Beware of Little John's Auction Service!

[kalamarz]

I want to warn all of you about my awful experience with Little John's Auction Service and Little John's Antique Arms, Inc, based in Orange Calif. They deal mostly with antique, curio, and relic firearms.

Over six months ago I participate in one of their auctions. At first I signed up for phone bidding but after loosing the first item due to lag in phone response I decided to use the internet site run by Invaluable, LLC. I was able to successfully win 4 lots (antique guns) using Invaluable; however, when I approached Little John's to redeem my lots I was told by one of the associates that one of the lots was sold after the auction to a higher bidder and that I can only get the 3 of the lots I won! So I started to investigate why Little John's had done this. To my even bigger surprise a week later I rceived an e-mail from Little John's stating that without my authorization and knowledge my credit card was charged for the 3 lots I won. The charge on my credit card appeared as if I had been using phone bidding and not the internet site Invaluable!

I have been disputing this charge and the refund for the last 6 months and it looks like I will have to take the case to the Small Claims Court to have the matter resolved! Although John's Auction Service still has the guns I won, they are being very stubborn and insistent and are unwilling to issue a refund.

Lockley there are many other honest antique arms auction houses out there where I make successful purchases but Little John's Auction Service I would not recommend to anyone.

[bedbugbilly]

From your description of what went on . . . if you were the winner of the 4 lots . . seems like you would be the "owner" of 4 lots. If you had the winning bid on the one lot and it was struck off to you . . and they in turn sold it to another individual who was willing to pay a higher price . . . unless there is a provision for a "lapse of time" to accept bids . . . they technically have sold property that didn't belong to them (or the consignor). Now if you had refused to pay for what you won . . that would be a different story entirely but you evidently, from your description, was never allowed the chance to pay for the 4th lot that you had won.

Sounds like a case for a small claims court to sort out . . but just make sure you have read all the terms of the auction house in regards to phone and internet bidding. If they've been at it long enough, they'll know the loop holes - especially if they or their lawyer wrote the terms. Good luck with it all and hope you come out alright!