# I was swindled by an online business. How to proceed? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 2, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155 "2014-10-02T02:25:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/1 "2014-10-02T02:25:06Z")
Ok, today I ordered flowers for a special person in my life. Long story short, they didn’t get delivered. At all. This flower delivery service was one of those deals where local florists are used but the ordering, billing, etc is outsourced to what sounded like China. After about a half hour past the guaranteed delivery time, I began my efforts to confirm the delivery. I continued, unsuccessfully and in ever-increasing anger, for well over an hour. All of the customer service reps I talked to were _ **extremely** _ unhelpful, to say the least. These were people barely literate in English who were giving me the ultimate run-around when I asked for basic information re my order. They couldn’t tell me _anything_, kept telling me they’d call me back (they never did, of course) because they had to email the “confirmation department”. :dubious: When I asked to speak to a supervisor, I was told a supervisor was not available. I asked for the phone number of this “confirmation department”, and the rep was glad to give it to me. It was the same fucking phone number!! :mad: I told them I considered this theft and that I was going to report their service. When I said this, they offered to refund my money. I said ok, that would be fine. “Oh, we sorry sir, cancellation office closed.” You gotta be fucking kidding me. _Cancellation office?!_ I just hung up the fucking phone. So here I am. I would like advice on how I should proceed from this point. Like, _who_ would I even report them to? If anybody has any experience or knowledge in this area, I would appreciate some advice. It wasn’t much money, only about $50. Still. It’s _my_ money and they fucking stole it. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/2 "2014-10-02T02:26:19Z")
Make a big PDF of all your order histories, emails, etc. File a claim with your credit card company and/or PayPal. Send them the documentation when they request it. If you used neither a CC or PayPal… well, live and learn and don’t give money to random people on the Internet in the future ☹ Always Google for reviews or “\ scam” before buying next time ☹ ---
**Author:** ![susan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/susan/32/17537_2.png) [@susan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/susan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/3 "2014-10-02T02:28:46Z")
Call your credit card’s fraud department. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/4 "2014-10-02T02:29:05Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > Make a big PDF of all your order histories, emails, etc. File a claim with your credit card company and/or PayPal. Send them the documentation when they request it. If you used neither a CC or PayPal… well, live and learn and don’t give money to random people on the Internet in the future ☹ > > Always Google for reviews or “\ scam” before buying next time ☹ Yeah, I normally do my due diligence, this was a spur of the moment kind of thing and I just clicked on the first “flower delivery” service ad I found. I realize I’m probably not getting my money back, but if they is _anything_ I can do, I will do it. ETA: But yeah, I used a CC. I’ll do that. Thanks for the tip. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/5 "2014-10-02T02:43:07Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Yeah, I normally do my due diligence, this was a spur of the moment kind of thing and I just clicked on the first “flower delivery” service ad I found. I realize I’m probably not getting my money back, but if they is _anything_ I can do, I will do it. > > ETA: But yeah, I used a CC. I’ll do that. Thanks for the tip. The flower company doesn’t give a shit about you. Your credit card company hopefully will! They’re usually pretty good about siding with cardholders, from what I hear. If you do get a refund, please use a bit of the money to send the company a single black rose (but order it from someone else, of course). ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/6 "2014-10-02T02:49:09Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > The flower company doesn’t give a shit about you. Obviously. I never suggested otherwise. I doubt there even _are_ any flowers. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/7 "2014-10-02T02:54:52Z")
On the contrary, I bet they have vases full of origami $100 bill flowers. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/8 "2014-10-02T03:12:08Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > On the contrary, I bet they have vases full of origami $100 bill flowers. A little more than half of one those is mine, dammit!! ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/9 "2014-10-02T03:22:18Z")
Just wanted to commend you on your use of the use of “swindle.” It’s so old-timey and charming. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/10 "2014-10-02T03:39:51Z")
If you happened to click through a sponsored ad on Google to get to this place, also send your story to Google. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/11 "2014-10-02T12:18:45Z")
> [@susan](#): > > Call your credit card’s fraud department. Doesn’t even have to be considered fraud, just non-performance. If you can confirm to your CC issuer that the company did not deliver the agreed-upon service or product, and has refused to refund your money in a timely manner despite your good-faith effort to get them to do so, they’ll issue a chargeback; you’ll get your money back, and the company not only gets the money taken away from them, they also get hit with a significant fee by the CC company ($25-$50, IIRC). ---
**Author:** ![Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Living_Well_Is_Best_Revenge)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/12 "2014-10-02T13:20:15Z")
When this has happened to me I just call my credit card company and they take care of it. It’s never been difficult to get my money back. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/13 "2014-10-02T13:30:43Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > When this has happened to me I just call my credit card company and they take care of it. It’s never been difficult to get my money back. Yep. This is why you pay for internet things with credit cards, so you are protected when shit goes wrong. Were you able to get some flowers elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/14 "2014-10-02T13:55:22Z")
So what was the name of this flowery swindler? ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/15 "2014-10-02T21:31:25Z")
Also, in the future…get on the phone and call a local florist. The flowers will be fresher and you will get more for your money. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/16 "2014-10-02T21:41:28Z")
Ambivalid, next time go local - reliable and very competitive prices. [Vogts](http://www.vogtsflowers.com/). I’ve used them a bunch (heh) of times over the last decade and zero complaints. (Not spam! Local business. Unless Ambivalid has moved, he lives in the same county as me.) ---
**Author:** ![flatlined](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb9ed0/32.png) [@flatlined](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flatlined)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/17 "2014-10-02T22:26:43Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Ambivalid, next time go local - reliable and very competitive prices. [Vogts](http://www.vogtsflowers.com/). I’ve used them a bunch (heh) of times over the last decade and zero complaints. > (Not spam! Local business. Unless Ambivalid has moved, he lives in the same county as me.) I looked at your link and loved the pics. I happen to like colorful bouquets better than the standard bunch of roses. Good prices, too. Another way to find a good florist if you don’t have someone helpful who knows is to call the local funeral home and ask who they recommend. Yeah, morbid at first glance, but those folks do know which florists deliver promptly and give good value. ---
**Author:** ![chiroptera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/df705f/32.png) [@chiroptera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiroptera)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/18 "2014-10-02T23:05:43Z")
> [@flatlined](#): > > I looked at your link and loved the pics. I happen to like colorful bouquets better than the standard bunch of roses. Good prices, too. > > Another way to find a good florist if you don’t have someone helpful who knows is to call the local funeral home and ask who they recommend. Yeah, morbid at first glance, but those folks do know which florists deliver promptly and give good value. I’ve been a hospice volunteer for years, that’s how come I know (well, have an opinion about anyway) local florists who actually deliver. That’s a good idea going forward: calling funeral homes. Most florists are affiliated with nationwide services such as Teleflora, so it makes sense to start local. ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/19 "2014-10-02T23:12:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Another way to find a good florist if you don’t have someone helpful who knows is to call the local funeral home and ask who they recommend. Excellent username/post combo. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155/20 "2014-10-03T00:12:25Z")
> [@chiroptera](#): > > Ambivalid, next time go local - reliable and very competitive prices. [Vogts](http://www.vogtsflowers.com/). I’ve used them a bunch (heh) of times over the last decade and zero complaints. > (Not spam! Local business. Unless Ambivalid has moved, he lives in the same county as me.) That’s who I used for my second try. And it was successful. The weird thing is, a bouquet of flowers _did_ get delivered from the first flower service but it wasn’t until the next morning and it was a completely different selection that what I had paid for. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-swindled-by-an-online-business-how-to-proceed/700155.md?page=2)