Anthony Calleja

⭐☆☆☆☆
Overpriced and Underwhelming – Look Elsewhere

I had high hopes for Ethos Life Insurance based on their slick marketing and promises of "fast, affordable coverage." What I got instead was overpriced premiums for subpar coverage that fell short of what other reputable insurers were offering.

Their rates are significantly higher than those of the competition for the same level of coverage, and the entire experience felt more like dealing with a tech startup trying to be an insurance company rather than with professionals who understand real customer needs. Customer service was inconsistent, and the policy options were limited unless you fit into a very narrow mold.

Bottom line: Ethos overcharges and underdelivers. If you're shopping for life insurance, do yourself a favor and scratch them off your list. There are far better options available that provide genuine coverage without the smoke and mirrors. Select Quote has a wide range of insurance options.

Date of experience: July 22, 2025

⭐☆☆☆☆
A Complete Rip-Off – Do the Math!

I signed up for the Colonial Penn life insurance plan that’s heavily advertised at "$9.95 per month." What they don’t tell you upfront is that this only buys you a single unit of coverage – which is just $800. That means if you want even a modest $10,000 in coverage, you're paying over $120 a month. Want the full $25,000? That’s nearly $310/month! And here's the kicker — your health status doesn’t change the price OR the benefit. So whether you're fit as a fiddle or have serious medical conditions, you’re getting the same overpriced deal.

It’s misleading advertising, plain and simple. The $9.95 pitch is just a hook to get you in the door. Once you realize how little coverage you’re actually getting, it feels like a total scam. You'd be far better off exploring other life insurance options that give you real value for your money. Colonial Penn’s “Guaranteed Acceptance” plan sounds nice, but it’s financially predatory for what you actually get.

Avoid this unless you enjoy throwing money away.

Date of experience: July 22, 2025

Horrible Experience After 30+ Years with Cigna
I've been a loyal Cigna policyholder since 1993, originally through my employer. After retiring, I chose to continue with Cigna independently because I believed they were a trusted name in healthcare. Unfortunately, that trust has completely eroded after this most recent experience. They now have more red tape than the federal government.
This wasn't my first bad experience with Cigna’s customer service. About two years ago, they sent me a letter saying my plan was being eliminated and I needed to select a new one. It was a nightmare trying to find a licensed agent in Hawaii. They promised to fix the issue—but never did.
Then in May, I received a notice that my premium would increase by over 50% starting in August. I made six calls on May 26, 27, and 28, trying to change my policy. After lengthy verification each time, I was told the agent wasn’t licensed in Hawaii and someone would call me in 24–48 hours. No one ever called.
The following week, I called three more times, only to go through the same cycle. The verification questions became downright absurd—asking whether I live in a house or condo, or whether my number is a mobile or landline. When I asked to speak to a supervisor, one rep hung up on me.
When I finally got a supervisor on the line, she transferred me to the dental department and promised a callback on Friday, June 6th. I did get a call—from Kimberly Bane, who said she was with Cigna and would resolve everything. We spent four hours on the phone, and nothing got done. She said everything would be taken care of on Monday. She didn’t call Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday. Absolutely nothing was fixed.
Kimberly insisted I cancel my existing policy and start a new one. I did, but the process was chaotic. They required my wife's verbal permission repeatedly, even for the most minor changes—it became a complete hassle.
Eventually, we canceled the plan altogether and requested a refund. We were told it would be processed within 10 days. It has now been 18 days, and still no refund.
We finally went with Hawaii Dental Service, and within five minutes, my wife was covered. All it took was a single call and a simple release. Cigna is disorganized, unprofessional, and not equipped to serve Hawaii residents.
After 30+ years, I’m done with them. Save your money and your sanity—go with Hawaii Dental Service or another local provider. They understand local needs and actually know how to deliver service.

This is my response to Cigna's Reply.

Hello, I will go ahead and email you—though I’m not sure what good that will do at this point. I’ve already sent a formal letter to CEO David Cordani and am awaiting his response.

I called your office again today. It’s now been 21 days, and I still haven’t received my refund. The representative couldn’t explain why it hasn’t been processed yet, but said it might take another 48 to 72 hours. That’s ridiculous.

Date of experience: June 06, 2025

Starbucks has changed, and Corporate values have changed. I am a gold cardholder and a Starbucks customer for over 40 years. If I make a purchase at one store and then go to another store, I should be able to ask and receive a cup of water. If a person asks for a cup of water, they must make a purchase. What if they are homeless and have no money? Do you allow them to skip their medication? It's hot in Hawaii, and Starbucks should have a courtesy cup of water. Your policy no longer promotes the use of environmentally friendly, waste-friendly methods. Previously, you would give people coffee grounds when they asked for them, if they were available. Now your Policy change promotes filling our landfill.

Date of experience: June 08, 2025

Cloudflare is a dishonest service. I was promised a refund 2 months ago and never received it. I stopped at one service, but I'm still being charged. I sent them 24 emails since then. Opened 4 new tickets. I am getting nowhere. I receive auto-replies. They rely too heavily on AI and fail to address any issues.

Date of experience: April 25, 2025

I have been a member of Alliant Credit Union for over 37 years. I received a letter from Alliant Credit Union instructing me to call in since I had not used my credit card for some time, or it would not be renewed once it expired. So I called them the following morning, and it was a nightmare. I was transferred five times, had to get reverified four times, and in the end, nothing was resolved. The last two individuals I spoke with were rude and disrespectful and couldn't answer well. All I wanted was to keep the card open. After an hour, nothing was resolved. I have decided to close my accounts and transfer all my funds to a company that respects my business.

Date of experience: March 11, 2025

They have all these advertisements on Cable TV, but they do not disclose the minimum requirements and that you must be an accredited investor.

Date of experience: December 06, 2024

Today, I went to Lowe's to purchase a $1400 Grill and some accessories. I asked for the manager, and Kalani, an employee, said he was no longer there; then I said what do you mean he left for the day and he said yes. I asked if I could speak to the manager on duty, and he said I am the manager. I told him I was interested in purchasing the Webber grill and accessories. He said he was busy and would be right with me. I waited 20 minutes and saw him, and he said he was still busy; 10 minutes later, I walked out the door. Lowe's seems to care about something other than making a sale. Many employees walk around, but when asked questions, they reply that it's not my area—inferior customer service.

Date of experience: May 31, 2024

I have been going to HR Block for over 35 years to do my taxes every year on 14th April. First, it was at Sears Pearlridge, then their Pear Kai office, then their Kapolei office because it was closer to home. My 2021 taxes were prepared by Dennis G Smith, "Master Tax Advisor." I paid their fee plus a "Peace of Mind" fee. I received a letter from the Federal that there was an error and I needed to spend Thousands of Dollars. I called the Kapolei office and asked for Dennis, but they said he was on vacation. I went ahead and paid the amount specified.
About two months later, I received a letter from the State asking for Thousands of Dollars, so I called the Kapolei office again. Dennis told me to drop off the 2021 Return, and he would do an Amendment. When he amended the amendment, he made several errors and had to amend it. Afterward, he wanted me to pay another fee when I had already paid the "Peace of Mind" for 2021. I told him I paid, and he asked me to bring him a bottle of Blueberry Brandy. I told  Dennis G Smith I would see him next week and confirmed my appointment for 14th April 2024, at 3 pm. When I arrived for my appointment, the receptionist said I did not have an appointment. I showed her the confirmation on my cell phone, which did not matter, nor did she care. I waited an hour. She notified Dennis, and he came to the waiting area and told me not to worry; he would accommodate me. I waited 3 hours, and then he changed his mind and said he would not see me. After waiting 3 hours, he returned to the area, began being rude and mean, and said he couldn't see me. I think Dennis is an incompetent tax preparer and needs to step down. The two receptionists could have been more helpful and honored my text reservation.

Date of experience: April 13, 2024

HexClad scams people by using false advertising and deceptive practices. They sent me an email promoting a 40% discount if I signed up and included my email and cell phone number. I tried it and went on their website to make several purchases, but I was not offered a discount as promised. I contacted their customer service and received generic replies apologizing for the inconvenience, but they did not try to make it right and honor the discount. I must have received eight emails from customer service but did not receive a resolution. He said they have a Memorial Day promotion and will not honor any other promotion. I did provide them with the information, but it did not seem to matter. To contact customer service, you must give all the details, including your email and phone number. Brittany is lying when she says I refused. Your team declined to honor the deceptive promotion. Even your customer service person said in his correspondence that he can see how deceptive it looks. I saved all the correspondence and would happily share it as screenshots with the Trustpilot Community.

Date of experience: May 08, 2024

I am writing this Review for the Allstate 800 S Beretania St, Ste 260, Honolulu, HI 96813
I told Colin (insurance agent) what I wanted. I have been with Liberty Mutual for 32 years. The first thing he asked me was if it was being canceled. I was shopping around. The inspection should have been disclosed before finalizing everything. First, I expected someone to come to my home for the inspection. Then, I was told I would receive an email, do a walkaround, and submit the video. The email never came. My time was wasted. For Future! Being upfront about the process would be a good idea.
I may still go with Allstate, but it will be with another Broker.

Date of experience: May 10, 2024

I have subscribed to Social Pilot for over a year, and since I renewed my subscription, I have not had the time to use it due to illness. I canceled my subscription and requested a prorated refund, but they refused. They gave a partial refund Only after saying I would post a review.

Date of experience: May 12, 2024

I was referred to this Company by USAA. Don't waste your time. I had a terrible interview with this Company's representative. He kept asking the same questions over and over three times. American Modern Insurance Group charges way too much for what it offers. I looked at their reviews, and they were one horror story after another. USAA should not offer this to its membership.

Date of experience: April 25, 2024

I am so disappointed in USAA. They offer auto insurance in Hawaii but do not offer Homeowner's insurance. They refer members to American Modern Insurance Group, whose services are substandard. USAA should not refer members to a company that provides substandard services.

Date of experience: April 24, 2024

I ordered a gift from Amazon for a friend on the 2nd of December. UPS picked it up on the 4th of December, and the package was supposed to be delivered on the 7th. When I checked for my order, it was changed to running late, and it said it would arrive today. I called Amazon, and I was placed on hold. While they called UPS, they could not get through and advised me to contact UPS. When I called, I explained they were unwilling to open an investigation even though they misplaced the package. They would not even reach out to Amazon. It was a disappointment because they didn't care.

Date of experience: December 11, 2023

I was in Rome and flying on Air Malta to Malta, where I had confirmed seats. I arrived at Rome Airport early, went to the Alitalia counter, and asked if they would honor my Air Malta tickets. The agent said they would, gave them our luggage, and headed to the gate to board. This would have put in Malta 90 minutes earlier. When we arrived at the gate, the agent said we changed our mind and had to go to baggage claim to retrieve our luggage. Our luggage was lost. We waited and waited and ended up missing our flight on Air Malta. We were fortunate that Air Malta added another flight. This put us into Malta four hours late. When we arrived, only two of our four bags were there. It was a lesson learned. I will never fly Alitalia Airlines.

Date of experience: October 16, 2023

I am sending Amazon a 1-star review on Trust Pilot.
You say there is suspicious activity on my account but refuse to explain.
You have verified my phone number.
You have my email and have been corresponding back and forth.
I submitted my return request with the assistance of one of your employees.
My order was incomplete, and some of the items were defective.
I called in after doing the phone verification, and the call dropped.
Your employee did not call me back.
I called back and did not use the automatic verification; I was verified over the phone.
I called in today because you sent me an email that said I had until the 21st of December to return the SD Cards, but I have yet to receive them in the first place.
I ordered six; you sent me four and charged me for six.
You are holding me accountable for your employees' incompetence.
I submitted my ID, and you said you needed it because my account was compromised.
Your system accepted my ID, and then you said it was blurry, but everything was clear and sharp.
This is another excuse.
Your system and the way you deal with returns are unfair.

Date of experience: December 11, 2023

I am giving Hawaii Gas a one-star review because every time they come out and do a meter reading, they move things and never put them back. I called and complained twice and told them they needed to return and put items in their place. Since the have not I am posting this review.

Date of experience: November 28, 2023

I have been going to the Kapolei Ka Makana Ali'i Foodland since it opened. It is one of my favorite Foodlands on Oahu. I spend $150 per week on their Poke. For the last two months, it has been going downhill. Several untrained individuals must be making the Poke before putting it out for distribution. Not all customers taste their Poke before taking it home. I recommend they do. Lately, it has needed more flavor. If I am buying Spicy Ahi, then it should be spicy. I talked to several employees, including the servers, the seafood department, and the supervisors. Where is the Quality control? I did the survey. It did not help. I did receive a reply, but nothing improved. Four weeks later, nothing changed. I am hopeful that this review will help improve quality control.

Date of experience: July 05, 2023

I have been going to the Kapolei Costco since it opened. It seems post covid, under New Management, it has gone downhill. Things are a mess and scattered all over the place with no organization. Many shelves are empty, and they no longer order certain items. Employees could be more friendly. The self-checkout is a shambles. They used to have senior citizen's day. That no longer exists. The savings and benefits are no longer there.

Date of experience: July 07, 2023