Beware of buying meat from door-to-door salesmen. The BBB serving Denver/Boulder has noticed a pattern of complaints being filed against a company called, Skyline Steak and Seafood Company. Consumers claim that the meat is of poor quality and though the company offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee at the time of the sale, it is not honored when the customer tries to contact the company.
According to complaints on file with the BBB, customers spend an average of $185 on different kinds of meat, poultry and/or fish. Consumers have described the products as being, “inferior quality”; “tainted”; “not edible”; “old and freezer burnt”; and “drowned in salt and preservatives”. Some complainants have also claimed to have gotten sick from the meat and one complainant described it as tasting “like chlorine”. The company states in its advertising that all products are USDA inspected and approved.
Many complaints also allege that they are asked to make the check out to the salesmen, not to the company and that checks are cashed immediately which prohibits the customer from putting a stop on the check.
The BBB has processed thirteen complaints about this company in the last three years. The company has an ‘F’ rating with the BBB due to its failure to correct the underlying pattern of complaints and because three complaints went completely unanswered and one was unresolved. Many of the complaints have come out of Aurora but range from all over the area; anywhere from Loveland down to Colorado Springs.
If you are approached by a door-to-door meat salesperson, your BBB advises the following:
· First, avoid letting them into your home. This is a general safety tip as burglars are known to pose as salesmen to case a house they may be planning to burglarize.
· Ask the salesmen for written material about the company and let them know you are going research them first before doing business with them. Check the company’s BBB Reliability Report with the BBB at www.denver.bbb.org / (303) 758-2100.
· Check to see if the company is licensed with the Department of Agriculture at (303) 477-4220.
· If you decide to make a purchase, ask for a dated cancellation form and a dated receipt. Note that the Federal Trade Commission Cooling-Off Rule gives you three business days to cancel the purchase. Saturday is considered a business day.
· Note that claims regarding the source and grades of meat sold from vans and trucks cannot readily be verified. Call the USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline: (888) 674-6854 for more information.
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About BBB
The BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. The BBB provides objective advice, free BBB Reliability ReportsTM on businesses and BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM on charities, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, your BBB also offers dispute resolution services for consumers and businesses. The first BBB was founded in 1912. Today, 125 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada. Please visit www.denver.bbb.org for more information.
