4 Investigates: New lawsuit against 2 spa businesses in Santa Fe
SANTA FE, N.M. – Three women in Santa Fe are now suing a handful of spa-like businesses that they say charge way more than what they agreed to spend.
They are businesses 4 Investigator Brittany Costello has told you about multiple times, and the new lawsuit even cites her reporting.
We exposed two businesses right next to the Santa Fe Plaza over the last two years. Both accused of high pressure sales tactics.
The new lawsuit is connecting the dots between both of those businesses, saying it’s all part of the same elaborate scam.
The stories are similar:
“Every time I said I had to go, she said, ‘Well, just wait one second.’ She had an answer for everything. For some reason, I just wanted to make her happy.”
Two businesses, similar high-end beauty products with the same type of aggressive approach.
“He was like ‘Oh, where did you get that handbag, it’s so beautiful,’” said Barbara Gerstad from Los Lunas.
In a newly-filed lawsuit, attorney John Day is piecing together what he calls an elaborate hustle.
“It’s a complete scam that’s taking advantage of people who are basically tourists visiting Santa Fe,” said Day.
Santa Fe Spa, Nova Spa, Kamea, Urban Calm. They are all different names for the same businesses Day alleges of swindling tens of thousands of dollars from Santa Fe customers.
“They were applied face products, beauty products and when they’d order them they would find out from the high pressure sales people later they were changed sometimes ten times on a credit card. People were charged $64,000, $28,000, $17,000 when they had agreed to maybe a $64 face cream or some type of lotion,” Day said.
For example, client Jana McKinney, who thought she was spending $2,800. She was charged $28,000.
“It blows my mind. It hurts my heart, because to me, it’s tainted our view of Santa Fe,” said McKinney.
This lawsuit comes less than a month after New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez filed suit alleging violations of the state’s Unfair Practices Act.
So far, the business has not responded to the complaints, and there’s no attorney listed.
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