Doh!! I think I was scammed!!

[Dizisfun]

I found the PYT Ceramic Flat Iron on Ebay-new in the box for $40

 

[Lovin' Disney]

any new updates?

 

[pixiewings71]

Check this out...this is the e-mail I received in response to the message I sent to the gmail address on the back of the business card...

Kristen, I m sorry for your inconvenience .
It is sad that you describe you love the product you was introduced and the reason you don't want to buy the tool cause your husband don't like you to have a one professional salon styling tool that does curls , straight , crimps, all in one with free lifetime warranty on it ,so he wouldn't bother buy you any tool all your life even it is the customer fault you will get full coverage insurance for it .

There is sign that says no refunds near the cash register in all our 200 location in the state and also in your receipt .

The layway payment comes as a gift card , how ever you will be refunded after we discussed about it in our board . We want our customers or potential customer happy. Please come to one of our location in grand rapids area and get your money back . You will have to contact mr lior Cohen at 7738440042 our region manger before you come cause he is the only one that technically can do it .

We hope you will talk to your husband and show him the product you want . And he will understand the ionic technology that our tools works .
We wish you great summer time and happiness .
Best regards , Jose eber styling tools .

Aye, the English is reminiscent of the messages I keep getting from my long-lost Nigerian uncle's attorney. At least it gave me a phone number for the regional "manger"...

I think it is funny how the letter makes it seem like *I* am the one dying to have this product and my husband won't buy it for me. It was actually a gift for my 6yo DD!

I'll follow up on Monday. I wonder where that area code is...definitely not in Michigan.

OMG that's terrible....and I agree, why do they mention your DH at all? That's just ridiculous!

I seriously doubt this place is connected with Jose Eber at all. If they were then they would probably spell his name correctly! That was the first thing I noticed with the receipt- His name has an accent over the e in Jose, not between the E and the b in Eber. My guess is that they are selling knock off products-- like selling a Couch Purse Combine the misspelling with the Nigerian like email and I would be running as fast as I can to my credit card company and to the mall management. I would also send a little note to Jose Eber's people through his legitimate site and let them know what this place is doing. They may be very interested.

ETA: I would also get back to the kiosk ASAP and very discreetly snap a photo (phone is great for that) of the register area showing that there is no sign. My guess is that it is too late and the owner will have already made sure that it has been either uncovered or rehung. I would bother calling the Regional Manager, it is probably the same person or his brother/brother in law/ bff . If their business address is a gmail address then it is a fly by night scam operation. I would have been more concerned about doing a layaway/gift card because I would be afraid they won't be there the next time I went back.

I would do as this person suggests as well, and then avoid those kiosks like crazy. We have them in our mall too, I just shake my head as I pass by. I'm not interested, thanks.
Good luck, if the company does not give you resolution definitely contact your credit card company, I'm sure they will be on your side.

 

[kc4princess]

OP, I am also from MI. These people are in the mall I work in but here they chase you down the mall hallway until you try it. They try to give lots of people those "deals" so you are not alone!

 

[Kellydelly]

I don't think you were scammed, but I do think you were suckered .

 

[Pooh2]

After reading that email I'm having flashbacks of the kiosk's in the mall that try to sell you lotion, spa products or hair products that literally chase you down trying to get you to take a sample. Or ask you "Can I ask you a question?" to get you to stop. I avoid them like the plague, often walking all the way around not to get stopped! They all seem to employ workers who have English as a 2nd language too.

The "Can I ask you a question" business drives me nuts!
One trip to the mall with a friend, I was asked the "Can I ask you a question" question 9 times!! I try to avoid eye contact and still get accosted!

 

[mrsheppo]

The "Can I ask you a question" business drives me nuts!
One trip to the mall with a friend, I was asked the "Can I ask you a question" question 9 times!! I try to avoid eye contact and still get accosted!

Every time I get asked "Can I ask you a question", I respond with, "you just did" and walk away.

 

[FigmentChick]

Every time I get asked "Can I ask you a question", I respond with, "you just did" and walk away.

I'll have to use this one! LOL I acutally have a great excuse for ignoring them: I'm deaf! And I truly can't hear when people don't speak to my face. So, unless I know they are directly speaking to me, I just keep on walking. But, you're right.....when I go to the mall, I get accosted at least 6 times.

OP, any new updates? I agree with the others that say to dispute the charge on your card and contact mall management. I work in finance and I can tell you that once you dispute the charge with your bank, they will do everything they can to uncover the truth. And ten-to-one, they've experienced this problem before with the same type of scam.

 

[kristenrice]

Sorry, didn't mean to keep you guys waiting...I had to work Sunday and Monday nights so I just got myself caught up.

The regional manager (Ok...sure) called me and left a voice mail. I called him back this morning and I am pleased to report that he was very cordial and friendly. He apologized for the "misunderstanding" and said that he would refund my money...

...but...

Apparently, he is the only one with the "code" that can allow the register to process a refund. He asked that I meet him at the mall kiosk at my convenience. He was willing to meet me today, but I have a meeting at work so he offered tomorrow morning at 10am. I told him that the mall where I bought it is on the other side of town so he said he would meet me at their location that is closer to my house. I can't wait for the sales pitch that he's going to throw at me once he gets me at the kiosk. I'll have both of my kids with me so with my luck, they will be on their best behavior.

I have not disputed it yet with my credit card because I want to make sure that the merchant has the opportunity to make it right. I am leery, but I will give them the benefit of the doubt because they did respond promptly and, so far, very politely.

I'll keep you posted.

(Oh, and to the PP who said I was suckered....yup, lesson learned.)

 

[kristenrice]

As I expected, the "manager" was not there at 10am as promised. The salesgirl quickly called him on the phone and he said he was "running late". He told her what to do and gave her his "secret code" and I now have a receipt for my refund.

She kept ALL of my original receipts because she "needs them to input into the computer"....hmmm...

So, stupid me, I didn't copy them so I can't really pursue the whole tax on the gift card thing, but I consider the incident closed at this point. Any other effort put into it on my part would really be of no consequence to me so there's really no sense in it.

I will probably discuss it with the management at the mall, but at this point, there is really no desired outcome for me. I doubt they will do anything about it at this point.

Lesson learned...

Oh, and I checked at the kiosk for the signage that says "All sales are final". I found it. Next to the cash register is an 8x10 frame with a form in it. The form has five paragraphs and is titled "Our Mission Statement". The last sentence of the second paragraph says "all sales are final". It is not very prominent, but it is there. I will remember from now on to read the mission statements of all companies I deal with.

 

[torinsmom]

As I expected, the "manager" was not there at 10am as promised. The salesgirl quickly called him on the phone and he said he was "running late". He told her what to do and gave her his "secret code" and I now have a receipt for my refund.

She kept ALL of my original receipts because she "needs them to input into the computer"....hmmm...

So, stupid me, I didn't copy them so I can't really pursue the whole tax on the gift card thing, but I consider the incident closed at this point. Any other effort put into it on my part would really be of no consequence to me so there's really no sense in it.

I will probably discuss it with the management at the mall, but at this point, there is really no desired outcome for me. I doubt they will do anything about it at this point.

Lesson learned...

Oh, and I checked at the kiosk for the signage that says "All sales are final". I found it. Next to the cash register is an 8x10 frame with a form in it. The form has five paragraphs and is titled "Our Mission Statement". The last sentence of the second paragraph says "all sales are final". It is not very prominent, but it is there. I will remember from now on to read the mission statements of all companies I deal with.

You posted the receipt here, so you do have a copy

 

[Cinderelley]

Oh, and I checked at the kiosk for the signage that says "All sales are final". I found it. Next to the cash register is an 8x10 frame with a form in it. The form has five paragraphs and is titled "Our Mission Statement". The last sentence of the second paragraph says "all sales are final". It is not very prominent, but it is there. I will remember from now on to read the mission statements of all companies I deal with.

"All sales are final" is not part of a Mission Statement. That has to be illegal. The definition per Missionstatements(dot)com is as follows:

A mission statement defines in a paragraph or so any entity's reason for existence. It embodies its philosophies, goals, ambitions and mores. Any entity that attempts to operate without a mission statement runs the risk of wandering through the world without having the ability to verify that it is on its intended course.

"All sales are final" is a sales policy. Even though your issue was resolved, I would still contact Mall Management. Otherwise, they'll continue to dupe customers and get away with it. These people need to know Consumers will not stand for it!

 

[Cinderelley]

"All sales are final" is not part of a Mission Statement. That has to be illegal. The definition per Missionstatements(dot)com is as follows:

A mission statement defines in a paragraph or so any entity's reason for existence. It embodies its philosophies, goals, ambitions and mores. Any entity that attempts to operate without a mission statement runs the risk of wandering through the world without having the ability to verify that it is on its intended course.

"All sales are final" is a sales policy. Even though your issue was resolved, I would still contact Mall Management. Otherwise, they'll continue to dupe customers and get away with it. These people need to know Consumers will not stand for it!

Type in "michigan consumer laws" into Google and see the link for the official laws per Michigan Consumer Protection Act.

They have these listed as illegal if I'm reading it correctly:

z) Charging the consumer a price that is grossly in excess of the price at which similar property or services are sold.

(bb) Making a representation of fact or statement of fact material to the transaction such that a person reasonably believes the represented or suggested state of affairs to be other than it actually is.

(cc) Failing to reveal facts that are material to the transaction in light of representations of fact made in a positive manner.

m) Causing a probability of confusion or of misunderstanding with respect to the authority of a salesperson, representative, or agent to negotiate the final terms of a transaction.


Those are a few. Yup, definitely seems illegal per the Michigan gov website

 

[ValpoCory]

I now have a receipt for my refund.

I'm glad you have your money back. You were nicer with the credit card dispute than I would have been. If I can't quickly resolve the situation, I issue the dispute immediately. Each time I eventually win, and cancel the dispute.

 

[paisleys]

OP, I am also from MI. These people are in the mall I work in but here they chase you down the mall hallway until you try it. They try to give lots of people those "deals" so you are not alone!

I've actually stopped shopping at one mall here in Florida due to the craziness of the kiosk people. They are very aggressive and yell after you if you ignore them. I used to try politely saying no, but they use the politeness as an invitation. The last time I shopped at this mall (Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, FL) I passed by one kiosk a second time later in the day and the woman AGAIN jumped out in front of me, this time startling me. I snapped at her to get the eff away from me, it was my natural startled reaction. She literally came after me screaming! I yelled for security to get her away from me and got the heck out of there. Never going back to that mall again. I regret not getting the kiosk name and filing a complaint, but I was too afraid to go back and get it.

 

[tiggergal15]

Paisleys...you do realize this thread is 4 years old right?

 

[DawnM]

The "Can I ask you a question" business drives me nuts!
One trip to the mall with a friend, I was asked the "Can I ask you a question" question 9 times!! I try to avoid eye contact and still get accosted!

I hate the mall and don't go at all. What in the world do they want to ask you?

 

[tiggergal15]

Sigh.....

 

[DawnM]

Oh crud, didn't even look.

Paisleys...you do realize this thread is 4 years old right?

 

[tiggergal15]

Lol....I just didn't want you to wait for a response....