(WSVN) - She paid for plastic surgery, but the clinic cancelled the surgery and would not return her money. When things got even stranger, she called Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser to see how they operate.
No one can take care of you. You have to do it yourself.
Aretha does.
Aretha Wilkerson: “I do like to do myself up nice. I don’t want to get wrinkles and stuff.”
But of course, the years are always fighting to age you, and Aretha felt like she was losing that battle.
Aretha Wilkerson: “Everybody else has a flat stomach, so I want to get a flat stomach, you know.”
Aretha’s husband then paid $4,500 to make it happen.
Aretha Wilkerson: “I was getting liposuction and tummy tuck. So I was so excited.”
Aretha lives in New York, but decided to have to have the plastic surgery in South Florida at a place two relatives had it done.
Aretha Wilkerson: “They have it in New York, but I love Miami, so that’s why I came down here to Miami.”
Aretha arrived at Miami International Airport, headed to the surgery center and walked in the door.
Aretha Wilkerson: “I got on the scale, and then the lady is like, ‘Oh, you’re too big, you need to lose 30 pounds.'”
Aretha had paid for a trip for nothing, to a surgery center which, she said, already knew her weight.
Aretha Wilkerson: “‘Because I sent you my [body mass index]. I sent you everything that you asked for.'”
She flew home, and the irritation turned to anger when the center wouldn’t return her $4,500 after refusing to do the surgery.
Aretha Wilkerson: “She told me that the check was in the mail, so I just had to wait. All right. I waited; the check didn’t come.”
Months went by. No check.
So Aretha decided to fly back to Miami and asked us to go with her to help get her $4,500.
Aretha Wilkerson: “To come there, confront them, tell them, ‘Just give me my money back.’ That’s what it was.”
If she was angry when she got here, she was stunned when she got to Adore Plastic Surgery.
Aretha Wilkerson: “It was a building with no name and no furniture, no nothing.”
The sign showed Adore had been evicted, shutting the door on Aretha’s attempt to get her $4,500 back.
Aretha Wilkerson: “Oh, my God. My stomach. I could’ve collapsed.”
And it’s why Aretha called from New York for Help Me Howard.
Aretha Wilkerson: “Because I knew they would help me.”
Well, Howard, legally where does Aretha stand?
Howard Finkelstein, 7News legal expert: “If a clinic decides to not do your surgery, they have to return your money, meaning Aretha is entitled to get $4,500 back. But here is the problem. In Florida, if a company goes out of business and has no assets, in most cases you’re not going to get your money, and you are out of luck.”
We tried to contact the owners of Adore Plastic Surgery and got nowhere.
We then spoke to the plastic surgeon who was supposed to operate on Aretha.
That worked. He apparently made a phone call.
The next day, an employee who worked for the owner of Adore called us and said the $4,500 was being wired to Aretha.
It was.
Aretha Wilkerson: “I couldn’t have gotten done without you.”
Mike Wilkerson, Aretha’s husband: “At all. Help Me Howard helped us.”
Aretha Wilkerson: “Yes, yes, yes.”
Aretha has her money back, but it won’t be spent on a tummy tuck.
Mike Wilkerson: “I told her I love her as she is.”
Instead, the couple has another plan
Mike Wilkerson: “Her birthday is in August, so we’re going somewhere. We’re going out of the country somewhere to enjoy the money.”
Have fun, and glad we could help you get that money.
Now, if the plastic surgery center doesn’t do the job, as Howard said, you get your money back.
But if you cancel, it depends on the contract. You might get some money back, or you might not get any, so read that contract before you sign it.
Can’t keep abreast of a problem? Need to implant a solution into your life? No ifs, ands or butts. A little nip and tuck from us, and you’re on your way.
With this Help Me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
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