Action 9 investigates pricey vacuum sales

ORLANDO,Fla. — Action 9 investigates a company some customers claim uses tricks to sell $2,000 vacuum cleaners.

Todd Ulrich found its run by a man he's confronted before and the latest consumer who feels like a victim is elderly and disabled.

“Sometimes I get lonesome and I cry,” said Henrietta, who didn't want to give her last name.

She claims a door to door salesman tricked her into buying a super deluxe $2,000 vacuum cleaner, with financing that ran more than $3,000.

“I said I cannot pay for that machine, I have no money to pay for that machine,” she said.

But Henrietta said the man from Dust Buster Group told her and an older son he would leave it for a test saying, “We'll just give it to you as a demonstrator.”

Now, the finance company is demanding payment for the contract she signed. That could be a problem because Henrietta is legally blind.

“They took advantage of my disability because when I tell them I can't see, that's taking advantage of me,” said Henrietta.

Ulrich went to Dust Buster Group, house in an office building on South Orange Avenue. The business is managed by Nathen Mitchell, who Ulrich knows very well.

Since 2010, Mitchell has managed two other vacuum cleaner companies that had "F" ratings at the Better Business Bureau. Ulrich interviewed the family members of an Alzheimer's disease patient who claimed she was taken advantage of.

Ulrich also ran into Mitchell four years ago.

“I've talked to a lot of people who thought they were hosed,” said Todd Ulrich during that encounter.

“Okay you can turn that (camera) off,” responded Mitchell.

Ulrich went looking for answers at the new office, but Mitchell was not there.

Mitchell later called Ulrich and said the finance company verified Henrietta had accepted the vacuum and the loan during a recorded call. He said his sales people did nothing wrong.

Ulrich learned that Mitchell's criminal past includes a grand theft no contest plea in 2008 involving a vacuum company.

“I think they're jerks, they're jerks,” said Henrietta.

A representative with the loan company, Equitable Acceptance, told Ulrich that the company has a recording of Henrietta accepting a loan 3 days after the sale. Henrietta says she can't remember that.

The loan company said because of her age and disability they will reevaluate the deal.

WFTV