Lehigh Acres, FLA - Several southwest Florida businesses claim they bought ads for a publication that never came out.
"We figured it would be a great opportunity for us being that we just started business January this year," said Natalia Hunter, who runs ProTech Restoration Services, Inc with her husband Matthew.
Pro Tech bought a full page ad in "Florida Voice Times" hurricane guide, and were told it would be distributed in Publix stores for the start of hurricane season on June 1.
"It was 979 dollars for a full page ad next to the hurricane map, so we considered that a good deal," said Hunter.
When the guide never came out as promised Hunter was told "Florida Voice Times" was going to place Pro Tech's ad on the website.
She asked for a refund instead, but still has not received the money.
The Florida Attorney General's office has 7 additional complaints from business owners like the Hunters, who claim the Florida Voice Times sold them ads for a publication that was never printed.
Florida Voice Times' owner Richard Deskin said he was moving his entire publication online, in a voicemail left for CALL FOR ACTION. He requested the names of businesses who had filed complaints so he could make things right.
He did not leave a return phone number, and requested we email him.
He has not responded to our emails.
Deskin is no stranger to CALL FOR ACTION
Back in 2003, CALL FOR ACTION talked to several businesses who fell victim to the same pitch. They never saw a publication.
Federal court filings show Deskin, his wife Carol and Florida Voice Times already filed for bankruptcy in 2003 and came out of bankruptcy in 2005.
A spokesperson for Publix said the only hurricane guide being distributed in their Southwest Florida stores is the WINK News Skytracker Weather Hurricane Guide.