Action 9 investigates cellphone repair company

An Orange County man paid for a cellphone repair and now, four months later, the company still won't return his phone.

Action 9's Todd Ulrich found 30 other customers claims saying their phones disappeared after responding to a Groupon repair offer.

Ulrich confronted the repair shop for answers and learned there is a criminal investigation underway.

Germaine Mason has the Samsung Galaxy box his phone came in, but has not seen the cellphone since September, when he took it to Computer Controllers near Orlando for repairs.

Mason said that since that time he's heard nothing but excuses from the company.

"They run out of parts, it's at the warehouse across town," Germaine said.

Action 9's investigation found at least 30 people can't get their phones back.

For many customers it started with a Groupon offer -- pay $42 and then get your phone fixed for half price.

Later Germaine said he was told by the company that it was overwhelmed by the Groupon response, so it hired another business -- All Cell Repairs -- to fix the phones.

Now Computer Controllers blames All Cell for holding phones hostage because of a payment dispute.

"I'm upset about the situation because they put me through a lot of trouble and hassle," said Mason.

Computer Controllers has an F rating at the Better Business Bureau.

"The customer brought his phone here. Why can't he get his phone back?" Ulrich asked at Computer Controllers.

"Because the owner of that shop is not releasing it," was the answer.

The manager at Computer Controllers told Ulrich that All Cell had been paid to fix their phones.

"All he has to do is get a police officer, and the officer will go over there and get the phone," the manager told Ulrich.

"So if I bring a phone here for repair, I have to get a police officer to get it back?" Ulrich asked the manager.

"No, we don't take them there now," he responded.

Edgewood police detectives blame Computer Controllers for the missing phones and said there is a criminal fraud investigation.

"That $49 repair cost you what?" Ulrich asked Mason.

"About $600; $614 to be exact," Mason said.

"To replace that phone?" Ulrich asked.

"Replace that phone," Mason said.

A spokesman for Computer Controllers told Action 9 Mason would have his phone back this week and that the company is working to resolve the other complaints.

Victims should contact Edgewood police, which has an active criminal investigation.

WFTV