Complaint Review: Going Platinum Inc

First of all, I'd like to report that "Janelle" who filed a rebuttal as an employee for Going Platinum is no employee of Going Platinum. All the employees were local and she lives a thousand miles away. GP employees knew eachother well as the company was never staffed with more than 25-30 people including the CEO's family. Everyone knew everyone else.

There are only 3 staff members and about 5 family members currently working at the Lancaster HQ. There is no other Going Platinum offices.

It is possible she acted as a "mod". The moderators are volunteer members who act as police for the GP bulletin boards, deleting any negative posts. They have little or no connection to staff and post "guesses" at what is happening in GP because they are seldom given any information from staff. They are often "high rollers" with large downlines and have a financial interest in keeping negativiity and questions off the boards and out of the chatrooms.

Alan Catalan, the CEO, and other staff do not interfere with wild speculations by members and mods regarding unreal earning possibilities and rumors promoting membership and more money coming into Headquarters.

The company offered ISP for life for a $25 fee in May 2001. The ISP for life lasted 3 1/2 months. They have been promising payouts and prior to October 2002, the only payouts were commissions on recruiting, which is illegal. That money was paid out sporadically for only about 4 months.

This October, a few selected members were sent checks for internet activity....but all earners did not receive money they earned. Currently, subsequent payments have been halted because Mr. Catalan claims that a mysterious company has bought GP. In the meantime, GP continues to collect membership fees and advertising revenue including commissions from member shopping on-line for many months. The members who signed up in early 2001 for the original $25 fee have been told that the rules were changed and they must pay a monthly fee, too. The "rules" are often changed, always to the benefit of the company and always to delay any kind of pay out to members.

This company owes me and at least 10 other employees back salary from the summer of 2001. Although the CEO and mods post that arrangements have been made to pay us (and other creditors), no ex-employee has been contacted in a year and a half. I have a lawsuit filed with PA Dept of Labor for an amount exceeding $1100 and there are some who are owed more than triple that amount. the CEO refuses to speak to the state investigator in charge of my case despite numerous phone calls and correspondence.

The company has liens and judgements filed against it in the Lancaster County Courthouse.

Mr. Catalan rented a building in the Greenfield Industrial Park for which rent was never paid. The company operated out of that large building for 9 months. There is a judgement in the Lancaster County Courthouse from the owners: High Properties Inc. for $1.2 million.

In addition, liens are filed by Phillips Office Supplies and Frontier Leasing for computers they leased. I don't know how many suits are pending at the district magistrate level... where my own case is being prosecuted.

In addition to stiffing ex-employees on salary, GP failed to pay employee state and federal Income taxes and unemployment compensation taxes. There are three judgements for (approx.) $71,000 from the IRS, $3000 from PA state employee income tax and $1500 from the state UC tax.

At least three bank accounts have been seized and that is also on file in the courthouse.

This is all a matter of public record and the Prothonatory Office at the Lancaster County Courthouse will look up and fax paper work for a small fee to anyone requesting the information.

I have testified at a federal SEC investigation. I was told they were sharing the information with several other regulatory agencies including the FTC and INS.

There have been numerous complaints about payments, ISP service and no one responding to email and/or telephone complaints. In additiion, many complaints about double and triple charges to credit cards have been reported on the GP boards. These complaints, made on the GP bulletin boards-- are deleted ASAP by the Mod Squad.

lindro
Lewisberry, Pennsylvania
U.S.A.

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