Deseret News | Vacuum salesman is a fraud, police say

Reader comments
Vacuum salesman is a fraud, police say

Grant Olewiler | 10:37 a.m. March 24, 2008

Yes, For a number of years Michael Goldberg has been cheating out both home owners and other central vacuum dealers who he has hired to install the systems. He is wanted in a number of states and has warrants out for his arrest. He has falsely passed himself off as a representative of many manufacturers. As a manufacturer, we would love to see people like this caught and prosecuted. Thank you for making his story public!

melanie | 8:36 p.m. April 13, 2008

I was looking at central vac systems at the Brandon Home & Leisure Show in Brandon, Manitoba Canada on Saturday, Arpil 12. I priced out 3 systems and decided Michael Kozun had the best deal. I gave him my credit card so I could pay half. He would then send the vac to me and I would pay the other half. I went home to do some research on the vac system and found the fraud alert and realized it was him.

Albertan | 5:00 p.m. April 19, 2008

Check your statement. He will likely take two charges, he will tell you the second is a mistake and he will credit it back to you. You will never see your money. His installs are not "free" either.

Comments continue below

Don White | 7:10 p.m. May 16, 2008

I am sad to say I am a victim of Michael Goldberg. He swindled us last summer at the Orlando SE Builder's Conference. We ordered a system to be installed in new construction and never got a thing. I just heard about the fraud alert and contacted my credit card company. They are issuing a refund and would encourage any other persons to contatc your credit card fraud division and ask for a credit.

Stephanie Regis | 5:01 p.m. June 16, 2008

For some odd reason, we also fell victim to M.Goldberg. Not only did he cash our check w/o any system installation, but charged $800 to our credit card 9 months later...

A California Loser

Doug Westphal | 7:27 p.m. Jan. 28, 2009

I also just got taken, we purchased system at the Milwaukee home show and lost out on $2098.00. He apparently is in jail right now and I am in need of another system. We are in rough framing stage and just found out he scammed us. Watch out at these shows.

Mike in Portland, OR | 4:17 p.m. Jan. 30, 2009

Michael Harris Goldberg was arrested at the airport in Portland OR, on Jan 26, 2009.

Susan | 11:28 p.m. Feb. 2, 2009

We too got ripped off at the recent home show in Portland OR on Jan 24th. We paid a deposit of $1039 for a system, and then Goldberg disappeared. It would be great to find out details of his arrest, if anyone can share them.

Tina | 5:42 p.m. Feb. 6, 2009

We purchased a vacuum system from Michael Goldberg at the Ontario, California home show and gave him our credit card number for a $1398.00 down payment. Two days later he came to the house and needed a check because he said they did not take the discover card. Since that time my checking account has had two automatic withdrawels from names I don't know. One last name happens to be Michael. Check your bank statements carefully if you paid him by check. I did end up getting my vacuum, but had to pay the distributor for the vacuum including shipping. I just had the system installed and had to pay the installer $1000.00. I know that I came out better than some, but still got scammed for a lot of money.

Rob | 6:49 p.m. Feb. 6, 2009

This guy is just unbelievable! In May'08 he was arrested and served 60 days in St.John's Newfoundland for a dozen fraud charges across Canada. I was one of his victims at a Lethbridge Trade Show. He followed the same pattern as described in previous comments. I cannot believe that he was even allowed back into the USA with outstanding warrants against him there, let alone continue in his vacuum scams. He is also associated with a D. Kozun, so do not write checks to this person either. His bill of sale is not worth the paper it is printed on, it will contain all your details, but none of his!! Michael Goldberg you should be locked up and have the key thrown away.

I think | 7:21 p.m. Feb. 6, 2009

Sounds like this guy is cleaning up by sucking people in.

Michael Goldberg Hunter | 3:26 p.m. May 4, 2009

I seen Micheal in the hall way into the St. John's court that day, what a pittyful rat - scared because he knew his time was coming and still is - bad. He didn't have much to say that day! lol He spent all of his time in jail before the trial and accured double time for his stay. This man is really low, pathethic and broke. His biggest worry during the whole trial that day was if he was going to get he demonstration vacuum system back. Man you should see him react when one person suggested that we with hold his system. Unfortunately the court system will never keep this guys behind bars. All we can do is to continue to educate all by word of mouth / internet. He also claims that his son plays with the Calgary Hitman??? Not sure if it is true though.

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.