The following is an exact copy of an official complaint that we filed with the Better Business Bureau on October 12 expalining the unethical crap that Leslie Adiska of "A Pair of Photographers International" (Ann Arbor, MI) pulled on us when we tried to have some graduation photos made...
"Explanation of Problem:
My daughter had graduation photographs taken at "A Pair of Photographers International" in mid-August. My daughter paid $49.00 for the sitting for which she was not given a receipt. This was paid in cash at the time of the sitting. On August 31, I went to their business to look at the proofs. I was quite shocked by the price list, which had not been supplied to my daughter at her sitting, even though she asked for it. Because of that, and the fact that I felt very wary of this business, I did not want to make up my mind about photographs without thinking about it. Leslie Adiska, owner, told me that if I gave her my credit card number to guarantee that I would return the proofs, I could take them home.
I signed a form that said that I would return the proofs on September 5 by 4 P.M. The form states that the deposit is non-refundable "If the first edition prints are not returned by this date and time then I agree to pay $250". This is an exact quotation from the form.
I gave Leslie Adiska my VISA number, but did not authorize her to use it, nor did I sign anything giving her that authorization. She assured me that there would be no charge (other than the $49 sitting fee already paid) if I returned the proofs by 4:00pm on Sept 5. Again I asked for a price list, which she again refused to give it to me. She said I could "take notes".
On September 5, I returned the proofs a little before 4:00P.M. And had Donald Adiska sign the bottom of my form to that effect. On September 6, Leslie Adiska called and left a message on our phone that the $250.00 was non-refundable. On the morning of September 7, I left a message on the Adiska's phone that said that I was not satisfied with the pictures or their service practice and that I no longer cared to do business with them.
I then called VISA, and found out that our account had been charged $250.00 on August 31. She had processed the charge before the proofs were even due back! I called Ms. Adiska back and asked her to remove the charges which she had taken without my consent. She refused and hung up on me. I have not received any services from this company, nor do I have even a single picture. I gave this company my credit card number in good faith to assure that I would return the proofs, and followed her verbal conditions to the letter.
Proposed Settlement:
They should refund the $250 unauthorized charge. They were paid a $49 sitting fee which they can keep. It is more than enough, especially considering that the Sears Portrait Studio that eventually did our graduation photos charged a sitting fee of $15.95 and their pictures were beautiful."
Here are the undisputable facts:
1. Leslie Adiska lied when she told us our account would not be charged if the proofs were returned on time
2. Leslie Adiska did not honor the written terms of her contract by refusing to void the unauthorized charge
3. Leslie Adiska has $299 of our money and we have absolutely nothing to show for it
4. We are NOT satisfied customers and we would NOT recommend "A Pair of Photographers International" to anyone under any circumstances
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