So I finally bit the bullet and went digital by buying a Canon 40D from shopdigitaldirect.com for $319. I figured that was a hell of a deal. Then after I placed the order I got a call from a representative and he told me I should buy batteries and such for it and that it was an import model plastic body. At the time I thought ok, I guess that sounds right. Turns out Canon doesnt make plastic bodied cameras. Then I found a site which reviews business’s. Turns out they are a huge scam business. I dont know what to do now, should we (only 17, its my dads crediot card) notify the credit card company? Cancel the order? (very hard to get ahold of people) See if they do end up delivering it and then dispute the delivery? Im also really bummed at this point becasue this was my Christmas present and my parents said they would split the cost with me becasue they know im saving up for a car too. Im afraid if this doesnt work I wont be able to get a digital SLR becasue my parents simply cant go halves on a $700-$1000 camera. Ive got about $1700 in the bank but really dont want to drop $1000 on a camera…
Get in touch with the CC company, since it’s a scam, chances are you’re not the only one that was trapped, and in the event the company in question pulled some shit with your number, you may get some money back. If the company calls you back once again, cancel your order, and if they say they can’t, tell them you’re calling the CC company, as well as your state bureau of the FBI. That usually changes their tune awfully quick. Definitely file a report to the Better Business Bureau.
Also, in the future, be wary. If a deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That, and watch for Phishing.
If it was my son, I would do two things immediately:
Attempt to contact the seller, preferrably by email so you have a written record, and inform them you want to cancel the order. If you can get someone there to answer the telephone, tell them you want the order cancelled. Also instruct them to not ship the order.
Call the credit card company immediately, explain to them you’ve been victimized by a fraudulent company and that you want the charge cancelled and blocked if it hasn’t posted to the account yet. In the more likely event that it has posted, request that the charge be reversed and the account credited.
You’ll likely find your credit card company will be greatest ally in this matter, but you need to attempt to cancel the order first.
I had a similar experience, but I don’t remember the on-line company. They tell you you can buy the camera for X, but that’s with a cheap lens, no batteries, etc. By the time they got done it was more expensive than what I finally paid at a well known office supply store for my Digital Rebel. I told them to stuff it.
If I read the posts correctly they open up the boxes, remove all the extras that come with the camera and then try to sell them separately. There is also discussion of the “do you want the plastic body or the magnesium body” question. The indication seems to be that they have gray market knock offs.
Note that one poster mentioned they have a 20% restocking fee for cancelled orders!
It really seems to me it is Canon that should be most concerned about their good reputation being damaged by outfits that do this.
Famous art critic John Ruskin put it best back in the 19th century: "“There is hardly anything in the world that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper, and the people who consider price only are this man’s lawful prey.”
Before I buy from an online retailer, I take a few seconds to type in the company’s name + reviews on google (or any search engine of your choice). If it is a scam, you will get 50,000 pages saying so. And always stay away from “too low to be real” deals.
For cameras, stick to the big well known guys (B&H _the ONLY place to buy cameras from NYC, Best Buy, Circuit City, Office Max or direct from Amazon - but be careful of the “associated” sellers - always check their ratings and if they’re from NYC - stay away.)
I’m sure these scam outfits piss off The big camera makers to no end, but there probably isn’t much they can do about it. I doubt they are ‘authorized’ sellers…
PS>> There are DSLRs for under $700. Now they aren’t the “top of the line” but unless you are a professional you probably don’t need one of them. And if you don’t have the good glass for them, you won’t be able to take full advantage of them anyhow. You have the Nikon D40s and D60s, all the Canon rebels, and the sony alpha 200, and 300. But seeing as you already have some canon gear (I just read your other post), KEH.com (a reputable company, I’ve bought from them) has some used 20d and 30d bodies for under $500. Sure not the latest… but it will get you into digital… and from everything I’ve ever read about KEH, they won’t sell stuff if it is junk. Esp. if they give it a “new” or “like new” rating. B&H also has a used section on their website.
I might try a different tack that should strike fear into them. Have your father contact them and say you are 17 and it was an unauthorzed use of his credit card. The Feds take a very dim view of companies that viollate the laws in regard to underage sales
Sorry to hear about this. I’d contact the CC company and seek their input ASAP.
A co-worker of mine almost fell into a similar trap a couple of years ago. I can’t recall the Canon model number at the time, but it was a similar situation… where the retailer was selling a camera at a too good to be true price.
I told him there had to be a catch and to research the company. He did (via Google) and found all sorts of forum topics complaining about them.
Max — I had a similar experience from one of these “low price digital” companies. There are apparently quite a few scam camera and electronics sellers on the Internet. When I did it, the instant I placed the order, I received an email explaining that my item was out of stock, and that they’d contact me when it came back into stock. This seemed really suspicious to me, so I started asking around and found out this is a common scam. As soon as that happened, I cancelled my credit card and asked for a new one. They sent it to me, and there was no problem. I highly recommend you do the same. Thing about digital cameras is that, unless you go used, you’re basically going to pay suggested retail, period. There’s really no alternative. No reputable company, that I’ve been able to find, sells digital cameras for substantially below SRP. Sure, maybe $50 here or $100 there, but no more, and for brand-new models, not even that. If it seems to good to be true, it almost certainly is. If you really want a digital, I recommend going used. On the Canon side, the 20D is still a great camera, as are the D70 and D80 on the Nikon side. Granted, they’re not cutting edge anymore, and you don’t get the same peace of mind as buying new, but generally speaking, a good camera is a good camera. I recently sold my D70 to a friend for $300; I’d imagine you could find a similar deal on EBay, B&H, Abes of Maine, or some other reputable Web site. Another reader’s suggestion to google the name of the company you’re buying from with the word “review” is good policy as well. When I did this after my failed order, I found many, many people had experienced the same thing. Why somebody doesn’t shut these con artists down I don’t know, but that’s all they are. There’s simply no such thing as a deal as good as they advertise. Just doesn’t happen. Good luck, Andy Cummings Associate Editor TRAINS Magazine Waukesha, Wis.
I purchased a Nikon D40 last Christmas and have been very happy. The entire package, including two lenses and bag was around $700. Certainly the prices have fallen in the past year.
Cutting edge camera? no.
Huge memory? no
Bells and whistles? no
But, the biggest part of taking very good photographs is the person holding the camera…not the hardware in your hands. At age 17, you have considerable time on your hands to develop your skills. Digital cameras are great for doing this, offering the ability to try and fail and then succeed at very low costs and time (compared to developing film).
Good luck, both legally and developing your skills,
It may well be that someone who is under 18 may not be able to legally make a credit card purchase over the internet (a consequence of the fact that in most states a person under the age of the majority (generally 18) cannot legally enter into a contract).
I would strongly recommend against the strategy of having your father say that the purchase was not authorized - first off, it is apparently a lie, and second off the credit card company may well have you prosecuted for credit card fraud (which is at least in my state a felony). Don’y mess with lying, tell the truth that you got ripped off.
Also keep in mind that unless you are a professional, you may not even need to worry about a DSLR.
Indeed. There are thousands of amateur photographers who cut their teeth on a film SLR who will benefit from having the features a DSLR offers. Even an 8Megapixel point and shoot can’t hold a candle to a DSLR.
That sounds like good news Max, and verifying with the credit card company that there is no charge to be imposed should end the matter. You have had an interesting education* in the ways of the commercial world. Even where there are legal protections, rememberinging the saying “caveat emptor” (let the buyer beware) is a wise way to regard any possible transaction.
Mark Twain defined education as “carrying a cat home holding it by the tail”