Purrfect Auto #7 in Las Vegas, NV

Purrfect Auto #7

3370 E. Flamingo

Las Vegas, NV

Extortion by this establishment must be stopped! My daughter had her car serviced at Purrfect Auto on December 28, 2005 and was informed December 31, 2005 that her car was ready to be picked up and that the repair bill was $550.00. She told the manager that she did not have enough money in her account, that day, to cover the charges. Mark, the manager said ok, but that as of that day, she would be charged $25.00 a day for storage. He said "there is a sign up in the office that says $25.00 a day storage fee" and he hung up the phone.

Frustrated, our daughter called us January 10, 2006, and asked for help. We live in California so we called Purrfect Auto, and spoke with John, the assistant manager. We told him that we would just put the service bill on our credit card, to clear the debt and get the car back to our daughter. At that time John informed us that there had also been a mechanics lien for $300.00 put on the car in addition to $250.00 in storage fees and that the bill had now doubled and was $1100.00. John also stated that he "wanted the car" for himself, and was hoping that the bill would not be paid. John said Mark was not budging on the additional charges.

My husband then spoke with Mark, the owner/manager and was treated very rudely. Mark was abrupt and said that the charges would stand and that he was going to file paperwork to keep the car. He said he "can legally do this, does it often, and will do it again". I spoke with Mark and said that another Las Vegas dealership had told me that it takes a month before a lien can be filed and that there is a lot of paperwork involved. I inquired as to whom Mark had paid $300.00 for the lien and Mark said "I don't have to tell you or to justify myself to you". He also told me that I was rude so I just handed the phone back to my husband.

Mark then told my husband it would be $1100.00 to get the car to our daughter and that he would not accept payment in a personal check, a certified bank draft, or by credit card. He would only accept cash or a direct deposit to his business account. Under duress, my husband transferred $1100.00 from our Bank of America account to Purrfect Auto's B of A account.

When our daughter picked up her car later that day, she was given a receipt for only the $550.00 repair bill. Only after she demanded a receipt for all charges (a directive from her father) was she given a second receipt for the $550.00 storage and lien fees.

On the back of the signed contract it clearly states that storage fees in the amount of $15.00 a day will be charged after the third day, and that attorney's may be contacted if the bill is not paid within one month. Purrfect Auto charged $25.00 a day storage after the first day and supposedly (no proof registered in Clark County, NV) affixed a lien after one week.

Mark's refusal to honor this contractual agreement, addition of fradulent charges, coupled with his demand for cash only and both his and John's statements that they wanted to keep my daughter's car (a yellow, Mustang convertible) are the grounds we are using to pursue this extortion of money. In addition, had my daughter not demanded a receipt for the entire $1100.00, at least $550.00 would probably never have to be reported to the IRS.

Being retired educators, we have time to pursue this through legal avenues open to us. We have contacted John Burra of Shera Inc., the franchisor, and if this matter is not settled immediately, we will contact the IRS, Fraud/extortion Division of the Las Vegas Police Department, Bureau of Automotive Repairs, Las Vegas DMV, local Las Vegas newspapers and Small Claims Court.

Thomas W. Brink and Millicent A. Brink

Sacramento, CA