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The following e-mail exchange may serve as a warning to users seeking
to buy audio componentry from Vertigo Online. I did not purchase any
product from them and this email exchange indicates why.

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From Me to Vertigo Online.

Hi I'm in Sydney Australia and want to purchase a Bose Lifestyle 28
system.
Do you ship to Sydney Australia, if so what cost?
If you do NOT ship to Australia can you supply the dimensions of the
box so I can get a cost on freight if you can only deliver it to the
US.
Does you shipping cost include insurance (ie I get my money back if it
does not arrive)

Thanks for answering my questions.

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From Vertigo ONLINE to me (FROM A HOTMAIL ACCOUNT)

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Date: Fri, 07 Nov 2003 03:16:41 +0000
From: Vertigo Online
Subject: sales enquiry
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We delivery to austrailia at ups cost from zipcode 98230 www.ups.com.
All
merchandise is insured at total cost minus shipping charges, and the
dual
voltage system is for your application , thanks !


Vertigo Online
www.vertigoonline.com

1-877-889-0808
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My response to Vertigo Online

Hi thanks for the quick response.

I don't want to purchase by credit card I want to wire the $ for the
purchase. Please provide your bank account details for this purpose
(Bank Branch, Bank number, Account name and Account number) Please
provide a total cost for the transfer (eg $1,999 + shipping at the
cheaper of the two UPS rates to the address below)

Please also provide your physical street address (sorry never heard of
you and just want to check you physically exist at that location)
before I wire you my hard earned cash because I notice your reply
address uses a hotmail address.

Kind regards
M LeClerc

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Vertigo's response again from a hotmail address.

First off the dual voltage system is $2599 not the $1999 for the reg
voltage
system, also the vertigoonline hotmail address is so that all the
phone reps
everywhere can reply in all the time zones. But the address as shown
on the corporation documents and also the banking
info is as follows:
Vertigo Online Inc
1733 H street #330a
Blaine, Wa, 98230
USA

The shipping is about $360 roughly,

The banking info will be available when you have confrimed the above,
thanks!

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My response to Vertigo

Hi you wrote

First off the dual voltage system is $2599 not the $1999 for the reg
voltage system

Hmmm ... if I proceed to checkout on yr site the cost listed is $1999
+ $400 dual voltage = $2,399 not $2,599 ?

also the vertigoonline hotmail address is so that all the phone reps
everywhere can reply in all the time zones.

Thanks for that however your response makes no sense, a time zone
don't change depending on whether you use hotmail or your own domain.

But the address as shown on the corporation documents and also the
banking
info is as follows:
Vertigo Online Inc
1733 H street #330a
Blaine, Wa, 98230
USA

OK I have tried to check out the address with our largest phone
company using MCI in the USA ........"no such company phone listing"
(same response over two different calls) also they say they have no
listing of any such address.

The shipping is about $360 roughly

Shipping cost is not an issue if it is $360. My more immediate concern
is that I can not verify your address or phone number. Convince me you
are legit and maybe I move forward.
Regards
M LeClerc
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Vertigo's response to me from a hotmail address.


Sorry you are right mistyped the price the price is $2399 plus the
shipping
at about $360 to australia, however until we have the address then i
will
not know for sure!

As for the checking of our company we are legit we sold 54 million
last year
and 14% increase this year is expected. We are available for calls
tomorrow
if you wish to call our 1-877-889-0808 telephone number otherwise
check our
etrust logo at the bottom of our page , this is the hardest membership
to
attain.

If you wish to proceed please make the order online , otherwise thanks
for
the interest and look forward to serving you in the future.
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My response to Vertigo

I would consider moving forward on the purchase if you use an escrow
service for payment?
Just out of interest why would your toll free # not be listed with any
phone company?
Does a manufacturer honour a warranty on product purchased through
you?

Kind regards

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Vertigo's response again from hotmail address

We used to accept www.escrow.com and have done 1457 trnasactions
through
them however now we use credit cards (domestically) or bankwires,
sorry
thats the only options, thanks !


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My thoughts (feel free to rebuff me if you think I'm wrong) are...

A company turning over 54 million dont use a hotmail address.

The "rep" at no stage ever used their name.

Accepting Credit cards does not make a merchant or vendor legit, I
used to work for a global credit card company (in fraud investigation)
so I know this much.

The Trust-e site from my understanding does not guarantee or warranty
payment of goods or services, nor help you claw back lost $$. Trust-e
is more concerned with internet privacy, most of its complaints are
about privacy, and anyone can pay money to them to use their privacy
logo after filling out some forms.

Why would there be no Telephone # listing for this company. There is
also no reverse search detail that comes up with the 877 toll free
number. MCI could not verify the number, or the address, acorss two
different calls using different Australian operators. No internet
directory service has Vertigo's listing or reverse listing detail.

The sales figures are clearly fraudulent - I would doubt even BOSE in
Australia sells equipment worth this much per year throughout the
entire Australian continent.

BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE
BUYER BEWARE OF VERTIGO ONLINE


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This is posted as information that may help other consumers make their
purchase decisions when dealing with Vertigo Online.