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  • Report:  #113910

Complaint Review: Mentoring Institute Of America LLC - Provo Utah

Reported By:
- Randolph, Massachusetts,
Submitted:
Updated:

Mentoring Institute Of America LLC
406 W 5050 N Provo, 84604 Utah, U.S.A.
Phone:
800-266-5664
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good? What's this?
Hi REID and everyone

I think that JOHN BECK MENTORING has REALLY crossed the line this time !!!

I will start by saying that I have been reading the articles in this section since mid June 2004 when my experience with JOHN BECK began.

I saw the infomercial on June 18 & called to order their "course" it cost me $62.44 including S/H charges & it took 3 WEEKS to arrive, a ridiculous amount of time to ship anything nowadays .

Tthe package they sent me didn't contain any useful information & the video tape was just a conversation with john beck discussing buying tax sale properties (very general & quite useless) .

the "books" also didn't contain much if any useful information. I have found much more info on the internet for FREE! in fact I had found information on the internet

that their "course" ** CANNOT WORK IN MY STATE ** (more on this later).

Anyway, on July 1, I called the phone number in the package and you all know that B.S.: the promises of success within 3-6 months, the personal step by step coaching, the opportunity to appear on an infomercial

& putting me on hold for a few minutes while the salesman asks his boss to approve me for coaching, when

In reality he is telling his co-workers that he's got another sucker on the line.

I suspect that unless you are lying in a casket, 6 feet underground you will be approved !

Tthen came the shocker.. an $8960 "investment" was required! At first I wasn't sure what they meant by "investment" until they asked for my credit card number.

Aat first I was didn't want to give my CC number without

doing some research first, but i caved in to the high pressure sales pitch & gave them my CC number (8960 dollars) I figured that I could dispute the charge if it didn't work out .

After the phone call I typed "john beck" into a search engine and ended up here, then I knew I made a BIG MISTAKE .

After a couple of days I called customer service & asked for a refund (pretty funny huh ??) I expressed doubts that their "mentoring" would be of much help buying property, but they convinced me to continue the mentoring program (which hadn't begun yet) & had me sign a COMPLAINT RESOLUTION contract & send it back, which I did .

Since I knew by this time that I would get the run-around from these people & my credit card (BANK ONE) would not even start a dispute process until the $8960 was posted to my acct (it took over a week to show up)

I felt I had no choice but to start the mentoring sessions & see how it goes.

On the third session my mentor (Dave johnson) gave me instructions on how to find forclosed properties, I must first mention that I live in MASSACHUSETTS & I followed my mentors instructions TO THE LETTER but when I began researching buying tax sales in MA, I soon found out that it is IMPOSSIBLE here !!!!!

I will not waste space explaining why (maybe in another message) if anyoneis intrested, but suffice it to say that tax sale properties CANNOT be purchased in MASSACHUSETTS .

Wwell now at least I have some proof for my CC dispute that I didn't get (AN CAN NEVER GET) what I paid for .

So knowing I would get nowhere trying to get a refund from these idiots, I simply faxed them a letter demanding a refund, stating that it was impossible to buy tax sales in my state and links/files on the internet that back up my claim that your mentoring is USELESS to me.

I told them do not call me on the phone, I will only respond to E-Mail messages (never got any) & I was filing a dispute with my credit card company (which I did that same day)

Then I sent the following to my credit card dispute department, the filled out forms that the dispute dept. sent me a copy of the fax that I sent to john beck demanding a refund, and a printout of the message list from this site (not the messages themselves, that would fill up a truck !)

**** IMPORTANT NOTE *******

Tell them that you are disputing the QUALITY OF SERVICE, NOT FRAUD I would say that everyone here voluntarily authorized a credit card charge & nobody here got what they paid an outrageous price for.

Think of it as you bought a shiny new car at a dealer,

signed on the dotted line, paid the money & when you

pulled into the driveway, the wheels fell off !!!

FRAUD is more like looking out at the driveway & seeing a

new car parked there & an invoice saying that your

credit card has been billed $35,000 .

My first dispute was for quality of service my current dispute is for FRAUD as you will soon see .

Mmy CC gives customers 90 DAYS to dispute a charge so ACT FAST ! THE SOONER THE BETTER ! Hope the above advice helps somebody out there .

Unlike some of the unfortunate victims of this scam operation that I have been reading about on this site, I got my money back on AUGUST 16, less than 1 MONTH !!

I breathed a BIG sigh of relief, Its over, I got my money back I decided to eat the $62.44 I paid for the initial package that I ordered & the $100 dollars in 1 month's credit card intrest on the $8960 plus some other expenses & wasted time & file it under lessons learned

but at least I can put this whole ugly situation behind me & get on with my life right ? ? ? WRONG !!!!!!!!

This is where it starts to get very intresting & VERY ILLEGAL !!

I cannot prove that john beck was behind this, but maybe my credit card FRAUD department CAN !(notified on Oct 18).

I was looking at my most recent credit card bill & I noticed 2 charges that I did not authorize OCT 8 for $35.70 and SEPT 17 for 35.70 from "HGI successful invest" so I checked last month's bill & sure as s**t another $35.70 on AUG 27 and, you guessed it !! AGAIN on JULY 23 $35.70 .

I called the 800 number listed on the bill & it belongs to the HUME GROUP & they have their own little corner on this site, including billing CCs without authorization, although the customers actually ordered from them & then tried to return the books & got billed anyway.

I NEVER ORDERED ANYTHING FROM THESE PEOPLE !!! I never ordered their books. I never signed up for a "free" trial. I never visited their website (before OCT 18). I certainly never called them I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF THEM !

Anyway I did get their books on building wealth, within a day or so of getting john beck's $62.44 box o'cow dung.

*** COINCIDENCE ????? ***

I thought it was very expensive junk mail & almost threw it away ! Why would I think otherwise, I didn't order it & no company would just send a bunch of books & software CDs & then charge my CC, right ???

I still have the first package they sent me, but I did throw away subsequent packages (again thinking it was junk mail). Come to think of it I just realized as I am typing this, that there was no INVOICE in the first package that they sent no statement of any kind that they have or will bill me.

It took me 3 months before I noticed the charges,

probably because I was so focused on the $8960 that BECK billed me that the $35.70 charges went un-noticed.

BANK ONE's FRAUD department is investigating this matter

& if/when I find out anything I will pass it along to all

I have had to close my acct & get issued a NEW CARD because of these idiots !!

*** ATTN RIED ***

If john beck DID pass my CC number to HUME GROUP

then this could be the break that you have been looking for to NAIL THESE SCAMMERS TO THE WALL !

By the way Reid, you wonder why the credit card companies don't shut off scam companies when a pattern of fraud is established ?? INTREST CHARGES ! that's why

the ONE MONTH intrest on my $8960 was about $100 & BANK ONE KEEPS IT ! I was told at the beginning that it could take up to 3 MONTHS to resolve this dispute & from what I have read here, it can go MUCH LONGER ! Multiply that by the hundreds of thousands disputes every year & you can see why credit card companies aren't intrested in PREVENTING FRAUD from happening to future victims just dragging out disputes so that they can make more money on the finance charges. If the government passed a law that would not allow CC companies to charge INTREST on disputed charges, you will see credit cards crack down on companies like beck's & Hume PRETTY F#%ING QUICK .

I don't mean to criticize MY credit card BANK ONE VISA ,

in fact I want to publicly say THANKS to them for getting the $8960 dispute cleared up so quickly & with minimum hassle & I hope they nail JOHN BECK & HUME GROUP

for this most recent blatant act of FRAUD !!!

IF ANYONE HAS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM WITH UN-AUTHORIZED BILLING & JOHN BECK, PLEASE LET US KNOW !

Good bye for now & I wish you all best of luck in your fight against those leeches

Joseph from Massachusetts

P.S. thanks RIPOFF REPORT for a great service !

this site should be in every web-browser's bookmarks !

Joseph

Boston, Massachusetts
U.S.A.

Click here to see Rip-off Reports filed where consumers say thank you Rip-off Report & badbusinessbureau.com, that we saved them money. Not included are the thousands of thank you e-mails we get every week.


8 Updates & Rebuttals

Reid

Aiea,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Mentoring Programs Are Jokes To Say The Least.

#2Consumer Suggestion

Wed, November 24, 2004

Hey there Everyone, I hope that this rebuttal finds you in good spirits and health. WARNING: Don't fall for the fraudulent John Beck Free and Clear Infomercial. The Free and Clear Program, Amazing Profit's, Mentoring Istitute, seminars and workshops are all scams. The Free and Clear program is just a lure into an elaborate credit card scheme. These are all fraudulent programs, using fraudulent salespitches, blatant misrepresentation, and much deceptive hokus pokus/mumbo jumbo. The many unacknowledged and unresolved complaints regarding John Beck's fraudulent programs speak for themselves and are not just mere coincidences. Any and all legitimate businesses, that had nothing to hide, would definitely not allow this many complaints to accumulate against them and go unacknowledged and unresolved. Consider the many unacknowledged and unresolved complaints against the fraudulent John Beck programs to be an admittance of guilt, but worst yet, a bow in defference. Take notice of the striking similarities in all the reports regarding fraudulent "mentoring" programs. With this in mind, disregard any and all favorable rebuttals, which do not prove a complaint false or to the contrary. If these genetic imbreeds/degenerates truly believed, that they were conducting a legitimate business and could actually prove a 94% success rate, they would not be concerned about what's been said about their business, and would definitely not feel compelled to defend their program. THERE'S NO NEED TO DEFEND A 94% SUCCESS RATE! THERE WOULD BE NOTHING TO ARGUE, IF A BUSINESS TRULY HAD A 94% SUCCESS RATE! The nations top retailers don't even have a 94% customer satisfaction rate. LOL. Are these genetic imbreeds referring to the success rate of their scam? LOL. Until next time, take care Everyone cause I care, Aloha from Hawaii and God Bless.


Reid

Aiea,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Just Killing Time.

#3Consumer Suggestion

Sun, November 21, 2004

Hey there Joseph along with Everyone else. I hope that this rebuttal finds you in good spirits and health. HERE ARE JUST A FEW INDICATIONS THAT PROVE WHY JOHN BECK'S FREE AND CLEAR, AMAZING PROFIT'S MENTORING OF AMERICA, MENTORING INSTITUTE, ARE NOTHING BUT SCAMS: 1: John Beck's fraudulent third party marketing companies do not have a professionally designed website? Yes it's true, there is no professionally designed website for John Beck's "mentoring" program, which contains information about the program and or legal contact information regarding such a program. The vast majority of businesses today have a professionally designed website, including but not limited to, ones that are selling products or services ranging in price. Although a website does not ensure nor guarantee, that a particular business is legal or ethical, the vast majority of businesses today have one. There are many businesses today, selling legitimate informational products for about $29.99 or so, that are willing to show their faces in the public eye. I can't believe for a second, that any legitimate business, that had nothing to hide, that was conducting a legal business in an ethical way, would find it unnecessary to possess a website disclosing their full contact information. 2. John Beck's fraudulent third party marketing companies, constantly changes locations and contact information. Constantly on the run are we? It's next to impossible to get a hold of customer service, especially when they're aware, that one may be interested in cancelling out. For example: The three day right to cancel? 3. John Beck's fraudulent contract, lacks in disclosing the full terms and conditions of the contract, it's policies and procedures, any mediation and or arbitration, or any of that good stuff. Talk about one sided. John beck's fraudulent contract tremendously lacks in disclosure and does not contain the vital elements, which constitutes a legal and binding contract amongst it's agreeing parties. John Beck's fraudulent contract appears to have been drafted by a child in the kindergarden. 4. The cost of John Beck's fraudulent "mentoring" program is directly proportional in relation to ones "available credit". 5. Each and every one, of the many unacknowledged and unresolved reports (complaints) by victims, regarding the fraudulent John Beck "mentoring" program, are very similar, or possibly even exact in their encounters. This is not a coincidence! 6. John Beck's infomercial is fraudulent. John Beck's infomercial contains many hidden disclaimers burried deep in the fine print. John Beck's fraudulent infomercial uses deceptive and very misleading advertisement tactics to lure and trap victims into their elaborate credit card scheme. 7. John Beck's fraudulent sales team uses deceptive, misleading, high pressure, and fraudulent bait and swith tactics to lure and trap unsuspecting victims into a fraudulent credit card scheme. 8. The fraudulent John Beck Mentoring Institute, or whatever these genetic imbreeds are referring to themselves as today, are totally defenseless in credit card disputes, thus recently started sending their claims to a fraudulent collection agency. 9. The fraudulent John Beck Mentoring Institute does not deliver and or live up to any of their fraudulent claims and bogus sales pithes. JUST A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF ITEMS PROMISED, BUT HAVE NOT BEEN DELIVERED: A. Through four out of ten scheduled sessions, have not instructed me on how to use OPM (other peoples money) to invest and flip government tax lein properties. B. Have not provided me with any of the tax related information and benefits, that have been promised over the phone. Through four out of ten scheduled sessions, all of which lasted no more than 10-15 minutes or so, coach Jeff had provided me with instructions to a few websites and nothing more. Everytime I had a question, coach Jeff would either give me the run around or have to "research" the answers and get back to me. How convenient! 10. The fraudulent John Beck Mentoring Institute, like the vast majority of all the other fraudulent "mentoring" progams, are very unable and unwilling to come forward and address issues in the public eye. I could go on forever as to why "mentoring" progams are nothing but gimmicks and why they don't exist, but I'll stop for now, because as we all know, these genetically imbreded "gurus" can't and won't even address what few items I have listed thus far. Until next time, take care Joseph along with Everyone else cause I care, Aloha from hawaii and God Bless.


Joseph

Randolph,
Massachusetts,
U.S.A.
UPDATE: I got my refund from HGI

#4Author of original report

Sat, November 20, 2004

HI REID & ALL as promised, I am letting yoy all know how my FRAUD dispute with HUME GROUP turned out. since my initial report on oct 21, I have been issued a new credit card & I had to sign a form stating that I DID NOT AUTHORIZE any charges from HGI succcessful invest. yesterday I got my new CC ststement & the charges have been refunded . but still no word from BANKONE as to how they got there in the first place I got another package from HUME GROUP 2 weeks ago (i suspoect that it will be the last one), as usual the package had NO INVOICE or any other proof of purchase. bye for now


Robert

San Diego,
California,
U.S.A.
Please help me bring these people down. scammed out of $8,500

#5Consumer Suggestion

Tue, October 26, 2004

I was scammed out of $8,500 by Mentoring of America (The "crooked" end of so many "seemingly legitimate" businesses such as Jeff Paul and John Beck. Aside from the usual BBB, FTC and Attorney General Compaints, I've written e-mails to 20/20, Dateline, Nightline, 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes 2. I probably won't get an answer from them unless they believe they have a story. Well, LET'S GIVE THEM A STORY.... Let's overwhelm them with e-mails about how we ALL got ripped off by this company and how the laws in Utah and so many other states favor the consumer and allow for shadowy companies to enforce "no-refund policies and tape-recorded iron-clad contracts". I work for a two local Hispanic TV stations in San Diego and I know what attracts reporters to a good story. Right now one of our best reporters is doing a piece on other types of frauds such as credit protection programs and buyer clubs. If they see a "growing problem", an "epidemic" or a "community uniting against the crooks", they might consider investigating. Here are the e-mail addresses of the shows that I have written emails to. 20/20 --- [email protected] Dateline ---- [email protected] CBS shows (48 Hours, 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes 2) http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml I hope this works. Best regards and keep on fighting


Robert

San Diego,
California,
U.S.A.
Please help me bring these people down. scammed out of $8,500

#6Consumer Suggestion

Tue, October 26, 2004

I was scammed out of $8,500 by Mentoring of America (The "crooked" end of so many "seemingly legitimate" businesses such as Jeff Paul and John Beck. Aside from the usual BBB, FTC and Attorney General Compaints, I've written e-mails to 20/20, Dateline, Nightline, 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes 2. I probably won't get an answer from them unless they believe they have a story. Well, LET'S GIVE THEM A STORY.... Let's overwhelm them with e-mails about how we ALL got ripped off by this company and how the laws in Utah and so many other states favor the consumer and allow for shadowy companies to enforce "no-refund policies and tape-recorded iron-clad contracts". I work for a two local Hispanic TV stations in San Diego and I know what attracts reporters to a good story. Right now one of our best reporters is doing a piece on other types of frauds such as credit protection programs and buyer clubs. If they see a "growing problem", an "epidemic" or a "community uniting against the crooks", they might consider investigating. Here are the e-mail addresses of the shows that I have written emails to. 20/20 --- [email protected] Dateline ---- [email protected] CBS shows (48 Hours, 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes 2) http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml I hope this works. Best regards and keep on fighting


Robert

San Diego,
California,
U.S.A.
Please help me bring these people down. scammed out of $8,500

#7Consumer Suggestion

Tue, October 26, 2004

I was scammed out of $8,500 by Mentoring of America (The "crooked" end of so many "seemingly legitimate" businesses such as Jeff Paul and John Beck. Aside from the usual BBB, FTC and Attorney General Compaints, I've written e-mails to 20/20, Dateline, Nightline, 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes 2. I probably won't get an answer from them unless they believe they have a story. Well, LET'S GIVE THEM A STORY.... Let's overwhelm them with e-mails about how we ALL got ripped off by this company and how the laws in Utah and so many other states favor the consumer and allow for shadowy companies to enforce "no-refund policies and tape-recorded iron-clad contracts". I work for a two local Hispanic TV stations in San Diego and I know what attracts reporters to a good story. Right now one of our best reporters is doing a piece on other types of frauds such as credit protection programs and buyer clubs. If they see a "growing problem", an "epidemic" or a "community uniting against the crooks", they might consider investigating. Here are the e-mail addresses of the shows that I have written emails to. 20/20 --- [email protected] Dateline ---- [email protected] CBS shows (48 Hours, 60 Minutes and 60 Minutes 2) http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/feedback/fb_news_form.shtml I hope this works. Best regards and keep on fighting


Reid

Aiea,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
A Little About Mentoring Scams.

#8Consumer Suggestion

Fri, October 22, 2004

Hey there Everyone, I hope that this rebuttal finds you in good spirits and health. WARNING: John Beck's programs are fraudulent! "Gurus" make their money by selling "information" to the public, and not by investing in Real Estate as they so fraudulently claim. Never enroll into any telephone "mentoring", Real Estate "workshop", or any other program, that purports to instruct you to wealth. There's a d**n good reason why "gurus" sell information, as opposed to actually practice what they preach. Have you ever been approached by a rich relative, neighbor, friend, acquaintance, etc, etc, that was willing to help "mentor" you to success? Then why would you believe, that some stranger would be willing to do so? What would they have to gain but more competition? The more a "guru" insists, that "they are interested in helping others", the more you can rest assured, that their progam is fraudulent. Believe me, before all of this nonsense "mentoring" offers appeared in opportunity magazines, fraudulent Infomercials, newspaper classifieds, etc, etc, there has never been any "guru" so anxious or eager to "help others succeed". Until next time, take care Everyone cause I care, Aloha from Hawaii and God Bless.


Reid

Aiea,
Hawaii,
U.S.A.
Congratulations Joseph, On Yet Another Successful Dispute!

#9Consumer Suggestion

Thu, October 21, 2004

Hey there Joseph, along with Everyone else, I hope that this rebuttal finds you in good spirits and health. Joseph, I am really glad to hear, that you received all of your money back from John Beck. You are totally correct when stating, that one must dispute "quality of service" and not fraud, for credit card companies do not recognize and or protect consumers from fraudulent activities, by fraudulent businesses such as John Beck's, but rather only fraudulent charges (transactions). "Quality of service" disputes, are those in which a product or service does not live up to it's claims, or when a person falls short on his or her promises, or blatantly fails to hold up their end of an agreement. John Beck's Mentoring Institute is not guilty of credit card fraud "per say", but his products and services are definitely fraudulent, therefore his business has been, and continues to engage in fraudulent activities. Scam if you will. Definition of fraud: 1. Engaging in fraud; deceitful. 2. Characterized by, constituting, or gained by fraud: fraudulent business practices. 3. Involving misrepresentation and or deception. Joseph, If and when you find out the complete details regarding HUME and all of their mysterious charges, please do fill Everyone in. It would be very interesting to know, whether or not John Beck's company has something to do with the many unauthorized charges, but wouldn't surprise me in the least, if they did. Thank you very much for coming forward to post your experience on this site. It's very unfortunate, that John Beck and his posse, along with the many other crooks, are continually allowed to stay in business. Until next time, take care Joseph along with Everyone else cause I care, Aloha from Hawaii and God Bless.

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