Local Rip Off Team Gets Rapid Results

Duval Street cosmetic shop, Oro Gold, has returned $5,375 to Pilar Cummings  a senior citizen from Tampa after pressure from the Key West Code office and a local consumer group. The Key West Rip Off Rapid Response Team announced the refund today. 
 
Ms. Cummings, 70, said she was pressured into buying cosmetics she didn’t want and couldn’t afford, while visiting Key West in early September. She filed an sworn affidavit with Key West City Code stating the store employees applied cosmetics to her face without disclosing their cost, a violation of City Code.
 
Cummings was glad to get her money back but said, “I will never forget that feeling of being traumatized because of what these people put me through. Nor the shameful feeling of being so vulnerable to be taken  advantage of hook, line and sinker.” 
This complaint is one of several lodged against the same business in the last year.
 
 The Key West Rip Off Rapid Response Team demanded the store return her money in a letter dated September 20. Yesterday Cummings confirmed her credit card account has received the full $5,375 reimbursement.
 
Rip Off Team spokesperson Tevis Wernicoff said, “We are all to familiar with this business at 513 Duval Street. Oro Gold has a history of code complaints, violations and unhappy customers wanting their money back. It’s shameful.”  He went on to say, “Pressure from the City Code office and our group are getting positive results but these rip offs should not be happening. They shouldn’t be violating code and it should not have taken nearly a month for this business to refund her money.”
 
The  local group says cosmetic store complaints are on the rise and locals need to report suspected violations to the city code office. 
 
“Our group can hardly keep up with all the complaints we get, but, we refuse to stand by and let a few unethical businesses rip off senior citizens visiting Key West.” said Wernicoff,  “We won’t have it.”
 
“I firmly believe they (Oro Gold ) would never have given me the credit card refund without the Key West Rip Off Rapid Response Team. Also, thank you City Code Officer Waite and everyone at the City Code Enforcement Office. I am grateful to all of you,”added Ms. Cummings.
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