The Wyoming Attorney General Friday announced a consumer protection settlement with two Wyoming corporations with Sheridan mailing addresses and their sole owner and officer.
HuddleHQ and eComHQ Inc sold retro game consoles online as Huddlebag. The online retailer generated more Better Business Bureau complaints in one year than any other Wyoming entity during the past five years combined. Consumers complained that Huddlebag advertised an authentic Nintendo game console, but supplied a knock off that performed poorly. Other consumers complained that Huddlebag accepted payment but delivered no product at all.
After conducting an investigation, the Attorney General concluded that Huddlebag’s business practices violated the Wyoming Consumer Protection Act. Huddlebag agreed to resolve the state’s concerns through a Consent Judgment entered by the Laramie County District Court on July 2, 2018.
That Consent Judgment dissolves the two Wyoming corporations and bans their sole owner and officer from engaging in online retail sales in Wyoming. Importantly for the more than 22 thousand consumers who purchased over 23 thousand game consoles, the Consent Judgment also requires Huddlebag to implement a consumer refund program.
As part of this program, Huddlebag must provide full refunds to all consumers who paid for but never received game consoles. The Consent Judgment also requires Huddlebag to provide all consumers who actually received game consoles with the opportunity to receive refunds by returning the game consoles. In total, consumer refunds could reach over $1 million under the Consent Judgment.
The Attorney General urges consumers to exercise caution when shopping online. It is easy to set up an online store. Consumers should confirm an online retailer’s physical address and consider its track record before making a purchase. Consumers who have concerns about the conduct of an online retailer should contact the Consumer Protection Unit of the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office.