Denver, CO – August 17th, 2010 – All summer long, the BBB has received calls and complaints about Web sites that offer a variety of merchandise—ranging from beauty supplies to farm equipment—at prices well below suggested retail, but consumers are not receiving what they purchased. Consumers ordering products are denied the option to use a credit card and are instructed to send payment via wire transfer only. In one instance, a consumer was prompted to pay by bank transfer to an account in the United Kingdom.
Once the money is sent, the consumer never receives the product and cannot reach the company for a refund.
The scammer is operating under a number of names, and including, American Garden Appliances, International Garden Appliances, Nordic Garden Appliance, Styles Shopping, ZET Electronics, Tomorrows Electronics, Orange Electronics, Team Appliances, Home Garden Appliances, Chrystal Beauty and Aaron’s Shop among others. All of the following Web sites have been reported as being part of the scam, (some may no longer be available as sites are taken down and newly created constantly):
The BBB has been notified that the firm, aside from running multiple Web sites, is an active seller on such e-commerce websites as Amazon.com, eBay, and DealItem.com.
They also fraudulently use the BBB logo on these Web sites which link to a fabricated BBB Reliability Report displaying a bogus A+ rating. These fake reports also list dead-end phone numbers and invalid addresses in Denver, New Orleans and New York City. The real BBB Reliability Reports in these areas give the entity an F rating.
The BBB Serving Denver/Boulder has received six complaints since June which indicate losses of up to $4,000. The complaints came from California, New Jersey, Illinois, Canada, Italy and Australia.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus’ legal team is investigating the scammer for trademark infringement and is trying to put a stop to the fraudulent Web sites.
The BBB offers the following tips to avoid this scam and others like it:
- Be cautious of companies that offer merchandise at prices significantly below market. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- If a company claims to be a BBB accredited business, make sure that the URL of the page to which you are forwarded after clicking at the BBB Accredited Business Seal begins with "https://www.bbb.org/". Double-check by searching for the company’s name, address, URL, or phone number at www.denver.bbb.org or calling (303) 758-2100.
- Beware of any entity that accepts payment via money transfer only.
- Never wire money to anybody you have not met in person.
If you have been a victim of this scam, contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov or 800-251-3221.
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About the BBB
The BBB is an unbiased nonprofit 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.
