Small Business Growth Alliance SBGA SCAM - False advertising - Lied on phone to gain access to business Cincinnati, OH Ohio

I am completely in disbelief that I have to waste my time responding to a complete set of lies. First, since the merchant did have the nerve to identify himself, let me tell you that his name is Chris, and he owns a home theater and car audio business here in Cincinnati. I first called on Chris about 20 months ago. He was irrate with a local Bank because they were withholding a large sum of money from him on his credit card deposits. He had outdated technology for credit card processing, and his billing statement (which he did not know how to get) showed a very high rate that he was paying (I have a copy of that statement). We talked for a while and then I left.

A couple of months later, I was visiting another merchant in his shopping center, and so I stopped in to say hello. Again, Chris was complaining about his processing rate, so I sent a copy of his most recent statement (which I had to go online and get for him again) in for analysis.

When the analysis came back, I stopped in to go over the results. He was overpaying significantly. So he decided to go direct and to upgrade his credit card terminal so that he could take the chip cards.

We installed his device, and also put this information into Quickbooks automatically for his business. Additionally he got a mobile device so that he could take cards at time of installations.

Everything was great for the next year, and he was happy.

Early this year, I had a need for a new TV, and having 2 others installed. I gave Chris the first opportunity for me to purchase from, and I did. He gave me a $100.00 discount because he said that there was no margins in newest technology. I paid him with my debit card so that he would have no processing fees on that transaction.

We then talked about the other TVs and connect my stereo  to one of them. I already had the brackets for 2 of them and he was going to supply the third. He said that there would be a cost of around $600, which I thought was high, but agreed for him to do the work. I also told hin that one of the mounts wopuld be in a stone wall. He said "no problem", and his guys would come with everything that they needed.

When they came, they had nothing that they needed, and said that Chris never mentioned a word about the stone wall. So they left, and went to Lowes to get what they actually needed. They returned 90 minutes later, and worked for a couple of hours, and then left. The job was not finished, and they said that they would be back the next day to finish. That didi not happen. They came back the following week, when my wife was working at home, to finish.

They were there about an hour, and told my wife that they were done, and that she had to pay them right then. She assumed that everything was legit, and gave them her credit card number to pay. They charged her card for almost $1500.00!

When I got home, and found out, I was upset. Not only had Chris lied to me, but they took advantage of my wife with this crazy charge.

The next day, I called Chris to find out what had happened, and he said that was his charge. I tild him that he had told me around $600.00, and he told me to "f" off, and hung up.

I could have charged back the transaction, but my wife convinced me to let it go.

Now I find out that this idiot post something like this,after doing what he did. Ridiculous, not right, dishonest, unbelievable!

If you read this, and come in contact with me, feel free to ask me for proof. I have all of the receipts, and documentation to validate the facts. I also have over 20 letters of recommendation from some of the largest and most prestigeous entities in Cincinnati that I have served over the past 35 years!

You made a great choice. 

I how ever signed up with Kent and he made several promises that he didn't keep like linking our pos system to the clover. Also there was no money saved at all with the added rental fees and different rates our processing bill went up. and we have a 48 month agreement. Adding insult to injury he didn't cancel and payfor our other card processing so we was stuck paying a hugh bill for breaking that contract when he told us that he would take care of it and pay for the cancelation charges. 

Here is the real kicker, right after we signed up his friendly self talked me into selling him a bunch of gear at cost. At cost meaning I didn't make any money off of it but it was a fair trade for him hooking me up on the rates. 

Then low and behold the low life contested his credit card charge and was successfully able to steal several thousands in dollars from this small busisness. His Employer says it is a personal matter they want nothing to do with it...

SBGA Rip-Off

Kent Zimmerman Dirt Bag

Hi Steve, Please contact us at 514-474-CARS to discuss in further detail. Thanks, John

This merchant made the appointment himself for 3:00, which was confirmed by phone the previous day from our office! If he was not interested, he should not have scheduled it. He was never told that there was a problem with his specific account, but was told that many merchants were overpaying fees on their credit card processing. After waiting on him for over 40 minutes, he finally showed up. As I started to talk with him about what I was there to do, he started screaming that I was a scam and demanded that I leave.

I had to gather the paperwork that I was doing while waiting, and then left his building. He followed me into the parking lot still screaming that I was a scam, and I told him that he was just an a*s. He screamed that he was going to call the Sherrif, and I told him to go ahead, because the Sherrif's department had been my client for over 15 years, and that I was friends with the department. Western Hills Country Club was never mentioned, however he saw the paperwork that I had been doing, and it was from that client.

The fact that he filed this report certainly is consisitant with his personality. I have over twenty letters of recommendation from various companies and County/State/Federal agencies on my professionalism over the past 25 years, and did nothing to provoke this idiot. If he was not interested, or thought that it was a scam, he should have never made the appointment.

I feel sorry for his employees and his family, that they have to deal with someone like this on a regular basis. Thank the Good Lord that I don't!