US$60,000 Cartridges Sold via Cold-calling

The Sharp MX-3070 is sold worldwide and is a color multifunction laser printing up to 30 ppm.

A Melbourne-based office supplies company has been fined more than AU$90,000 (US$67,567) due to its illegal promotion of ink cartridges.

According to www.theage.com.au, salespeople from Corporate Office Supplies began making “cold calls” to Queensland-based farming couple Rod and Charmaine Sharp in mid 2015.

It is said that the wife felt that she was left with no choice facing the persistent calling. She eventually bought more than 2,000 cartridges (including vouchers), worth nearly $80,000 (US$60,664.00), about which she did not tell her husband. As a result, the payments for these purchases brought the couple into debt.

With only a single printer, the couple use only one cartridge every ten months.

The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) ruled the company to pay AU$90,000 (US$67,567) to the couple, as it deliberately sold ridiculous quantity of cartridges to the family.

The company did not file a defense. Deputy president of VCAT called for the company to be investigated by Consumer Affairs Victoria.

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