The Official Site for the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association

LATEST VICTIM OF CERTIFICHECKS INC. BANKRUPTCY:

WISCONSIN B&B ASSOCIATION MEMBER INNS

WILL LOSE MONEY BUT STILL REDEEM GIFT CERTIFICATES

Good Neighbor Philosophy Just What You’d Expect from Wisconsin B&B Owners

Time is running out ...

Through February 28, 2010, WBBA member inns (listed below) will welcome your CertifiChecks that have been issued 1 year ago or less. 

What do you do when the company you entrusted with your money abruptly declares bankruptcy and leaves you with no recourse?

Member inns of the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association, which used the CertifiChecks company out of Dayton, Ohio to turn-key their gift certificate program, have decided they’ll dip into their own pockets rather than leaving guests out in the cold.

CertifiChecks, which administered gift certificate programs for thousands of non-profit associations, chambers of commerce and other tourism groups around the country, announced its Chapter 7 bankruptcy filing on February 26, 2009.  The Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association (WBBA), like many other non-profits, was stunned.  WBBA had contracted with CertifiChecks to handle their gift certificate transactions, which included having CertifiChecks accept payment from gift certificate purchasers, to then reimbursing the B&B owners when the certificates were redeemed. 

Now, with unredeemed gift certificates totaling an estimated $200,000, many purchased recently as holiday gifts, member innkeepers of WBBA have agreed to honor the gift certificates out of their own pockets.  WBBA and member innkeepers don’t want to disappoint guests by telling them they are holding worthless gift certificates, even though the association and innkeepers did no wrong. 

WBBA wants guests to know it is not the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association that collected the money, it was CertifiChecks.  This has created a difficult situation for certificate holders, innkeepers, and WBBA.

WBBA has researched the options for CertifiCheck holders and provides information below.  (note: none of the information below is to be construed as ‘legal advice’)  

1.  Mail the CertifiCheck for “potential reimbursement” to: Bankruptcy Clerk's Office 120 West Third Street Dayton, OH  45402-1819 Telephone number 937-225-2516.

The notice on certichecks.com stated in part: Due to an extremely difficult economic environment, CertifiChecks, Inc., has ceased operations, effective immediately. CertifiChecks will no longer administer gift certificate programs. CertifiChecks gift certificate sales have been halted.  CertifiChecks is in the process of filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy in Dayton, Ohio. Or you may retain the certificates and file your claim in the upcoming Chapter 7 case. All certificates, whether mailed to us, or presented as a claim to the Bankruptcy Court will receive the same treatment. Certificates mailed to CertifiChecks will be turned over to the Bankruptcy Trustee. There are funds that will be turned over to the Bankruptcy Trustee to pay claims submitted by certificate holders. 

2.   For CertifiChecks purchased by credit card or debit card

Purchasers have been notified via letter of the bankruptcy and their options.  The purchaser may contact the bank that issued their credit or debit card, and report the date of the purchase, the amount, and state “we did not receive the goods paid for from CertifiChecks, and they are unable / unwilling to provide the goods / services as they are in bankruptcy”.  The purchaser may also be asked to fill out a form.

For credit card purchases, a ‘charge-back’ will be initiated.  For debit card purchases, a ‘provisional credit’ may be applied.  The dispute will be processed; CertifiChecks’ credit card processor has the ultimate liability.

It is important to initiate the dispute immediately, as credit card companies / banks have varying length of times allowable for the filing of a dispute.  If more than 6 months from the date of purchase has passed, disputing the charge is usually no longer an option.

 
3.  Through February 28, 2010, WBBA member inns will welcome your CertifiChecks that have been issued 1 year ago or less. The B&B listing below provides the specific terms offered by the participating B&Bs. Do have your CertifiCheck handy when you contact the B&B so that you can inform the innkeeper of the amount to determine how it can best be redeemed.

 The following inns/innkeepers are participating in a program to accept, either in whole or in part, CertifiChecks gift certificates. If you have any questions on the inn's policies in this regard, please contact the innkeepers directly.