CONSUMER GROUP ISSUES WARNING

THE CONSUMER Affairs Commission (CAC) has issued a warning to consumers against four businesses. According to the CAC, the businesses, Cool Air Conditioning, Compact Computer, The Warehouse, and Computer Express, have all closed their doors without notice or redress for consumers with impending claims.

‘Attempts to reach the principals of these businesses have for the most part been unsuccessful, with the exception of The Warehouse,” the consumer watchdog agency said in a release yesterday. The Warehouse’s attorneys contacted the CAC several weeks ago with a promise to bring closure to its documented cases, the commission stated.

LOOK OUT

“Consumers are therefore strongly advised to be on the look out for these vendors in the event that they open businesses elsewhere,” the commission said.

Also, the CAC disclosed that it has secured more than $18.5 million in refunds for consumers over the last three years. In the recently concluded financial year alone, $6.73 million was recovered, CAC stated.

According to the CAC, the majority of the refunds were received from businesses dealing in automobiles, appliances and electronic items. “Combined, these categories account for 60 per cent of refunds and over 50 per cent of the total complaints received,” the commission said in the release.

The CAC said it recorded 65 per cent increase in complaints relating to poor service from the medical, financial and cosmetics industries. In addition, there has been “a worrisome increase in complaints related to scams and fraud”.