I work for an international electrical contracting company that is based in the MD, DC area. They fortunately let us keep any old wire that may be of decent value. I had collected 374 pounds of straight copper wire, nothing else. About 5% of this wire had a tin coating( companies around the DC area will buy tin-coated copper wire for anywhere around $1.50/pound as all you need to do is burn it off and you have perfect copper). I had all 374 pounds loaded into a truck and ready to go for my grandfather to drop off at Metal Scrap Inc in Mechanicsville, MD as we needed the money and I work nights so I couldnt take it. When he gets there, they unload and look at the product we are selling them... here's where the scam begins. Knowing my grandfather had little info about prices on commodoties they told him all 374 pounds was aluminum and paid him .20 cents a pound. When he gave me the bill I was confused as any electritian would be when they see the've been paid for aluminum not copper...after all we jump up and down when we find copper wiring....for this reason. So I call up Metal Scrap Inc( at work ) slithly frustrated but mostly confused and begin to explain my story. Before I can come close to finishing the lady on the phone raises her voice over mine so that I can't go on to ask why they charged him for aluminum when they knew it was all copper wire...after about 2 minutes of this she hangs up on me. Baffled... I call back to deal with the exact same sequence of events and to get no answers what so ever. I wouldn't take the time to collect copper if I didn't rely on it to feed myself. Not sure what to do right now. COPS? BBB? One thing I know I can do is inform people so that this dosen't happen to anybody else. DO NOT DO BUSINESS HERE!