International Auction Gallery

In 2013, I met Brian Chang, owner of International Action Gallery, of Anaheim, CA. I was hoping to convince my elderly mother to move to WA state with me. She was not ready for the move until 2016 when she broke a hip. I contacted Mr. Chang no less that four time, between [protected], each time he assured me his fee was 30%. On the day he brought me the contract for the estate sale, I had real estate agents, physical therapist and care giver at the house. I mistakenly trusted Mr. Chang's word. I did catch one $ figure he wanted, if the sale did not meet his expectation. However, missed another critical add on. The contract read very differently than what he told me. His fee ended up being 70%. Much of the contract he did not honor. He has refused to provide me with the proper receipt for items that did sell. He has refused to provide me with proof of advertising, he stated in the contract he would do. He was not even at the house when the sale took place. His partner, Joel Ramirez, (some one I never met) the "liquidator" of items that did not sell, was the one collecting $ for items sold. Sale took place on Nov. 11th and 12th 2016. I was suppose to be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. I understand from my realtor, things were being packed by 1 p.m. on Saturday. These two are partners. I have requested Mr. Chang reimburse us for the dollars he owes my mother, the difference between 30% he told us he would charge and the 70% he took for himself. He has not responded. Dollar amount, $747.40. Change needs to happen in this industry, regulations, and strict scrutiny and standardized contract. Proof of advertising, receipts with names of buyers and phone numbers to verify what items sold for. I interviewed another Auction House and found them to be just as predatory however, the were at least honest. It is the vulnerable, sick and elderly (my mother is 91 years old) that get robbed of their possessions. This was a form of bait and switch. Mr. Chang claims the sale amounted to $1842, what my mother got was $542.00. The "liquidator" Mr. Ramirez ( or was it Chang?) paid $300.00 for items packed up and taken away and no doubt sold. Of that $300.00 Chang took 70%. We are once again, asking for what Chang owes my mother. We need some laws to stop this from happening to anyone else.