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weasly computer salesperson: scam or legal?

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K

KellyAFL

Guest
Hi, I'm in Florida. This is a long story, but I'll try to keep it as short as possible. About three weeks ago, I called a well-known computer manufacturer/retailer about buying (financing, to be more specific) a desktop computer from them for my home. I talked to a saleslady and told her right away that i had a spending limit of 800 dollars, no higher (plus shipping and handling). She told me she had a good package for me for that price, which included a lot of extras (i.e., a year of internet service, a 3 year warranty, a cd burner). She told me that I could get approved for credit with an interest of 14.99% and then proceeded to put me on the phone with a banker from their credit loan company. This banker ran through some questions about my income and basically verified that I was me and not someone else trying to get a computer with my name. He never quoted me an interest rate. Then I was transferred back to her and she told me my credit line with them was going to be $2500. She did not give me an interest rate at this time, so I assumed it was 14.99%. She then ran down what features I would be getting with my computer. This included the features that I mentioned above as well as the product specs for the computer (hard drive space, monitor size, etc.). She also told me that if I financed the computer for 4 years, that I would get monthly payments at $41 (being on the phone and not being a mathematical genius, I assumed that this reflected the price of my computer plus shipping plus the 14.99 APR over 4 years). She never once gave me a total for the computer, so since I had told her to keep it at or below $800, and since she had said she was giving me a package that was $799 earlier, that's what I believed it was. I got the computer a week and a half ago. It did not include a bill or even an invoice, however I did notice it included a couple things I didn't remember her mentioning, a pack of CD-r's with a CD labeling kit, as well as a notice about some online training. OF course, I thought she must have thrown that stuff into the package as a bonus to me. I was very happy (though I have no intention of using the labels or the training), and am happy with the equipment.

This week I got the bill, or "account statement." It says that my purchase cost $1293.12 (no itemization of what I got or how much it cost, just this total). It says that my annual percentage rate is 22.99%. It says that my monthly payments are $51.

So, I called their customer service dept. 4 days ago (the day after getting the bill). They told me to call my original sales rep. I called and left messages twice in three days and was never answered. Last night I called back customer service and was finally given an itemization of what I got. Turns out that I've been charged for a 3 year warranty (she never said it would cost extra, just listed it in the features I'd be getting) as well as the pack of CD-rs and labeling kit ($99 plus $10 shipping) and the online training ($99 plus $5 shipping). These last two I don't even remember her mentioning as part of the package! The lady I talked to last night also told me that I hadn't been approved for 14.99%, that my sales rep had probably said that because that was as low a rate as you can get. The most she could offer me was to return whatever I didn't want and get my full money back, but that I would have to pay shipping on whatever I sent back (except for the warranty, of course).

So. Here are my questions: Can they really charge me more than $799 plus shipping for this stuff when I was never given a REAL total (beyond $799 plus shipping)?

Can they really not disclose to me what my APR will be and bind me to pay at a rate that was never disclosed?

Would it be realistic for me to demand that either they let me have it at $799 plus shipping at a rate of 14.99%, or I'll return it?

Should I be able to demand to send it all back without paying shipping and handling, since in effect they sent me, and tried to charge me for, something that I didn't want?

Thanks in advance,
Kelly
 


vrzirn

Senior Member
Move on "up the line"! Start talking to supervisor, dpartment manage, VP in charge of sales. Eventually they will approve having you return the stuff at their expense.
Next time get written confirmation of order and charges before you buy anything.
 

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