Judge tunes out Cary music store accused of defrauding customers

Attorney General Roy Cooper said Fat Sound Guitar and Musical Co. Inc. collected upfront payments from consumers and in at least 11 instances never placed orders with manufacturers or delivered any equipment. The store also failed to pass payments to owners of equipment that it sold on consignment, Cooper said, noting one instance of a man who didn't get the $1,559 he was owed after his guitar was sold.

Eighteen people have filed complaints with the Consumer Protection Division of Cooper's office against Fat Sound, which went out of business in late 2012, according to various online forums.

Judge Donald Stephens ordered the store and owner Stuart Vries Carter Jr. to refund $38,631 to affected consumers, return all consumer property and cancel any remaining contracts. Cooper said his office is working to collect as much of the judgment as possible.

“When you spend your hard-earned money, you deserve to get what you paid for,” Cooper said in a statement. “Taking money and then giving consumers the run around isn’t the way to do business in North Carolina.”