Complaint Review: CPU Parts International - Atek PC - Horizon PC Technologies - Conway Arkansas

I placed an order with CPU Parts in October 2004 and soon after, realized that this company seemed a bit shady in their business practices. They charged my bank's debit card twice, claiming that the first charge wasn't allowed because they had changed their business name from "AtekPC" to "Horizon PC Technologies".

Fortunately, I was granted a refund by CPU Parts but only for 1/2 of the money that they took from my account. I decided to officially cancel my order with CPU Parts and after no response to my 1st request, sent them at least 4 subsequent email messages stating my wish for order cancellation. It wasn't until many days later that that they acknowledged they were going to cancel my order but in that email, they never mentioned the refund still owed to me.

We kept sending emails to CPU Parts requesting that our refund be sent to us but it wasn't until December that we were able to contact someone there about it. We have spoken with an actual person via telephone, who goes by the name "William Trufaunt" and he had promised in 2 phone conversations that refunds would be sent out, even stating a particular date that the refund had been sent out. We have received a recent email in which he blamed the weather for his failure to send out the refund. None has ever arrived. I have encountered numerous delay tactics and been told outright LIES in regards to my order and refund.

Upon further research, I discovered that the Arkansas Better Business Bureau has a report on CPU Parts:

"Based on BBB files, this company has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau due to unanswered complaint(s). This company has a pattern of failure to deliver the promised products or services as represented."

(http://www.arkansas.bbb.org/common.html?location=/home/common/www/mis67/report.php&bureau=lilrock&compid=10000152)

It is apparent that CPU Parts International, Ltd. has already broken the Federal Trade Commission's "Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule" which, if a company is convicted of violating, may subject the company to "up to $11,000 per violation (any time during the five years preceding the filing of the complaint), and consumer redress (any time during the three years preceding the filing of the complaint). When the mails are involved, the Postal Service also has authority to take action for problems such as non-delivery. State law enforcement agencies can take action for violating state consumer protection laws."

(Source: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/mailorder.htm)

The entire text of the FTC's Mail or Telephone Order Merchandise Rule is located at:

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/mailorder.htm

...in which this case, and most others posted here, clearly illustrates that CPU Parts International Ltd., Inc. has violated this rule. Most notably, the section of the outlined rule stating:

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How Quickly You Must Make a Refund

When you must make a Rule-required refund, the following applies:

* If the customer paid by cash, check, or money order, you must refund the correct amount by first class mail within seven working days after the order is cancelled.

* If the customer paid by credit, you must credit the customer's account or notify the customer that the account will not be charged, within one customer's billing cycle, after the order is cancelled.

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A request for cancellation of my merchandise order was sent early in November 2004 and as of today, December 31, 2004, no refund has arrived.

Unlike many others, I was fortunate to receive a phone number from CPU Parts International, Ltd. Inc. belonging to a "Mr. William Trufaunt". He can be reached at

(501)612-7727 between the hours of 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Central Standard Time.

The company's physical addresses, obtained using an "Incorporation" search at the Arkansas Secretary of State's web site (http://www.sosweb.state.ar.us/corps/search_all.php), are listed as follows:

CPU Parts International, Ltd.

22 PINNALCE VALEY VIEW, #9

LITTLE ROCK, AR 72223

(Reg. Agent: Kent Smith)

(Officers: KENT SMITH, Incorporator/Organizer)

Aieon Inc.

11615 SHADY RIDGE DRIVE

LITTLE ROCK, AR 72211

(Reg. Agent: Brandon Washington)

(Officers:

RENT SMITH, President

BRANDON WASHINGTON, Vice-President

BRANDON WASHINGTON, Treasurer

BRANDON WASHINGTON, Secretary

BRANDON WASHINGTON, Controller)

Atek PC Inc.

17200 CHENAL PKWY #170

LITTLE ROCK, AR 72223

(Reg. Agent: Brandon Washington)

(Officers: BRANDON WASHINGTON, Incorporator/Organizer)

Horizon PC Technologies, Inc.

1614 WESTLAKE DR.

CONWAY, AR 72034

(Reg. Agent: William Trufaunt)

(Officers: WILLIAM TRUFAUNT, Incorporator/Organizer)

According to other customers, another name the company used to do business under is "Redwood Tech Consulting Group" whose physical address is:

Redwood Tech Consulting Group, Inc.

6500 WOODFIELD DR.

LITTLE ROCK, AR 72207

(Reg. Agent: Brandon Washington)

(Officers: BRANDON WASHINGTON, Incorporator/Organizer and KENT SMITH , Incorporator/Organizer)

It is time that CPU Parts International, Ltd. be brought to the attention of the public for its fraudulent business practices. They should be held accountable for their actions and not be allowed to do business if they continue to cheat the public out of its hard-earned money. Hopefully, more consumers will be educated and warned before they become victims of CPU Parts International, Ltd.'s unscrupulous business practices.

I encourage all of you victimized by this company to file reports with the Arkansas State Attorney General, the IFCC, the FTC, and the Better Business Bureau. Contact Little Rock/Conway, Arkansas media outlets such as local newspapers and television stations, about how CPU Parts International has defrauded you.

Everyone who has shared their stories here at ripoffreport.com should post updates to their situations, even if the update is just to report inaction by CPU Parts International. By doing so, we can all get an idea of whether any progress has been made. Public awareness of this company's shady practices is our best weapon in bringing CPU Parts International to justice.

This company's web site is located at http://www.cpu-parts.com

M

Dundee, New York
U.S.A.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.