As the saying goes, when it's too good to be true it probably is.
Ron Brown found that out the hard way when he decided to buy a $1,500 computer from the company Blue Hippo which promised to throw in a flat screen TV.
"When I called them on the telephone it's the same thing: 'We got it in the warehouse, we're going to send it in a couple of months,’ and you never hear nothing from them," said Brown.
Six months later, this Boiling Springs man is down more than $1000 after the company took numerous payments out of his checking account and never sent him the computer or TV.
"This is pretty bad. It rates right up there with some of the big ones," said Kathy Barrett with the Better Business Bureau.
Barrett says the BBB has received so many complaints, Blue Hippo has an "F" rating.
"Products are either not delivered, or if they are delivered, the product costs 5 times sometimes more than what it's actually worth," she said.
What's worse, Barrett adds, Blue Hippo’s advertisements promise the goods to people with bad credit, targeting folks who need the money most, like Brown who is on disability.
"This company seems to just get 'em deeper instead of help them," said Barrett.
Like Brown, we got the runaround trying to get a hold of a company manager or media relations person to comment on these allegations.
Sales reps passed us along to costumer service who told me to call the media number on the website. And since Thursday, we’ve been unable to leave so much as a message because of a recording that says “leave a message at the beep… sorry the mailbox is full.”
Barrett says Friday November 13th, the Federal Trade Commission filed a contempt order against Blue Hippo, and the company is facing numerous lawsuits in other states.
"It's a real big scam," said Brown.
He doesn't think he'll get his $1,100 back, but he hopes by speaking up no one else will lose out.
So what can you do if you've been a victim?
Contact the Attorney General in Maryland where the company is headquartered to file a complaint at: www.oag.state.md.us
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