Company Denies Return of Merchandise

**SeekingAdvice2012** · 01-16-2012, 07:34 AM

My question involves a consumer law issue in the State of: PA, MI

I will try to provide as many details as I can, but I don't know if I have any protection.

From watching PBS, there was an offer for $10 foreign language CDs. I was unemployed and had heard of an opportunity with relations with a foreign company. I thought maybe learning some things would help with since I had an interest to learn. On the website they had marked that they would enroll me in another program and I would be charged $64 a month 4 times for each additional shipment. I had called and explained I was unemployed and repeatedly told I could review these for free for 90 days but I said I didn't want to get stuck with paying for them since I didn't have the extra money and wasn't interested. I only wanted to review the $10 CDs, hopefully get a job, then choose my options from there.

Apparently this phone call never produced results. Within days of getting the $10 CDs, which a voice I found upsetting and after 2 "lessons" still didn't know how to say hello in this language, the bigger package of these $256 CDs came. And I was very upset. Not only were they horribly packaged, but the CDs themselves were placed in nothing more than a piece of cardboard. They fell out as soon as I opened the box to see what they were (the return address label didn't even use this company's name and address and I had no idea who sent the package or what was inside, which is why I opened it). I then called to return the CDs and was given an offer to keep them for a year FREE and then I would start being charged. I kept arguing that I did not want them I didn't really get to listen to the 10 lesson CDs and I wasn't finding them helpful, so I did not want these especially since they were only held together with cardboard. Finally, I was told how to return them. The person instructed me to put a number on the box and drop it in the mail. Instead I went to the Post Office, sent them media mail and I believe I ordered something to be signed when they got it. A few weeks later I called again, was told everything was ok and to keep this company in mind should my position change. I threw out the receipt thinking everything was ok.

I am now employed, but not with the foreign company, and there is no reason for me to know the other language then if I was interested in it, and I currently am not. When my credit card statement came in the mail I saw the first $64 charge was made. The company is now insisting they never made any of these claims and I have to prove that they received the CDs. I requested a duplicate receipt from the post office and am waiting for the results, but I have a feeling with how things are going, they are going to say they can't locate it.

Is there anything I can do to protect myself? I did not want these CDs and tried to make efforts so I wouldn't get them, and they were shipped anyway. I do not have these CDs and will never benefit from their content, but with 2 lessons from the $10 ones and not knowing how to say "hello, how are you?" I don't think I would receive much benefit from them anyway. I know I put myself in this position with my original order, but I really don't want to pay $256 for CDs I did not want, do not have, and will not ever be able to listen to. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated.

**Mr. Knowitall** · 01-16-2012, 09:07 PM

Tell us how the two states you identified relate to your situation. Laws vary by state.

The company's position, then, is that the CD's were not returned and that you're being billed at the end of an agreed one-year trial period?

Have you disputed the charge with your credit card?

**SeekingAdvice2012** · 01-16-2012, 10:22 PM

Thank you for your reply!

MI is the state I live in, PA is the state where the company is. I don't know which place would take priority.

I didn't even accept the year long trial period they offered. I explained that the CDs were sent in an error and called within the original 30 day period. Before giving me instructions on how to return the item, the trial period was extended to 60 days, then 90, then 6 months, then I was told a whole year (which would have been OCT 2012). When I kept refusing and said I didn't want more time I only wanted to return them, they finally gave the instructions on how to do so.

I did dispute the first charge with my credit card and found out that the company already set up the charges for the next 3 payments to be processed, but I cannot dispute those until the charges actually happen.