A Charlotte woman said she got taken for $30,000 while trying to start up a sweepstakes cafe.

Sophia Springs is leasing a space for a sweepstakes Internet cafe. It’s all ready, except for the computers.

“No computers,” she said.

Springs blames BD Technologies, which was supposed to provide the computers and gaming software.

She selected the company online after seeing it had an address in Ballantyne. Springs never went to the office and instead talked to BD Technologies owner Christopher Blake over the phone.

She said he convinced her to wire him payments and deposit money into his bank account.

“Close to about $30,000 in all,” Springs said.

After that, she said, Blake stopped taking her calls.

When Action 9 called his number, a message said it was not in service.  So Action 9 went looking for Blake at his Ballantyne address.

When Action 9 arrived, the manager said a sheriff's deputy and a private investigator also came looking for Blake.

After Action 9 told her the reason for our visit, she said they were shutting down his address immediately.

The BBB has alerted the FTC about Springs’ complaint, but said she should have taken a step back when Blake asked her to wire-transfer money.

“The words 'wire transfer' -- they don’t always spell scam, but there is a high incidence of scam,” Janet Hart said.

Springs is now working to open her sweepstakes cafe using another company that isn't requiring money upfront.

“That will never happen to me again,” she said.