Buyer Beware: Another Falls Victim To Photo-Less Photographer
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Another victim who never got her photos has come forward in the case of a photographer accused of taking thousands of dollars from clients, then taking off before producing any pictures.
Sonia Lozano say she lost $2,000 hiring a photographer to take pictures of her daughter's Sweet 16, reports CBS2's Crystal Bui.
"We lose money all the time on unnecessary things," said Sonia Lozano. "But memories, you can't bring them back."
She says all she has are photos from family and friends, but from photographer Guy Paray, never gave her what she paid for.
"I'm a single parent, so it's not easy to give your daughter something like that and not have anything back," said Lozano.
She's been contacting Paray for years, visting his office that doesn't exist
On Facebook, Flickr, and Twitter under his name, the posts stop around 2016 - the same time his clients say he stopped responding.
"They have an F rating with us," said Better Business Bureau CEO Claire Rosenzweig. "That's the lowest rating to give. And they have four unanswered complaints."
But Arisa Budhu came to his defense Friday, sharing photos with CBS2 that she says Paray took.
"Guy photographed my wedding in 2015 and he did a great job," she said.
Of others who endorsed Paray online, one said no comment while another claimed she didn't know who he was.
The Better Business Bureau says consumers need to do research before doing business:
- Never pay upfront
- Have a written contract
- Visit the person's office or storefront
- Check for reviews online and on their website
"These are memories that you want to have for a long time," said Lozano. "And if it doesn't work out the way you hope, it can be heartbreaking."
