I am not easily fooled and I did my research on these people before ever contacting them. I first contacted FAS back in June to help receive a government grant for starting my business. They were very knowledgeable and helpful. I was in contact with them via phone and email for 1.5 weeks. Michael was the one helping me. Then I was told I would need a "business plan" written to send out to all the companies that would be interested in giving my company a grant. The cost of the business plan was $2400.00. My husband and I scraped all the money we had and emptied out our savings to get this money together with the hopes of returning it when the grant came through. After that check cleared, bam, we never heard from these people. I would call, email and nothing. Finally getting ahold of Jim Sardo one day he said Mike has retired. Hmm right. So he said a new person would contact me in a few days. So again, no phone calls or emails. Then I get a guy named Paul who finally contacts me and says all the paperwork I originally filled out and sent doesn't seem to exist so I would have to resubmit it all. I did. Then again, nothings for months. I call, write and nothing. Finally I get an email for several employees saying they no longer work with FAS and Paul being one of them. So now I have nobody again working on my grant or business plan. I send off another email with harsher words and suddenly I get a guy out of the blue calling me to tell me he has a grant for me but since it was over one hundred thousand I would have to give them another $5000.00 up front for the taxes. Again, if I had that kind of money, why would I be asking for a grant. I refused to give them the money. Now, I am out my $2400.00 and a years worth of hoping for a grant.
I have filed several certified letters to them requesting my money back. As you can imagine, all the letters come back unclaimed. This company is taking our money and it is really unfair! I am told there are a number of companies out there today that are doing the same practice, according to my lawyer.
How can Jim Sardo sleep at night?
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