Scott McGillivray Workshop – The PMI Scaminars!
http://www.fiadservices.com/?post_type=post&p=4107
I’m writing from Miami, FL. I went with a friend to a “Scott McGillivray workshop” back in the late fall of 2011. The salesman pulled out all the stops as far as high pressure sales go. (I recognize the underlying mentality of the high pressure salesman, even if the specific words/actions are different, from the several times I’ve negotiated for the purchase or lease of a new car—same shit, different toilet) He told us that portions of what they were offering were “limited” and that we had to sign up fast or lose out. He told us the $1997.00 cost of the next 3-day workshop (a week or two away) was only valid that night; if we left the conference room and came back later, this “discounted price” wouldn’t be available. (I think the “MSRP” was in the $5000. range though I’m not sure.) He gave us the “If you’ll agree to let us use you as a ‘success story’ in our publications, we’ll refund your initial investment.” Let me be clear—we signed up of our own volition. We wanted to believe. I was stunned by the $1997. “discounted price, “but signed up anyway. I didn’t want an easy, sure thing. I wanted to learn something good about real estate investing, work hard, and make some modest gains. (OK, I wanted fabulous gains, but I was willing to work for it). I was also astounded that someone would want to give me all the help I’d need to make huge financial gains; why not guard the information and make the easy millions yourself? I also remember wondering whether I could even do what they were suggesting without needing a license of any sort (real estate?). Finally, particularly in this economy, who in their right mind would make a line of credit of up to $500, 000 available to anyone off the street willing to fork over $1997.??? Something’s fishy from the get-go. By the next day, my friend was sure we’d been scammed. We immediately called the number on the paperwork we received but got an answering machine. (OK, it was late.) We left a message asking for a return call. We knew we had 3 days to cancel. No return call. We called the next day and spoke to someone who said we’d get a return call to finalize the cancellation process. (You need their “return authorization code” and address to mail the introductory materials back to Utah). Oh, I should have realized something was amiss when I counted at least three different names of the company we were dealing with (The Leading Edge in Lehi, UT is what I call it now but there were other names). The 3-day workshop came and went (we didn’t attend, needless to say). I contested the charge with AmEx, who put the charge on hold until the problem was resolved. (Spoiler alert: I never had to pay the $1997. Suggestion—never pay cash!) I registered a complaint with the BBB. I heard back from AmEx that The Leading Edge never got its materials so they couldn’t authorize the refund. AmEx put the $1997. Back on my active acct. I contested the charge again—said they wouldn’t call and give me the return authorization code— and they put the $1997. on hold again. They also sent me Leading Edge’s paperwork in response to AmEx’s request for documentation. And in that paperwork I found the names of several people in the organization and their emails in what looked like some inter-office memos or whatever. Of course, I wrote directly to these people. I mentioned writing to the BBB and FL Dept. of Consumer Affairs, about feeling that I was scammed; I also mentioned small claims court (though that would have been a stretch). I got a call almost immediately. Knowing the names of individuals at The Leading Edge who had clearly seen my complaint really lit a fire under their asses. I also got the all-important “return authorization code.” I sent the workbooks and DVDs back in a box and that was the end of a nearly 2-months long process. Talk about getting the runaround. I’ve learned my lesson. I will never invest my money on the spur of the moment again. P.S. The Leading Edge thinks that I’m a happy customer, that I went to the 3-day seminar in January ’12. They keep sending me “special VIP invitations” to continue my work with them, even offering the chance to “hang out” with Scott McGillivray! What a joke!
http://www.fiadservices.com/?post_type=post&p=4107
I’m writing from Miami, FL. I went with a friend to a “Scott McGillivray workshop” back in the late fall of 2011. The salesman pulled out all the stops as far as high pressure sales go. (I recognize the underlying mentality of the high pressure salesman, even if the specific words/actions are different, from the several times I’ve negotiated for the purchase or lease of a new car—same shit, different toilet) He told us that portions of what they were offering were “limited” and that we had to sign up fast or lose out. He told us the $1997.00 cost of the next 3-day workshop (a week or two away) was only valid that night; if we left the conference room and came back later, this “discounted price” wouldn’t be available. (I think the “MSRP” was in the $5000. range though I’m not sure.) He gave us the “If you’ll agree to let us use you as a ‘success story’ in our publications, we’ll refund your initial investment.” Let me be clear—we signed up of our own volition. We wanted to believe. I was stunned by the $1997. “discounted price, “but signed up anyway. I didn’t want an easy, sure thing. I wanted to learn something good about real estate investing, work hard, and make some modest gains. (OK, I wanted fabulous gains, but I was willing to work for it). I was also astounded that someone would want to give me all the help I’d need to make huge financial gains; why not guard the information and make the easy millions yourself? I also remember wondering whether I could even do what they were suggesting without needing a license of any sort (real estate?). Finally, particularly in this economy, who in their right mind would make a line of credit of up to $500, 000 available to anyone off the street willing to fork over $1997.??? Something’s fishy from the get-go. By the next day, my friend was sure we’d been scammed. We immediately called the number on the paperwork we received but got an answering machine. (OK, it was late.) We left a message asking for a return call. We knew we had 3 days to cancel. No return call. We called the next day and spoke to someone who said we’d get a return call to finalize the cancellation process. (You need their “return authorization code” and address to mail the introductory materials back to Utah). Oh, I should have realized something was amiss when I counted at least three different names of the company we were dealing with (The Leading Edge in Lehi, UT is what I call it now but there were other names). The 3-day workshop came and went (we didn’t attend, needless to say). I contested the charge with AmEx, who put the charge on hold until the problem was resolved. (Spoiler alert: I never had to pay the $1997. Suggestion—never pay cash!) I registered a complaint with the BBB. I heard back from AmEx that The Leading Edge never got its materials so they couldn’t authorize the refund. AmEx put the $1997. Back on my active acct. I contested the charge again—said they wouldn’t call and give me the return authorization code— and they put the $1997. on hold again. They also sent me Leading Edge’s paperwork in response to AmEx’s request for documentation. And in that paperwork I found the names of several people in the organization and their emails in what looked like some inter-office memos or whatever. Of course, I wrote directly to these people. I mentioned writing to the BBB and FL Dept. of Consumer Affairs, about feeling that I was scammed; I also mentioned small claims court (though that would have been a stretch). I got a call almost immediately. Knowing the names of individuals at The Leading Edge who had clearly seen my complaint really lit a fire under their asses. I also got the all-important “return authorization code.” I sent the workbooks and DVDs back in a box and that was the end of a nearly 2-months long process. Talk about getting the runaround. I’ve learned my lesson. I will never invest my money on the spur of the moment again. P.S. The Leading Edge thinks that I’m a happy customer, that I went to the 3-day seminar in January ’12. They keep sending me “special VIP invitations” to continue my work with them, even offering the chance to “hang out” with Scott McGillivray! What a joke!
| FIAD Services | 
Leave a comment