What can I do if an online store has taken my money?

B

Beef Welington

Veteran XV
So I made the mistake of buying a modchip from ModChipStore.com - Xbox, DS (Lite), GameCube, PS2, PSP, Xbox 360, and Wii Mod Chips. Play Original Backups & Imports! without checking the reseller ratings. It was listed as an "official" distributor of the WiiKey, so I figured they were legit. It's been months now, and they charged me for some 50 bucks, but never sent me the modchip.

Do I have any recourse? I'm only somewhat hesitant because of the semi-legal nature of mod chips, kind of like how you wouldn't go to the cops if somebody stole drugs from you.

But since I've never had any problems like this before, I don't really know what to do. I bought it using a debit card, so I couldn't exactly cancel the charge, but maybe I should be talking to my bank? Anyway, any ideas?

cliffs:
1. bought a mod chip from sketchy online store
2. they charged me, never sent the chip
3. ???
4. refund
 
I've been emailing them constantly. They dick around a lot. At first there was a delay, and then their servers "crashed" so they needed me to resend my info, which I did. Then nothing happened for a long time. I periodically send them emails, and they either don't respond, or respond by saying that it should go out in a few days. It's all bullshit and lies.
 
If you were smart and paid by credit card...you should contact your credit card bank and everything will probably be fine.

If you paid by money order or something like that...just consider it life lesson and probably consider the money lost(but keep bugging them anyway for the hell of it)




err...just read your whole post and it appears you used a debit card.


(normally) Debit cards are not smart to use online compared to credit cards. (even if they have a visa/mc logo on them they are NOT considered credit cards and you normally do NOT get the same buyers protection.)
 
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I guess also something of interest is that it has one of those buttons that claims it is verified by a company called "Thawte", which appears to be legit (owned by VeriSign).

Except when you click on the button, you get an "invalid certificate" message. :scared:

edit: yeah, it was a visa check card. I don't do the credit card thing yet, but I suppose this is why. But maybe I should contact my bank or visa? Probably wont get any help there...

Can I contact the police or something, if I knew where the actual headquarters was located? It's just fifty bucks, but on the principle of the thing, I'd like to get some sort of revenge. I emailed "Thawte" and informed them that the site was using their logo but with an invalid certificate, so maybe something will come of that. Whatever.
 
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Sounds like the business is probably going under.

Go to your bank (that issued the debit card) and tell a banker there the situation and ask if there is anything that can be done on the banks end. It's worth a try. :shrug:
 
Beef Welington said:
edit: yeah, it was a visa check card. I don't do the credit card thing yet, but I suppose this is why.
Click to expand...



Don't be afraid of credit cards. I know people on TW whine about credit cards (omg they are evil...don't use them, etc). But the simple facts are you get a lot of protection when making purchases with a credit card and if used correctly can be a great tool for your financial well being.
 
Your visa check card should have the same protection through your bank. Call them up and get the charge reversed.
 
Contact Visa.

I use Capital One, and this exact situation happened to me about two years ago. I ordered the mod chip, it didn't come. I emailed, got the run around. Contacted Capital One, they attempted to contact the business with no success, and they credited my account - all in a matter of days.
 
Better Business Bureau

They've recently followed through with a case on a dating website here in Dallas

ah here it is:
The Right One Dating Service said it has more than 40,000 members in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but NBC 5 has learned that not all of them are happy customers.

Jane, a single mother who joined the service hoping to meet her perfect match, said the service promised a setup within 24 hours.
Click here to find out more!

After more than two months and $100, Jane said she has not received a single match or her money back.

"I think it's a rip-off," said Jane. "I would advise everyone to stay away from them."

In the past three years, the BBB has received 55 complaints against the dating service, mostly for high-pressure sales tactics and broken promises.

"I'd point out this company does not have a satisfactory record because of the number of complaints and that this number is a sign you should be very careful of what you are getting into," said Jeannette Kopko with the Dallas BBB.

The owner of the dating service, Ted Law, said the service boasts a 30-year history of happy endings and that his No. 1 priority is taking care of his members. Law added that with a dating service the size of The Right one, there are bound to be some complaints.

As a remedy, Law said he would refund Jane's money and offer her a free lifetime membership. Jane told NBC 5 that she was not interested.
Click to expand...
 
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Beef Wellington has come so far.

He used to ask questions about how to use AOL.

Now he asks questions about how to buy things on AOL.
 
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