But if you bought something that's now locked inside the store, there are some things you can do right now:
If you paid with a credit card:
* Call your credit card company instantly and dispute the purchase.
* You don't have to pay for something you didn't receive–and the credit card company should refund your money.
If you paid with a debit card:
* Call the company whose logo is on the card–not the bank that issued the card–and again put the amount in dispute.
If you paid cash or used a gift card:
* Contact the Massachusetts attorneys generals office.
* They're going to help customers file "proof of claim" forms with the bankruptcy court.
* Attorney General Hotline: 617-727-8400.
If you paid for a warranty:
* That's separate. Be sure to include what you paid in any claim.
* Check your paperwork: the waranty may be with a different company, and may still be valid.
Bottom line:
If you lost money, file a complaint with the Attorney General's. If they find fraud, they can prosecute.
So the next moves are still to come. Most often, a trustee would come in and run the company, and also try to settle some of the claims from hundreds of unsecured creditors, including customers and vendors.
But big secured debts get paid off first and unhappy Tweeter customers may only wind up with cents on the dollar. (Copyright (c) 2008 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)