Call for Action volunteers working for you to resolve consumer issues

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Our Call for Action volunteers work every day on your behalf, getting tens of thousands of dollars back to consumers in the form of refunds, goods, and services.

So far this year, they and the Troubleshooters have worked hard for our viewers behind the scenes and have opened more than 600 cases. These are issues they've taken on after our viewers have called or emailed us saying they just can't get these problems resolved on their own.

Here are just two examples.

Shannon Christine of Bensalem, Bucks County was surprised last September when an iPhone suddenly arrived for her.

"The cell phone appeared on my in-laws doorstep and I had not ordered the phone, but it was an account, apparently, that was created in my name," she said.

That account was with a cell provider she doesn't use.

"I ended up going through and putting a freeze on my credit through the credit reporting agencies just to make sure that if somebody had my information that they weren't going to go any further," she said.

And so began the dance of Christine trying to return the phone and cancel the account. From September to January, she went to the cell providers' brick and mortar stores, called customer service, even complained on social media with no luck - all while bills for the phone kept arriving.

"It was really frustrating to me. It was a lot of mental energy," she said. "I ended up contacting Action News."

Our Call for Action volunteer cut through the confusion, enabling Christine to return the phone and close the account without having to pay the bills she received.

"I can't thank her enough because she really worked tirelessly, tirelessly on my behalf," she said.

Anthony D'Amico of Abington, Montgomery County had equally glowing words about the volunteer who helped him with his hearing aids.

The pair he had stopped working. When he called the company, they told him he was entitled to a full refund and to just send the devices back, which he did. The company received the hearing aids in November, but D'Amico never got his refund.

Three months later: "My wife decided, she says 'I'm going to call Channel 6 and have them look into this for you'," he said.

Our Call for Action volunteer got on it and shortly after, D'Amico had a check for $849.

"I was just so ecstatic because things had been taken care of within a week," he said. "I'm really grateful to Channel 6 for providing this sort of thing for people who are in my situation."

If you have a problem you need help with, you can call 866-978-4232 Monday through Friday from 11 am to 1pm or submit online at 6abc.com/Troubleshooters.