Unhelpful customer support is one of those things that really makes or breaks a customer’s experience with a business. More times than not, the company holds all the cards, even when it’s in the wrong, so it’s no wonder that people do enjoy it when regular folks actually get to turn the tables.
A netizen shared their bit of revenge against a bank that locked their account without cause. After the bank’s support line was repeatedly unhelpful, they turned to more aggressive methods. We reached out to the person who made the post via private message and will update the article when they get back to us.
A bank locking one’s account without reason is pretty stressful
Image credits: luis_molinero (not the actual photo)
So one netizen decided to take matters into their own hands
Image credits: jet-po (not the actual photo)
Image credits: butterNcois
People do have a sense of justice
Revenge stories are always a guilty pleasure, but there is something especially nice about stories in which a consumer bested a company. Whether it’s a diner who won’t pay for crappy service, a shopper who tricks a shady store policy, or an employee outsmarting an avaricious company, these stories go viral on the net. They resonate with us because they touch on something almost universal, the anger at being powerless against huge institutions, and the thrill of seeing that power turned back on itself.
Relatability is one of the major reasons these tales are so much fun to read. Nearly everyone has experienced a company that had treated them unfairly, whether with unannounced fees, horrible customer service, or rules that appeared intended to annoy rather than assist. At the time, most folks don’t stand up for themselves, they either take their frustration on the chin or back away with their tails between their legs. Reading about someone who doesn’t just take it, but figuring out a sly means of getting back at them, is a vicarious triumph. It’s fantasy gratification, allowing us to fantasize about what it would be like to finally buck the nameless structures that so often intrude into our lives.
And then there’s the moral dimension. Revenge against a corporation is less tainted than revenge against a flesh-and-blood human being because corporations are perceived as being more powerful and capable than mere men. When a corporation or company victimizes an individual, it feels unjust, as David bullied by Goliath. To watch David counterattack with guile or obstinacy appears not merely just but passionately purging. It has an appeal to our understanding of justice, that arrogance, greed, or thoughtlessness about people has to be paid back.
A good revenge story tends to have a cunning plot
Cleverness is another aspect of attractiveness. Many of the greatest revenge stories don’t involve confrontation or screaming, but brains. A shopper who beats a company’s fine print, or a man who utilizes a company’s own stringent guidelines to turn the tables, is instantly accessible. The best stories aren’t about brute force, they’re about brains overpowering red tape. This makes the revenge satisfying and amusing, as it is a reminder that the strongest systems have weakest spots.
And there’s also a social component. Retelling and sharing these stories is a way of commiserating with each other about shared grievances. Every person has a memory of being wronged by a corporation, so reading about someone else’s delicious revenge is like trading war stories. It makes our own experiences more legitimate while providing us with something to root for, a small but symbolic victory against an unwinnable system.
Deep down, customer revenge stories are all about equality. They flip the standard narrative of the company being in control and the consumer needing to get into line on its head. All of a sudden, the tables are reversed and the ordinary person gets the prize of winning. That turnaround is what makes the stories so compelling, they remind us that occasionally the underdog can triumph, and that justice doesn’t always arrive on the doorstep of courts and policies, sometimes it arrives on the doorstep of fast thinking, determination, and a good comeback.
Readers thought the revenge was well done
Others shared similar stories
Some did think their use of bots was still unethical
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