On 1/12/05, this very same thing happened to me. My own fault was not checking out the company prior to the transaction. My gut told me that something was fishy when JD Leblanc (the Closer) gave me a general email address through Yahoo.com. There was no talking about guaranteed satisfaction of the program that you can get a refund if desired. Once I got the contract in the mail, my gut told me that it just didn't feel right, but I was thinking of the money I would be making very soon, being my own boss and such. My head was filled with dreams and not paying attention to the turning in my stomach about this whole transaction.
I started to do a background check of this company and was so disappointed in my decision and felt even worse for letting myself being taken advantage by a smooth talking promoter and scam artist. It didn't stop there. Remember that these people are no better than the School-Yard-Bully' and you can stand there and cry about him taking your lunch money (money that could feed a family of 12 for a year in an impoverished country) or go tell the school yard monitor or your teacher and any one else that can draw attention to that Bully. Keep in mind that this Bully will not get away with your lunch money. That is why I was willing to start my barrage on them to get my money back and get out of their program within three business days.
First, what I did first was email JD, using the email at Yahoo that he had given me, that I had concerns and for him to contact me as soon as possible. JD is very good because he made sure not to reply to my email, for me to have a concrete proof of communication with him.
Second, I faxed them a letter of cancellation to the same fax number that I faxed the contract. Third, I had to wait until Monday (1/17) to got to the postal services to send them a cancellation letter by overnight mail with signature required.
Fourth, I contacted my credit card company and got connected to the fraud department. If their company has not accepted the transaction, the only things they can do are close out your credit card account and issue another one. That was my situation. I was told that I would have to dispute the transaction when I got my statement in the mail and to fill it out and mail it in. I felt that this would be too late. I didn't want this company to close its doors and pick up their tent and move to another town.
Fifth, I contacted JD directly and told him that I was canceling out of his program. His response was, No you're not going to do that and continued with All deals are final. Now, how can one tell you that? Remember that he is being the School-Yard-Bully and of course he is going to tell you that. He is not selling me a car, which in Utah they don't have the three business day cancellation on automobile sales, but to have no cancellation policy at all on any program. How can anyone verify that their program will do what they claim it will do and allow the consumer some recourse if it fails to perform?
I kept my eye on the delivery of my package and saw that it did arrive at their location, but it was refused. If you believe that a reputable company would accept your letter, you would be correct, but if one does not accept it then that tells you that your gut was right and this company is not reputable.
Sixth, I contacted my lawyer. Yes, it is best to have the law on your side and to make sure you have all the i's dotted and t's crossed. Fax or deliver what you have with a short statement of what happened, conversations, times and dates, and any names you may have with phone numbers so when your lawyer calls them he knows what is going on. Stay out of any contact with that company once you bring in a lawyer. You don't want he said this or that coming up when your lawyer is trying to clean this up for you.
Seventh, check for the laws in that state and county where they do business. The key thing is to make some noise. One thing a non-reputable company doesn't want is people to make noise about them doing something wrong. Remember, he/she is just a Bully and can be stopped in picking on you and others. Just make sure you do it legally. NO need to harass them with threats and demanding your money back or else statements. Just see what rules their business has to obey. Be with the laws and conduct yourself accordingly. They have to follow the rules with customers and their complaints. The Better Business Bureau is only there to rebut your dispute with the company but if the company doesn't want to reply to your compliant then the BBB just rates them on dealing with your complaint, as well as others and grades them on their performance. Make a complaint with them as well. There are other places out there that you can research their conduct and business-friendly, in this case not so friendly, dealings.
Eighth, follow up with both your credit card company and with your lawyer only, while still researching this company, via Internet. You want to document this businesses conduct, to you as a consumer, and to ward off others from doing what I had done.
In conclusion, I have gotten my money back before Mentoring of America, LLC, had accepted it. I have not had any other dealings with that company. I believe it was the noise made that I caused them to back off, because they didn't want anyone else to know of their underhanded dealings with their consumers. I recommend that anyone else that has been taken by this company to do whatever you can legally to get your money back, or at least partially getting it back. Any company will deal with you, without an attorney, and tell you that you can't get a refund; but with an attorney you have more legs working for you.
Post your complaints on the Internet sites that monitor scams and companies that defraud their consumers. Add your well thought-out and detailed complaints to the BBB and state and federal fraud agencies, in your state, as well as the state where the company resided, and follow up with a letter to the registered agent (a company that they're registered with) to make sure that everyone hears what was done and have not received restitution of your complaint. Remember that your goal is to retrieve the funds you have loss, that you were cheated out of, and to warn others of the trap that you had fallen into and were taken by crafty thief.
Make some Noise.
Bruce
Bowie, Maryland
U.S.A.
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