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Harbor Freight Tools
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Harbor Freight Tools Complaints 160

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3:09 pm EDT
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Harbor Freight Tools deceptive ads, items never instock

Their ads are misleading, rarely have any larger items in stock and when I went by one of the Birmingham (Centerpoint) AL stores on Friday at 3:30pm, for a sale item (a tool bench) I was told that the manager had the only key to the trailers out back (wear the item was stored and was in stock) and to come back Saturday. I returned ( a 25 mile one way trip) and was told the item is not in stock, sorry, but they did have the key to the storage trailer. I was told that the other store had 4-5 of the items so I drove over to the Home wood store (another 15+ miles) paid for the 2 work benches and pulled around back to have the items loaded. After 15 minutes of confused searching by the employee I was told to wait. I waited another 10 minutes, he returned and said they are out of stock! Now I had to wait in line again for a refund, which neither cashier could figure out how to do correctly for another 15 minutes!
This place is a joke and fraudulent in the advertising and has the least knowledgeable and professional employees I've ever seen in over 50 years of shopping as a builder! The minimal savings they tout are not worth the inferior service and wasted time!

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Warning to all women!! Don't do business with any harbor freight store!!! I went there a few days ago to get a refund on an defective car heater from this crappy store, and I was treated rudely by the manager, and I was sexualy assaulted, by an employee that worked there, I informed the police, and they told me that many women have been sexually assaulted...

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4:18 pm EST
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Harbor Freight wont let you post really big issues with their products on their review website but this site will and that’s great because people need to know what to expect from a company both with their products and the warranty that they sell you. The warranty that you buy is really not like a true warranty that I am accustom to buying, instead both the...

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11:24 pm EDT
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Harbor Freight Tools fraudulent advertising

Be warned: never buy anything from harbor freight tools!

I just purchased their cordless jig saw for $24.00 online. The price was unbelievable, and now I know why. It didn't come with a battery or charger! So when the item arrived, I lost an entire day of work and had to purchase a replacement somewhere else just to finish the job. No here is where it gets interesting. When I talked with a supervisor with my complaint — namely that no where on their ad is mentioned that the cordless saw does not come with a battery or charger and that the item photo clearly shows the saw with the battery attached, she openly lied and stated that the advertisement stated that it didn't come with a battery, that the battery and charger are sold separately. She lied through her teeth... Nowhere on the ad was this listed. Never in my entire life have I ever seen a cordless power tool that didn't come with a battery and charger, until now. Which leads me to the following conclusion: the reason that harbor freight tools is so cheap is that many of the items don't have what is advertised on their website! When I asked what the price of this missing battery and charger would be, it cost as much as the entire saw itself! This is what is commonly called in the business, "false advertising," and is punishable by law. Harbor freight tools is, in short, a fraud and a scam of the highest order.

All of the supervisor's of harbor freight tools are outsourced indian slaves with phony american names like, “john smith"and"heath scott"or the insidious # that I talked to,"adam swift." when I pointed out his false advertisement, he became agitated and refused my request to send me the missing battery without cost, as advertised. When he refused, I told him that harbor freight tools would shortly be contacted by the department of consumer affairs, which I assure you they will.

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2:41 pm EDT

Harbor Freight Tools pissed off employee

I work for hf and i just moved to portland and most of the custumers say harbor freight sucks cause we will not do returns with out receite there is a lot of disonest people here that buy tools use them make money off them and return them thinkin we are a rental place we are not or say i just bot it and have had it for months so back off.free stuff is while supplies last not all stores get a lot of the free stuff it gets sent at caliornia time when they think we need it we dont order anything

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HFTool Man
US
Aug 28, 2019 4:17 am EDT

etal, you are probably one the idiots that do this crap.

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Nelusex
US
Jan 24, 2012 6:26 pm EST

I was sold a cupon on en item that has been discontied.it cant be purchased.they want me to pay for this cupon anyway.the date on this cupon elapsed 2/ 15/2011.do i still have to pay for this.

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etal
US
Apr 15, 2014 11:34 pm EDT

I had a hard time trying to make sense out of what you wrote. If I understand what you're trying to say, the customers are upset because they cannot do returns without a receipt, because you view the majority of customers are trying to scam the store (use and return when no longer need it). So you're complaining about the customers you have to deal with, not the company. Welp, tan my hide. If'n them dang custumers say harbor freight sucks cause you will not do returns with out receite, then who needs 'em! You is too dang importent to mess with them ingrates anyhow.

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8:59 pm EDT

Harbor Freight Tools rip off

I purchased the potable garage item #42211
In December for $300
4 months later it is like paper. The cover came apart in chunks and tears like tissue.
I called customer support they said resolve it with the store. The manager of the store was rude and turned his back.
I called customer support again and got a "supervisor" who sounded like he was in Pakistan he told me they wouldnt do anything because it was 90 days! I ask for a discount on a new cover and again was told NO it was 90 days.

Defective merchandise! Who buys a $300 building and expects it to last only 90 days?
Trust me I deal with thousands of people each weekend at a trade days I will let everyone know Harbor Freight is a huge RIP OFF! My sign will be huge!

I was only asking that they replace the cover!

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6:08 pm EDT
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Harbor Freight Tools poor service, incomplete orders

Do NOT order from them online! Especially if you need your items in a reasonable time-frame. Or at all. I ordered a 12 ton A-Frame press online, that was delivered in two boxes, on two separate days, four days apart. And were shipped the same day. Needless to say, half the pieces were missing. Box "A" was complete, box "B" was just the individually packaged jack, not the 20+ missing pieces. Try explaining that to the barely-english-speaking indian "customer service" rep on the phone, that YES I did get two boxes, but NO its not all there. And NO, the box set to come tomorrow, at half a pound, sure as HECK won't have the steel legs or hardware to the press in it. After 15 minutes of explaining over and over, he finally re-ships box B that was missing all but one part, but I have to use their shipping label to send them back the jack that WAS shipped in box B, by itself, just so they can RE-SEND me the same jack AGAIN, but hopefully with the REST of the parts this time. Brilliant. I'm not holding my breath. If all the parts don't come on the second try, I'm finding someone MUCH higher up the chain to "discuss" this issue with. SO I'm now at 8 days and counting on an item I ordered on the 29th of March... Plus the small tools I'm supposed to get tomorrow will undoubtedly NOT all arrive in the half pound box FedEx is tracking...get to call them again. Whee!

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Update by the_goon
Apr 19, 2011 1:35 pm EDT

UPDATE! A few days after my horrid customer service experience, I received a call from a lady with HF, whom was VERY helpful in getting my dilemma resolved. She was able to get the correct parts sent out to me after verifying what I actually needed. She also sent me a $15 gift card for the trouble. Kudos to her for following up on the situation, and had I talked with someone like her in the first place who was knowledgeable, I would not have felt nearly as disgusted in dealing with HF as I did after my initial call to them. It was merely a lack of pieces in the original box sent, a simple fix, but their customer service rep had NO idea what he was doing, unless the computer told him, on the initial call. But at least they made it right.

Update by the_goon
Apr 08, 2011 2:55 pm EDT

Actually, NO, the "in the biz" was NOT aimed at you working at HF. My previous post explained that VERY clearly. And since you talk in cliche catch phrases, you can "take that to the bank."

Update by the_goon
Apr 07, 2011 11:08 pm EDT

AND, given that you get regular deliveries for "your little store" that WOULD, in fact, put you "in the biz" of commerce, that REGULARLY deals with deliveries being split up, therefore validating my original point that people who don't get packages that often WOULD in fact find that odd. I guess that was too deep to comprehend. Some of us don't get deliveries on a regular basis, as YOU JUST ADMITTED TO, and therefore don't deal with this type of shipping situation very often. And given all you'll reply is some profanity laden drivel, I am merely showing that you proved my point...if you can wrap your head around it.

Update by the_goon
Apr 07, 2011 10:57 pm EDT

Go find somewhere else to squat, troll. You have added NOTHING useful to the conversation, situation, or probably humanity in general, given your hateful, anti-social attitude. Perhaps you need to talk to a professional.

Update by the_goon
Apr 06, 2011 10:03 pm EDT

When they're shipped as part of the same shipment, through the same carrier, and tracked through all the same stops EXCEPT the final delivery, then YES it does seem odd to those of us not "in the biz" as you apparently are. And sometimes people really amaze me with their arrogant [censored]bag attitudes to those who make a reasonable observation.

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9:43 pm EDT
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I ordered a Workbench from this company that arrived last week damaged, in poor shape and missing parts. The company's response is that it will now take 6-8 weeks to send replacement parts. Apparently, doing some research, I find that it is this company's common practice to ship repackaged customer returns as new products

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Harbor Freight Tools valid but worthless coupons

12/13/10 … 20% off coupon. Any item but air compressors. Expires 1/23/2011. Drove 60 miles (one way) to HF store (Scranton, Pa.) Wanted to buy a “dent stud welder tool” Got to register, would not honor coupon, store manager “we changed our policy”! Called HF headquarters talked with customer service rep., the depart manager, was given phone # of the “advertisement headquarters” talked with them, was told “that’s our policy”.
Over 30+ years have bought many thousands of dollars from HF and have been generally happy.
But this must be the “new” money hungry, customer be damned, HF.
Never will I recommend or buy from again!

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bmasters1981
US
May 19, 2011 3:00 pm EDT

I think that it ought to be illegal for Harbor Freight to give you a coupon that says you can use it for almost anything, and then refuse to honor it when you get to the register. That's blatant false advertising right there!

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4:56 pm EST
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Runs ads in several major magazines for 20% off ant single item in our store. Ads says you may use on any of our 7000 items in stock. However, when you get there they say it is a mistake and you cannot use on compressors, tool boxes, welders, generators or any air tools. This eliminates about 30% of there 7000 items. Would not offer any help other than call...

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Harbor Freight Tools accessibility

Total disappointment as the Clarksville store has reopened after the floods in May 2010. Might work for some, but carts for shopping constantly pull to the side, so handicapped shopper can't use a cart, plus the newly opened store is not yet fully stocked. Great fun trying to shop around clerks still stocking the shelves, IF you can stand the extremely loud hip music playing for the clerks. This is a military town and not all military are totally deaf, but with music playing that loud the clerks will sure be deaf before they hit 30 years of age! Had a long list of items, I'd been waiting on buying when they opened. Loud music and being forced to try to gather items in my arms was not ideal, so I returned items to the shelf and left. Apparently they seek business only from young and deaf folks. Sure don't need my few hundred dollars.

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Al Pine
Brandon, US
Nov 25, 2010 12:50 am EST

Really! this is the best you got! you are complaining about the carts pull to one side, and the music is too loud, the clerks were stocking shelves. go to Sears

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12:27 pm EST

Harbor Freight Tools false advertising

There were five of us that I talked into going 10 miles after our meeting in order to shop at the Harbor Freight store. Two of those had never been in their store before but all of us had the free LED flashlight coupons they publish in the various papers around Dayton, OH. Their manager said "we are out of flashlights and when we get more in...if your coupon has expired we WILL NOT honor it and there are no rainchecks". I replied "you have 3 display racks in the store loaded with these flashlights..hundreds of them on-hand". He replied "they used to let us give those red and blue ones away but they put a stop to that. We can only give away the black ones now". I said "I won't ever be back in your store again. I can't afford the gas to run back over here later and my coupon expires in 2 days. That's a kick in the face for all of the thousands of dollars I've spent in here. I'm tearing up my membership application to the Inside Track Club since you told the first person in my group that you were out of flashlights when I can plainly see that you are not". That is bad PR and they just ticked off the wrong guy as this will be war. I am also going to the FTC with my complaint for false advertising. There are many other measures I have planned for them.

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John Bailey
US
Jul 25, 2017 5:40 pm EDT

we too have been mislead with there sale price and + a 20% off the item coupon and yes i read the small print on the coupon went there and was told that sale price in the magazine was for a paid membership but, the 20% off coupon could be used on our receipt they deducted that from the old price that was slashed off as was this price so we did not even get our 20% off! what a scam.

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Sboldwyn
US
Nov 26, 2016 6:26 pm EST
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visit http://img.grim.cc/HFT%20Coupons.html
Harbor Freight uses coupons to get you in the store, like a lot of stores. You should know before you head out to their store, the coupon that prompted your visit is likely not valid for the item you had in mind. Maybe they think you will buy the item anyway. If you read the fine print on the coupon. (This requires a microscope) You will be amazed at the huge number of things that you cannot use the coupon to purchase.

Just one instance: Coupon [protected] has the following bolded text that is printed at the bottom of the coupon and occupies less than ½ square inch (about half of a postage stamp). This text was provided via a corporate customer service person as the usage limitations for coupon [protected].

“Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased.*Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, Gift Card, open box item, 3 day parking lot sale item, Compressors, Floor Jacks, Saw mills, Storage Cabinets, Chests or Carts, Trailers, Trenchers, Welders, Admiral, CoverPro, Daytona, Diablo, Franklin, Hercules, Holt, Jupiter, Predator, Stik-Tek, StormCat, Union, Vangaard, Viking. Not valid on prior purchases, Non-transferable, and original coupon must be presented”

Do they really expect that someone would actually read the fine print?

I was trying to purchase this Tool Box/ Cart (actually called "Roller Cart") using the above 20 percent off coupon. Notice the word “Carts” in the description of the disallowed items. A cart is pretty much anything with 4 wheels. According to the customer service person, the coupon was disallowed because it was a “cart” and a chest and a storage cabinet “and Storage Cabinets, Chests and Carts are disallowed” Notice that tool boxes are not disallowed. Am I silly or is this a tool box with wheels?

I asked the customer service person if I could purchase this Welding Cart using the same coupon and get the 20% off. I was told “Yes the coupon would be valid for 20% off the purchase of the welding cart", and it clearly is a “Cart” used to Store welding stuff. Interesting huh. No logic just words. Maybe it only comes with 3 wheels.

So clearly the 20% off coupon is good for some things, and the list of limitations could be used to disallowed any single item and just to make sure we have the"*Cannot be used with other discount" catch all. This would clearly disallow any item in the store since every single item in the store is discounted as compared to "retail". You might want to call and ask to see what interpretation of the words are at any given point in time.

visit http://img.grim.cc/HFT%20Coupons.html

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GC-DAN
Tucson, US
Sep 09, 2011 12:17 am EDT

RE: Harbor freight tools false advertisements. After researching and comparing product, warrant and prices for water pumps, I purchased a water pump from HFT. When unpacking the pump, I found a NOTICE claiming the 2 Year Warranty had been replaced with an implied 90 day Warranty. With out the 2 Year Warranty, this product is not at the top of my list to be purchased. This notice was published 6/01/11 and a few people decided to take this action instead of having a Comp. Tech change the FALSE ADVERTISING on the their web site over 3 months ago. I believe these people are not quite stupid but deceptive and have used this as a ploy to get customers in the door. This is a scammy and something close to a bate and switch (would you like to purchase an added warranty at the door) NOT WHEN I ALREADY PURCHASED ONE WITH THE PRODUCT AS ADVERTISED ******GET YOUR FREE FLASH LIGHTS SOMEWHERE ELSE

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frustrated_in_retail
A Major City, US
Mar 16, 2011 2:43 am EDT

I have worked at HFT for over a year now. Indeed, we do stock many flashlights - but the coupon is for a specific flashlight, sku # 65020, as the first comments author stated. Each store gets a specific number of these lights - they are black, not red, not blue, but black. The red lights are in a two-pack. If you went to a car dealership and they were offering a rebate on a Ford F150 would you expect to get the rebate on a Ford Focus because you didn't want to wait for them to have the truck in stock? No.

The coupons say "while supplies last". The reason many stores run out of the "free" light is greedy customers who come into the store day after day to snatch these lights (and other freebies for that matter) up in multiples. Before the "with purchase" requirement was added we would even have people who tried to redeem the coupons in multiples on the same day! I have even been yelled at and called ignorant, among other less savory names, over a freebie item that I knew the customer had already received. On many occasions I was told by customers that it says "per visit" on the restrictions - so they were leaving the store and re-visiting us in 5 minutes!

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chandollar
Montrose, US
Feb 25, 2011 3:04 pm EST

I too was scammed with this FREE FLASHLIGHT nonsense. My coupon stated with $20 purchase or more. When I got to the counter with over $75 worth of items they told me the flashlights were out of stock YET they had hundreds (WELL A LOT OF THEM ANYWAY! should have just paid the $3 or so for 2 I know) on the racks. Well that kinda got to me, I went back and put all my items back on the shelves and left the store. I know it is trivial but the scam bugged me ya know? Sorry... Must be I did not need Harbor Freight stuff after all, well I did and paid a little more at Lowes. The principal of the thing. I may be making a big deal but Harbor Freight should advertise without lies please ! Same thing happened with a 20% off coupon for air compressor yet store refused and said coupon was printed wrong, later had store sheets posted around saying 20% was only for lower priced items. Bought a better compressor at auto parts store for less than their list.

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i_candy95
salem, US
Feb 11, 2011 5:00 am EST
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the fact that you people make as big a deal about a FREE flash light is almost sickining. its a free flash light and the fine print on every coupon states clearly while suplise last. harbor freight gave away over one million dollars worth of flashlights and in order for those of you how felt it nessisary to claim five or six caused a pay freeze for every employee who had to deal with people being very rude and disrespectful because they didnt get something for nothing. i never thought id see the day that people expected a free item to be instock for every customer to walk in with a coupon. i guess some people just dont understand what it means to be respectful to someone just trying to follow pollicy and make there paycheck. i highly doubt that harbor freight will miss the buisness of someone who feels they shouldnt have to pay for there items. stop complaining cause i havent ever seen home depo give you anything for free.

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holyzephyr
Melbourne, US
Jan 04, 2011 10:05 pm EST

i worked at harbor freight for two years and it had become corporate policy not to OPEN the red and blue sets of flashlights as they were not only not the flashlights that were offered in the add, but due to the high number of people claiming coupons opening these packages and splitting them skews the inventory so bad its not even funny.

there is a sku number on the coupon for the flashlights, it is 65020. and there is a sku number on the red and blue flashlights, it is not 65020. any questions?

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Al Pine
Brandon, US
Nov 23, 2010 1:01 am EST

I am interested in hearing what happen after all of this transpired, only because a similar situation happen to me and after I called and complained there district Manager called me back into the store and gave me a free flashlight, set of screwdrivers, seven function mutimeter, pair of sissors, a 25 foot rope. and a twenty percent off coupon to boot!

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12:50 pm EDT

Harbor Freight Tools I dealt a lot there but will not deal there any longer

I recieved a rain check for an 8 inch spare tire and rim for my trailer in early july. They put the wrong scew number on it which was for a 12 inch tire and rim.I also had a 15% off coupon which was due to expire so they took the coupon and wrote on the rain check to take off an aditional 15%. After calling them for eight weeks and giving them the wrong scew number that they put on my rain check they finaly said my tire and rim was in. I drove 20 miles to get there and they had the wrong tire and rim. My tire and rim was on stock all along. So they give me my 8 inch tire and rim and I go to the checkout line with my rain check. The manager tells me that he can not give me the 15% off because I do not have the raincheck. I told him that they took my coupon and put it on the raincheck. They should have told me to keep the coupon and bring it in with the faincheck. They didn"t and he would not honor the 15%. I dealt a lot there but will not deal there any longer.

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tadege
hellop, US
Mar 04, 2011 11:25 pm EST

harbor is the biggest rippoff ever, order from hong kong same ### for 20%.

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tadege
hellop, US
Mar 04, 2011 11:24 pm EST

why would you deal with [censored] supporters?

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3:58 pm EDT
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Harbor Freight Tools declined check

We have been purchasing small tools from Harbor Freight Tools in Montclair, California and have never had a problem with any checks that we have written in the past. Today we purchased a small tool for our truck repair division and was shocked to hear that our check had been declined. The store personal could not give me a reason why and therefore I had to pay cash. Luckally I had cash with me since I needed that tool for my Truck Repair business. I was given a number to call to inquire why my check was declined and all I got was a recording, that obviously could not answer my question since I could not talk to a human being. It is frustrating when you can't even get a real person on the phone, my business cannot always have cash on hand for such purchases. If a number is available to contact someone at Certegy I should have gotten a number that would be able to take care of such inquiries. However, my expeirence with Certegy is very disapointing to say the least.

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rascal1349
celina, US
Jul 25, 2022 7:57 am EDT

What harbor freight tools don't tell you is that after so many returns of their faulty tools they ban you from future returns.

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Irritated Customer 2
US
Dec 15, 2019 7:16 pm EST
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TELECHECK TO PAY $3.5 MILLION FOR FAIR CREDIT REPORTING ACT VIOLATIONS
PENALTY MATCHES FTC’S SECOND-LARGEST EVER IN AN FCRA CASE

TeleCheck Services, Inc., one of the nation’s largest check authorization service companies, along with its associated debt-collection entity, TRS Recovery Services, Inc., have agreed to pay $3.5 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they violated the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

The penalty matches the second-largest ever obtained by the FTC in an FCRA case. Earlier this year, another check authorization company, Certegy Check Services, Inc., agreed to pay a $3.5 million fine to settle FTC allegations similar to those made against TeleCheck.

TeleCheck, based in Houston, Texas, is a consumer reporting agency (CRA) that compiles consumers’ personal information and uses it to help retail merchants throughout the United States determine whether to accept consumers’ checks. Under the FCRA, consumers whose checks are denied based on information TeleCheck provided to the merchant have the right to dispute that information and have TeleCheck investigate and correct any inaccuracies.

The FTC’s complaint alleges, among other things, that TeleCheck did not follow proper dispute procedures, including refusing to investigate disputes. The complaint also alleges that TeleCheck failed to follow reasonable procedures to assure the maximum possible accuracy of the information it provided to its merchant clients as required by the FCRA, and failed to promptly correct errors on consumers’ reports.

In addition, the complaint alleges that TRS, which handles consumer debt taken on by TeleCheck and furnishes information about consumers to TeleCheck, violated the requirements of the FTC’s Furnisher Rule, which requires entities furnishing information to CRAs to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the information provided.

“If CRAs like TeleCheck provide merchants with inaccurate information, those merchants may wrongly deny consumers the ability to buy even the most essential items, like food and medicine. The FCRA gives consumers the right to dispute and correct inaccurate information, ” said Jessica Rich, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The Commission takes violations of these rights seriously.”

The order settling the FTC’s charges requires TeleCheck and TRS to alter their business practices to comply with the requirements of the FCRA and the Furnisher Rule in the future. This case is part of a broader initiative to target the practices of data brokers, which often compile, maintain, and sell sensitive consumer information. Consumer reporting agencies like TeleCheck are data brokers that sell information to companies making important decisions about consumers, such as their ability to get credit or pay for goods and services by check.

Information for Business

The FTC has information for businesses on the Furnisher Rule, which can be found on the Commission’s website. Information regarding what businesses should know about consumer reports also is available.

The Commission vote approving the referral of the complaint to the Department of Justice and consent in settlement of the court action was 4-0. The complaint and proposed consent were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia on January 16, 2014 against TeleCheck, Inc. and TRS Recovery Services, Inc. The proposed consent decree is subject to court approval.

NOTE: The Commission authorizes the filing of a complaint when it has “reason to believe” that the law has been or is being violated, and it appears to the Commission that a proceeding is in the public interest. Consent decrees have the force of law when signed by the District Court judge.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC’s online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP [protected]). The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 2, 000 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad. The FTC’s website provides free information on a variety of consumer topics. Like the FTC on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to press releases for the latest FTC news and resources.

https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2014/01/telecheck-pay-35-million-fair-credit-reporting-act-violations

CONTACT INFORMATION
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mitchell J. Katz
Office of Public Affairs
[protected]

STAFF CONTACTS:
Katherine Armstrong
Bureau of Consumer Protection
[protected]

Kristen Anderson
Bureau of Consumer Protection
[protected]

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Steel maint
US
Aug 26, 2016 9:07 am EDT

We shop here almost every week. Spending anywhere from 400-1000 they never have a problem taking my debit card. Today I didn't have my debit card but my company check from the same account and it was denied because of something about out of town check but my freaking bank is across the street and my company down the street about 5 miles. I promise you I will take my business to Northern Tool where my checks are welcomed and appreciated

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HFTool Man
US
Jul 22, 2019 10:32 am EDT

Harbor Freight Tools stores do not deal directly with banks! Why don't you bring your business into the 21st century and stop using paper checks. I know several business people who have had to get modern, because checks are going the way of the dodo bird. Sounds to me like you should have a problem with Telecheck. That's the service that declines or accepts your stupid check, not the damned store!

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jonas90
Yorkville, US
Jul 19, 2012 8:26 pm EDT

And each on of your checks are photo copied and sent to California so that you receive more ads. God only Knows how many people have seen yours acct/routing #'s.

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frustrated_in_retail
A Major City, US
Mar 16, 2011 2:46 am EDT

The number one reason checks are declined in retail establishments is due to the driver's license number being presented to the cashier conflicts with the information provided by the bank - or the owner of the driver's license has a negative report on the check verification service's records.

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12:17 am EDT
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Harbor Freight Tools woeful service

This companies website is an exercise in exasperation. There is no retail store here in Hawaii for this company, but it's just as well, I have no intention in ever stepping foot in one of their outlets ever again.
An order which I had placed online instructed that I would receive an e-mail regarding shipping costs after the order was processed. What they fail to tell you is that this could take up to 72 hours to accomplish !
The runaround I experienced from their so called "Customer Service Department" rivals that of the former Soviet Union's government bureaucracy.
I canceled the order and found the same item at Amazon.com for half the price, that order process took less that 2 hours

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Harbor Freight Tools bad service

Too bad I read all this too late. Same here, ordered Product, charged next day, product supposedly shipped one day later, so far nothing here. Tracking number does not work as they say it shipped Postal Service but their website points to Fedex. Customer NO Service is as expected of no help whatsover and claim the 14 day rule - which by the way is NOT stated in their shipping terms.

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Harbor Freight Tools rip off company

Order something from Harbor Freight Tools and you'll start getting their redundant catalogs once a week. HFT is not a green company, there's no reason for such heavy catalog mailings, they are wasting paper and our natural resources. By doing business with them, you are contributing to this waste. Be wise and help our planet. Do not do business with Harbor Freight. They want one hundred words here, but I've said all you need to know about making a decision. If you like trees, there's plenty of other tool companies out there that might actually be kind to our environment. HFT certainly is not.

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waterinthefuel1
Lafayette, US
May 14, 2010 4:02 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

So what is your complaint? That they use paper for their advertisements?

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Harbor Freight Tools is a big tool and related items company. If you place an order with them, even online, you will be bombarded with catalogs and junk mail as a result. They mail out at least one catalog EACH WEEK, sometimes two. It really piles up, and it's very difficult to get them to remove you from their mailing list. It's just not worth it.

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Harbor Freight Tools don't buy from them

I went to the warwick store to purchase a generator, $450.00, and an 8' X 4' trailer, $275.00. I was told they were both out of stock. The generator floor modle was offered to me and I accepted. When I asked for the next model trailer up, $299.00, I was told that was not in stock either. So...I asked for the floor model of the $299.00 trailer and was told "we are always asked for that one. Because it takes so long to assemble and its been there since the store opened up, it would not be sold" I asked for the store manager and was told again, "we are always..." I replyed, "you do not think the manager would sell the trailer with the generator for a total of over $750.00 in one shot?" "no, he would not" They then said they had the NEXT model up, $399.00, and I could have that one! I replyed, "ok, that one for $299.00!" BLA, BLA, bla...I left and went to the on-line site. But i think i will buy them somewhere else for more $. its not worth the aggravation!

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Gerald R Clark
US
Aug 25, 2018 12:17 pm EDT
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I'm with all the above DO NOT BUY FROM HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS THEY DO NOT TELL THE TRUTH ABOUT ANY THING. I have a Router Table, and a 16 ' FLOOR DRILL PRESS. BOUTH TOOLS ARE USE LESS. Because I can't get parts for them. The ROUTER TABLE I was told was DISCONTINUED so the parts where no longer available, BUT they still sell it in there stores as of this day. An as for the DRILL PRESS they said they had the part and that they would send it as soon as I payed for it. Money sent Told PART would be here in two weeks over a month still no part.

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Gcla
Pipe Creek, US
Jul 03, 2013 4:00 pm EDT
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I bought a 3 gallon pneumatic oilless air compressor, model 95275, for my husband & was told it had a 1 year warranty. The warranty booklet states it is warrantied for 1 year for the pump & defects in materials & workmanship. He never used it until recently & it worked only once... when he tried to use it again 2 weeks later, it wouldn't build up pressure...there is a leak between the pump & where it was attached to the housing...defects in materials &/or workmanship. We took it back & the cashier said the warranty was only 90 days. I showed her the receipt & warranty booklet & she still argued. We got the manager involved & he kept saying the same thing. I told the manager he had just lost a customer & hopefully, some of the people in line who heard us as well. I tried to get customer service on the phone but that is impossible...everything you try sends you to the web which won't get you there either.
I will tell everyone I know they are dishonest & to never go there.

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MelPhillips
US
Jun 19, 2011 6:15 pm EDT

This past Monday (2/7) I looked up an item I wanted to purchase thru Harbor Freight. I saw a ratail flyer showing it would be on sale running from 2/10 to 2/14 (Pres. Day sale flyer), so I waited. I looked it up on Tuesday and Wednesday as well just to see the add was still there as I was really wanting to order the item. It was. I went to order that item on Thursday morning just to find the ad had been removed. When I called, I was told that sale ended a long time ago and wasn't valid. I feel like they had false advertising and that I was lied to. I would not trust anything that Harbor Freight says. Print out of get EVERYTHING in writing (make sure its correct too), or GO SOMEWHERE ELSE! We should only give our business to honest businesses which are few and far between these days!

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Duane41260
US
Jul 11, 2011 6:03 pm EDT

I was in a Habor freight tool store on 11-15-10. I was looking to buy a new air compressor and some other things to go with it I found one that I liked. But they kept on trying to sell me something I did not need they told me the one I wanted would not work and I told them that I new that it would because I used a smaller one than the one that I was going to buy but the man kept on arguing with me. By this time he has other cutermers looking at me and laughing he kept n raising his voice in till every one there could here what was going on then he told me that it was my money. And I have to admit by this time I was pretty ticked off and I told him he was right it is my money and that if he would of kept his mouth shut I would have spent at least 500.00 dollars there that is when he tried to be nice to me then I told him I was done and that I was going to go to Sears and spend the extra cash there I will never shop there ever again. What ever happen to the saying the custermer is always right. I have a lot of friends that shop there and I plan on telling every one of them to go to Sears we are all Veterans and we all will get a discount there. I bought every thing I needed at Sears and paid less for what I wanted and needed. I have to say the only way that I would ever shop there again is if the man publicly apologizes to me. Thank you very much.

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Vicki H.
Tulsa, US
Jul 11, 2011 7:10 pm EDT

Harbor Freight sells reputable products in our area, Tulsa OK. I have bought many items (tools, motor) from them and it is a great way to save money.

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Tommy6825
Keene, US
Apr 28, 2011 10:23 pm EDT
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I purchased a cement mixer from them. It took four hours to assemble. It mixed two sacks of cement before the motor quit working. They would not replace just the motor. Instead, they wanted to exchange for an entire unit in the box. Why wouldn't they exchange the motor out of the box? Was I to spend four more hours assembling another unit to find it was junk also. All of their tools are single use only. None of their tools or equipment are even medium quality; all are very low quality.

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Journeyman Mechanic
Corpus Christi, US
Apr 02, 2010 11:36 pm EDT

I take it you are a "Bonehead", right? I suppose when you go to the car dealership and they are out of your part, you ask them to take it of a new $30, 000 car because you are spending $100.

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bigdaddyaei
US
Apr 20, 2009 11:32 pm EDT

If you wanted it today, you should have bought it last week.

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abc123
US
Apr 20, 2009 11:21 pm EDT

The employees were misinformed. They could not sell you the assembled trailer because it is against the law. They are only licensed to sell unassembled trailer kits. they should have told you that instead of just saying no.

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sonny
Aug 16, 2008 8:43 am EDT

Harbor freight will rip you off. BUYER BEWARE. The tools are crap and never work. You use them once and then return them. DO NOT BUY FROM HARBOR FREIGHT>

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12:00 am EST
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Harbor Freight Tools gave my credit card number without my approval!

Almost six months ago I received a notice in the mail from Harbor Freight indicating that I had accumulated bonus points and was being offered “free” magazine subscriptions as a means to redeem those points. Being “free” I decided to take advantage of the offer. This service is apparently handled by a NSS Subscription Service in Stamford, CT. I did not give NSS my credit card number, yet since September 2006 a credit card that I had previously used for on-line orders with Harbor Freight was charged $7.97 for each magazine subscription and, in at least two cases, I was charged twice for the same magazine subscription. I did not knowingly agree to any of this. Within the past week they hit me for another $42. I have no idea what that charge is for. I have opened a dispute with my credit card company, but I may not be able to get all of the money back. I am extremely upset with Harbor Freight that they gave my credit card number to this subscription company without my approval and that they engage in scams such as this.

I have a farming operation and have been a customer of Harbor Freight for many years. I have bought lots of expensive equipment and tools from them via the Internet, mail, and, especially, from one of their regional warehouses. However, now that I can no longer trust Harbor Freight with my credit card number and because I do not like being scammed by anyone (e.g., "free" magazine subscriptions), they have lost me as a customer. There are more than enough alternatives out here (e.g., Northern Tools). Be careful who you do business with!

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kai hall
US
Mar 03, 2024 11:49 pm EST
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The employees are having a very strong aroma of Marijuana emulating from the lounge in the rear of the building. It has been confirmed by multiple people that 98% of the employees are drug users, yet none have been tested

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EdwardCearley
Crossville, US
Feb 26, 2024 1:54 pm EST

This heater has been out of stock at every store close to me, close to friends of mine and now it is on sale, I have a coupon for $10 off and still cannot get this heater or a rain-check. If it is out of stock, why is it being pushed by a sale, and discount for inside track club members and now with a 15% off for inside track club members?

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joseph.
RHOME, TX, US
Feb 11, 2024 5:10 am EST

Orders taking way to long to recieve says 5to 7 days and its taking more than 2 weeks on just about everything last and i mean last order was [protected] and today is 02-06-2024 and still no shipping delivery date available

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wdorrell
Channelview, US
Nov 13, 2023 2:13 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i was charged $27 restocking fee for a $149 compressor that was less than 22 hours old.

I purchased this one to exchange the first one that did not work either. This one was supposed to be an upgraded version but it would not even come on.

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julio casanova
seffner Florida, US
Jan 03, 2023 1:42 pm EST
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Could you please check and see if ur company can open a store in Seffner fl./mango fl. Your closes store is in Litha fl...00283 store. We hv large vehicle traffic and large population. please consider...thks.

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Ingo Dere
Orlando, US
Dec 18, 2022 11:39 pm EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Ad on line printed and brought to store 00485. Ad was refused for small print saying expired 6 30 20 and I bought the case anyway.

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Connie1@
US
May 04, 2020 1:28 am EDT

When i walked in all the other employes was very nice, I was asking vicky if she had any other power washers in stock or if i could get the one on display or orderr one and she said no and asked me to leave the store

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bigbc
US
Sep 18, 2018 2:54 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

the units are great. the fact that no replacement covers are available has me a bit bewildered. WHY NOT? It would be cheaper to ship replacement tarps or covers then you have to ship all that metal. Not happy.

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Xinyu
US
Aug 21, 2018 4:41 am EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hi Sir. / Madam,
I had very bad experience with Mark at 12:31:53pm on 5/18/2018.
The Supervisor Mark made a mistake to charge me a item (only cost $2.39), which he should take off from register, but made me to wait the line to get a refund. So I had to wait 15 more minutes to get $2.56 (after tax)!

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Von44
Woodstock, US
Nov 24, 2009 6:12 pm EST

Nita and Nikki and dirty and smelly. Completely worthless...fire them!

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About Harbor Freight Tools

Screenshot Harbor Freight Tools
Harbor Freight Tools is a leading retailer of high-quality tools and equipment at affordable prices. With over 40 years of experience in the industry, Harbor Freight has built a reputation for providing customers with a wide range of products that are designed to meet their needs and exceed their expectations.

The company offers an extensive selection of tools and equipment for a variety of applications, including automotive, construction, woodworking, metalworking, and more. From hand tools and power tools to air compressors and generators, Harbor Freight has everything you need to get the job done right.

One of the things that sets Harbor Freight apart from other retailers is its commitment to quality. The company works closely with manufacturers to ensure that all of its products meet or exceed industry standards. In addition, Harbor Freight offers a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all of its products, so customers can shop with confidence knowing that they are getting the best possible value for their money.

Another key advantage of shopping at Harbor Freight is the company's low prices. By cutting out the middleman and selling directly to customers, Harbor Freight is able to offer prices that are significantly lower than those of its competitors. This makes it an ideal choice for both professional contractors and DIY enthusiasts who are looking to save money without sacrificing quality.

Overall, Harbor Freight Tools is a trusted and reliable source for high-quality tools and equipment at affordable prices. With its extensive selection, commitment to quality, and unbeatable prices, it's no wonder that so many customers choose Harbor Freight for all of their tool and equipment needs.

Overview of Harbor Freight Tools complaint handling

Harbor Freight Tools reviews first appeared on Complaints Board on Feb 16, 2007. The latest review Customer dis-service was posted on Nov 11, 2024. The latest complaint bad management/ service was resolved on Jul 19, 2012. Harbor Freight Tools has an average consumer rating of 1 stars from 171 reviews. Harbor Freight Tools has resolved 12 complaints.
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  1. Harbor Freight Tools Contacts

  2. Harbor Freight Tools phone numbers
    +1 (800) 423-2567
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  4. Harbor Freight Tools address
    26541 Agoura Rd, Calabasas, California, 91302, United States
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Harbor Freight Tools Category
Harbor Freight Tools is ranked 8 among 124 companies in the Retail Stores category

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