IPA or International Profit Associates, Inc. Approached our company at the end of January. We are a seasonal business. At the time they contacted us we were in our non-income producing season.in addition, we were suffering from 2 down years in economically poor Michigan. Our liquid assets almost completely spent... We were searching for new and innovative ways to turn our business around.
We informed IPA that we didn't have the money to pay them. Their initial high pressure salesman searched our books and was very aware of that fact. He said, "they would work with us." Their method of working with us was to pressure us to write out a check and post date it a week out. It was impossible to get through to the manager of operations to complain about this practice. I paid $5000. Then it became very clear that we were not getting any usuable information. Our assigned consultant spent a majority of his time telling stories, checking mapquest for nearby restaurants, and downloading generic information from the internet. His focus was on talking us into refinancing our home and determining the business receivables than in providing anything worth $20,000.
I was forced to stop payment on the remaining checks. Now they are threatning to ruin our credit rating and begin a lawsuit against us. We are not the first people to be taken advantage of by this organization. Their practices are criminal and we would be more than agreeable to joining a class action suit against this company.
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