Tri Star Event Photo Inc

Review: My daughter participated in a choir competition this spring at Utah Valley University with her middle school choir. She said that she was required to give her name and address after a group photo was taken, but she was also told that if we didn't want the photo that we could cancel the order by phone. I was agitated that she had been pressured into this situation, as well as all of the other choir students. I did call and cancel the order right away. I was told that my order was canceled. I was still issued a bill of $22.45 and I also received the unsolicited photo in the mail, which we discarded since I had already canceled the order several weeks previously. I have now received a collections notice from this company. I have no intention of every paying for a photo I did not order, and I am further annoyed that I am still receiving mailings from the company after I took the trouble to ensure that the order was canceled. I do not think it is appropriate for a business to pressure young children into supplying personal information, without a parent or guardian's consent. I hope that this company is not allowed to prey on minors like this again.Desired Settlement: I would love to hear that they change their policy and no longer take advantage of students.

Business

Response:

To Whom it may Concern,

We have addressed Mrs [redacted] concern with her

daughters photo order and have hopefully resolved her worries.

Review: Tri Star Photo is billing us $4.95 for shipping but the cheap method they shipped our previous orders only cost them $1.12 and the envelope they use to send us our photo always gets bent in half by the post office and that results in our photo being bent. We want our photos sent in a cardboard shipping tube that protects our photos during shipping. Also there is no way to reach anyone at the company using the email address they provide. Also no one answers the phone number they provide, and no one calls us back either. Very shady business practice to make it appear like you can contact them but in reality there is no way to contact anyone at the company. Please help, we just want what we are paying for, which is an unbent photo. For God's sake they sure charge a lot of money for it. The price they charged us for shipping is more than enough to cover the cost of a cardboard tube.Can we please speak with someone about this?Desired Settlement: Resend us the past photo in a protective cardboard tube. And to save you money send the replacement photo in the same tube as our next order we are about to purchase from you. Thank you.

Business

Response:

We Have contacted [redacted] and have resolved all concerns reprinting and shipping new photos.Tom

Review: Tri-Star Event Photo Inc. took a group portrait of my son in the American Fork Marching Band at a competitive event in St.George, Utah. I paid $17.50 for the portrait to be sent to my home.Upon inspecting the group portrait upon its arrival, I noticed that there were black marks all over the students' uniforms as if someone had taken a black magic marker and started marking up the picture. It really ruined the look of the white section of my son's uniform.I find this quality of photography development to be unacceptable and would like a corrected and replaced group portrait of my son and his American Fork Marching Band taken either October 31, 2014 or November 1, 2014.Desired Settlement: I want the color development corrected in my son's group portrait replaced and sent to me as the event has significant sentiment to me, his mother.

Business

Response:

We spoke with [redacted] and Tri Star Event Photo will gladly refund the money for the purchase. We are sorry [redacted] was dissatisfied with the product. We back all of our photographs with a 100% guarantee.

This company takes pictures at a local jazz festival for middle school children. The picture is taken, the kids are forced into taking an order form. Which is NOT an order form. By taking the order form home, tri star then sends a photo and a bill. A MINOR CHILD should not be allowed to order a picture at an event without payment AT the event. A parent should not receive a bill for a photo they did not order or want. At no point in 4 years, with two children was this made clear to my kids and I have been stuck with overpriced pictures, billed automatically that I did not want and then have MY CHILD (a MINOR) threatened with collections for not paying for an item I never ordered. Incredibly bad business practice. Slimy on every level.

Review: Note that the following reiterates many of the other complaints against this company. It seems obvious that this company intentionally continues this unethical business practice with the intention of deceiving children and then receiving payment from parents without the will to resist - and the fact that it is unethical seems to be solid and without debate. Tri Star Event Photo was at my 11 year old daughter's band festival earlier this year. The company took pictures of her group and then had all the students fill out a form with their name and address. Weeks later we received the pictures in the mail with a bill for $39.95! They told my daughter, and the rest of the group, that everyone should complete the form in order to have the option to purchase the pictures at a later date. They never informed my wife or myself that pictures would be sent, or that we would be expected to make payments. They have continued to harass us by sending monthly statements and a collections notice FOR MY DAUGHTER!!!!Desired Settlement: I would like the notices to stop, my daughter's name to be cleared, acknowledgement that this practice is unethical and should be stopped, and a letter of apology for the harassment. I would also like the company to submit to Revdex.com an action plan that they intend to implement to correct this rampant, unethical tactic of garnering financial gains by deceiving children. The action plan should include a new form that the parents must sign and return before pictures are mailed.

Business

Response:

Dear Mr. [redacted]

Your email has been forwarded

to me by our office manager due to the nature of your valid and understandable

concerns. Let me extend my deepest apologize for any misunderstanding

that we might have caused and I would like to try to alleviate any further

distress.

Tri-Star Event Photo is a

nationwide based photography company that has been in business for over 13

years providing group photos for Elementary, Middle School, Jr High and High

Schools in a multitude of States throughout the United States. In every State

and School District that we provide our services the process of ordering on

site has not changed in over decade. To be in the business to take advantage of

children would not be in our best interest as this would have jeopardized our

business model at the outset. What Tri-Star Event Photo does at each site where

we provide group photography, during the school year, is we give the students

participating in the photo the opportunity to place an order to take home to

their parents. What is explained on site to the student is to ask their parent

(or guardian) if this order can be made. What we tell the child, if by chance

their parent does not want the picture the child has ordered - instructions are

given as to how they can cancel the order - by email, fax or by phone via our

800 number with no further obligation. I have also attached for your

convenience our policy concerning Order Instructions that our photographers

abide by and also our Return Policy.

It is not in our best

interest to have our Photographers instruct each child participating that they

MUST fill out an order form before they leave the event or that we take names

and addresses of each child. Only a small number of students order and the rest

of the choir do not. What we try to provide is an opportunity for an order to

be placed so that each parent if not attending has the opportunity to order

this Band memento of the State LMEA competition, in this case we do have a

filled order from your daughter [redacted]. When the order is placed by the student

having in mind his/her parent can cancel, the option is left wide open for each

parent to choose to have a their child’s choir photo or not by call or emailing

(as you did) in a timely manner or just sending the photo back. We have found

this to be the best way in getting the photo out to the parents with the

opportunity to cancel with no obligation.

Tri-Star Event Photo makes a

large contribution to the Louisiana Music Educators Association school

organizations so to help bring bands and choirs from all over the Louisiana

area to these State Festivals - this is able to help your child and others to

be able to have an enjoyable experience at the Festival.

We have so many wonderful

compliments from parents around the Louisiana state and the United States

expressing their happiness to be able to get such a wonderful memento of their

children at events that many parents cannot attend.

Again I am so sorry that this

somehow as caused a negative feeling to the overall experience of you and your

daughter at the LMEA State Band Assessment. Our contribution is designed to

create a cheerful memento for the children and parents - taking home with them

a great snapshot of their experience at the LMEA Festival.

In light of this it is

important that I make sure you are cared for and you understand we have the

best of intentions when it comes to your child. As a father of 3 I can

understand how one can become protective and worrisome when children are on a

fieldtrip and unexpected things can come about without us there. I want to

assure you that our business is only geared to the best intentions to help

provide a snapshot of a happy time for the kids for every parent to have.

If by chance you have

received your child’s group photo please send it back “return to sender”. At

this point we have cancel the photo order from our system. Feel free to call me anytime if you have any further questions 760.930.0055.

Have a Happy Summer Holidays.

VICE-PRESIDENT

Review: My daughter who was a minor at the time went to a choir concert and was made to fill out an order sheet. She did not want or ask for photos of this event. The pictures were sent out to her in her name as well as a billing statement. Everything was addressed to her. And I was not made aware of this until now.

She tried to call to send the pictures back and was told the she could not. That she had to pay for them. She called within the 90 days of the event as described on the bill.

She keeps getting the collection invoices in her name.

After reading other issues with this company it is evident that they automatically send pictures to all students at events without regard to parental wishes and then ignore phone calls and their own statements on bills when confronted with people who are not happy with thier sales tactics.Desired Settlement: I would like to be able to return the picture and to stop my daughter being billed for something she did not want or request.

I would like to see this company stop this unethical sales practice.

I would like to have someone contact me so this can be cleared up quickly.

Business

Response:

Hi [redacted],

I spoke with the customer. I explained our processes, that we allow the return of photos within three months of the date of the event.

I gave instructions for returning the photo and the case is resolved.

Thank you,

Review: My son was at a choral event. His choir had taken group shots as they do each year. This is the first year this company, Tri Star Photo was used. He said he was handed a form to fill out as they were staging the groups for the photos. He was unaware it was an obligation to PURCHASE the photos. We received an invoice in the mail addressed to our son. He is underage and does not have an income nor is he at an age he can be contractually obligated without parental consent. Who gives authorization to a child to make purchases? We received another invoice and photos in the mail. We did not ask for these items. We figured out quickly what took place. It seems unethical to give a form to a child and not explain in its entirety the reasoning for the form. I don't appreciate receiving invoices addressed to our son! I have read several complaints regarding this company and I would hope their business practice would be reviewed and they are forced to change immediately. They are misleading these kids at these events. They are strong arming the parents into purchasing their products.Desired Settlement: We would like a letter stating that that my MINOR son does not owe Tri-Star Photo ANY money, that my son will not be sent to collections for this unsolicited product and that Tri-Star Event Photo change their sales practices so parents have the OPTION to purchase photos because of their quality NOT because they were successful in having a group of minors fill out a form that they have no idea for what they are agreeing.

Business

Response:

[redacted],

We talked to [redacted] and have resolved the issue.

Review: Tri-Star was at a middle school choir event in March taking photos of students from every school that participated. Apparently, the representative had the students fill out forms with parents information (name, address, phone #) and parents had a certain amount of time to cancel this "order." I did not attend the event with my 10 year old son and he was not aware of what he was filling out and, as a 10 year old, did not question what an adult was telling him to do. I received a bill in June or July and had no idea what it was for. I emailed the company and got a response back along with a scanned copy of the "order form" my son filled out. I informed their rep that I would not be paying for anything that I did not order from them and that they could go ahead and turn it over to collections and that I would be filing a complaint with the Revdex.com. I was then told that my bill would be written off and no further action would be taken. I continue to receive a monthly statement for $39.95 with continued threats of collections.Desired Settlement: stop sending me a bill for photos I don't want and never ordered and/or write off the amount as they said they would

Business

Response:

We contacted the customer and left a voice mail yesterday regarding the complaint about the continued billing. It was brought to our attention that the customer had sent back the photograph, however we have not yet received the photo. It appears the order was lost in the mail, and we informed the customer we would gladly cancel this order and no further billing will occur.

Review: During a marching band competition in which my 15 year old son was participating, a booth/tent was setup from Tri-Star Photography. Before and after the photo, the students were told to go to the tent and fill out a form. This tent was roped off with signs stating "Band Members Only". Without my knowledge or consent, this was an order form that my son was filling out. In no way did I approve or consent to this contract. Now we are receiving invoices from Tri-Star, addressed to my 15 year old son, threatening to go to a collection agency. As far as I am aware, you cannot have a minor sign a contract without parental consent. I have tried to contact Tri-Star 3 times now with no success in getting a response (either by email or phone). I am asking that they clear this account and my son's name.Desired Settlement: I am asking that Tri-Star clear this account and my 15 year old son's name associated with this account and a letter stating this has been completed.

Business

Response:

Good Morning [redacted],

Review: My 16 year old daughter attended a band event in Texas and filled out a card provided by Tri-Star event photo and she did not realize that this was an obligation to purchase a photo. She tried to return the photo within the allotted time frame but was told that she could not return the photo and owed $22.45. Since then she has been harassed with threatening collections letters from the is company. What kind of company preys upon minors and does business by asking them to enter into contract that they in good faith know that mom and dad will simply just write a check and make go away. This is unethical and in some cases illegal.Desired Settlement: I would like Tri-Star to accept the return of the this photo that my child did not want and contractually was not legally authorized to enter into and to stop sending letters to my child.

Business

Response:

We have spoken with [redacted] in regards to this miss-communication. The order has been cancelled. There will be no further bills sent.

Review: We started receiving collection notices for a bill and had no idea what it was for. The only website I can find for them (http://tristarphoto.com) does not appear to be set up for a legitimate business. I only do business with photographers that offer secure online payment options with clearly delineated terms of service. From this point forward, we'll be looking for acceptable privacy policies as well. I did not approve an order or agree to purchasing anything from this company to my knowledge. I do not recall receiving photo(s) from Tri-Star. Apparently, Tri-Star was at a mandatory middle school band event at the end of last school year taking photos of students from all the schools that participated. The representative had the students fill out forms with parents information (name, address, phone #). I did not attend the event with my child and he did not question what an adult was telling him to do. We DO NOT need photos from 20 photography companies each school year.Desired Settlement: Requesting a formal apology letter from this company for obligating my minor child to enter into a contract for service without my knowledge or consent and wrongfully providing my minor child's name, home address, and phone number for collections activity. The letter needs to acknowledge they will cease and desist collections activities for photo(s) I don't want and never ordered. The letter must provide suitable documentation for removing negative information in the event any of our credit reports reflect anything related to this matter.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Review: Tri-Star Photo took photos of bands at a competition. They asked the members of the band to fill out a form stating that they would send an order form to them. This was a trick! They sent a card in the mail later, which we did NOT fill out. A few days later, we received photos and a bill in the mail. We did NOT order these photos, neither do we want them. In checking with other parents of band members, they also received unsolicited photos in the mail. I have e-mailed Tri-Star and let them know I am not happy with their business practices and that they need to send me a prepaid label to return these photos. Instead, we keep getting bills and collection notices in the mail. I want this to stop!!!Desired Settlement: I want them to send a label and pick up the photos from us and I want the harassment over collections to stop.

Business

Response:

We have emailed [redacted] and have addressed her concerns, we hope that our email has resolved her outstanding observations.

Review: Tri Star provided their service at a band event my daughter attended and photos were shipped. They are now sending bills in my daughter's name ([redacted] Account: [redacted] demanding payment.

I actually liked the photos so have been attempting to call and pay for these over the phone since I will NOT mail my credit card number and information through snail mail - nor do they allow for online payment via their website. They do NOT return calls - and are now threatening collections.

At this point - STOP sending the bills - the contract was illegal as it was made with a minor child. The company has had many opportunities to return my numerous calls in the attempt to make payment. At this point, with the time I've wasted attempting to reach them numerous times, at my current salary of 27.86/hr they have wasted more of my time than the pictures are being billed at are worth.Desired Settlement: I'm not wasting any more time attempting to pay via phone.

They can close the account and write off the cost of the photos.

Business

Response:

Hello,

We have contacted Harriet by email and have addressed her concerns.

The account for [redacted] has been cleared and the complaint has been resolved.

Thanks,

Review: I have tried to contact Tri-Star because of some damaged pictures that I had received in the mail. I have left 3 messages with the information needed for them to call me back at. I then went to read up on them on the Revdex.com and to my surprise it was not good news either."D+" and terrible reviews. How does this place stay in business????????Desired Settlement: My daughter is a senior and this is part of her keepsake photo's !As a senior these photo's are memories to her and it's something she will always look back on.Everyone's past is important....I want the photo's replaced.

Business

Response:

Hello [redacted],

We have talked to [redacted] and have explained to her that we will be shipping out replacement photos for the ones she received that were damaged by the US Postal Service. This does happen from time to time with US Postal Services.

[redacted] also expressed a delay in us responding to her. This is due to it being a peak period during the school year where we are fielding thousands of phone calls.

At this point [redacted] has been taken care of.

Regards,

Customer Service

Tri-Star Event Photo

Review: This organization took group photos at a school band competition that my 14 year old daughter attended. An invoice addressed to her arrived in the mail. That she is a minor was ignored, nor was she aware she ordered any photos.

In spite of our lack of true ordering, my young daughter now received threat of collection actions. It is illegal to enter into a contract with the minor and it is illegal to threaten collections for a minor.

It is realistic to expect that most of the participants at a school event would have been under the legal age, let alone aware of the deceptive way this was presented to the students.Desired Settlement: This company is to stop threatening my 14 year old daughter with collections and is to cease contacting us entirely.

Business

Response:

To the Revdex.com,

We have called twice Mr. [redacted] and have addressed his concerns, we hope that our call has resolved his outstanding observations. This purchase from his daughter has been cancelled.

Review: My son, a minor, was solicited to purchase photos under pressure. We, the parents were not informed of this purchase in advance. I could not reach anyone via phone. A message was left for the company to call us, they did not. Thus, printed on the bill is the statement "Cancel or Change order within 7 days of event. Well, if Tri-Star doesn't answer phone calls, then, by default, no orders can be canceled or changed. That could be considered false advertising. Or deceptive practices. The minors are locked into a bill that can't be cancelled or changed.Desired Settlement: I require that the order be cancelled.

Business

Response:

We received a message to cancel the order yesterday and attempted to call and confirm the cancellation. However, there was no answer at the number provided or any means to leave a message. With the complaint filed today, we were able to follow up with the email that was provided to let Mr. [redacted] know we had cancelled the order.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. The Revdex.com works and serves a purpose. Thank you very much.

Regards,

[redacted]

Review: The company coerced my 12 year old daughter into placing an order for their pictures at an orchestra event where parents were not present. They did not allow for a confirmation from the parents and just sent the picture with a bill. When I tried to reach them multiple times, they did not answer their phone or return my messages.Desired Settlement: I would like to see their policy changed to allow for the parents to be the ones that enter into a contract with them instead of a minor.

Business

Response:

Hello [redacted], Let me extend my deepest apologize for any

misunderstanding or mishandling that we might have caused with your daughter

ordering photos at her Choir event and I would like to try to alleviate any

further distress.Tri-Star Event Photo is a nationwide based photography

company that has been in business for over 15 years providing group photos for

Elementary, Middle School, Jr High and High Schools in a multitude of States

throughout the United States. In every State and School District that we

provide our services the process of ordering on site has not changed in over

decade. To be in the business to take advantage of children would not be in our

best interest as this would have jeopardized our business model at the outset.

What Tri-Star Event Photo does at each site where we provide group photography,

during the school year, is we give the students participating in the photo the

opportunity to place an order to take home to their parents. What is explained

on site to the student is to ask their parent (or guardian) if this order can

be made. What we tell the child, if by chance their parent does not want the

picture the child has ordered - instructions are given as to how they can

cancel the order - by email, fax or by phone via our 800 number with no further

obligation. I have also attached for your convenience our policy concerning

Order Instructions that our photographers abide by and also our Return Policy.It is not in our best interest to have our Photographers

instruct each child participating that they MUST fill out an order form before

they leave the event or that we take names and addresses of each child. Only a

small number of students order and the rest of the choir do not. What we try to

provide is an opportunity for an order to be placed so that each parent if not

attending has the opportunity to order this choir memento of the MPA Choral

Festival, in this case we do have a filled order from your daughter -----.

When the order is placed by the student having in mind his/her parent can cancel,

the option is left wide open for each parent to choose to have a their child’s

choir photo or not by call or emailing (as you did) in a timely manner or just

sending the photo back. We have found this to be the best way in getting the

photo out to the parents with the opportunity to cancel with no obligation.Tri-Star Event Photo makes a large contribution to the

MPA Choral Festival organization so to help bring orchestras, choirs and bands

from all over the New Mexico area to these State Festival - this is able to

help your child and others to be able to have an enjoyable experience at the

Festival.We have so many wonderful compliments from parents around

the New Mexico state and the United States expressing their happiness to be

able to get such a wonderful memento of their children at events that many

parents cannot attend.Again I am so sorry that this somehow has caused a

negative feeling to the overall experience of you and your daughter at the MPA

Choral Festival. Our contribution is designed to create a cheerful memento for

the children and parents - taking home with them a great snapshot of their

experience at the MPA Choral Festival.In light of this it is important that I make sure you are

cared for and you understand we have the best of intentions when it comes to

your child. As a father of 3 I can understand how one can become protective and

worrisome when children are on a field-trip and unexpected things can come about

without us there. I want to assure you that our business is only geared to the

best intentions to help provide a snapshot of a happy time for the kids for

every parent to have.At this point you have been left with a wonderful photo

of ----. Feel free to call me anytime if you have any further questions

[redacted].Be assured that you can order in the future if you wish,

but if you wish not to please let ---- know not to order in the future so

not to hassle with cancellation.

Regards,VICE PRESIDENT

Review: Tri-star Event Photo has a huge issue with taking school/event photo's of kids and not having the parents aggree to getting the photo's. They come take the pictures and just bill the kids for it. Now my 16yo daughter has been getting Collection Notices in the mail. Underage kids cannot consent to this "contract" requiring them to be liable for the price of the photo's. Very un-ethical.Desired Settlement: Stop sending Notices to my daughter.

Business

Response:

Hi [redacted],

Review: My 15-year old daughter was at a band tournament in Utah and was told to fill out a form after her marching band's photo was taken. She brought the form home, showed me, and I immediately called the company, speaking with an actual person. The form she was given was an obligation to purchase. This is an underage child who doesn't have a job, and I was not about to pay for a picture I didn't order! I informed the man that I didn't want the picture sent, that I didn't order it, and my daughter didn't have my permission to place the order. The picture was sent anyway, even AFTER I called to cancel the order. I have called repeatedly and haven't been able to speak with an actual person since that initial call. I have left messages requesting a cease and desist since they are trying to send my MINOR to a collections agency! I am making sure that all of the school districts within this state are informed of the FRAUDULENT company practices, and how they send invoices to UNDERAGE children.Desired Settlement: I want this company to stop sending threats of collections to my daughter and to leave us alone. I want them to not contact us ever again, and to stop their fraudulent activity. If the PARENT does not order the picture when the picture is taken, DON'T SEND THE BILL TO THE CHILD!

Business

Response:

We have contacted Mrs. [redacted] and have let her keep her child's photo at no charge and have apologized for any misunderstanding.

I have tried calling Tri Star Event Photo and have never had someone pick up the phone. Paid for pictures, can show a cancelled check, but never received the pictures.