Angry customers pursue internet firm that took their money but failed to deliver; owner Tom Gordon blames ‘business difficulties’
By James P. Gannon
Melissa Estremara of Amissville wanted high-speed broadband internet service at her home and paid $795 in advance to have it installed, but after waiting weeks for installation, she fears she has become a victim of a scam.
Estremara paid Tom Gordon, who operates an internet service company called e-Office Experts, for promised equipment and installation of wireless, high-speed internet service, but she has received nothing in return for her $795. She has been unable to reach Gordon despite leaving repeated phone messages. She finally reached someone at Gordon’s number, who promised a full refund in 30 days, but that didn’t show up either, she said.
Estremara is not alone as a disgruntled customer of Gordon. She said six people in her neighborhood signed up and paid for internet service that hasn’t materialized.
Three civil suits against Gordon have been filed in Rappahannock District Court by customers who paid Gordon $795 or more in deposits but never got their internet service installed.
In a suit filed last Nov. 9, Cory L. Koral of Huntly sought return of $1,707.15, representing two deposit payments to Gordon. In a letter to Gordon dated Oct. 30, 2007, Koral complained that he had paid $850.97 deposits twice, but had gotten “nothing but excuses” in return. “I have written you twice asking for a refund and have received no response,” he wrote.
Gordon has failed to appear in court for scheduled hearings on the three suits, court records show. In Koral’s case and in two others–suits filed in March by L.D. Savage of Castleton and John Wyatt Colvin of Amissville–Judge Charles Foley entered judgments against Gordon ordering him to repay the amounts of the deposits, plus interest.
Gordon, who started a computer-service business in Washington, VA, a couple of years ago and began installing wireless broadband service to homes and businesses in Rappahannock last July, admits that he’s fallen far behind in promised service installations but insists he will deliver on his promises or make refunds.
“It is not a scam or a fraud, it’s just business difficulties,” he said in a telephone interview Tuesday. “I am certain I can turn this around and take care of everybody I have promised service to, or promised a refund.”
Gordon said he has completed about 40 broadband internet connections since last July and has “40 pleased customers.” But he adds, “I have some customers who are very angry with me and need to hear from me.” He said about another 40 customers have made advance payments–usually $795 for equipment and installation–for service not yet installed.
A combination of business and personal problems appears to have turned what was a respectable business operation into the subject of lawsuits, sheriff’s inquiries and charges of fraud in recent months. “It’s been a very difficult period for the past three months or so,” Gordon admitted.
Gordon is vague and declines to go into details on his business problems. “I am working on some capitalization issues,” he said. “Under-capitalization is one of the biggest causes of business failure,” he added, but he is working on his money issues and is confident he can solve them soon. “I am very close to a solution,” he said, declining to elaborate.
Gordon said it was accurate to say he is overextended in promised services and undercapitalized to deliver on promised installations. Formerly based in Washington, he moved to the Warrenton area a few months ago and has been difficult to reach. He said he was contacted by the Sheriff’s office on Monday and expects to meet with a deputy soon. The Sheriff’s office did not respond to calls for comment.
Gordon’s website advertises wireless internet service in a coverage area that includes much of Rappahannock County and western parts of Fauquier County. It offers the service at monthly fees of $59.95 to $69.95 a month.
-- James P. GannonComments
Comment from Patty Hardee
Time: May 15, 2008, 8:10 am
Thank you for this article. This is more information than we have received from/about eOffice in months. My husband and I are in that group of 40 people who paid Tom Gordon in advance. We paid him in December and saw him in January when he helped us install a new computer system. Since then, however, we have not heard a thing despite repeated phone calls and emails.
Comment from Kendra
Time: May 15, 2008, 9:35 am
We paid $795 in December; and we were up and running in a little over a month. We’ve had nothing but good service and good communication from Tom Gordon. I am surprised and sorry to hear that he is experiencing business difficulties.
Kendra Hendren, Castleton.
Comment from Susan
Time: May 15, 2008, 9:39 am
I have been following the posts on Rappnet and now your article. I can only say that when I read about the people having problems with Tom Gordon, I feel like I am reading about a different person than the one with whom I have dealt. I feel bad for everyone in who is having these difficulties. I know how frustrating it is to pay money and not get service, all the more for something on which we have all grown so dependent. But I feel especially sorry for Tom himself because I know he has been trying very hard to start a niche business which would provide a badly needed service to many people in this county. He came through for us after we had been jerked around for quite a while by Virginia Broadband–having been finally told that they would never come to our part of Rappahannock.
–Susan Dienelt
Comment from wonka13
Time: May 15, 2008, 2:54 pm
I too have concerns about a business situation gone bad for Tom Gordon. I have Tom’s service installed at my home in Hume. On initial installation Tom came out on a Sunday evening in the rain to put up the radio on my roof. He worked through hook up issues and stayed with it until it was done. Frankly I have never run into a techie who was this customer service oriented. There have been outages but Tom has been responsive to get them fixed.
I also feel badly for those who have not gotten what they paid for and have been frustrated by a lack of response. This kind of service is needed in this northern part of the Rappahannock River headwaters and so far this has been the only good solution. I sincerely hope that Tom can find a way of making good on his promises and keeping this system up, running and sustainable as a healthy enterprise.
–Bill Earle
Comment from roger
Time: May 16, 2008, 8:20 am
Like the last three commenters, I also have had nothing but positive experience with Tom Gordon, who went the extra mile (or, more specifically, an extra several hundred feet of cabling and tree climbing) to get us up and running in Tiger Valley last fall. I am confused and appalled that people have found him unresponsive, as I have never waited more than a few hours for him to return a call on the few occasions since when service went out briefly. I’m really sorry to hear about his financial and legal problems. And I hope, for the sake of those who (like us) have few or no options for high-speed internet access and don’t believe anything Virginia Broadband says, that he can make things right soon and get back on track for those who truly need the service he offers.
Roger Piantadosi
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