AG cautioning consumers about BlueHippo

By: Sara Dorsey

Tampa, Florida - BlueHippo's commercials make buying a computer sound easy. Chris Day was hooked almost instantly by the extra incentives.

He placed his order, shelled out a down payment and money began to get withdrawn from his account monthly. But after that, Day says things started to unravel. The computer never arrived.

Chris Day, Bought from BlueHippo

"One lady told me it would be sent out shortly. One lady told me it was basically a layaway program and they'd send it out whenever they felt like it."

After being out more than 400 bucks, Day did what most unhappy customers would.

Chris Day, Bought from BlueHippo

"I just said, 'Give me the $418 you took out of my account and we'll call it even.' They wouldn't do it."

The company's website indicates there are no cash refunds. The only option for customers is to pick a different product from the website.

Bill McCollum, Florida Attorney General

"We think that overall, this is a very deceptive trade practice."

Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum is also investigating allegations the company fails to disclose the true cost of computers, overcharging consumers.

Bill McCollum, Florida Attorney General

"It really is too good to be true. In the case of the BlueHippo Financing, we're finding complaints that are real, that they are selling their products and that they're paying a lot more for them than in a retail store."

The Federal Trade Commission has launched its own investigation after accumulating more than 8,000 pages of complaints. The Better Business Bureau has logged more than 1400 grievances stemming from all 50 states.

BlueHippo says it's working to resolve the issues saying:

"BlueHippo Funding is committed to providing clear and accurate information to consumers and continues to provide outstanding customer support."

It's a statement Chris Day just isn't buying.

Chris Day, Bought from BlueHippo

"I'm still trying to get my money back. I know I'll probably never get it back, but I'm not going to give up."

If you think you've been victimized by BlueHippo Financing, you can call Florida's Attorney General's Office at 1-866-966-7226 or click here to file an electronic complaint.