Where do I start? There is so many shady things that have happend with this organization. My company does service work for them for credits instead of cash towards trade. Barter Connections/Ken Barron facilitates the trade... I do a service, they provide me with a list of services I can use my credits toward. How many times have the services failed or been rejected from Barter Connections/Ken Barron? Countless! I have gotten gift certificates from them and handed them out for Christmas to be told by friends and family that they didnt' work. I have gotten gift certificates for a restaurant and taken my wifes family out to dinner just to be told that they don't accept them.
Barter Connections/Ken Barron are quick to take the commission they get paid to facilitate the trade but what you are being given half the time is USELESS. I have been totally embaressed so many times.. having given there gift certificates out that were useless or having to break out my credit card to pay for a dinner when Barter Connections/Ken Barron issued the gift certificates to me. The problem is that people jump in with Barter Connections believing the hype that they are a legitimate trade organization. What this company does is, it uses up their customers..getting services and gift certificates until the customer discovers that they will not get what they are giving.. then they withdraw.
Why do you think so many of my gift certificates didn't work? There are so many other people out there that I have spoken to that are members of Barter Connections who gave there gift certificates and services who are chasing their owed trade. My company has THOUSANDS of dollars in trade that is owed. We are afraid to order gift certificates etc in fear that they wont work... and the fact that Barter Connection/Ken Barron will want there Cash for the facilitating the trade. I have had to go to the POLICE because I had ordered 26 thearter seats and Ken Barron said my yearly fee was due. I mailed it to him... weeks go by and it is never cashed. So he shows up to my door for another check.
I give it to him and call the bank an hour later to cancel the orignal check. By this time KEN BARRON has already CASHED BOTH CHECKS!!!!!! I then went to the Randolph Policie Dept. and they contacted him.... shortly there after, one of the check amounts was deposited in my account. Weeks later, I am still inquiring about my 26 tickets for the theater, I intend of taking my employees to the Chistmas Carrol Play... these tickets have been paid for.... I ask several times, I am told that I will get them after Thanksgiving.. I call, I email.. NO RESPONSE after Thanksgiving.
So I call the Theater to ask if my tickets have been given to Barter Connections/Ken Barron... And what do you know: The theater no longer does business with Barter Connnections. WHAT A SHOCK... So I call Barter Connections and tell them that I plan to contact the Attorney Generals Office regarding this FRAUD. 2 days later I recieved a check in the mail from Barter Connections/Ken Barron for the difference that I had given them toward the tickets. Does this make it right? Does this somehow save face? Are they high? Anyone reading this who is thinking about joining Barter Connnections in Newton, MA please listen: RUN RUN RUN!!!! I expect at some point to see this company under formal investigation soon.