I contracted Synergy Pro Consulting in the hopes of getting a grant. There were a number of red flags along the way that should have warned me of impending disaster. The first one was, that upon receiving my information package, I had only 3 days to cancel to get a full refund (had to give them $1000 down just to get started). I received my information package 4 days after the date that was shown on the contract page that was included in the info pack.
I was assigned a 'coach', and was supposed to get seven 1/2-hr coaching sessions, but was lucky to get 20 to 25 minutes.
There were 3 different occasions when I had e-mailed questions or concerns for my coach, but NEVER received a reply.
To top it all off, for a fee of $5350, I had to do ALL of the legwork. They would NOT research and/or find the grant foundations through which these grant funds would come.
Finally, after almost 2 years, and HUNDREDS of hours searching, I found absolutely NOTHING. I had essentially given up. I finally called their office to cancel, and the woman I talked to was MORE than willing to take the $2196 I had already paid them, and I was told that I could NOT get a refund of any kind because they had not written any grant proposals. WHAT???!!! My contract stated that I could receive a partial refund—the amount I had already paid them, minus the coaching sessions 15%. Seems to me I should have gotten something back.
Then finally, on August 22nd, I went to my bank to sign papers for a small note for a mere $275, that I could NOT receive that small amount of cash because there was a blemish on my credit report because there was a collection notice from Synergy for the remaining $3154 PLUS an additional collection fee of about $300!!! They want ALL their money for doing absolutely nothing except for approximately two hours and 15 minutes of 'coaching'??!!
I checked them out on the Better Business Bureau site about a year ago, and found that they had 50 (that's right—FIFTY) complaints against them. I could see 2 or 3, but 50???!!! This outfit is the consummate ripoff. Not only am I out almost $2200, but NOW I have to fight them to retract this collection, and restore my credit rating!!! My advice is to STAY AWAY— FAR away...
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