Naughty Businesses: Blue Hippo still drawing complaints
After all we've told you about Blue Hippo, the Woodlawn-based company that sells computers and other electronics to people with poor or no credit, you'd be surprised to hear people were still having problems with them, right?
After all, the Maryland Attorney General's office had Blue Hippo pay restitution to wronged customers last year for violations of the Consumer Protection Act, including charging inflated prices and not delivering products.
They also settled with the Federal Trade Commission in February, agreeing to pay $3.5 million to possibly $5 million to consumers for possible violations of the Mail Order Rule, Truth in Lending Act and the Electronic Fund Transfer Act.
Blue Hippo didn't admit any wrongdoing in either case.
But despite this and other legal actions against Blue Hippo, The Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland warns consumers ...
... that it still receives the more complaints than any other company.
In the last 12 months, there have been more than 1,500 complaints as well as more than 12,500 inquiries about the company, according to the BBB. The BBB rated Blue Hippo as an "unsatisfactory business", as well.
Categories: Complaints, Naughty businesses/NBotW
Comments
The BlueHippo is still at large. Numerous attempts to dislodge this cancer from its' place in the consumer credit repair arena has proved to be an impossible task for the powers that supposedly have some type of jurisdiction over them. From the top of the Department of Justice ladder to the small local Consumer Law offices of some aspiring attorney, BlueHippo continues to visibly take advantage of anyone they can. Though it's hard to imagine that anyone now could not be aware of this nightmare on mainstreet America, it is still happening. There are some out there who say anyone falling into the gaping jaws of this hungry hippo
may well deserve to be taken. Anytime an honest person is taken by a dishonest company there is no such thing as "deserving." According to all information available right now there is absolutely nothing any one person can do to or against Blue Hippo in order to get their money back or the merchandise they have ordered. The FTC has proven to be limp at best with regards to bringing the Rensin brain child known as Blue Hippo Funding/LLC/Capital to answer for their deceptive and outright unconstitutional manner of doing business. State Attorney General Offices prove to be just as ineffective. The BBB would rather no one contact them regarding this matter any more. At best any one of them will make a phone call. Since BlueHippo does not answer the phone this proves to be another waste of time. An update on locations shows that BlueHippo has vacated their offices in Baltimore which is much to the releif of the OAG there. Now they can tell folks that they need to contact someone else. I think it's about time that the shame and blame be lifted off the unsuspecting or uninformed consumer and placed upon the heads of those responsible for protecting us from predators like BlueHippo. Our government agencies have no trouble calling on us when they need something. It's time they start earning their paychecks and quit hiding behind computer generated responses.
Posted by: Patrick Skadowski | February 12, 2009 8:42 PM
My friend paid a little over $1000 toward a computer from Blue Hippo in 2008. For several months payments were being withdrawn from her bank account. Only after several weeks of promises to deliver did she begin to suspect something. She had not heard of the reports dating back to 2007 regarding Blue Hippo' fraudulent practices. It is now March 2009. My friend did receive a letter from Maryland's Attorney General in 12/09 but still no refund and no computer. Can anyone stop this Blue Monster? They are still deceiving unsuspecting uninformed consumers. This hardworking grandmother does not deserve this... it's so unfair especially during these difficult economic times.
Julia, upstate New York
Posted by: Julia | March 20, 2009 2:43 PM
Bluehippo still have not answer my questions about my order or refund. I have been waiting since December,2008- April,2009
Posted by: Deborah | April 29, 2009 10:45 PM