Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
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Debbie Dujanovic reporting
Produced by Anne Forester Armed with a hidden camera, our producer hit local home shows and found hundreds of booths offering so-called "home show" deals.
Vendors selling windows, fireplaces, even cell phone covers. Most of the deals seem, and are, legitimate.
Rhonda and Dirk Ewing bought tickets to a home show in Sandy last summer. "We were so excited, we just wanted to see everything, and we had never been to a home show," said Rhonda.
The Ewings figured the home show vendors had all been checked out by organizers, that they were licensed and maybe even passed background checks. But our investigation shows that at many shows the door is wide open for anyone, even if they've been in trouble with the law.
The Ewings and several other customers learned that the hard way when they got a special home show deal on a central vacuum system. They each gave the salesman hundreds of dollars in down payments. "I thought, ‘Hey, I want one in my house. Let's listen to the spiel.' I did, and he sucked me right in," said South Jordan resident Lori Walker.
Customer John Root agreed, "The product was good that he showed, but if you're never going to get it, what good is it?"
After months of battle, customers are sounding the alarm about their home show experience. "You go there, and they put you in the piranha tank," said Dirk Ewing.
Weeks had gone by and no vacuums, their credit cards were double billed, and home show organizers couldn't help them get refunds. The vacuum salesman himself wouldn't return phone calls. It seemed he'd disappeared into a vacuum all his own.
Eventually they tracked him down in cyberspace. In minutes, our own computer checks of the home show salesman reveal he has years of complaints from home show customers all over the country. He was investigated for fraud at one in Minnesota. He was sued by a vacuum company for pretending to be one of their distributors. He has a warrant out for his arrest in California.
Sandy police are investigating the local cases and confirmed what we'd also discovered: The home show salesman uses three names: Michael Goldberg, Michael Kozum and Chris Kozum. "Unfortunately this gentleman makes a career, I'm fairly certain, out of going around to different states and committing frauds throughout," said Sandy Police Sgt. Victor Quezada.
How is he allowed to keep renting space at home shows? One booth operator said it's easy. Our undercover producer asked the vendor if the application process was long. "No, not really, just call the in-charge people, and they'll get you in," the vendor said.
Once the application is filled out and a fee paid, a vendor can gain access to tens of thousands of home show shoppers. That concerns Lori Walker. "There are hundreds of vendors," she said. "How do you know which ones are honest and which ones aren't?"
We asked state legislator Sylvia Andersen, who also happens to run home shows for a living. She was in charge of the one last summer in Sandy where customers got taken. "It would be impossible, physically impossible, when you're dealing with thousands of companies, to check every company, plus costs prohibit it."
Andersen ruled out doing background checks at the home shows she runs but did agree to post warning signs. "I'll commit to you that I will make a sign that will say, ‘These are the things I suggest for your safety.'"
We checked in at last weekend's home show. Andersen had followed through. A sign was posted at the entrances explaining to shoppers how to spot fraud and protect their pocketbooks.
Goldberg did contact KSL with his explanation of customer complaints. He blamed his troubles on a vacuum distributor. He says he can no longer get parts and therefore has trouble delivering the central vacuum systems. He did refund one family in our report. The other families say they had to turn to their credit card companies for refunds.
Where's the vacuum salesman?
Our latest information reveals that Michael Goldberg is still traveling the country. We've learned he may have been at a recent home show in California. Law enforcement sources say he is still under investigation in Utah.
Tips to protect your pocketbook at home shows
- Deal with vendors who are local. If you have a problem, you can visit their store to work it out.
- Although the customers in our report had their credit cards double billed, using credit cards is still the preferred way to protect your purchase. If you notice unusual activity, report it to your credit card company immediately.
- Don't fall for the "today-only" deal. It's difficult to do your own computer check of a vendor while you are at a home show. Therefore, ask for a business card, request a list of references, and check out the company when you get home. Check company complaints with the Better Business Bureau or the Utah Division of Consumer Protection.
E-mail: iteam@ksl.com
