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The Other Side: BlueHippo's Response to Critics

How Many Ways Can You Say "No Comment?"

By Joseph S. Enoch
ConsumerAffairs.com

January 8, 2007

BlueHippo Funding An Investigative Series by Joseph S. Enoch • BlueHippo: Extreme Layaway • A Short History • The BlueHippo Foundation • Trouble Follows BlueHippo's Founder • What Should You Do? • BlueHippo's Response • BlueHippo Has Many Clones --- News • Buying A Computer With Poor Credit • Gateway at Risk in BlueHippo Class Action • Blue Hippo Pays $5 Million To Settle FTC Charges • Federal Court Strikes Blue Hippo's Arbitration Clause • BlueHippo Funding Settles $1 Million Maryland Case • West Virginia Sues Blue Hippo • Class Actions Target Blue Hippo • Consumer Complaints

And what does BlueHippo have to say about to the charges leveled by its critics in this series? Not much, as it turns out.

After months of BlueHippo's avoiding my phone calls, my editor told me to head up to Baltimore and pay the company a visit.

I had been working on this story since September 2006. It started as a simple follow-up to the lawsuit filed in Maryland. When I couldn't get BlueHippo to call back to answer some simple questions, I had to dig deeper to find the answers I needed. What I discovered was a sordid history of profiting from poor people.

I started calling BlueHippo almost every day for two months. The receptionists sent me to a handful of voicemails and I left numerous messages on each one simply asking for them to call back.

A common defense of companies who find themselves the subject of critical news articles is that their side of the story wasn't told. Of course, a common reason for that, as in this case, is that they simply refuse to talk and make every effort to hide from reporters.

Not wanting to play games with BlueHippo any longer, my editor told me to give them one last chance, in person.

On the way to Baltimore, I decided I would call one more time and give them the opportunity to give their side of the story. I left a message on one of the voicemails that said, "This is Joseph S. Enoch, the reporter who has been calling for more than two months. I am on my way to your offices and should be there in less than 45 minutes. If Joseph Rensin (BlueHippo's founder) or anyone else would like to meet and answer at least some of my questions, that would be great."

Two minutes later my cell phone rang. It was Jared Kelly, BlueHippo's vice president and chief marketing officer.

He said there was no reason for me to come to their office because no one was going to talk to me.

"ConsumerAffairs.com is not a legitimate publication," he repeated. "You're biased and you only portray one side of the story."

I explained to him that I had been trying for two months to get someone from BlueHippo to respond to the allegations that consumers, lawyers, attorneys general and consumers' rights groups had been making -- and that we were eager to tell his side of the story, whatever it might be.

His repeated response: "No comment."

"There are about 20 negative articles about BlueHippo on your website and they are all lies," Kelly said.

In fact, there was one, until this series appeared, and I invited him to show me its inaccuracies.

Again, "No comment."

He tried in vain to keep me from coming to the office.

"You'll be wasting your time coming to the office," he said. "There's nothing to see here. No one will talk to you."

When I finally did arrive, I understood why he didn't want me to see their offices.

There were high definition LCD screens on the walls. The reception area had thick, lush red carpet saddled on both sides by dark hardwood floors. That luxurious floor pattern spread into the hallways and as far as I could see, expanded into the various offices and meeting spaces.

Across from the receptionist's marble desk was a stone statue of Thomas Edison. One wall was entirely comprised of glass blocks.

Business looked good.

A Verizon technician said he was installing more phone lines for BlueHippo. He didn't know off the top of his head how many lines he was installing, but said, "A lot."

The receptionist in the office knew who I was. She handed me Kelly's business card. I was to e-mail him and maybe he would respond. I asked her to page him or Rensin. But neither one would budge from their offices.

I thought about staking out their parking lot. I had a good feeling I would know where BlueHippo's management would be heading after work -- the cluster of luxury cars in the front row.

But since Kelly seemed to be opening the lines of communication, I decided to be civil and send him a list of questions over e-mail. I did. In fact, I've sent him three e-mails since then and he still has not responded.

It's become a common mantra in American journalism that there are two sides to every story. In fact, there are usually a lot more than two. But in some cases -- like this one -- it's a little hard to say just what the "other side" might be.

Actions, after all, speak louder than words.

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