Late June, I spoke to Chris Myers who stated he was the broker, owner and operator, and that he financed individuals who wanted to purchase auction vehicles.
Chris Myers stated he needed $400 deposit to cover the auction fee. I paid by cash as per his request. He seemed too busy to give me a receipt until I advised I wasn't leaving without it. He finally printed it.
I gave him the authorization to bid up to $2,500 on a hit truck in which I provided the lot numbers from the auction websites. Two weeks were spent looking and bidding on auction trucks.
July 7th, 2011, Thursday evening, I received a text stating he won an auction for the full $2500, and I would need to pay for the vehicle before I can be picked up.
July 8th, 2011, Friday afternoon, I brought Chris Myers $2500 cash to pay for the said truck. I was told by him that I had to go to Copart (the auctioneer) and pay for it down in Miami--which meant it had to be done Monday morning. He was supposed to be the broker; so, I didn't understand why I had to go pay for it.
July 01, 2011, Monday, I went to Copart to pay for the truck, and was sent away. I was told it had to be a cashier's check, and I still had to pay the $400 auction fee that was supposed to be held by Chris Myers. I made a cashier's check from my business account for $2900.
I called Chris Myers to notify the truck needs to be picked up ASAP, and that there is a discrepancy in the auction fees. I had to pay as he already had it as a deposit. I wasn't ever given a clear answer on why I had to pay the auction fee twice. I could have accepted a broker's fee, but nothing at all.
I was given the option of shipping with "broker". First option was $500, and I can have it in 7-10 business days at the latest, which would be by July 21st, 2011. Second option was to pay $600 and have it in 3-4 days, which would have been by Friday of July 15th, 2011 at the latest.
I was told the title will be sent via FedEx overnight, and I would have it by Wednesday of July 13th, 2011.
Chris Myers called me Friday in the 15th. He told me the truck would be there in an hour and to bring $650 (not the agreed amount of $600). He said it cost more than what he told me because it was a truck and not a car.
I left my office to withdraw $660 from an ATM for the shipping. I went to Myers Auto Sales office and waited on Chris Myers to show up for approximately 30 minutes. The entire time there was someone else in the office who refused to open the door even after hearing me knocking. He never acknowledged himself as to who he was. I gave Chris the $660 and he attempted to leave without giving me a receipt. I stepped in front of him and told him to either give me back my money or give me a receipt. He gave me a receipt for $660 and not $650, and placed what was supposed to be my $10 change on the receipt as the "purchase price" because he didn't have change."
I also asked him about the title being sent and was told it was not sent as of yet. He will call them on Monday of July 18th, 2011.
Saturday of July 16th, I was told four times the truck will be delivered in an hour; so, we had a tow truck on standby that we had to pay. Finally, Chris Myers stated the truck never came. The delivery driver never came, but he was certain it would be delivered on Sunday of July 17th, 2011.
On Sunday, we were told it would be there in the afternoon. After calling Chris several times and leaving several rude messages, I was finally told that the driver doesn't deliver on Sundays.
The entire weekend my husband and I played phone tag with the broker, Chris Myers. We cancelled several home repair jobs that we had pending where his presence was requested.
Monday of July 18th, 2011 at 4:13 PM, I received a text from Chris stating that the car was there. My husband's brother was nearby watching to make sure there wasn't anything going on that shouldn't be. My husband showed up as soon as the truck came off the tow. Chris Myers attempted to collect another $40 from him; stating that he had to get another tow truck to pick it up down in Miami because that is where "his tow truck broker" had it all weekend instead of delivering it as it should have been.
We gained possession of the truck and immediately had it towed to the Mechanic & Body shop for repairs. The owner inspected the vehicle and noticed that although the car was dusty and dirty there were several parts that were cut off very recently. He suggested that the "tow truck broker" had the vehicle at another body shop and cut off several parts. He showed my husband and the cuts were shiny, clean and fresh, where as the remainder of the underbody and wheel part was filthy.
For the next several days, I have had it out verbally with Chris telling him that I need the title to do any of the paperwork and asked where the title was. I called Chris on three-way with my husband on the other line to listen in. Chris advised me that he did not know, and he needed to call the broker. I THOUGHT HE WAS THE BROKER!
On July 21st, I called Copart with the help of an attorney I work with. I spoke to the title clerk who stated the title was sent with the driver and was delivered on July 15th, 2011. Again I called Chris and insisted on meeting with the broker and the title agency. He was reluctant to give me a name, but after about ten minutes of cussing I finally got the name of Milton by text message.
I called to confirm the meeting with Chris; I was told not to go because he was handling the paperwork, and I needed to meet him at his office. I went and cussed him from North to South, and told him that I was not going to do any further business with him. I wanted to deal with the broker directly because he was unable to live up to his work-- figures always seem to change and parts go missing. I told him if I don't meet with the broker to get my title I was going to file a civil lawsuit against him directly, and file complaints with state agencies for him acting as a broker without a license.
I asked him who the broker was, and where he was so that I can meet him. He told me his name was "Milton" and I can meet him at the tag agency. Milton never showed up, but someone by the name of "Peter Myers" did. He said he was the one handling the paperwork; it was his company, and he is the dealership.
I explained the issues I had with Chris. Peter told me there is nothing he can do because the people that he knows that does the tags and title are at the Lauderhill Mall tag agency, and it was closed. So, I would have to meet him Monday morning of July 18th, 2011.
July 18th, 2011, I again met with Peter and waited before I was told I can only give him cash for the taxes. When I asked for a receipt, I was told he has a sales receipt for the vehicle and not for the taxes. It had to be paid in cash. I told him, no. He can bring me a receipt, and meet me Tuesday of July 25th, 2011.
Tuesday morning, Peter never answered his phone and actually shut it off to go to voice mail. I text Chris Myers and asked him where is Peter. He said he was on the way. Peter never showed up. Instead, a man by the name of Milton ** did and told me that he is going to handle the title work. Peter showed me a sales receipt that now includes the amount due to Myers Auto Sales for the taxes. At the window, I requested a fast title to be printed as I would pay the clerk the fee. The clerk stated that Milton is not in any company paperwork, and the only one that can do the fast title is Peter Myers who never showed up.
The company was only registered to the Office of Financial Regulations in July 5th, 2011. The Division of Consumer Services had them registered for Peter Myers since March 2011.
