Complaint Review: BMI Herbalife International Work-Part-Time@Home 33Venture.com

I posted under another Herbalife Work@Home TV infomercial page on this Bad Business Bureau site. I am adding this now after bad experience with Coach last night..

As my previous experiences stated, I saw the 33venture.com TV ad for working at home information. I went to that site, filled in some basic interest info of myself, and clicked on button that said they will send me work at home business opportunities based on my data I inputed. I was charegd a fee of $9.95 for overnight FedEx shipping and thought this was reasonable....

I did all of a sudden get e-mails and calls from some Coach telling me to contact her (Patricia & Scott Pickar in California) as soon as my FedEx package arrived. I did so, and all of a sudden I was pressed to set a schedule immediately to follow-up and then have phone meeting with her mentor, someone named Ladeena out of Seattle who was her Coach. Over the following week's time, I was engaged in a couple phone calls to this Coach as requested according to her busy schedule.. After the last conference call, it was mentioned this may not be right time for or my wife to enter into a business opportunity with Herbalife, but the Coach's Mentor told me she would send me a sample packet anyway to test some products, and I would be charged only $12.95 for that to ship, etc. OK, I gave my OK (and credit card info.) and it has been less than 24 hours since that last call.

Now, I receive another e-mail stating I made a request to return my "FREE information package" or else I would now be charged a depost of $29.95.. Why in the world would this happen I ask??? I NEVER said such statement and was going to keep this info. for time being until maybe later I or my wife would seriously consider going forward as explained in our phone conferences.. I paid $9.95 to get this "free" information in the first place, right?

I immediately called the Coach who first contacted me and she all of a sudden said she told me and I must of not heard her and made excuses.. Well, there was no such mention of this extra return shipping charge in any conversation I had or on the order form I initially filled out from the 33venture.com TV ad online. In a nutshell, when anyone purchases anything, and it is titled "free", it is understood that information is free- end of story. To pay shipping is understandable but that is that. NOT to then, in a slick fashion, because I decided not to go forward with an Herbalife business, charge me another $29.95 for the "free information", right??? This now has (back door) scam written all over it or front-fee con game, and as a former victim of identity theft, and dealing to FBI, FTC and hosts of other entities including bank fraud investigators of past; I then called this Coach and told her I am expecting my sample package which I agreed to try and if it works I might buy further products, but am infuriated with this "hidden reverse charge" they now mention after-the-fact to send back my original free materials... She then starts talking fast, making excuses and trying to manipulate the conversation (trying to make me feel I did something wrong), and when I get firm and told her, if I find there is any scam going on, I will contact the FTC & FBI, both of whom I went through hell in the past on an identity theft mess to get justice and my monies back..

This morning, I awake to a phone message left again last night by this Coach, saying she decided to hold of charging my credit card for the sample pack now after our last talk, and unless I call her again to talk with her to send it, she will not charge me- Only charge me the original $9.95 for the free information package, but, if I did not return that information package (and me pay return shipping), they would charge me this additional $29.95 fee anyway.. What a crock!!! Talk about a denial complex...

So now, I am beyond livid with such slick talk and manipulative ways, and I am posting this last e-mail I received below, so people can see what "bait & switch" technique just happened to me to now cause me and my family more debt for something we already paid to receive in the first place, and want the federal authorities to contact me in any manner to stop this sort of preying on innocent people and now using the TV industry to mark their ploys and tactics to get people tied into something unsuspecting and all of it is the same old BS but marketed under a different appearance and cloak.. It is wrong and NO legitimate business operates like this, to where the interested consumer is out of costs up front and cannot escape charges to their credit cards (on the back side unsuspectingly) or these people now having your private credit card information which they can abuse..

Remember Readers:: My "free" information package came with a DVD and a one page instructions on how to watch it and that is it and came from Ocala, FL address... NO mention of return charges if I do not commit to this home business, etc.. and certainly no coverletter as this e-mail below indicates. What I/you will find, is the 2nd "free" informational package mentioned in the DVD is hidden on the very same DVD, but not until you commit to go forward further with the Coach, do they reveal this to you and give you instructions (code) how to then continue with the free 2nd information package on that same DVD- very slick trick!!!

Also Readers:: For your information, here is names of people I was told would be in my business structure (upline) and maybe it will help some of you, and this is what I was able to take notes of from my last phone conference with the Coach (Patti) and her Mentor (Ladeena);

Patti Pickar from CA. started March 2006 and is supposedly making $10,000.00+/month. Her husband is a construction Superintendant who helps her on weekends with their business. She gave up 23 years as mortgage banker and 9 years in the medical industry to become involved in Herbalife.

Ladeena from Seattle started February 2004 and is supposedly making $60,000.00+/month. (she said she was former house cleaner with high school education only and making $1500.00/month trying to raise 3 kids on that before Herbalife was introduced to her)

Carrie who is only 28 years old was supposedly making $38,000.00/month after her first month and is now making in excess of $100,000.00/month and in the President's Club level or such..

Anthony is supposedly making over $90,000.00/month and was one of the people Ladeena used to clean his home for who introduced her to Herbalife as a business from my understanding..

These are the names I was told I would be surrounded by and cared for to help build my own successful Herbalife business should I commit and go forward and make the necessary investment, etc...

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Forwarded Message:
Subj: Hi Steven , here is the return instructions you requested
Date: 12/9/2006 12:33:56 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
From: postmaster@theioffice.com
To: XXXXxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@aol.com
Sent from the Internet (Details)

Hi Steven !

Hi Steven ,

At your request, I'm forwarding you the instructions on how to return the Home Business Training package. Make sure you return it before your 14 day viewing period expires to avoid being charged the deposit of $29.95. Also, please be sure to include the cover letter that was included in your package and/or clearly mark your name and my name on the package so that the return can be processed properly.

Return the Training package to:

BMI
2200 NE 36th Avenue
Bldg 400
Ocala, FL 34470

Upon receiving the training package back, you will be credited so that you are not charged any further for the information.

Thank you for giving us the opportunity to share this incredible business with you!

Sincerely,

Patricia and Scott Pickar
sptess@comcast.net
425-286-6160
homebizsp.com

IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS. This e-mail address is unmanned. For further correspondence please e-mail your coach, Patricia and Scott Pickar, at sptess@comcast.net. Thanks.

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COPYRIGHT (C) 2003-2006, BM Intl. Version 3.0
U.S. & Canadian Residents Income Disclaimer
The testimonials or incomes presented are applicable only to the particular individuals depicted and are not representative of everyone's income and are not a guarantee of your income, nor are they typical. Each individual's success will be determined by his or her desire, dedication, effort, ability to follow directions and personal talent, as well as, the amount of time dedicated to his or her business. The iOffice has contributed to successful business development for some distributors; however, FSS cannot guarantee that by using FSS's training and marketing system (the iOffice) you will achieve success. Your success will depend on many factors such as: how you follow the iOffice, methods and procedures which you use, your management skill and experience, your business judgment, economic conditions, the market, and competition in the area in which you have chosen to do business. Actual business earnings will vary, and all individuals considering the business model should carefully consider the business model in its entirety including the costs of engaging in this business.

Steve
Asheville, North Carolina
U.S.A.

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