Business ProfileforGateway Computer Corp.

The Federal Trade Commission (F T C) and Gateway entered into a consent order on December 22, 1998. The consent agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission that Gateway violated the law, or that the facts as alleged in the complaint, other than jurisdictional facts, are true.The F T C complaint alleged that Gateway violated Section 5 of the F T C act in three ways:First, Gateway falsely advertised it's policy regarding a 30 day money back guarantee, in that shipping charges were deducted from the refund.Second, Gateway falsely advertised on-site service, when in fact it was only provided after a technician determined that the consumer could not make the repair.Third, Gateway had various charges relating to warranties such as not making them readily available prior to the purchase of a computer, as well as, not including mandatory language regarding the consumer's legal rights in written warranties. As part of the consent order, Gateway has agreed to a $290,000 one-time payment to the United States Treasury to settle allegations.B B B Tip: As with any technical purchase, consumers should be aware of the policies regarding returns, on-site service and warranties and the limits of the warranties prior to purchase.