MANILA - The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has padlocked a retail appliance company that allegedly duped over 300 customers, including Vice President Noli de Castro.

On Wednesday, DTI Assistant Secretary Angel Pelayo told reporters that the branches of AOWA Electronic Phils Inc. in Parañaque, Manila and Pasig cities after receiving numerous complaints about the company’s deceptive selling schemes.

The complaints cited the company's sales agents luring buyers into entering their branches by offering gifts or special prices, only to find out that the offered items were actually not free. They could only claim it after buying high-priced products.

Some complainants said AOWA sales agents would ask for their credit cards for identification purposes, but they would find out later that they have already been charged for the supposedly free items.

Among the complainants were Vice-President Noli de Castro and his chief-of-staff, lawyer Jesse Andres, who both claimed they were duped by the company's sales agents at the Home Depot branch on Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City last July.

De Castro said they were offered free bags and other items if they purchase a microwave oven at a price of nearly P50,000.

The vice-president said he and his chief-of-staff found out that they paid more than the supposed prices of the appliances they bought from AOWA.

DTI’s Pelayo said they were unable to stop the company’s operations earlies since the company changed its name to Flameless Concept.

She said they discovered the new tack after one of the DTI representatives saw an AOWA identification card of an employee dumped in a trash can inside the establishment.

She said new charges for violation of the Deceptive Sales Act and Unconscionable Sales Act will be filed against the company.