Advocates?

Some friends of my girlfriend are in a battle with Best Buy over a defective television. She came home last night and asked me "What's that consumer advocate guy's name?" I did know one off the top of my head, oddly enough, so rather than a more generic search she went to the internet looking for David Horowitc.

I remember him having a segment on local news in LA called 'Fight Back' I think. You could write to him care of the station and he would go after the evil car dealer, insurance adjuster...whatever. He came off like a real do gooder. When I was a car salesman I was not impressed by some of his stuff with car dealers, since it often seemed like blackmail; 'you are definitely in the right, but once we splatter you over the airwaves that won't matter' type stuff.

I feel vindicated now. I hadn't seen Mr Do Gooder on the air in a long time, but he is apparently still active. If you have a consumer type problem he will resolve it, according to his website. As I well remember, he makes no distinction about whether or not you are in the right, he just trusts his market power to force the company to give in...for a minor fee. Of course if the target checks his website they will see that all they need to do is hold out through three letters...since that is all you get from him for your $175.