Complaint Review: Pacific Marketing Solutions / Stephen Mazziotta

In late August, 2000 I contracted a California locator company (Pacific Marketing Solutions/Stephen Mazziotta*) to find locations for 25 coin shooter vending game machines. I used his company because it was mentioned in the start up literature received from the coin shooter company (Tabletop), and he assured me that he could have my machines in locations in the first week of September,2000.

As soon as he got my money he began putting me off, rescheduling me, lying to me, even threatening me. This went on through September and October then, finally, in late November he got me a single location. It was a poor location, and when I objected to putting all the machines in one location he called me stupid and told me it was all based on seating capacity. It wasn't until I was installing the machines that I discovered the location would only accommodate 17 machines. I tried to contact Stephen Mazziotta to get him to honor his guarantee to find all 25 locations, but he wouldn't return my calls.

Just a few weeks later the owner of the location had me remove the machines because they were bringing in less than twenty cents per day per machine. Once again I tried to contact Mr. Mazziotta and have him honor his guarantee, but again he wouldn't return my calls.

I've learned since then that Stephen Mazziotta's companies have several complaints on file with the Better Business Bureau in Los Angeles for this same thing. In fact he is threatening me with legal action for a complaint that I wrote to the BBB.
Both my wife and I are disabled. She has a terminal illness, is wheelchair bound, and requires pretty constant attention.

I use a wheelchair frequently and am disabled from injuries sustained while serving our great country during and after Viet Nam. Our only source of income is disability, and we had hoped the coin shooters would supplement that, and allow us to live a more dignified lifestyle.

At the suggestion of the coin shooter company, we used our vehicle as collateral to borrow money to buy the machines , and scraped, saved and did without things to get enough money to hire a locator company. Due to the poor performance of Mr. Mazziotta the machines have spent most of the past year in our garage while we continue to scrape and even do without prescription medications just to pay the loan. The added stresses from all of this have caused my wife to suffer stress induced hemoplegic strokes, making her condition much worse and hastening her untimely demise.

We sincerely hope that Mr. Mazziotta's actions don't represent the entire vending industry. He knows we can't afford to bring legal action against him, and short of that I don't know if anything can be done to have him correct this situation.

I served our country long and honorably helping to defend the freedoms we hold so dear. Now it is I who needs the help and defense. Any assistance or advice you could render would be greatly appreciated.

WHAT I'M OWED.
I payed him $375.00 in a check then another $375.00 in cash to his representative when he got me the one location. The coin shooter games come with a "prize package" which is free for the first year, but after that it costs $3.00 per month per machine. Since my machines have sat in my garage for most of the year, I've effectively lost 10 months of the free time, so I figure he owes me an additional $750.00 there. I know I can't recoup any sort of damages associated with the strokes all of this has caused my wife... I would like a few minutes in a locked room with this (*&^#%^*&&*$

BOTTOM LINE......
I would want the entire fee I paid him & his representative ($750.00) plus the $750.00 I've lost in prize package money. And a written apology for treating me with such disrespect.

Thank You.
Respectfully,
Curtice Thompson

Disabled American Veteran

God Bless America

According to the L.A. BBB,*Stephen Mazziotta also does business under these other names: International Location Consultants and Location Concepts International at 22521 Avenida Empresa #113, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ca. 92688/ 22431 Antonio Parkway #160, Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif 92688-3900. Phone 800-845-1232:and 24681 La Plaza Suite 230, Dana Point, Ca. 92629 phone 800-590-1330:

Click here to read other Rip Off Reports on Pacific Marketing Solutions

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!