Well, as I mention sometimes I live in Brazil. Weather might be fine, but importing stuff from amazon.com takes time, therefore I use a company called Punto Mio. I have a post box in Miami. Guys there get my packages, ship them to brazil and take care of the taxes, billing me on my credit card. It worked quite well many times - from my Diana F+ camera to gadgets. This time I bought two zippo lighters. Not too expensive - less than 30 dollars. Amazon says the package arrived on my suite (post box) on the 16th. Didn’t heard anything from the company. Tried to call them today here in brazil - straight to voice mail, with a recording that the mailbox was full. Called the american phone number - same message, same voice. They are not replying emails…
What can I do? Can I call the police on the non-emergency number? Is there something I could do to get my zippo lighters or the money back?
If you were in Brazil when you ordered the items and you did so by credit card you could contact the US Secret Service (the federal agency which handles credit card fraud) and request to file complaint. However, they rarely deal with crimes involving a single victim unless a substantial amount of money was lost.
You could file a complaint with the local police department when you get back to the US. However again, they also receive numerous complaints and while they will fill out a report, it would probably be wise not to expect too much action on this as most police fraud departments are very small, they are overworked and they have more important cases than your $60 loss to look into.
You might wish to start by filing a complaint with your credit company (assuming that you paid by card) and see what they recommend. Unfortunately, they are also likely to to simply waive the charge and suggest that you cancel your card and receive another. You need to do this as soon as possible as there is a time limit for complaints. You also want to file a complaint with Amazon as they will look into whether or not the company is legitimate or even still in business and they may offer you a credit.
Not to lecture, but going forward, it would be advisable only to deal with reputable long-term businesses when ordering online. It’s simply too easy for a less established company to charge you for an item and then either not ship it or ship you a substandard product.
Yes, I ordered it on credit card. I have all the transaction details on amazon - including the correct delivery address, that matches the address I always used. Amazon did their part - Punto Mio didn’t. I don’t live in the US - in fact, I have never been in the US… So the product was bought and now is, in theory, mine…
I dont know if I was clear enough: the company receives my packages in the US and sends them to brazil, taking care of customs and taxes. The problem is not on the purchase…
You might be dealing with a “company” that is a couple of guys operating some form of courier service. Maybe they’re out on a bender and will sober up and call you back in a few days.