Complaint Review: Startup Essentials - Texas

I was called by a man named William Jackson (972-824-5811). He talked fast and made it sound like he had found me and "interviewed" me. By the end of the interview I thought I had asked all the questions I thought satisfied me. We started the paper work on line. It was a long process and by the end I was pretty frazzled.

He mentioned Chase Bank as an affiliate and as the bank "sponsoring" this business because they made out on all credit card purchases I would make happen. He said Startup Essentials was in the Better Business Bureau and I had checked and I thought I found out they were. By the end of the interview I was so excited that I started signing away.

It wasn't until he had my signature which was copied over and over in the "lease" that I realized that I was paying monthly payments that I at the time couldn't afford. I protested. And he said "what you don't think you can make $150 a month?" Well I did think from what he said that I would be making money right away.

Then I found out that my first payment was due on March 15th. I signed the lease on February 26th. I protested again. I had my daughters birthday coming up and other finances to take care of. I even called the next day to try and get out of the lease. I received my promised laptop computer within 24 hours. When it arrived I called to try and cancel and send it back they said it was too late.

I started working on the materials right away. It was slow going. I am on dial-up and it took so long to download some of the lessons that AOL would kick me off and I would have to start over. I wanted this to work so bad that I almost got a satellite connection which would have cost me $700. I decided thank God not to do it after Justin (an employee of Startup Essentials) told me to get a download booster for $24. It helped a little.

I learned few things, I was on the weekly phone calls (which I found out was usually trying to sell someone's services). I had purchased a membership with Dobra, a dropshipper, and wasn't impressed with the products they had to offer. I have never used them yet.

Basically I was taught to this date how to sell on E-bay. E-bay teaches you how to do this for free. I haven't sold anything.

My laptop stopped working around April 5th. I had no support from startup essentials. They made Acer the bad guy and I had to deal with some guy who complained about how busy he was and he didn't have time to help me on the phone so I had to just send the laptop in to be repaired. I did on April 10th.

It took until the 19th to get the laptop back. I had a corrupt OS.

The laptop came back looking different. It wasn't really new looking. Nothing was the same about what was on it. I never really used anything that was on it so I don't know what was there a;lpl I know was when it came back everything had changed and there was all sorts of stuff missing especially all the Startup Essential/Journey programs and Icons. I called and told them that and they said none of it mattered anyway. Hmmmmmm.

Along the way I had talked to some lady to complain and she told me that lots of people make it without a computer and that I should be thankful that was the only problem I had.

Justin seemed to be the only person I ever got on the phone when I called. He was always there.

The guy William Jackson said he would be there for me anytime I needed him. After signing the documents I never could get him again. I got his kids, I got things saying his mailbox was full. I never got him.

I talked to a Ted Thompson, extension 8602, Nichole, extension 617, and merchant support, phone number 866-552-8847, and customer services extension, 618.

I never made a dime, I think the computer probably cost $400-$500 tops. And they are charging me $159.99 for the next 36 months. (minus the 3 I have already paid).

I have a part time job that usually pays the grocery bills and music lessons for the kids. But now I am barely able to do these things. I has definitely strapped us to have this bill.

I have been waiting to get to any part of this training to make it worth my while but around every corner it sounds like I have to pay more and more to people to get a business off the ground to make money. I don't have any more and with the economy I will not have more.

I need help, now.

Sharon

Springwater, New York

U.S.A.