Follow up on possible local scam

BRAZIL, Ind. (WTHI) - News 10 first brought you this story on Tuesday when Peter Choyman of Brazil, Indiana said Lrumar Publications out of Falcon, Colorado was selling magazines door-to-door in Brazil last Sunday.

Choyman said he purchased one magazine and when the salesman left, he noticed his wallet had been stolen.

News 10 spoke with the owner of the company Kevin Davis on Wednesday. He claims his Lrumar Publications is not a scam and the stolen wallet is an isolated incident.

Lrumar Publications owner Kevin Davis said he's been in business 1988.

"You can google the company and we have two items on there, one is from the Better Business Bureau, one is from Yreka, California and one is from you news station," owner Kevin Davis said.

News 10 went to the Better Business Bureau website and found that Lrumar Publications is not accredited with the BBB.

In fact, it has a rating of an "F" with 16 complaints with five of those unresolved.

We also found the company listed on the "Caution List" of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado; meaning they have failed to respond to the complaints.

The newspaper article in Yreka, California said a resident was concerned he may have been scammed because he never received his magazine.

"A member of my company called Chief Brian Bowles in Yreka, and this is one incident and come to find out we did research the guy wrote us a bad check so he didn't receive any magazines," Davis said.

News 10 called the Chief of Police Brian Bowles in Yreka, California. He emailed us this statement, "In regards to the New paper article dated Tuesday June 16, 2009. I have not spoken to the owner or employee of Lrumar Publications about this incident."

As for the alleged theft in Brazil, Davis said he is working with the Brazil Police Department.

"What I know at this point is that we have a wallet that's been stolen, some body's been accused and we're tracking that down," Brazil Police Chief David Archer said.

Chief Archer told News 10 the company did not have a soliciting permit for the city of Brazil. Instead, the company had a permit for the city of Spencer.

News 10 also spoke with the victim, Peter Showman Thursday who claims the check he wrote to the company was cleared on Monday.