Attorney General's News Release

August 7, 2007

Nixon obtains injunction against St. Louis business selling shoddy trailers and portable buildings on Internet

Clayton, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon on Monday (Aug. 6) obtained a preliminary injunction against a business that sells concession trailers and portable buildings over the Internet. Nixon is suing the current and former owners of Bazaar Frenzy Concession Trailers for allegedly taking thousands of dollars from customers across the country to build trailers for them, but delivering shoddy trailers several weeks or months after the promised delivery date. Bazaar Frenzy has its principal place of business at 8314 Olive Boulevard in St. Louis.

The consent preliminary injunction was filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court against Bazaar Frenzy LLC, current owner Caroline Fitzgerald, and former owner Ronnie A. Love. Love is named as a defendant because the lawsuit alleges the defrauding of customers also occurred while he owned Bazaar Frenzy. The court order prohibits the business from liquidating its assets, requires that they notify us when they enter into a contract and bars them from committing future violations.

Nixon said his office had received seven complaints from consumers who complained they were defrauded in buying trailers from Bazaar Frenzy. All of the consumers are from outside Missouri. Bazaar Frenzy advertises concession trailers for sale on the Internet, generally on eBay. When a consumer responds to an ad, the defendants allegedly move the conversation and transaction off eBay, meaning the consumer is not eligible for protection services and cannot provide purchaser feedback.

The buyers are made to pay an upfront deposit of half the contract price, often $7,000 to $8,000. The lawsuit says promised delivery dates are missed repeatedly, and that the defendants provide only excuses but not refunds. After numerous deadlines pass, the defendants sometimes do finally provide the trailers. Unfortunately, these trailers are in shoddy condition and vary greatly from what was promised. Nixon said the defendants knew that consumers were often so relieved to be finally receiving any product at all that many of them would accept the shipment and move on.

“The defendants would use eBay to advertise, but then deliberately move the transactions away from that site to provide fewer safeguards for customers,” Nixon said. “Online auction customers should proceed cautiously when sellers want to move you to what in effect is a dark alley.”

The lawsuit estimates that the damages claimed by consumers who complained to the Attorney General’s Office exceeded $50,000. Nixon said victims included individuals, small businesses and civic service clubs.

Nixon also is seeking restitution for consumers and an order for the defendants to pay appropriate penalties and costs to the state.

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Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

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