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  • Report:  #91043

Complaint Review: Columbia Telecommunications Group

Columbia Telecommunications Group ripoff with Bounced Rebate Checks Farmingdale New York

  • Reported By:
    Du Bois Pennsylvania
  • Submitted:
    Tue, May 11, 2004
  • Updated:
    Tue, May 11, 2004
  • Columbia Telecommunications Group
    174 Milbar Blvd.
    Farmingdale, New York
    U.S.A.
  • Phone:
    631-5015044
  • Category:

Just like everyone else, I purchased 3 Columbia Telecommunications FRS Radios(pair) from Outpost.com for $25.00 each w/ $25.00 rebate for each pair on December just before Christmas.
After the 10 weeks have passed, I called to inquire about my rebates. They told me that they have the rebates in the system and I would be getting them within 2-3 weeks.
Well, 3 weeks passed and I still have not received them. So, I called again and they told me that same thing. After filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and waiting for almost 3 whole months, I finally received 3 $25.00 checks about 2 weeks ago.
I cashed the checks right away and this morning I received a phone call from my bank about those 3 specific checks that I cashed; they came back "Insufficient Funds". For each bounced check, I received a $10.00 fee, so I'm out $105.00 now.
So, I called Columbia again and I know I'm going to be going through the same exact thing; time wasted and aggrevation. They just took my name and number and amount owed down and that's it. I even asked them about their "Filing for Bankruptcy" a week ago and they said that they don't know anything about what's going to happen in the future. All they can do right now is take my name and number down and the amount I'm owed with the bank fees.
I know this is a crime to purposely send out checks that are going to bounce, so why haven't they faced any criminal charges yet???? It was bad enough to falsely advertise honoring rebates and not paying them or spending 3 months of patience and persistence before receiving anything that would eventually bounce and cause even more damages.
All I know is, I am filing again with the Better Business Bureau in New York(newyork.bbb.org) and also with the Federal Trade Commission(www.ftc.gov) and I am even willing to go to Small Claims Court to sue for the $105.00(3x$25 + 3x$10 bank fees) PLUS $500.00 for my time and aggrevation. My aunt lives about 20 miles from Farmingdale, NY so I shouldn't have a hard time going to court there.
If there is anyone else who would like some action taken, we have a better chance of getting our cases heard and promptly if the BBB and FTC knows that its more than just one person.
If you want to contact me, use the rebuttal box below.

CLICK here to see why we deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Neil
Du Bois, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.

STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... CLICK HERE to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! It has been reported, when there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide. ..Remember. The BBB membership is not earned, it's paid for!

Click here to read The *EDitorial: The Marketing Rebate Rip Off ...Manufactures invent reasons why not to pay the consumer

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