Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Virginia
Almost two years ago I was talked into purchasing into a company that was to be selling me a sort of franchise. I was told that they had many others sold all over my state. I was to sell advertising space in a local paper, they owned the name & was to have all the printing & distribution done. I was to pay them $10,000 to use their name. $5,000 up front & the rest was due 90 days later after the first distribution had gone out. Well I found out later that NO other "franschise" had been sold, only me. The lies began to unfold. I went to the company owner, not the one that sold it to be, I dealt with the "VP" which I found out later he was not, he was just a sales person. I called the owner & emailed him to ask for my money back after being lied to, he promised my money back and to this day after many calls, mailings, some certified letters that he did not sign for, he has changed the name of his company & location twice and refuses to give me back my money. Is there anything I can still due since he has strung me along for so long now? I think he purposely led me on thinking he was giving me back my money so that time would run out. Is there a statue of limitations? He was also running this scam from another business he had at the time. he owned a custom blind/shade/shutter store which he has moved twice since & changed the name....What can I do, if anything. Thanks so much for your advice... Would this be criminal or what?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Sue the owner and his fraudulent successor company for your losses. (If
your purchase agreement was in writing, you should have about three more years before your claim expires under the applicable statute of limitations.)