Misleading Advertising, Products and Services that Middle Tennessee Consumers and Businesses Can Do Without - January 2012

BBB Identifies Misleading Advertising, Products and Services Middle Tennessee Consumers and Businesses Can Do Without. Your Better Business Bureau has identified the following businesses as offering services and products, which have resulted in numerous complaints alleging misleading ads/offers, unsatisfactory services and misrepresented products.

Each business identified in this BBB Accredited Business Member/Media Update has been contacted by BBB concerning their business practices, unresolved customer complaints, and failure to discontinue the cause of customer complaints.

Big Ron’s Auto Repair - BBB Rating: F
615.226.0164 – 2908 Hillhurst Dr., Nashville, TN
Big Ron’s Auto Repair has bilked Middle Tennessee consumers out of several hundred dollars by promising to repair their vehicles and then failing to do any work at all. Consumer complaints indicate they are required to pay for repairs in advance and experience long delays in repair completion. Complaints also state consumers called Big Ron’s repeatedly for status updates on their cars only to be ignored; when they finally pick up their vehicles, they discover that no work has been done and the business refuses to refund their money. The company has also failed to answer any of BBB’s requests to resolve the issues. Looks like Big Ron’s is just a big rip off!

The Prisoner’s Secretary – BBB Rating: F
615.636.0420– P.O. Box 331428, Nashville, TN
This company advertises their services to prisoners via inmate websites or brochures, including pen-pal services, magazine and book editing, letter writing, book drives, third-party calling services and internet research. The problem is that once customers send their money for the company’s services, they never receive them, and repeated requests for assistance are ignored. If TPS doesn’t clean up their act, they may wind up as pen-mates rather than pen-pals.

Angel’s Bridal & Photography – BBB Rating: F
615.735.3606 – P.O. Box 413, Carthage, TN -- http://www.angelsbridalandphotography.com
The bliss of a wedding day is one of the most memorable days in a couple’s life. Part of that blissful experience is finding the bride-to-be's perfect wedding gown, but BBB warns brides to be wary of the business practices of Angela Vaden, DBA Angel’s Bridal & Photography. Vaden claims to produce “custom” wedding dresses, but complaints state that the dresses, which cost upwards of $1000.00, arrived stuffed into boxes, with “used-looking,” dirty lace and none of the details brides requested. Looks like the only “something blue” these brides have to look forward to on their wedding day is their mood.

Tri-Star Waste Systems, Inc. - BBB Rating: F
615.242.6300 (Disconnected) – 701 41st Ave North, Nashville, TN
Something stinks about Tri-Star Waste Systems’ dumpster service. Business customers have notified BBB that Tri-Star Waste Systems has all but disappeared, failing to pick up their trash or make refunds for the months that neglected dumpsters have remained on their properties. BBB files contain 10 unanswered and unresolved complaints.

In-Ear Systems, Inc. – BBB Rating: F 

615.345.0407 – 2176 N. Mount Juliet Rd, Ste 103, Mt. Juliet, TN – www.inearsystems.com
In-Ear Systems offers the custom making of in-ear monitoring systems and accessories to consumers via their website, but all they’ve produced for Middle TN consumers have been headaches and frustration. Consumers pay up-front for custom-made monitors, which they never receive, and repeated requests for assistance from the company fall on deaf ears. This company’s BBB Accreditation status was revoked for failing to resolve customer complaints. BBB files currently contain more than 95 customer complaints, and 62 of those customers are still waiting for their ear monitor or a refund.

Maglife – BBB Rating: F
888.316.7679 & 904.400.0566 – 1105 16th Ave S, Ste D, Nashville, TN
& 3070 Hawksmore Dr., Orange Park, FL www.maglifeonline.com
More than 15 consumers have told BBB that this company’s representatives go door-to-door selling magazine subscriptions, but customers never receive the publications. The company cannot be contacted for assistance, and the local address the company provided to consumers is now vacant.

Richard’s Paving – BBB Rating: F
615.860.0309 – 200 Nesbitt Lane, Madison, TN
Richard W. Pierce, owner of Richard’s Paving, has left several Middle TN consumers in a lurch…literally. Customers contracted Pierce to repave their driveways, but have since complained to BBB of service issues such as: gravel and grass coming up through huge cracks, uneven and/or sinking areas, and a lack of response to their requests for help. Most now wish Richard’s Paving would hit the road…for good.

Bridal and Formals by RJ – BBB Rating: F
615.522.0201 – 3806 Nolensville Pike, Nashville, TN --
www.bridalandformalbyrjs.com and www.promgowns4less.com
Finals, exams, graduation… at the end of the school year, most students look forward to prom as a way to blow off steam and end the year dancing away their stress in their dream dress. However, customers who purchased a dress from Bridal & Formals by RJ found their experience more of a nightmare. This company has 22 unanswered complaints stating the company fails to deliver bridal and prom dresses to customers who have ordered from the company’s website, or to issue refunds to customers who returned their dresses due to poor quality. The website advertises a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but the complaint history BBB has received proves otherwise. BBB gives RJ a failing grade for his practice of scamming high-schoolers and brides-to-be, and hopefully soon he will flunk out of doing business in Middle TN.