I receive written advertisements aimed at real estate professionals. One arrived in the mail from your company called Focus on Foreclosures. It was for a FREE FORECLOSURE WORKSHOP on Sept 8th. At the workshop, they offered 3 days of training in foreclosures, pre-foreclosure financing, assumptions and short sales techniques and strategies. It was $199, scheduled to begin on Sept 29th and end on Oct 1st, from 9:00 am to 5:30 pm.
I paid with a Master Card, signed a receipt and received a Student Binder.
I arrived on the first training day with another student. We received a 79 page Instruction Book. The instructor began to describe the curriculum for the following three days. All was as advertised. We were instructed not to ask questions during the class. And business cards were not allowed to be exchanged. Any type of recording device was strictly prohibited. We thought nothing of it at the time. We were encouraged to return after the lunch break with tantalizing information about the strategies we came to learn. It was well organized and the "instructors" were polished speakers.
When we returned, the instructor talked about other training services offered by another company. The Wealth Intelligence Academy. This information was mixed with little useful knowledge, and never really got into the specifics before jumping to another topic. Students were reminded to write down their questions and not to interrupt. The instructor quickly jumped around in the instruction book from one subject to another and back again. But, we were given hope at the beginning of each break that they were about to deliver what we came for. The same approach was used to encourage us to return for the second day.
On the second day, I was informed I would not need the Student Binder received on Sept 9th. The instructors picked up were they left off. Talking on and off the subject of our main interest. They offered a mentoring service costing over $9,000, mixed with very little information about foreclosures and a one short sale techniques.in the afternoon of the second day, the trainers became presenters for a company called the Wealth Intelligence Academy. A company I had never heard of. Many of the students were already mentored members of the academy. We agreed to come back the next day to see if this was indeed what we found. After all, we paid $199.
On the third day, the instructors were actively selling these additional services and there was no more talk about the way foreclosures worked or how we could help our clients. The same mentoring academy was offered throughout the day. Mixed with less and less actual useful information until there was no need for the Instruction Book received on the first day.
As it turns out, this was a Whitney organization. Russ, you should have screened for people who were attending this sale rally. We told the instructor, Jena, we were real estate agents with over 20 years experience. I have been a real estate instructor myself.
It took a lot of guts to get us signed up for this training. If I am ever instructed not to ask questions during a class, I'll be concerned. At the free event, I was offered everything I needed to satisfy the my Educational Requirements. You just flat out lied.
On the next business day following the event, I called the Wealth Intelligence Academy company located in Florida and learned they were part of the Russ Whitney Education Group. Had I known this, it would have had a big impact on my decision and I think you know it. That is deceptive. I had been the victim of a bait and switch operation. There was no mention of a student agreement until it was too late. Who needs a student agreement? A thief does! When I confronted the company about the classes, the student agreement became a receipt for the Student Binder, and nothing more. Am I to understand there were no classes? All the promotional mail said I was purchasing Real Estate Training. I had no reason to believe otherwise.
At the time, the student agreement was presented as a Master Card Receipt and was quickly tucked away. When you receive your student agreement, you give up all your rights to a refund under every circumstance you could think of. You have three days to cancel the purchase. But, you are forced to wait 21 days before you can see and inspect what you paid for. This TIME LAG was created for only one thing. To prevent anyone from asking for a refund. Corporate laws were not intended to protect this kind of deceptive business practice. Within hours the Whiney band was thousands of miles away. And not even a business card was allowed to be exchanged.
Is any of this incorrect Russ Whitney? Do you want me to change any of it? Probably not! Soon there will be a class action law suit to add to history stories.
Get Involved, Send your story to [email protected] and you will be a member of this class action law suit, and win the next round with Russ Whitney.
Send your letter to the florida state attorney general
Mr. Larry Schuchman
Senior Financial Investigator
Office of the Florida State Attorney General
135 W. Central Blvd.
Orlando, FL 32801
RE: Focus on Foreclosure, and the Russ Whitney Groups
Dear Mr. Schuchman,
Thank you in advance for giving this issue the attention it needs.
A copy of my Oregon complaint file was recently sent to your office from the Oregon Department of Justice. I have mailed my Florida affidavit to your office today.
My complaint:
Denial of Consumers Right to Cancellation.
When a legal Consumers Right to Cancellation expires in 3 days, and it takes 21 days to view and question the purchased product, it becomes a Time Lag created to compromise those consumer rights.
As a trained Realtor, of more then 12 consecutive years, with intimate experience in Foreclosures, Short Sales, HUD, Bank Owned, Trustee and VA Owned properties, I know the Focus on Foreclosure company never got into the details of the subject of foreclosures on Sept 8th. The real intentions of the Focus on Foreclosure Company were designed to go undiscovered, until after our Consumer Rights to Cancellation had expired.
Sincerely,
Your Name
To participate in the federal class action suit against Russ Whitney and Companies, Send your email and your story to [email protected]
PS. Current Whitney investigations:
Whitney Information Network, Inc. Receives Notice of SEC Investigation
Nov. 21—Whitney Information Network, Inc. Announced today that on the evening of November 14, it had been notified by the Securities and Exchange Commission that the Commission was conducting a non-public investigation to determine whether the Company has violated any securities laws in connection with (i) the efficacy or trading success of the Company's stock market education programs, and, (ii) the Company's acquisition of certain other companies. The Company intends to provide the Commission with any requested information.
Whitney Information Network, Inc. Receives Grand Jury Subpoena
Dec 15 Whitney Information Network, Inc. Announced today that the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia has notified the Company that it has commenced a grand jury investigation into certain of the Companys marketing activities. The Company received a subpoena on December 11 in connection with this investigation requesting documents and information from January 1 to the present relating to its marketing activities. The Company intends to cooperate fully with this investigation.
Separately, the Company also announced today that it intends to withdraw its EduTrades, Inc. Registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Whitney Information Network, Inc. Announces Departure of Officers
Dec. 19—Whitney Information Network, Inc. Announced today the termination of employment of Nicholas S. Maturo, President and Chief Operating Officer and Rance Masheck, Vice President, Sales and Marketing of EduTrades, Inc. (a subsidiary of the Company).
Pps.
THESE SEEM TO BE THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE
1. Fail to reveal a material fact
2. Be unfair, unconscionable, and deceptive in your Trade Practices
3. Cause a probability of confusion or misunderstanding
4. Create gross discrepancies between your oral representations and the facts.
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