D.I.Y. from........

[TintDude]

Amen brother.

[Guest Tint Masters]

Hey O.T. Do you mean my distributor is competing agaist me ? Does this happen ?

Or do you mean the Manufukture ?

[oldtinter]

Probably both, but you didn't hear it here. As far as I'm concerned, they are ALL loking out for their dealers best interest. :spit

[Guest Tint Masters]

Now I understand..............

[LEO'n'DARTZ]

basiclaly that gets them out of warranty work becaue they can say it was installed wrong by a DO-IT-TO-YOUESELFER.

Question N2. If they don't give any warranties (so called limited lifetime) why do they have to sell their product

[LEO'n'DARTZ]

Is that an authorized SolarGard outlet? Damn.

As I know SG policy was "NO DIY KITS, ONLY FOR PROF's". It looks strange - their label with DIY kits, very strange. May be they change their policy and start to compete with GILA?

[LEO'n'DARTZ]

you want an example of whoring out the market? Look no further than Solar Gard.

Problem is, they're no worse than CP with their walmart crap, and selling bits and pieces to anyone with cash, Suntek, the same, Sungard..Likewise. Madico competing with their own dealers, need I go on? They're all misguided fks.

I think that's all because marketing departments of teams selling window films are sleeping, and now only one way how to sell films:

Gave Life (2-3-10 life's)time warranty. Nobody think about final customer who like to get cool t-shirt with after tintin', not this I received from LluLlu some days before ....... But of course it's only my idiotic mind... I am amateur among sputtering monsterZZZZ

[Guest Tint Masters]

September 19. 2003 12:19PM

Houma man charged in national fraud investigation

By DEE DEE THURSTON

The Courier

HOUMA -- A Houma man accused of defrauding dozens of online auction customers was arrested and charged with computer fraud earlier this week.

Multiple complaints from dozens of dissatisfied customers across the nation against Wilbert Joseph Dupre Jr. prompted an investigation that resulted in Dupre's arrest, according to Terrebonne Parish Sheriff Jerry Larpenter.

Dupre, 38, 1915 Langdon Court, owns Xtreme Tinting and Graphics, an East Park Avenue business that offers pre-cut window tinting for automobile and truck windows, the sheriff said.

In addition to selling his wares locally, Dupre also offers his products through the eBay Web site.

According to authorities and representatives of the local Better Business Bureau, Dupre didn't deliver promised items to several disgruntled customers and failed to refund their money when asked.

He was charged with 11 counts of computer fraud, in addition to an unrelated charge of failure to comply with a sentence.

Dupre was jailed Tuesday and released Wednesday after posting a $21,000 bond, according to jail employees.

If convicted of computer fraud, a felony under Louisiana law, Dupre could face up to five years in prison and fines of up to $10,000 for each count.

Dupre, contacted at his window-tinting business Thursday afternoon, said he is innocent and called his arrest a misunderstanding.

"This is not anything where I went on eBay and said, 'I'm going to take people's money,' " he said. "This is 11 out of 500 orders."

Dupre blames a now-fired and unnamed employee for mixing up orders.

"I'm in the process of (fixing) it," he said. "Probably what my employee did was just send out the wrong stuff. It's all a misunderstanding."

Larpenter said the matter is still under investigation and additional arrests may be forthcoming.

The complaints didn't just result in criminal charges -- they also prompted the Tri-Parish Better Business Bureau to send out an alert to their counterparts across the United States.

According to Lesley Hill Peters, director of the Tri-Parish BBB, disgruntled customers in nine states filed complaints against Dupre.

Those customers say they purchased pre-cut window tinting for their vehicles at a cost of $40 to $60 per order and either received items that didn't fit their vehicles or never received their orders at all.

Some customers also reported receiving bogus tracking numbers for items that were supposedly shipped and never arrived, Peters said.

Dupre denies the allegations.

He said it's possible the wrong items may have been sent to customers who provided incomplete vehicle specifications, but said he never intended to defraud anyone.

"It's not what they're saying. It's not high-dollar stuff," Dupre said. "The employee sent out some wrong products. Someone complained and it got out of control from there."

Dupre said he wants to make things right with his customers, but police say they gave him ample opportunity to do so prior to his arrest.

Ebay suspended Dupre's on-line account because of multiple, unresolved complaints, according to police.

Authorities say anyone who has had unsatisfactory business dealings with Dupre should contact the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office at 876-2500. Complaints can additionally be filed with the BBB through their Web site, www.houma.bbb.org, and with the Internet Fraud Complaint Center through their Web site, www.ifccfbi.gov.

Peters said BBB officials are concerned about "the pattern of complaints that surfaced about a local business owner" and suspect some unsatisfied customers haven't come forward.

"Our experience is that a lot of people who are out 30, 40 or 50 dollars might say, ?Oh well,' " she said. "If there's people out there who did that, we want them to know that's what we're here for. We can help."

Courier staff writer Dee Dee Thurston can be reached at 850-1149 or deedee.thurston@houmatoday.com.

[Mdog]

another BLOW to the DO-IT-TO-YOURSELF tint marker

[oldtinter]

Those customers say they purchased pre-cut window tinting for their vehicles at a cost of $40 to $60 per order and either received items that didn't fit their vehicles

What a surprise.