Educational Sales And Marketing, ESM Ripoff Company is deceiving and does not deliver that which was promised. ESM appears to be one of several Utah Internet scam businesses St. George Utah

During the week ending June 26, 2005, I received a call from a representative from Educational Sales and Marketing, his name was Jason. He was screening me to see if I would be a good candidate to participate in their “Success” program. This program would essentially create a success story for an Internet marketing program and course I had purchased in mid-June called CB Mall and the Internet Protégé Program. I am trying to develop a part time income in Internet marketing.

Participation in this success program would help me generate a substantial income using specialized and proprietary software and tools if I was chosen as a good candidate. Part of the deal was that I had to spend at a minimum, 10 – 15 hours a week working with the program. I assumed it would be in marketing and advertising since special customized software would take care of the technical aspects.

I then received a follow-up call from Eric McCormick (with ESM) who stated I met all the criteria to buy into their “success” program. He stated that my investment in proprietary Software and tools should be 10% of the annual salary I would require to leave my full-time job and derive an income to replace it. We derived at a figure of $10,100. It was explained very clearly that my investment was for software and tools only; all mentoring and coaching would be free of charge. The program consisted of 12 mentor/coaching sessions to be completed over a 14 week time frame..

As a little background information, I had just accepted a new full-time job in Minnesota and had left my position as GIS Coordinator with the City of Longmont, Colorado. We were scheduled to move (my family and I ) on July 18 – 21 from Colorado to Minnesota.

On June 29 I paid a down payment of $2100 to ESM, Inc. to hold my position in the success program since it was decided that it would only make since to begin once the move was completed and I had a chance to settle into my new home. Eric and I agreed to wait and have the software package shipped to my new address in Minnesota the week of July 18th. I highlight the terms “software package” because that is what Eric explained I would be receiving, so I was expecting a package of software, CD's, manuals, etc.

On July 18th I made the final payments from my Visa debit (checking) card totaling $8,000, making my final purchase of $10,100. I did in fact receive via FedEx, a package (letter sized document package). Inside were documents that needed my signature for the shipment of the actual software (I assumed). The package was described as follows:

Advanced training session (please note: it was explained to me, adamantly, that all mentoring and coaching was to be free) and that my $10,100 was paying for software and tools only, so I was a bit surprised to see this as part of what I was purchasing)
Link software
Website and keyword analysis
Link request form
Link directory template
Web ring traffic swarm
Entity structuring CD

There was also a congratulations letter and certificate for becoming a member of the “Personalized Training and Mentoring Program”. I signed and initialed the paperwork and faxed back to ESM as requested, still assuming the software would be shipped soon. I even got confirmation from Eric McCormick that my package would be shipped out.

I then received an e-mail from Jacob Sowers with Advance Business Development (ABD) on or about the 22nd of July, stating that he was my coach and to schedule our first session (1/2 hour session, 1 of 12). My immediate replied to him was that I hadn't received my software package yet, so how could I begin. He assured me that I didn't need anything for the first session anyway, so we scheduled it for Tuesday, July 26. As it turns out, ESM out sources the coaching and mentoring to ABD. I begin to think that if all mentoring and coaching is free of charge, how can ESM outsource this task: who is really paying for this.

During my first coaching session with Mr. Sowers he explained that the CB Mall product was not a good program to work with and achieve success with. This really got my attention since it was the successful promotion of CB Mall that I signed up for. Nothing else. He further explained the program he was mentoring me on was nothing more than Search Engine Optimization (SEO), to create a search engine friendly web site that could be used to promote any product and be successful. This was completely different than the program explained to me and that which I paid for. Jacob even mentioned I would need to purchase a web page building program for $29.95 per month (or something like this), and use it to begin building a clean, from scratch, web site to begin optimizing. He also mentioned to me that the only software program needed was Arelis, which can be purchased on the Internet for $99.

This immediately sent up a red flag that I had been deceived into purchasing something that was completely different than what was described to me. I frantically began researching ESM and then the terms (Link software, Website and keyword analysis, Link request form, Link directory template, Web ring traffic swarm and “Entity structuring CD”) to see if I could find any cases of Internet fraud or scams.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

I called the gentleman that posted this site and he confirmed with me that the same merchant account had charged his credit card as mine; The Shanklin Group or Shanklin International. Even though he had dealt with a different company. After researching banking merchant accounts I discovered that for different companies to use the same merchant account they must be affiliated in some way.

I immediately contacted Eric McCormick with ESM, who stated he had been on vacation and would look into the matter of why I was being coached by Jacob Sowers. That's funny because I had spoken with him just a few weeks earlier. I looked at the Utah Better Business web site and found there had been a complaint against ESM in the spring, 2005, and it had been resolved. From this web site I also retrieved the e-mail address for ESM (customersupport@infowest.com) and the CEO's name, Cameron Montgomery.

I called ESM and spoke with Niki, the customer service representative, and asked for a complete refund. She then sent me an e-mail stating that no refund could be honored since ESM had done nothing wrong. I sent an e-mail to Nikki describing my situation, and that I wanted her to forward to Mr. Montgomery. This was just last Friday, August 19. She replied that he wasn't in and would take care of it on Monday (08/22). On Monday I received an e-mail from Nikki that Cameron was not in the office and that she took it upon herself to read my correspondence and that any further communication should be with their lawyer, Steven Beckstrom, 1-435-634-1940.

I thought to myself, why is she getting so defensive if ESM had done nothing wrong?

So it is now Thursday, August 25. I have asked my bank in Colorado to send me the appropriate regulation E, dispute form/resolution request. I will be submitting these forms claiming fraud. I authorized charges to my account but never received what I paid for, customized proprietary software and tools. I have opened a case with the Utah Better Business Bureau and I have also posted this information on the web site: www.ripoffreport.com, for all to see.

I found this report while doing research. It seems that a company by the name of Empire Marketing Systems located in, you guesed it, St. George Utah had a report submitted about them on this web site. I brought this up to Nikki (ESM Customer Service)and she stated that it's just coincidence that ESM was given the same number due to it's availability. Her company is in no way affiliated.

It appears to be more than coincidence, expecially since the person who screened me, as in the case below, was also named Jason, and for the fact that the initials for the company are very, very close. Please judge for yourself.
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Internet Marketing Companies Submitted: 5/6/2004 6:19:44 PM
Modified: 6/19/2005 11:14:47 PM

Empire Marketing Systems (EMS) ripoff, dishonest, ignoring my calls, rude, crooks St. George Utah *UPDATE ..Still haven't heard a thing from them! (EMS)

Company
Empire Marketing Systems (EMS)
Address:
Empire Marketing Systems, Inc. Of 144 West Brigham Road Suite 11, St. George, UT 84790
St. George Utah 84790
U.S.A.
Phone Number:
1-800-292-5812
Fax:

Hey Jason, I know you'll see this. I did not want to have to do this, but your continuing disrespect for my situation, and the fact that you (or anyone else from your company) absolutely refuse to return my calls and emails, has given me no choice.

It all started after I bought an ebook (The Silent Sales Machine on Ebay) a couple of months ago. Somehow these guys (EMS) got my phone number and contacted me three weeks ago. The representative who called me wanted to know if I was interested in a business venture with them. Basically, EMS would help me through the steps of starting my own online business.

He asked me a few questions about my dedication to starting a business and the like, and he later "recommended" me as an "excellent candidate" for their business.

He then went over the cost for me to "join" them as a client. I told him I had $1,100 saved up in my account. He said most of their clients invest $4,000 to $7,000, but that "they could work with what I had".

Now before I go further, I want to point out that that $1,100 was ALL I had. I was fired from my job about a month and a half prior to this phone conversation. So basically, I had zero income at the time (I'm only 18 and I'm still in High School). I made all of this PERFECTLY clear to this guy, but he still insisted that they could work with what I had. Still a little skeptical, I agree to pay them the 1100 dollars. I'm not usually this dumb, but those people have a way with words.

Now I also want to point out that I was completely mislead about exactly 'what' I was getting for my money. The guy I talked to made me think that $1100 was all I needed. I figured they'd start me out on Ebay, as that's what we talked about (and the fact that they got my number through that Ebay related ebook I purchased). Now this is my fault for not getting more info, but he could have clarified things better. I believe he deliberately left out HUGE details, details had I known about I would have never agreed to pay them. This was all done just to get my money.

It wasn't untill after I wired them my money, that I found out exactly what I had paid for, which was only coaching. I know realized I was going to have to pay seperately for merchant accounts, web hosting, domain name registeration, and marketing ( all things I thought my 1,100 dollars was going to, or atleast partly).

This would have been all perfectly fine if I had big bucks to spend on this, and of course, as I've already mentioned, I did not. Unfortunately, after I came to my senses and realized I had made a terrible mistake, it was after the three day cancellation period so they would'nt refund my money.

When I contacted them over a refund, I talked to a Jason Cambeth who explained this to me, even after I had told him I was broke. Jason then echoed the same thing as the first guy, that I should just try it out and that I can make money from this. I still was'nt buying it (afterall, I do know how much it cost to start a business and I didn't have it). I decided to try anyway, or atleast see what the coaching would provide me, seeing as they would not give me back my money.

So I scheduled an appointment with my coach, Doug, for the 27th of April. It is now the 6th of May and I STILL have not heard from this guy. So, not only was I mislead about exactly 'what' I was getting for my $$$, now I'm not even getting what I supposively 'what' DID pay for. Now, I'm pissed.

THEN, a few days ago, the inevitable happens. I get a call from a merchant account company, wanted $2,300 from me to open a Merchant Account!!!! This is the kind of stuff I had originally thought I had paid for with my initial investment! I, again, told this company that I was broke and had nothing to give them, yet they still wanted to know if I could get money together for a $300 downpayment!!! What a bunch of crooks!!! These guys, just like EMS, don't give a rip whether or not I succeed, as long as they can squeeze money out of me they're happy.

Now I'm really pissed. I again tried to call EMS to cancel and get a refund, but every time I called I couldn't even get in contact with someone who would talk to me. I told the operator at EMS several times to tell Jason, or somone else who would discuss my situation with me, to give me a call. Almost a week later, and about five or six calls to EMS later, and I have yet to talk to this Jason, or anyone else. They have been completely ignoring me.

Ohh, I did mention that my coach has still not contacted me AT ALL, right?

I then tried to email them, I told them my situation in a long email and ask them to please call me, otherwise I'd be forced to report them here and other places. They must not have taken me seriously as they have not answered that either.

So, here I am, out $1,100 that I sweated over to save, all gone for nothing. I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, as now I can't continue with EMS 'cause I'm broke, and I can't go at starting a business on my own because I've giving everything to EMS!!!! And I still haven't even talked to my coach!!!

Bottom line, This all could have been avoided. These people KNEW I didn't have the money to follow their system, but they lured me in anyway to get my money. I mean, how does a 2300 dollar merchant account "working with what I have"? I know there are cheaper solutions out there like PayPal they could have started me on (but they wouldn't get any $$ out of that).

I shudder to even think how they were expecting me to pay for marketing my site, or web hosting? They obviously didn't care. They just told me what I wanted to hear, and I stupidly fell for it.

Still waiting to hear from you EMS.

p.s. Thank you Rip-offReport.com for providing this site for people like me, I really appreciate it.

The story is similar in that it involved 12 weeks of coaching and cost $10,100.

It all started when I signed up for a Free Web Store from freestoreclub.com A man named Jeff Albright called and asked why I hadn't done something about the website. (I forget the details) I told him I didn't know I had to do whatever it was. He then proceeded to inquire as to the credit limit on my credit card, and what my balance was. (I wish I had hung up on him at this point) He said he could help me get started using OPM. (other peoples money) He then put his boss on the phone (Mike) somebody who was a fast talker, and had me believing that with the coaching they provide, they'd have me earning big bucks in a short time, and that my payments to my credit card would easily be covered. I was so eager for change, and to get started, I fell for the scam.

I did get 12 weeks of coaching from "Universal Coach" which I have no problem with, except that with a slight hearing impairment (at my age 71), I had trouble understanding a lot of what the coach was telling me. The coaching had nothing at all to do with Freestoreclub. And since, I have found out, a lot of what I did learn, just doesn't work. After the coaching sessions stopped, I thought they'd contact me, but never another word from them. I never tried getting back to them, accepting the fact that I'd been scammed and ashamed to admit it to anybody. The scam cost me $10,100 plus $50.00 a month for 3 years for "Applied Merchant" services. (credit card acceptance, which I'm still paying on and never used).

Then I read the scam reports of several other people who have been ripped off by them, and decided to tell my sad tale also.