Long ride to Harley warranty refund
BY STEPHANIE ZIMMERMANN szimmermann@suntimes.com November 1, 2012 11:20AM
THE FIXER HAS SAVED YOU
$1,420,554
Updated: December 3, 2012 6:37AM
D ear Fixer: I purchased a Harley-Davidson motorcycle from Chicago Harley in May 2008. I also purchased a full warranty that was good until May 2014.
I sold the motorcycle on Feb. 4, 2012, and also canceled the warranty on that date. The Harley-Davidson service center told me I would get a refund of $888 for the remainder of the unused warranty plan. I contacted Chicago Harley and they said they would send me a check for the remainder in six weeks or less. Well, now it’s October and I have yet to get my check. I have been in contact with the financial guy at the dealership and was told the problem was they changed owners. Meanwhile, the service center told me they sent a check with my refund to Chicago Harley. It seems your refund check was heading to the dealership just as the former owner of Chicago Harley was packing up — and that’s apparently what caused the problem.
Your $888 was overnighted to your house and you’ve already gotten it.
Missing money mystery solved
Dear Fixer: I have a credit with Carson Pirie Scott for merchandise that was returned to them after we had already paid our store charge bill. They owe me $260.45. I have been waiting since January. I was told it takes three months for a check. I waited three months and no check. So I called again and was told to send a copy of my statement to Columbus, Ohio. I did that, and waited again. I talked to so many people and made so many calls and now I am told that they will make another dispute, which will take another two to three months.
Dear John: The good news is we found your money! The bad news is you already have it.
This all started late in 2011 when your wife bought merchandise and later returned it — after you’d already paid your Carson’s charge card bill. We went to the Bon-Ton Stores, the Milwaukee parent company of Carson’s, and asked them to dig through their files. They produced a copy of a canceled check, endorsed by you, for $260.45 and dated Dec. 15, 2011. (We’re mailing it to you for your files.) We’re guessing with the crush of holiday activities last year, it was forgotten. At least you can rest easy knowing that no one has ripped you off.
If you’ve gotten a recorded call from “Rachel” of “cardholder services,” chances are your number was automatically dialed by one of the “robocall” schemers shut down by the Federal Trade Commission this week.
The FTC is suing five operations alleged to have pestered millions of consumers with bogus offers to lower their credit card interest rates: Treasure Your Success, Ambrosia Web Design, A+ Financial Center LLC, the Green Savers LLC and Key One Solutions LLC.
Among the victims was Alyce Weisbach of Skokie. A senior citizen, Alyce said she stayed on the phone because it sounded like a good deal, but after she hung up, she started to feel sick. “I knew that I had made a big mistake,” she said. Alyce soon noticed charges of $1,890 on her account, followed by a foreign transaction for $56.70. She immediately filed complaints and ultimately got her money back, but others haven’t been so lucky. The feds estimate the five companies took in about $30 million over the last two or three years. If you fell for this, be sure to file a complaint at
Getting the runaround over a consumer problem? Tell it to The Fixer at
suntimes.com/fixer .
