Call Kurtis: Producer Matt's Favorite Stories of 2013

WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) -- This year was a busy one for Call Kurtis, and this week CBS13 is revisiting some of the most popular stories of the year.

This year, Call Kurtis tracked down an evasive business owner operating illegally, and dug into millions of public records to uncover some banks that foreclosed on families skipping out on property taxes. It also uncovered major appliance retailers charging customers for parts that were unnecessary.

Consumer-investigative producer Matt Schrader went undercover to track down an illegal business that wouldn't return customers' furniture -- Coleman's Upholstery of Roseville.

Customers claimed owner Jerry Coleman took their furniture and then stopped returning their calls for months.

"Is there a reason you're doing business without a license?" Schrader asked when Call Kurtis tracked him down.

"I am doing [business with] a license," Coleman said.

"You have a license, with whom?" the producer responded.

Coleman didn't respond, but Call Kurtis learned he didn't have a business license or the required registration with the state.

We began looking into Coleman's Upholstery after Cindy Poonamallee complained she had paid him upfront to repair her chair, but she said he stopped returning her calls.

"I felt like a sucker," she told CBS13.

That's because in 2011 Call Kurtis did its first report how the same thing happened to Robert and Genevre Good.

"What took you so long to repair this woman's chair?" Schrader asked.

"No comment," Coleman replied.

In both cases, the customers ended up eventually getting their furniture.

Coleman is still is not licensed with the state, although his business phone number is still working.

Housing advocate Vivian Richardson wasn't happy to hear we found banks across the Valley had failed to pay property taxes on houses they foreclosed on.

"An absolute slap in the face," she said. "It is absolutely ridiculous."

Our investigation uncovered more than $3 million dollars in unpaid property taxes and fees that could help cash-strapped counties.

But the banking industry didn't think it should have to pay the back taxes.

"It's the homeowner's responsibility," said Beth Mills of the California Bankers Association.

"You think the counties should be going after the homeowners who were foreclosed upon for that money," consumer investigator Kurtis Ming said.

"Correct. They were the owners of the property at that point," she said.

But county tax collectors said banks are ultimately responsible for these taxes and will have to pay them before they can sell these properties.

Call Kurtis caught several big box stores selling customers equipment they didn't need.

Brian Kirk said Lowe's told him he needed a washing machine hose, but one came with his machine.

"It definitely says it's included," he told Call Kurtis.

We went undercover.

"I need to buy the rubber hose?" our undercover producer asked at Best Buy.

"Yeah," said the worker. "It's $29.99."

Our investigation found Best Buy, Sears, Lowe's and Home Depot all sometimes charged for hoses that came standard with certain washing machines, upsetting consumer attorney Ian Barlow.

"I'd be infuriated if this happened to me," he said.

After we got involved, each store promised to refund anyone sold hoses they didn't need.

"Look at your instructions," Kirk said. "Look what's included. Don't trust everybody."

The Department of Consumer Affairs says it's still trying to track down Coleman. An official said it may become a matter for the Attorney General's office.