Complaint Review: Top Gun Promotions

I hope an attorney sees this and anyone that was denied a job from them after sending them their picture (see ad below). Also in response to them doing criminal background checks, all one has to do is go to superiorcourt.maricopa.gov and search the dockets. You may be surprised who you find there. The owner, president, vice president and secretary of Top Gun Promotions are all listed at cc.state.az.us. With regards to the Arizona Better Business Bureau, they do in fact have 13 complaints in 36 months. That's worked out to about 1 every 2 1/2 months and someone thinks that good? And for those people that have been discriminated against by them here is where you go ica.state.az.us. Just remember with all of the web address you must as the www. Good luck to all. Especially Top Gun Promotions, they're gonna need it.


Reply to: job-626839856@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-04-01, 3:08PM MST

Receptionist / Office Assistant


Looking for a relaxed environment with steady part time income?
We are looking for a girl with a good phone disposition. Some computer skills are helpful. Reliable and trustworthy ... a necessity!
Our promotions office is laid back and the co-workers are too. We need someone who can fit in with the boys ... or at least get along well with them.
Please send resume and/or inquiries along with a photo. We look forward to setting up an interview with you.
This position pays $10 per hour with increase after 90 days.


Location: tempe
Compensation: 10 per hr
This is a part-time job.
Principals only. Recruiters, please don't contact this job poster.
Please, no phone calls about this job!
Please do not contact job poster about other services, products or commercial interests.
PostingID: 626839856

i was once a believer in what they did, until their dishonest ways impacted me negatively and I had to leave the company. I am still trying to get paid for money owed to me.

I don't recommend buying anything from any door to door salesman or solicitor. I don't even recommend opening the door. Many of the employees at Top Gun had criminal records, but no background checks were performed by the company. I also do not recommend working for Top Gun Promotions as I feel they might not have honest payroll practices as I feel they might have been taking money from my checks and lying about "returned" merchandise as well as insuffiencent funds from some of the buyers.

People are trained to know all the angles at the door. Customers are told to pay at 9.5% "tax" which is not actually tax, but a "nonrefundable service or distribution fee" (in other words, it's BS) but most people don't ask too many questions when the "79 dollars" somehow quickly becomes "87.54"

Oftentimes, at the shops the cards are used at, customers with the "free oil changes" are treated poorly because the shop gets backed up from doing so many "free oil changes" and they don't make any money from dolnig it. The shops then try to upsell the customer, so at least SOMETHING can be gained from giving away a free oil change.

The turnaround at TOP GUN PROMOTIONS is extremely high so they constantly have to hire new kids and others with all sorts of background. TOP GUN is also extremely discriminatory and will not generally hire African Americans on the basis of skin color alone. One Top Manager would always say "we are NOT an equal opportunity employer."

They wouldn't hire African Americans because they'd claim neighbors would call the police faster on an African American and it would shut down their whole operation for the night.

Ultimately, all door-to-door salesman are pests. They should be avoided at all costs. You never know the background of the person coming to your door. When it looks too good to be true, it typically is. Most of the time, they are pulling these scams without permission to do so in the area. I highly recommend you know your town's laws. If a stranger comes to your door trying to sell you something, the best thing to do is to call the police immediately. It forces rag-tag operation like TOP GUN PROMOTIONS---tyring to sell there "AUTO CARE SUPER SAVER" - to move to another area.

I once had a great attitude about the company, until I became a victim of their abuse as well. Now, I'm an ex employee with a grudge to bear, until they pay me the money they owe me (which isn't even that much, it's just the principle)---- and stop trying to come up with excuses and false "backup" for their claims that they don't owe it to me.

First of all, I am not a business. I am relatively new to Top Gun Promotions, and am learning more and more about the business every day. I am a self-employed freelancer working with Top Gun Promotions and I am proud of the company and my association with them. To my knowledge, the company tries very hard to be very honest both at the door and with refunds/customer service issues. .

Just an FYI, Top Gun Promotions sells the Auto Care Super Saver to THOUSANDS of customers throughout the USA per year. If the information regarding the 11 complaints to the BBB in the past 36 months (3 years) is even true, it is just a fraction of 1% of our customers---the overwhelming majority of whom are extremely satisfied with our product, the shops we represent, and our customer service.

On behalf of Top Gun Promotions, I apologize if you feel you were ripped off and if you think the company broke laws (which are currently under review by the company) but the bottom line is that although it might have taken some time, you did receive a full refund, and we will refund your expense for sending the card back to us, if you still have the receipt.

We are not bothered that people will see this, since again, a TINY FRACTION of our customers have any complaints, and those that do we usually take care to their full satisfaction. All I can do in your case is apologize and we wish you would have just given the new owner at Joe's a shot, as we are still confident you would have been happy with both the service and the savings.

As a business required to comply with the federal Cooling Off law, it is shocking that you have never heard of it. A summary of the federal law is available for review on the FTC website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buying/cooling.htm

The applicable sections are outlined below:

- The Federal Trade Commission's (FTC's) Cooling-Off Rule gives you three days to cancel purchases of $25 or more.

- Under the Cooling-Off Rule, the salesperson must tell you about your cancellation rights at the time of sale. The salesperson also must give you two copies of a cancellation form (one to keep and one to send) and a copy of your contract or receipt. The contract or receipt should be dated, show the name and address of the seller, and explain your right to cancel. The contract or receipt must be in the same language that's used in the sales presentation.

- Within 20 days, the seller must either pick up the items left with you, or reimburse you for mailing expenses, if you agree to send back the items.

As I've said repeatedly, I was not provided an address, cancellation form, or any of the items required by law. It was only after weeks of making repeated attempts to contact Top Gun Promotions that someone finally gave me the address.

As for the Better Business Bureau complaints, yes, they are in fact for Top Gun Promotions. There are 11 complaints in the past 36 months: (((ROR REDACTED LINK FOR SECURITY PURPOSES)))

Go ahead and claim ignorance all you want but I have done the research and backed up my claims. I am content in knowing that Top Gun Promotions has been called out for their actions and that clearly the company is bothered that people will see this.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

I'd be very interested in learning more about these "federal laws" you keep alluding to. You say you researched the FTC, and your provide your summation of Federal law, but you provide no specifics.

Certainly if you called the company and sent the cards to us, we provided an address to you and you continue to refer to laws which may or may not be applicable to this particual situation.

And again, you are confusing the promotional company with the Service Center. Top Gun Promotions does not have eleven complaints or an unsatisfactory raiting at the Better Business Bureau.

Many times Top Gun Promotions is hired to promote a shop under NEW OWNERSHIP, which was most likely the case at Joe's; that's why we are sent door-to-door with the promotions.

If you send me your address, I'll gladly refund your money for the shipping if you still have your receipt.

Top Gun Promotions DOES carefuly choose reputable service centers. Car maintence is a touchy and highly subjective topic. One person could be completely satisfied w/ a service center while another person may not. Depending on the length of time a company has been in business, 11 complaints (if that's even true--) is not excessive. Can you imagine how many customers these shops have in one day, let alone many years?

Could you please provide proof of these "11 complaints" and this "unsatisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau."

Please don't confuse Top Gun Promotions with the Auto Service Center we were promoting. To our knowledge, we resolve all complaints to the best of our ability, we do not try to rip anyone off, and we do not have an unsatisfactory rating w/ the Better Business Bureau.

I'd be very interested in learning more about these "federal laws" you keep alluding to. You say you researched the FTC, and your provide your summation of Federal law, but you provide no specifics.

Certainly if you called the company and sent the cards to us, we provided an address to you and you continue to refer to laws which may or may not be applicable to this particual situation.

And again, you are confusing the promotional company with the Service Center. Top Gun Promotions does not have eleven complaints or an unsatisfactory raiting at the Better Business Bureau.

Many times Top Gun Promotions is hired to promote a shop under NEW OWNERSHIP, which was most likely the case at Joe's; that's why we are sent door-to-door with the promotions.

If you send me your address, I'll gladly refund your money for the shipping if you still have your receipt.

Top Gun Promotions DOES carefuly choose reputable service centers. Car maintence is a touchy and highly subjective topic. One person could be completely satisfied w/ a service center while another person may not. Depending on the length of time a company has been in business, 11 complaints (if that's even true--) is not excessive. Can you imagine how many customers these shops have in one day, let alone many years?

Could you please provide proof of these "11 complaints" and this "unsatisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau."

Please don't confuse Top Gun Promotions with the Auto Service Center we were promoting. To our knowledge, we resolve all complaints to the best of our ability, we do not try to rip anyone off, and we do not have an unsatisfactory rating w/ the Better Business Bureau.

I'd be very interested in learning more about these "federal laws" you keep alluding to. You say you researched the FTC, and your provide your summation of Federal law, but you provide no specifics.

Certainly if you called the company and sent the cards to us, we provided an address to you and you continue to refer to laws which may or may not be applicable to this particual situation.

And again, you are confusing the promotional company with the Service Center. Top Gun Promotions does not have eleven complaints or an unsatisfactory raiting at the Better Business Bureau.

Many times Top Gun Promotions is hired to promote a shop under NEW OWNERSHIP, which was most likely the case at Joe's; that's why we are sent door-to-door with the promotions.

If you send me your address, I'll gladly refund your money for the shipping if you still have your receipt.

Top Gun Promotions DOES carefuly choose reputable service centers. Car maintence is a touchy and highly subjective topic. One person could be completely satisfied w/ a service center while another person may not. Depending on the length of time a company has been in business, 11 complaints (if that's even true--) is not excessive. Can you imagine how many customers these shops have in one day, let alone many years?

Could you please provide proof of these "11 complaints" and this "unsatisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau."

Please don't confuse Top Gun Promotions with the Auto Service Center we were promoting. To our knowledge, we resolve all complaints to the best of our ability, we do not try to rip anyone off, and we do not have an unsatisfactory rating w/ the Better Business Bureau.

I'd be very interested in learning more about these "federal laws" you keep alluding to. You say you researched the FTC, and your provide your summation of Federal law, but you provide no specifics.

Certainly if you called the company and sent the cards to us, we provided an address to you and you continue to refer to laws which may or may not be applicable to this particual situation.

And again, you are confusing the promotional company with the Service Center. Top Gun Promotions does not have eleven complaints or an unsatisfactory raiting at the Better Business Bureau.

Many times Top Gun Promotions is hired to promote a shop under NEW OWNERSHIP, which was most likely the case at Joe's; that's why we are sent door-to-door with the promotions.

If you send me your address, I'll gladly refund your money for the shipping if you still have your receipt.

Top Gun Promotions DOES carefuly choose reputable service centers. Car maintence is a touchy and highly subjective topic. One person could be completely satisfied w/ a service center while another person may not. Depending on the length of time a company has been in business, 11 complaints (if that's even true--) is not excessive. Can you imagine how many customers these shops have in one day, let alone many years?

Could you please provide proof of these "11 complaints" and this "unsatisfactory rating with the Better Business Bureau."

Please don't confuse Top Gun Promotions with the Auto Service Center we were promoting. To our knowledge, we resolve all complaints to the best of our ability, we do not try to rip anyone off, and we do not have an unsatisfactory rating w/ the Better Business Bureau.

As stated in my original report, I requested a refund within 24 hours. Top Gun did violate federal law by failing to provide an address, therefore my only means of contacting the company was by email and phone, which was repeatedly ignored. Additionally, I was not provided a receipt or the two copies of cancellation forms required by law.

Companies like Top Gun Promotions are the reason there are three day rules for door to door sales. At the time of sale I was told that Top Gun Promotions thoroughly screens and chooses only reputable companies for the services. This clearly was not the case based on Better Business Bureau ratings and experiences of friends, which is why I requested a refund - which I had every right to do. This is not like requesting a refund from McDonalds, this is like being sold something under the impression it is 24k gold and finding out it's gold painted - a complete misrepresentation of the product.

Additionally, the shipping charges incurred were more than a couple of stamps. I followed the recommendations of the FTC and sent the return through certified mail for proof of delivery since in my dealings with Top Gun up to that point they were not reliable.

Twenty years in business is not proof that a company is good. Eleven complaints and an unsatisfactory Better Business Bureau record indicate otherwise. Perhaps Top Gun Promotions in other parts of the country are more honest, but in Arizona they are not.

This person got their refund---which was not required since it was well beyond the 3 days after they purchased the coupon. It was kind of them to give the refund in the first place, since it was not required just because this individual decided they did not want to get their oil changed at Joe's Auto. This individual goes on to complain that Top Gun did not provide a refund for "shipping." If this individual provides an address, i"ll happily mail him the one or two stamps he seems to be complaining about.

Also, regarding any Federal Law(s) which may or may not have been broken, we operate under all applicable US, State, and City laws. Top Gun Promotions has been successfully creating the Auto Care Super Saver for over 20 years with very few complaints. If the business was an actual ripoff, it would not exist for so long. Getting mad at a promotional company because one does not like the actual place the company promotes, is not the promotional company's fault. It would be like getting angry at a McDonald's commercial for not liking the service at a McDonald's.

Again, we refunded the money, despite the fact the person wanted a refund well beyond the 3 days they had to ask for one.