Consumer complaints in Colorado are on the rise.

The Colorado Attorney Generals Office reports that complaints have gone up roughly 20% during the past year.

The most common complaints, according to Phil Weisers office, involve retail sales, professional services and real estate sales.

The list was announced to kick off National Consumer Protection Week, which seeks to help consumers avoid scams and fraud, while knowing their rights and encouraging them to file complaints when they feel theyve been wronged. Denver7 Investigates got a first look at the list early Monday.

The reality is its hard to be a consumer, Weiser said to Denver7 Investigates. There are so many ways you can find yourself getting taken advantage of.

Coloradans filed 24,473 complaints in 2024, which is up from 20,390 in 2023. Its the most Weisers office has received in one year.

The complaints regarding retail sales often involve unauthorized memberships or service issues. Professional service complaints mostly are regarding product and service warranties.

Real estate complaints are the biggest riser on the list and are often from renters dealing with management companies.

Theyre complaining about things like junk fees, about other forms of scams and being mistreated, Weiser said. We had over 1,200 complaints from consumers saying something was wrong in terms of how they were treated.

To address the increase in complaints, Weiser said they are focused on educating consumers on what to look for, continue to bring cases against bad actors and work on behalf of consumers to settle disputes.

We got to all fight for consumers. It's tough out there. We've got your back, Weiser said.

1. Retail sales - 1,673 - Includes unauthorized memberships or subscriptions, service and delivery issues, termination issues

2. Professional services - 1,376 - Includes product and service warranties, business support and legal-related services

3. Real estate sales and services 1,272 - Includes rental and leasing issues, property manager and real estate related activities

4. Imposter scams - 1,205 - Includes fraudulent phone calls, emails or texts from scammers posing as government officials or company employees seeking money through gift cards or wire transfers

5. Debt collection - 1,005 - Includes harassment or abuse from a debt collector, disputed debt, phantom debt or unlicensed collection

6. Automobile sales and services - 958 - Includes issues with automotive purchases, service and repair, auto rentals and towing services

7. Home services and repair - 915 - Includes issues with general contracting and remodeling, healing and cooling and handyman services

8. Health care and medical services - 804 - Includes issues related to hospitals and urgent care, health and medical insurance carries, quality of care, billing and coverage issues

9. Consumer loans and credit sales - 762 - Includes interest rates, credit reporting and unlicensed activity, including tribal lending

10. Telecommunications - 579 - Includes cable/television, cellular/mobile, phones, internet and other communication services

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DENVER When Colorado legislators passed the Towing Bill of Rights in 2022, it was supposed to address problems in the towing industry and protect the public. But consumer advocates, lawmakers and Denver7's tip lines are seeing more towing complaints than ever.

Wyatts Towing, the largest towing company in the state, is the subject of many of those complaints. Public records show that Wyatts is part of a complicated web of companies linked by owners and locations, which are involved in multiple phases of car impounds: parking lot surveillance, towing and selling unclaimed cars at auction.

While still considered legal, some lawmakers and consumer advocates say changes are needed to protect consumers.

State Sen. Julie Gonzales, D - Denver, thought she was following the rules when she parked her car in a Denver garage in August. A ParkM sign stated "Overnight guests parking by permit only."

"I didnt think anything of it because I had no intention of staying overnight, said Gonzales, who came back at 9:30 p.m. to find her car was gone. There were three Wyatt's tow trucks. And so in a matter of minutes, my vehicle had been towed out from under me."

What she called unclear signage was only the start of her concerns.

At the impound lot, Gonzales requested to pay $60, or 15% under the payment installment plan, which is allowed under the new Towing Bill of Rights. But she said the woman in line ahead of her didn't know that was an option.

You shouldn't have to be well-versed in the law because you wrote it in order to be able to vindicate your rights, said Gonzales, a prime sponsor of the Towing Bill of Rights.

Her experience, she said, highlighted how a set of companies that share common ownership are working together in the process of impounding cars.

"This business model I find to be deeply problematic," Gonzales said. By not being clear with people about the signage, and not being clear in offering people at the moment that they come to pick up their cars, I think that Wyatts technically followed the letter of the law. But I absolutely believe that they violated the spirit of the law.

The Community Economic Defense Project has long said towing in Colorado is out of control. But Wyatts Towing's name came up more often than most, said policy head Melissa Mejia.

"I think if you live in the Denver metro area, you would recognize their signs," Mejia said. "They're everywhere.

Public records show that private investment firm 3T Holdings was formed in Colorado in 2018, linking Troy Porras, Tony Porras, and Trevor Forbes.

Towing Holdings LLC is listed as the trade name for nearly a dozen towing brands across the Front Range, including Wyatts Towing, Southwest Auto Tow, Summit Vehicle Solutions, Capital Tow, Boulder Valley Towing and Klaus Towing.

The connections between the companies are complex, but from ParkM to Wyatts Towing to Peak Auto Auctions, public records and LinkedIn profiles show the three Ts Tony Porras, Troy Porras, and Tevor Forbes are linked to multiple aspects of the towing process, from parking lot surveillance and permitting, to towing to selling cars that have been towed. The practice is called vertical integration.

"Vertical integration essentially means that this one company, this one group of people has an interest in every stage of a particular industry," said Mejia.

Legislators tried to prevent tow operators from authorizing their own tows in the Towing Bill of Rights by requiring the property owner or their agent to sign off on tows, Gonzales said.

In the case of Gonzales' tow, ParkM and Wyatts were both contracted to enforce overnight parking in that lot. ParkMs articles of organization show one of the three Ts, Troy Porras, formed the company. He also formed Wyatts Towing. The same address is listed for both companies.

This hand says, We give you authorization to tow.' And this hand says, 'Great, we're now going to tow that vehicle, Gonzales said. That type of vertical integration is exactly what we sought to prohibit with our Colorado Towing Bill of Rights in 2022 on a bipartisan basis.

If people don't recover their towed cars, Wyatts sells the cars through Peak Auto Auctions, an online auction platform that is listed at the same address as Wyatts Towing, public records show.

As the complaints against Wyatts roll in following the Towing Bill of Rights, a new issue emerged.

Video obtained by Denver7 Investigates shows instead of releasing cars for the $60 or 15% payment plan allowed by law, Wyatts was asking customers to apply for loans with interest to receive a payment plan. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said that goes against the law.

"You shouldn't have to be a state senator or lawyer or some fancy person who can advocate for yourself to get the rights that everyone should get, said Weiser.

The attorney general confirmed his office is investigating Wyatts after receiving complaints about unclear signage, improper tows and harsh treatment of customers.

What we can say is we're going to do a thorough, full and fair investigation, Weiser said. "And as the end result, we can either take action against Wyatts and/or we can conclude if there are holes in the law that don't protect people, we need to fix them."

Regarding the loans, Wyatts attorney Jason Dunn wrote that the legislation was not clear on how companies should recover the money for payment plans. He said the company never collected interest from anyone and stopped having people fill out loan forms after a letter from the attorney general stated that loans were illegal.

Through Dunn, Wyatts and its partners declined an on-camera interview, but wrote in an email, "ParkM, Peak Auto Auctions, and Cars Direct are independently managed businesses with broad operations largely unrelated to Wyatts Towing."

At a legislative committee hearing last year, Wyatts Towing CEO Trevor Forbes downplayed the relevance of his business connections but acknowledged the vertical integration.

It is true that we own those businesses. I am having a hard time finding the nefarious connection that is made between those," he said. "Like many businesses, we have acquired some others. We have some in Texas, as well. We have a slight amount of vertical integration."

In the emailed statement, Dunn wrote, "The implication made by advocacy groups that these businesses are working together to take advantage of consumers is wholly incorrect."

Dunn said Colorados towing industry is already one of the most heavily regulated in the country, and Wyatts sets the industry standard. Gonzales believes that is a problem after her tow was refunded.

Wyatts attorney said they refunded Gonzales' tow as a courtesy, and records show the Public Utilities Commission found no violation.

"I wasn't the only person who was refunded that evening. It was an incorrect tow," Gonzales said, adding her experience suggests more work needs to be done to protect Coloradans.

The state senator is putting together a team to work on new towing legislation, which includes State Rep. Andrew Boesenecker, D - Larimer.

"It's clear that there is just a fundamental divide in recognizing the seriousness of the problem," said Boesenecker. "I think what has happened is they've really avoided a lot of the intent of the Towing Bill of Rights."

Lawmakers are scheduled to discuss towing regulations in the Transportation Legislation Review Committee on Tuesday.

I'm not alone in wanting to further hold towing operators to account and to prevent this type of vertical integration from happening as a business practice, said Gonzales. I feel like we're playing a game of whack-a-mole. So if we need to go back this upcoming legislative session, we're happy to do that."

If you feel you have been incorrectly towed, you can file a complaint with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) and the Colorado Attorney Generals Office.

DENVER Landlord and apartment complaints are some of the most heard messages for Contact Denver7. Now, the City of Denver is cracking down, fining unlicensed landlords and publicizing their names.

Clinton Brown is ready to move out of his apartment at 3401 North Williams Street in Denver's Cole neighborhood. He said he's tired of low service responses and safety concerns.

"I've had flooding in my roof and had to get that repaired. It took about four months to get my security door fixed. And it's difficult to talk to someone no one's really from Denver," Brown said.

This year, the City of Denver launched an ambitious landlord licensing program to set minimum standards for properties. But some properties, like Brown's building on Williams, are still not licensed.

"We don't know if they're what people might call a slumlord or not until we see that inspection report," said Eric Escudero, a spokesman for the Denver Department of Excise and Licenses.

Escudero said the third-party inspections involve checking minimum health and safety standards.

"We're not talking about granite countertops here. We're talking about the absolute minimal living conditions. Is there running water? Is there black mold? Are there rats? Are there pests? Just basic minimal standards that every tenant should expect to have when they're paying thousands of dollars a month for rent here in Denver," he said.

Escudero reports that nearly 10,000 properties have been licensed, but the city is now citing multi-unit properties that are not.

"We started with landlords we knew who had previous public health complaints because that's the goal of this program overall is to make Denver safer, especially when it comes to tenants having minimal housing standards in the places they're renting," said Escudero.

The city first issues warnings to landlords. So far, 1,611 notice of violation warning letters have been sent, according to the city.

Following a warning is a citation. The city cited 193 multi-unit properties, issuing a first fine of $150. A second fine of $500 has been sent to 31 properties.

Only three properties have receive a third fine of $999, including the building where Brown lives on N. Williams Street. The city has issued two $999 fines to the property, which remains unlicensed.

Contact Denver7 reached out to the listed property owner, Jonathan Schwartz, who would not answer our questions.

Brown and property listings state Acute Property Management oversees the building. According to a state press release, Acute Property Management is affiliated with Shell Company, LLC, which had its real estate license suspended in 2019, citing "dishonest dealing."

Escudero said that landlords who do not pay fines after 45 days could be sent to a collection agency, which could negatively impact their credit.

"I'm glad some people are starting to get held responsible a bit," said Brown, who is moving out in two weeks. "Clearly, there's some upkeep issues that can be done. I hope the city jumps on this a little bit more."

Contact Denver7 reached out to the two other landlords who have been issued $999 fines NK Sharma and Yolande Brower.

According to the city, Sharma has four unlicensed properties 2200 E 47th Ave., 2820-2824 Williams Street, 4678 N. Gaylord Street and 3657 Williams Street. Sharma said he did not realize that all of his properties needed to be licensed, and is planning to do it now.

Brower owns two unlicensed multi-unit properties in Denver 3547 North Columbine Street and 3314 East Bruce Randolph. They did not respond to our request for comment.

If you want to know if your landlord's property is licensed, you can search the address through the city's database.

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As a wedding photographer, Michelle Roybal knows the wedding industry from the inside and that there arent many places for couples to find honest vendor reviews.

On the business side of things, you can remove negative reviews, Roybal said. You can even censor your reviews on places like Wedding Wire and the Knot.

So earlier this year, Roybal created a private Facebook group called Colorado Wedding Vendor Blacklist, and within a few days, roughly 1,000 people joined.

That number included Maggie Whitman, who posted after she says a photographer named Autumn Davis shot her wedding in June and then disappeared with the photos.

We figured we would get something, Whitman told Contact Denver7. We didnt know that we would get nothing.

Whitman said she did not hear from the photographer for 10 weeks and learned she was not the only one having issues with Davis as five others had posted about her.

Meanwhile, they said Davis was changing the name of her business and soliciting to photograph more weddings.

So we had to go for the big dogs. We had to contact the police, the credit card companies, and eventually the news because every other attempt to reach her didnt work, Whitman said.

Contact Denver7 was able to reach Davis, who said she understands why people are upset with her, but she is not scamming people.

She said a few brides are still waiting on their photos, but noted she has been struggling to raise six children and has had personal issues. However, she is working to get people their money back or their photos.

I do feel absolutely terrible for any pain and hurting and stress that I have caused, Davis said.

Whitman said she was hurt and wanted to stress that she hopes this doesnt happen to anybody again.

Davis said she is not taking any new wedding jobs right now.

And Whitman said, shortly after Contact Denver7 and the police got involved, Autumn sent her edited wedding photos.

"Thank you so much to (Denver7) and the Estes Park Police Department for working on getting our wedding photos back, Whitman said. We had an amazing weekend finally being able to go through all our pictures and we are so excited for them."

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A Lakewood woman just wanted an oil change and a new car battery. Instead, she said, mechanics at a Littleton Jiffy Lube accessed her private information to send her inappropriate texts.

She reached out to Contact Denver7 recently when she didn't get a response from Jiffy Lube.

Sydney Green regularly had her car serviced at a Littleton Jiffy Lube, located at 8100 W. Crestline Ave., during the past five years, but she said on her most recent visit she went to get an oil change and a new battery. But, she said, two Jiffy Lube mechanics had other ideas.

"When I pulled up, the man said that I was super pretty. He asked if I wanted to see his 'collections', and asked me if I had a Facebook and I said no to everything and just kind of proceeded to go inside," said Green, who said she did not think much of the exchange, until she picked up her car later and started receiving text messages.

She later learned the texts were from a second mechanic at the location, who had access to her personal information through Jiffy Lube's system.

"It was just super invasive. And my first thought was that he had pulled my information from a system that is supposed to have my information private," Green said.

Contact Denver7 found a similar report that went viral on social media in 2019 about another Jiffy Lube Mechanic who reportedly sent an unsolicited text.

That woman's text showed she responded: "What is to keep you from going back and getting my address? There are men who stalk, rape and murder women by getting their information this way."

While Jiffy Lube posted on Facebook then that they were taking the issue very seriously, now, Green said, years later the company barely responded to her and her father when they reported a similar incident.

"They said they were going to do a line-up. I never heard back from them," she said. "I don't know if they did anything."

A Jiffy Lube spokesperson told Contact Denver7 that the franchisee had three phone conversations with Green's father and invited him for an in-person meeting at the store.

The Jiffy Lube franchise responded with a statement:

Green said she never heard about what steps were taken, so she felt to keep this from happening again, she had to speak out.

"I wanted other women to know about what was going on," she said. "And I wanted to make sure that this wouldn't happen to anybody else."

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AURORA, Colo. The Summit Event Center in Aurora sent one customer three $1,000 Visa gift cards as a deposit refund following the center's sudden closure in August.

A sign posted on the doors says "Available," much to the surprise of some of the customers who booked the event center for fall.

"The answer is simple. We're screwed," said Leonard Grimes, who booked the Summit Event Center for a mineral and crystal show that was supposed to happen this week.

Grimes put down a $10,000 deposit to reserve the space. But three weeks ago, he learned the owners had been "evicted from the property in two hours," according to a Facebook post.

"So in three weeks' time, I had to find a new location for our show and rearrange everything," said Grimes. "It's been a hectic three weeks."

In the last three weeks, Contact Denver7 has reached out to owner Michael Schaefer several times after multiple customers asked for help in getting their deposits back. Not everyone has received a refund. But some, including Grimes, are getting an unexpected delivery.

After Contact Denver7 reached out on his behalf, Grimes received an unsigned letter in the mail with three $1,000 Visa debit cards. He is is still out $7,000 of his deposit.

"It's been really weird," said Grimes. "And I think the fact that these are totally anonymous cards, just like the totally anonymous letter somebody's trying to hide from creditors, and this is their way to do it."

In an email to Contact Denver7, Shaefer wrote, "I'm afraid the well is dry. The company has been dissolved, and the bank account has been closed."

When a company officially dissolves, it can typically wind down its affairs, collect and liquidate its assets and pay the creditors of the company.

"A company that has been dissolved can still sue and be sued, but its usually a sign that the company has no money. Or sometimes its a sign that the owners want to tell everyone they dont have money and dont want to be sued," said Dan Vedra, a consumer protection attorney. "Either way, there is no stopping anyone from suing a dissolved company, but the results may not be great."

Grimes has no plans to take anyone to court.

"To go to court to try to collect $7,000 would probably cost you $10,000 to do it. That's not viable," he said. "Some is better than none. It's been really helpful."

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DENVER Contact Denver7 continues to hear from Coloradans waiting to receive needed unemployment benefits after being errantly flagged as a fraudulent claims.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) earlier this year increased its fraud detection measures to the highest possible level in response to a surge in unemployment fraud. This, however, has resulted in thousands of legitimate claims being affected and subjected to months of delays.

Jon Westgaard in Denver is among those impacted. He reached out to Contact Denver7 after four months of waiting for benefits.

Westgaard was laid off from his company at the beginning of May and immediately filed for unemployment. With a background and career in technology and applications, Westgaard said he has a meticulous eye for detail.

I double-check things before sending them, and I know that I was spot on with the information I provided, he stressed.

Westgaard received one payment from CDLE, but then received an alert that there were pending issues with his account and he needed to send further identifying documentation.

I had to prove that I was me. I had to provide everything under the sun history of addresses, cars Ive owned, Westgaard recalled. It took a while. It was very tedious.

That was in May. Westgaard hasnt received any unemployment payments since, despite hours on the phone and online trying to connect with CDLE representatives. Most calls, he said, only consist of the automated system and end instructing callers to try again later.

A CDLE spokesperson told Denver7 Wednesday there are approximately 4,000 claims currently impacted by fraud holds. This is slightly lower than the 5,766 reported in July, but still constitutes a large number of people struggling to make ends meet.

some of these will be confirmed fraud, and some will be determined to be legitimate, the CDLE representative said. We continue to monitor, analyze and adjust our processes to determine which holds are low-risk and safe to be released for payment.

A state audit released in 2021 found that $73 million of unemployment claims paid out during the COVID-19 pandemic were either fraudulent or potentially fraudulent. The CDLE reported another surge in fraudulent claims earlier this year. Westgaard said he completely understands the needed to ensure valid payments, but that his wait has been excessive and is negatively impacting his life.

I have bills that are overdue. My car payments are overdue. Weve gotten two notices of demand for payment [of rent]. Not eviction yet, but were very close, he said. I dont know what to do.

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Elke Alcott had paid a subcontractor $3,000 for a carpet job that was never completed. Anthony Whitehouse had been waiting since January for catalytic converter parts after thieves hit his Toyota Prius. Tony Landi was caught in the middle of a dispute between his insurer and a storage company that left him without his furniture after a sewer backup on Easter flooded his basement.

All three recently reached out to Contact Denver7 after they had exhausted all other options, and all three saw positive results after their stories aired.

For Alcott, she was approached by a man named Julian Soto, a subcontractor who said he could do her carpet replacement faster and cheaper than Home Depot's contractor Hom Solutions, which had hired Soto for the job. But after she paid him, Soto disappeared for months.

Soto never replied to Contact Denver7's requests for comment, but Home Depot and Hom Solutions gave Alcott a refund and installed her carpet.

"They've been working very hard and very fast," Alcott said. "I was able to get the carpet from Home Depot at a discount. So Home Depot and Hom Solutions have been going out of their way to make things right, and I'm very thankful. And I am thankful for Denver7."

Whitehouse spent nearly nine months unable to drive his car with no end in sight. His auto mechanic said Toyota had been a "nightmare" and it was taking longer and longer to get parts after a catalytic converter theft. But two days after Whitehouse's story aired and weeks before predicted, his parts arrived.

"I think it must have accelerated getting us the part that we needed," Whitehouse said. "And by the end of the day Wednesday, we had the car fixed and back at home. It was amazing."

Landi was unable to do laundry or use his basement for months as his washer, dryer and basement furniture were in storage. His insurer, Travelers Insurance, and The Contents Company, a storage business, argued over the cost of storing his things while his basement was repaired after the flood.

Shortly after the story aired, The Contents Company agreed to accept $13,000 from the insurance rather than the $24,000 it requested. Travelers Insurance cut the check and Landi is on his way to getting his furniture back.

"I think nothing would have happened without you guys. So I just appreciate you guys doing this," he said.

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GREELEY, Colo. Wedding photographs can become family heirlooms, but only if your photographer gives them to you.

A Greeley bride reached out to our consumer investigator Jaclyn Allen after she said her photographer took her money and kept her photos.

To call Dayvie Goode organized, might be an understatement.

"I've got a planner for pretty much everything in my life," said said.

The Greeley resident planned her entire wedding almost a year in advance, including the photographer.

"I had gone to a bridal show that they were holding, and I got to meet a bunch of different vendors, including Kevin Robertson Photography," said Goode, who decided to hire the Lakewood-based photographer.

The month before her wedding, she learned that he had been removed from the preferred vendor list because of an issue with a bride, but Goode had already paid $1,500 and signed a contract.

On the wedding day, things seemed to go as planned.

"Personally, I didn't see any red flags," said Goode. "He was very attentive and he took every opportunity from what I could see to take pictures."

When it came time to actually get those pictures, though, Goode said Robertson disappeared.

"He wasn't answering my calls. I had called him multiple times. I texted him and emailed him. Radio silence. I've not been able to get a hold of him at all," said Goode, who said the last time she heard from him was in June when he promised the pictures would be finished that weekend. "I don't care at all about the money. What I care about are the memories that I made."

Robertson has not responded to our requests for comment. The Colorado Secretary of State lists his business licensed as delinquent.

Also, complaints on the BBB and The Knot indicate at least one other couple waited more than a year for their video from him.

Goode said she tried to take Robertson to small claims court in Weld County, but since his business is based in Jefferson County, she was told she would have to file the case there.

Meanwhile, she and her husband set up a Facebook page so friends and family can share their wedding photos, while she and her husband staged a "newlywed" shoot in her wedding gown so they could have something to remind them of their big day.

"It's better than not having anything at all," said Goode. "But I guess I'm just too stubborn. And I don't want this to happen to anybody else. So that's why I've contacted you guys. I would basically be begging at this point for my pictures because that's all I want."

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ARVADA, Colo. A man who has been out of his home for nearly 16 months contacted Denver7 for help, and now he has answers as to when we can move back in.

When we first checked in with Ted Bauer, he was fed up with the lack of progress at his condo at Mountain Vista Village Condos. He bought it in April 2022. A few weeks later, a fire from a neighboring condo spread to his, leaving behind extensive damage. His insurance has been covering his stay in hotels ever since.

More than a year after the fire, his condo is still in desperate need of repairs. Bauer told Denver7 he never got a clear answer from his HOA about when he can move in, until we got involved.

"What happened? Well, News 7, that happened. All of a sudden they were like, 'Yeah, you know what? Maybe we should start fixing that condo up,'" said Bauer.

Denver7 reached out to the HOA to get answers. After our first story aired, a spokesperson for the contractors, Reconstruction Experts, sent a statement saying Bauer would be able to move back in October.

"I really want to believe it. But unfortunately, I've been shafted before with those words. And I'll believe it when I see it," he said.

When pressed by Denver7, RE's spokesperson insisted that October is the final date for the work to be complete. While he's glad to hear of possible progress on the horizon, Bauer said the whole situation left a bad taste in his mouth.

"I never got to live here. I don't want to live here, but I need it back so that I can get a good price when I sell it," he said of the condo he paid $300,000 in cash to own.

He hopes his story raises awareness and hopefully encourages some change to better protect homeowners.

"There needs to be some state guidelines that say there's a certain amount of time that something must happen as far as repair work starting. You can't just let it go into limbo," he said.

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EDITOR's NOTE: Since this story was first published, Westminster Police determined the dogs injury was accidental and no criminal charges were filed. The Colorado Department of Agricultures PACFA program issued a civil penalty to Love Pet Groomings owner for false or fraudulent statements to the state, a violation related to licensing compliance and not animal cruelty. Denver7 is verifying with the pet owner whether any veterinary costs were paid. The injury, police investigation, and PACFAs state action remain matters of public record.

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WESTMINSTER, Colo. Colorado animal welfare investigators opened an investigation into licensing at a Westminster pet grooming facility after a dog lost an eye during a grooming session.

Jeannine Andasola and Gilbert McKay dote on their 12-year-old Chihuahua mix, Baby.

"She's been our daughter ever since we got her," McKay said with a smile.

In May, McKay dropped off Baby for grooming at Love Grooming, located at 9165 Lowell Blvd. in Westminster. He thought she was in good hands with the owner, Pablo Garcia.

"And then we got a call from Pablo, and he says, 'You need to come over and get your dog to emergency pet hospital immediately,'" McKay said. "Her left eye had popped out of the socket."

Baby's eye was stitched closed and had to be removed weeks later.

"You can even see it in her one eye, how sad and heartbroken she is," Andasola said, crying. "She just looks like, 'Mommy, what happened?'"

According to a Westminster Police Department incident report, while it is not clear exactly how the injury happened, the groomer, Christian Cunningham, told investigators that while he was cutting Baby's nails, he put the dog's head in his armpit.

"In this position if he leans on the dog too much or pulls the dog it could cause strangulation. Christian stated he did not know that this occurred but it was the only thing he could think of that could happen. Christian stated that he felt bad that the dog was injured in his care and volunteered to pay the vet bills," the report states.

The report states that Garcia told the officer that he would "make it right" by paying the vet bills.

"All in total, it was over $4,000," said Andasola.

When the couple approached Garcia with the bills, he told them his insurance would not cover the expense because Cunningham was an independent contractor.

"We had no idea Christian was or wasn't an employee. Pablo had already told us that he was responsible because it happened in his shop. I think he's going back on his word," Andasola said.

McKay said Cunningham and Garcia initially offered to set up a payment plan.

"I said, 'No, that's not acceptable. I have to pay this money, and if you want to make this right, just pay for the vet bills and we're all done,'" McKay said. "Now, they're playing this, 'He's going to do it. No, he's going to do it. No, I'm not going to do it. He's going to do it.' They're not going to pay."

"These people aren't even accountable for what they've done," said McKay. "I mean, why don't they have insurance that would take care of this?"

Contact Denver7 reached out to Love Pet Grooming, Garcia, and Cunningham. After they did not respond to our requests for comment, we visited the shop Wednesday.

Garcia and Cunningham were inside working and declined an on-camera interview.

Cunningham said he tried to work out a payment plan with McKay, but McKay wanted to be paid in full. Meanwhile, Garcia said Cunningham was not an employee and confirmed that Cunningham was not covered by the shop's insurance when the incident happened.

Garcia said he was told by his attorney that McKay and Andasola could take them to small claims court, and if they win, they'll still have to take a payment plan. Garcia said he has since changed his insurance to include people working in the shop.

Colorado does not require insurance for grooming facilities, but the state's licensing rules for groomers are complicated. If a groomer is employed by a licensed facility, they do not have to be licensed. If they are an independent contractor, they need a license.

According to records obtained by Contact Denver7, investigators with the state's Pet Animal Care Facilities Act (PACFA) Program, which is under the Department of Agriculture, looked into the incident. During that investigation, Garcia told them that Cunningham was an employee. PACFA administrators said Cunningham does not have a license, which would be required if he is not an employee and was performing grooming duties.

In a statement, the PACFA said it has opened an investigation into the license status of Love Pet groomers.

If the state finds Love Pet Grooming violated rules, the facility could face civil penalties or disciplinary action against their license. Cunningham could be issued a cease and desist order and could face criminal penalties for operating a pet animal facility without a valid license, according to the PACFA Section Chief Nick Fisher.

Westminster PD said investigators do not believe the dog was intentionally injured. No charges were filed in the case.

McKay and Andasola said nothing will make their dog whole again, but they hope others will learn from their story.

"Every time we look at her, it's a reminder of we took her in there to make her pretty, and she came back disfigured," said McKay.

"And it's a reminder of the trauma she went through," said Andasola. "We'll never take her to a groomer again."

Editor's note:

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Coloradans who have accumulated medical debt should check their credit reports as a first-in-the-nation law went into effect in August that with few exemptions, essentially removes medical debt from being reported in consumer credit reports.

House Bill 23-1126 passed the Colorado legislature and was signed by Governor Polis intending to change how medical debt is viewed on credit reports by the three major reporting agencies.

That's a problem for Coloradans with medical debt because credit reports and credit scores are used in a lot of really important situations, said Julia Char Gilbert, Connelly Policy Advocate Colorado Center on Law and Policy. So when you go ahead and apply for a new apartment or you try to take out your first credit card, or you're looking to take out a mortgage to buy a home, or a loan to start your small business, this is all situations where people who are making really important decisions about your life are evaluating you and your creditworthiness based on your credit report and or your credit score.

Its important to note that the medical debt isnt forgiven.

You still owe this medical debt. You incurred the debt, and it's your debt. However, it should not be like a noose around your neck everywhere you go, said Rep. Naquetta Ricks, D-Aurora before the bills passage.

An estimated 700,000 Coloradans have been saddled with medical debt owing more than $1.3 billion.

So under the new law, the onus is really on the companies that create credit reports, also known as the credit bureaus, it's their responsibility to ensure that your medical debt information isn't showing up on your credit report anymore, said Gilbert. So, theoretically the responsibility is in their court and the consumer doesn't need to do anything.

That said, Gilbert urged Coloradans to request their credit reports from the big three national reporting agencies to check for errors or issues. Once a year, consumers have a right to request one free copy of their Equifax, Experian and TransUnion credit reports.

You can go to annualcreditreport.com to get copies of your credit reports and review them to see if your medical information is still on there, said Gilbert. If you do see an error, like if your medical data is still showing up even though this new law prohibits that you have the right to take action and file what's called a dispute.

The Colorado Hospital Association, Mental Health Colorado and Healthier Colorado were among the major health organizations that supported the new law, but before its passage, critics argued that while the medical debt doesnt mean someone is financially irresponsible, it could serve as an important indicator to a potential lender of a person's ability to pay their bills.

Gilbert offered another perspective.

"Medical debt is really not a very good predictor of your credit worthiness, your ability to pay back a loan, it's a much better predictor of whether you got sick or someone in your family got sick or had an injury, and you ended up with a medical bill that was not affordable for your household," she said. "We know for example, that folks who are disproportionately burdened by the inadequacies and inequities in our healthcare system and in our economic system are more likely to have medical debt and they're more likely to have larger medical debts."

Colorado's new medical debt reporting law goes into effect as the major credit reporting agencies in April 2023 began removing medical debt at $500 or less from credit reports. Equifax said the change would remove nearly 70 percent of collection accounts from consumer credit reports.

MORRISON, Colo. Loraine Bone's Tuesday afternoon was better than expected when she opened up her mailbox to find mail inside. She said a few hours earlier, however, it was a different story.

When my mail was on the driveway this morning, and my mother said, 'Call Channel 7.' I called Channel 7, and here we are looking for some help. We're all just looking for some help, said Bone.

Bone lives on Hillview Road in Morrison. She said she's been dealing with inconsistent mail delivery ever since the mail carrier left his job a few months ago.

My husband has medications coming from out of the country. My neighbors have brought that to him. We're still waiting on another one we're really concerned about getting. We run a business out of our home. We're not getting our checks, our invoices, said Bone. Who can run a company like that? Who can live? We can't pay our bills.

Just a few doors down, Deb Denny said she's dealing with similar issues.

We were waiting on a bill for a helicopter transport for an accident, and they started calling and threatening us saying, 'Why are you not filling out the packet?' And we're like, 'What packet? We never received a packet,' said Denny.

Both Denny and Bone said they've reached out to the U.S. Postal Service with no luck.

"I've called them. Ive emailed them. Ive left messages with about 10 people and the postmaster general who's now over in Golden and have not had a single reply, said Denny.

Ive gone down, Ive complained, said Bone. I should not have to drive from my house to Golden to find out what's going on with my mail.

Contact Denver7 reached out to USPS for an answer. In a statement, the agency said the mail issues are due to recently changed routes.

USPS said it expects a new contract for the route at at the beginning of September.

"We do take this matter seriously and we are increasing our communications with our drivers to ensure we are providing the service our customers depend on and deserve," the agency said.

USPS stressed the mail for Morrison, Evergreen and Golden has not merged and mail is processed separately for their respective offices, though all carriers start their day at the Golden Post Office. Retail and mail pick-up services for Morrison, Evergreen and Golden customers are still available at the respective post office, USPS said.

Bone said she just wants to get her mail on time plain and simple.

We just want it dealt with. We just want our mail straightened out. No more excuses, said Bone.

Editor's note:

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DENVER A Denver woman reached out to Contact Denver7 saying Enterprise Rent-A-Car was charging her thousands of dollars for hail repairs on her rental car after telling her the car had no damage.

"I was told there's no damage, 'I can now process your receipt,' and pay it, which I did," said Erin Bierwirth. "Almost two-and-a-half hours later, after I dropped it off and long been home, I got a call from Enterprise. He just kept telling me there's hail damage that we see now."

Beirwirth said she was told she would be responsible for $5,000-$12,000 for repairs.

"So it hit me really, really hard. I don't have that money," she said. "They can claim anything they want to. I just felt so helpless."

She started searching and found Contact Denver7 has reported multiple times since 2019 on issues with Enterprise finding damage after customers returned a car.

While Enterprise declined a request for an interview, in a statement, a spokesman emailed: "Its important to remember that customers are financially responsible for damage that occurs during a rental transaction, regardless of fault or negligence just as if they owned the rental vehicle themselves."

In Beirwirth's case, Enterprise stated that they reviewed hail activity maps and can confirm there was damaging hail on the night she picked up the car, but as a gesture of goodwill, the company had decided to waive her repair fees.

"First of all, you know, I'm so appreciative. I can't even figure out how to say it," said Bierwirth. "But also, if there's something I can do to make it not happen to somebody else, I would absolutely do that. Just make sure you have it written out: No damage."

Enterprise stated that it does offer optional coverage to protect customers from liability, but consumers should also check to see if their credit card offers secondary coverage.

Editor's note:

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GOLDEN, Colo. Elke Alcott has had a lot of sleepless nights after she started a renovation project at her Golden home.

"I've been widowed since 2006. And in January, my last kitty passed away. So this home renovation project was supposed to be part of getting my bearings back," she said. "But instead, I've been sleeping in the living room since March."

Receipts show Alcott bought new vinyl flooring and carpet from Home Depot in January. She hired Hom Solutions, a Home Depot service provider, for the installation.

Alcott moved the furniture out of her bedroom and basement to prepare. On install day, she said a subcontractor named Julian Soto with IVS Renovations told her she would have to test for asbestos before the work could be done, unless she canceled the contract with Home Depot and hired him directly.

"He offered to put the floor in without the testing, and then he could do it for me faster and cheaper," Alcott said. "I am also responsible for this. I was too trusting."

Alcott canceled the contract with Home Depot. After Soto installed the vinyl flooring, documents show Alcott wrote him a $3,000 check for carpet she said never came.

According to text messages, his installation date promises went from April to May to June to July.

"He never showed. And I actually contacted him four days before, and one day before to make sure that he doesn't forget me. And he never answered. So, that was the last straw," said Alcott, who then reached out to Home Depot, Hom Solutions, and the Golden Police Department. "Nothing has happened, and so I felt powerless. And I reached out to Channel 7 because I thought maybe you can help me."

Soto has not responded to requests for comment, but Home Depot and Hom Solutions immediately worked to correct the problem.

Steven Johnson, chief operating officer for Hom Solutions, said Soto was a longtime contractor who had no previous issues.

"We have strict rules, and he broke all of those. We have a way to make it right," said Johnson.

Hom Solutions said it will refund Alcott her $3,000, order her carpet and install it.

"Weight lifted off my shoulders," said Alcott. "Thank you very much. I'm floored no pun intended."

She said she will sleep much better when she can finally move her furniture back into her bedroom.

In a statement to Contact Denver7, a Home Depot spokesman said IVS Renovations is not one of its service providers, saying, "Its important for your viewers to know that we regularly screen, evaluate and continuously monitor our service providers. Its a rigorous process, and if we do see a pattern of performance problems, we will terminate the relationship."

Editor's note:

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DENVER When you can't get answers, Contact Denver7 is our promise to fight for you.

So far this year, our Contact Denver7 team has recovered more than $50,000 for consumers in Colorado. That's just the start of what we're doing to hold companies and officials accountable.

From a Boulder teacher charged for an iPhone she didn't buy to a Highlands Ranch mother needing her insurance to pay for medication to save her daughter's eyesight, sometimes shining a light on a consumer problem is the best way to solve it.

This year, the Contact Denver7 team has exposed the broader issue of Colorado's weak consumer protections around used cars, while helping Daphne Adams get her $1,500 deposit back from one dealership.

We have also covered "the ambulance gap," an insurance loophole hurting Coloradans like Mary and Alvin Gordy. Their $1900 ambulance bill was dropped completely.

"It's just a huge weight off of our shoulders," Mary Gordy said .

No concern is too small, such as Xcel not keeping up with mowing in Aurora or Comcast not removing low-hanging lines in a Lakewood backyard.

We helped cut through red tape for several families after delays in SNAP food benefits. And we helped a Fort Collins small business get fake Google reviews removed.

Our goal is to give voice to those who feel they aren't being heard, such as Megan Larson, who was upset with Amazon's response after an Amazon driver hit her parked car.

"It didn't need to take this long. It was so cut and dry," said Larson. Amazon eventually paid her more than $6,000.

Then, there was a $4,500 Midas "typo" that Christina Cimino couldn't get resolved for months until Contact Denver7 stepped in to ask questions.

"We're eternally grateful for you guys because like I said, it's a large chunk of money, and it's really frustrating," Cimino said .

In a time when communication seems easier than ever, getting a response from a real person can seem harder than ever. Contact Denver7 is listening and looking forward to helping Coloradans.

Editor's note:

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AURORA, Colo. Two families moving to Colorado thought they had found the perfect home to rent, but it turned out to all be a scam.

"This one had unique charm to it. It had the beautiful front faade," said Sam Rumple.

When Sam came across a listing on Craigslist for a four-bed, two-and-a-half bath house on the corner of E. Saratoga Circle in Aurora, she immediately knew it was the perfect place for her family, who was moving from Las Vegas.

"I'm usually the one that usually finds where we live... prefer to go with private landlords," she said.

That private landlord claimed to be Russell Thompson with Invitation Homes, who was renting the home for $1,900 a month.

He sent the family "proof" on Invitation Homes letterhead showing he was leasing the place for his father, Charles Thompson. The Rumples said Thompson claimed he wanted to privately lease the property to keep the rent at a reasonable rate, rather than going through the Invitation Homes website.

"By the time we were done, we paid them a total of $5,700 to move in," said Phillip Rumple.

That money was sent in separate payments using Phillip's business PayPal account. The total included the application fee, deposit and first and last month's rent.

"We packed up, moved out here, got here, he gave us the code to get in and movers unloaded everything, and we're here. And three days later, another lady by the name of April shows up," said Phillip.

It turns out another woman, April Welch, signed a nearly identical lease to the Rumples. She was also moving from out of state and found the listing on Craigslist. Welch paid Thompson $800 through CashApp

An Invitation Homes spokesperson said they don't advertise on Craigslist. In a statement, the company said those interested in renting one of its properties should reach out directly through the website.

Phillip said the company is giving them 10 days to move.

Both families tried reaching out to Thompson, but he stopped answering their texts and calls.

"Right now we just don't have anywhere to go," said Phillip.

Both the Rumples and Welch filed reports with the Aurora Police Department.

In the meantime, they've both started GoFundMe fundraisers to raise money to find a new home. To donate to the Rumple family, click here. To donate to the Welch family, click here.

Editor's note:

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UPDATE | Nov. 13 The Boulder Police Department told Denver7 that after several weeks of investigation, which included a review with the Boulder County District Attorneys Office, "the decision was made that there was insufficient evidence to find probable cause to charge anyone with a crime." The department said there was a lack of evidence to find that the business acted willfully in depriving anyone of their wages, as required for a criminal charge.

...

DENVER Several former employees of Scratch Kitchen say they are still waiting for their paycheck after the restaurant closed all locations in June.

On June 16, employees received a message from one of the founders just after 4 a.m. stating that the day prior was their last day in operation. The message said the business wasnt able to make enough money to stay afloat and would have to close.

I up and I saw the email and say, 'Whats going on? said one former employee who didnt want to be identified.

The founder said their final paychecks would be delivered in sections.

In regard to the pay you are owed through yesterday, you will receive approximately 50 percent today by the end of the day, 30 percent next week and the rest when we are able to pay it," the message said.

However, the former employee told Denver7 she's still waiting on the rest of her money two months after the shutdown.

For me they still owe the last week we work and the PTO, she said.

A week after the initial message, former employees received another message from the founder through their Paylocity account, a human resources and payroll provider. The message updated everyone about the money they were still owed.

On July 7, the founder sent another message saying they would have a "more specific update" in the future.

"We're sorry for the continued delay. we have capital on its way to us and will have a more specific update on final payments as those funds come in this month," the message read.

Everybody's so upset, said the former employee. So what am I doing with my rent? What am I doing with my bills? We have kids. Im a single mom.

Another former employee contacted Colorados Division of Labor Standards and Statistics for help.

We can confirm that we have received multiple wage complaints against Scratch Kitchen, and they are pending investigation," Director Scott Moss said in a statement. "As with any of our wage investigations, any further details cannot be disclosed while the investigation is pending. The duration of an investigation typically varies from a few to several months based on various factors including the breadth and complexity of claims. After a decision is issued, it will be made public after a short period to review and redact any possible confidential information."

Former employees also filed a report with the Boulder Police Department. Those who filed the report said they were owed $2,500. They also allege Scratch Kitchen hasn't paid its vendors. Boulder PD told Contact Denver7 investigators have re-classified the case as a criminal investigation into wage theft.

Contact Denver7 drove by the Scratch Kitchen location on South Colorado Boulevard in Denver Wednesday. A sign posted on the door says, "Thank you for stopping by Scratch Kitchen. We are temporarily closed as we update some products and experiences. Stay tuned at ScratchKitchen.com for updates on when we will be reopening. We appreciate your business and look forward to serving you in the very near future."

A notice of eviction was also taped to the door.

Contact Denver7 reached out to both founders of Scratch Kitchen. One never got back to us, and the other said he did not have a comment.

Editor's note:

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HIGHLANDS RANCH, Colo. A Highlands Ranch man was scammed out $1,180 after trying to purchase two Balinese kittens from a breeder in Pensacola, Florida.

Howard Jennings said he was interested in the Balinese breed because of their coat.

"I was looking for something that didn't shed as much, that was sort of hypoallergenic because my daughter's dog is a goldendoodle and she's hypoallergenic. She doesn't shed no allergy problems or anything like that. So I was looking into cats like that, and the Balinese is the one that came up," he told Contact Denver7.

After he couldn't find a breeder in Colorado, Jennings said he began searching for one online. That's when he found Morgan J. Noellie with Labcats Home.

"They had a five star rating. And I read a lot of their reviews, which were excellent," Jennings said.

The two began communicating via text message, and Jennings selected two kittens. He was sent over a sales contract in early August.

Jennings told Contact Denver7 everything looked legitimate, and he sent the money via Zelle.

"Everything seemed to be above board, you know, until the shipping process," he said.

Jennings was told the cats would be shipped the next day and was sent a tracking number from Skyline Pet Delivery. However, when he checked the tracking number, it showed that the kittens were "on hold."

"That's when [the breeder] told me, 'Oh, I forgot to tell you. There's an insurance you have to pay for shipping the kittens. That's for their welfare.' And I said, 'Well, the shipping company hasn't contacted me about it," Jennings recalled. "'Oh, check your email.' And all of a sudden, there was an email from the shipping company that hadn't been there about an hour prior."

The breeder said Jennings would have to pay another $995 for the insurance, which would be refunded back upon delivery. That's when Jennings said he realized he fell for a scam.

"I explained to [the breeder] about the contract and how they were citing agencies that didn't exist. And I thought it was a scam. And she swore up and down it wasn't," he said.

Jennings texted the breeder and asked for his money back. The two went back-and-forth, until the breeder went dark. Jennings said he has not heard from the breeder and has not received a refund.

"I texted her a couple more times asking her what she was going to do, and if she was such a good Christian she would straighten things out with the shipping company or she could refund my $1,180 to my Zelle. And things got very quiet. I never heard from him since then," Jennings said.

Contact Denver7 called the breeder, and a man answered the phone. He initially denied doing business with Jennings until we mentioned the sales contract, which he asked to see. The man wouldn't answer any other questions and hung up.

Jennings said he filed a police report with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. A spokesperson said the report will be sent to their Financial Crimes detectives, who will follow up on any potential leads.

Jennings also filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which called the incident a common scam.

"Once they have the money, they'll find another reason you need to send money, said Roseann Freitas with the BBB. One of the things we try to recommend is do a Zoom call to see the actual cat because nowadays, Zoom is so easy for anybody to use.

The BBB recommends checking to see where the business is located and researching contact methods for the business besides a contact form. You should also see if the business is listed on the BBB's website. Third, look to see if the business is registered in the state its located. Lastly, Freitas suggests doing a Google search and putting the word "scam" behind it to see what pops up.

Jennings hopes his story will make others aware so they don't fall for the same scam he did.

I just hope somebody can take these people down, he said.

Jennings and his wife ended up adopting two cats from the Dumb Friends League in Castle Rock. He said they're adjusting quite nicely.

Editor's note:

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AURORA, Colo. Colorado's fall wedding season is just around the corner. But instead of celebrating, some Colorado couples are scrambling after a popular Aurora event center suddenly closed its doors.

Every day, there's a new wedding-related delivery at the home of Chris Martinez, the grandfather of the bride. He and his daughter, Victoria Jaramillo, have been by the couple's side all along, helping to plan and pay for everything.

In January, they booked Aurora's Summit Event Center, a perfect venue for a 300-person reception on Sept. 23.

"So, I put $1,000 down in January right away. Since we signed the contract, we put that deposit down," Martinez said.

Everything seemed settled, and the invitations were sent. But two weeks ago, the family saw a post on the Summit Event Center's Facebook page announcing it was shutting down after negotiations failed with the landlord.

"Evicted from the property in two hours," the post said, in part.

This left the family scrambling in search of a last-minute reception venue and their $1,000 deposit.

"We found out they were closed on Facebook. You're posting and you're saying you want to help families, but you hadn't even contacted us at all," Jaramillo said. "I'm very frustrated."

Emails show staff first emailed the family stating, "No deposit was given."

"They were wrong, and I had the documents," Martinez said. "So then the conversation switched to, 'When will we get our money back?' And then she said, 'I will put you on the list.' To me, that means that I'm possibly not getting my money back. I became, honestly, very fearful. They will file bankruptcy, and we will lose our money."

Contact Denver7 reached out to the Summit Event Center's owner, Michael Schaefer. He said in an email, I have returned almost all of the deposits for future events and we have helped many of them find new venues. The bottom line is the pandemic destroyed the business and we were never able to recover.

Shortly after that statement was sent, Martinez said he received a deposit pending in his bank account, returning his $1,000.

"I truly believed that [you were] the only way we got it back. We really honestly didn't know if we were gonna get it back. We were worried," Jaramillo said.

She said they have since booked a new, more expensive wedding venue and needed the deposit money for it.

"It's going to be perfect," Jaramillo said. "We are so thankful."

Editor's note:

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DENVER Contact Denver7 helped cut through red tape for a Denver great-grandmother and her great-grandchildren who were about to become homeless because of paperwork issues at Denver Housing Authority (DHA).

"I knew you guys could help me. I knew this was my last stop for help," said Nannette Coffin, a great-grandmother raising three of her great-grandchildren.

Coffin relies on housing vouchers to pay rent, but earlier this year, she had to move from her former home. She said she submitted paperwork to Denver Housing Authority, but soon learned it had been lost.

"Because I was smart enough to take pictures of it, that was the only thing that saved me," Coffin said. "To show that I did submit it to them and that they had their stamp on it that they got it."

Coffin said DHA employees asked her for a doctor's letter weeks after she had started the process, and she said she kept getting the runaround.

"I had found a home, but the landlord couldn't hold it any longer," she said. "[DHA employees] weren't responding to me, they weren't answering my calls, they never returned one message. I just got nothing."

It took Coffin weeks to find another house she could rent, but she had a tight deadline to get her voucher.

"I really thought that we were going to be homeless. I literally was in tears because I was like, 'They had nothing left. There was nothing else I could do,'" she said.

So Contact Denver7 reached out to Denver Housing Authority, which sent a statement citing "confusion" between Coffin and her landlord.

"DHA addressed it by her caseworker working with the Housing Provider and Nanette and clearing up the confusion. There is no larger issue. This is a specific case," the statement reads.

Coffin said she received the voucher that she needed and was able to move into her new home in the nick of time.

"I am so grateful. I mean, just truly grateful that you guys helped me," Coffin said. "I did not want to be homeless with kids. That would be very hard to do. So that means everything to me."

Editor's note:

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LONGMONT, Colo. A Longmont man says a dispute between his insurance company and a moving and storage company left him without his furniture for months while the bill kept increasing.

The situation started with a sewer backup in Tony Landi's home.

"Easter morning, I got up. And in the basement, the sewage was backed up," he said. "You don't want to say, 'Well, hang on. Let me take two weeks to get prices from everybody,' because your basement's full of sewage."

His remediation company wanted to move out the basement furniture. They recommended The Contents Company, a moving and storage business based in Colorado Springs.

Landi believed the expense would be covered by his insurance policy and signed on with the company without discussing prices.

"They moved about half of the basement so they moved about 450 square-feet of furniture" he said. "I just signed the iPad. I had no idea how much it would cost, but I've moved a whole house for $5,000. So, I mean, how much could it cost to move a few couches and chairs and stuff and put them in storage?"

When the invoice arrived in May, Landi had sticker shock. It totaled more than $18,000.

The Contents Company had a long list of itemized expenses, including 72 hours of packing and moving, as well as more than $1,500 for "overhead" and more than $1,500 for "profit."

Emails provided by Landi show that Travelers Insurance and The Contents Company went back and forth for months, arguing about the cost.

"I think it's unreasonable. It's excessive," Landi said. "My furniture isn't even worth that much money."

The emails show that the Travelers adjuster insisted that $8,500 was a "fair and reasonable" payment for the move and less than two months of storage. The Contents Company's representative argued that the invoices were "fair and reasonable."

In June, The Contents Company sent an email stating the outstanding balance was more than $21,000.

While the charges continued going up, Landi's basement sat empty. He and his wife have been forced to take their laundry to a laundromat every week since the moving company took their washer and dryer. Landi's spice pantry was also packed in the boxes.

"Cooking is difficult. Doing laundry is difficult. Relaxing is difficult," Landi said. "Basically they didn't ruin my life, but they made it hard for the past few months."

Ashley Contrascere with the Contents Company sent Contact Denver7 an email stating in part, "Upon review, we see a few discrepancies."

She blamed the Travelers adjuster for the impasse and wrote.

"Unless there is a policy limit there is no reason that Mr. Landi should need to come out of pocket. We are willing to work with the carrier [Travelers Insurance], but need communication to do so," Contrascere wrote.

Contrascere said the revised invoice with storage through August 14 is $12,210.73.

Meawhile, a Travelers Insurance spokeswoman also responded to Contact Denver7, saying, "We are sympathetic to our customer's issue and continuing to work with them and the storage company to resolve the claim."

Landi said that for the first time in months, he is now hopeful a resolution is possible.

"I feel elated. So hopefully, this will get settled soon. I might have my couch and be watching TV next week," said Landi.

As a result of this experience, Landi said he has learned lessons he wants to pass on to others.

Editor's note:

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AURORA, Colo. Sharon Hoidahl prefers gardening to mowing her lawn in Southeast Aurora.

"But mowing is part of the job," Hoidahl said. "I have to keep mine mowed and cared for, and it would be nice if Xcel did the same thing. "

Just behind her back fence, tall, dry grass has been growing for months on land Xcel Energy is supposed to mow.

"It's an extreme fire risk," said Hoidahl, who has reached out to Xcel and her commissioner. "This year, I started calling [Xcel] on the first of May. Then in July, I get a letter from the person who manages their mowing, saying the same thing. 'We've had too much rain, we're swamped. We don't have enough money. We don't have enough people. And so we're just trying to keep up the best we can.'"

One email from Xcel said, "To be frank, our vegetation management team is really struggling this season... Our team is being flooded with calls every day. Unfortunately, I don't have a timeframe on when they will be 'caught up.'"

In a statement to Contact Denver7, an Xcel spokeswoman elaborated, "The record moisture this spring and summer has resulted in significantly more and faster growth than we've seen in the recent past. Our team is working diligently to respond to these areas as quickly as possible with the resources and equipment available to them."

Hoidahl said Xcel has since mowed the area behind her fence, but only to the end of her property.

"It didn't take care of everybody else," said Hoidahl. "I'm worried about everyone's house. I just really appreciate the fact that you've listened to this story and that perhaps it will help not only myself, my neighbors, but anyone who lives on one of these Xcel easements."

Xcel has had crews come to her neighborhood this week. According to a company spokesperson, the 5-mile corridor will take two to three weeks to mow if the weather cooperates.

Editor's note:

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A former employee with the Rocky Mountain V.A. Medical Center in Aurora has settled for $45,000 following a hostile work environment complaint filed nearly two years ago, in which the man alleged a VA chief told him he "looked like a monkey."

Nurses at the Rocky Mountain Regional V.A. Medical Center have been protesting staffing shortages and a rise in workplace violence recently, and their complaints sounded all too familiar to Garland Dotson.

"Nothing has changed," said Dotson, a former occupational safety specialist at the VA hospital, and a whistleblower, who first told his story two years ago before he left his position.

He reported a hostile work environment, including an incident when a VA section chief made a "monkey-like motion" with her arms and told him, "You look like a monkey."

Documents show a VA investigation found the harassment claim was substantiated, but the section chief still has her job.

"They plaster all over the building about no harassment, no hostile work environment, but they facilitate it and do nothing about it," said Dotson.

Since then, current and former VA employees have reached out to Contact Denver7, reporting a toxic work environment.

"I was there six months before I started looking for another job. It was that bad," said Ron Mitcham, a former VA employee who left shortly before Dotson in 2021. "And I'm a 22-year veteran of the army. So, I've seen my fair share of bad leadership and that is the worst."

Dotson took his complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and records show the VA settled for $45,000.

"To me, it sends a message that unfortunately for the VA, you have a problem. It needs to be addressed," said Dotson, who said Mitcham hired him for a better job and he used the settlement money to finance another degree. "I'm much happier than I was two years ago, but I think about the people who work there every single day."

In a statement to Contact Denver7, Terri Clinton, spokesperson for the VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, wrote: "There is no place for discrimination of any kind at VA, and we take all allegations of wrongdoing very seriously and investigate them thoroughly."

Clinton stated that in recent years, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System (ECHCS) has taken key steps to ensure that the health care system is living up to its core values, including:

Clinton also pointed to the five-star rating the VA ECHCS received last month from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) quality ratings.

In the past year, VA ECHCS retained 88% of our employees, with 12% turnover. Their nurse retention rate is 90.5%.

Clinton stated: "We deeply value the feedback of VA employees, and we will continue to do everything in our power to support them. We will continue to collaborate with our employees to provide the best possible work experience, so they can deliver the best possible health care to the Veterans we serve.

Dotson, however, said the nurse protests are an indication that more needs to be done, and he wanted to raise awareness about what he calls "ongoing safety and workplace concerns" for the people still there.

"We can't just sit idly by and let it happen," he said.

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A Colorado couple has been renting out their basement apartment on Airbnb and Vrbo for years, but they say that suddenly guests are showing up mistakenly believing they've rented the entire house because of incorrect information on affiliated sites, such as Expedia.

Just minutes away from Horsetooth Reservoir, Tim Knowlton and Erin Cardona are proud to rent out a lake home away from home, their basement apartment, which comes complete with kayaks.

They have listed the one-bedroom space for years on Airbnb and Vrbo.

"We have never had a negative review. We are super hosts," said Knowlton. "And then we got that one-star review."

A recent "terrible" review accused the couple of misleading guests by saying they would have the home to themselves, and suddenly they had nearly $3,000 worth of cancellations in a matter of weeks.

"Three-thousand dollars worth of cancellations is a lot," said Knowlton. "We were shocked. I mean, we're, Erin and I, are perfectionists. And so we lost sleep over it."

They soon learned their Vrbo listing had been posted on Expedia Groups affiliated sites, including Expedia and Orbitz, with incorrect information.

"You can see it says, 'Entire Home' and then it says, 'You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party,'" said Cardona, looking at her Expedia listing. "We did not write that. And we can't get them to take it down."

While the description on the site makes it clear that the listing is not the full house (the owners live upstairs), guests have been confused because of the headlines.

For weeks now, Knowlton said he has been trying to get the listings changed.

"It's almost like a hamster wheel, at this point. We're just going round and round. We have contacted Expedia and they're telling us it's Vrbo's fault, where Vrbo's saying, 'You need to talk to Expedia,'" he said. "So it's literally one of those [fingers pointing at each other]."

A quick search on Expedia showed multiple "Entire Home" listings that appear to be good deals are also not entire homes if you read the entire description.

One nearby Expedia property listed as "Entire Home" includes "Shared Home" in the headline.

So for now, Knowlton and Cardona have updated their listing to emphasize that it is not an entire home despite what the description says, calling every booking to clarify and warning people to check the full description before booking on these sites.

"We don't want to mislead anybody. That's not how we built this," said Knowlton. "If the description says you're getting a full home, and you're not, that's misleading, and that's a bait and switch, and that's a problem."

Vrbo and Expedia have not responded to our requests for comment.

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Catalytic converter theft is a long-term problem in Colorado, but for some car owners who have to deal with the crime, finding replacement parts is becoming a months-long battle that leaves them without a car and with no recourse.

"It's a 2011 Toyota Prius, and we've had it for 12 years now," said Anthony Whitehouse, who found out the hard way that the Prius is one of the most targeted models for catalytic converter thieves.

"I had no idea until this all happened," said Whitehouse. "It's been a very reliable car up until when the catalytic converter was stolen."

His car's catalytic converter was stolen in January, so he went to Pearl Street Garage in Denver for repairs.

Jason Fluss, the general manager, ordered the parts from Toyota, and the wait began. Month after month, Toyota reported the parts were delayed.

"Toyota has been just a nightmare trying to get parts for these," Fluss said. "When they were first getting stolen, we were going two weeks, three weeks, maybe a month to get parts. And then it's just been the domino effect of getting stolen more frequently, being back ordered for longer and longer and longer."

Fluss now recommends all Prius owners buy a catalytic converter shield to protect their car and prevent what could be months without their cars.

Emails show that Whitehouse even contacted Toyota directly, but the delivery date is now estimated for mid-August.

"We will be without the car for seven months. Of course, we're still paying insurance and registration. You can't sell it. You can't drive it," said Whitehouse. "Finally someone from Toyota parts delayed department investigated it and got back to me and basically said, 'There's nothing we can do about it.'"

Contact Denver7 reached out to Toyota, and Ed Hellwig, a spokesman, sent a statement, in part, acknowledging the delays:

But Whitehouse questions whether Toyota could be doing more for its customers.

"Toyota is a huge manufacturing company worldwide," he said. "I'm sure that if they prioritize getting these catalytic converters, for the cars that are out there, they could make more of them faster."

In some respects, it's already too late for Whitehouse, who qualified for Colorado's Catalytic Converter Assistance Program but missed the deadline for repairs because the parts still have not arrived.

"I hope also that by raising some awareness of the problem, it will get solved sooner not just for me for everyone that's in this situation," he said.

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DENVER Contact Denver7 is continuing to follow up on the efforts to end predatory towing.

Around this time last year, lawmakers passed a bill known as the Towing Bill of Rights which overhauled how the state governs the towing industry.

A major change approved in the new law requires tow yards to give a vehicle back after someone has paid 15% of the total fees or $60, whichever is less. However, complaints have come in claiming some towing companies aren't acting in good faith.

"If you needed to get your car and you didn't have all of the money, it appeared that Wyatts [Towing] was looking at adding interest to these loans. That was never the intent of the bill, for there to be any interest charge on these loans," said State Representative Naquetta Ricks, D - Arapahoe, one of the prime sponsors of the Towing Bill of Rights.

Specific rules are now being adjusted and discussed in public hearings with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

"The legislature was extremely clear in HB-1314. When someone can't afford the bill, they can pay $60, provide that PUC form and get their their car back. It's just become very clear over the last six months that most towing carriers in the state aren't following the law," said Zach Neumann with the Community Economic Defense Project.

Neumann said some of their clients were forced to sign up for loans before receiving their car back.

The Attorney General's Consumer Protection Section spoke out against the practice during Tuesday's PUC hearing. They recommended language expressing that a towing career cannot require a consumer to sign into a compulsory loan agreement in exchange for getting their car back.

Wyatts Towing didn't push back against the suggestion.

"I don't think the [towing] industry believes that we're going to create a new business model over predatory lending or anything like that. We don't have a strong opinion on being able to charge interest or not," said Trevor Forbes of Wyatts Towing, who also encouraged there to be more clear language on what's allowed and what isn't.

Other proposed changes were discussed without much conflict either.

A proposed rule now includes an "authorized operator" in addition to the car's owner as to who is allowed to pick up a car from a lot.

A proposed payment schedule was discussed, as well, initially written that the remaining towing fee balance would need to be paid to the tow company no less than 30 days but no more than 60 days later. Forbes recommended giving consumers an additional 30 days to pay off their balance, bringing the maximum time to 90 days. The idea was supported by other stakeholders at the public hearing.

None of the proposed rules have been finalized yet. The PUC has scheduled another public hearing on those changes for August 31.

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DENVER A surge in unemployment fraud is affecting legitimate claims, but the Colorado Department of Labor and Unemployment (CDLE) says they are working to address the issue.

Lorie Junnila is just one of thousands of Coloradans affected by the issue. She lost her job in March and immediately tried to apply for her unemployment benefits, but she said she was locked out of the system due an issue with her identification.

Then, she remembered getting a US Bank Reliacard in the mail a couple of years ago when she was still working. She reported it, but it turns out doing the right thing caused her more headaches down the road. Today, Junnila believes that is why her account had a fraud hold that proved impossible for her to get lifted, so far.

"This has just gone on and on and on," Junnila said. "So I was at my wit's end, I reached out [to Contact Denver7] and you were the one that kind of got the ball rolling as far as cleaning up the ID. So thank you so much for that."

It turns out Junnila is not alone, as a surge in unemployment fraud is affecting thousands of legitimate claims, and the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment is working to address the issue.

"After a year-long lull in fraudsters attacking our system with fraudulent claims, the department saw a significant jump in fraudulent activity starting at the end of March/beginning of April," said Philip Spresshardt, the director of the Unemployment Insurance division, in a statement to Contact Denver7. "This was identified using our fraud detection tools and looking at the sheer volume of incoming claims with no corresponding economic activity to necessitate those high numbers."

Because of the increase in claims, the department moved all of its fraud detection tools to the highest possible level.

"While this did stop a massive amount of fraudulent payments from being issued, it also caught up legitimate claims and made accessing benefits more difficult for those without access to adequate technology," Spesshard added.

Spesshardt said that the department has been working over the past six weeks to identify those legitimate claims and recently released those of low risk for fraud.

Since April 1, the department has seen 62,000 initial claims. Of those, 22,000 currently have fraud holds in place, 5,766 of which are active claims.

CDLE believes the legitimate claimants that are being held up are part of the 5,766, as all other claims were abandoned after fraud holds were put in place indicating a high likelihood of confirmed fraud.

Junnila said her ID issue was cleared, but the delay caused her to miss other deadlines, so she is still working through the process to get her back payments.

"We've had to maybe pick and choose some of the bills we pay; and groceries, we buy just what we need," Junnila said, adding that her family's savings is depleted, and she's still looking for work. "I've had a few interviews, and I think when they see how old I am, they change their minds. So it's really tough. It's been really tough."

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In Aurora's Murphy Creek neighborhood, a large alley connects South Coolidge Circle and East Florida Avenue, providing access to garages and homes and a shortcut for residents and emergency services.

But Contact Denver7 is hearing from upset neighbors after that alley was blocked by a Metro District's board president with an expanded lawn and traffic posts.

As it turns out, the board did not receive permission from the city before making the traffic changes. So now, while the city of Aurora is suing the Murphy Creek Metropolitan District 3, neighbors are worried about their safety.

"I think we're all in favor of slowing down the traffic," said Don Gordon, a neighbor who shared his concerns in front of the new patch of lawn. "But we don't want this here. There are other solutions, reasonable solutions, rather than just closing [the alley] down altogether."

For years now, the homeowner living next to the alley, Matthew West, has been fighting to stop speeding cars that pass by his house.

Neighbors said the city has already removed unapproved speed stops and road blocks that were installed in the past few years.

The city has also installed stop signs and increased traffic patrols.

But in the legal complaint, the City of Aurora states West's purpose with the most recent changes was to expand his lawn and block public access.

In April, the Murphy Creek Metropolitan District 3 board unanimously approved the "landscape enhancement" and paid for it. West is the president of the board, but abstained from the vote.

"They used our district monthly dues to install this," said Joshua Rodriguez, a Murphy Creek resident. "Collectively, the neighborhood, we don't want our money, first, being spent on this. And then, we definitely don't want our money to be used to fight the lawsuit."

The City of Aurora filed a complaint last month, stating that the city owns the easement, did not give permission for changes and wants the alley restored.

For some neighbors, safety is the top concern.

Cory Swain and Twyla Grier said the issue came to light when a relative suffered a stroke in their backyard this month, and GPS sent an ambulance down the now-blocked alley.

"Because the easement is now blocked, they had to back up and reroute," Grier said. "So luckily, our loved one is OK, but it could have been worse. It took them an extra four-and-a-half minutes. Four minutes is important."

Swain agreed safety should come first.

"I think that that needs to be fixed immediately," Swain said. "We just want safety for the neighborhood and quit making things personal because you've got power."

While West declined an interview request, the board's attorney referred Contact Denver7 to the motion to dismiss the case, which states the land is private property and the new landscape does not interfere with safety or utilities.

Meanwhile, several neighbors said the board appears poised to find a compromise if neighbors get 300 signatures on a petition.

"Nobody wants to keep suing our neighbors but that's what's gonna keep happening," said Michael Clark, a neighbor who hopes the board will restore the alley. "You've got to listen to your neighbors. And I think that if we get those signatures, and there's a compromise, I think that's a good thing."

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DENVER Several residents living at the Grand Lowry Lofts in Denver say the apartment complex has been without working air conditioning (A/C) since the beginning of June, and the heat is unbearable.

Built decades ago, the Grand Lowry Lofts were originally used as barracks. The historic nature of the building was one of the attractions for Donna Smith.

"There's a lot of history in this building. So, I was really excited to come here," Smith said. "And for the first couple of years, things weren't too bad. And then things started changing when the pandemic hit. Things really got rougher and rougher in terms of being maintained."

Smith said she and her husband are on a fixed income, and have to be careful about their spending. She said one of their children bought them a cooling unit, which cost around $300. Plus, they have a handful of fans running constantly throughout the apartment.

It was really about the first week of June when we started saying, 'Hey, there's no A/C. The A/C is not working,'" Smith said. We can't cook it creates heat. So we've had to spend extra money on frozen foods and things that we can just quickly cook in the microwave... Laundry has been a nightmare. We sweat more, we shower more, the linens get drenched with sweat. I mean, stuff that you don't think about normally, because you're just living normal life. You don't think about those extra little costs, but they're adding up.

Smith claims the property management company, Rose Community Management, has not been very communicative with residents regarding the broken air conditioning.

I got fairly agitated with them and started writing and saying the first thing that needs to be fixed is communication. You've got to tell us what's going on," Smith said.

Denver7 obtained a copy of a letter from Grand Lowry Lofts sent on June 30 to residents, which said about the air conditioning, "We understand that limited A/C in the building is a significant concern, and we are committed to rectifying this issue. The temporary cooling tower is ordered and we have applied for the required permits. We anticipate that the installation of the cooling tower, which will provide more consistent cooling building-wide, will be complete by the end of July. Our goal is to complete the work faster if possible."

Rose Community Management also sent Denver7 a statement in response to residents' concerns:

One resident provided us with a copy of their lease, which includes this excerpt, Air conditioning problems are not emergencies. If air conditioning or other equipment malfunctions, you must notify our representative as soon as possible on a business day. Well act with customary diligence to make repairs and reconnections. Rent will not abate in whole or in part except as permitted by law.

The Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) said there is no requirement in Denver's housing code that a property must have air conditioning. However, DDPHE has received complaints about the Grand Lowry Lofts and conducted a site visit. The agency issued a notice of violation requiring the complex to repair the air conditioning.

DDPHE said renters can always call 311 if they experience health and safety-related issues. The first step is to contact the landlord, but if that does not resolve the issue, DDPHE said it can send someone from its office to help.

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