Complaint Review: Gateway Computers - Des Moines Iowa

About a year ago, I purchased a desktop from Gateway Computers. I was making my payments as agreed. This year (2001) in January, I decided to trade my desktop for a laptop. I spoke with a sales representative who of course was very helpful at the time. He told me sure, not a problem, you have plenty of credit available and we'll even send you a check for $300 for your trade-in. That was it, he left it at that. In May 2001, I receive a bill that stated I owed a minimum of $209 and I had many late dues. I called Gateway thinking I would get this straightened out without a problem.

What happened next will shock you. This so called helpful representative that sold me the laptop opened another account in my name without my approval. He failed to mention that to me, plus he also failed to mention that if I purchased the laptop, I would still be responsible for the payments of the desktop that I returned back to them.

When I called in May of 2001, they said they would do me a favor and let me return the laptop. What a favor! Thanks!!

I returned the laptop and I was left with no equipment (no desktop, no laptop). They promised me a full refund.

Here it is almost 7 months later of being bounced back and forth and I'm not even aware of what's going on with my credit.

I tried several times to refinance my car, but I was turned down due to my credit. I was absolutely appalled. I had never been late on a payment in my life and now I'm being turned down for a simple loan because I'm delinquent.

Yesterday (June 25, 2001), I called Gateway to try to get this mess straightened up. I straightened things up for my credit with Hurley State Bank (a very helpful and efficient bank that Gateway did my computer financing through).

Then I decided to call Gateway to receive a full refund on my desktop, which I'm still being billed for. I spoke with a customer service rep. And a manager. They both told me that I am still responsible for the desktop, which is not even in my possession. I was baffled. How can I be responsible for a payment of a piece of equipment that's not even in my possession? Can someone explain this ridiculous rule to me? Why in the world would I agree to such terms? Yeah, ok, I'll send the desktop back, but still make payments on it. Why wouldn't I just have kept the desktop and have two machines that I would pay on? I'm generous, but not that generous.

I explained to the manager that this rule was not explained to me and there is not way in the world I would even make an idiotic move like that. She didn't seem to care. According to their rules, I'm still responsible to pay for the desktop.

Again, I will remind everyone, I am left without a laptop or a desktop, but yet, I'm still responsible to pay $1500 for a desktop I don't even own anymore. Can someone please explain this to me? I'd like to know what I could do about this. I'm not one that can afford to give away free money.

Sincerely

Elena Dunn