Phnom Pehn Jewelry Heng Suntry Theft By Deception at Phnom Penh Jewelry in Fresno CA Owner Heng Suntry and Spouse Fresno California

Lost $4,500.00

What Happened: I contacted Phnom Penh Jewelry on Dec 2016 to inquire about their loan policies for borrow against my gold property. I had a very sentimental gold necklace left to me by my late mother worth about $4500 but to me it was priceless so I was very hesitant to do so but needed the money. I was told by the owner Heng Suntry that their policy would allow me to borrow up to the value of of the gold and pay a 3% interest on it each month for an unlimited amount of time yo be able to not default on the loan.

I agreed and asked to take a $1000 loan out on the gold and paid a months worth of interest from the advance. On Jan 4, I had went in to pay for the 2nd month interest to which they had said that were not able to find my records of being in the shop. When the first transaction took place a month prior, everything was done verbally and no contracts or receipts were exchanged.

Upon my return, they asked for a ticket number to my account for which they never gave me. After a heated argument, the wife came out and said she found my necklace after i had given them my ID like they told me that was all i needed to claim my property back.

I paid for 2 months interest payments and insisted on a document receipt of payment to which they refused citing that "we do not give out receipts in here" and I kept insisting on getting one and the wife wrote out a hand written receipt for me stating that my next payment would be in February 29th of 2017. I returned after Feb 28th to pay my interest payments for the next period only to be told by the owner that it was now March 1 and that i had defaulted on my payments and forfeited my property.

This was clearly a deception and a scam as defined in CA Penal Code 477. Also CA GS Code 21-100 states that ALL TRANSACTIONS MUST BE KEPT AT TIME OF TRANSACTION with information clearly stating price exchanged, ID info, the parties involved, and ALL records can be examined by police officers. When Heng Suntry refused to let me extend my payment, I called the FPD and when questioned by the officers, Heng Suntry yold the officer that I did not have any property with them.

After I showed the officer their written "receipt" they had forgotten that they gave me, they recanted and said that I could come back another day claim my property back because they were closing up shop at that moment. When i had returned the following day, they refused to give me my property citing that i had forfeited my property because i came in March 1 and the deadline was February 28th but on their written receipt they told me that i had until February 29th.

This business is scams locals out of their properties by deceptive practices and emboldened lies. They prey on the poor and vulnerable locals by stating one thing then not honoring it and refuses to abide by CA business codes and conducts and will not give out receipts in any sales or transactions in their jewelry shop, leading to further possibilities that they are probably violating FTC rules and regulations concerning gold exchanges.

They scammed and prey on the elderly as well and people who does not speak English so that they will not be able to fight back or report their scams. I have a police report on this incident to which the local PD told me that it is a civil case but i disagree. This is a criminal case and Heng Suntry is a threat to the community at large and must be investigated and audited per FTC rules and regulations. Phnom Pehn Jewelry violated the following federal and state codes: 15 USC • 45 of the FTC ACT which “prohibits individuals and business to use deceptive and unfair acts or practices in or affecting commerce.” 15 USC 6102 Consumer Fraud and Abuse Act -requires disclosure of total costs, descriptions of the types of services that the transactions are subjected to, all materials restrictions, limitations, or conditions to receive services must be clearly stated” Their failure to meet these FTC regulations amounts to fraud and deceptive marketing. I ask that this report be furnished to the Office of the California Attorney General for further investigations and prosecutions of this case. I’ve found others in the community who can attest to the same deceptive experiences that they received from Phnom Penh Jewelry.