These two so called "Photographers" have the nerve to go to the Ventura County Fairgrounds at every Wedding Expo and rip off everyone that falls in their trap. I went to a wedding expo right after my fiance had proposed to me in hopes of finding professional individuals to help me with my wedding preparations. I found this young man who had a great sample video of a wedding he had recorded. I was impressed by the video layout, so he came and gave me reasonable deal. We agreed to meet the following week in their so called "office" so he could show me more samples of his work and hopefully sign a "contract". The day that my fiance and I decided to get them, I went to their office with a bad gut feeling, but I was convinced that those feelings was just anxiousness that came with wedding preparations. They had requested half of the money down, which was about $50o.00, so I started taking out my check book and David Gaspar, the owner of the business declined my check. He made me go to my bank and get out the money in cash. I should have seen this as a red flag but with my ignorace and inexperience, I went to go get him that money. He wrote out a sorry looking contract which listed the services they were going to provide (video and photography), but requested no signature from me or my fiance. I was happy that I had made my first move towards my wedding arrangments and my finace and I went on our merry ways.
Come two months later, and the organized freak that I am, I decided to call my Disck Jockey, my hair dresser, and these guys to check that everything was still on for my wedding. The DJ was set and said he was waiting on me to get together to talk about my wedding songs, my hairdresser had made an appointment with me to do a trial hair updo, and as I called the two numbers listed on the sorry looking receipt these guys gave me, their numbers were no longer in service...what? I didn't want to panic, so I decided to call them a week later thinking that maybe they had changed their number and as professionals that they were, they were going to call me and the rest of their clients to give us their new number and talk about taking our pre-engagement pictures. A week later came and no phone call. This made me worry a little, so I decided to call them again at both numbers...nothing, the numbers were still out of service! At this point, I thought the worse, that these guys just took my money and were never going to do my wedding in the first place. I went to their office in Ventura and they were never there when I would go. What made things worse is the day that I was knocking on the building main door, the owner of the building came out to see who I was looking for. I said their names EDDIE AND DAVID GASPAR, and he simply said, "You've also been hoaxed?" I was terrified when he said this. He added that I was not the first to look for these two guys and that there were a few couples looking for them as well. He was nice enough to give me David's new number to see if he would answer and assured me that they still worked there but had weird hours, like they would be there between 7pm to midnight. I thanked the man and right away started calling David. I called many times, and even left two voicemails and two pages in one night. After I decided to call him from a Restricted number, a number different than my cell number, he finally answered. By the tone of his voice, he was surpised to hear from me and had no idea what to tell me. I explained to him how I had tried contacting him via phone calls, and even left him notes on their business door to contact me or my fiance, and they didn't do neither. He said that they were really busy and that he was going to call me later to give me their new number because my wedding was not until a couple of months from now. I was FURIOUS! I told him how his actions made me worry and caused me to stress so much when their job as professionals is to do the opposite for my wedding day. I told him that I no longer wanted their services and wanted my money back. He declined that right away and stated that their policy was no money back. I asked him where on his so called "policy" did it state that AND where in his policy did it say they had the right to leave me in the dark about their whereabouts when they had money. He apoligized for that, but he could not refund me back my money. I explained to him that there was never any contract nor something signed by me stating I could not have my money back, especially when my wedding was still 9 months away. He finally stated he would give me back my money, but, as I should have expected, they never had the intention to give it to me and ignored once again all of my phone calls. The last time I talked to David he was told that if he did not give me my money back as he had signed a Sworn Statement on 1/30/09, he would see in me court. He didn't seem to want to cooperate, so I had to take him to court. As I expected at our court date, he nor his brother Eddie Gaspar showed up at court, and I got the judgement for my full deposit back, plus fees and interest. Till this date, they have failed to comply with the law and they are still on the lose scamming other happy couples who put their full trust in these two ###. These individuals should be put behind bars and be banned by the business berau to continue with such a dishonest business as theirs. I would NEVER, EVER wish upon my worse enemies the experience I went through that these two guys did to me and my fiance. That is my money that they are wearing on their leather, funky looking, crocodile shoes as they walk around feeling like they are all that and a bag of chips.
I warn you all newly engaged couples to stay away from David Gaspar, Creative Multimedia Group, Hollywood TV/Eternity for your wedding pictures, because they will take off with your money.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
YES, YES, YES! I am so glad to find someone else that has voiced thier opinons towards this company! I had my wedding almost a year ago and have STILL not gotten even half of the things that they have promised me! I have filed complaints with the BBB and with the Santa Barbara Bridal Expo but David Gaspar, the owner, does not seem to care at all. I call him and his brother, Eddie Gaspar, at leat 10 times a month and never get responses. I have been given EVERY excuse in the book from them not having time, to it being my fault for not giving them information (even though I have the emails to prove that I have given them the information) and the best excuse? They actually told my husband THAT THEY DON'T LIKE TO DEAL WITH WOMEN! Everything in my wedding was perfect. Except them.
Not only did they disapear for an hour right before the grand entrance (making me, my hurband, and wedding party wait around outside the whole time) but they also didn't take the photo the said they were going to print and have framed so my guests could sign. Thats something I will never get back.
Also, the few photos that we have seen are of HORRIBLE quality. I can't print them larger then 5x7 becaue they are too grainy, and alot of them have such hprrible lighting that you can barley even see the faces!
Trust me, check them out before you use them!
HERE is your chance to CATCH them! They are using their old number again... they just posted a craigslist ad looking for a video guy with a 3 ccd camera ... It looked fishy, so I typed in their phone number and found your posting! You should have the cops pretend like they are a camera guy who wants to help them shoot! OR... A local TV station come with you and do a "gotcha" to get back your money... I USED TO WORK IN TV .. they would help you...! BE CAREFUL THOUGH... When I searched their number they were connected to Pornographic Photography, and Stolen Video Camera equipment! SO... write me back if ya want... Matt @ f3monkey@hotmail.com
- good luck
wow! I am obviously not alone here! i took this guy to court four times he appeared to NONE! which wasn't surprising. I filed a warrant for his arrest and to this day i have received ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! i've tried everything and nothing works there is no possible way to get ahold of them.. last i heard he had multiple warrants so this guy should be in jail anytime soon!
OMG! I just saw this guy last week on Friday..they have been hounding me for money to finish my daughters pictures. Now I don't know what to do...they did give me a copy of all the pictures they took to pick out for all the stuff they are supposed to do...we were supposed to meet tomorrow actually to pay off the balance...wish i would of known something before I hired them...too late now...
if u do meet with them u should have the police with u secretly these guys are horrible dont pay him any more money u will never receive anything i got a copy of my pictures as well and i picked out the ones i wanted and got ahold of him last night and he gave me all the same excuses. whatever you do dont pay him! if anyone wants to try and get ahold of them the best time to call is after 9ish.
I'm glad that there are more of you who went through the same thing as i did! i had him as a photographer last march and i still haven't received the album i had paid for! he always gave me accuses that "he had bigger problems than us" now i understand what his bigger problems were! I am very mad about me not getting the pictures! the work he did was good but i never got the album i was promised to get and i am very upset about that!
Here's the deal: they're usually in later than 5 p.m. - when the building doors are locked - but you can call the building manager at their office {telephone number is on the sign outside the door at 141 N. Ventura Ave.) and they'll probably let you in. Look for their shiny black BMW outside or in the parking lot by Johnnie's - that means they're up in their offices, partying all night with fun paid for with your money!
I see they are still in business. Using the name JR now. I almost responded to a professional sound gig that they posted but, then I found this thread.
This will be blasted online.
http://ventura.craigslist.org/tfr/4484885604.html