Need Help!!! I think I got ripped off.

Aloha All,

I did not want to post this but he gave me no choice.

So here's the story. I was in the market for a Texan CF/LSS in .50cal, I saw that "Lethal Air" showed on their web site they had them in stock, I purchased the airgun with my cc, I got an email from them saying that they will send me the tracking number when the airgun ships. A week goes by, then a month so I called and left a message, I received an email saying that due to "covid" they don't have any Texan .50cal in stock. They have a shipment coming in and I would be next. Being a business owner myself I understood the issues that "covid" brought upon our country.

The problem is that I call and leave messages, I emailed and got no answers. I did reach out to AGN to see if anyone knows Chad from Lethal Air, a member Marley5 said he would contact Chad and Chad would contact me. Chad did contact me on AGN messaging, he said that he's getting some airguns in. He asked for my order number so I gave it to him but I still did not get an answer or tracking number.

I called my cc company and because its been over 6 months I can't dispute the charge. They said I would have to work it out with the vender. All I'm looking for is to get the airgun I purchased or refund me my money. I have all of the documentation to show my purchase. If anyone knows what I can do please let me know or if they know Chad from Lethal Air please let him know I'm trying to get in touch with him. My phone number is 808-443-3773.

Mahalo,

Keone Johnson
 
@Kaeokini I looked up the company via the Better Business Burreau (BBB) and see that they have been in business for 3 years and are not a BBB accredited company. However, there has been a complaint filed against the company in 2021 on the BBB site 

https://www.bbb.org/us/va/mount-jackson/profile/air-gun/lethal-air-0613-90032394/complaints#1019862865

It seems as if a customer had a somewhat similar situation in attempting to get a rifle repaired and maybe requested their rifle back and the parts necessary to repair it themselves after they didn’t hear from the company for a time. Communication doesn’t look to good based upon their complaint and your story. Maybe you can cut and paste pieces of your post here and submit a similar complaint on the BBB website. It looks like someone from Lethal Air responded to the lone complaint on the BBB site. I also found a couple of negative Google reviews of people claiming to have been ripped off by this company. Here are a couple of links https://g.co/kgs/GmAL3N and https://g.co/kgs/RQK2LU These reviews make this company’s business practices seem questionable at best. 

Your post reads as if you spent money with a company that failed to deliver an item they listed for sale online and didn’t have the item in stock. You weren’t notified of this and when you inquired about delivery of your purchase you were told (in writing) that you have something coming once they obtain a new shipment. I think that affords you some sort of legal protection in the event that you feel compelled to file a lawsuit to compensate you for lost funds. I hope you can explore other options that lead to a reasonable resolution. 
 
Yeah, you may have no recourse through the cc company at this point. Have you tried to simply cancel the order and request a refund from Chad? At this point, he has had the proceeds of what amounts to an interest free loan from you. Tell him you won't charge any interest, or take any legal action, if he simply refunds your money. In situations like this, it rarely pays to incur the expense of legal action, and any judgment awarded is seldom paid. But sometimes you can appeal to their sense of fair play and get results. Good luck.
 
Could this not be classified as mail fraud as well? Being as he was sold an item and told it would be shipped?

Where is the guys shop located? Personally I would keep calling until you get what you purchased. And keep on your CC company to get your money back, as the time shouldn't matter. You purchased an item and never received it.... they need to honor their side of things and get you your funds back.
 
Could this not be classified as mail fraud as well? Being as he was sold an item and told it would be shipped?

Where is the guys shop located? Personally I would keep calling until you get what you purchased. And keep on your CC company to get your money back, as the time shouldn't matter. You purchased an item and never received it.... they need to honor their side of things and get you your funds back.

We may disagree with the card company in principle, but, by using the card we agree to their terms. And I can see why they don't want to assume an unlimited liability for intervening in customer/vendor disputes. The time limit doesn't seem unreasonable. That doesn't excuse poor service, which is obviously the case here. I realize that small business owners are challenged to stay current in every communication. But when someone goes more than a few days without a response, and with no stated reason (vacation, illness, etc), then they lose further business from me. 
 
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https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2021/11/what-do-if-your-online-order-never-arrives-and-how-get-your-money-back
 
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Although I'm not any help to your experience... I can tell you from an experience of my own in taking a person to small claims you may win the case but they seldom pay....after repeated attempts at small claims court with that same person and winning each time.... getting that person to pay was something ( I was told off to the side by the judge himself..i can keep taking that person to court but there is not much we can do to make him pay people like that know how to play the system) I finally got my money but geeze... was it an ordeal. I do wish you the best of luck and hopefully get this taken care of..
 
Thank you for all of the responses. I have been leaving him phone messages at the number listed on his web site (540)858-5050 with still no response. I have also emailed him with no response. Me being in Hawaii, it's not like I can drive to his place of business.

I see on his web site that he's opening up a new shop, also he's hosting another big bore airgun hunt. If anyone on this forum is going to the hunt, I would appreciate it if you could mention this topic to him.

I think he's a member here but not a vendor. I have PM'd him and he answered about 8 months ago saying I would be the next gun sent out but still no gun. I have been PM'ing him and he does not answer.

I will try the "BBB" route next before spending money on a lawyer.

Aloha,

Keone
 
Keone, I sure hope it works out for you. Hopefully people will see this and it will circle around back into Chads face. He’s so lame and gutless to just ignore you and then open a new shop and host hunts…yuck. Definitely post a complaint in the member feedback here on the forum, that way it can be read by anyone who searches it, he deserves it for certain. Do you know what he calls himself on the forum here? It would be great to know who he is. Anyway, best of luck.