A South Florida investor says an online auction company held onto her money for months, refusing to give it back. After getting nowhere on her own, she turned to Help Me Howard with Brandon Beyer. Dawn Martinez has been investing in real estate for decades. Dawn Martinez: “I started when I w as in my 20s, I bought a house and I just spent time renovating it and that’s how I started.” What began as a way to earn extra cash, turned into a lifelong passion. Dawn Martinez: “I was learning how to change toilets and flooring and all that just by merely undoing it and then redoing it.” When she moved to South Florida and met her husband, the couple began investing together. Eventually buying this waterfront home and then renovating it from top to bottom. In their 25 years here, they’ve added a pool, even a second story. Over the years, Dawn has bought pre-construction properties, foreclosures and auction homes. So when she spotted listings online for homes starting at $5,000, she was intrigued. The properties were listed on a well-known real estate website and hosted by a separate auction platform. To bid, Dawn had to put down a deposit. Dawn Martinez: “Eventually I had $40,000 into this deposit.” She didn’t win the homes she bid on, and according to the company, unused deposits could be refunded within 30 days. Dawn Martinez: “You just request your money back.” And that’s what she did. She says she went back and forth for months. Frustrated, she called Help Me Howard. Dawn Martinez: “I think this is right up your alley, and you seem to be able to get these sticky situations unstuck.” Howard, the company says refunds are part of the process, can they just hold your money for months? Howard Finkelstein: “Once the customer is finished doing business, the company has to return their money within the time specified in the contract. If no time is specified, it must be returned within a reasonable amount of time and in this case, four months is not reasonable.” We reached out to the company about Dawn’s money and the months-long delay. Within days, she got more than just another promise. Dawn Martinez: “The money was on the way, and I waited to see, because I had been told multiple times, and there it was! Help Me Howard pulled through.” The full $40,000 dollars was back in her account. Now Dawn can focus on her next project and relax in the backyard of the home she’s spent decades building, enjoying the view. Howard says before you start investing large amounts of money, do some research. You may come across reviews that steer you in a different direction. Got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how to find us below. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7News. CONTACT HELP ME HOWARDEmail: [email protected]: Brandon Beyer at [email protected]: 305-953-WSVNBroward: 954-761-WSVN ...read more read less