Canada still no word

vapspwi · Post by **vapspwi** » Dec 5th 2002, 5:30 pm

MartinPierre wrote: I agree it was a poor choice, but a business has expenses.

the problem is that Ross didn't deliver on time and must now face the consequences of his choices.

Now, for the double-charges HE HAS NOT EXCUSES...

But for the refunds, I can understand. He paid the 200,000 for the orders based on a certain number of orders and a certain level of revenue, but when that revenue dropped, he could not cancel part of the 200,000$.

I'm not talking about spending money earned on business expenses, I'm talking about STEALING MONEY from customers by double and triple charging them. There's no "wise" way to spend that money. There's no way to justify that in any way.

I don't care what else happened with delays and so forth; if Another Universe had dealt competently and fairly with its customers, it wouldn't have had to deal with so many cancellations. If Another Universe had remained the sole source of this product, it wouldn't have had to deal with so many cancellations.

I could almost be sympathetic to their plight, if not for the fact that they sat on $115 stolen from my bank account for 4 months, before I was finally able to get my bank to give it back to me.

JRjr

JPP13 · Post by **JPP13** » Dec 5th 2002, 6:34 pm

This whole thing is really beginning to sound like an internet Ponzi scheme. For those who are not familar with it, heres a quick cut n paste:

Ponzi" Schemes
Ponzi schemes are a type of illegal pyramid scheme named for Charles Ponzi, who duped thousands of New England residents into investing in a postage stamp speculation scheme back in the 1920s. Ponzi thought he could take advantage of differences between U.S. and foreign currencies used to buy and sell international mail coupons. Ponzi told investors that he could provide a 40% return in just 90 days compared with 5% for bank savings accounts. Ponzi was deluged with funds from investors, taking in $1 million during one three-hour period—and this was 1921! Though a few early investors were paid off to make the scheme look legitimate, an investigation found that Ponzi had only purchased about $30 worth of the international mail coupons.

Decades later, the Ponzi scheme continues to work on the "rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul" principle, as money from new investors is used to pay off earlier investors until the whole scheme collapses.

-----------

The whole key is that AU milks off the money for "expenses" while it tries to keep the scheme going by selling new product.

Such schemes are illegal in every state.

so-called customer · Post by **so-called customer** » Dec 5th 2002, 6:36 pm

I'm wondering what Ross has offered MartinPierre to act as his shill and defend the criminal actions AU has taken through the course of this whole project. Anyone who cancels is owed their money back within 30 days, I don't care if he has to borrow it from his grandma, that is the law. The overcharges are theft, plain and simple.

It is fairly clear that this entire project was nothing but a scam from the start. AU demanded payment in advance to float their operation, then stole more money as things went along. Trying to make excuses about refunds is laughable. Now they are hoping another scam (Twilight Zone) can keep them afloat while they deal with the banks coming after them for chargebacks. How anyone could have sympathy for Ross is beyond believable.

Fortunately I washed my hands of these crooks, and my bank has reversed my charges, but I feel sorry for all those who still haven't got the sets they paid an exhorbitant premium for, or are holding out hope that they will get their bonus items, as AU will be bankrupt long before that happens.

kidbro77 · Post by **kidbro77** » Dec 5th 2002, 6:48 pm

Hey, just wondering what you think my chances are of receiving my cancellation refund? I'm already writing up the letter I'll be faxing to my credit card company. I think it's gonna help that I got an email from AnotherUniverse.com responding to my query for a tracking number saying that they thought I had cancelled my order. This is their acknowledgement that they did in fact receive my cancellation notice, but I have yet to receive a refund for that.

I finally received a reversal for the duplicate charges thanks to writing VISA a letter and sending them all the documentation and with the advice and help of this forum! I'm hoping lightning can strike twice...

MartinPierre · Post by **MartinPierre** » Dec 5th 2002, 6:48 pm

I was offered nothing, and I am not defending Ross in ANY way for the double charges...

I even only got my DVDs today !!!

I am only repeating what he is telling me and trying to find a logical explanation out of his statements.

But I am the only one talking to Ross, and if I keep attacking him he won't collaboratate if I attack him too.

Jason R · Post by **Jason R** » Dec 5th 2002, 6:51 pm

MartinPierre,

Let's look at the ridiculousness of the situation. Ross should not be communicating through a customer. His company should not even be communicating on a message board.

Instead, they should be responding to emails, calling people back and sending out mass mails. Actually, they can forget all of that and just send people their money.

Anything else is complete bullshit. I see little value to passing along any words from Ross as they have, pretty much, all been proven to be nothing but lies.

Don't help this criminal buy time. Take it from someone who was in your shoes.

Jason

MartinPierre wrote:I was offered nothing, and I am not defending Ross in ANY way for the double charges...

I even only got my DVDs today !!!

I am only repeating what he is telling me and trying to find a logical explanation out of his statements.

But I am the only one talking to Ross, and if I keep attacking him he won't collaboratate if I attack him too.

fnordboy · Post by **fnordboy** » Dec 5th 2002, 9:03 pm

Regardless of what you think your doing, even if you have everyone here's best interest in mind, you are coming across like Ross' bitch. You are doing exactly what he wants you to do.

You are defending his company. The same company that has stolen from just about everyone here. He made the bad business decisions. He STOLE our money. He refuses to pay back cancelations and double AND TRIPLE charges. Even if your calculations are correct and they have 'spent' all the money (like on his bullshit trips..god i hope that f*** gets audited). Ross has an OBLIGATION to payback each and every dollar of our money back that is owed to us, hell Ross should have paid us all back MONTHS AGO. No ifs and s or buts about it.

They fucked us in every way possible on this project. We got a s**t product for DOUBLE the price everywhere else. We got money STOLEN from us. They lied to us every friggin step of the way. We are (most likely) getting the shittiest 'bonus disc' ever to be released on dvd. And god knows what the lunchboxes are going to be like, probably fall apart in weeks.

I am so sick and tired of dealing with this crap, and all the bullshit lies that trickle in.

And Martin you say there is no plan now, but didnt you post like a week ago and say you knew what his plans were etc. but you couldnt say anything 'yet'?

MartinPierre wrote:I was offered nothing, and I am not defending Ross in ANY way for the double charges...

I even only got my DVDs today !!!

I am only repeating what he is telling me and trying to find a logical explanation out of his statements.

But I am the only one talking to Ross, and if I keep attacking him he won't collaboratate if I attack him too.

Lurker1999 · Post by **Lurker1999** » Dec 6th 2002, 2:03 am

MartinPierre wrote:I was offered nothing, and I am not defending Ross in ANY way for the double charges...

I even only got my DVDs today !!!

I am only repeating what he is telling me and trying to find a logical explanation out of his statements.

But I am the only one talking to Ross, and if I keep attacking him he won't collaboratate if I attack him too.

Sometimes you are judged by the company you keep. FWIW I don't think you're an agent of AU but it's best to dissociate yourself from the likes on RR as fast as possible. Nothing good can come of the relationship. It's clear he's not going to tell you any more truths than he has told the rest of us so far. The only thing further interaction with him can lead to is false hope (i.e. actually getting 'bonus' items) or heaven's forbid someone being stupid enough to buy one of those Twilight Zone sets.

MartinPierre · Post by **MartinPierre** » Dec 6th 2002, 6:26 am

The plans I knew were not about the refunds but rather about the Bonus disks.

But once more, day passed by without news !!!

In short, he was supposed to have the last contracts signed as soon as the DVDs finished shipping that week, but they only finished shipping this week !!!

That's right, several DVDs came out this week, so he lied again.

Therefore, he seems to only be buying time.

Khatt · Post by **Khatt** » Dec 6th 2002, 4:23 pm

If... as you say, the DVD's have FINISHED shipping this week, it looks like I paid over $100 for nothing. THIS upsets me a great deal, and it's starting to look like legal action is going to be my only recourse. I have been patient with AU, even to the point of sticking with them when others bailed out. That seems to be the stupid course of action now.

GaryEA · Post by **GaryEA** » Dec 6th 2002, 9:17 pm

The plans I knew were not about the refunds but rather about the Bonus disks.

Oh, this outta be good. Who wants to take bets that the bonus discs will become an apology (through MP, of course) and a partial refund in the form of store credit, because that's the only thing I see coming out of this mess.

Jason, you stated that Ross shouldn't be passing news through a customer. You're right about that, but I also feel that while AU continues to sell and pass the dollars back to another customer (AnotherCustomer?) who is waiting, that piece of trash they call a web site should have an update by him every week.

EDIT: I take that part back. It should somebody new, appointed by the board/court appointed mediator to handle information. At this point, no one believes a word he says, so a weekly feel-good update will do nothing but cause people to choke and scoff.

The info should be coming from the one who screwed up, and that's Another Universe.

Gary

so-called customer · Post by **so-called customer** » Dec 7th 2002, 12:25 am

You just have to know that, being the sly trickster he is, Ross will be able to turn around and claim he never said anything about bonus discs or so forth, since the one sending out information to the customers was Jason. Just as Ross was claiming all sorts of extra gifts for those who hung in there (t-shirt, gift certificate...), these things will never come to pass. He will then also blame Jason for costing him the business and tell that to his customers, just wait and see.

If you haven't got your discs yet, I am pretty certain you aren't getting them, and you had better contact whoever you paid through to initiate a chargeback ASAP.

I don't doubt Gary's idea about an apology and store credit, which for anyone out of country is worthless, but could squirm him out of the obligation. A partial refund? Good luck!

Post by **Natasha (candygirl)** » Dec 7th 2002, 4:21 am

so-called customer wrote:You just have to know that, being the sly trickster he is, Ross will be able to turn around and claim he never said anything about bonus discs or so forth, since the one sending out information to the customers was Jason.

Well Ross (not Jason) himself promised the gift certificates and t-shirts to us in this update and he claimed the bonus disc would contain MTR, BF interviews, and MTV footage in bonus disks so Ross is on the hook for the promises he made to his customers. Not that his word means anything, as evidenced by his previous promises and actions.

so-called customer · Post by **so-called customer** » Dec 7th 2002, 1:21 pm

He will deny posting that, as this is an anonymous public BBS which anyone could use to post info to. If it doesn't route back to AU's office in some way, it isn't admissable evidence, and that's all he needs to worry about.

fnordboy · Post by **fnordboy** » Dec 7th 2002, 5:44 pm

so-called customer wrote:He will deny posting that, as this is an anonymous public BBS which anyone could use to post info to. If it doesn't route back to AU's office in some way, it isn't admissable evidence, and that's all he needs to worry about.

Can't you check the IP? Or is that too long ago?

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