Fine Art Treasures Gallery ripoff Pasadena California

Fine Art Treasures (www.finearttreasures.net) is deceiving the public on their weekly TV show auction. I purchased a signed Leroy Nieman "portrait of the Leopard" for $530. The appraised value on the TV Screen displayed $12,000. Fine Art Treasures Gallery is promoting "fine art". However, I received a poster print lithograph. The "art" has a copyright in the lower right hand corner. This is not fine art. Fine art certainly does not have printed copyrights. This is an open edition poster print which was not communicated at anytime on the show. They are representing this with extremely high appraised values which misrepresents the quality and value of the item. I asked a staff member if the art was pencil signed and numbered before purchasing, they said yes. however, It is not pencil signed, and it is not numbered.

Nowhere on their show did they communicate a return policy. When I called, they told me that there is no policy for returns, and that it shows "final auction" on the TV at the top of the screen. This does not communicate a "no return" policy. Also, The Painting was sold for $525 at drop of auctioneers hammer and announced it on live tv. When I called I placed a bid for $530 just right after the end, they took took my bid anyway. How is this possible? In the auction business there is something call "shill bidding" to drive up the price. I would like to know who the other bidders are during auction. Be Extremely cautious purchasing anything from this company.

Barry
Brewster, New York
U.S.A.