Universal Marketing and Training, LLC United Merchant Services, LLC; Network Marketing Solutions; Unlimited Training Services, LLC; American Business Builders, LLC; UMS Group, LLC; Federal Trade Commission Lawsuit, Case 2:12-cv-02368-GMS, Case No. CV-12-2368-PHX-SRB Glendale, Arizona

My father was sucked into this horrible scam and died a few months later.  As I was Executor of his estate I have researched all I can about this the companies Universal Marketing Solutions and Network Market Solutions.  I had very real suspicions, as did other members of my family, as to whether this was really legit, so I started doing research.  I had first checked the Arizona corporation filings on the companies and found it suspicious that one name came up for both.

I did a google search, going through page after page of entries about them, including a lot of people wondering if it was a scam.  It was probably on about the 11th or 12th page I came across this lawsuit. (I saw several other lawsuits in states other than AZ linked to the same company name I was searching and I think they all may be tied to the same, but I am not sure.)

All of these business are owned by Stephen Spratt, who has been named in the lawsuit.  Shane Michael Hanna a/k/a Shane Michael Romeo is also named.

This was filed in the US District Court for the District of Arizona on 11/06/12.  There are two parts to the case, the first titled "Temporary Restraining Order with Asset Freeze, Appointment of Temporary Receiver and other Equitable Relief, and Order to Show Cause Why a Preliminary Injunction Should Not Issue and a Permanent Receiver Should Not be Appointed".

The second part is titled "Complaint for Permanent Injunction and Other Equitable Relief".

You can find the actual documents filed with the court at www.ftc.gov.  If you expand the web address to ftc.gov/opa/2012/11/lostopp.shtm there is a press release regarding several FTC lawsuits.  Looking along the right column of the page you will find a link to the documents.

I hope this information can be disbursed widely to answer all the people questioning if these companies are legit.  While I understand they have not been found guilty, I certainly would not consider them legit.