dead roach,” Amy says. “I’m like, 'Alright, we need to go back inside and complain,' because I was livid. That’s serious food poisoning right there.” 

Bringing the issue to Five Below’s attention

Amy's boyfriend put the dead roaches back in the bag to show them to a Five Below manager. After checking the store's inventory, manager found other Combos bags with holes in the back. Amy says the roaches chewed through the bags and then died inside. 

Five Below gave the duo a refund, and Amy's boyfriend contacted HR. They asked if he needed medical assistance, which he said he didn’t need. 

Concluding the video, Amy cautions anyone who lives in the Largo, Florida area to check the bags and dump out the food as a precaution.  

Despite Amy and her boyfriend's experience, the Five Below in Largo, Florida has a rating of 4.5/5 on Google reviews. Several of the reviewers speak highly of the store's staff and cleanliness.

The response on TikTok

Amy's video garnered over one million views. But several users were skeptical of the story, because the TikToker didn't share photos of the Combos.

One user commented, “girl this math ain’t mathing…”

Another said, “I’ve never in life heard of a roach chewing thru a semi-plastic bag.”

A further user commented, “Did he not notice the bag was chewed open??”

One viewer was critical of them returning snacks in the first place. “Who returns snacks at first because he doesn’t like them?” they wrote.

Other users were startled by what was found. “Roaches chew through bags????” one user commented. 

According to a blog post from Arrow Exterminating Company, roaches can chew through thin plastic materials.

@kristinethakween Im still completely disgusted by this. Cant imagine eating dead roach air 🥴 @Five Below ♬ original sound - Amy

Some viewers were unsurprised by Amy's experience.

“Five Below, Marshall's, Ross, Gabes.. Etc, NEVER buy anything edible there. Probably shouldn't buy anything at all,” one commented.

Another commented about their experience. “My friend ate those nutella breadsticks she got from 5 below, turns out they sold her ones that expired over a year ago, she got serious food poisoning do not trust 5 below snacks.”

Five Below's response to Amy

Amy made a follow-up video with some updates, including that Five Below sent her boyfriend a $25 gift card as compensation for the situation. She also responded to the comments saying the story is untrue. 

Considering that the bag of pretzels were covered in puke, Amy says she didn't want to take a photo of it.

She also responded to the comments that the issue was Combos’ fault, not Five Below’s. She responded by saying that because it had already left Combos’ warehouse, it was not their responsibility. She claims the pretzels became contaminated while sitting in Five Below’s warehouse.

Combos reached out to her boyfriend, apologizing for the situation. Amy says the health department reached out to him as well, with intent to send an inspector to that particular Five Below location.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Should’ve went to Dollar Tree’: Woman warns against buying snacks at Five Below after finding something inside Combos bag appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘If you’re a woman, seriously do not get in one’: Customer warns against Nashville Checker Cab company after driver upcharges $30, kicks him out https://www.dailydot.com/news/nashville-checker-cab-company-warning/ Fri, 12 Jul 2024 03:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1618685 Man talking(l+r), Nashville Checkered cab(c)

Nashville has a crime rate of 6.8/10. Despite this rate being higher than the national average, it is still a popular place for tourists. But, when tourists visit, they typically end up Ubering home. Seems safe, right? That is, until they are waiting for their Uber and a green checkered taxi comes up and offers them a ride. 

Local taxi company Nashville Checker Cab is currently under fire for how drivers have been allegedly overcharging and mistreating their passengers. 

Mac Connor (@tmacconnor) posted a TikTok on July 7 that not only generated 2 million views but had sparked a conversation about the safety of the Nashville Checker Cab service. Many viewers shared their own alleged horror stories in the comments section. Connor's video has since been taken down.

Connor’s experience using the taxi service 

In Connor’s original video, he shared how he went into downtown Nashville with his sister and friends to celebrate the Fourth of July. After drinking too much, he couldn’t drive so he got a taxi to go back home. Connor planned on using the Uber app but there were too many people on Broadway to get cell service. 

Connor said that he then got into a green minivan, gave the driver his address and they started driving.

“I live 20 minutes south of downtown. [The cab driver] takes me about halfway there. He leaves downtown, heads to Green Hills, which is like a roundabout way of getting to where I live,” Connor said in the clip. “So we get to Green Hills, and he starts accusing me of not having money, and screaming at me about how I'm not going to have money to pay for this trip.” 

Connor said he took out his card and the driver charged him $45. Immediately after, he was kicked out of the car and left stranded in Green Hills instead of his initial drop-off spot.

“Green Hills is a great area of Nashville. Thank God I was there, not somewhere else,” he said in the video. 

The TikToker said he learned his lesson after that experience and would never use that taxi service again. However, he claimed the driver changed the charge to $75 the next day. 

Connor called the company and they told him he could dispute the charges. However, they didn't have any record of the charges, as their drivers are independent contractors, so the TikToker was out of luck.

Connor called his credit card company and got it taken care of, but when he looked at the Google reviews of the Nashville Checker Cab company, he realized that he got off lucky.

Other passengers’ experiences with the taxi company  

An overwhelming amount of Google reviews on Nashville Checker Cab had users sharing their concerns and stories about the safety of their ride. 

Paige Kubalak gave one star, writing, “SCARY. We took the cab from downtown Jason Alden's bar to east nash (took 6 minutes). The driver said it was $35 and didn't run the meter. When we questioned him he CLOSED AND LOCKED THE DOORS ON US. Extremely scary incident for four young women. We will be filing a police report tomorrow morning.” 

Another Google user, Tina Cantu, wishes she could give zero stars. “This taxi company was awful to my friend. To hear how they upset her makes me livid and I hope no one uses this company," she wrote. "First off they lied about not services the Hendersonville area because heaven forbid it’s too “far” Is this not their job as a taxi company? The man upset my friend because he complained that he had to drive 21 miles to get her. Then had the nerve to ask for a flipping tip. The dispatch lady is awful. Let me tell you now SAVE yourself the trouble.”

Overall, the company has a rating of 2.3/5 stars on Google. 

Commenters weigh in on TikTok

Even more horror stories flooded Connor’s comment section.

One user commented, “The green checkered cab held our purses hostage til we kissed the driver to get it back. I was sober enough to simply dial 911 and he gave them back and we literally ran.”

Another user claimed a driver took advantage of her after she was drugged.

“I was drugged downtown Nashville (which is a HUGE but silenced issue here) but I ended up in one of those cabs alone, no phone or anything, and the driver charged me 95 dollars to go from downtown to Hermitage," she wrote. "Then when I got to my house he was asking a bunch of questions, and wouldn’t open the door, my memory from the interaction is hazy, but he was really aggressive in asking for my number, I guess I gave it to him, and he BLEW UP MY PHONE demanding to see me and I ended up blocking him and changing my number and also moving.”

Stories like these continued in the comments section.

Another user wrote, “They had a flat rate from the airport to where I was going, changed the fare as soon as I got in the car and WOULDNT LET ME OUT. I was crying and begging her to let me out of the car, she only let me out when I gave her my emergency $20 cash. we hadn’t left the parking spot.”

Nashville Checker Cab’s site says that the company has flat-rate fares. “No surprises, just honest pricing for your convenience.”

Connor spoke to FOX17 in Nashville, saying “At least two reports on my TikTok comments of guns being pulled on people requesting money. I've seen at least three where they pulled the car over on the highway and stopped the car and said, I can either double your rate now or one of you can kiss me.” 

The TikTok video Connor made about this has since been deleted.

Safety using taxi services 

FOX17 did a poll on X, formerly known as Twitter, asking if people felt safe using either taxi or rideshare services in Nashville. The results showed an almost even split, with 55.4% saying no and 44.6% saying yes.


Nashville Checker Cab has a page on its site on how to navigate rides safely. 

According to the company's site, it is important to check for a secured top light, with the company name and contact information, and make sure the decals are all visible and professionally kept as well as the driver’s permit. They also say to make sure there are up-to-date tags on the meter. 

How to stay safe while taking a taxi

There are many precautions people should take on a night out and when using a taxi. Creating a safety plan before the night begins is important. This includes having a plan for getting home at the end of the night. Having it professionally arranged and a price negotiated in advance is recommended.

When sitting in the taxi, people should sit directly behind the driver. It makes it impossible for the driver to overpower you and it makes it harder for the driver to snatch your bag. 

Passengers should also always follow their route on their phones and make sure to write down the license plate before they get into the car. 

Most importantly, passengers should always be alert. 

Many of Connor’s commenters suggested buying mini window breakers that can be put onto a keychain. Several also recommended making sure the meter is turned on as soon as passengers get into the car.

Not only has Connor’s TikTok allowed others to share their experiences, but it has also helped warn newcomers to Nashville. One user commented that she just moved to Nashville from New York City and wouldn’t have thought about cabs until now. 

The video also has sparked a conversation with the Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County. A councilwoman commented on the video asking Connor to contact her via email to find a solution.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Connor and Nashville Checker Company via email for a comment.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘If you’re a woman, seriously do not get in one’: Customer warns against Nashville Checker Cab company after driver upcharges $30, kicks him out appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Man talking(l+r), Nashville Checkered cab(c)

Nashville has a crime rate of 6.8/10. Despite this rate being higher than the national average, it is still a popular place for tourists. But, when tourists visit, they typically end up Ubering home. Seems safe, right? That is, until they are waiting for their Uber and a green checkered taxi comes up and offers them a ride. 

Local taxi company Nashville Checker Cab is currently under fire for how drivers have been allegedly overcharging and mistreating their passengers. 

Mac Connor (@tmacconnor) posted a TikTok on July 7 that not only generated 2 million views but had sparked a conversation about the safety of the Nashville Checker Cab service. Many viewers shared their own alleged horror stories in the comments section. Connor's video has since been taken down.

Connor’s experience using the taxi service 

In Connor’s original video, he shared how he went into downtown Nashville with his sister and friends to celebrate the Fourth of July. After drinking too much, he couldn’t drive so he got a taxi to go back home. Connor planned on using the Uber app but there were too many people on Broadway to get cell service. 

Connor said that he then got into a green minivan, gave the driver his address and they started driving.

“I live 20 minutes south of downtown. [The cab driver] takes me about halfway there. He leaves downtown, heads to Green Hills, which is like a roundabout way of getting to where I live,” Connor said in the clip. “So we get to Green Hills, and he starts accusing me of not having money, and screaming at me about how I'm not going to have money to pay for this trip.” 

Connor said he took out his card and the driver charged him $45. Immediately after, he was kicked out of the car and left stranded in Green Hills instead of his initial drop-off spot.

“Green Hills is a great area of Nashville. Thank God I was there, not somewhere else,” he said in the video. 

The TikToker said he learned his lesson after that experience and would never use that taxi service again. However, he claimed the driver changed the charge to $75 the next day. 

Connor called the company and they told him he could dispute the charges. However, they didn't have any record of the charges, as their drivers are independent contractors, so the TikToker was out of luck.

Connor called his credit card company and got it taken care of, but when he looked at the Google reviews of the Nashville Checker Cab company, he realized that he got off lucky.

Other passengers’ experiences with the taxi company  

An overwhelming amount of Google reviews on Nashville Checker Cab had users sharing their concerns and stories about the safety of their ride. 

Paige Kubalak gave one star, writing, “SCARY. We took the cab from downtown Jason Alden's bar to east nash (took 6 minutes). The driver said it was $35 and didn't run the meter. When we questioned him he CLOSED AND LOCKED THE DOORS ON US. Extremely scary incident for four young women. We will be filing a police report tomorrow morning.” 

Another Google user, Tina Cantu, wishes she could give zero stars. “This taxi company was awful to my friend. To hear how they upset her makes me livid and I hope no one uses this company," she wrote. "First off they lied about not services the Hendersonville area because heaven forbid it’s too “far” Is this not their job as a taxi company? The man upset my friend because he complained that he had to drive 21 miles to get her. Then had the nerve to ask for a flipping tip. The dispatch lady is awful. Let me tell you now SAVE yourself the trouble.”

Overall, the company has a rating of 2.3/5 stars on Google. 

Commenters weigh in on TikTok

Even more horror stories flooded Connor’s comment section.

One user commented, “The green checkered cab held our purses hostage til we kissed the driver to get it back. I was sober enough to simply dial 911 and he gave them back and we literally ran.”

Another user claimed a driver took advantage of her after she was drugged.

“I was drugged downtown Nashville (which is a HUGE but silenced issue here) but I ended up in one of those cabs alone, no phone or anything, and the driver charged me 95 dollars to go from downtown to Hermitage," she wrote. "Then when I got to my house he was asking a bunch of questions, and wouldn’t open the door, my memory from the interaction is hazy, but he was really aggressive in asking for my number, I guess I gave it to him, and he BLEW UP MY PHONE demanding to see me and I ended up blocking him and changing my number and also moving.”

Stories like these continued in the comments section.

Another user wrote, “They had a flat rate from the airport to where I was going, changed the fare as soon as I got in the car and WOULDNT LET ME OUT. I was crying and begging her to let me out of the car, she only let me out when I gave her my emergency $20 cash. we hadn’t left the parking spot.”

Nashville Checker Cab’s site says that the company has flat-rate fares. “No surprises, just honest pricing for your convenience.”

Connor spoke to FOX17 in Nashville, saying “At least two reports on my TikTok comments of guns being pulled on people requesting money. I've seen at least three where they pulled the car over on the highway and stopped the car and said, I can either double your rate now or one of you can kiss me.” 

The TikTok video Connor made about this has since been deleted.

Safety using taxi services 

FOX17 did a poll on X, formerly known as Twitter, asking if people felt safe using either taxi or rideshare services in Nashville. The results showed an almost even split, with 55.4% saying no and 44.6% saying yes.

Nashville Checker Cab has a page on its site on how to navigate rides safely. 

According to the company's site, it is important to check for a secured top light, with the company name and contact information, and make sure the decals are all visible and professionally kept as well as the driver’s permit. They also say to make sure there are up-to-date tags on the meter. 

How to stay safe while taking a taxi

There are many precautions people should take on a night out and when using a taxi. Creating a safety plan before the night begins is important. This includes having a plan for getting home at the end of the night. Having it professionally arranged and a price negotiated in advance is recommended.

When sitting in the taxi, people should sit directly behind the driver. It makes it impossible for the driver to overpower you and it makes it harder for the driver to snatch your bag. 

Passengers should also always follow their route on their phones and make sure to write down the license plate before they get into the car. 

Most importantly, passengers should always be alert. 

Many of Connor’s commenters suggested buying mini window breakers that can be put onto a keychain. Several also recommended making sure the meter is turned on as soon as passengers get into the car.

Not only has Connor’s TikTok allowed others to share their experiences, but it has also helped warn newcomers to Nashville. One user commented that she just moved to Nashville from New York City and wouldn’t have thought about cabs until now. 

The video also has sparked a conversation with the Metropolitan Government of Nashville & Davidson County. A councilwoman commented on the video asking Connor to contact her via email to find a solution.

The Daily Dot has reached out to Connor and Nashville Checker Company via email for a comment.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘If you’re a woman, seriously do not get in one’: Customer warns against Nashville Checker Cab company after driver upcharges $30, kicks him out appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘Mean girl energy!!!’: Customer says Chipotle worker body-shamed her at the drive-thru https://www.dailydot.com/news/chipotle-worker-body-shames-customer/ Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1616774 Customer says Chipotle worker bodyshamed her at the drive-thru

A user on TikTok is sharing her unusual experience being body-shamed in a Chipotle drive-thru that left her feeling uncomfortable.

TikTok user Chhavee Jovilyne (@chhaveejovilyne) is a TikTok creator showing her lifestyle on the social media platform. 

Jovilyne was filming a day-in-the-life video, which showcased her running errands, getting coffee, and picking up her order from Chipotle. That’s when the video took a twist. As the TikToker was grabbing her order through the drive-thru window, the Chipotle worker commented to her about her weight. 

The worker says, “It’s heavy, it probably weighs more than you do,” which makes Jovilyne visibly uncomfortable.

This isn’t the first time a Chipotle employee has commented on someone’s order. In December 2023, TikTok user Bobby “Kazz” Kasmire (@bobbykazz) made a video sharing his experience ordering a $25 Chipotle bowl. 

According to the video, he ordered “pretty much everything.” When he got to the register to pay, the worker read his entire order which he said had never happened before. The worker then said, “Oh, so you’re a hungry boy today, huh?” 

As Kasmire says in the video, “Now I’m gonna think about that with every bite I take of this Chipotle.”

Many viewers agreed that comments like this can feed into eating disorders and overall make people self-conscious about what they eat. 

A Chipotle worker's body-shaming comment

Jovilyne singled out the clip of her receiving her Chipotle order and reposted it as a separate video, which received over 14 million views.

“Can we stop making unnecessary comments ab people’s body/weight pls & ty <3 #bodyshaming #momsoftiktok #foryou,” she wrote in the caption.

The creator was shocked and uncomfortable by the comment made by the Chipotle worker saying that her order probably weighed more than she did.

She responds quietly saying, “OK? That was a little unnecessary." Jovilyne continues to express her shock as she's driving away. “What? What the heck? I’m literally…”

@chhaveejovilyne can we stop making unnecessary comments ab people’s body/weight pls & ty <3 #bodyshaming #momsoftiktok #foryou ♬ motherfucker - sar ᥫ᭡


Commenters react to Jovilyne's Chipotle experience

Some commenters thought Jovilyne was overreacting.

“This is totally not meant to be offensive,” one user wrote.

Another added, “She did not mean it like that lol. It’s a phrase tons of people use.”

But, most commenters on her trimmed video expressed disbelief over the remark.

One commenter said, “I would’ve slapped her cause what.”

A second viewer wrote, “I get this all the time too and always laugh it off but when you rly think about it like…it’s so rude and unnecessary lol.”

Jovilyne responded, saying that body-shaming in the drive-thru felt particularly unnecessary. “I usually tell ppl to not comment on my body but I totally didn’t expect this! I’m in my car, can barely see me/my body, & I was literally just trying to get my food…ppl suck!” she wrote.

A third user shared how she related to Jovilyne’s experience. “My friend is really really skinny and has underhanded 'compliments' about how tiny she is," they said. "It’s never cool and doesn’t come across as nice. You never know what someone is going through.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Jovilyne via TikTok direct message and Chipotle via email. 

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Mean girl energy!!!’: Customer says Chipotle worker body-shamed her at the drive-thru appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Customer says Chipotle worker bodyshamed her at the drive-thru

A user on TikTok is sharing her unusual experience being body-shamed in a Chipotle drive-thru that left her feeling uncomfortable.

TikTok user Chhavee Jovilyne (@chhaveejovilyne) is a TikTok creator showing her lifestyle on the social media platform. 

Jovilyne was filming a day-in-the-life video, which showcased her running errands, getting coffee, and picking up her order from Chipotle. That’s when the video took a twist. As the TikToker was grabbing her order through the drive-thru window, the Chipotle worker commented to her about her weight. 

The worker says, “It’s heavy, it probably weighs more than you do,” which makes Jovilyne visibly uncomfortable.

This isn’t the first time a Chipotle employee has commented on someone’s order. In December 2023, TikTok user Bobby “Kazz” Kasmire (@bobbykazz) made a video sharing his experience ordering a $25 Chipotle bowl. 

According to the video, he ordered “pretty much everything.” When he got to the register to pay, the worker read his entire order which he said had never happened before. The worker then said, “Oh, so you’re a hungry boy today, huh?” 

As Kasmire says in the video, “Now I’m gonna think about that with every bite I take of this Chipotle.”

Many viewers agreed that comments like this can feed into eating disorders and overall make people self-conscious about what they eat. 

A Chipotle worker's body-shaming comment

Jovilyne singled out the clip of her receiving her Chipotle order and reposted it as a separate video, which received over 14 million views.

“Can we stop making unnecessary comments ab people’s body/weight pls & ty <3 #bodyshaming #momsoftiktok #foryou,” she wrote in the caption.

The creator was shocked and uncomfortable by the comment made by the Chipotle worker saying that her order probably weighed more than she did.

She responds quietly saying, “OK? That was a little unnecessary." Jovilyne continues to express her shock as she's driving away. “What? What the heck? I’m literally…”

@chhaveejovilyne can we stop making unnecessary comments ab people’s body/weight pls & ty <3 #bodyshaming #momsoftiktok #foryou ♬ motherfucker - sar ᥫ᭡

Commenters react to Jovilyne's Chipotle experience

Some commenters thought Jovilyne was overreacting.

“This is totally not meant to be offensive,” one user wrote.

Another added, “She did not mean it like that lol. It’s a phrase tons of people use.”

But, most commenters on her trimmed video expressed disbelief over the remark.

One commenter said, “I would’ve slapped her cause what.”

A second viewer wrote, “I get this all the time too and always laugh it off but when you rly think about it like…it’s so rude and unnecessary lol.”

Jovilyne responded, saying that body-shaming in the drive-thru felt particularly unnecessary. “I usually tell ppl to not comment on my body but I totally didn’t expect this! I’m in my car, can barely see me/my body, & I was literally just trying to get my food…ppl suck!” she wrote.

A third user shared how she related to Jovilyne’s experience. “My friend is really really skinny and has underhanded 'compliments' about how tiny she is," they said. "It’s never cool and doesn’t come across as nice. You never know what someone is going through.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to Jovilyne via TikTok direct message and Chipotle via email. 

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘Mean girl energy!!!’: Customer says Chipotle worker body-shamed her at the drive-thru appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘I’ve only had this purse 2-3 years’: Woman questions quality after her $2,800 Louis Vuitton starts ‘peeling’ https://www.dailydot.com/news/louis-vuitton-bag-peeling/ Mon, 01 Jul 2024 23:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1612757 Woman questions quality after her $2,800 Louis Vuitton starts ‘peeling’

When people make designer bag purchases, they expect a high-quality product that will last for years to come. What they don’t expect is for part of the bag to start peeling only two or three years into owning the luxury merchandise. 

That is what happened to TikTok user @ceo_ofthesoftlife. In a viral clip, the creator explains that she’s had a Louis Vuitton bag for two to three years and has kept it in good condition. But now, the gold around the bag is starting to peel. After spending $2,800, she wonders why this is happening to a bag from a high-end brand.

Taking care of a Louis Vuitton bag 

When one purchases a Louis Vuitton bag, the brand provides directions on how to take care of the bag. Its website warns customers not to scratch or rub the purse against sandpaper-like surfaces. In addition, the brand recommends keeping purses away from any direct source of heat, sunlight, and humid environments. Most importantly, Louis Vuitton bags should be kept away from water because it can impact the material of the purse. 

Specifically with the gold plating, Louis Vuitton recommends avoiding contact with greasy substances, perfumes, or cosmetics because they can transfer their colored pigments onto the purse. This is something that the Louis Vuitton worker told @ceo_ofthesoftlife when she went back to the store in a follow-up TikTok. 

Noticing peeling on a Louis Vuitton bag

In her original video, @ceo_ofthesoftlife says that she only uses her bag while she’s traveling but even so, the gold hardware is still fading. 

“The zipper has completely changed color,” @ceo_ofthesoftlife says while showing it off in the video. 

She continues to film her Louis Vuitton purse; while the leather bag itself is in good condition, the hardware around the bag is not.

“Why is my bag looking like it’s a $160 bag when this is a $2,800 bag,” she says. “Louis Vuitton, what are doing?”

The TikToker’s bag appears to be Louis Vuitton’s Damier Ebene Speedy 30 Satchel, which is currently being resold on Rebag for $1,310 and LuxeDH for $760. While the designer brand no longer offers the model @ceo_ofthesoftlife bought, Louis Vuitton offers the print in other models that all run under $2,030. These bags also have “gold-color hardware,” though the brand does not specify what material the hardware is made of.

Several commenters related to @ceo_ofthesoftlife. 

“Same thing happened,” one user wrote. “It’s not the same material from back in the day.”

Other users shared some suggestions on what @ceo_ofthesoftlife should do to resolve her peeling bag issue.

“I’ve had that same bag for about 5 yrs, and haven’t had an issue with it. Take it back and demand a replacement,” one wrote. 

@ceo_ofthesoftlife

 

♬ original sound - Softlife_CEO


Another commenter said, “You can take it into the store for a new one.” 

The creator replied, saying that she intends to.“That’s the plan, this is the second bad I’ve had to send back. WHY? If I’m paying so much,” she wrote.

Louis Vuitton also has a section of its site dedicated to repairing bags. Customers can either make online or in-person appointments.

Confronting Louis Vuitton workers over peeling hardware

Taking the advice of her online community, @ceo_ofthesoftlife went to the Louis Vuitton store and filmed her experience. In the clip, which she shared on TikTok, the worker tells her that all the metals on the Louis Vuitton bags are the same and if you’re constantly touching it, the peeling is inevitable.

Users in her comments section were just as frustrated as @ceo_ofthesoftlife. 

One user commented, “Loui .. uses vinyl .. NOT REAL LEATHER.” 

Louis Vuitton does use real leather for certain products—however, there is some truth to this commenter’s statement. The luxury brand’s Monogram and Damier Canvas lines utilize “coated canvas,” which is essentially canvas material covered with PVC, or polyvinyl chloride. As such,  @ceo_ofthesoftlife’s bag is not leather.

Making a third part to her Louis Vuitton bag series, @ceo_ofthesoftlife recapped her experience at the store. 

The TikToker says the worker told her, “In about six months your bag can start peeling.” 

This frustrated her, because she didn’t want to get only “six good months on a $6,000 bag.” 

The worker also told her that most people don’t touch the bag as she wants to, which she found a little ridiculous—because if she is spending that much on a bag, she wants to use it. 

The Louis Vuitton worker recommended taking care of the bag by taking the same precautionary steps that the site recommends. 

Still, the TikToker was frustrated. @ceo_ofthesoftlife concluded the video by asking, “Why is their gold plate so tender?” 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Louis Vuitton via email and @ceo_ofthesoftlife via Google Chat.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I’ve only had this purse 2-3 years’: Woman questions quality after her $2,800 Louis Vuitton starts ‘peeling’ appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Woman questions quality after her $2,800 Louis Vuitton starts ‘peeling’

When people make designer bag purchases, they expect a high-quality product that will last for years to come. What they don’t expect is for part of the bag to start peeling only two or three years into owning the luxury merchandise. 

That is what happened to TikTok user @ceo_ofthesoftlife. In a viral clip, the creator explains that she’s had a Louis Vuitton bag for two to three years and has kept it in good condition. But now, the gold around the bag is starting to peel. After spending $2,800, she wonders why this is happening to a bag from a high-end brand.

Taking care of a Louis Vuitton bag 

When one purchases a Louis Vuitton bag, the brand provides directions on how to take care of the bag. Its website warns customers not to scratch or rub the purse against sandpaper-like surfaces. In addition, the brand recommends keeping purses away from any direct source of heat, sunlight, and humid environments. Most importantly, Louis Vuitton bags should be kept away from water because it can impact the material of the purse. 

Specifically with the gold plating, Louis Vuitton recommends avoiding contact with greasy substances, perfumes, or cosmetics because they can transfer their colored pigments onto the purse. This is something that the Louis Vuitton worker told @ceo_ofthesoftlife when she went back to the store in a follow-up TikTok. 

Noticing peeling on a Louis Vuitton bag

In her original video, @ceo_ofthesoftlife says that she only uses her bag while she’s traveling but even so, the gold hardware is still fading. 

“The zipper has completely changed color,” @ceo_ofthesoftlife says while showing it off in the video. 

She continues to film her Louis Vuitton purse; while the leather bag itself is in good condition, the hardware around the bag is not.

“Why is my bag looking like it’s a $160 bag when this is a $2,800 bag,” she says. “Louis Vuitton, what are doing?”

The TikToker’s bag appears to be Louis Vuitton’s Damier Ebene Speedy 30 Satchel, which is currently being resold on Rebag for $1,310 and LuxeDH for $760. While the designer brand no longer offers the model @ceo_ofthesoftlife bought, Louis Vuitton offers the print in other models that all run under $2,030. These bags also have “gold-color hardware,” though the brand does not specify what material the hardware is made of.

Several commenters related to @ceo_ofthesoftlife. 

“Same thing happened,” one user wrote. “It’s not the same material from back in the day.”

Other users shared some suggestions on what @ceo_ofthesoftlife should do to resolve her peeling bag issue.

“I’ve had that same bag for about 5 yrs, and haven’t had an issue with it. Take it back and demand a replacement,” one wrote. 

@ceo_ofthesoftlife

 

♬ original sound - Softlife_CEO

Another commenter said, “You can take it into the store for a new one.” 

The creator replied, saying that she intends to.“That’s the plan, this is the second bad I’ve had to send back. WHY? If I’m paying so much,” she wrote.

Louis Vuitton also has a section of its site dedicated to repairing bags. Customers can either make online or in-person appointments.

Confronting Louis Vuitton workers over peeling hardware

Taking the advice of her online community, @ceo_ofthesoftlife went to the Louis Vuitton store and filmed her experience. In the clip, which she shared on TikTok, the worker tells her that all the metals on the Louis Vuitton bags are the same and if you’re constantly touching it, the peeling is inevitable.

Users in her comments section were just as frustrated as @ceo_ofthesoftlife. 

One user commented, “Loui .. uses vinyl .. NOT REAL LEATHER.” 

Louis Vuitton does use real leather for certain products—however, there is some truth to this commenter’s statement. The luxury brand’s Monogram and Damier Canvas lines utilize “coated canvas,” which is essentially canvas material covered with PVC, or polyvinyl chloride. As such,  @ceo_ofthesoftlife’s bag is not leather.

Making a third part to her Louis Vuitton bag series, @ceo_ofthesoftlife recapped her experience at the store. 

The TikToker says the worker told her, “In about six months your bag can start peeling.” 

This frustrated her, because she didn’t want to get only “six good months on a $6,000 bag.” 

The worker also told her that most people don’t touch the bag as she wants to, which she found a little ridiculous—because if she is spending that much on a bag, she wants to use it. 

The Louis Vuitton worker recommended taking care of the bag by taking the same precautionary steps that the site recommends. 

Still, the TikToker was frustrated. @ceo_ofthesoftlife concluded the video by asking, “Why is their gold plate so tender?” 

The Daily Dot has reached out to Louis Vuitton via email and @ceo_ofthesoftlife via Google Chat.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘I’ve only had this purse 2-3 years’: Woman questions quality after her $2,800 Louis Vuitton starts ‘peeling’ appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘A direct attack’: Woman tags Target items in her post. She can’t believe what product Instagram auto-tagged her as https://www.dailydot.com/news/instagram-product-auto-tag-target-pig-nose/ Thu, 27 Jun 2024 02:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1608792 Woman talking(l+r), Target logo(c)

Everyone wants to feel good when posting a picture on social media. But, when Instagram adds automatic product tags to a post, it can do more damage than good. That was the case for Shelbie, a mom of four, who took to TikTok to share how Target and Instagram did her dirty. 

Shelbie wanted to post a picture that her friend had taken of her at an event. It was a picture she felt confident and cute in. She was tagging where she had bought each piece of her outfit, from her Clothes Mentor Hyde Park top to her Target shoes. 

But a particular Instagram feature led to an unfortunate social media mishap.

Instagram’s new feature

Instagram has a feature that allows creators to add the product they are wearing or using, so their followers can shop for the exact items in the post. These shopping tags can be added to Instagram reels, stories, images, and video posts. According to the Instagram help site, businesses can permit everyone or only approved content partners to tag products. 

Over the past few years, Instagram integrated a feature that uses AI to automatically add a product when a user tags a brand. Brands and companies can edit, remove, or update the tags as they see fit, but until then, they are automatically tagged by Instagram’s AI. 

Automatic tagging gone wrong 

As soon as Shelbie tagged Target among other brands in her post, Target’s automatic product links came up. Not only did a link for a cookbook appear—but Instagram’s AI also tagged her face as Target’s “disguised pig nose” mask. 

In her video, which has garnered over 100,000 views, she says she was “a victim of a horrendous crime.”

Shelbie says she has so many questions as to why that happened. 

One comment had an idea. “More proof AI is here to cause chaos,” they said. 

Shelbie says in the video that the tag felt like a personal attack. "I’m going to spend the rest of my day crying, thank you,” she concludes.

Several commenters hyped up Shelbie but were also caught off guard by the pig nose being tagged.

One viewer wrote,“Literally PRISON omg but that outfit slayed.”

Another said, “I couldn’t have guessed that if you gave me ten million guesses.” 

Can you delete product tags on an Instagram post?

Shelbie clarified that the issue was the fault of Instagram’s AI, not Target as she initially stated.

“Like why?! Now that the shock has wore off I realize I may have misdirected my frustration to target when it’s IG @instagram count your days,” she wrote in a comment.

She also responded to some comments. “I do like my nose - but man this stung a little,” she said, also adding, “Honestly it was worth the humiliation to make everyone laugh.” 

@sincerely.shelbie #greenscreen @target ♬ original sound - sincerely.shelbie


“I’m glad that I’m in a point in my life where I can find the humor in it and find it funny!” she concluded.

To delete a product tag, users can click the edit button on the post, hit the Instagram Shop icon, and then click ‘Tag products.’ From there, users click the tag they want to delete and press the X. 

The Daily Dot has reached out Meta via email regarding its automatic product tagging. 

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘A direct attack’: Woman tags Target items in her post. She can’t believe what product Instagram auto-tagged her as appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> Woman talking(l+r), Target logo(c)

Everyone wants to feel good when posting a picture on social media. But, when Instagram adds automatic product tags to a post, it can do more damage than good. That was the case for Shelbie, a mom of four, who took to TikTok to share how Target and Instagram did her dirty. 

Shelbie wanted to post a picture that her friend had taken of her at an event. It was a picture she felt confident and cute in. She was tagging where she had bought each piece of her outfit, from her Clothes Mentor Hyde Park top to her Target shoes. 

But a particular Instagram feature led to an unfortunate social media mishap.

Instagram’s new feature

Instagram has a feature that allows creators to add the product they are wearing or using, so their followers can shop for the exact items in the post. These shopping tags can be added to Instagram reels, stories, images, and video posts. According to the Instagram help site, businesses can permit everyone or only approved content partners to tag products. 

Over the past few years, Instagram integrated a feature that uses AI to automatically add a product when a user tags a brand. Brands and companies can edit, remove, or update the tags as they see fit, but until then, they are automatically tagged by Instagram’s AI. 

Automatic tagging gone wrong 

As soon as Shelbie tagged Target among other brands in her post, Target’s automatic product links came up. Not only did a link for a cookbook appear—but Instagram’s AI also tagged her face as Target’s “disguised pig nose” mask. 

In her video, which has garnered over 100,000 views, she says she was “a victim of a horrendous crime.”

Shelbie says she has so many questions as to why that happened. 

One comment had an idea. “More proof AI is here to cause chaos,” they said. 

Shelbie says in the video that the tag felt like a personal attack. "I’m going to spend the rest of my day crying, thank you,” she concludes.

Several commenters hyped up Shelbie but were also caught off guard by the pig nose being tagged.

One viewer wrote,“Literally PRISON omg but that outfit slayed.”

Another said, “I couldn’t have guessed that if you gave me ten million guesses.” 

Can you delete product tags on an Instagram post?

Shelbie clarified that the issue was the fault of Instagram’s AI, not Target as she initially stated.

“Like why?! Now that the shock has wore off I realize I may have misdirected my frustration to target when it’s IG @instagram count your days,” she wrote in a comment.

She also responded to some comments. “I do like my nose - but man this stung a little,” she said, also adding, “Honestly it was worth the humiliation to make everyone laugh.” 

@sincerely.shelbie #greenscreen @target ♬ original sound - sincerely.shelbie

“I’m glad that I’m in a point in my life where I can find the humor in it and find it funny!” she concluded.

To delete a product tag, users can click the edit button on the post, hit the Instagram Shop icon, and then click ‘Tag products.’ From there, users click the tag they want to delete and press the X. 

The Daily Dot has reached out Meta via email regarding its automatic product tagging. 

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘A direct attack’: Woman tags Target items in her post. She can’t believe what product Instagram auto-tagged her as appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘I had no idea’: USPS customer issues warning to people sending letters with a wax seal https://www.dailydot.com/news/usps-wax-seal-extra-stamp-warning/ Wed, 26 Jun 2024 06:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1607612 USPS customer issues warning to people sending letters with a wax seal

For many, planning a wedding can be stressful. This includes who to invite, where to have the wedding, and what to eat, among many tiny details—not to mention the cost. But, once you send the wedding invitations, you can check that off the list and breathe for a minute. Most go to the post office, drop it off, and are on their way. Easy enough. 

But Lindsay Adkison, a social media micro-influencer, had a different experience. 

Adkison took to her TikTok account to share why she can’t mail her wedding invites yet and warns others against making the same mistake. In her video, she says that because she used a wax stamp to seal the back of her invitations, she was unable to mail them to guests without an additional stamp. 

Wax seals don’t go through the machine at the post office unless you have a special stamp, Adkison explains. 

She was open to purchasing the extra stamp—until she saw it was an “ugly little fox stamp.” 

“No shot, I’m not putting that on my wedding invite,” Adkison says. 

USPS’s website notes that customers can alternatively have their letters “hand-canceled” to avoid sending them through processing machines. Hand canceling simply means the USPS worker processes the mail by hand, which is often recommended for bulkier mail, like those with wax seals. However, this can incur additional costs.

Adkison says in a follow-up video that the ordeal forced her to spend an additional $80 on her wedding invitations. “Weddings are expensive and you have to budget,” she concludes. 

Commenter’s response to the wax seal invitation situation 

One user felt she was being a little dramatic about the fox stamp. “I know it’s your wedding and vision but no one will think about the ‘ugly’ stamp in fact most ppl will immediately throw away the envelope and care more about your actual pretty invites,” the comment read. 

But, another user understood why she was upset about the fox stamp.“The way i would dedicate a day to hand delivering them into everyone’s mailbox,” they wrote.

Like Adkison, several users commenting on the video didn’t realize they needed an additional stamp for wax seals either. 

One said, “Omg no I just put 150 wax seals on and already did the stamps.”

Another commented, “My wedding invites ended up with a fox on them haha! I just laugh whenever I think of it.”

Adkison concluded that wax seals are a “pain in the butt” and aren’t worth it. 

Others agreed with her. 

As one user commented, “I could never understand why anyone cared what the envelope for the invite looked like. It’s literally gonna get filthy nasty from being handled in the mail.” 

Adkison made a follow-up video addressing some comments. In the clip, she notes that she made the initial TikTok to make fun of herself and hoped it would steer others away from the same mistake. She also responds to some solutions commenters had for her. 

How to mail letters with wax seals 

One idea was to put the wax-sealed envelopes into a bigger envelope to mail. Adkison says she didn’t want to pay for a whole new set of stamps and envelopes when the envelopes were already addressed and stamped. 

USPS’s website also advises against sending exposed letters with embellishments like wax seals, strings, ribbons, etc. Putting them inside another envelope is an easy solution to avoid sending exposed envelopes.  

Another idea commenters suggested was to take the wax seal off. Adkison avoided that solution because that would require her to rip the envelope open. She wanted her guests to be the first to do it. 

The Daily Dot reached out to Adkison via TikTok direct message and USPS via email.

Update 10:55am CT June 26: In a DM to the Daily Dot, Adkison said the post office told her she needed the 44-cent fox stamps for her envelopes so they could be hand-sorted. However, by that point she had already spent $200 on stamps.

Adkison said she ended up taking the USPS office's advice and using the fox stamps.

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The post ‘I had no idea’: USPS customer issues warning to people sending letters with a wax seal appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> USPS customer issues warning to people sending letters with a wax seal

For many, planning a wedding can be stressful. This includes who to invite, where to have the wedding, and what to eat, among many tiny details—not to mention the cost. But, once you send the wedding invitations, you can check that off the list and breathe for a minute. Most go to the post office, drop it off, and are on their way. Easy enough. 

But Lindsay Adkison, a social media micro-influencer, had a different experience. 

Adkison took to her TikTok account to share why she can’t mail her wedding invites yet and warns others against making the same mistake. In her video, she says that because she used a wax stamp to seal the back of her invitations, she was unable to mail them to guests without an additional stamp. 

Wax seals don’t go through the machine at the post office unless you have a special stamp, Adkison explains. 

She was open to purchasing the extra stamp—until she saw it was an “ugly little fox stamp.” 

“No shot, I’m not putting that on my wedding invite,” Adkison says. 

USPS’s website notes that customers can alternatively have their letters “hand-canceled” to avoid sending them through processing machines. Hand canceling simply means the USPS worker processes the mail by hand, which is often recommended for bulkier mail, like those with wax seals. However, this can incur additional costs.

Adkison says in a follow-up video that the ordeal forced her to spend an additional $80 on her wedding invitations. “Weddings are expensive and you have to budget,” she concludes. 

Commenter’s response to the wax seal invitation situation 

One user felt she was being a little dramatic about the fox stamp. “I know it’s your wedding and vision but no one will think about the ‘ugly’ stamp in fact most ppl will immediately throw away the envelope and care more about your actual pretty invites,” the comment read. 

But, another user understood why she was upset about the fox stamp.“The way i would dedicate a day to hand delivering them into everyone’s mailbox,” they wrote.

Like Adkison, several users commenting on the video didn’t realize they needed an additional stamp for wax seals either. 

One said, “Omg no I just put 150 wax seals on and already did the stamps.”

Another commented, “My wedding invites ended up with a fox on them haha! I just laugh whenever I think of it.”

Adkison concluded that wax seals are a “pain in the butt” and aren’t worth it. 

Others agreed with her. 

As one user commented, “I could never understand why anyone cared what the envelope for the invite looked like. It’s literally gonna get filthy nasty from being handled in the mail.” 

Adkison made a follow-up video addressing some comments. In the clip, she notes that she made the initial TikTok to make fun of herself and hoped it would steer others away from the same mistake. She also responds to some solutions commenters had for her. 

How to mail letters with wax seals 

One idea was to put the wax-sealed envelopes into a bigger envelope to mail. Adkison says she didn’t want to pay for a whole new set of stamps and envelopes when the envelopes were already addressed and stamped. 

USPS’s website also advises against sending exposed letters with embellishments like wax seals, strings, ribbons, etc. Putting them inside another envelope is an easy solution to avoid sending exposed envelopes.  

Another idea commenters suggested was to take the wax seal off. Adkison avoided that solution because that would require her to rip the envelope open. She wanted her guests to be the first to do it. 

The Daily Dot reached out to Adkison via TikTok direct message and USPS via email.

Update 10:55am CT June 26: In a DM to the Daily Dot, Adkison said the post office told her she needed the 44-cent fox stamps for her envelopes so they could be hand-sorted. However, by that point she had already spent $200 on stamps.

Adkison said she ended up taking the USPS office's advice and using the fox stamps.

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The post ‘I had no idea’: USPS customer issues warning to people sending letters with a wax seal appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]> ‘This happened to me too’: Woman slams Kristin Ess shampoo after 1 week of use leaves her hair like this https://www.dailydot.com/news/kristin-ess-shampoo-hair-loss/ Wed, 19 Jun 2024 11:00:00 +0000 https://www.dailydot.com/?p=1601024

Popular influencers like Ashtin Earle, sister of social media sensation Alix Earle, have promoted the Kristin Ess Hair Softening Shampoo and Conditioner. Earle says her “hair has never felt softer” while she’s been using the product every day. However, some users of Kristin Ess Hair products, likely influenced by Earle, have had a different experience. 

Mandy (@g00ch____), took to TikTok to show what happened to her hair after using the brand. 

In the video, Mandy shows clumps of hair that have fallen out and parts of her scalp that appear to be balding. She says it’s a result of using Kristin Ess Hair products after just one week. Other users in the comments section said they had similar experiences. 

One commenter said, “I’ve been using Kristen Ess for like a year & didn’t even think that could be why I was losing so much hair.” 

Another said, “THIS HAPPENED TO ME! i didn’t even realize it was the shampoo until i switched when i ran out.” 

One viewer wondered if there had been a formula change. “I used kristen ess for years, and I think there’s a formula change or something because it was good and now I have this too,” they said.

Kristin Ess Hair is a luxury hair brand whose variety of hair products have been made popular by social media influencers. In fact, the company was born in 2018 out of a collaboration between influencer Kristin Ess and Target. Its products are now found in additional stores like Walmart and Ulta.

@g00ch____ Its cool i didnt want my hair anway !! #kristenesshair #hairloss #kristenshampo ♬ The Bug Collector - BEN SCOTT


Internet users on other social media platforms have also reported hair loss after using Kristin Ess Hair shampoo. 

As Reddit user u/Somar092 wrote, “My hair fell out instantly in chunks and clumps the moment i used the Kristen Ess Shampoo (zip-up technology) and has extreme daily shedding ever since [Loudly Crying Face Emoji]. I used to have very dark thick virgin hair and now i’m balding !! In a matter of weeks, all i have left is a rat’s tail and an exposed scalp, it is so depressing.” 

But some commenters on Mandy’s post defended the brand.

“That’s insane because my hair REVOLTS if I try to use anything BUT Kristen Ess for the past two years. [Flushed Face Emoji],” one user wrote. 

Someone else commented, “I switched to Kristin ess after losing hair from using native and it made my hair feel so much better, I’m so sorry it had the opposite effect for you.” 

Why might Kristin Ess Hair cause hair loss in some customers?

Everyone’s hair is different and therefore will react to products differently. However, reports have found that certain chemicals in popular shampoo and conditioner products can result in hair loss. Some of the most common ingredients are sulfates, according to VeryWell Health.

Sulfates can strip the scalp of natural protective oils, which can leave hair dry and brittle and, in turn, contribute to breakage that appears as hair loss, per Healthline. The two most common sulfates are sodium lauryl sulfates and sodium laureth sulfates, both of which are found in Kristin Ess Hair Clarifying Shampoo. The company’s Signature Shampoo, however, is sulfate-free.

Another chemical that contributes to hair loss from shampoos is sodium chloride (also known as table salt), according to non-profit organization International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. While salt is used as a thickening agent in some products, including Kristin Ess Hair’s Clarifying Shampoo, it can also strip your scalp of natural oils, which similarly contributes to breakage and hair loss.

However, shampoo isn’t the only thing that can contribute to hair loss. Other habits of daily life can cause it as well. Both repeated trauma to your hair, like over-brushing or using heat, (trichorrhexis nodosa), and emotional or physiological stress (telogen effluvium) can result in hair loss.

VeryWell Health also reports that certain autoimmune conditions can cause hair loss.

Viewers prefer drugstore products to luxury shampoo brands

On social media, several users said they’re returning to cheaper products over salon-grade shampoos like Kristin Ess Hair. 

On Mandy’s video, one viewer commented, “After years of trying so many different ‘high quality’ or ‘salon quality’ products, I ended up going back to suave. My hair hasn’t been this healthy in years.” 

Another user wrote, “[Not gonna lie] pantene saved my hair.” 

The Daily Dot reached out to Mandy via TikTok direct message and Kristin Ess Hair via email.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘This happened to me too’: Woman slams Kristin Ess shampoo after 1 week of use leaves her hair like this appeared first on The Daily Dot.

]]>

Popular influencers like Ashtin Earle, sister of social media sensation Alix Earle, have promoted the Kristin Ess Hair Softening Shampoo and Conditioner. Earle says her “hair has never felt softer” while she’s been using the product every day. However, some users of Kristin Ess Hair products, likely influenced by Earle, have had a different experience. 

Mandy (@g00ch____), took to TikTok to show what happened to her hair after using the brand. 

In the video, Mandy shows clumps of hair that have fallen out and parts of her scalp that appear to be balding. She says it’s a result of using Kristin Ess Hair products after just one week. Other users in the comments section said they had similar experiences. 

One commenter said, “I’ve been using Kristen Ess for like a year & didn’t even think that could be why I was losing so much hair.” 

Another said, “THIS HAPPENED TO ME! i didn’t even realize it was the shampoo until i switched when i ran out.” 

One viewer wondered if there had been a formula change. “I used kristen ess for years, and I think there’s a formula change or something because it was good and now I have this too,” they said.

Kristin Ess Hair is a luxury hair brand whose variety of hair products have been made popular by social media influencers. In fact, the company was born in 2018 out of a collaboration between influencer Kristin Ess and Target. Its products are now found in additional stores like Walmart and Ulta.

@g00ch____ Its cool i didnt want my hair anway !! #kristenesshair #hairloss #kristenshampo ♬ The Bug Collector - BEN SCOTT

Internet users on other social media platforms have also reported hair loss after using Kristin Ess Hair shampoo. 

As Reddit user u/Somar092 wrote, “My hair fell out instantly in chunks and clumps the moment i used the Kristen Ess Shampoo (zip-up technology) and has extreme daily shedding ever since [Loudly Crying Face Emoji]. I used to have very dark thick virgin hair and now i’m balding !! In a matter of weeks, all i have left is a rat’s tail and an exposed scalp, it is so depressing.” 

But some commenters on Mandy’s post defended the brand.

“That’s insane because my hair REVOLTS if I try to use anything BUT Kristen Ess for the past two years. [Flushed Face Emoji],” one user wrote. 

Someone else commented, “I switched to Kristin ess after losing hair from using native and it made my hair feel so much better, I’m so sorry it had the opposite effect for you.” 

Why might Kristin Ess Hair cause hair loss in some customers?

Everyone’s hair is different and therefore will react to products differently. However, reports have found that certain chemicals in popular shampoo and conditioner products can result in hair loss. Some of the most common ingredients are sulfates, according to VeryWell Health.

Sulfates can strip the scalp of natural protective oils, which can leave hair dry and brittle and, in turn, contribute to breakage that appears as hair loss, per Healthline. The two most common sulfates are sodium lauryl sulfates and sodium laureth sulfates, both of which are found in Kristin Ess Hair Clarifying Shampoo. The company’s Signature Shampoo, however, is sulfate-free.

Another chemical that contributes to hair loss from shampoos is sodium chloride (also known as table salt), according to non-profit organization International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery. While salt is used as a thickening agent in some products, including Kristin Ess Hair’s Clarifying Shampoo, it can also strip your scalp of natural oils, which similarly contributes to breakage and hair loss.

However, shampoo isn’t the only thing that can contribute to hair loss. Other habits of daily life can cause it as well. Both repeated trauma to your hair, like over-brushing or using heat, (trichorrhexis nodosa), and emotional or physiological stress (telogen effluvium) can result in hair loss.

VeryWell Health also reports that certain autoimmune conditions can cause hair loss.

Viewers prefer drugstore products to luxury shampoo brands

On social media, several users said they’re returning to cheaper products over salon-grade shampoos like Kristin Ess Hair. 

On Mandy’s video, one viewer commented, “After years of trying so many different ‘high quality’ or ‘salon quality’ products, I ended up going back to suave. My hair hasn’t been this healthy in years.” 

Another user wrote, “[Not gonna lie] pantene saved my hair.” 

The Daily Dot reached out to Mandy via TikTok direct message and Kristin Ess Hair via email.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post ‘This happened to me too’: Woman slams Kristin Ess shampoo after 1 week of use leaves her hair like this appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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