Hall of Shame: Sportswear CEO strikes out
(WJBK) - Meet Christopher Carr.
Christopher is mad because Rob Wolchek figured out he's the man authentic behind a company called Fan Authentics.
Fan Authentics is a company so bad the Better Business Bureau is putting out warnings to people across the country. Orders unfilled, a phony business address and a sports company CEO who's going to be the MVP in the Hall of Shame game.
Fan Authentics is a website that has a bunch of great sports stuff. Chris ordered some Red Wings gear to give as Christmas presents - that was in October.
Rob Wolchek: "You paid with a credit card?"
Chris: "Absolutely."
Wolchek: "Everything went smoothly?"
Chris: "Absolutely."
Wolchek: "They took your money?"
Chris: "They took my money."
Wolchek: "And then what happened?"
Chris: "Never got a product."
After waiting for weeks, Chris called the company and got no answer. She also sent them emails and got no response. And since there are no addresses or names of anybody on the website, Chris contacted the Better Business Bureau and she sure wasn't alone.
"Now we're at over 200 no response complaints where we can't do anything," said Melanie Duquesnel.
Duquesnel, of the BBB, says the only info she has on the company is a Southfield address - and it's an apartment complex.
Finally, she managed to find the number of a woman rep for the company.
"She said she was going to work on it and get back to us within a week,'” said Duquesnel. "That didn't happen."
When Wolchek saw this warning from the BBB, he thought he would take a crack at figuring out who was running this business.
Here's a registration record with an officer named Christopher J. Carr. A pretty common name but after looking up a bunch of Chris Carrs, Wolchek found one that seemed like he may fit the bill.
Here's his LinkedIn page: he claims he's a "global investor" and describes himself as a serial entrepreneur, dynamic speaker, business coach and author. What a guy. He's also the CEO of C2 Marketing Solutions.
And what do you know, a quick trip to the courthouse and Wolchek found a judgment against Christopher J. Carr and C2 marketing for skipping out on an office lease. He must have used that rent money on some global investing.
Court documents led to a mysterious Troy office with no name in front. And who does Wolchek see coming in? Christopher Carr. Wolchek recognizes him from his LinkedIn and his Twitter page where he brags about attending get-rich quick seminars.
There is a photo of him is after supposedly striking a pose with some guy "as we closed a $12 million partnership."
Christopher was getting into his BMW and heading to the bank but he didn't bank on Wolchek.
"Hey Christopher, Rob Wolchek from FOX 2. Can you fill me in a little about your business?"
Carr: "Um no. Thank you."
Wolchek: "Fill me in a little on this Fan Authentics. That's your business right?"
Carr: "Sir, can you please get out of my face?"
Wolchek: "No I want to talk to you. I want to talk to you about Fan Authentics. You know you have about 300 complaints with the Better Business Bureau? How come you're not filling those orders?
"Hey Chris, I thought you were a dynamic speaker? Why don't you speak with me, come on?"
Carr: "If you bang on my window again, I will contact the Troy Police Department."
Wolchek: "Okay, so fill me in a little about your business."
Carr: "Hey Mike, can you please get in the car?"
Who's Mike? A guy Chris drove from his office. He's standing behind Wolchek and wants nothing to do with his boss at this point.
Wolchek: "What about all these complaints?"
Carr: "We're actively trying to fill all the orders."
Wolchek: "What are you doing to fill them?"
Carr: "Printing ... It happened because of customer complaints due to a merchant error."
Wolchek: "And have you contacted the customers and said sorry? You haven't done that have you?"
Carr: "We are working on going through the process. We're actively going through the thousands of customers we have, out of the orders of the numerous customers done, over 90 percent of it is out, and out the door."
Thanks Chris for admitting that the hundreds of complaints the BBB have are only a part of the thousands of orders that didn't get sent out.
Wolchek: "I thought you were a dynamic speaker and a big shot serial entrepreneur. Sounds like you're sinking fast. Didn't they teach you that in your little seminars?"
Wolchek: "You want to take me over to your business there and show me how you're fixing everything?"
Carr: "No, I'd rather not. Thanks."
Serial entrepreneur? How about serial loser!
Wolchek: "By the way did you ever pay off that judgment where you stiffed that place in Clawson? The business you had there? Did you pay that judgment off? Oh look at this. No you haven't."
Carr: "Thank you."
Wolchek: "And there you are mega partnering with a $12 million deal."
Carr: "Thank you."
Wolchek: "How's that going for you?"
Carr: "Thank you sir."
Fan Authentics. More like sham authentics! You're in the Hhhhhhhhall of Shame!"