Complaint Review: Columbia Telecommunications - Fry's/Outpost.com

I purchased three walkie-talkies from outpost.com, a division of Fry's electronics in California. They were advertised on the website www.techbargains.com as $25ea, limit 3, free after rebate from outpost.com.

I submitted the rebate information/forms/receipts/original upc's, and sent follow-up e-mail messages when I hadn't received rebate payment after 14 weeks. No reply to three e-mail messages.

Then I started calling. A different young female answers each time, but the story was the same - "you're on the list...they've been approved...two weeks." I was told this twice over the span of a month (record names, dates & times when you call the bastards).

The third time I called, I was told the same thing and had to threaten with calling the NY Attorney General's office. I receved three checks for $25 each within ten days of that call.

Yesterday, I received a notice from my bank that all three checks had bounced. I googled these clowns and now find on this and other sites that others have also been duped. This is simply unfair, and I hope the slimebags that own this disreputable company spend some time in jail for FRAUD.

I will call the company tomorrow, and will also call the Attorney General for New York as well as www.techbargains.com AND Fry's/Outpost.com. I feel that the last three share some responsibility for this and should also assist us - their customers - with resolution. AND reposession of Columbia Telecom's owner's Mercedes, Jag and BMW! Make your money the honest way like the rest of us!

Joe
Midwest, Illinois
U.S.A.