TroubleShooters: Blue Hippo computer refund

A local man is having a hard time getting a refund from a computer company called Blue Hippo. He canceled his order back in December. But he's still waiting for his money. You may have seen their ads on TV. Blue Hippo sells computers, targeting customers with poor credit and allowing them to pay in installments. William Emanuel wants a refund. He said, "Everything sounded good over the phone and I decided to go forth and give them my checking account routing number, and they told me on the 20th my account would be drafted for $124." Emanuel ordered a computer from Blue Hippo, but then says he realized they had charged him for an extra media software package he didn't want. He decided to cancel his order. That's when the trouble began. "At the time when I cancelled it, they didn't tell me that it would take 45 days to cancel it, and all this management would have to approve it, and then it would have to be a 45-day waiting period for them to put it back in," he said. Emanuel says the 45-day waiting period has long since come and gone, but he's still waiting for his $124 refund for a computer he never received. NewsChannel 3 called Blue Hippo to find out what's taken so long. Several different customer service agents all said the 45-day waiting period wasn't up yet. "I think it's just an absolute scam," Emanuel said. "They're hoping I will just give up, throw it all away and forget all about it." The Better Business Bureau knows all about Blue Hippo. It has almost 2,000 complaints on file, ranging from failing to deliver the merchandise customers ordered, to making unauthorized withdrawals from customers' accounts. The Federal Trade Commission has also gone after Blue Hippo for unlawful business practices, resulting in a multi million dollar settlement. Another note for buyers: Emanuel would have paid over $2,000 for his computer through Blue Hippo. That computer would normally cost around $500 for a regular cash sale.