HSBC Watch News Release Forum Index
Forum Name: - Horror Stories
Topic Title: Problems With Oreck
Sat Jan 22, 2005 2:39 am
On Aug.17, 2004 I ordered the Oreck Air purifier using the 12 month interest free offer from the tv commercial. The first payment which I was told had to be a double payment was immediately deducted from my checking account.
Approximately a week later I contacted Oreck to find out when my order would arrive . The salesperson informed me that my order was sent out but the wrong color was sent in error. They told me when the item arrived not to open the box but to refuse the delivery from UPS and upon return receipt Oreck would send me the correct item.
I followed their instructions and within ten days received the correct item.
After not receiving any additional monthly charges to my account I contacted Oreck in October and told them that they had billed me in August but did not bill me for Sept. and Oct.
They stated because there had been a problem with the return there had been a delay and that the charges would be deducted immediately. In Novemeber I received a letter stating that because I defaulted on the agreement they demanded payment in full for the purifiers including the one I returned.
I contacted Oreck immediatelly and spoke to Danielle. She stated that apparantly I had not been given the correct instructions on returning the first purifier and that I was supposed to open the box and then return it. What that has to do with the situation I don't know.
She said everything would be adjusted and that there would be no more problems. Since that time I have received a late notice reminder in Dec. after they deducted two monthy payments in one month. In January they again deducted two monthly payments and yesterday a notice came that stated because I ignored the late notice in Dec. they will demand payment in full.
When I ordered this product I gave them my credit card number. It was an agreement they would bill me monthly and the haven't done it according to the terms they stated. What do I do?
Sat Jan 22, 2005 2:46 am
Find out if you talked with Oreck or if you actually talked with Household - HSBC. If you call Best Buy you are actually talking to Household - HSBC, and they answer as the merchant. When Household Watch called, the HRS Rep told us that "financially Best Buy and Household were the same company."
Then contact Oreck by mail and fax. Send your letter with proof of delivery. Let the company know what really happened, so they know how their financing is being handled.
Oreck also gets a percentage of what Household - HSBC charged you in overages. Credit card or not, it looks like Household, HSBC, HSBC Finance Corp, HRS, or what ever they want to call themselves this week, has found a way to get late fees and interest from you.
In addition to what we told you in our email, we also recommend that you point Dave Oreck to this posting.
Wed Feb 09, 2005 4:48 pm
HSBC and Oreck are two seperate companies. When you call Oreck you are speaking to their call center in long beach MS. They handle your financing and take care of all your customer service concerns, including the billing questions. If they have to they will instruct you to contact HSBC.
Fri Feb 11, 2005 4:34 pm
Oreck does finance some of their own accounts but Retail Services also finances some accounts for Oreck. And Best Buy and Retail Services are not the same company. Retail Services is a department with in the bank of HSBC. And Best Buy elected Retail Services to be the finance company for the Best Buy Credit Card. A reason that Retail Service agents answer the line by saying " Thank you for calling Best Buy Card Services " is because it was part of the agreement Best Buy and Retail Services made.
Thu Feb 17, 2005 1:36 am
I too, am having problems with Oreck Corporation, and their collection department, Security Center Collection Services. If you are getting the letters from this collection department (Security Center Collection Services), you can sue them for violations of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. Save all the letters, AND the envelopes. They both contain illegal content.
Contact Edelman, Combs, et al in Chicago, IL. They are a very well known and highly successful law firm who handle only consumer protection cases, and they take their fees out of the winnings/settlements. they have a website: edcombs.com.
I strongly urge you to do this if the letters are coming from them under that collection agency name "security center collection services". I believe you will be glad you did. If the letters are coming from "Oreck Corporation", they do not qualify for suit under this specific Act. Only if it's under a different "collection" name.
Regarding the billing errors, and incorrect bank drafts, I believe there are several state and federal violations of law that you can pursue. I would certainly contact a consumer protection attorney. I suggest the one above because they are already becoming familiar with the practices of this company, and will likely provide you with the best services.
Also, ask Oreck for a complete billing and payment history. They will probably send it out to you the day they get your request. Send it Certified Mail so they can't deny getting it. Make sure that they are not drafting more than they are supposed to. Find out if they credited the purifier that they got back. Basically, find out what they are doing wrong, and how they are harming you, so that you know exactly what you are talking about when you explain it to a lawyer.
I will tell you from experience that Oreck does not respond to threats of lawsuit. You can send them a certified letter asking them to remedy the situation and if they do not, then your only real option is to sue them, because they will ignore everything else.
Good luck.
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