Customers allege fraud by fast talking salesmen
The ads and infomercials saturated the TV and radio airwaves and reports indicate that thousands of Belizeans flocked to the Global Discovery Trade Show at the Princess, leaving thousands of dollars with the fast talking hawkers of housewares. But not all of those customers are satisfied… as News Five’s Kendra Griffith discovered today when one of them visited our studios.
Salesman in Ad
“This is professional frying pan. Oh my god, this is professional frying pan, non-stick. Ok look at me, this is egg. Back to the egg with a blow. Look. My God, my God, my God this is professional frying pan.”
Kendra Griffith, Reporting
Like this enthusiastic salesman, many Belizeans were also amazed at the capabilities of this “professional frying pan” and shelled out a hundred dollars for a set of three. But tonight instead of singing its praises, many of the buyers are crying foul…Paul Cassanova is one of them.
Paul Cassanova, Alleges Fraud
“For me it’s a fraud, it’s some kind of deception.”
According to Cassanova, the pans he bought and the ones being shown on TV and at the exhibition are two different products. Cassanova says he discovered the difference after his niece bought a set of her own but demanded the ones actually used in the demonstration.
Paul Casanova
“The difference in quality is simple that the ones that were used for the demonstration are much thicker and the surface inside definitely has a smoother surface and therefore gives the kind of non-stick finish that one would expect with being advertised. So when I ask my niece how does the other one perform, she says as soon as you fry stuff in that, it burns, it does not perform the same way. I made some further investigation with some other friends who bought the frying pans and they told me that the stuff is burning the eggs.”
Cassanova took back the inferior product, asked for and received a refund, but says he was surprised when the salesperson also confirmed the difference.
Paul Casanova
“It was interesting that these individuals said, listen there are two sets of pans, there is a set that is standard that you people got and there is another set that is elite. But that’s not what they demonstrate when they go to the show. You don’t know that they have an elite set that they refer, which means that the elite set is actually the real frying pans.”
“I think it is fraudulent because I am investing my money in good faith thinking that that which you are showing me is what I am going to have as my product when I purchase. So at the end of day, I believe I have been defrauded.”
The Global Discovery Trade Show, having operated in Belize City for three weeks, is now heading to Orange Walk.
Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.
When News Five contacted the promoters of the Global Discovery Trade Show, they told us they have no problem refunding the buyers’ money or exchanging the standard pans for the elite version. If you would like to make a switch or get your money back, call Miguel Ponce at 626-3699.