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Got Ripped Off on the Web? Fight Back!
By Stephen Bucaro
I find that most people and businesses on the web are
friendly and honest. Unfortunately, a few decide to take
the dishonest route. Did you pay for a product or service
and didn't receive it, or it didn't turn out to be what
you expected? Did you provide a product or service and
didn't get paid?
In this article, I'm going to provide you a step-by-step
method to force dishonest individuals or businesses on the
Web to deal with you fairly, or at least how to cause them
so much pain that they wish they had. How many of these
steps you actually take depends upon how mad you are and
how much time you want to dedicate to extracting revenge.
Step 1. Gather as much information about the dishonest
party as you can. Get names, addresses and phone numbers.
Dishonest parties like to make themselves scarce.
Step 2. Put your complaint in writing. Be accurate and
honest. Don't exaggerate or make false accusations. Also,
think of any possible excuses the dishonest party might
use, and prepare counter arguments.
Step 3. Inform the dishonest party that you intend to take
action against them if they do not solve the problem
equitably and honestly, and that that action will include
charges of criminal fraud. Give them a chance to figure
out that it would be much easier for them to just be
honest. Contact them several times and give them ample
time to resolve the problem, because after this things
really get nasty.
Step 4. Go to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC)
website (www.ifccfbi.gov/index.asp) and click on the
"File a Complaint" link to fill out an online form. The
Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) is a partnership
between the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the
National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C). IFCC provides a
convenient and easy-to-use reporting mechanism that alerts
authorities of a suspected criminal or civil violation.
Step 5. Go to the Internet Fraud Watch website
(www.fraud.org/welcome.htm) and click on the "Online
complaint form" link. The Internet Fraud Watch was created
by the National Consumers League, the oldest nonprofit
consumer organization in the United States.
Step 6. Go to the Better Business Bureau OnLine website.
(www.bbbonline.org/consumer) BBBOnLine is the arm of the
Better Business Bureau that specifically deals with web
sites. The BBB contacts the business involved in the
dispute to see if they want to work it out amicably. When
a company has a large file of complaints at the BBB, it
definitely cuts into their business.
Step 7. Use a search engine to find out how to contact the
Attorney General's Office of the state in which the
dishonest party operates. Then file a complaint. If your
complaint involves fraud, this could result in criminal
charges against them.
Step 8. Go to the Allwhois website (www.allwhois.com) and
look up the dishonest party's domain name. This might give
you some information about the dishonest party and who is
providing them with web hosting. Inform the company
providing them with web hosting that if they continue to
provide the dishonest party with web service, their
company may be charged as an accomplice in a criminal
action.
Step 9. Sometimes a company has their own servers and do
not use a web hosting service. Go to the Internet
Corporation For Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) website.
(www.icann.org/general/contact.htm) ICANN is the
organization that has responsibility for Internet address
space allocation. Contact them to find out how to get the
dishonest party off the web.
Step 10. If the dishonest party is still operating and you
learn who their other customers or advertisers are,
contact those customers or advertisers and notify them of
your problem. Inform them that they have now been notified
and if they continue to associate with and support the
dishonest party, they may be charged as an accomplice in a
criminal action.
Step 11. Use a search engine to find any message boards
and discussion forums that might be interested in your
problem. You might find that many other individuals have
been ripped off by the same company and you may be able to
initiate a class action lawsuit.
As you can see, some of these steps are pretty nasty. How
many of these steps you actually take depends upon how
mad you are and how much time you want to dedicate to
extracting revenge. In your attempts to punish the
dishonest party, it is very important to stick with the
facts. Don't exaggerate or make false accusations. If you
exaggerate, they could turn around and file a lawsuit
against you for false advertising against them, or for
character defamation.
Keep all your actions focused on solving the actual
problem. If you begin contacting the dishonest party or
other parties related to them with information or
accusations not related to the actual problem, you could
be charged with harassment. However, you cannot be charged
with harassment for frequently contacting a party in an
effort to get a product or service that you paid for and
didn't receive, or to get paid for a product or service
that you have provided.
Disclaimer: Stephen Bucaro assumes no responsibility for
damages resulting from the use of this information. This
information is provided with the understanding that Stephen
Bucaro is not engaged in rendering legal service. If legal
advice is required, the services of a competent Lawyer
should be sought.
Resource Box:
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