CHICAGO -- A dental chain that advertised "free exams" and "easy financing" pulled the rug from under hundreds of its patients recently, as its four locations seemingly closed up shop overnight.

Video: Dentist Disappears?

Target 5 has confirmed the Secret Service, concerned with the consumer credit angle, is investigating this dental chain, whose owner is believed to be a former East Coast dentist with a troubled history.

In the wake of the closure is a slew of consumers who financed expensive dental procedures -- some who said they were left with big bills for work never performed.

First-person testimonials with happy endings pepper the Rosewood Dental Web site.

Not so for the real-world customers of this business:

"When I first heard this advertisement on the radio i was like, 'Oh! This is awesome!'" said Eileen Laurer, who added that Rosewood was very helpful when it came to getting outside financing for work she needed. "I thought I could handle that and I was very excited."

But soon thereafter, Lauer said red flags popped up, including a painful partial.

"I couldn't bite down -- it was just sharp pain in my gums," she said.

It was bad patient care followed by no care at all as the Oak Park location she visited -- and locations in Highland Park and Naperville -- went dark.

The man cited as Rosewood's owner, according to Better Business Bureau files, is no stranger to outrageous complaints about dental service.

Gary Anusavice has been sanctioned for a number of violations, including fraud, providing unwanted services, credit card fraud, bait and switch, bill for services not rendered, defrauding and deceiving patients.

Target 5 tried but could not locate Anusavice for comment.

The Illinois Department Of Financial And Professional Regulation said its hands are tied-- it only regulates dentists, not corporations, which is how this business was set up.

At least one finance company involved told Target 5 it will work with affected consumers to make sure they don't pay for services they didn't receive.