11/2 Aqua Solutions, Inc. Conducted a Rainbow Vacuum Cleaner demo at my elderly parents' house. (My mother filled out a card at an expo for the "free" demo in return for a gift of steak-knives). My parents told the salesperson/distributor, Donna Locricchio, that they were NOT allowed to sign contracts because they had a guardian (their daughter - me). My father has PTSD and dementia and he signed the contract while my mother is mentally competent. Donna did not request to see the guardianship paperwork. Donna convinced them to sign the contract anyway for an overpriced ($2300) vacuum cleaner that my 100 lb mother had problems pulling around once it had water in it. We cancelled the contract within the 72 hours rescission period required by federal law on 11/5, Aqua Solutions, Inc picked up their vacuum cleaner 2 weeks later and my parents still have not received the $200 deposit back even though the contract states "a full refund will be provided 10 days after cancellation"! I've filed a BBB complaint, FTC complaint, attorney general complaint, several online complaints and submitted a demand letter for payment. Dawn Adair Merlino, the general manager, who would not divulge her last name - so now you have it) spent a couple of weeks pretending through Alexis that she would return my call, ignoring and giving me the runaround by avoiding me because she later said her legal department told her she did not have to talk to me because my name was not on my parents' deposit check (though I don't have to be on the check as I am on their bank account). When I filed the BBB complaint I learned that Aqua Solutions had 15 complaints varying from not reimbursing deposits to lousy customer service, etc. And that Paul Merlino is the Owner - in addition there are approximately 100 complaints regarding their employment practices online. Dawn accidentally caught me at my parents' house where she stated they had been holding the deposit because they thought my parents wanted the vacuum cleaner held on lay-away??? (Another lie since that would require a new contract to be signed.) Dawn and Donna Locricchio tried to turn the tables around by saying my parents tried to make me out to be the bad guy for making them return the vacuum cleaner when they had worked so hard all their lives to buy what they wanted. (Words my parents deny ever saying and words that don't sound like anything they would say.) My mother NEVER received the demo gift of free steak knives that were promised. Dawn said that Aqua Solutions salespeople decide what gift to give at demos (of course, that was never mentioned up front either) and they don't even offer the steak-knives anymore. Donna said she left a vacation coupon in a white envelope on my parents' kitchen table - another lie. Dawn stated that since my parents had a guardian that maybe they accidentally threw it away because they didn't know what they were doing. (So they acknowledge guardianship when it suits them and not at other times.) Dawn refused to talk to my mother (though she's on the check) because she "didn't want to get in the middle" but told me she would send a check for $150 that day to my parents minus the $50 restocking fee which is NOT in the contract and another attempt to fraudulently retain money from my parents. I told Dawn to include the vacation coupon with the check (even though my 85-year old father and 77-year old mother were in no condition to travel anywhere) since they were entitled to it and never received it and Dawn said she would have to charge my parents $30 because she'd have to void the coupon they never received. I told her to keep the coupon and send the deposit refund check.instead of receiving the check as promised, Dawn responded to the BBB complaint by asking for a Power of Attorney from my father appointing me as his POA during the time the contract was signed in November (because she didn't think I'd have one).interesting that they never requested the POA and/or Guardianship paperwork when they did the "free" demo and my parents told Donna Locricchio they were under a Guardian and not supposed to sign contracts! I provided the POA to the BBB to fax to Aqua Solutions. Aqua Solutions did not respond to the complaint or refund the money as required by federal law and the BBB closed the complaint as "unresolved". The Nevada State Department of Aging & Disability also attempted to resolve this and was told by Alexis (the receptionist who is adept at handling annoyed customers with "you don't have to be nasty" when I told her Dawn was a creep for giving me the runaround") told the representative that they did not know where to send the $150 check but mailed it anyway. (Another lie - no check was ever mailed and they have my parents' address on their contract). I asked the representative if she could obtain a copy of the check to see the date it was supposedly mailed. No check copy was provided by Aqua Solutions and when the rep called me to see if Aqua Solutions had contacted me and I told her 'no' - she called Aqua Solutions again and Alexis told her she would give the message to the Distributor Donna Locricchio. At this point, I can only surmise by their actions that: 1. Aqua Solutions is purposely defrauding my elderly parents since the refund should have been issued immediately once they picked up their vacuum. 2. They have now stolen the $200 deposit. 3. They used the "bait & switch" tactic regarding the steak knives gift my parents were promised but never received.
7/27 I contacted the Rainbow Vacuum Regional Sales Manager, Clay Wilson, who "pretended" to work with me for 2 weeks. Dawn told him she would mail the check out immediately. However, after a week, when there was no check, I called Clay Wilson and he contacted Dawn. Dawn stated her printer had been broken for a week and she would mail the check out tomorrow. He stated he believed Dawn Adair Merlino was "sincere" when she said her printer was broken so she was unable to print out the refund check she had promised. (Another lie and this time Clay Wilson and Rainbow Vacuums are obviously a party to this company's bad business practices and defrauding the elderly.)
1/16 I've been researching Aqua Solutions and the Merlino family and discovered they are operating without valid Secretary of State licenses and that they have approximately 10 "revoked" or "dissolved" corporations listed over the last 10 years. I have reported them to the Secretary of State. I emailed Clay Wilson today to notify him that I am now submitting as many online complaints as possible including Clay's name and Rainbow Vacuum Company for condoning the Merlino fraud until my parents are issued a cashier's check or money order in the amount of $300 ($200 deposit refund plus my costs to date in pursuing this matter).
Please avoid this company like the plague and warn your friends and family!
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