John Abeigon got Bamboozled’s attention when he sent this e-mail: ‘‘T-Mobile thinks my daughter quit school and her job to spend a month 24/7 calling Guatemala to tune of $5,000.’’ Abeigon’s daughter Alida, 19, is an early childhood education major at Kean University. Abeigon has supported the bills for her T-Mobile cell phone service since she was a teen.... Full story »

Sharon Lemma Bozza charged her way to big-time debt. When she and her husband split in 2003, the money troubles began. She received child support for their three children, but it wasn’t enough. "I continued to work a full-time job, but things were so tight I began to go into debt, not for luxury items, but for basic things... Full story »

Michael Spyrka just wants his money back. Spyrka purchased a painting at a 2001 charity auction at Montclair Kimberley Academy, a private school attended by his three children. The painting was advertised in the auction catalog as an original piece by William Mason Brown, a 19th-century American landscape artist. The catalog gave the 25-by-30-inch framed painting an estimated value... Full story »

We reported the frustration of Robert Latzer, 82, and his wife Julia, 80, and their troubles with the escalator at Platform 222 at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City. When the Chatham couple go to Manhattan for a little culture, they often find the escalator turned off. They then have to climb 48 steps to the... Full story »

Home alarm systems are supposed to bring your family safety, security and a little peace of mind. Not a headache. Bill and Lisa Westheimer of West Orange were not happy with their alarm service, so they gave their old company the boot. Then they received a series of bills that were, well, alarming. Despite the cancellation — 18 months... Full story »

“You’ve been audited.” A scary phrase, for sure. Marti Caito was certainly spooked when the IRS told her she didn’t qualify for the First Time Homebuyer Tax Credit. ‘‘I thought I did all my homework, and I did," Caito said. Caito and her tax preparer were convinced she qualified for the credit, worth $7,500, and they put up their... Full story »

Oh, the bureaucracy. You get a mortgage. The lender tells you where and when to send your first payment. You do as instructed, mailing the check on time. The lender cashes the check. Then the collection calls start. That’s the short version of the bureaucratic nightmare that’s been dogging Matt and Andrea Shaw. They’ve been tangled in red tape,... Full story »

We’ve profiled two women in this space whose EPPICards — state-sanctioned debit cards from which users can access child support and alimony payments — were victims of fraudulent charges. In both cases, Affiliated Computer Services, or ACS, the company that oversees the EPPICard, refused to return money to the cardholders’ accounts until we asked. This month, we had to... Full story »

Eric Favetta was in the doghouse. A PetSmart employee since July 2008, Favetta was fired from his job at the Secaucus store last month for "theft of service." The alleged "theft" occurred during an overnight shift Favetta worked as a favor to his manager. Favetta brought his dog, Gizmo, to work with him, and the dog stayed in the... Full story »

Closing out an estate after someone dies can be horribly frustrating. While the person in charge — the executor — is dealing with the emotions of losing a loved one, they’re fighting bureaucracy at every turn: gathering account statements, keeping bills up-to-date, investigating tax law. Camela Hendry of Edison was responsible for taking care of the estate of her... Full story »

Stock market losses were rampant in 2008 and the start of 2009, and very few investors escaped unscathed. But Claire and Alex Moskvin of West New York contend they never should have seen losses — any losses — in the nest egg they entrusted to a Wells Fargo (formerly Wachovia) broker. "We were expecting him to keep our money... Full story »

John and MaryAnn Nolfi and their toilet went through something feared by most parents (and their plumbing). It was an unexplained toilet clog. Typical measures didn’t clear the drain, and finally, the Nolfis extracted a declaration of guilt. "Our 2-year-old son Ryan basically confessed to flushing a tennis ball or tennis balls down that toilet," said John Nolfi. The... Full story »

Harriet Buono was excited to buy a new car. She decided to turn in her 2004 Chevrolet Impala for a 2009 model of the same car. In late August, the 85-year-old woman took her trade-in to Ayers Chevrolet in Dover. The trade, plus $16,500 cash, got her a new set of wheels with 200 miles on it. Within a... Full story »

Earline Turner, 71, tries to keep her Plainfield home in proper working order. One of her annual tasks is to have her home’s chimney inspected. When workers knocked on her door in October 2008, saying they were there to check the chimney, she welcomed them. “They said I needed a top to the chimney because animals could get in,’’... Full story »

Ram Kappera and his wife, Lakshmi Potluri, welcomed a new baby boy to their family in early October. But in sharing their joy with family in India, the Maple Shade couple also greeted a jumbo phone bill. The Kapperas are Verizon FIOS Triple Play customers, but connect their phone to Vonage for international calls — an important distinction that... Full story »