Jasmine McCogg, The Pre-Sale Tale Webstore now TechExtreme, Etc. SCAM, refund promised for 6 months now Fontana, California now In Tacoma, Washington

I bought a Canon S400 digital camera for $245.44 from The Pre-Sale Tale Webstore back in 5/2004 through a link posted on Amazon. Like everyone else whose reports I've read, the website looked valid & I got confirmation emails, and paid by Qchex.com (remember the protection of the Fair Credit Billing Act and only pay by credit card next time). All the customer protection policies looked good.

I did not receive the product within the timeframe promised. With several attempts at email contact, I was finally told that the product was out of stock and I would be receiving a refund. 2 months after the refund was promised (7/2004), I still didn't have it.

I submitted reports on Jasmine McCogg/Pre-Sale Tale to the Better Business Bureau, Federal Trade Commission, Internet Fraud Complaint Center of the FBI, and contacted Fontana police. I emailed Jasmine McCogg and gave her deadlines to refund my money else I'd prepare to sue. The BBB got no response from her and closed the case. Fontana police paid a visit to her house in 8/2004 (they've had 2-3 other reports, and she had either delivered the product or issued refunds to those individuals after a phone call from the lieutenant). Jasmine's parents told the police she had closed her online business and gone to Tacoma for college. It's obvious from reports I've read here that she's still accepting checks.

FYI, search of public records shows that an occupant at the same address as Jasmine McCogg (maybe her mother?), though under different names, has filed for bankruptcy twice (most recently 1/2004), and has 12 lien filings since 1992. By the way, if Jasmine was in high school when she started this business, i didn't think individuals under age 18 could have their own checking account...

My most recent correspondence from Jasmine McCogg (aka. Jazz) in 10/2004 claims that she's been busy in school and has neglected her business but hopes to have it up again soon and asks for patience to process refunds, assuring that she is not trying to rip anyone off and that it's "upsetting" that her website/business is jeopardized and that her parents have been visited by the police. On 10/26/04 I got an email from her asking how much she owed me for a refund. Haven't heard from her since. One of her email addresses has been bouncing.

Also FYI, the Fontana police suggested that I sue her in court, and hire a process server or PI to track her down if needed and sue her for the amount to do that also. They didn't do anything further because they say no theft/fraud is involved; she is just bad at business and she provides her real address on her website so there is no crime. The cost of suing her might be more than I spent unfortunately.

She (or her family, whatever) is making a lot of money off of people. I find it hard to believe that there is "no crime". There's gotta be some major consequences coming her way...

Ally
Los Angeles, California
U.S.A.