Shady business practices

[Jetfire]

Some great advice given so far and it looks like you're making the right moves.

One thing to keep in mind, is that many of these agencies have a lot of inertia. They can be slow to get moving while the case builds up and the evidence moves through the red tape maze. Don't be discouraged by the initial non-responses, but try to keep the pressure up.

And take some solace that once these agencies DO finally start moving, they don't stop. It may take awhile to get them rolling towards this shady company, but once they do, there won't be much left but a spot on the concrete.

[taxguykarl]

Consider a complaint to the Postal Inspection Service. If it goes through the mail, it's under their jurisdiction.
The weight of government will make them fold

[April]

Still no response from the company. The BBB notified me that they were compiling the complaint to send to them. I Tri-Star yesterday and asked them if they could update me on my complaint. no response

[April]

non-update. Apparently they are not responding to the BBB either

Dear April XXX:

This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 7/8/2016 against Tri Star Event Photo Inc. Your complaint was assigned ID XXXXX.

This is to advise you of the status of your complaint against the above referenced company. We have just made our second attempt to elicit a response from the company. From our experience, we have learned that many times a company may overlook correspondence, or there has been a change in personnel, so we attempt to contact them a second time before taking further action.

If you have resolved your complaint with the above referenced company, please let us know immediately by calling or dropping us a note at the numbers referenced on our letterhead. If you have not received a response from the company, please be patient for a few more days, and you will receive a letter detailing any information or offers we have been able to obtain from the company. There is no need to contact us if you have not received any information from the company.



Want to know more about our complaint process? Click Here

The text of your complaint may be publicly posted on BBBs Web site (BBB reserves the right to not post in accordance with BBB policy). Please do not include any personally identifiable information when contacting us regarding this dispute. By submitting your complaint, you are representing that it is a truthful account of your experience with the business. BBB may edit your complaint to protect privacy rights and to remove inappropriate language.

Sincerely,

Sa'eed Stikeleather
The Better Business Bureau

[raudf]

I'm going to back the others who said contact your state's AG. Put in the information of when you and the BBB have tried contacting said company with your statement and ask if the AG's office has any more advice/can look into this matter, given the age of the children and the tactics the photographer used.

Also, if you have a news agency with something like a "7 On Your Side," you might consider contacting them too. I also suggest a note to the school board about the issue so that they are made aware of the issue and can possibly refuse to renew their contract with this photography company.

[April]

well, guess the BBB is unsuccessful

Dear April XXX :

This message is in regard to your complaint submitted on 7/8/2016 against Tri Star Event Photo Inc. Your complaint was assigned ID XXXX.

We have written to the subject in your behalf but in this instance have received no reply. The Better Business Bureau seeks voluntary cooperation from business and cannot compel firms to answer communications or offer adjustments.

The Better Business Bureau acts as an impartial third party mediating misunderstandings between the buyer and seller. The majority of cases are brought to a conclusion with a successful resolution. Failure on the part of a company to respond becomes a part of our file information and thus may assist persons who make future inquiries.

It may be that this matter has, in the interim, been resolved. If so, kindly advise us so that our records may be complete. If not, please accept our sincere regrets that we have been unable to assist you.

Please feel free to contact us with any further questions.

Regards,

Sa'eed Stikeleather
The Better Business Bureau

I haven't received any additional bills from the company, so perhaps that is something? I've got an email to the school district now just giving them a heads up, but since it's still summer break, I may not get anything back for awhile

[Catwoman2965]

well, guess the BBB is unsuccessful



I haven't received any additional bills from the company, so perhaps that is something? I've got an email to the school district now just giving them a heads up, but since it's still summer break, I may not get anything back for awhile

More than likely after receiving your complaint, they let it drop, because I'm sure there are plenty of others who just paid it, so a few that won't pay probably doesn't matter much to them.

[eltf177]

Anything new on this?

[Pixelated]

One thing to keep in mind, is that many of these agencies have a lot of inertia. They can be slow to get moving while the case builds up and the evidence moves through the red tape maze. Don't be discouraged by the initial non-responses, but try to keep the pressure up.

And take some solace that once these agencies DO finally start moving, they don't stop. It may take awhile to get them rolling towards this shady company, but once they do, there won't be much left but a spot on the concrete.

Very good point. Government agencies are like a charging elephant: slow to get moving, but once they do get moving, anything in their way gets flattened.

That's the one BIG problem with the BBB: its inability to compel a company to do anything. My own opinion is that complaining to them would be pretty far down the list because of that.

Lots of great suggestions here. Have you gone to the local media yet? Not that my being a former journalist has anything to do with that suggestion ...

Also, I don't know what lawyers' costs are like in your neck of the woods, but sometimes just a poisonously polite letter from a lawyer can make a sleazy company fold like a house of cards. It does sound as though they've given up on you, but if the collection letters start coming again, you might want to consider that option. (A lawyer might also have some advice on what other options you have that we haven't thought of.)

[April]

Nothing new. The company apparently dropped all the charges as I have not received a bill in forever. I spoke to the schools about it, who seemed empathetic, but I don't know if they care all that much. None of the government agencies would do anything, but at least for now, it's all quiet