I have to say, this really cheeses me off. I have an ecommerce site selling legitimate DVDs, and work with independent suppliers who have been in the business for 25+ years. I know every time people get burned like this, they become more worried about ordering online or through the mail.
So, on behalf of all other HONEST sellers, some advice ...
* First, make an effort to contact them via an alternative method. (Of course, this company's history speaks for itself, but assuming it's another dealer). That's in case there's some reason they can't get back in touch with you -- say, your mailbox is full, or you have overzealous spam filters and don't realize it. Try to send a letter. If you already expect further trouble, try using Certified Mail or putting the letter in an padded envelope that can be sent with Delivery Confirmation. This provides a record for you that they did indeed receive your mail.
* Make a note of each time and date you contact them, including when you ordered, when you received the package, etc.
* If it's not on the website - get their address (look on the original package, and run a Whois search of their domain name on http://www.whois.net). This shows you the state jurisdiction for your complaint. The whois record for this company shows that they have hidden their registration information. That in itself is a BIG red flag. Before you buy from a company you're unfamiliar with, double-check for their address and make sure it's listed under their whois.
* Contact their online service provider. That is generally the company providing the hosting for their account, information that also appears on their Whois record. With hidden registration like this, you could contact the company they registered the original domain with (in this case, GoDaddy).
* Contact your state attorney general (or your trade/consumer government organization if you're overseas), and their state attorney general. Refer them to the registration address.
* File a mail fraud claim with the United States Post office, and/or Canada Post. They take it VERY seriously.
* In the US, contact the Federal Trade Commission. There are strict rules and regulations about truth in advertising, and shipping in a timely fashion.
* If it's a bootleg DVD, and clearly not in the public domain, contact the broadcaster and the distribution company (which would generally be someone like Warner Brothers, Disney, etc. -- look them up using IMDB.com).
* Don't bother with the Better Business Bureau. They can occasionally intercede with larger companies, but each chapter makes their bread and butter selling memberships to *local* companies. If it's an online scam company such as this one, which deliberately hides their address, etc., it's unlikely that they would respond to pressure from BBB.
This company's domain was registered in Arizona:
Registrant
Domains by Proxy, Inc.
(480) 624-2599 Phone
(480) 624-2599 Fax
DomainsByProxy.com
15111 N. Hayden Rd., Ste 160, PMB 353
Scottsdale, Arizona 85260
United States
tvdvdworld.com@domainsbyproxy.com
That may mean that they had a second party (probably GoDaddy) register their domain. No matter. Their business address is listed in Arizona. Therefore you could reasonably argue that the fraud originated in part from the state of Arizona, therefore contact the state attorney general there. |
247 days ago by Law [
232 days ago by Mikr [