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Davison Design and Development - Here's my Ripoff Report from the betterbusinessbureau.com Pittsburgh Pennsylvania
Everyone don't send your ideas or money to these crooks. I have sent in a really good idea and my money along with it and now that I keep calling there and telling Tom Gallagher's receptionist and Tom's voicemail that I want my money back he won't call me back. Since he won't talk to me on the phone I have to talk to a machine.
Thank God I didn't have the $685.00 to send in. I just sent in my $50.00 dollars and my idea is not completely lost, down at the bottom of this letter is a way to get your idea out of their hands.
Good luck, everyone. Please don't make the same mistake that I did, as well as others. This is the way to get your idea out of their hands- I cut and pasted it up here, so it would make it easier for you to find.
Be aware that as of January 2000, The American Inventors
Protection Act of 1999 provided new protection for inventors:
The invention promoter must disclose in writing the number of positive and negative evaluations of inventions they have given over a five-year period, and disclose their customer's success in receiving net financial profit and license agreements as a
direct result of the invention promotion services.
Customers harmed by failure to make required disclosures or by any false or fraudulent representation by the invention promoter can sue to recover statutory damages of up to $5,000, or actual damages.
BBB of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.
300 Sixth Avenue
Suite 100-UL
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-2511
(412) 456-2700
DAVISON & ASSOCIATES
595 Alpha Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
View Location Map
Original Business
Start Date: 12/1/1989
Principal: George Davison, Owner
Local Phone Number: (412) 967-0124
Fax Number: (412) 967-0794
TOB Classification: Product Development & Marketing
The information in this report has either been provided by the company, or has been compiled by the Bureau from other sources.
Nature of Business
This company offers new product development and licensing and patent assistance.
Customer Experience
The company has resolved some complaints presented by the Bureau; however, some complaints the parties could not reach a mutually satisfactory resolution and the customer remains dissatisfied.
Additional Business Names
180054ideas.com
Davison 54
Invention Inventigrations.
Additional Telephone Numbers
(412) 677-6382
(412) 767-0350
(412) 828-5855
(412) 828-9530
(412) 967-0137
(412) 967-0171
(800) 544-3327
(800) 545-3332
(800) 677-6382.
Government Actions
LEGAL ACTION: In July 1997, The Federal Trade Commission filed
A civil action against Davison & Associates alleging violations Of the FTC Act seeking a permanent injunction and other Equitable relief including restitution for consumers. The Complaint alleges, in part, that Davison & Associates Represented that it has successfully marketed many inventions Ideas, that those purchasing its services have a good chance of Realizing financial gain, that the company prepares objective And expert analysis of marketability and that it has a network
Of companies with whom it regularly negotiates successful Licensing agreements.
The complaint alleges that in fact, virtually all of Davison & Associates' customers have lost their entire investment, that The company has not successfully marketed the invention ideas Of many customers, does not prepare objective and expert Marketability analysis and does not have a vast network of Companies with whom it works.
In response, the Company stated, in part, that Davison &
Associates does not inform their clients that they offer an Investment service, does not state that there is a good chance Of realizing financial gain, does not offer any analysis of Marketability and does not inform their customers that is Regularly negotiates successful licensing agreements. Davison & Associates states that its literature and agreements clearly Inform customers of its services and that they make every Effort to inform their customers of the services properly.
The matter remains pending.
Educational/General Comments
Before entering an agreement with any company offering to perform a patent search, to obtain a patent for you, to determine potential product marketability, or to arrange for either the manufacturing of or the sale of your invention, carefully investigate. Secure a written estimate of all potential fees. Carefully read and understand the terms of the contract and make sure all verbal agreements and guarantees are put in writing. Have your own attorney or agent review any agreement before signing it.
Be aware that as of January 2000, The American Inventors
Protection Act of 1999 provided new protection for inventors:
the invention promoter must disclose in writing the number of
positive and negative evaluations of inventions they have given over a five-year period, and disclose their customer's success in receiving net financial profit and license agreements as a direct result of the invention promotion services. Customers harmed by failure to make required disclosures or by any false or fraudulent representation by the invention promoter can sue to
recover statutory damages of up to $5,000, or actual damages.
Invention marketing is a high risk venture for inventors. No invention promotion outfit should make any promises of profit or success in developing your idea. Very few ideas or inventions are produced and marketed successfully. The cost of the initial services offered by these companies typically runs in the low thousands. The next phase of services, usually referred to variously as development or marketing, can take your total outlay to ten thousand dollars or more. All costs associated with invention development are paid by the individual inventor. For more information about Invention Promoters, call 412-456-2700 and listen to Tel-Tips message 50929.
Report as of: 5/25/2004
Copyright: 2004 BBB of Western Pennsylvania, Inc.
As a matter of policy, the Better Business Bureau does not endorse any product, service, or company. BBB reports generally cover a three-year reporting period, and are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Information contained in this report is believed reliable but not guaranteed as to accuracy. Reports are subject to change at any time.
The Better Business Bureau reports on members and non-members. Membership in the BBB is voluntary, and members must meet and maintain BBB standards. If a company is a member of the BBB, it is stated in this report.
For further information about this type of business category, please read the following publications, provided by the Council of Better Business Bureaus:
Using the Services of an Invention Promotion Firm
Helping Consumers and Business to Maintain an Ethical Marketplace
Cherice
south amboy, New Jersey
U.S.A.
STOP! ..before you think about using the Better Business Bureau (BBB)... CLICK HERE to see how other consumers were victimized by the BBB's false or misleading information. Don't be fooled! It has been reported, when there are thousands of complaints and other investigations underway by authorities, the BBB has no choice but to finally give an UNsatisfactory rating to a BBB member business that is paying the BBB big membership fees every year. When a business is reported that is NOT a BBB member, BBB files WILL more likely show an UNsatisfactory rating, then reportedly shake down that company to become a member of the BBB. One positive thing about the BBB is, either way, if a business has an unsatisfactory rating with the BBB, you can be sure, the business is bad. But what about all those BBB member businesses that had complaints filed against them? Consumers never get to hear about them. What about the BBB advertising to the public? Is this a false and misleading perception they are giving about consumer confidence when dealing with a business? Click here to understand more of what consumers and business alike are saying about the BBB. You decide. ..Remember. The BBB membership is not earned, it's paid for!
8 Updates & Rebuttals
Brian
Spokane,Washington,
U.S.A.
Theese days nobody can be trusted!
#9Consumer Comment
Sun, January 23, 2005
Thank you all for the info on davison i have a call due on tue the 25th I have alot to say. I have done my research, Bring it on richard wadorsic(?) I did however send in a very good idea and want to know what if they use it? What can i do? I now know sweat is the only way to get the ball rolling. Theese days nobody can be trusted!
Jeanne
Anniston,Alabama,
U.S.A.
They almost caught another one! Thanks, your site, it saved me alot of money!
#9Consumer Comment
Sun, January 09, 2005
I'm really glad about your site, it saved me alot of money. I just hope my idea wasn't ripped off. I had sent in my idea and have talked to Steve C. and was told to get the 685.00 in by the 14th of Jan. or my idea would be dropped. I think it's their way of trying to get your money right away before you can check them out. Always beware of anybody that wants the money up front especially if they can't even tell you if it's a good idea before you send them the money. (They have to investigate first\. Thanks for the heads-up! Sincerely, Jeanne
Scott
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
yikes !!! Glad I found this site.
#9Consumer Suggestion
Wed, December 29, 2004
I was checking into this company because I was considering taking a job there. Glad I found this site. I have gone through hell getting a product from my head to the marketplace. Now I am up against what I have found to be the hardest step. Marketing!!
I can tell you, however, that after being duped even by someone as reputible as a patent attorney, I found a great, honest attorney. Floyd Carothers from Pittsburgh, PA helped me out alot! He is found @ Carothers and Carothers.
Thank you for this site. I was pretty excited about a potential job at that company too. Oh well.
Scott
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
yikes !!! Glad I found this site.
#9Consumer Suggestion
Wed, December 29, 2004
I was checking into this company because I was considering taking a job there. Glad I found this site. I have gone through hell getting a product from my head to the marketplace. Now I am up against what I have found to be the hardest step. Marketing!!
I can tell you, however, that after being duped even by someone as reputible as a patent attorney, I found a great, honest attorney. Floyd Carothers from Pittsburgh, PA helped me out alot! He is found @ Carothers and Carothers.
Thank you for this site. I was pretty excited about a potential job at that company too. Oh well.
Scott
Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania,
U.S.A.
yikes !!! Glad I found this site.
#9Consumer Suggestion
Wed, December 29, 2004
I was checking into this company because I was considering taking a job there. Glad I found this site. I have gone through hell getting a product from my head to the marketplace. Now I am up against what I have found to be the hardest step. Marketing!!
I can tell you, however, that after being duped even by someone as reputible as a patent attorney, I found a great, honest attorney. Floyd Carothers from Pittsburgh, PA helped me out alot! He is found @ Carothers and Carothers.
Thank you for this site. I was pretty excited about a potential job at that company too. Oh well.
David
Bronx,New York,
U.S.A.
THNKS FOR THE INFO
#9Consumer Comment
Mon, June 28, 2004
IM SORRY YOU GUYS HAD TO GO THREW THAT,
BUT I WAS GOING TO INVEST MY MONEY ON MY IDEA WITH ANOTHER COMPANY,BUT AFTER FINDING OUT ABOUT RIPOFF, I FEEL MUCH BETTER THAT I DID NOT DO IT. LET ME ASK YOU GUYS SOMETHING WHERE CAN WE, AS INVETORS GO TO MAKE OUR DERAM COME TRUE? IM LOOKING FOR A PATENT LAWYER, THAT WILL GET ME A REAL PATENT, I LOOKED INTO OTHER COMPANYS LIKE INVENT TECH, ISC, AND THE DAVDSON COMPANY, AND THEY ALL ONE THING IN COMMEND, THEY ALL RIP PEOPLE OFF. IF ANYONE KNOWS A LAWYER PLEASE POST.
THANK YOU, ONE PISSED OFF INVENTOR
Sidney
Dolton,Illinois,
U.S.A.
davison, i truly believe they stole my idea !
#9Consumer Comment
Wed, June 09, 2004
i talk with a sean jones of davison about my ideas,i been thinking about this about ten years ago. so sean he gave me his spill,oh yes it a great idea so i sent in the drawing and details about what i wanted and this could also generate other products from this.so after he receive all my info,he said he wanted me to pick material for this,which i did and he said he would call me in a couple of day. i was still a little hesitate because there tv ad states its free.then if received forms nextday wanting $685.00 in u.s. currrency made payable to them. so at this time i got in touch with a patent att.and he told me and my wife in writing,he highly recommend that we not get involved with davison.so i again got a call from sean,and i told him what my att. said,and thats when he start to blow me off,about big companies have problems.so i told he no thanks and do not use me ideas.so about a month had past since i had talk to them,then i came home from work about 4:00am and turn on the tv and there it was an informical with a product resembling my ideas, i got pissed i woke my wifeand showed her.i got info on company and the wereright there in erie,pa 16506,there web sight did not offer much info on how long the be making this thing,so i tried to call them,when i got so one they would not give me that info.i find this kind of mind blowing,because they had two month to check things like this out and then theres a product out like my ideas.fluk on not a f*k! thanks for listen
Cherice
south amboy,New Jersey,
U.S.A.
More info on my lovely conversation with Tom Gallagher at Davison Design and Development
#9Author of original report
Tue, June 01, 2004
May 28th, 2004
2:30 pm-2:45 pm. Est....
I had called Davison Design and Development, a couple of times today... I had not gotten through until 2:30 pm... The receptionist had answered and I had asked for Tom Gallagher...She put me through to Tom and when Tom answered he said, this is Tom Gallagher , I said, Hi Tom, this is Cherice... I Then, brought to Tom's attention about the complaints on the company...He then started getting mad at me, treating me like crap, disrespecting me, cutting me off on some things I had said, and he started raising his voice at me.... which was at all not businesslike... I had said to Tom later on in the conversation that the way he is treating me is a good reason for me not to do business with him...I had then went back to reading some complaints about Davison Design and Development... I had gotten one report from the betterbusinessbureau.com and I also had gotten two consumer reports from badbusinessbureau.com..
The complaints I had read to Tom from the better business bureau were, that the company had some unresolved complaints from consumers,,, this Tom character had an answer for everything, which was not very professional like because he was very mean to me...He had told me every company had complaints, he was talking about Wal-Mart and Mcdonalds. He was saying we all still shop there... He had then made me feel dumb about what I was talking about...A couple of other complaints from the betterbusinessbureau.com are, that the company has no manufacturer's that they work with...In the beginning when Tom and I had started talking about my idea he had told me he had two manufacturer's interested in my idea, he also said that the idea was going to be big, that he wanted to put my idea into countries all over the world..Today, when I had called Tom I asked him where they are in the process with my idea, he said they haven't started... Tom, had said to me Cherice, do you even know what the betterbusinessbureau.com is? I said, yes I know what it is...
Back to some of the complaints. When I had read that to him about the Manufacturers, he now said, That they don't manufacture ideas, The Manufacturer's do thatYes but if the Manufacturers do that then how is my idea going to get marketed if they don't work with anyone? ... I had then read some more complaints to Tom- In fact , mostly all of Davison Associates' customers had lost their entire investment......Tom, of course came back with an attitude of an answer,,,, He was telling me that I should do some research. I had said, I did some research,that's how I found out about the complaints on your company... Tom, kept indicating in the way he was talking to me that I was stupid or something...... I had kept saying to him nicely, that I need my money and my ideas back.....He had said, It's not like I am going to steal your ideas. Meaning if I didn't get my ideas back then he wouldn't steal them... Right!!!
Tom had said To put everything in writing and send it in a priority addressed envelopeabout why I want my money back...He said, how much did you send, 20 dollars?,,,, I said, no, it was $50.00".... He said he can try to get my money back, he has to talk to his supervisor......I said what do you mean you will try? I said since you needed the $685.00 up front all together in order to get started on my project, then why can't I have my $50.00 dollars back? I told him I needed my $50.00 back..I said I really could use it for something else. And he said in a snuggish and making fun of kind of way, It sounds like it, I had then started to cry right after I hung up on him.... He had treated me so badly, I didn't deserve that.....
I had also talked to him about some of the consumer complaints, which one was, about how much the investment was for the idea, Tom, had told me that there is no investment....I told him that I had read a complaint about another Davison Associate asking a consumer for $6,000 to $10,000 dollars... He had told me to look at other Invention corporations...That they are not cheap, and would be more money than that... But if they didn't want an investment, then why did he say to me that the other companies would be more than that?.............
To be honest, I feel I have been taken advantage of, lied to, got my hopes shattered, got treated like dirt, disrespected, and made me think that I was going to be financially free with my royality checks,( which he has said that I was going to get, in the beginning when Tom and I had first started talking) ...I feel that this company, is not legitimate, and that everyone should steer clear of Davison Design and Development....