I believe I have been the victim of a significant telemarketing scam. I am out of pocket $17,500 on 2 different credit cards. I fell victim to this scam, probably because I was desperate to change my life. And these guys are masters at emotional blackmail. Problem was, I thought I was smarter, and I don't know why, but I actually trusted them..
I received a phone call July 30 from Joseph Walsh - a consultant with National Opportunties (their toll free number 1-888-278-0065)- based in Colorado. He enticed me to listen to 7 minute recording, after which I started to feel kind of excited. He was plugging a web based business called Triple Income Opportunity. It was a website offering health insurance, home loans, and online mall and refers other interested clients to sign up for their own tripleio website. I was enticed by the prospect and guarantee that this was a foolproof at home business, and that if I invested in the advertising - as they suggested - I would make lots of money - and would change my life. I paid $539 USD that day.
I got my package, as promised, from National Opp a few days later and I called Customer service as instructed, to put me in touch with my own advertising mentor - who was to be my mentor for the next year - for free. His name was Sean Kacey. Sean called me one and only one time - August 11,09. He told me he worked with a select group of 25 individuals as their mentor. He told me he was a recent father and he didn't wish to take on any more than 25, so he could devote time to his family (the emotional blackmail starts!)
Sean didn't really talk to me for long, and then within minutes he put me in touch with a man by the name of Mike Phillips - a man whom he claimed to have a "special" working relationship with - from a select advertising firm called Worldwide Marketing. Mike reeled me in - hook, line and sinker. He had me writing everything down, taking a pop quiz at the end of his speel, to make sure I understood the marketing campaign, and the comission structure. He made promises of guaranteeing all my start up costs (which he said, I wouldn't have to worry about because they have never had to do that!!! And I BET they haven't!) He said, if WE didn't make money, then they didn't make money!
The advertising was a 1 year campaign with a guarantee of 48,000 page hits to my site in the year - and weekly comissions paid by National Opp - starting within 1-2 weeks of my signing up. Mike told me to expect between $12,000-$15,000/month. Well, I still haven't received a cent, and know that I will never receive anything from them. Except for frustration!
I was also going to be getting an ad aired on national US tv. I did get a copy of the ad, and dealt with a man named Jack McKenzie - who also spoke to me about getting my own domain name (which I came up with myself) but when I called up to critique the ad, as I had been told by Mike to do, I was told that the ad campaign wasn't going to start for another 4 months, and they didn't want to hear my feedback. That was Chris Stevens - he was the only one that ever answered the phone at Worldwide Marketing. Chris told me that I needed to save my money for airing the ad - and he told me I was mistaken if I thought that the cost of the ad airing was already paid for.
I told Chris what Mike had told me: That I pay $15,000 for a one year campaign, and Worldwide throws in $35,000 from a mystery "kitty" fund they have for advertising campaigns like this. And Mike told me to put away 10% of my profits from Oct 1/09 to set aside a pool of money for "NEXT YEAR's" advertising! But Chris was resolute that I had things wrong, and wasn't Chris just a little irritated because Mike "has no business telling people things like that!"
Mike Phillips was so talented in the scam arts that he suckered me out of $15,000 (USD - I'm canadian - so the figure at the beginning is the final figure in Canadian funds.) Mike told me I was going to be part of a "testimonial" group, and he wanted me to keep in regular contact with him - he gave me his direct line - which to this day I have never been able to speak to him - and I have left him messages - when the voicemail was accepting messages - that is! He wanted me to write him my testimonial in November telling him how this business had changed my life! Well, ain't that the truth!!!
I always seem to get stonewalled by the arrogant Chris Stevens. He answers all the calls to the main number. He is arrogant, and completely unhelpful.
I did start to get an uneasy feeling about the whole thing within days of giving them my money, but I held out hope until I read about the exact same thing - even the same names and the exact same stories on usacomplaints.com and Scam.com. I was gutted and almost crying. That was Sept 20/09. My husband has no idea about the mess I am in. This is money I can't afford to lose. We were living on the edge of our financial resources when I signed up... A big part of why this seemed lucrative! God, I wish I had listened to my husband when he told me not to do this! But he has no IDEA how much money they got from me... He still doesn't know!
I sent a cancellation letter to Worldwide Marketing a couple weeks ago - no response. I actually got thru to Chris Stevens. When I tell him the nature of my call there is stunned silence on the other end of the phone. I wonder if he is still there. He says he is looking for the info on the computer! Was silent quite a while. I actually thought he might have hung up. He tells me that he had tried to call and left me a message because "Mike had told me you need help". I told Chris - "no, I don't need help... I want to cancel the agreement and I want my money reimbursed". He claims to not be able to find my Priority US mail package! Strange, for such a tightly organized business!!?? Then, has the audacity to tell me, that irregardless, I have no right to cancel my contract, and no eligibility to get my money back... Certainly not what I was told by Joseph Walsh, Sean Kacey, or Mike Phillips. I told Chris, I hope my credit card companies think differently, and I hope he sleeps well at night, and I hung up.
I signed up thinking I was doing something great to improve things for me and my family - I was in a job that I hated, with no money to spare, and desperate to be at home more with my kids. Now I feel torn apart, and I hate that I am keeping this from my husband, but I can't bear to let him know what a mess I have myself in. HE told me so!!!
I have, and will continue to do whatever I can do to see that justice is served... That I get my money back, and that other people do NOT fall victim to these criminals!
I want this whole thing brought to light, and I want them to be brought to justice, if that is possible!!
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