BOSTON -- A common thread ties the lives of U.S. soldiers that goes beyond the war zones where they served. Team 5 Investigates found hundreds of servicemen and women have been cheated out of tens of thousands of dollars by a military outfitter.

Watch Report

Newscenter 5's Sean Kelly reported the Maine-based company called M.A.A.C.S. (Military Accessories and Community Service) is being sued by the state attorney general's office for unfair and deceptive trade practices.

Team 5 Investigates interviewed three soldiers from Massachusetts who spent hundreds of dollars on the store's Web Site but didn't receive all of the merchandise they ordered. They demanded refunds for close to a year but M.A.A.C.S. hasn't paid them back.

"A company that caters to the military and then to take advantage of our trust," said Capt. Troy Townsend.

"It's shameful for them to do that," Capt. Sarah Houmes said.

They've been bogged down in a consumer conflict with an enemy they didn't anticipate. The owner of the store, Allison MacDonald, is a veteran.

"I've begged for my money back," said TSgt. Kristina O'Brien. "It's pretty bad when the owner is promising something and she doesn't follow through."

They said the company strung them along for months using the same excuse. M.A.A.C.S. claimed their supplier wasn't giving them enough uniforms, the three soldiers said.

"I probably have a trail of about 30 e-mails from about four different people in the company all telling me a check will be issued soon," Houmes said.

Team 5 Investigates discovered these soldiers are not alone. According to the Better Business Bureau, M.A.A.C.S. is one of the top 10 most complained about businesses in New England. The BBB received almost 500 complaints against the store from soldiers stationed all over the world. Collectively, they're out an estimated $75,000. The majority of those complaints are unresolved, according to the BBB.

Team 5 Investigates went undercover posing as prospective customers to find out more about the company. A sales representative gave us a tour of the operation. He blamed most of the company's problems on an eight-month backlog caused by their uniform manufacturer.

"It's really buried a lot of people," said Joe Hughes from M.A.A.C.S. "They just say you'll get it when you get it."

Team 5 learned that's not true. There is no backlog, according to the Air Force and other uniform suppliers.

"Have you had any trouble getting these uniforms?" Kelly asked Army Barracks store owner Steve LoPilato.

LoPilato: "No."

Kelly: "So you're not aware of any backlog?"

LoPilato: "No problem."

"The real unfair trade practice here is not necessarily we couldn't deliver what we promised because that happens to a lot of businesses," said Jim McKenna from the Maine Attorney General's Office. "But taking the money and not giving it back, that's a problem."

McKenna says no one from M.A.A.C.S. has responded to the Maine attorney general's lawsuit.

Team 5 Investigates tracked down the company's owner to get answers.

"Why won't you give all these people their money back?" Kelly asked MacDonald inside her store.

MacDonald: "We have. Over a quarter of a million dollars."

Kelly: "You've written checks to all of these military personnel?"

MacDonald: "They've either gotten refunds through their credit card company or we actually have done refunds."

MacDonald ordered Team 5 Investigates to leave the store but later e-mailed a list of hundreds of customers' names who she claims received refunds.

"She made it very clear to us that she's paid all these people back. Is that the case?" Kelly asked McKenna from the AG's office.

"We don't have any confirmation of that," McKenna said. "We're going to court and we're going to try to get them to be forced by court order to pay all this money back."

McKenna said he's uncertain about whether M.A.A.C.S. will be forced to pay back every customer who demanded a refund or didn't get their merchandise.

Team 5 Investigates learned the company defaulted on the lawsuit and a court hearing will be scheduled to determine how much they will be forced to pay.

The owner of MAACS claimed that in addition to refunding everyone's money, she also offered a 20 percent store credit toward future purchases.