Complaint Review: AKE SAFETY EQUIPMENT (Allen Kronebusch) - Oronoco Minnesota

I'm writing this as testimony to help others out who have been ripped off by AKE safetey equipment and its affiliates. I have sensitive knowledge of the company and had run an office for a year before quitting of my own will. I hope this will help and get the word out so that legal actions may be taken and authorities can finally take this company down.

First of all AKE safety equipment stands for Allen Kronebusch Enterprises, the scam artist himself. I believe he even has a book out now ranting of his achievements of becoming wealthy off your kid's dollars, though he doesn't state it. AKE is a corporate umbrella that has a number of individual entities under it ending in "affiliates" and "enterprises". It is a small scam network of offices which works well for its benefactor, Allen Kronebusch, and his partner Paul Gaspord.

How does it work you might ask. First an advertisement is placed in the paper seeking out candidates for the "manager trainee" position which states it will pay out between $14-$22/hr (but the amount can change), the purpose is to attract people to call the number. They use the words UP TO in order to protect themselves. That way there is no guarantee and they don't have to pay you anything. When you call up the number either the manager, a trainee, or a secretary will answer reading a phone script. They set you up an appointment and ask you to bring $100 in cash or money order ONLY for the purpose of a background check. A very brief vague company outline is given and the 1 on 1 interviews proceed. Questions candidates give are prerehearsed to avoid objections and indirect answers are given. They try to hire everyone to get the nonrefundable $100 and tell you to bring another $300 with you to their "training class" for materials you'll need for the program, which are refundable granted you complete the program. You sign a contract and arrive at the class at the scheduled date/time.

During the class they feed you a lot of rehearsed self-help motivational script and try to convince you this is not a scam. Somewhere in the middle they get you to sign another contract to take your $300. Little time is spent on the contract so you don't read it through. They guide you to certain parts to avoid you wandering off and reading something important. You watch a video, they show you the products, and tell you to sell $500 of their overpriced merchandise over the weekend, and the class is finished. BTW, they tell you how you are getting paid. You do these hour long home safety surveys for your family and friends to get them to buy this junk and give you references. You get paid for every survey you do- $22/hr or whatever the paper advertised. 1 survey = 1 hour. Too bad they didn't tell you this during the interview. Too bad you were to excited in class to notice the word play they used. And after you get home you'll see on the back of your contract it clearly states you must do 100 surveys in 2 weeks to get paid anything. Not only is that impossible to do, it will also not be honored. I don't know one manager in the company that ever paid their trainees for their surveys. Not one. And if I get a reply back on this, it is another manager trying to protect themselves and are LYING. Too bad you didn't get to read the contract.

But Now a little about the products. Fire extinguishers alone are $200-$300 plus 25% of the total order for S/H. That means a $300 fire extinguisher has a s/h charge of $75 alone. Now you know why their prices aren't on the website. AKE claims they are a member of the NFPA, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were lying. Why so much for safety? Spare me on the quality speech. You would think if safety was the main concern the prices would be more affordable for the average person. This safety equipment gimmick is merely a front - a transportation vessel to con you out of your money.

The program works on pin levels. In order to proceed to the next you have to make your sales goals (not including s/h). In order: $500 for the RD(regional director) pin, $2000 more for the red pin, another $2500 for the white pin. They say the black pin is optional, but it's not. That's another $2500 more. They give you an optional challenge to do instead of getting the black pin, but it is an impossible feat and you're better off either just coming out of pocket or begging again for more money. Because as they say as a last attempt to get you through the program "if you purchase it yourself you can sell it back when you become a manager and get your own office." As you go through the program they teach you the business of scamming others, although you're still under the impression you're getting paid hourly and are on the way to big bucks. As you progress you become mentors for others that are hired and are told to keep them positive and motivated, because if your team doesn't make its quota you can't proceed. You're check at the end of this ordeal will be solely commission based. 10% of your sales, not counting s/h. At this point you're asked to come up with $8000 out of your own pocket to open up your own office. If you can't come up with the money they tell you to go home until you can come up with the cash. Many people don't make it past this point or fall off somewhere earlier. I stayed in because they already had my money and I don't walk away from my hard earned cash. I think it was safe to say i was very young, naiive, ambitious, and extremely affable - the perfect candidate. Throughout the program they also have "rocket rallies" in which you meet other scam office managers, the president Mr Kronebusch and all his other paid henchman to give you insightful words of wisdom to keep selling thus increasing the money in their pockets.

After you come up with the loot they take some of the money and you go on a trip with Mr Kronebusch and other managers and trainees who have also completed the program. $8000 for office rent, advertisements, and furniture, give me a break. An overpriced list is provided of what you'll need to get your office up and running and Mr K. (Kronebusch) holds your hand every step of the way as you are now his new ATM. You sign another contract that states you are an affiliate of AKE and are now a sole proprietor or independent contractor under the AKE umbrella devoid of using the name AKE outside your office, that way he doesn't take any hits from your scamming misfortunes. Your office in your chosen location is set up and the weekly cycle of hiring and training classes begin as you embark on vampiring others out of their money to replenish the very same money that got scammed from you. What a vicious circle this scamming business is. As an office manager you get 50% of the money running through your office whether it be from the contract deposits or sales (minus s/h) brought into your office. So 50% commission, all the while as you pay for your advertisements and , office rent, and supplies. Where does the other 50% go. Yep, you guessed it, to Mr. K. All the money is deposited daily into the AKE bank account and every month he deposits your half into your account minus a ton of miscellaneous charges you have no idea of where they are going, into his pocket. Don't you wish they would have told you the truth from the start. Now you're no better than the person that hired and lied to you. You go through this scam just to become a swindler yourself.

I took to writing this because I've recently seen several posts and someone I know came to my house asking if I wanted to buy some safety equipment from AKE. I knew then that this scam was never going to stop and that word needed to get out of the wrongdoing. So I urge other manager managers and trainees to stand up and be heard, to voice their opinions and come to testimony to shed some light on this hainous crime. I do believe in karma and I hope this comes back to all those who are still involved and who have stayed with Allen Kronebusch through the years who helped build the company and keep it afloat. May you rot slowly and painfully. I apologize to all those who's money i have taken and given to this man to keep his dream alive "100 scamming 100". Saving people's lives , BS, you destroyed them and I pray it comes back to you.

Here's some information I can provide, though I'm sure if the company gets a hold of this they'll change the numbers. New trainees are being hired all the time and new managers opening offices. Because i don't work for them any more i can't provide that information. I've included a list of some of Mr. K's subordinates as well.

Allen Kronebusch - president

Voice (507)367-4545

Fax (507)367-4333

Email [email protected]

Paul Gaspord - shipping

255 Autumn Lane

Savannah, TN 38372

Voice (731)926-8620

Fax (731)925-3190

Email [email protected]

Deb Evans - payroll

Voice (651)345-2447

Fax (651)345-3513

[email protected]

Marilyn Walsky - ship & fax to location for all paperwork

N 13888 County Rd K

Galesville, WI 54630

Voice (608)582-4660

Fax (608)582-4637

Email [email protected]

Jose Delatorre - regional director - chicago

jacqueline lopez - regional director - chicago

Strength in numbers

Dallas, Texas

U.S.A.