On the 6th of December, I took a Minolta/Konica camera to Intelligence Audio and Video Ltd on 54-064B Nathan Road, Kowloon, China to see if the personnel there could tell me why my camera flash had become unsynchronized with the shutter. The salesman told me that correcting the problem would be more costly than buying a new camera. He also said that due to the age of the camera (@ 6 years old) that the operating system was deteriorating to the extent that even if I had the camera repaired that it would be a waste of money.

He then proposed that by using my Minolta for trade-in, he could give me a very good deal on another camera. We discussed this and I bought a Fuji Film camera for my camera and 4992.00 Hong Kong dollars. At the exchange rate of 7.7615 (a rate provided me by Master Card) this comes to $634.17 US dollars. I charged this to my Master Card and bought the Fuji camera. Returning back to my hotel room, I then checked the internet and found out that the US retail for the Fuji camera was $169.95. I became very angry that I had been essentially robbed not only of my old camera but the difference between the actual value and the charged amount of the new Fuji.

The next morning, I immediately returned the Fuji to the dealer and demanded my money and old camera back. He took the new Fuji and returned my camera but since the cardholder copy of the transaction had “NO REFUND” on it, he refused to destroy the original charge slip or issue a credit in the charged amount. He basically told me that even though I had returned the Fuji that the charge was going through – in essence, robbing me of 4992.00 Hong Kong dollars ($643.71 US).

Having no recourse at that moment, I allowed him to show me another camera (Sony “Alpha 290”). Wanting to at least have something in my possession other than a bogus charge slip, I purchased the Sony. I then signed another Master Card sales slip for an additional 1, 950.00 Hong Kong dollars ($251.08 US). Since my plane left shortly thereafter I had no recourse but to return to the US and checked up on the US retail price of the Sony “Alpha 290”. Not to my great surprise, I found out that I had been robbed again. Intelligence Audio and Video had in its possession sales slips for a total of 6, 942 Hong Kong dollars ($894.40 US). I can get the Sony camera from reputable US camera sales organizations for from $389.00 to $399.00. Going with a $400.00 value, I stand in the position of being robbed of $494.00 by these unscrupulous thieves.

I contacted Chase Bank (Master Card) in an attempt to resolve this. Chase’s reply received this week was: “While eager to assist, according to the receipt provided to us; the merchant’s fees are non-refundable and all sales are final”. Basically telling me that they recognize the theft but are unable to provide any help.

Having spent many years in the Far East, I came to trust and honor the honesty and integrity of the Asian people. To let this practice continue at Intelligence Audio and Video Ltd on 54-064B Nathan Road, Kowloon, China is a disgrace to the city of Kowloon and the Chinese people. I am sending this letter to as many agencies as I can to warn potential customers of their dishonesty. With the world wide internet as my tool, I expect this message to reach millions of potential customers.