KGM VENTURE MARKETING Allyson Cerda, John Andros, Michael Nelson MARKETING SCAM Merchant processing scam SCAM ALERT CREDIT CARD FRAUD LOS ANGELES, CA Nationwide
This company contacted me through a telemaketing call (local person) whom I found out later got the job off of craigslist. It sounded to good to be true, which I have learned is ALWAYS a scam. They offer free marketing at no cost to you. They (John and Allyson) did a web interview with me and everything seemed good, so far...They brought up my website and showed me certain aspects that needed changing, updating, etc. and pointed out a lot of really nonsequential things that could easily be fixed by me (just haven't done yet). OK...
I asked them what was expected of me and the answer was "Just your cooperation". OK...They promised to drive more customers to my site and brick and mortar store thru their marketing strategies, which was done by using my sales reports from my processing company, or rather, the END processor, which is First Bank. My middleman and customer service is Express (a great company). I did call Express and informed them of this scam.
A few days later, Allyson emailed me the process application. It asked for my bank account, merchant account, canceled check, and Drivers License. Hmmm...I don't know of any marketing company that needs this info to do business, especially for FREE and I told them so. The answer was they didn't have an affliation with Express, only First Bank, and needed this information to 'look' at my reports. I informed them that I called Express and they would give permission (with my consent) for them to examine the reports without having that information.
I also investigated who KGM Marketing was. Their website is very allusive. While it looks geat, there really is no information. I myself could create the same website easily and put any information on there that they have boasted. I tried to check on some of their 'clients' and Fortune 500 companies-all dead ends...and I told them so.
I asked for reliable, substantiated customers, clients and/or other evidence to pursue and they could not comply. I told them I had already been scammed once this way this last year. The email politely declined any further business and was sorry to see me go...
The home working telephone marketer is now suspicious of their activity as well, even though she is paid, she does not want to represent a bogus company that may be scamming small business owners. She has begun her own investigation.
Things to remember, that I have learned...
1. If it is too good to be true-It's a SCAM!
2. A company that cannot verify itself is bogus.
3. No marketing company needs your banking/personal information to work for you.
4. Many credit card fraud scams involve getting between you and your processor and can 'skim' your profits or drain your accounts and you won't know it for few days to weeks!!
5. Always contact your current processor if someone calls to say you need some update or they ask for any pertinent info.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Vapor Bling LLC
SAPULPA,Oklahoma,
Retraction Letter
#3Author of original report
Wed, January 28, 2015
"To Whom It May Concern,
On or about January 7, 2015, Ginger Gibbons of Vapor Bling, LLC posted certain comments about KGM Venture Marketing on Ripoff Report website. After further review, we believe that the information contained in that posting is false and that Vapor Bling and Ms. Gibbons never should have posted it in the first place without conducting a more thorough investigation. After further investigation, we have determined that there is no evidence to support the defammatory statements we made against KGM Venture Marketing and we are therefore making a full retraction of our January 7, 2015 posting.
In particular, Vapor Bling and Ms. Gibbons expressly tract and disavow any allegation that KGM Venture Marketing is a scam, has stolen any money from its clients, or has done anything illegal with respect to any of its business practices or clients. Moreover, KGM Venture Marketing never stold any money from Vapor Bling, LLC and we have no facts to believe it would have done so.
Vapor Bling, LLC and Ms. Gibbons made this posting in error and are sincerely sorry and apologize for any harm it may have caused KGM Venture Marketing, and deeply regret having made the posting."
Sincerely,
Vapor Bling, LLC
Ginger Gibbons-CEO
Vapor Bling LLC
SAPULPA,Oklahoma,
Detraction of Inflammatory Remarks
#3Author of original report
Sat, January 17, 2015
I have been ordered to by "Cease and Desist" detract these ramarks
1.I detract any statement that infers that KGM is a "Scam, bogus, unreliable, or suspicious"
2. That John "Andros" did a web interview with me. "Andros" is not John's last name, it is Moore.
3. I do not know, nor have I ever talked with Michael Nelson.
While KGM may be a marketing company and not scamming anyone-they did not proceed at any time to inform me I would be switching to them as a processor or that they would be processing my credit cards. I only became aware that I would be switching to them as my processor when they sent me an application for processing
I have no proof or evidence that KGM has ever scammed anyone or stolen thier money to date including mine. I only have emails between myself and Allyson Cerda and a web interview with John Moore and an unrecorded telephone conversation with John and Allyson in which other statements were made to me alluding to "marketing". Them processing credit cards for my company was never discussed.
1." I asked for reliable, substaniated customers, clients and/or other evidence and they could not comply" refers to me asking for phone numbers and emails of satisfied customers, and I should have stated "they WOULD not comply".
2. I did ask, before I was sent the processing application, what was expected of me, to which John replied "Just your cooperation."
3. I have been speaking to the telemarketing representative, face to face, of my reluctance to retain any services of KGM. To which she has told me she would personally investigate.
If KGM is a reliable processsing company, they should have presented themselves as such when conducting thier primary interview with me. By presenting themselves to me as a "marketing company"-I felt tricked into giving them my personal information and the result would have been my switching processors-when I was under the impression that I was receiving 'free' marketing for filling out the appliction.
My only intention was to have people be aware of the difference. If I have misled anyone into thinking this was a scam-it was because I felt scammed into switching processors. My apologies to KGM for any other misunderstandings.