ComplaintsforAlexander's Floors

• Initial Complaint

  04/22/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Sales and Advertising Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  We attempted to have wood floor installation from *********** Floor. After in-home quote, they sent invoice and requested deposit via their encrypted email. We received banking information from this same encrypted email for sending deposit. We went through secure steps to have our bank send the deposit. We also sent additional invoice via zelle after the same encrypted email requested additional. Several weeks later we determined that their email had been hacked and the bank information sent to us was fraudulent. The business refuses to accept liability. They refused to do the work as agreed upon, and now refuse to refund the total of our money sent. Additional details linked in supporting documentation with ****** drive links to all communication.

  Business response

  05/03/2024

  Please review the attached response letter with attached photos as evidence. Since there is a limit on how many attachments can be uploaded, please feel free to let us know if there is anything else you need from Alexanders Floors. 

  Thank you and have a blessed day.

  Customer response

  05/07/2024

   
  Complaint: 21607993
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  As you can see in the response letter from Alexander's Floors, point 3, we engaged in several back and forth questions about the work and upgrades to which I agreed. I have attached the entirety of that email thread. This is a single email thread from an encrypted email. My husband and I, both software engineers, were able to confirm by investigating the headers of this email thread, that ALL responses in this email chain came from the exact same email server behind that encryption. This includes responses with the bank information, myself confirming that bank information, and the reply back re-confirming that the bank information was correct. Again, this is a SINGLE email thread with some responses the business owner claims are legitimate and some, including the bank information, the business owner claims are not legitimate.

  I have also attached an email from the same encrypted email (again, we confirmed via the html headers this came from the same email server as all other emails from the business) confirming receipt of the wire transfer. An immediate follow-up to this email requested additional payment, claiming that the 50% deposit rate was incorrect. I have attached this email as well as the updated invoice claiming requirement of 85% deposit. I have additional copies of email threads related to this matter, as well as all of the original emails saved in my account. In fact, in the same email chain requesting the additional funds I eventually received the response from the business owner claiming the wire transfer was not received and that fraud might be taking place (I will reiterate, this further confirms that the business owner and the fraudster were emailing from the exact same email account). That being the case, the business owners' email was apparently hacked. I will happily have an outside investigator look at these emails on my own computer to confirm this fact. This is known as business email compromise which leads to wire fraud. It is a known risk to business which this business has apparently not done due diligence to protect themselves against. 

  Honest business transactions where fraud and/or security breach takes place on the side of the business are the responsibility of the business to mitigate. I have never been party to a business where that business claims the consumer is responsible for a crime which took place on the business property, in this case, their email server being that property. The business is responsible for protecting their own email server. However, this business owner failed to take any responsibility for this breach of security and expected me, as the consumer, to pay again what I had already paid and refused to start work without the additional payment. In the BBB response from the business owner, they claim that it is my fault for not recognizing the difference in business name in the bank information as a red flag. However, as a daughter of business owners and a former business owner myself, I am well aware of the common occurrence where the front-facing business name and the name on the bank account differ. This is not out of the ordinary. Case in point, the $12B company I work for, Mailchimp, is officially The ******************** with "Mailchimp" simply being it's trade name.

  The nature of this business relationship started via a client recommendation. The business owner visited my house for an in-home estimate and then told us to expect invoice and further instructions via email. Based on this meeting and information, the continuation of the business transaction via a supposedly encrypted email was not treated as anything outside a normal business interaction on our part. As such, all emails from the business, electronically confirmed to be of single origin from the same email server, were treated as legitimate on my part. It is unreasonable to claim that we, as the consumers in this interaction, have any responsibility for a crime that occurred due to poor email server security on the part of the business.

  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business response

  05/16/2024

  Alexanders Floors is more than happy to return the money that was received, in the amount of $3,600 () with legal supervision and notary signed receipt. Please review the attached letter, written by alexanders floors lawyer, which was mailed and emailed to Mrs. ************************ unlike the letter that was received by Mrs. *********************** directly by email only. The first response we submitted on *************** and the letter attached from Alexanders Floors lawyer, explains everything. Alexanders Floors is ready to take this matter up in legal court. Unfortunately this response from *********************** is unjust. The letter clearly states that we have no responsibility for the actions of the client which is explained in detail in the attached letter. 

  Thank you so much and have a blessed day.

  Customer response

  05/21/2024

   
  Complaint: 21607993
  
  I am provisionally accepting this response because:

  For clarity and the record, our attorney issued an email demand letter which unfortunately was returned undelivered, suggesting potential ongoing issues with the business's email integrity, even though the business owner reported to me this had been fixed. I urge the business to address and rectify this possible ongoing technical problem to prevent negative impacts on other customers. While I find it regrettable that the business has not fulfilled our original agreement and is now only able to issue a partial refund of $3600, under the circumstances I am prepared to accept this amount. It is a disappointing outcome, as the business did not complete the agreed-upon services, but this partial refund will have to suffice for now. However, please note that I will not consider this complaint resolved or closed with the Better Business Bureau until the refunded amount has been successfully received and processed, with all formalities, including a notarized receipt, appropriately conducted under legal supervision.

  Thank you for addressing this matter. I look forward to the prompt resolution and receipt of the refund. Moving forward, I will be diligent in engaging with businesses that uphold high standards of integrity and accountability.

  
  Sincerely,
  Dr. ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  05/23/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  The company placed wood tiling in my home, approximately March-April 2021. Via February-March 2022, "buckling was occuring" all through out home (except in Bathroom-that were never included in the original replacement-restoration-renovation). They now want to repair only one room of the home in October 22(its May now)

  Business response

  05/25/2022

  To whom this may concern,
  
  Attached below, you will find several conversations with consumer, ***** ******* ******. We are highly aware that Mrs.****** has decided to reach Better Business Bureau in order to collect a refund for what is now, "Cupping/Moisture Imbalance and a Small Infrastructure"at ****** residence; *********************************************************************. Furthermore, into this investigation, Alexander's Floors has made several attempts to accommodate Mrs. ****** and requests. We are a well rated Flooring Business with various projects, technicians and hold an extent amount of time to conserve the wants and needs of other projects and consumers as well. Attached below, you will find an Inspection Report that was done at the ****** residence; *********************************************************************. Following this inspection, Mrs. ****** reached out to Alexanders Floors regarding the cupping/moisture imbalance and small infrastructure.As stated in the attached e-mails, we mentioned that we would fix one room. On the day of May 24, 2022, Mrs. ****** mentioned that she never received a reply from us but the attached e-mails say otherwise. Upon arrival and consultation,Mrs. ****** willingly mentioned that she had turned off all air conditioning thus causing cupping. Air flow is highly crucial in order to avoid cuppingwhich was mentioned to Mrs. ****** after finishing the project. Attempts were made, as of recent, for Alexanders Floors to come out to ****** residence;2271 **************************************************************** in order to fix the small infrastructure.Alexanders Floors has not received a reply from consumer, ***** ******* ******. Thus, Mrs. ****** has decided to go to Better Business Bureau.

*Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. ↩