Complaint Review: VBO Inc - Brian McClure Mike Phillips Vacations By Owner Vacationsbyowner.net

I was contacted by VBO, INC. and I was told that they needed new people to work as sub contractors using their software which sent out ads to people using IP to IP addresses and Windows Messenger Service to get the ads out to prospects.

I was told the software was legal and that they only had 2 openings available and that the cost was $3500. I was told that I would make at least $500+ a week per PC operating the software and that a 1% to 5% ratio could be as a response rate to the ads acknowledged using ads that VBO, Inc. supplied. I was also told I could use the software for my own business as well.

Of course it was the usual high pressure tactic with the end result trying to get my credit card information. When I said I needed more time to make the decision then I was put on hold and another person came on who tried even harder to use high pressure tactics. As usual every possible reason I could come up with to not buy now was met with a well thought out answer.

Even when I asked for references they had a well thought out answer to that too. Naturally they had no references to give but they did seem to be on the up and up after truing to find any bad stories on the Internet. There was nothing bad at the time when I bought the software on late June of 2004.

I was told that if the cost was a problem that they could come down on the price but if they did come down on the price, I would have to give a decision right then and there because "according to Florida State law, once an offer was made it was considered a one time inducement and could not be re-offered again."

After some haggling I bought the software after getting a price of $795, but I had to make a verbal agreement to repay the difference to Mike Phillips who seemed to be the head of sales.

Once I agreed to the price, Mike told me that someone would call me back to confirm the credit card information. When I was called I was taped as someone read off the credit card information and then basically had me answer YES to questions that basically forced me to negate the claims that sales led me to believe the software was capable of.

Upon using the software, it was clear their claims were not truthful. I even called support and was basically told that sales always oversells the software and that I would be lucky to see a 1% return at all. The software also did NOT operate as well and as easily as I was told.

I contacted Mike Phillips and was told that they had problems with that guy in support but to stick it out and all would come true. Well, I stuck it out and I have yet to see a penny and the company does not even return my phone calls anymore.

I also found 20 other people who bought the software around the same time as myself and we have ALL experienced the same dismal results and poor service. The company LIES to you about the expectations of the software; the legality of the software and the financial expectations all in order to get what ever they can out of a person financially.

They have sold the software for as low as $140 to a disabled person and as high as $1750 and they sold it to more than 2 people around the time that I bought the software. (I was told that they were only in need of 2 people but they sold it to 20 people at the same time)

Lastly, the company encourages users to use fake email addresses, which is illegal.

Upon researching further into VBO it was discovered that they were licensed the software from another company in Florida which uses the same high pressure sales tactics and prodding to discover how much money they can suck out of you whether it is $140 or $3,500.

The company that VBO licensed the software from is Serafano Enterprises and they have numerous complaints here on the rip-off report website as well.

Upon reviewing the complaints on Serafano Enterprises it appears as though Serafano paid an employee $400 to build the software and both Serafano and VBO continue to sell this software at inflated prices and by fraudulently representing the software and its potential.

Out of 20 people who bought this software, only 17 people responded to a questionnaire I sent out and not one person had made any money and ALL had experienced the same poor support and lack of returned phone calls once the bluff had been called with the people at VBO.

Please see http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2004/08/dsquared.htm for more info regarding the illegal nature of the software that VBO is selling as well as the encouragement that VBO tells you to use a fake email address of a female persona.

BOTTOM LINE: DO NOT BUY THIS SOFTWARE OR HAVE ANY DEALINGS WITH VBO BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT MAKE ANY MONEY. REPORTS HAVE ALREADY BEEN FILED WITH THE FTC AND BBB at orlando.bbb.org

HAVE SOME FUN WHEN VBO CALLS YOU BACK TO TRY AND GET YOUR CREDIT CARD AND DIRECT THEM TO THIS SITE AND THE BBB SITE!!

David
Rocky Hill, Connecticut
U.S.A.

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!