Assurz Folds -- and Customers Are Stuck

If you've ever done business with Assurz, you're out of luck. They're kaput. Assurz is the company that offered a guarantee if you had trouble with a product. Read my October TigerDirect Offers Assurz's 90-Day "Satisfaction Guarantee" blog for the back story.

According to Internet Retailer, the company didn't give participating companies -- and definitely not consumers -- much notice.

"In its May 30 e-mail notice to eImprovement [a participating Assurz retailer], Assurz, citing a contract stipulation that lets it discontinue service with a three-day notice, said it would terminate its service as of June 2 because 'your refund rate has been consistently greater than fees we have received for the services, leading to cumulative net losses from refund payouts by Assurz.'"

In July, Assurz declared bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California and the reaction from consumers was, no surprise here, that of dismay, anger, and outrage.

Filing a Claim
According to Bankrate:

"As a creditor, what you can do is file a proof of claim. This is your legal statement that the business owes you money. The administrator in charge of the Chapter 11 case (called a trustee) will determine whether it is possible for you to be paid. Do it soon as there is a deadline for filing.
"If the company is paying back all its obligations through the Chapter 11, then you would get paid eventually. If they are not paying back everyone, then there's a line that forms. Secured creditors go first (those who loaned the company start-up capital for equipment or real estate), then the government (in case the company owes corporate and employment taxes), then unsecured creditors such as yourself."

The Bankruptcy Law Network has more information. Get a PDF copy of the claims form and read the instructions.

The first meeting of creditors is scheduled for July 30 in the San Francisco office of the trustee for the case, Janina Elder. The case number is 08-31101. The last day for filing claims against Assurz is Oct. 28, 2008. The sooner you get the claimed filed, the better.

For more information about filing a claim, write to
Janina Elder
PO Box 158
Middletown CA 95461

Bass Disclaimer
I consulted my attorney, Bernie, from the law offices of Dewey, Fleecem & Howe, and he strongly urged you to view my suggestions for filing a claim as just that -- ideas to consider. "These are simply recommendations," he said, charging me by the minute, "and for real legal advice, chat with an attorney."

Comments

Well, of course they are a scam and a sham!! Can't anyone tell by the name? One of the major clues is any business or website that has an unexplained "Z" at the end of its name is automatically bogus. "Assur Zee." What language is that? Dutch (Zuider Zee)? What does it mean? Other clues are phony sounding business names that no one else would think of using until the names appear in print somewhere. For example, those that say, "If you call right now..." They're all scams.

cwootten

July 24, 2008

6:35 PM PT