<p>Case #1: Company notices that their books are out of whack because they shipped you a computer for which they have not been paid. </p>
<p>In this case, you'll be on the hook to either pay up, return the computer, or explain that you never received the computer. Assuming you don't want to perjure yourself, that's two options. While you're waiting, you could either leave the computer unopened, the better to be able to send it back, or you could start using it. If the latter, you'll need to be prepared to pay for the computer when the company figures out what's what. </p>
<p>Case #2: Company never notices that you've not paid for the computer they shipped you.</p>
<p>Legally, you're home free. But if the company notices a year later, or two, or however long it might take, you will be on the hook for the cost of the computer. "You guys didn't notice for so long, now it's mine" isn't going to cut it with the credit card company in a dispute. Your call if you want to have this worry hanging over your head. </p>
<p>Ethically, you are in the wrong, because you have not attempted to right their error. Yes, they're idiots. Yes, it's annoying that you have to spend your time dealing with this. No one ever said that behaving ethically was convenient. </p>
<p>Call the company and send them an email with your order number and a short explanation of what happened. Ask them to send you what's needed for you to ship back the computer, at their expense. Then call Chase, explain what has happened, and that you have contacted the company for resolution. If you are unable to contact the company, tell this to Chase, and ask for their help at intervening. This will be helpful in establishing your good intentions if this company tries to make you pay. Consider this: the company has not treated you well so far. They've goofed. How do you know that they will not misrepresent you to Chase?</p>
<p>Calling corporations is such a tremendous waste of time and airtime. They should be calling him.</p>
<p>
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Ethically, you are in the wrong, because you have not attempted to right their error.
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</p>
<p>And why should he have the SOLE moral responsibility of righting THEIR error? Why should he be doing all the work? They should be spending their time to get it back, not the other way round.</p>
<p>
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No one ever said that behaving ethically was convenient.
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</p>
<p>Sorry, but this entire affair is unjust to the OP. The OP I am sure would be glad to return it if the company would even return his calls IN DUE HASTE.</p>
<p>Once, again, you are using flawed analogies.</p>
<p>This is NOT finders-keepers. This is where the entity who "lost" the item won't even pay the finder any respect by not making the finder wait 20 hours on the phone and consuming hundreds/thousands of dollars worth (in workhour opportunity cost) of his time.</p>
<p>In most lost-and-found cases that I know, the person who lost the item pays the
finder a great amount of thanks and respect to get the item back!</p>
<p>If the OP returns the item, he should also file a lawsuit against the company for the great inconvenience it committed against him. This is because making all that effort just to get to where he was before (that is -- a situation of zero profit), actually amounts to negative profit. </p>
<p>Contact a consumer watchdog and get some legal action going against this company, if you do return it. That way, everything can be just, and perhaps the OP can actually get some profit out of it for all that wasted time.</p>
<p>The company's don't have years to notice the charge. They are given 12 days and that is it. After that, they will have a couple more month to the money back using "good faith". If they contact me, I will comply with them. If not, that is their loss.</p>
<p>I know it is unethical, but sometimes you have to put ethics aside.</p>
<p>The computer company provided horrible customer service. They first never returned my e-mails. When they finally returned my e-mails, they called me impatient.</p>
<p>I will give you a situation. Pretend somebody treated you bad and then they come to you and ask you for help with something. Would you help them? If it is not a life and death situation, I wouldn't help them.</p>
<p>This is the same thing with the computer company (only it involves money). Should I go out of my way to contact them about their mistake? I wouldn't.</p>
<p>As long as you pay for it when they finally bill you I don't see how it's unethical. They will eventually bill you, most likely. If they shipped a computer to you for free without any active attempts at fraud on your part, it's their fault not their rudeness but for their inability to figure out whether they were in fact paid for it.</p>
<p>You seem to have already made up your mind, football. (:</p>
<p>Personally I'm in the "wait to see what the company does" camp. You've stated you're willing to pay the bills once they realize, so it's not like you're entirely avoiding the law.
I feel like it's the company's fault for being so completely disorganized. I guess some people have much stronger moral compasses than that though, heh.</p>
<p>The company never caught the charge. The funny thing is that they sent me an e-mail and gave me a free shipping refund. So, they gave me the free computer and the free shipping refund.</p>
<p>This compnay doesn't deserve to be in business.</p>
[/quote]
I promised to reveal the unencrypted prediction around 11/15 after the OP posted his story of what happened in the intervening month. Well, looks like what I predicted doesn't match what the OP says happened. Unencrypted, I wrote
[quote]
So here's the prediction. You'll end up buying the computer when your credit card issuer reinstates the charge. Now you have 2 laptops.</p>
<p>What happened so far (Oct 5th & 6th postings) is a temporary credit. You disputed a charge, they took it off your bill until it's resolved. But your claim when you called the credit card company was you NEVER got the laptop. </p>
<p>Now you have it. Furthermore, nobody sends out a $1500 laptop without a tracking number and getting a signature. So they can prove they delivered it. Ergo, the charge comes back on your card.
[/quote]
Those with a technical bent can confirm that its what I had posted in the encrypted note, using the not-so-easily guessed key of W9RusT3t2Ww56!3aB</p>
<p>If the company is that disorganized then shame on them. Perhaps they'll learn to handle customers and orders better in the future if they lose $1,500.</p>