Arizona Scam Alert!!

My father had a post on here for body work. A fellow hamber on here from Scottsdale AZ. (His name will not be posted due to privacy issues) called him and got an estimate to do all the body work and paint on his 50 ford of $4000. After waiting a week to call him back he then told my father all he had was $2000. My dad being out of work for 6mos decided to do the job as he needed the work. After giving my father only a $200 deposit my dad worked on the car and was ready to paint it when this person refused to pay my dad money for the work he did so far. His excuse was that no one should make $150 a day and he wasn't going to pay until he felt like it. After that my dad told him to pay him half of what he owed and to pick up his car as he didn't want to work for someone who was going to tell him what he should or shouldn't get paid, as he has 30yrs exp and had only needed to paint the car and do finishing work. Needless to say this scam artist, came to the house with the cops received his car back and paid my father nothing for all his work. This guy is a real class act and hopefully if Karma exsists he will get what he has coming to him for stiffing my dad on the bill. Maybe the work wasn't to this guys satisfaction, who knows, but in my book you don't stiff someone 100% on a bill. Fellow AZ hambers offering services, watch out for a fellow with a 50 ford trying to get stuff done for free.

 

How is this a scam alert, if we dont know who the scammer is?
Or is it everybody in Arizona.Hehehehe

 

shoulda filed a mechanics lien....

 

Did your dad explain to the cops that he has not been paid?

 

can i post his name on here? i didn't know the rules on that sort of thing. If I can, I will

 

yeah, cases like that are considered a civil matter in most states, you dont have to give up the car.

while i feel for your dad as a painter myself, with 30 years expiereince, he should have been prepared for this kinda bull, and known what to do, and definatly not given up the car.


skull

 

Something about this story is not right. I don`t know about Arizona laws, but where I live, you cannot take the cops to a shop and pick up your vehicle without paying for the work performed.

Is there something you are leaving out ?

 

Yes he did, the cops told him, that obviously alot of work has been done and you should pay this man the money you owe him, he said nothing and just took his car. I guess according to AZ law it was his car and he had a right to it, irregardless.

 

My dad did the work at his personal residence and not a business, as a side job, therefore that might have something to do with the reason the cops letting him take his car.

 

The cops said they woulda took him to jail if he didn't give it up and he didn't want to mess around with that.

 

Then your dad should sue the guy, and yes, post the guy's name. What's he going to do, sue for libel? Then he's going to have to prove he did pay for the work. Uh oh.

 

In CA your dad could have been arrested too.
Over here, you must have a license to do any sort of repairs, AND have a signed work order before starting. Otherwise the Consumer Protection squad will come after you.
I reckon the perp knew all along he wasn't going to pay.

 

Well part of that problem was his doing the work at his house, probably with no written estimate or invoice. That is the risk you take. It's not right but he put himself out their for this by doing it that way.
As for being a scam alert without the offenders name, it is not really an alert but more of a warning how not to do business

 

Post his name. I don't want to sell any parts to a dickbag like this guy. Guys like this will leave a bad taste in the collective mouth of hambers nationwide, not just AZ. This is never good. The quality of people here is the main reason I love this place so much. EVERYBODY I've met here online and in person does what they say when they say they're going to do it. We don't need a guy like this '50 Ford guy around here. Out him and run him off.

 

I would find the SOB and hit the car with 5 or 6 Brake Fluid filled balloons. That should just about negate any work your dad did on it. Especially if it sits in the sun for a while.

-Dave

 

No paper work to support the work to be done...no written estimate, no signed contract???

 

Yes, In Arizona a business can not hold the car for payment. Even if your dad was a licensed business the customer can demand the car and he has to release it. Mechanics liens and court are your only options. At this point neither a mechanics lien or small claims court would work because there is no signed work authorization form. I have been in chandler court multiple times to collect on dead beats and have won because of the proper paperwork. I run a large body shop in Gilbert Arizona.

 

This story just doesn't sound right? Seems like theres a few details that are not included...

Nobody is just gonna do the work, buy the materials, take HALF of the original price, take $200 for a deposit, then just let the car leave without getting paid....

Sounds kinda fishy to me???

Kevin
Ooltewah Speed Shop

 

Looks like the deadbeat knew what he was going to pull going in and has probably pulled on others before.

The main reason I quit working on other peoples cars is that it was too hard to get money out of them even when I held the car here.

Kustom01 that may not be a total scam in the normal sense but it is for sure theft of services and materials.
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Yes, my dad thought the same thing. He was fairly upset, but knew there really isn't much he could do but eat it and know he did the right thing.

 

Glen has got it right, I also had a shop for over 20 years in AZ and
had 3 jobs back fire on me as.
Although a day in court resolved all 3 situations.
This just proves "They are among us"
Tell yer dad not to loose any sleep over it as $1800 ain't worth it.
There has to be more to the story, like maybe the customer wasn't happy with the quality of repairs or sumthin.

 

I've found his Hamb name. tdragger1 . After reading all the responses, my dad may have made a few blunders on his part, however my dad is old school, and his word is his word, this guy took what he could get for free and ran. If he was at all honest he would have worked something out with my father to pay him for the work he did do at this point.

 

Happened to me...trying to help a friend out of a jam.
Friend installed a used transmission ,that the cars owner supplied, into a Nissan AWD mini-van piece of junk. What a bitch to work on!

Turns out the replacement Trans would slip when it warmed up.
Told friend to get the cash and let the guy find out about the trans issues on his own, thats the only way you'll see any money...friend said no. Told the guy when he came for the car.
Car owner decides to take the old trans in for a rebuild instead of going with another used trans.
Comes back in two days and the Trans rebuilder needs the one in the car as well...for parts.
Now I get involved as my friend begged me to take it out for him as he was tied up with other work. Ok...
Took it to my place and pulled it...gave it to the owner.
He comes back a day later needing the car!
Trans rebuilder wanted to put it in himself. (fully understandable.)

NO sweat. Pay for having the original work done and having the second one removed.
((Although the trans turned out to be bad, he supplied it himself so WE certainly couldn't guarantee it and suck up the labour...and the thing was pulled twice and installed once.)

Nope...called the Cops...said I "stole" his car!

Cop told us to give the car back or get charged.
When asked about taking the guy to court to pay up the Cop simply asked if we were paying Taxes to be doing repairs. Well...no.
Cash on the side!
He said..."Tell the Judge how your doing backyard work and not paying Income Tax on the cash money you receive. See how far you get!"

Oh shit...

Didn't get a red cent for a full days work on my part...day and a half for my friend.
Lesson learned.

You roll the dice and sometimes you get snake eyes.

Hope your deadbeats KARMA bites him in the ass.

 

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=343071

 

He's online right now, what do you have to say about it ?

 

Maybe tdragger1 would like to tell his side?? If not. Let Karma rule!

 

I messaged him. I suppose it's ultimately between him and my father. I just thought others that offer services need to know what he's all about.

 

I remember seeing that post now. And now that makes it a scam from the get go.

I know you are reading this and probably gloating about how you got over on Kustom01's dad, so remember it is going to be hard to show up at events in Az or the surrounding areas with several hundred people in the area knowing that you are a scam artist who stole the mans services and materials.
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And now the rest of the story! Here’s the truth, but before you proceed go here http://ruffrodders.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35254 to view my three year build. You may also go to ruffrodders.com and type in Jason123 and look for the thread “shoebox chopline opinions needed”. Ok, after viewing the build and seeing this picture before I sent the car off to an “expert” I think we all agree I did a good quality job and 95% of the bodywork was done. Here’s a pic:

 

Whats that have to do with you not paying the man as you agreed?