It’s a fairly common consumer fraud scheme—a vendor mails you something unsolicited, then sends you a bill. When you contact the company to tell them you didn’t order it, they ask you to send it back, often at your expense, then threaten you with prosecution or send you more bills or collection letters. What are your options?
The first thing to understand is that any time you receive an item that you didn’t order, it’s a gift. It will never be considered theft and it will never be considered fraud. If the vendor continues to harass you, ask for written proof that you ordered the item. If the vendor fails to produce that, but continues to harass you, contact an attorney immediately. You should also notify your state’s consumer protection agency, as well as the consumer protection agency in the state where the vendor is located.
In addition, a vendor cannot send you an unsolicited letter, telling you that if you don’t return a form by a certain date, you will receive goods and be charged for them. You can only be held responsible for that type of arrangement if you agree to it in advance. For example, with a book-of-the-month club or similar vendor, you must first respond to a mailing or advertisement before you can become obligated to anything.
If a vendor has or gets your credit card information and charges you for something you didn’t order, contact your credit card company and contest the charge.
Contact Us to Protect Your Rights
In the aftermath of a personal injury or consumer fraud, evidence can get lost and memories can fade. Don’t run the risk that you won’t be able to get full and fair compensation for your injuries. Contact our office online or call us at 856-667-4666 / 856-600-HURT to arrange a meeting. Evening and weekend appointments can be set up by request. We’ll also come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary.
We handle all personal injury claims on a contingent fee basis. There won’t be any attorney fees unless we recover compensation for your losses.