Krown Cue - FTC Complaint - Customers Getting Restless

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Over the past week, several Krown customers have been complaining publicly about unfilled orders and refunds.

One customer, Cathi Powell, just posted this on Facebook:
The FTC complaint against Krown Custom Cues was filed today. Ref # 107610963. The person I spoke with asked me to have anyone who wants to be included to either call or go online and also file a complaint. Include my reference #. The number I called 877-382-4357 option1 or go online at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.g...Ew6n10gYjxx5Tspl_tulFw9-Bi4-tAg#crnt&panel1-1
 

cubswin

Just call me Joe...
Silver Member
He said he makes his own full splices on facebook. I asked nicely to see his setup, and he has since deleted my post. I think it is funny that anyone would order from him. Takes three seconds to google his name, and find out you shouldn't order. Yet he still gets new orders, new complaints.
 

buckets

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I'll bring the popcorn.

edit: here is her original post dated May 23 at 6:39 PM

The real truth about Chris Walker of Krown Custom Cues from an actual consumer who has no reason to lie or cause any issue to him and/or his business is this, we just wanted a cue.

My husband contacted Chris Walker after seeing an ad for custom cues on the internet. Before purchasing he spoke to Chris who seemed decent enough. My husband paid Walker the money in full on 2/13/2017, ie Invoice # 1205 for a KCC Gambler modified with rings plus shipping and sales tax. The initial payment was $370.00. About a month later Joe, my husband, started seeing KCC Specials offering customers incentives if they would pay in full, so my husband contacted Chris Walker who agreed to sell him joint protectors for an additional $50.00, which my husband was happy to pay on 3/14/2017, again in full electronically. In the initial conversation as part of receiving payment in full, Joe was to receive his cue in a few weeks, and then it was a few months, and so on. At the same time, we continued to see “Specials” enticing customers to order and each time to pay in full.

My husband has been on this list, patiently waiting, for a cue he expected to receive in weeks since 2/13/2017 which to be an anniversary gift from me. Mind you, he paid this man in good faith. Joe has been as low as #12 on the list created long after he accepted our money, and as high as in the 30s, fluctuating up and down and of course there is always one reason or another as to why. However, it’s never a reason that really makes any sense except to Chris Walker. Nothing we have gotten from Chris Walker is reasonable. There was no disclosure when the cue was bought that we would be waiting for years.

I have been a business owner, and I am not ignorant of my rights as a consumer. This is not about cues. This is BAD BUSINESS PRACTICE and not to mention illegal. What is happening here is fraud and misappropriation of funds. There are rules and regulations to do business on the internet that are regulated by the Federal Trade Commission, IRS, and States. When a company sells using the internet that company virtually crosses state lines. I wonder if KCC has a Nexus to do business in the State of Maryland Maryland and any other state where cues have been sold? When a consumer purchases from a company in good faith the FTC expects that company to deliver the goods and an LLC doesn’t protect it. The FTC takes consumer protection seriously. When a company files taxes and claim expenses on sales, it better makes sure they filed correctly.

At this point, I am gathering my information to file a claim with the FTC and anyone who feels they have been defrauded, please contact me. Again this isn’t about cues. This is about consumer protection against a company that says one thing and feels they have the right to do another.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Isn't there another Crown cue, not to be confused with this guy.
We had a local guy who used to make Crown(with a "C" not K) cues. No longer building. Gene LaViness(sp?) is his name. Good guy. Lost shop in tornado and never re-started. Update: Crown is still around. Apparently Gene had some serious health and family issues but is still in the biz. They have a FB page, CrownCues
 
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RichSchultz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just went to the Krown Facebook page and I honestly felt dirty when there. It reeks of scammer.

By the way, I am a Certified Fraud Examiner.Seriously.

I had to leave....yuck.
 

Buckzapper

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Nothing says you owe me a refund, like your front teeth laying on steel toed boots.
 
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garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
He's making cues to auction at the same time he owe's customers their cues(or money)??? Am i reading this right?
 

CuesDirectly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If they belonged to the fantastic AZBilliards, they would never have had this problem.

Good chance Krown will be in here today under a new name with some story, his real name was kicked out of here and he is not allowed to be a member.

Once again, people get burned by non AZ members then their story ends up here.

Moral of the story is simple, tell your Friends about AZBilliards.
 

Kickin' Chicken

Kick Shot Aficionado
Gold Member
Silver Member
If they belonged to the fantastic AZBilliards, they would never have had this problem.

Good chance Krown will be in here today under a new name with some story, his real name was kicked out of here and he is not allowed to be a member.

Once again, people get burned by non AZ members then their story ends up here.

Moral of the story is simple, tell your Friends about AZBilliards.

AZB is no panacea as we've certainly had our share of member cue makers / dealers who have gone sideways.

Caveat Emptor always! Protect yourself appropriately when doing biz on the internet, or anywhere for that matter. :yeah:

best,
brian kc
 

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It has also come to light that some of the auction cues have not been delivered, so Walker is literally auctioning things that don't exist.
 

RichSchultz

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It has also come to light that some of the auction cues have not been delivered, so Walker is literally auctioning things that don't exist.
Easy solution; Facebook and Paypal will shut him down if they know auctions are being conducted.
 

DaveM

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Is he auctioning cues or doing a "lottery"? Those are all over FB. If so, his actions remind me of the musical The Producers in reverse. They sold 1000% shares on a show they thought would fail and had people looking for their money when it was a hit. He could sell 26 or 69 spots and have no one complain but the winner, to whom he would give an excuse and maybe a refund for the undelivered cue. The money collected from the losers would be "free".
 

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Is he auctioning cues or doing a "lottery"? Those are all over FB. If so, his actions remind me of the musical The Producers in reverse. They sold 1000% shares on a show they thought would fail and had people looking for their money when it was a hit. He could sell 26 or 69 spots and have no one complain but the winner, to whom he would give an excuse and maybe a refund for the undelivered cue. The money collected from the losers would be "free".

Some cues are sold through auctions and others through raffles in which he now uses his own software program to generate the winning number. Yes you read that correctly.
 

cuesblues

cue accumulator
Silver Member
I think he was banned here quite some time ago

It always surprises me when I here how many thousands of dollars people will send to internet cuemakers who are little more than assemblers.
Typically they are underfunded so when things start going wrong they're too broke to take care of the issue.
I missed all the drama with this Klown character but if nothing else his cues are ugly.
One guy on Facebook sent him $2400
 

Type79

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think he was banned here quite some time ago

It always surprises me when I here how many thousands of dollars people will send to internet cuemakers who are little more than assemblers.
Typically they are underfunded so when things start going wrong they're too broke to take care of the issue.
I missed all the drama with this Klown character but if nothing else his cues are ugly.
One guy on Facebook sent him $2400

Ted,

Your statement that certain cuemakers who go bad are underfunded is true but in the case of Chris Walker he is knowingly taking deposits, and payments in full, on cues that he will not deliver. At his current build rate, he is 11 years out and at least one customer was told publicly he will not receive a cue nor a refund.

When his refund list was public, the average refund was $700. Multiply that times the outstanding orders and those promised a refund and the total is $70,000.
 
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