filing a complaint against a mail order company?

Mr. 16 gauge · #1 03-29-2010, 11:07 AM

If I wish to file a complaint against a mail order company, do I complain to the AG of the state that the company itself is in, or do I complain to the AG of the 'parent' company?

Adam Helmer · #2 03-29-2010, 03:04 PM

Mr. 16 gauge,

I suggest you complain to the local Postal Inspector, IF the mails were used in this matter. I am a retired Postal Inspector. Your local Postmaster has the phone number.

Adam

bulletpusher · #3 03-29-2010, 04:40 PM

The post office can do alot. If the people that you have a complaint against gets a little crazy about the investigation The Post Office SWAT Team can take care of that little problem real well.

Just a thought

fabsroman · #4 03-31-2010, 12:36 AM

I would complain to the Attorney General in your own state. Every state has something called the Long Arm Statute, so if it was something significant you could even hire an attorney and attempt to sue the vendor in your state unless you agreed to "Terms and Conditions" on the sale that would require you to sue in the vendor's state. Best bet is to contact your Attorney General and see what advice that office is willing to offer.

You can also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau if the vendor is registered with the BBB. That will let other people know about the ethics of this mail order company.

If you used a credit card for the purchase, call your credit card company and dispute the charge.

Ultimately, I would need to know more facts about what happened to give you some more avenues of pursuit.

Mind you, the advice above is coming from a "shyster" attorney and your attorney general is a "shyster" attorney too. The vendor might even have "shyster" attorneys working for it. So, you might as well get a "shyster" attorney on your side too.

Adam Helmer · #5 03-31-2010, 06:54 AM

fabsroman,

The services of the Postal Inspection Service are free to victims. Also, if there is a pattern of "Failure to Render" to the public, the Inspectors can initiate a Mail Stop to prevent future victims while the case is investigated against the Alleged Violator.

Adam

fabsroman · #6 03-31-2010, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Helmer

fabsroman,

The services of the Postal Inspection Service are free to victims. Also, if there is a pattern of "Failure to Render" to the public, the Inspectors can initiate a Mail Stop to prevent future victims while the case is investigated against the Alleged Violator.

Adam

The services of the Attorney General and the BBB are both free too. However, I know the BBB cannot get Mr. 16 Gauge's money back, and I am not very sure about the Attorney General.

Can the Postal Inspection Service get Mr. 16 Gauge's money back if it was a significant amount of money that is involved?

Adam Helmer · #7 03-31-2010, 05:24 PM

fabsroman,

Let me tell you this: I once got $60,000.00 restitution based on one complaint of $200.00. The BBB or AG NEVER did that!

Most of my cases ended in full restitution; the other Alleged Violators went to Danbury Federal Prison. Apparently you never dealt with Postal Inspectors. That is ok, I understand.

Adam

fabsroman · #8 03-31-2010, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Helmer

fabsroman,

Let me tell you this: I once got $60,000.00 restitution based on one complaint of $200.00. The BBB or AG NEVER did that!

Most of my cases ended in full restitution; the other Alleged Violators went to Danbury Federal Prison. Apparently you never dealt with Postal Inspectors. That is ok, I understand.

Adam

Nope, I have never dealt with a postal inspector. What can they do for a victim?

Was the $60,000 in restitution paid to the single victim that had a $200 claim, or was it more like a class action deal where it ended up being a lot of victims at $200 each?

Can a postal inspector help me with a fraudulent micro SD card that I received in the USPS mail from China? Paypal was of absolutely no help. Oh yeah, the USPS wasn't much help on returning the chip to the vendor either because there is absolutely no tracking info on the package, which is why Paypal denied my claim. That entire thing was a fiasco. Learned my lesson though. No matter how good the price tag looks, if it is from Asia and it is on e-bay, I am walking away from it.

I assume you were a postal inspector. How come I haven't heard more about you guys if you are this effective? I'm going to have to look into it some more after tax season.

Mr. 16 gauge · #9 04-01-2010, 04:05 PM

Thanks for all the info (even from the shysters

). I wrote a letter expressing my displeasure, and recently received an email from the company with some things that they will do to 'make it right', so as long as they come through with what they promise, I will hold off with further action. I will file this thread away, though, for future reference.....good stuff!
Thanks again.............