CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Last year, consumers filed more than 14,000 complaints with the Better Business Bureau in Charlotte against businesses across the southern Piedmont. And some of the names, you've heard before.

We first told you about accusations against Sonshine Tours and Travel out of Mooresville back in August.

Dozens of people e-mailed and called us, saying they paid for trips that were later cancelled but never got their money back. Now, the agency is on the BBB's newly released "Dirty Dozen" list.

Overall, the company's former owner, Steve Young, is accused of stealing $650,000 from more than 400 customers.

Detectives say they've turned the case over to the U.S. Attorney's office. The FBI is also working hard to build a federal against the man we exposed.

Here are the top companies the BBB says to look out for:

1. Trinity Public Relations (Charlotte, NC) also doing business as Seedtime Publications (Fort Mill, SC) - Owners, James and Lourdes Davis of Charlotte - This couple operates a door to door magazine sales business that began as Trinity Public Relations in Tampa, FL. After having multiple complaints filed against them with The BBB in West Palm Beach, FL, James and Lourdes Davis moved their door-to-door magazine sales business to Charlotte, NC, although the company sends groups of sales representatives into neighborhoods nationwide. As complaints mounted from consumers across the country who ordered magazines that they never received, Trinity Public Relations was shut down by the NC Attorney General in May, 2007 and prohibited from doing business in NC. James and Lourdes Davis are currently operating their door-to-door magazine sales business under the name, Seedtime Publications, with a street address that leads to a rented mailbox location in Fort Mill, SC. Trinity Public Relations/Seedtime Publications earned the #1 spot on the 2007 Dirty Dozen list because they had 49 unanswered complaints in 2007 and 241 total complaints in the last 36 months. Dirty Dozen Repeat Offender (2005).

2. Sonshine Tours & Travel (Mooresville, NC) and Dream Escapes (Cornelius, NC) - Owner, Mr. Steve Young - Mr. Young operated these two travel agencies in the Lake Norman area and took advance deposits and trip payments from dozens of individuals for cruises, tours and trips. Then, as pressure began to mount from travelers who found out at the last minute that their travel plans had not been booked, Mr. Young abruptly closed both travel agencies in 2007. Mr. Young is now the subject of investigations by the Mooresville Police Department, the NC Attorney General and the U.S. Postal Inspector. The two travel agencies operated by Mr. Young have 24 unanswered complaints in 2007 and 50 total complaints in the last 36 months.

3. Computer City also doing business as Deals Direct (Charlotte, NC) - Owner, Lissa Yan - Computer City/Deals Direct sells electronics and computers over the internet from www.dealsdirectinc.com. Consumers nationwide have filed complaints stating that the merchandise received was not the name brand merchandise purchased. Further, consumers have been unable to reach the company, exchange the merchandise or get a refund. The BBB has two addresses for this business, but mail to the street address has been returned as undeliverable and the second address leads to a rented mailbox in Southeast Charlotte. These two business names have 20 unanswered complaints in 2007 and 22 total complaints in the last 36 months.

4. Accucredit, Inc. and Grantwriting Plus (Hickory, NC) - Owners, Pao Yang and Yer Yang of Hickory - (aliases Kenjei Yang, Ken Yang and Melissa Yang). The Yangs have been linked to four businesses in the Hickory area including Carolina Credit Repair, Accucredit, Inc., Grantwriting Plus and Discount Cars, Inc. Carolina Credit Repair and Accucredit provided credit repair and debt adjusting services until they were closed down by the NC Attorney General in 2007. Grantwriting Plus, a company that provided grant writing services to consumers with the promise that they could obtain government grants for an advance fee, was also closed down by the NC Attorney General in 2007. The fourth business, Discount Cars, Inc. of Hickory, is currently operating. The Yangs are also under investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspector. The four companies operated by The Yangs have 16 unanswered complaints in 2007 and 22 total complaints in the last 36 months.

5. BDC, Inc. (Rock Hill, SC) - Angela Ford, Owner - Ms. Ford operates an internet-based electronics and computer sales business from www.etrofield.com/home.php. Consumers nationwide have filed complaints stating that they were required to pay for merchandise via money order in advance, but never received the merchandise they ordered and could not reach Ms. Ford to get a refund. BDC, Inc. has falsely implied that they are a BBB Accredited Business and has used the BBB logo without authorization. BDC has 15 unanswered in 2007 and 15 total unanswered complaints in the last 36 months.

6. A Pro Tech Home Appliance Service (Charlotte, NC) - Owner, Mr. Therodor Daycor (alias Benny Strafford) - A Pro Tech Home Appliance Service is a small appliance repair service that has previously operated under the names Appliance Services, Pro Tech and Pro Tech Appliance Repair. Consumer complaints focus on the quality of work performed. Mr. Daycor has 10 unanswered complaints in 2007 and 13 total complaints in the last 36 months.

7. Carolina Clean of Charlotte (Matthews, NC) - Erik Johnson, President - Carolina Clean of Charlotte is a carpet and rug cleaning company that is currently in business. Consumer complaints focus on the quality of work performed and higher than advertised prices. Carolina Clean of Charlotte has falsely implied that they are a BBB Accredited Business and they have used the BBB logo without authorization. Carolina Clean has nine unanswered complaints in 2007 and 28 total complaints in the last 36 months. Dirty Dozen Repeat Offender (2005).

8. Instant Install Solutions (Charlotte, NC) - George Scott Compton, Owner - Mr. Compton has operated a home improvement and remodeling business under four different business names including Get It Installed, Get It Installed Fence, Inc., The New Home Handy Man Company and most recently, Instant Install Solutions. Consumer complaints focus on the quality of work performed and taking advance deposits for work that was not completed. Mr. Compton has nine unanswered complaints in 2007 and 27 total complaints in the last 36 months. Dirty Dozen Repeat Offender (2006).

9. ALK Marketing, Inc. (Mooresville, NC) - Owner - "Matt" (no known last name) - ALK Marketing is an internet-based company that sells merchandise through www.ewatchbox.com and is currently in business. ALK Marketing has nine unanswered complaints in 2007 and 11 total complaints in the last 36 months.

10. Place Settings (Matthews, NC) - Mr. Robert J. Marossy, Owner - Place Settings is an internet-based business selling china, crystal, silver and other gifts via www.placesettings.com and is currently in business. Place Settings has eight unanswered complaints in 2007 and 146 total complaints in the last 36 months.

11. Aabies Hair Braiding (Charlotte, NC) - Ms. Aabies, Owner - Aabies Hair Braiding sells hair ornaments and does hair design and is currently in business. This company has eight unanswered complaints in 2007 and 24 total complaints in the last 36 months.

12. Arcade Game Superstore (Charlotte, NC) - President, Mr. Robert Ferguson. This company sells video games, games supplies and barbecue equipment/supplies and is currently in business. Arcade Game Superstore has eight unanswered complaints in 2007 and 22 total complaints in the last 36 months.

"Dishonorable Mentions"

Two companies in the Southern Piedmont area deserve "dishonorable mentions" on the BBB's 2007 Dirty Dozen list. Although they do not have as many unanswered complaints in 2007 as the 12 companies who made the 2007 Dirty Dozen list do, these businesses have drawn attention from the Better Business Bureau and several government agencies.

Mr. Fix-It - (Charlotte, NC) - Owner - James H. Spangler - Mr. Spangler is a home repair contractor currently operating in our area. He has had 14 complaints filed against him with the BBB in the last 36 months under business names including Mr. Fix-It, Home Pros, Home Pro Painting, Home Pro Painters, Home Wurks, Paint-Tech, The House Doktor, Handy Andy and Handy Andy Painting Service. In addition to using nine different business names, Mr. Spangler has used 13 different addresses in Charlotte, Matthews, Waxhaw, Indian Trail, Weddington and Fort Mill and 12 different telephone numbers in the course of doing business in this area. Mr. Spangler also has an extensive criminal history with the NC Division of Corrections with charges primarily related to cheating people out of money.

Nationwide Mortgage Assistance (Fort Mill, SC) - Owner, Alan Steve Seabolt - Mr. Seabolt previously operated two Mortgage Foreclosure "rescue" businesses in NC including Carolina Mortgage Relief (Charlotte) and Mortgage Assistance of the Carolinas (Charlotte) until they were closed down and Mr. Seabolt was barred from doing business in NC by Attorney General Roy Cooper. In 2007, Mr. Seabolt moved his mortgage foreclosure service across the state line to Fort Mill, SC, where he began a similar business under a different name - Nationwide Mortgage Assistance.

Nationwide Mortgage Assistance made national news in September, 2007 when NBC's Today Show did a story on mortgage foreclosure "rescue" scams which featured a victim from Concord who lost her home after contracting with Nationwide Mortgage Assistance to prevent foreclosure. The BBB has also received additional complaints from new victims in NC, the state where Mr. Seabolt has been barred from doing business. In September, 2007, the NC Attorney General won a permanent injunction to prevent Mr. Seabolt from conducting any foreclosure assistance services that involve contacting NC residents. With legal action mounting and nationwide media attention focusing an unwelcome spotlight on Nationwide Mortgage Assistance, Mr. Seabolt abruptly closed his office in Fort Mill in November, 2007. Mr. Seabolt has had 18 total complaints filed against him in the last 36 months.

(The BBB contributed to this report.)