This story began many months ago, but I didn't know where else to turn until I found this site, usacomplaints.com, today (11/30/05).
In Fall of I purchased a Delta faucet from faucets4u.com, an offshoot of UContractor.com. The faucet design did not work in my kitchen, so I called to arrange a return. It took 4 calls to them, a couple to UPS, and 2 weeks to get the proper authorization and return code from the company. Faucets 4u.com eventually supplied the "RGA number" and UPS delivered the faucet to them on 12/16/04.
Through my own investigations, I found that UPS delivered the faucet to UContractor.com at their distribution center, Your Other Warehouse (a third party through which they distribute their faucets and bath accessories), on 12/16/04. Faucets4u.com received the credit from Your Other Warehouse on 11/9/04, the date they sent me RGA number and tag.
(It has now been over a year since they received the refund for the item I returned; I have not received a thing.)
I returned the invoice to them with the item. I kept a copy in my browser of the order page, which is how I could remember the item number and date. They did not supply a confirmation number after I ordered, but I didn't think of it at the time because I was in constant contact with them and they seemed to know who I was.
I gave them a month to receive the faucet and called on 1/14/05. The man answering the phone (Bob) found my order. He gave me support number 4625, which he said meant that "they've taken care of it, " and that I would be receiving my refund soon.
2/16/05: I called again, talked to a different man, asked on the status of my refund, and was told he would call back with information.
2/17/05: Called again and reiterated my request to Bob. This time he said "there's nothing I can do, I'm sorry" because I didn't have the order number. We went back and forth with him apologizing and my not accepting it. He said he would look into it and call me back, which he did not do.
Remember, they had already received the faucet and had a record of it.
No call on Friday, 2/18/05, so I visited my bank to begin the process of getting the money credited to my checking account because I used a debit card for purchase.
After looking into the matter, the bank said that Visa's regulations wouldn't allow them to credit my checking account because too much time had passed.
The bank fraud department took up my cause and made several calls to Bob in Feb., March, and April, with me on the line as well. He continued to give the runaround, escalating his outrageous behavior and psychological game-playing by not remembering the case, my name, the bank representative's name, or by lecturing us on banking and sales practices, and putting us on hold and not returning to the call.
This company, UContractor.com, doing business as Faucets4u.com is cleverly using a loophole in credit card refund policy to keep money legitimately owed to customers who have returned items in good faith and expect the company to refund their money. They stall long enough to run out the time the bank will allow for returning money to customers when the merchant will not.
I have records on the following:
—the time line of the problem from purchase in 11, until filing the BBB complaint in 2/19 and 3/23
—the UPS tracking number of the item, verifying the item was returned on 12/9/04
—the number of calls to the company, made by me alone and with the World Savings
investigator, Sandy Gonzales, requesting the refund
—copy of the complaint to the BBB
—letter to the owner of the web site, Michael Zafran, sent to his business via email and to his home, 97 Cedarhurst, Cedarhurst, NY 11516. Neither letter nor email came back undelivered. Update address for M. Zafran: 40 E Merrick Rd Ste 101
Valley Stream, NY 11580-5947
—complaint number of FBI Internet fraud complaint
My bank, World Savings has taped recordings of Bob saying he would resolve the issue by giving the refund or returning the item (he was taped on two different occasions making that promise)
I have filed complaints with the attorneys general of New York and California.
As I stated to the AG of California, this company is perpetrating a scam on unsuspecting consumers by stretching out the time during which a credit card company can credit the consumer's card. Faucets4u.com stretches out the time by not giving return authorization in a timely manner, by saying the problem "will be taken care of', " then not taking care of it, and asking repeatedly for the same information, such as my name, the item #, etc., each time I called. Their stalling tactics enable them to keep hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars from frustrated consumers each year they are allowed to continue this practice.
What Would Make Me Happy
I returned the item. I have record they received it. They are keeping my money, promising a refund, and at other times promising they would return the item. I want my money, $238. I want UContractor.com/Faucets4u.com to forfeit the 20% restocking fee. I want my choice of a new shower head for my troubles, delivered for free, 2nd day Air.
I have filed complaints with:
World Savings (the bank that issued my debit card)
BBB of New York
Attorney General of NY
Attorney General of Califonnia
FBI Internet Fraud Consumer Complaint
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