Fight Back! Express Cameras = Crooks

[nomaxim]

You can file a compliant with BBB here.
From the bbb.org

PHOTO KING
259 Ave U
Brooklyn, NY 11223
Original Business Start Date: 1/1/1998
Principal: Jack Silver, Manager
Phone Number: (800) 845-3705
Additional Phone Numbers:
(800) 834-9911
Website: www.shopphotoking.com
Type of Business: Computers-Dealers
Membership Status: This company is not a member.

Based on BBB files, this business has an unsatisfactory record with the Bureau because it failed to respond to one or more complaints.

Complaints filed with the BBB against this firm allege misleading information on gray market merchandise. In addition, consumers report receiving wrong or incomplete items, experiencing extended delays or non-delivery of ordered merchandise, and difficulty contacting customer service.

This firm also does business under the following names. This is not necessarily a complete list.

Express Cameras

[supergrine]

can't believe these guys are still in business... crazy!

[sjmaerz]

I was just the victim of these scammers myself, I am sad to say. The really disturbing thing about all of these bait and switch photo retailers is the lack of effort on the part of New York and New Jersey to do a damn thing about it. These companies have been operating freely in the New York area for years. I don't know if it is corruption or laziness that is the root of the problem, but nothing ever seems to improve. Expresscameras has 93 complaints on file with New Jersey Consumer Protection, and none of them have been resolved. Not one. It is no surprise that these companies have nothing to fear from their actions.

[Willyspu]

DO NOT DEAL WITH THESE CROOKS!

Well, I thought I was web savy but this one slipped by. I googled Nikon D80 and expresscameras.com came up with the lowest price $409.00 vs around $1,000.00 for everyone else. I checked the website for the usual safety icons (but I didn't realize these are only symbols not links). I placed my order for the D80 and the Nikon 80-400mm zoom lens for $1299.00 (a common price).

Next day at 6pm pst while I was getting dinner ready and kids doing home work, I get a call to confirm the order. Once confirmed, the caller says, "I have that same camera and the lens you ordered is crap, you should get the "new" Sigma 70-300, it is lighter and faster and takes better pictures and if you don't get it your a real idiot". He told me to check it out on their website, he told me to type in "new" in the search bar and a listing of lenses came up. This one was on it listing for $1599.99. Eventually, I agreed to buy the "superior" lens, mainly to get the guy off the phone but then he tried to push more stuff on me; telling me his job depended on it and I didn't want him to loose his job during the holidays.

After the call, I researched the "new" $1599.00 lens and found that on the sigma website the suggested retail price for the lens was $300.00 and Amazon had it for $119.00. Basically, I was ripped off $1400.00. Next day I called back to cancel the order and they said it had already shipped and was charged to my card.

I called Visa and cancelled the payment and emailed and called expresscameras to tell them. The camera and lens arrived but I sent it all back.

Don't be stupid like me, don't deal with these crooks!

[DFW]

Anyone interested in getting a class action going? Any Lawers been scamed by these crooks?

[DFW]

I wonder how they would feel if they recieved 100's of calls this Christmas season from people wanting various camera and equipment. After they did all their upgrade spills and so forth the person tells them that " I will think about it and call you back" . Maybe people that have been ripped off could email their friends and an tell them about the good deals that they have. Just tell them all to lock up their credit cards. It could be something productive to do in rush hour traffic.

sign me
Don't Mess with Baton Rouge

[NightHawke]

Well, the site got yanked by Yahoo's admin. For once they got it right this time around, getting the bad guy and leaving the innocents alone.
www.shopphotoking.com that is.

[rianvdm]

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who posted their experiences on this forum. I was looking for a Nikon D80 on Friday, found one dirt cheap on expresscameras.com, and bought it immediately - it was just too good to pass on!

Then I started reading these reviews... I immediately called my credit card company to cancel my card so they can't charge anything to it. And I also immediately email expresscameras.com to cancel my order.

This forum saved me a lot of heartache - thank you!

[hotmonkeyac]

HELP!!!! I always find this stuff out when it's too late. A few days ago I oredered a Canon XTi which was supposed to be $600 - well, I got an email asking that I call to confirm - they upsold me to $900.

They told me that the battery that came with it lasted 20 min and that the lens was crap, so I got the "rapid charger" and the "$500 lens".

Well, now I find this site and read all the bad things about them (while I may have had my own suspicions). The charge has already been charged and I believe it's on its way (I hope). Has ANYONE at all had a good experience with them? Can expect my camera to at least ship? I haven't gotten a tracking number or anything.

I'm usually good with online scams but I somehow overlooked this one. Is it to late? PLEASE HELP!

[Willyspu]

No good experience here but I did recieve my stuff. I told VISA about the upsell and tey said I could return the pieces I didn't want. I noticed that they calculated the cost and shipping completely wrong (I hope you printed your online confirmation). VISA had me fill out a bunch of paperwork to try to get the excessive shipping fees and "error" in calculations back. Before you send your stuff back be sure to call for a RMA number from expresscameras and be sure to be tough (not emotional) with them and say you don't need the stuff anymore. It is up to you if you want to keep he camera at the price you got it . . . mine (D80) had already been opened and set up so I felt like it was used. I sent all my stuff back.

Good luck, feel free to ask and questions.

Jim