TALLAHASSEE, Fla.––Attorney General Pam Bondi today filed a court action in Fort Myers against a furniture store for deceptively marketing and selling furniture and mattresses to Florida consumers, many of whom are senior citizens. Fort Myers Convertibles, d/b/a Sofa Beds and Recliners Unlimited, and its owners, Lane Granitstein and Jeffrey Granitstein, allegedly deceived consumers out of more than $75,000.
The defendants allegedly misled consumers regarding the status of orders made and strung consumers along for months at a time with a series of excuses and false promises of future delivery. Although the defendants often blamed delays on the suppliers, the complaint alleges that merchandise was ready to be shipped but the delays arose primarily because the defendants failed to pay the suppliers.
Instead of addressing the numerous consumer complaints lodged against the company and financial issues with suppliers, defendants knowingly continued taking additional orders and victimizing more consumers. The Attorney General’s Office reviewed more than 70 consumer complaints.
According to the complaints, the defendants:
· Misrepresented the nature and availability of the defendants’ merchandise;
· Misrepresented the timeframes for delivery;
· Failed to deliver purchased furniture to consumers;
· Failed to respond to consumers’ inquiries regarding orders; and
· Failed to provide refunds to consumers.
The complaint alleges violations of Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act and the Attorney General’s Office is seeking permanent injunctive relief, full restitution, and the imposition of civil penalties and fees.
Consumers who purchased merchandise from the above-named entities or individuals can file a complaint by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or file online at MyFloridaLegal.com
To view the complaint, click here.
