Complaint Review: Blue Hippo Funding LLC

I AM FINALLY SATISFIED! IT'S A MIRACLE! BLUE HIPPO HAVE FINALLY REDEEMED THEMSELVES WITH ME! THEY FINALLY SENT ME A FULL REFUND FOR THE COMPUTER THAT I HAVE YET TO LAY EYES ON (AND OF COURSE, I DO NOT WANT NOW). MY ORIGINAL ORDER WAS PLACE ON JUNE 21, 2006, IT IS NOW APRIL 10,2007.THIS IS THE ONLY COMPANY THAT I KNOW THAT IT TAKES THEM ALMOST A YEAR TO PROCESS A REFUND. THEY ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING HONEST AND TOLD THE TRUTH FOR A CHANCE. I GUESS REPORTING THEM TO THE BBB AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OF MARYLAND ACTUALLY WORKED. EVEN THOUGH I GOT MY REFUND, I WILL NEVER,EVER, EVER, EVER ORDER ANYTHING FROM THEM OR FURTHER MORE ANYTHING ONLINE OR OVER THE PHONE AGAIN! I HAVE LEARNED MY LESSON! PRAISE THE LORD!

BEWARE INNOCENT CONSUMERS, PLEASE DO RESEARCH, READ YOUR CONTRACTS, AND FOLLOW THROUGH WHEN DEALING WITH ANY COMPANY THAT YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH. I THOUGHT I DID ENOUGH RESEARCH BEFORE PURCHASING BUT I GUESS I JUST DIDN'T RESEARCH THE RIGHT WEBSITES BEFORE PURCHASING. I WISH THAT I KNEW ABOUT THIS WEBSITE BEFORE I DECIDED TO DO WHAT I DID.

THIS RESPONSE IN REGARDS TO WHAT YOU STATED ABOUT DOING A LITTLE RESEARCH ON A COMPANY BEFORE MAKING A PURCHASE. I IN FACT HAD DONE RESEARCH ON THIS COMPANY BEFORE PURCHASING AND COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING NEGATIVE ABOUT THIS COMPANY AT FIRST. IF WAS AFTERWARDS THAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS WEBSITE AND OTHER SOURCES WHERE THIS COMPANY HAS RECEIVED BAD REVIEWS. I DID READ MY CONTRACT. I NEVER RECEIVED MY COMPUTER ( WHICH I ORDERED IN JUNE 2006 AND IT IS NOW APRIL 2007). I DID EXACTLY WHAT WAS STATED IN MY CONTRACT AND WHAT WAS TOLD TO ME OVER THE PHONE. I MADE SIX WEEKS WORTH OF PAYMENTS LIKE THE CONTRACT STATED.

I SENT ALL OF MY PAPERWORK IN AS REQUESTED NUMEROUS TIMES ONLY TO HEAR THEM (BLUE HIPPO) SAY THAT I HAD NOT SENT MY PAPERWORK IN AND THAT WAS WHY THEY NEVER SENT ME MY PRODUCT. AFTER I MADE ALL OF MY REQUIRED PAYMENTS, I WAS EVEN APPROVED FOR FURTHER FINANCING AND WAS CONSIDERED A PREFERRED CUSTOMER. THE PROBLEM IS, EVEN AFTER ALL THIS I STILL NEVER GOT MY PRODUCT, EVEN AFTER NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS TO TRY TO SETTLE THIS MATTER BUT THEY REFUSED TO COMMUNICATE WITH ME AND TRY TO MAKE THE SITUATION RIGHT SO I CANCELLED MY ACCOUNT AND REQUESTED A REFUND.

AS A CONSUMER, I FEEL LIKE I HAVE AND ANYONE IN MY SITUATION, HAVE THE RIGHT TO REQUEST A CASH REFUND IF THEY ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THE SERVICE. AFTER THEY FULLY INVESTIGATED MY ACCOUNT, THEY EVEN AGREED TO A FULL REFUND BUT OF COURSE THEY HAVE NEVER ISSUED IT. THEY LIE! I WAS NOT INFORMED IN MY CONTRACT OR OVER THE PHONE THAT I COULD NOT GET A REFUND. I NEVER GOT MY PRODUCT, I DID NOT BREACH MY CONTRACT, THEY DID! SO YES, THIS IS A PROBLEM ISSUE. YOU ARE NOT A BLUE HIPPO CUSTOMER, SO YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT HUNDREDS OF INNOCENT CUSTOMERS ARE GOING THROUGH, WE ARE NOT THE BAD ONES HERE. I DONE MY PART, BLUE HIPPO DIDN'T DO THEIRS. YOU SHOULD ORDER A COMPUTER THROUGH THEIR COMPANY AND SEE WHAT KIND OF SERVICE YOU RECEIVE!

The problem is that most of these people hear about Blue Hippo on the radio. It promises a LOT, but doesn't deliver. My main reason for calling it a "rip-off" is merely due to the price of the product(s) itself. When I heard about what they were advertising, I did some research myself. They really make it sound too good to be true, and they try to make you believe some false things about buying a computer by stating things like "You want a computer with YOUR credit? HAHAHA!!"

The TRUTH is that you do NOT need credit. You just need some financial management. Save $25-$50 per week, and you can have a brand new, CURRENT year computer (actually, if you read some of the complaints, some customers of Blue Hippo were sent REFURBISHED computers!!). Yes, most retailers (BestBuy and Circuit City to name 2 of them) offer computers without monitors. However, they do also have computer packages that DO include monitors as well. Most basic computer packages can be had for as little as $350-$500.

You're right, whenever you do NOT research something and make sure you understand ALL the terms and conditions of sale, you usually get burnt, or you end up complaining about what you did not ask about in the first place. Kind of like buying a cell phone. Yes, some cell phone companies tout the "FREE CAMERA PHONE" deal, but many people don't realized that they sign a 2 YEAR CONTRACT to get that "FREE" phone....and if they end up not liking their service...they are 1) STUCK with it until the contract ends, or 2) charged an "early termination fee" for canceling their part of the contract.

I agree, if people would actually READ about company or do some research, they would understand and NOT do half the things they do actually do. For instance, I work handling employee benefits. It's my experience that at least half of all employees do NOT take a look at their benefits booklet. Then, when something goes wrong or if they receive a medical bill, they complain to the benefits department about "not being notified". However, ALL benefit booklets explain almost EVERYTHING in explicit detail, and the explain how EACH program works. It is the EMPLOYEES' responsibility to read their benefits guide so that they understand exactly what they are electing for coverage, and also understand WHEN they can make changes (if any) during their company's plan year. Some employees don't think about their coverage until they NEED it, instead of thinking about it beforehand.

Did you read thru their FAQ's? After reading many posts about this company, I decided to go on and actually see what the website had to say.

First, you are told right up front about the 'fee' AND the fact that you have to make at least 13 payments before the computer is even ordered. They also point out that this is a 'layaway' type program, although they will offer to *finance the balance (at the bottom of the page they make note that they will only do this with some models). Also noted in their FAQ's is the fact that they don't refund cash, your 'refund' is in the form of a store credit.

If you look over the computers available, and then check the most recent computer models, it's quite easy to see that these are older models (yes, BRAND NEW, but not the current year).... our family has purchased many PC's (and not from Blue Hippo), and I can't remember the last time I saw a 40GB hard drive!). The 'free' items that you receive are AFTER you pay your balance (again, check the website). As for the monitor issue, look at the ads from most electronics retailers, and you'll notice that in most cases, monitors are sold seperately.

This seems to me to be a matter of not reading all of the information before jumping into a contract, then realizing that you aren't happy with the terms. Yes, they charge a fortune for the models they are sending out, but if you had taken the time to do a little research on the subject, you would have realized this BEFORE you gave out your banking information. All of the information is clearly spelled out on the website, so tell me where the ripoff is. If I have read the information, researched the item I'm buying, and still choose to sign up for a program such as this one, it's my own fault. Sorry, but I don't see the ripoff.

PS I don't work for, have never worked for Blue Hippo. I personally don't even find any appeal to the program they are running. HOWEVER, this is the USA, and if they provide a service that makes money and people are willing to utilize the service, thats their right, just as it's your right (and responsibility) to be an informed consumer and NOT utilize their program.

It is a CORRUPT and FRAUDULENT company. They even have the audacity to say that they donate to charity on their website!! They are only able to do so by RIPPING OFF people!!

The computer that they tout as "brand new, brand name" computer is OUTDATED and is actually a 2005 MODEL. Based on the specifications of the computer from their website at: http://www.bluehippo.com/orderNow.asp?pckg=1 the computers are worth about $350...and they DO NOT include a monitor!! I've built 4 computers in the last 4 years, and I haven't even spent over $1000 on ALL OF THEM COMBINED!! I even bought a laptop from Dell in June 2006 for only $475.00 INCLUDING shipping!!

It's a SCAM. ALL customers do NOT understand how the program works NOR how it rips them off!! By the time a customer pays for the "activation fee" (which is BOGUS in and of itself; the computer doesn't need to be "activated" in order to work) and pays for ONLY 6 WEEKS, they could have gotten themselves a BRAND NEW Dell, HP, or Compaq computer shipped directly to their door within 3-5 business DAYS, instead of waiting 4-6 MONTHS. Not only that, but customers could have purchased AT LEAST 4 BRAND NEW COMPUTERS by the time they have finished paying for their OUTDATED 2005 computer.

The current computer that I built myself in 2004 cost me only $500 dollars!! It has an AMD Athlon XP 2600+ processor, 1024MB RAM, TWO 80GB hard drives, 16X DVD burner, 16X DVD player, NVidia 6200 GeForce 128MB Video Card, and Windows XP. My monitor was only $200 more (I recently upgraded to a 19 inch widescreen LCD), so I spent a total of only $700!! By the end of the payment agreement (which is NON-REFUNDABLE if you decide to cancel, even if you are on your 51st payment), you will spend over $2200!!

THINK ABOUT IT: $99.00 "activation fee" + 52 weeks X $22.00 = $1243.00, and that is just for their BASIC computer WITHOUT a monitor!!

It PAYS to do some research BEFORE purchasing a computer. You can get a better computer by just going to WalMart or by ordering one online from Dell or Compaq/HP, and that is INCLUDING a monitor!! A basic computer now costs under $500. so you're betting off saving your money for a few months rather than letting Blue Hippo RIP YOU OFF for a few months and STILL GET NOTHING and CONTINUE to pay for it!!

You DO NOT need credit to buy a "brand new, brand name" computer. You just need to SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR A WHILE!! Look at this from Blue Hippo when you try to order their basic system online:

"Since we don't check your credit, we do ask that you build a credit history with us by paying a $99.00 initial fee, followed by 52 weeks of consecutive layaway payments of $21.99. Depending upon the product, after 13 weeks we can then offer to finance the balance of your purchase price, order your computer, and have it shipped directly to your home via UPS or FedEx. It's that simple!"

Let's do the math: $99 + 13 weeks X $22.00 = $385.00. So, if you can save up $25-$50 per week, you can get a BRAND NEW computer from Dell or Compaq/HP in LESS time it would take you to even HOPE that Blue Hippo ships their computer. And when you pay for it with CASH, you DO NOT continue paying for it for a whole year afterwards. You DO NOT get a computer faster with Blue Hippo, and you spend a LOT more. Does that make ANY sense to you?

**STAY AWAY from Blue Hippo computers!! If you have ordered a computer system from them, file with the BBB and see if you can get your money back. FYI - Search for "Blue Hippo lawsuit" in ANY search engine and see what you come up with!!!***

It is a CORRUPT and FRAUDULENT company. They even have the audacity to say that they donate to charity on their website!! They are only able to do so by RIPPING OFF people!!

The computer that they tout as "brand new, brand name" computer is OUTDATED and is actually a 2005 MODEL. Based on the specifications of the computer from their website at: http://www.bluehippo.com/orderNow.asp?pckg=1 the computers are worth about $350...and they DO NOT include a monitor!! I've built 4 computers in the last 4 years, and I haven't even spent over $1000 on ALL OF THEM COMBINED!! I even bought a laptop from Dell in June 2006 for only $475.00 INCLUDING shipping!!

It's a SCAM. ALL customers do NOT understand how the program works NOR how it rips them off!! By the time a customer pays for the "activation fee" (which is BOGUS in and of itself; the computer doesn't need to be "activated" in order to work) and pays for ONLY 6 WEEKS, they could have gotten themselves a BRAND NEW Dell, HP, or Compaq computer shipped directly to their door within 3-5 business DAYS, instead of waiting 4-6 MONTHS. Not only that, but customers could have purchased AT LEAST 4 BRAND NEW COMPUTERS by the time they have finished paying for their OUTDATED 2005 computer.

The current computer that I built myself in 2004 cost me only $500 dollars!! It has an AMD Athlon XP 2600+ processor, 1024MB RAM, TWO 80GB hard drives, 16X DVD burner, 16X DVD player, NVidia 6200 GeForce 128MB Video Card, and Windows XP. My monitor was only $200 more (I recently upgraded to a 19 inch widescreen LCD), so I spent a total of only $700!! By the end of the payment agreement (which is NON-REFUNDABLE if you decide to cancel, even if you are on your 51st payment), you will spend over $2200!!

THINK ABOUT IT: $99.00 "activation fee" + 52 weeks X $22.00 = $1243.00, and that is just for their BASIC computer WITHOUT a monitor!!

It PAYS to do some research BEFORE purchasing a computer. You can get a better computer by just going to WalMart or by ordering one online from Dell or Compaq/HP, and that is INCLUDING a monitor!! A basic computer now costs under $500. so you're betting off saving your money for a few months rather than letting Blue Hippo RIP YOU OFF for a few months and STILL GET NOTHING and CONTINUE to pay for it!!

You DO NOT need credit to buy a "brand new, brand name" computer. You just need to SAVE YOUR MONEY FOR A WHILE!! Look at this from Blue Hippo when you try to order their basic system online:

"Since we don't check your credit, we do ask that you build a credit history with us by paying a $99.00 initial fee, followed by 52 weeks of consecutive layaway payments of $21.99. Depending upon the product, after 13 weeks we can then offer to finance the balance of your purchase price, order your computer, and have it shipped directly to your home via UPS or FedEx. It's that simple!"

Let's do the math: $99 + 13 weeks X $22.00 = $385.00. So, if you can save up $25-$50 per week, you can get a BRAND NEW computer from Dell or Compaq/HP in LESS time it would take you to even HOPE that Blue Hippo ships their computer. And when you pay for it with CASH, you DO NOT continue paying for it for a whole year afterwards. You DO NOT get a computer faster with Blue Hippo, and you spend a LOT more. Does that make ANY sense to you?

**STAY AWAY from Blue Hippo computers!! If you have ordered a computer system from them, file with the BBB and see if you can get your money back. FYI - Search for "Blue Hippo lawsuit" in ANY search engine and see what you come up with!!!***