Complaint Review: Startup EssentialsJames One USA Card Services National Business Advisors

I, also was talked into this program by a smooth talking Lou DiBella. He made me feel very comfortable, but when it came time to read the contract I was told that the information in it we had already gone over. I was not given time to read the contract and was told "that I would miss out on the oppurtunity if I took the time to read it".

So now I've started the process to get rid of all these companies. Many Thanks to the poeople on this site as well as others for all your helpful information. I plan to get a lawyer so that I cannot be bullied by them any longer.

Is it true that these guys are being investigated by the FBI & FTC? I know Dana mentioned she had been contacted. If so, what questions were asked? What happened?

Hi. This is a comment in response to another man who read both of my statements about StartUp Essentials.

I apologize for contributing to your confusion.

Here is the reality of the situation:

Barbara Corday, of StartUp Essentials, was very encouraging. She sounded, and may be, very sincere and moved by my story of overcoming depression and of having paid for, and provided, more than 1,000 meals to malnourished children through another business that I represent (since March 1, 2006).

As someone who became aware of my experience with Bi-Polar Type 2 (mostly depression, with some experiences of high creativity and achievement as a result of a heightened state called hypomania), I was not accustomed to being treated so well by others.

During college, I endured death threats, insulting and pornographic letters, and violence from two individuals over a two year period. Our campus police (a bad period in the history of that department, now evolved and reputable) did nothing on my behalf. Moreover, they cited me as instigating violence and death threats against myself (?) by the two undergraduates.

The only thing that those two knew about me was that I experienced depression and was, during an early period in my therapy, easily angered by taunts. I also experience a mild form of autism, known to attract the attention of aggressive parties.

Is this pertinent? Yes.

In my effort in college to become a scholar and member of student organizations, the added problem with those two interfered with my advancement. Our police department officers mocked me. Our state legislators did not appear to do anything (although, the chief quietly left office, two detectives retired around the time the University's president office sent an aid to get to know me, and another officer also left.

During that period (1988-1990) I got to know the new VP of Campus health and safety, a former FBI special agent, superintendent of the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and former MN Commissioner of Public Safety, a very kind man, as was his new chief, Joy Rikkala, a very considerate and capable administrator.

As a result of the problems that I had with two students and a malfeasant police department, I began using the campus security escorts during my mile long walks acroos campus to my off campus apartment.

During one walk, I indicated, not so brightly, that a dear friend recently intimated that she was raped at the age of five by her nanny's fifteen-year old son. My friend's story overwhelmed me on one night.

What happened? Gossip began among the security escorts. The story was that I, in their small minds, stated having sexual relations with young children.

A few months later, three of the escorts began to harass me. I asked them to stand down. When they refused, and told me that I must continue walking with them, I asked the young supervisor of his rank, and of his supervisor's name and telephone number.

At that moment, he picked up his police radio and called in a complaint that I was engaging in disorderly conduct. My demeanor that evening? I was calm, and later became annoyed. When three squad cars and five police officers showed up at the graduate school site that I attended as a gift student in high school, I was very cooperative and walked to the senior officer, whom I trusted and respected.

Some weeks later, during my arraignment for a misdemeanor, I read the report accusing me of disorderly conduct. It was then that I read in the narrative that a story had been going around that I was a pedophile -- a story known by dormitory staff working at a close friend's place of residence.

During the booking procedure, deputies were astounded by my interest in their technology. I indicated my interest because a former roommate of my dad represented the Federal Marshall's service to INTERPOL in France, and because I worked alongside US Secret Service during a presidential campaign for Vice President Walter Mondale, (an eventual neighbor on my family home's block in Minneapolis).

Early in the morning, I asked the deputy if they had a pharmacy. I need to take medication to assist in the control of anxiety and depression. Oddly enough, I was concerned for the comfort of my fellow-jailmates who had hours earlier been harrassing me. I was a preppy white guy among several very large black men, whom I counselled to ask the Court for assistance through the AMICUS organization if they wanted out of their stated lifestyle of crime. My dad, an attorney, worked with Amicus during my teenage years.

The deputies went away, then returned to tell me that the pharmacy was closed. I asked for a separate cell, because when I am bored, I talk to people. I didn't want to keep the other inmates awake. By that time, they became very civil to me, I suppose, because I treated them with respect, encouragement, and objectivity.

The deputy returned and told me that none of his colleagues believed that I did anything wrong that evening, and he helped me by administrating me out of that situation. My belongings were returned, and I waved a cab to take me home.

Now, after experiencing several years of the drama that I've narrated, one might imagine how damaging that was to my morale. I formerly worked for a local suburban YMCA as a camp counselor and aquatics director/instructor. I adore kids. The statement offered on the police report signalled me into ten years of reclusiveness and rumination on how I shouldn't trust people.

Hence, I learned to not trust people, and I learned to stay to myself to ensure that I would not be bothered.

2006 was an interesting year for me. I'd been feeling better, and I began to make contact with others outside my faith community. I am a Nichiren Buddhist (www.sgi-usa.org). Few people treated me with respect during those years, and from the time I entered college in 1980.

Barbara Corday was very upbeat and encouraging. She led me to believe that I could succeed, and she gave hypothetical numbers to indicate that I could easily make at least $2,000.00 if I followed the programs lead.

However, the turning point for me was the lease agreement. I had a computer. I wanted to work at home, not out in the community. I didn't want a new computer, but Barbara indicated that it was neccesary for anyone taking part in StartUp Essentials' program.

When someone from their organization called me to make sure that I hadn't been pressured into the program, I indicated hesitance. I now recognize that I was pressured into the program by an eager woman who apparently used encouragement as a form of pressure.

The bottom line, my so-called confusing statements were a result of 1) first impressions, 2) a desire to get off of social security, 3) my response to someone new actually taking an interest in me with encouragement and good faith, and 4) my later recocnition of other statements about StartUp Essentials, their executive's role in an investigation by the FBI and FTC.

Moreover, I quickly recognized during that period that I could not afford, financially, to get involved with StartUp Essentials even if it were an excellent organization unfettered by criminal activity, if only representations that some exuctives were being investiagated.

My opinions formed very quickly after researching their claims, and claims against them. StartUp Essentials bills itself as an organization with no start-up fees. Fees, however, are required for access to their program. Has anyone transgressed? That is something for federal, district and state law enforcement officals to investiage, and for members of the judiciary to decide.

For now, I am placing my claim, without the intent of hindering or hurting anyone involved who is actually not a transgressor of ethics and laws.

I encourage everyone, especially those with low finances, to really probe StartUp Essentials representative for all costs, repeating or alone, that will become involved with the organization. I don't know if it is a bad organization. I feel scammed by the computer lessors and StartUp Essentials involvement with that organization, if, infact, they have not colluded to misrepresent themselves to gain profit.

If you are disabled, or know anyone who is who may be seeking business opportunities during their role as a benficiary of Social Security funds, please walk slowly into your involvement with these organization. Buyers be aware of your contractual responsibilities.

If you are concerned, contact your state attorney general consumer division, the FBI, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). You can call a library for their telephone numbers and address.

Please do not discount due process. Walk the high road, but keep in mind the dangers that my lurk on the otherside of the hill.

After reading Helens report I got the feeling that she felt more upset at the salespersons deception of saying that he worked for the bank instead of the company that he does actually work for. I for one would return any and all equiptment, training, cd's, workbooks, etc to the company since I was contacted by both the FBI and FTC about this company. Maybe the people at the bank that Helen contacted called these people in. I don't know. But Barrys comments have me totally confused. Was his mind changed maybe because he was also contacted by these agencys? Sure makes me wonder. Also if you have not signed for any package from UPS from this company I would refuse it!!!!

What brought this on?

There is no laptop out there regardless of what software is on it to be worth 6K.

That Acer computer wholesales for about $300. Retails for $500-600.

So why would any reasonable, competent person believe there is $5500 worth of software on it?

I have never seen any software worth that much.

After sending my rebuttal(above), I read other entries and found a pattern that indicated deceit. In fact, during our interview process, I tried to tell Barbara Corday, the interviewer who told me about StartUp Essentials and who found that my credit bureau report was at least "good," that I was not financially capable of getting involved. I am disabled and living on Social Security.

Barbara seems like a nice enough woman, and she walked me through the process. She did some math with me and indicated that if I sold cameras (my desire) for $100 each, that it was possible for me to make revenues of either around $14,000 or $19,000 per month.

Wanting very badly to get off of Social Security and become financially independent, I hesitantly agreed to go through with the process. When another individual from that organization called the next day to confirm that I had not been pressured, I tried to indicate that while Barbara was nice enough, I really could not go through with the process.

I'm not sure, but I think Minnesota has a law that gives a person so many business day hours to withdraw a contract. I had not received the computer, software, and workbooks by the time the second person called me.

I also experience a mild form of autism that may have been a factor in my giving in to Barbara's sales pitch and optimistic picture of how I would profit.

I strongly encourage anyone interested in this opportunity to look at their pocketbooks and determine if they will have the financial wherewithall to pay for the "no up front costs" program.

I'm not sure if bait and switch laws were violated, but there is an upfront cost associated with the program. Moreover, their "list" of dropshippers and "name brand products" isn't that hot.

A reasonable person who wants to sell cameras would reasonably expect that the organization would have made contact with wholesaleers of the most popular camera products. Barbara did not indicate that they provide only security camera equipment when we spoke of cameras.

In retrospect, and despite my earlier shining words on behalf of StartUp Essentials, I was wrong about the organization and strongly encourage everyone to be hesitant about involvement with this company.

I will conclude by saying that I told Barbara or another representative, prior to their shipping of the computer, that I do not need a laptop computer. This should have been a huge red flag. My brother, whom I noted above, also indicated that the program sounded like a scam to him.

Happy New Year 2007.

I recently became involved with StartUp Essentials and am happy with the support and the great amount of resources their organization has put together to assist willing and dedicated adults.

The computer is from Acer, a brand identified by my brother as a generic "good" computer. My brother is one of the website managers of an international, "brand recognized," retailer.

The $6000 figure that is identified in most complaints about the computer does not, in negative statements, appear to recognize the value of the software that is loaded into the computer, and otherwise provided by the organization.

The author of the report, to which this rebuttal is intended, failed to give an accurate figure by citing $7000 as the value of the computer. The value of the computer and related media are easily worth 48 payments of $139.99.

Further, complaints on this site regarding StartUp Essentials do not indicate how much time, patience, enthusiasm, faith -- and hard work -- that their authors have put into their work and their association with StartUp Essentials.

StartUp Essentials makes an effort to assist their consumers develop sound and solid identities as businessmen and businesswomen. Their messeges are motivational, inspired, and sound.

StartUp Essentials has a system of bringing their consumers into relevant activities that will help them prosper if their consumer uses good judgement, and if they make a genuine effort to learn from StartUp Essentials' advisors and its various media.

What is most disturbing about the criticism offered by the many detractors, on this site, of StartUp Essentials is that none describe their efforts in unison with StartUp Essentials' efforts to assist them on their road to prosperity.

I, myself, am a consumerist. My father was an assistant US attorney and served as an attorney for my state's attorney general. If I feel scammed, I will report, in balanced detail, my complaint -- bearing in mind my own efforts toward taking advantage of the system provided by StartUp Essentials, its agents, and its vendors.

In sum, I am happy with the support, the media, and the hardware provided by StartUp Essentials and its associates. I also recognize that StartUp Essentials is not responsible for my prosperity. I am.

I hope those reading negative and inaccurate comments about StarUp Essentials on this site will recognize that risk and hard work is intrinsic to entrepreneurialism. Hence, if you're not ready, or do not have the means, do not point fingers after you signed your obligatory signature to your contracts; but this is only my experience and opinion. Maybe I'm wrong.