If you attempted to purchase a camera or camcorder (or any other electronic device) advertised on the Internet for the advertised price, only to be subjected to bait and switch tactics, file a complaint with both the State of New York’s Office of the Attorney General as well as the Department of Justice.
State of New York: CLICK HERE TO FILE COMPLAINTHere's information on their website. In 2009, when Andrew Cuomo was the Attorney General, they went after several Brooklyn-based bait and switch websites for "illegal and fraudulent" business practices. Here's the article. Here's a description of the illegal and fraudulent activities that were prosecuted for:
Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation revealed that these seven companies would advertise consumer electronics, such as cameras, camcorders, projectors, and related accessories online at prices significantly lower than their competitors to induce consumers to place orders via the internet. Once an order was placed, the companies would call consumers and try to sell them additional or “upgraded” merchandise at inflated prices. If the consumer refused to purchase the additional merchandise, the companies would cancel the sale or claim the item was backordered for months. If the consumer did agree to purchase the additional merchandise, the companies would send them lower quality merchandise than what was promised, or merchandise that the consumer never ordered in the first place. When customers tried to return the items, they would either be denied or be slammed with undisclosed fees. All of the companies further limited customers’ ability to return merchandise by requiring them to speak to a live customer representative during limited business hours, and then refusing to answer those telephone calls.
Sound familiar? These guys are back to committing the same illegal and fraudulent acts. And they need to be stopped.
One of the attorneys that handled the original case is now the acting chief of the Internet Division:
Karen Geduldig (Her email address is karen.geduldig@oag.state.ny.us. Or you can call her at 212-416-6307.
Please, remember to file a complaint with the Department of Justice as well. Here's their online complaint form. Their main phone number in Washington DC is (202) 514-1026. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is Preet Bharara. His contact information is as follows:
One St. Andrews Plaza. New York, NY 10007
Phone: (212 ) 637-2200. Fax: 212-637-2685.
Email: Preet.Bharara@usdoj.gov
Attorney General Cuomo’s investigation revealed that these seven companies would advertise consumer electronics, such as cameras, camcorders, projectors, and related accessories online at prices significantly lower than their competitors to induce consumers to place orders via the internet. Once an order was placed, the companies would call consumers and try to sell them additional or “upgraded” merchandise at inflated prices. If the consumer refused to purchase the additional merchandise, the companies would cancel the sale or claim the item was backordered for months. If the consumer did agree to purchase the additional merchandise, the companies would send them lower quality merchandise than what was promised, or merchandise that the consumer never ordered in the first place. When customers tried to return the items, they would either be denied or be slammed with undisclosed fees. All of the companies further limited customers’ ability to return merchandise by requiring them to speak to a live customer representative during limited business hours, and then refusing to answer those telephone calls.
Sound familiar? These guys are back to committing the same illegal and fraudulent acts. And they need to be stopped.
One of the attorneys that handled the original case is now the acting chief of the Internet Division:
Karen Geduldig (Her email address is karen.geduldig@oag.state.ny.us. Or you can call her at 212-416-6307.
Please, remember to file a complaint with the Department of Justice as well. Here's their online complaint form. Their main phone number in Washington DC is (202) 514-1026. The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York is Preet Bharara. His contact information is as follows:
One St. Andrews Plaza. New York, NY 10007
Phone: (212 ) 637-2200. Fax: 212-637-2685.
Email: Preet.Bharara@usdoj.gov
