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Scam alert: Problems with DVDAvenue.tv

12th December 2007, 03:04 pm


I’ve been scammed. What can I do?

A common frustration after getting scammed is “What can I do?” From recovering your money from a scam to fighting back against scammers, here are some options:

1) Call your credit card company to report the fraud. They should be able to issue a refund, and you can let their collections department attempt to recover the money.

2) If you’re in the USA, report the fraud using the FTC Consumer Complaint form, and report the business to your local attorney general’s office. The more people who file a complaint will increase the likelihood that the government will do something to help us.

3) Join an action group to fight against scammers. One I recommend is Fight Internet Fraud! run by Søren Ekelund. Ekelund’s site is new, but is motivated and has experience dealing with such matters in the past. We’ll keep an eye on his progress. As he says:

Well, time to do something serious about these scams! I have set up a site at http://www.fightinternetfraud.blogspot.com to sort out and confirm the many scam sites and their relations. Let’s see if we can piece together the full picture of these crimes and get some attention from the law. If we can gather enough cases the national and international anti-fraud agencies will see the seriousness of these crimes, and if we can gather enough information they will be able to practically go to the root post office, bank, server room or phone and pick up the scammers. It’s not impossible as shown by recent cases in Canada and UK has proven.

4) Tell others. The fact that you’re on this page indicates you have a problem or are researching a company that may have problems. Share your experiences and thoughts – scroll to the bottom of this page and let the other readers learn from your experience.

The email below was sent in reponse to my article dealing with online scams and DVDAvenue.tv. Instead of piling up more user problems on that page, I’ve created this page. Either read about others’ problems with DVDavenue.tv, or scroll to the bottom and add your own experience.

Wish I had found your website before purchasing from this outfit…..  Oh well, live and learn.  My experience has been somewhat painful, but I do have some information to contribute that may or may not be helpful.  The dvdavenue.tv website does have an online chat that sometimes allows you to get a hold of someone.  I have no luck what so ever with their 800 number.

What happens when you call the 800 number is that a recorded message yacks at you, then ask you to say your name and press the pound key.  You are then transferred to another recording, and after waiting for a couple of minutes, it tells you that no one is available to take your call.  All this after telling you how “someone will be right with you”, and how “we pride ourselves on customer service.”  Each iteration of this takes about 5 minutes.

A search of the web turned up some information through the BBB, strangely no negative report.  However, there is a toll number which I called and was able to talk to someone.  The information on the BBB site that I found is:

Additional Addresses
12021 SW 174th Street
Miami, FL  33177-2246
Tel: (305) 677-9538

At present, my credit card has been charged twice, and the company claims they have refunded the second charge.  This is yet to show up on my statement so I have filed a dispute with the credit card company.  Also, I have been provided with a tracking number for the Canadian Post, and supposedly, the DVDs were shipped last Friday.  However, the Tracking number still is not working on the Canadian Postal website.

The DVDs are a Christmas present for my Dad, an old TV program that I remember him enjoying when I was a boy.  It is otherwise unavailable, and since he is 83 years old, he may not live long enough for legal distribution.  I hate this whole situation, and sure hope that it will finally work out.  I guess I have made my own bed so will have to lay in it………..

Other articles related to this topic:

Category: Scams and Spam, Video and Audio

164 Comments

  1. Karen Sullivan:

    I ordered the complete Wagon Train series which was supposed to include 55 dvds and 260 episodes from gowestdvd.com. I placed the order in early November. A few days later I emailed them or the staus of my order. They never replied. In fact, the only way I knew they received my order was that they charged my credit card on Nov. 15. Several days later, I tried calling them and got a recording that gave a different name. After calling several times, I finally got through to a real person. They mailed my videos on Dec. 9 but I didn’t receive them until Dec. 26. They were going to be a gift for my mom. They only mailed me 20 dvds instead of 55. When I put them in my player, there were many skipped episodes.So I wound up with only 98 episodes out of 260. And the picture and sound were poor quaity plus the TVLand logo was at the bottom of the screen like they taped it from TVLand years ago. They told me they will not refund my money and they also charged my credit card twice but they did remove 1 of the charges after I told them about it. They have other names like Ultra Media Service and the video covers had http://www.criticschoicevideo.com. So buyers beware of these. I’m afraid to ever buy anything off the internet again!

    27 December 2008, 8:27 am

  2. nancestef:

    WOW! After reading all these posts, I consider myself to be one of the “lucky” ones. In November 2007, I ordered the complete Emergency! DVD set. It took FOREVER to get here. The tracking number that was given to me was almost useless. When the DVDs arrived, and I saw that the boxes were bootleg, I got in touch with them (via live chat — since their phones were constantly “busy”). After many “live chats”, and a few well-placed threats against them, they took the charge for the merchandise off my card but not the shipping (which was $27. They also said that they would be sending me a prepaid envelope so that I could send the discs back. (That was in December 2007.) About 3 months later, I received a call from my credit card company that the card I had used was involved in a fraudulent charge for a $1200 computer purchased in India. Thank goodness I have a good credit card company. They immediately cancelled the card and rescinded the charges. I have done a TON of internet shopping, but I find it hardly coincidental that my card was used fraudulently after dealing with DVD Avenue. It’s been over a year since they said they were going to send me a postage-paid envelope for the return of the discs, so just for the heck of it, I started to watch them. Their quality, to say the least, is LOUSY. The episodes skip around, there are commercials, “TVLand” can be seen in the lower right corner, and some of the discs don’t play at all. Needless to say, I have learned my lesson and only purchase “official” DVDs.

    9 January 2009, 3:06 pm

  3. Crystal:

    I purchased the full season of Who’s the Boss from DVDAvenue thinking that it was legit! They charged my credit card 225.98 and sent me dvds that were pirated from tv! Two seasons were missing and two discs didn’t even work! I tried contacting them several times couldn’t get a hold of anyone through phone or email. Finally, i got a hold of a girl named Daphne who told me that they will send out a whole new set of the series to replace my bad one. She didn’t even ask for my information or address and when I brought it to her attention she said she didn’t need it. Of course, i never got the new dvds or a refund! I called again and spoke to Sofia and was promised the same thing, but never got anything! Its a big rotten scam with rotten people! Pass along the information and make sure these people come down!! Bastards!

    20 January 2009, 6:07 am

  4. George:

    Add http://www.PlanetDVDStore.com to your list. I purchased a “Courage the Cowardly Dog” DVD series for my son. When it arrived it was obviously “homemade.” It came complete with stickers on the disk labeling them #1, #2, #3, etc. The picture was out of focus, a closed caption icon was present, and the Cartoon Network logo on the bottom right of the picture. At the end of each episode an announcer told us what show was next. The web site gives you 14 days to return the product. I e-mailed them advising them of my dissatisfaction and requesting a return authorization number. I have not received a response.

    4 June 2009, 9:47 am

  5. Colin:

    I wish to heaven that I had found this site before I placed an order through the so-called legit company called “DVDAvenue.TV” unfortunately I didn’t and I placed an order for the complete series of “Medic”
    My emails to this “company” are just looping back to the mail delivery server for Yahoo! And being in the UK I won’t even think about trying to phone them. I just hope my credit card can do something.
    We have to stop these people before it’s too late!

    23 July 2009, 4:18 pm

  6. Anthony:

    After reading these complaints I am wondering if I have an offshoot of these frauds.I was scammed by planetdvdstore.com. Ordered a complete set of Perry mason at the cost of over 114 dollars.Found out they made an extra debit at my bank for some type of border change.We had no idea these dvds were coming from China.I called them up and threatened them they better not add anymore debits and better remove the one.They promised to credit it back but never did. They took forever to get here then they were obviously pirate copies copied from the tv and amatueris.Some did not even work and were copied from tv stations as you could see their icons in the bottom right of the screen.They came with packing slips from China and discribed as clothing and priced at 20.00.Complete fruads. The really bad thing is we lost all our records of the transactions because our pc was fried by a freak lightening storm.Do you think there is a coinnection between this web site and the others. Sounds to much alike to not be.

    13 August 2009, 7:40 am

  7. Staffan:

    Anthony, it sure does sound as the scumbags described above! You should however have a decent chance of getting your money back from your bank/credit card issuer if you provide them with the details (any mail, slips, an account of what happened etc). I did and got a full refund from Mastercard/GE Capital under their fraud policy.

    Best of luck.

    13 August 2009, 8:51 am

  8. Maurice Barringer:

    “The Untouchables,” 1959 to 1962, was my all-time favorite television program when I was a teenager. I ordered the 22 disc, 118 episode set and was surprised to find out that 14 of the episodes were either “The Muppets” or “Grizzly Adams.” In addition, 8 other episodes were defective and stopped during the middle of the show.

    You can imagine my bewilderment when “The Muppets” and “Grizzly Adams” shows popped up on the DVD instead of “The Untouchables.” I tried unsuccessfully to get either a refund or another DVD box set. I will never order anything over the internet again. DVD Avenue.TV is corrupt, incompetent and dishonest.

    23 September 2009, 7:16 pm

  9. Barb:

    I ordered dvds from dvd avenue. I waited a week for the shipping confirmation and started making phone calls and emails to them. When I got the “electronic runaround”, I searched for anyone having problems with these people. I found this web site and immediately called my credit card company. I hadn’t been charged as yet so we cancelled my card on the spot. I’m so glad I got suspicious and looked for help!

    12 October 2009, 9:59 am

  10. Sydney:

    Glad I came across this website and I want to thank all those who have contributed their comments. Does anyone know anything about a site called muchdvd.com? Wondering if they are on the level…or just another fraudulent site (?). Oh, and Good Luck to everyone who registered a complaint. It’s amazing how many people will take advantage of others these days and it’s also a sad note!

    29 October 2009, 8:41 pm

  11. Barb:

    Just looked at the listings for DVD Avenue. According to Bing, it is a safe site. It still has agreen check mark beside the name. How do you stop that?

    6 November 2009, 10:58 am

  12. Pete Hulscher:

    Pete Hulscher
    December 6, 2009

    6 Dec.2009
    My exp. is even worse payed for my shipment + the set DVD of (suppose to be)Judge Amy cpl.series 155 $(all lost),only 5 parts/shows of them where really what it suppose to be,BUT of a VERY ,VERY to EXTREMELY poor contend .(But all of 32 DVD’s had the well printed image of them on it, as also on the boxes )

    And than the most dirty trick, all the rest of them worked BUT ! ! ! ! some joke ? ? ? ? all the rest of then where SECOND WORLD WAR ! ! ! ! bl/white !!!! air force air raids on Germany by the English pilots ! ! ! ! ! ! !
    And beeing a 60 year old ex Dutch Royal Air Force European I’m sick and tired of seeing them again and again,even.

    SO You think that are your all what you have written,there are worse, ME for instance I have done the whole circus ,Email,normal post ,reg.letters this all was last year,supposed to be for my B-day nothing than very bad memory, most of all not ONE reply ! ! ! ! !
    from the THIEVES ! ! ! horrible for a such nice country as the USA.
    At the time I searched for some organisation in the USA to be able to catch such dirt-bags unfortunately I than never succeeded ,so to say dear 155$ !!! ! ! !
    Pete.
    PLS: read all of these real stories ! ! ! ! !
    http://presstheactionbutton.wordpress.com/2008/01/30/wwwdvdavenuetv-totally-screwed-me/

    6 December 2009, 3:23 pm

  13. Elise Champagne:

    Hi, I really wish I had known about DVD avenue before I order my complete series of ‘Emergency’. I am really not impressed with the quality of the DVD. At least, I only spend 117.00$ CAD, but it’s still sad to see the quality so poor.

    3 June 2010, 2:45 pm

  14. Mopar1:

    Here is their phone number. Rudest customer service ever. 631-693-4898

    30 June 2010, 4:07 pm