Complaint Review: Joe Perkins Isoldgrandmasstuff.com - Newbedford Massachusetts

Jessi, I just saw your rebuttal to my report on this terrible company. I had been alerted by our attorney about the NECN report. I did email them after I watched the report on line. I think it was my email that was mentioned in the "rebuttal" report on NECN from Mansfield. I was not contacted by the station. To this day we have never seen a dime from Joe and I am really surprised that he is still in buisness under the same name. I did file a report with the BBB in Mass that he never responded to. I would have had our attorney take him to court but we either misplaced the inventory paperwork or we never got a copy from him. It was a very hectic time and I can not remember. I do know that the sale was held, items were sold and items were taken away for "auction" as our attorney attended the sale both days and observed the happenings. So for anyone out there who thinks that our reports are untrue or we were never "clients" you can take your chances and use his services. He comes across as a very honest induvidual when you meet him and I never had a reason to be unhappy with him or his company until he ripped us off. In fact, he was using our attorney as a positive reference until I notified the attorney that we never received any money. I would suggest you get everything in writing before the sale and make sure you get a copy of everything before you let him on your property. At least you might have a way to go after him legally when he sells your family heirlooms and makes off with the money.

Well, I guess the time has finally come to address the so -called news article on New England Cable News. I first discovered thier intention to run an expose style story when they showed up at a friends house to knock on the door and pretend that they could not find me. Instead of picking up a phone and calling me on the phone number I have had for 10 years. Maybe they could have sent me an email at my well known, well advertised email address, or sent me a letter at the address I have had for 20+ years, but they were intent on getting that 60 minutes style surprise sound bite, by sticking a microphone in my face. They showed up unannounced with camera rolling at the warehouse (which is only storage), my own house, and even at my first wife's house! Finally they called and were given an interview. Then they interviewed people who did not like my service, but did they ask the real questions about the good things I did for them. No. They put a clip from one lady who I did not do business with. She said her legacy was "raped" She is right: the executor of that estate insisted that she sell off everything. He even wanted her to stay in the house while all her inherited things were sold. He finally agreed to have her stay somewhere else. At the end of the sale when the house was strewn with leftover unsaleable stuff, I told him it would be traumatic for her to see the mess. He brought her in anyway and did not even want me to refer him to the dumprun people. This was a very successful, well promoted, and well run sale. But here's my favorite part of this woman's story: The executor apparently lied to this woman and her children by telling them that some friend or relative had offered to buy the clock in the house, but I had refused to sell it. He claimed I sold it to someone else for less. Who's kidding who here? I get paid commission! I would have willingly sold the clock for the higher price, but his story was just that. a nonsensical story. In negotiations with the family attorney it was shown that this man told other false stories to the attorney and the family. Here's what really happened to the clock: The highest offer made by anyone at the sale was $500.00 The clock was Scottish, did not work, was partially refinished (very bad for any antique item), was missing the finials and was not saleable here in the USA. In an effort to get the best price for the estate, I called a friend in England, who sells at the North England sales (near Scotland) and convinced him to buy the clock for $1200.00 and sell it where it would be saleable. I paid the estate for the clock, but later the English buyer backed out of the deal and stuck me with the clock. I was finally able to sell the clock to a local attorney for $650.00 The bottom line here is: I lost money on the deal and still, the family thinks I'm a bad guy. The granddaughters of this estate, who I had never met or done business with, then posted the incorrect info and accusations on the phony site called ripoff report. They were not aware that it was a site run by criminals who encourage unhappy persons like them to post bad comments then the site extorts money from the business people who are berated. This very report is actually the real ripoff. To make it worse, the NECN people instead of properly researching the ripoff site, referred to it as a "watchdog site" Thier so-called investigative reporting is lacking any logical investigating. All they care about is a sensational story. Shame on them. The so-called undercover pictures taken at one sale where quite a joke. NECN went behind this house and photographed the sheds full of trash. Think about it. If I agreed to sell that trash on commission, I am either crazy or should be praised forever for helping these people unload that mess. The truth of this story is that I had originally refused to work with these people. They (especially the wife) were totally unreasonable and put all the "good" stuff in the other house, not for sale. after being begged to do this sale, and promised that the wife "would not be a problem" I finally agreed. These people had the nerve to think that I would pay for the trash removal after the sale! This is a classic example of trying my best to help someone who would never be happy no matter what. Have you seen those political ads where they show the opponent in slow motion while talking about him? This is a technique used by advertising people to make the target person look silly and to villify that person. If NECN was actually a real news reporting station, why did they do this to me. Why didn't they show anyone else in slow motion? Why didn't they ask Mr. Mckinnon to tell the story of the Teddy Bear? Here's the real story: this man called me because, like many others he wanted as much money as possible from this estate, so much so that he had his brother bring back some dishes to the house because they might be valuable. He, by the way had not been to that house or seen his parent for many years. They had considered having a yard sale and would have sold the ragged Teddy Bear for $1.00 or might have thrown it away. I sold it for hundreds of dollars. He should be recommending me to everyone he meets. The semantics (use of language & phrases) used in the article where pretty interesting. After talking to my attorney, I realized that they had made some correct remarks, but totally out of context and totally in an obvious effort to be missunderstood. For example: they said " he has been in and out of bankruptcy court" Actually that is correct. I walked into Bankruptcy court, attended the proceeding and then walked out. Thier phrase was crafted to create the illusion that I went there regularly. I went to one hearing, and by the way, what's wrong with declaring bankruptcy. After all, my truck had been repossessed, my credit cards were overlimit and in default and I was evicted from my business location. The poor creditors who suffered where citicorp, American express, GMAC and other financial institutions. I paid the consigners FIRST at the expense of my own credit and assets. I did the RIGHT thing. Another phrase they flagrantly and distortingly used was: " he is facing dozens of lawsuits" Actually, I'm not facing them, the phrase was based on the claim that I have been sued two dozen times in my entire life! WOW, how bad is that, forty years of occasionally being sued. Why didn't they say: He only has one pending suit against him and he is the plaintiff in four suits against people who beat Joe Perkins out of money. Why has poor Joe had some trouble paying a few people on time? Maybe it's because he is owed thousands of dollars by defendants whom he is suing and having trouble collecting from. NECN of course, had to mention the deal I made with the Government twenty seven years ago. Does this mean anything today? Was thier reporter alive twenty seven years ago? Quite obviously it makes thier other distorted statements seem more credible. But, alas I must admit, I am not a detail man. In fact it took a while for me to realize that many of these sales are not even worth doing. The sales mentioned in this article should not have been accepted by me in the first place. I actually lost money trying to get this stuff sold for these people. But they weren't satisfied anyway. So what's the point? I am at the age where I want to retire. I started helping people liquidate thier contents eighteen years ago. I was inspired to provide this service after I arranged the sale of my late fathers stuff. I had sold the stuff at auction and was quite amazed when people paid big prices for baseball cards. I would have sold them at a yard sale for a few dollars. I actually have mostly happy customers, many of whom refer me to others. I remember one guy who had me sell his deceased wife's antique shop contents. When he died, his son hired me because dad had spoke so highly of me. One lady was amazed when I sold two old shades found in her cellar for hundreds of dollars. I could go on and on but now the whole thing isn't worth doing. Post recieved 03/26/08 Hi Joe , I saw the special report on Necn. I hope you get some business out of it. I could see the people who were unhappy with you would have been unhappy with anyone who sold their stuff. I wonder how much doe you lost in help, advertising and trucking. on what they thought was good stuff. You are not responsible for their poor choices in buying. TIP I always told people to expect no more than 10% of what they purchased it for. Oh and Joe ! How many times did the deal change by them by the time you did the sale , all of a sudden the stuff that was good was not in the sale. Regards Bob T. recieved 3/28/08 We saw the NECN update to their report. We read your reply on your website. NECN should have been more diligent in their report, and given the whole, true story. It seems that they wanted to sensationalize their story. We have always found you to be professional and honest. We will continue to buy antiques from you. Keep your head up. We still think highly of you as we are sure many people do. Valerie and Jim I. Note: I have recieved numerous emails, calls, letters & cards from people who were quite upset at the distorted "story" that NECN ran. I want to thank the many satisfied clients, customers and business associates who have confirmed thier faith in my long-standing reputation for fair & reasonable dealings. I chuckled when Bob T. said " I hope you get some business out of it" but I was more amazed at the many people who after seeing the article have signed up for our email list. Maybe Mae West was right when she said: " I don't care what you say, just mention my name" Thanks, JOE

New England Cable News Has done a "story" on joe Perkins/isoldgrandmasstuff.com...!!!! Go to their website necn.com click "topstories" then "New England...scroll down the page to the little boxes of individual stories..This one aired on Thur. 3/7/08 .- necn investigates estate scam artist- there is also a follow-up .. you need to be patient but, you WILL find it!! TO ANYONE OUT THERE WHO ARE ALSO VICTIMS, or "witnesses" to his theivery, PLEASE call Andrea LePaine, the managing editor who compiled this long-awaited Public Outcry ... The more victims that come forward the more the FBI or IRS might take his unscrupulous business practices SERIOUSLY and STOP THIS MONSTER !!!! Good Luck !!!

i was typing VERY quickly at work so there are alot of typo's... when i mentioned my uncle in DC...and said "that's what HE said"...I MEANT Joe Perkins- the devil - NOT my uncle..and, when i said "He failed to mention Ripping off ".... I also meant JOE PERKINS !!!!! (sorry about that Uncle.... it did sound like i meant you ...OOPS !) I was just soooo rattled when my mom called about this website and i was at work!!!!)

One thing i forgot to "mention"..... One of our family members offered to buy the grandfather clock for $2,300 to keep it in the family...he told them NO, that he couldn't sell it for less than $2,500... Well..come to find out he "sold" it to some "guy" for supposedly 1,700 because it was such a piece of *#@*.......Well... it seems to me that "guy" was one of his buddies and in on this...why didn't he tell my mother to contact our family member and give it to them cuz his only "offer" was for $1,700???????? then he said something about haveing to ship it to Switzerland cuz it was such a piece of *#@ !!!! He can't keep up with his own lies!!! and , How much $$$$$ does it COST to SHIP A HEAVY OLD WORTHLESS CLOCK ANYWAY !!!!????? and, WWWHHHYYY ????