- Report: #115305
Complaint Review: UNIM LLC - UNIMLLC - Delray Beach Florida
-
Author Not Confirmed
Why?
UNIM LLC - UNIMLLC
UNIM LLC, Delray Park Of Commerce, 1200 NW 17th Ave, Suite 7 * Perforum, 675 N. 1890 W, Unit 45 B * Empire Marketing Systems, 144 West Brigham Road, S Delray Beach, 33445 Florida, U.S.A.
Web:
N/A
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
UNIM Aka UNIMWEB Aka UNIM LLC Seminars - Perforum Aka Perforum Marketing Aka IRC Consulting Aka 180 Design Group - Global Marketing Alliance Aka GMA Aka Empire Marketing Systems, NGC Rip-off Repeated It's a scam alright! Devious, Disingenuous Liars Delray Beach FloridaRip-off Report Investigation:UNIM contacts Rip-off Report to satisfy all complaints and adheres to "no-questions asked" 100% customer service satisfaction policy & terminates relationships with outside vendors that caused these complaints. UNIM commits to Rip-off Report Corporate Advocacy Program
I paid the big bucks! I did the work!
UNIM LLC, Perforum, Inc., and Global Marketing Alliance promised big, but didn't deliver.
1. I was promised a Premium UNIM LLC product; the UNIM LLC product was far from premium!
2. I was promised a high level of technical service from UNIM LLC; the UNIM LLC service was substandard!
3. I was promised training in internet marketing and expert support from UNIMWEB/ Perforum, Inc. to sell UNIM LLC premium ecommerce websites on the internet; it was not provided!
4. I was promised targeted Opt-in email marketing; that was a lie it is random!
5. I was interviewed and selected to a UNIM LLC marketing team; that was a scam there was no marketing team!
6. I was promised 4 internet marketing teleconferences; they never happened!
7. I was promised 4 training utility disks; I received only one that worked!
8. I was promised an internet and marketing plan for my business; I didn't receive it!
UNIM LLC, Perforum, Inc, and Global Marketing Alliance took more than $8,000 for these empty promises, and asked me for 8-10 hours a week. I gave them more than 60 hours a week and got scammed!
What's wrong with this scenario? It's a Rip-Off!
I attended a National Grants Conference Seminar on May 23rd, 2004. At that conference a speaker sold me a UNIM website and an opportunity to attend a UNIM LLC Seminar the next Wednesday. There, I would be taught how to make significant income working part-time on the internet through the new UNIM LLC ecommerce website. The website and the seminar's cost was $129.95 as a special promotional offering.
I was told that the website retails for $299.95. I signed up with UNIM LLC and bought the UNIM LLC website disk and the server fee of $29.95 per month, which was required by UNIM LLC to run their website.
On June 2nd, 2004 I attended the UNIM LLC seminar where I was told that I could make significant income on the internet with my new ecommerce website, but that I would need a few more components to make it work. First, I was told that in order to process credits cards securely over the internet I would need an ecommerce merchant account, which I could purchase from UNIM LLC for $399.95. I purchased the merchant account to make the website work.
Next I would need a 1-800 phone network. UNIM offered me a PBNext plan for $29.95 set-up and $29.95 per month. I signed up. With the upside in profit potential, the promise of a UNIM LLC Premier Website builder, and the promise of outstanding UNIM LLC technical support, this investment seemed reasonable at the time.
I loaded my UNIM LLC website disk on June 9th, 2004. It linked me to the UNIM LLC server. I downloaded the UNIM LLC manual and attempted to start the process of setting up my site. The first time I attempted to enter the builder I discovered that the UNIM LLC website builder only runs through Internet Explorer 6.
This immediately presented a problem for me since I had a Macintosh platform, and Explorer 6 doesn't support Macintosh. This was not disclosed at the workshop. I was forced to make another decision. I decided to invest in a PC platform because I didn't have any reason to believe that UNIM LLC websites were not what they said they were, and I didn't want to loose out on the opportunity to sell on the internet. $3256.59 later I had the equipment and software I needed to function on Internet Explorer 6.
On June 9th, 2004 I received a phone call from Lewis. He asked me if I was interested in being considered for a marketing team where I would be trained to sell UNIM LLC Premium websites. I agreed to be interviewed. It should be noted that Lewis could not have contacted me without obtaining my personal information from UNIM LLC. Since I thought he was an employee of UNIM LLC, I was not aware of the scam that I was being led into.
On June 11th, 2004 Lewis called again and took me through a 25 minute interview. He asked me if I was serious about selling UNIM LLC websites, and I assured him that I was. During this interview he made statements indicating that I was being considered for SELECTION to a sales team. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Lewis Larry Lee's associate (June 11th, 2004) Statements made by Lewis indicating that I was being selected to a sales team:
1. and if he feels you're a good fit for the program
2. Danthe conversation with my director, he's my senior advisor, the individual that's in charge of making the final selection on the people that WE work with on this level
3. Larry Lee is looking for people who can give the 8-10 hours per week that WE require for marketing ecommerce websites
4. I am going to transfer you to talk with my Director"
When he completed his questions and instructions, he transferred me to his Director, Larry Lee.
I believed Larry Lee to be the Director of Marketing of UNIM LLC. He took me through another long interview. He said he was looking for someone who was serious about selling UNIM LLC websites for the long term. He said that, if I joined his marketing team, I would be supplied with as many Premium UNIM LLC Website disks as I needed, that I would sell them for $1000.00 a piece, and that the entire $1000.00 would be my commission. He said UNIM LLC was profiting from the server fees and merchant accounts and wasn't looking to profit from the website sales.
During the conversation with Larry Lee, he never identified himself to be affiliated with Global Marketing Alliance (GMA), but he did represent himself to an agent of UNIM LLC. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Larry Lee (June 11th, 2004) Statements in which Larry Lee identifies himself as an agent of UNIM:
1. You attended a Seminar with US
2. Sometimes people misunderstand US from the seminar
3. Now you saw this audience at OUR seminar.
4. You saw this audience at OUR seminar.
5. leave OUR seminar
6. In return WE get to host every website
7. WE get to host all of them.
8. WE generate residual income from both streams, merchant accounts and websites
9. WE are going to help you make money selling websites over the internet
10. You sell that (the premium website) at the same price as WE do$1,000
11. WE make $39.95 per month.
12. Who knows, WE may wind up working together.
13. UNIMWEB provides
14. doing what WE'RE already doing as a companyproviding websitesWE'RE talking about using the internet, not cold calling.
15. welcome to the UNIMWEB /Perforum, Inc. Mentor Program
16. as of today you have enrolled in the UNIMWEB /Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program
Statements in which Larry Lee identifies himself as an agent of UNIM Coaching and Marketing.
1. We have limited coaches
2. OUR goal is to teach you and help you to sell 80 premier websites sales in your first year of business working together with you, if not more.
3. WE assign an expert
4. WE'RE also going to be building a business plan and a marketing plan for the business.
5. You will be contacted by THE COACHING DEPARTMENT
6. welcome to the UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. Mentor Program
7. as of today you have enrolled in the UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program
Not only did he represent himself to be an agent of UNIM LLC, but he represented himself to be the head of a UNIM LLC sales team. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Lewis Larry Lee's associate (June 11th, 2004) Statements made by Lewis indicating that I was being selected to a sales team:
1. and if he feels you're a good fit for the program
2. Danthe conversation with my director, he's my senior advisor, the individual that's in charge of making the final selection on the people that WE work with on this level
3. Larry Lee is looking for people who can give the 8-10 hours per week that WE require for marketing ecommerce websites
4. I am going to transfer you to talk with my Director"
From interview with Larry Lee (June 11th, 2004) Statements made by Larry Lee indicating that I was being selected to a sales team:
1. to see if you are a fit for the program
2. I'm (Larry Lee) looking for someone who wants to earn a full-time income on the internet, and to learn how.
3. how it would work if we were to work together.
4. Who knows, WE may wind up working together.
5. Are you willing to work with US as a team over the following year?
6. I want to be the first to congratulate you and welcome you aboard MY teamCongratulations, Dan.
I purchased the UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program for $7,040. This package was to include:
1. 10 thirty minute teaching sessions with a personal coach
2. 4 disks: Initiative Marketing, PPC Analyzer, E-auction Success, Site Analyzer Domain Monitor
3. unlimited call-in support for a year or longer, if I hadn't yet recovered my investment at the end of a year
4. 4 teleconferences on internet marketing
5. Building an internet plan and a marketing plan for my business
6. 100,000 targeted Opt-In emails with a guaranteed 2000 responses (hits on my site).
Here is the heart of the Rip-Off. I was sold this mentoring program under false pretenses. Larry Lee clearly represented himself to be an agent of UNIM LLC. He clearly, claimed to have a premium product. He clearly selected me to his marketing team, and made me promises that he could not possibly keep.
I would never have contracted with Larry Lee, if I didn't believe he was the Director of Marketing for UNIM LLC. Not only did Larry Lee lead me to believe he was the Marketing Director of UNIM LLC, but he misrepresented the UNIM LLC Premium Website product. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Larry Lee (June 11th, 2004) Statements in which Larry Lee misrepresents the facts about UNIM premier websites:
1. This one (the premier website) is much more powerful and advanced than the standard website
Larry Lee lied when here answered my direct question and asserted that the UNIM LLC Premium Website is much more powerful and advanced than the UNIM LLC Standard Website. UNIM LLC's own support staff affirmed that the disk for the UNIM LLC Standard Website and the disk for the UNIM LLC Premier Website are identical. The only difference between the two options is the Standard is limited to 15 pages and 25 products for a hosting fee of $29.95 per month, while the Premier has unlimited pages and products for a hosting fee of $39.95 per month. The builder itself is identical.
2. You sell that (the premium website) at the same price as WE do$1,000
Furthermore, I have no proof that Larry Lee sells UNIM LLC websites, and UNIM LLC doesn't sell Premium Websites for $1,000 at their workshops either. At the UNIM LLC workshop they sold the UNIM LLC Standard Website disks for $20 each. They said it was valued at $299.95 and UNIM LLC was offering a special promotional price, only for those who attend the workshops. If you go to www.unimllc.com you cannot purchase their website. There is no evidence that Larry Lee or UNIM LLC sells the UNIM LLC Premium Website disk for $1,000. I believe that was a lie.
I had no idea that UNIM LLC didn't have a sales division. That would explain why they have had no interest in protecting the suggested retail price of their product. I have found the UNIM LLC websites disk listed by independent sellers for $299.95 and $999.95 as suggested, but there are many more online stores offering them for $129.95 or below. UNIM LLC Websites are being offered for $1.99 on eBay with no hits, which leads to the next issue.
UNIM LLC asserts in its advertising, at its workshops and by its agents, that the UNIM LLC web-builder is a premium product with cutting edge technology. In reality, the UNIM LLC website builder falls woefully short of the industry standards for premium websites. Here is a partial list of the UNIM LLC website builder's shortcomings:
1. Inaccurate Site Statistics
2. No postal calculator
3. Shopping cart doesn't immediately confirm that an item has been added to the cart
4. Cannot employ drop-down menus
5. No search function within the site
6. Limited templates
7. No difference between Standard & Premier websites functionality.
8. The UNIM web-builder is full of bugs:
9. Formatting glitches formatting must appear wrong in the builder in order to appear correct on the website
10. Outdated word processor has limited fonts, and is not compatible with pages made in Microsoft Word
11. Awkward entry and removal of pictures must handle pictures one at a time cannot mass delete
12. Link tool frequently will not function
13. No control of the look of auto-responder emails
14. No control of the shopping cart routing sequence
15. 20 minute auto logout - logs you out, even when you are still working, and doesn't prompt you before auto logout occurs. When this occurs all current work is lost.
16. Builder is frequently down without notice. You cannot work on your web pages offline because you have no access to the software. You may only use it online.
Larry Lee asked me twice if I would do whatever it took to sell the websites as long as it was moral, ethical, legal and profitable. I cannot morally nor ethically sell a product that does not live up to its billing. The UNIM Unlimited Upgraded Website is a Premier website in name only.
UNIM LLC also asserts that they provide a high level of service including phone support and after hours email support. This is a partial list of the problems I have encountered with UNIM LLC technical support:
1. When I call the UNIM LLC technical support line, I am put on hold for the next available technician. If no technician is available after 10 minutes, I get a recording that asks me to leave a message. When I leave a message, no one has ever returned them. Only 1 out of 2 attempts to reach technical support are successful.
2. When I've sent in a trouble report via email, the response time averages more than 24 hours. When I have received a response, the technician frequently hasn't understood or answered the questions I raised, and when I send a reply email, they're never answered.
3. I have been served by approximately 5 or 6 different technical support personnel in my 5 months with UNIM LLC. Only 1 of them has consistently demonstrated a professional knowledge of his craft. Several times I have had a technician say it can't do that! or there is no way to do that or the builder doesn't support that.
Most of the time they were right. The UNIM LLC product doesn't do many of the things I requested (i.e. postal calculator and drop-down menus), but, if I if I was fortunate enough to get the expert technician, he would often help me find a way to get around some of the UNIM LLC web-builder's shortcomings. I don't know how many technicians UNIM LLC has, but I have found the quality of the technical support to be inconsistent in professional knowledge and sub-par in customer relations: a C- rating overall.
4. I also had several occasions to talk with the UNIM LLC programmer. Not only was he not helpful, he was seriously lacking in people skills.
5. On 4 or 5 occasions I talked with a technician who could not answer my questions, but said he would find out the answer and call me back. Only once did I receive a return call with the answer. On every other occasion I had to call back again and start over again with another technician.
6. On two occasions I was told that new features were coming soon, but nothing has.
7. The UNIM LLC builder is frequently down for service without notice. This down-time can last as little as a couple of hours and as much as an entire day. I was often frustrated by this, and requested an email notification when UNIM LLC knew it was planning to take the builder offline for service. I was told by UNIM LLC technical support staff that they couldn't do that; I was just 1 of 15,000 customers, and they couldn't provide that service.
UNIM LLC's technical support and customer service is far from what could be described as a high level of service.
The mentoring program that Larry Lee (GMA) sold me, and that he referred to as the UNIM WEB/Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program is run by a company called Perforum, Inc. /IRC Consulting for which Stephen Bulpit is the Director of Coaching. I received a Getting Started Booklet that is clearly labeled Perforum, Inc. /UNIMWEB. There can be no question that this mentoring program is an extension of UNIM LLC.
At first I was confused at the two references: UNIM LLC and UNIMWEB. I have learned through UNIM LLC technical support itself that UNIMWEB was a company from which UNIM LLC split off. The other part of the company became Irvine Web Works. The www.unimweb.com website is still operational, and the 1-800 number on that site is a UNIM LLC technical support number. Furthermore, the new address of UNIM LLC is listed on that site. In addition, all email sent to UNIM LLC personnel is sent to [email protected]. There can be no question that Larry Lee's reference to UNIMWEB was a reference to UNIM LLC.
On June 15th, 2004, I received the 4 mentoring disks, and downloaded and read the Initiative Marketing disk as per instructions. This disk was an eBook. It contained 18 chapters and a glossary of internet terms. The information was new to me, but it was easy to understand. I was ready to get started learning how to sell the UNIM LLC websites, since, at this point, I had no idea that the UNIM product was not what it was advertised and represented to be.
On June 16th, 2004 I began the Mentoring Program. I had ten sessions in all. The sessions included nothing that wasn't in the Initiative Marketing eBook, except information about setting up link-exchanges and adding counters to my web pages. The first few sessions focused on selecting a domain name, establishing relationships with drop-shippers, getting my website up and running, finding highly rated keywords, optimizing my site, and submitting to search engines. All this was important, but I wasn't learning how to market the UNIM LLC premier websites.
On July 21st, 2004 I asked my mentor when I was going to get help selling the UNIM LLC websites. He said I should create a websites page on my website. By this time I knew that the UNIM LLC website builder was full of bugs, so I was concerned about selling them retail. I decided that I would offer the UNIM LLC Standard Website at retail price, but since I knew that a person who bought the UNIM LLC Premier Website wasn't getting anything more for their investment, I decided to only offer the UNIM LLC Premier website as a part of a mentorship package, where I would teach them how to get around the bugs in the system, and how to use some strategies for building parts of the web pages offline. This was the only way I felt I could ethically offer the UNIM LLC Premier Website for more money than the UNIM LLC Standard Website. I was no longer sold on the UNIM LLC product as a cutting edge technology, because I was now an expert at using it, and I knew it wasn't.
On July 28th, 2004 my coach encouraged me to sign-up with Kanoodle, a Pay-Per-Click search engine. At about the same time I signed up with Jellycounter, which gave me a detailed traffic report about my website. Almost immediately it began to generate traffic to my site; however the clicks that we were being charged for by Kanoodle were almost double the amount on my Jellycounter.
My UNIM LLC site statistics were not functioning properly, so I went almost a month before I figured out how search engines were getting into my site without being counted by my counter. When I confronted Kanoodle with my counter's detailed traffic logs, to their credit, they immediately offered us a refund.
On August 12th, 2004 in a session with my mentor, I questioned whether UNIM LLC's builder had the capacity to run my site effectively. He said that he had several websites using different servers, and that the UNIM LLC site that he had, he never purchased. He said he spent about an hour building it, and that it was just a promotional site. He told me he got so fed up with UMIN LLC support that he asked for the extensions of a couple of managers.
The same day I asked my mentor about the 3 disks we had never covered (PPC Analyzer, E-auction Success, and Site Analyzer Domain Monitor) I informed him that I had tried to load them, but they didn't work. He said he would send me replacements disks, but I never received them. My last mentoring session was on August 27th, 2004.
On September 15th, 2004 I called my mentor to discuss the continuing problems I was having with UNIM LLC technical support regarding my site statistics and the Kanoodle Pay-Per-Click overcharges. It was in this session that I learned for the first time that UNIM LLC was a totally separate company from Perforum, Inc., and that Larry Lee didn't work for either company, but was associated with a company called Global Marketing Alliance (GMA).
I was dumbfounded, and began to rethink what was going on. This was the day I began searching the internet to find out as much as I could about these companies. I discovered the UNIM LLC websites being auctioned on eBay for as little as $1.99 and the Rip-Off reports that had already been filed against UNIM LLC and Perforum, Inc.
On September 17th, 2004 I called my mentor again regarding my UNIM LLC counter problems. It was in this conversation that he recommended that I consider changing builders and moving to Netfirms.
On September 21st, 2004, I decided to call Larry Lee and request help selling the websites to see what he would say when I shared what I knew. After 3 failed attempts, I finally got a return call on September 23rd, 2004. I asked him how I was going to be able to sell the UNIM LLC Premier Websites for $1,000.00 apiece, when the same disk was being auctioned on eBay for $1.99. He said that he was going to call coaching and have someone help me.
The person he referred me to was Stephen Bulpitt, Director of Coaching, Perforum, Inc. /IRC Consulting. After leaving 2 messages for Stephen Bulpitt on October 6th, 2004, he returned my call on October 8th, 2004. I told him I had been referred to him by Larry Lee, and that I needed help marketing the UNIM LLC websites. He looked at my site while we were on the phone, and then asked if he could look over my site that evening and call me back in the morning. I agreed.
On October 11th, 2004 I still hadn't been contacted Stephen Bulpitt. I called his office to try to reach him and was told he was unavailable. I explained what he had told me, and the receptionist could only say, I'll give him your message. I looked on my caller ID and found the number he called from on October 8th, 2004. I called that number. It was his home. His wife said he wasn't there and gave me his cell number. I called his cell and left a message requesting that he return my call. Then I called Larry Lee again and was told that he was unavailable.
On October 12th, 2004 I, once again, tried to reach Stephen Bulpitt. Again, I was told that he was unavailable, and that, if I would like, I could leave a message. After about an hour of no responses, I had had enough. I called Larry Lee's office and reported that I believed I had been Ripped-Off, and that I wanted a refund. Next I called Stephen Bulpitt's office and left the same message.
In less than an hour Stephen Bulpitt called. He affirmed that UNIM LLC's product was not worth their suggested retail selling price. He then said he had a different utility that he wanted me to sell. He said that I could sell his 180 Design Group packages. Basically, he was asking us to market his website design business. He totally distanced himself from UNIM LLC. He told me that he had used the UNIM LLC product, and that I didn't have to explain to him what was wrong with it.
In the following dialog Stephen Bulpitt acknowledges that he cannot fulfill his contract and assist me in selling UNIM LLC premium websites. Instead, he attempts to solicit my services selling his product instead.
From a conversation with Stephen Bulpitt on October 12th, 2004
STEPHEN: Now the UNIM utility (interrupted himself) I just going to be flat out with you. OK?
DANIEL: Yep. That's what we want.
STEPHEN: Uuuuum, here's, the thing is, I, I, I understand exactly what you're saying, because, you know, UNIM's selling it for this much. You see other places that are selling it for this much. You're saying, hey, the disk, itself, is not worth the four-ninety-five or the 1000 dollars.
DANIEL: Exactly.
STEPHEN: Ok, now, here's, here's my opinion where the value can be added in. OK. We have a utility that we use to build our websites on. If you go to Perforum Marketing, it was built on that. If you go to Solus Computers, it was built on that utility. Um, and I, and I can have Eric give you a call with some of those sites.
DANIEL: OK?
STEPHEN: What I would suggest, and here's an option for you. Now you're not going to make as much money on this avenue as you would if you were selling the disk for four-hundred-and-ninety-five. OK?
DANIEL: Nobody's going to buy that disk for four-hundred-and-ninety-five...
STEPHEN: (speaking over DANIEL) Yeh, yeh, but you take. (DANIEL stops talking here) Yeah! But what I'm sayin' is what we do is, we have a program, um, that we do on our own, and if you go to, um, if you go to 180designgroup.com.
DANIEL: Um. OK.
STEPHEN: And, I'm just going to give you, if you go to that website you'll see some of the websites. That's our program. Does it make sense (space with no reply) that we do internally here at our office?
When Stephen Bulpitt was asked why he contracted me into the UNIMWEB Master mentoring program, when both he and Larry Lee knew that the UNIM LLC product was not Premium, and that others were selling it at cut-rate prices, he dodged the first issue. He responded to the issue of under pricing by trying to make the case that you just have to expect that in business. To me, that's like saying, in business you just have to expect you'll get ripped off. I don't buy it.
I asked him to send me a copy of his new proposal in writing. He said he would have it sent out the next day. Two weeks have passed. I have received nothing, and I have not been contacted.
Larry Lee not only refuses to take my calls, but his receptionist refuses to give me his email address. Stephen Bulpitt's receptionist likewise, refuses to give me his email address.
There is a disabled website (www.coaching.unimstores.com) that has a 1-800 number for Irvine Web Works. They told me that they no longer host UNIM LLC websites. That UNIM LLC had contracted with a new server company. UNIM LLC charges me server fees, and they aren't actually doing the serving. They're just a middleman.
On October 13th, 2004, I called UNIM LLC, told them of the misrepresentations of Larry Lee, and the failure of the UNIMWEB mentoring program, and asked for a refund. Yonnas, supervisor of technical support for UNIM LLC requested that I send documentation of the misrepresentations of Larry Lee.
When I asked him to whom I should send this documentation, he instructed me to send it to Brian Zeiler, Director of Operations, UNIM LLC. I asked for his email address and he refused to give it. He told me to send it to [email protected]. This is the email address of Ed Mendez, UNIM LLC Support Team Manager. I took a week to prepare the documentation, and on October 21st, 2004 I sent it to Ed. I requested a confirmation email so that I would know that my documentation was received. I have received no response from UNIM LLC. Today is Thursday, October 28, 2004.
This past week I contacted ePostalBlast, which is the Opt-in targeted email service that was part of my mentorship/marketing package to find out how their service provides targeted marketing. They told me that their Opt-in emails are random lists, not targeted lists. I'd like to tell you I was shocked by this discovery, but at this point I see it as just another lie used to perpetrate this Rip-Off scam.
My Custom Website page mysteriously rose to the first page of Google/Yahoo/MSN when searching for UNIM LLC a little over a week ago. I don't know how this occurred. I can only assume that someone from either UNIM LLC or Perforum, Inc. is responsible. It wasn't anything I did. I don't even have UNIM or UNIM LLC as one of my keywords (metatags) on any of my pages. As a result of this first page rating on these major search engines, I have gotten a few hits on my site websites page.
Last week I was contacted by another UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. victim. She hasn't been at it quite as long as I, but she knew that something wasn't right. She reported to me that she couldn't even get her coach to return her calls, and that she had been promised many things that she didn't receive, among which were the teaching disks, monthly submission to 40 search engines, and virtually no response from her ePostalBlast Opt-in email service. We were both guaranteed at least 2000 responses/hits from the ePostalBlast.
I have been writing this Rip-Off Report for the past week. This report is based on written documentation and taped telephone communications. I have a taped record of telephone conversations, hand written notes, and printed records. This report is just touching on the key points. There is much more that could be said.
Here's the bottom line. Disingenuous promises were made, lies were told, misrepresentations were made, and through these, money was extorted. I wasn't born yesterday, but it is my I hope that the people who run these companies will see the light, turn from their wicked ways, and give me a refund. At this point I am out $11,409.89, not to mention working 60 hours plus per week for the last 5 months building my website and trying to market on the internet.
As of this very moment I have had ZERO sales.
Beware of these Companies:
1. UNIM LLC UNIMWEB - UNIM LLC Seminars
2. Perforum, Inc.-Perforum Marketing - IRC Consulting 180 Design Group
3. Global Marketing Alliance - Empire Marketing Systems
4. ePostalBlast
5. National Grants Conferences (NGC)
6. Innovative Merchant Solutions itransact - Century Bank Services
7. PBNext
Beware of these people:
1. Ken Nielsen - John Bishop - Larry Lee - Steve Larsen (GMA)
2. Stephen Bulpitt Chanen Cushing (Perforum)
3. Brian Zeiler - Edward Mendez (UNIM)
From other rip-off reports I have learned that the people running this scam use aliases and change their company's names to keep under the radar. Do your homework and beware!
Daniel
Eugene, Oregon
U.S.A.
UNIM LLC, Perforum, Inc., and Global Marketing Alliance promised big, but didn't deliver.
1. I was promised a Premium UNIM LLC product; the UNIM LLC product was far from premium!
2. I was promised a high level of technical service from UNIM LLC; the UNIM LLC service was substandard!
3. I was promised training in internet marketing and expert support from UNIMWEB/ Perforum, Inc. to sell UNIM LLC premium ecommerce websites on the internet; it was not provided!
4. I was promised targeted Opt-in email marketing; that was a lie it is random!
5. I was interviewed and selected to a UNIM LLC marketing team; that was a scam there was no marketing team!
6. I was promised 4 internet marketing teleconferences; they never happened!
7. I was promised 4 training utility disks; I received only one that worked!
8. I was promised an internet and marketing plan for my business; I didn't receive it!
UNIM LLC, Perforum, Inc, and Global Marketing Alliance took more than $8,000 for these empty promises, and asked me for 8-10 hours a week. I gave them more than 60 hours a week and got scammed!
What's wrong with this scenario? It's a Rip-Off!
I attended a National Grants Conference Seminar on May 23rd, 2004. At that conference a speaker sold me a UNIM website and an opportunity to attend a UNIM LLC Seminar the next Wednesday. There, I would be taught how to make significant income working part-time on the internet through the new UNIM LLC ecommerce website. The website and the seminar's cost was $129.95 as a special promotional offering.
I was told that the website retails for $299.95. I signed up with UNIM LLC and bought the UNIM LLC website disk and the server fee of $29.95 per month, which was required by UNIM LLC to run their website.
On June 2nd, 2004 I attended the UNIM LLC seminar where I was told that I could make significant income on the internet with my new ecommerce website, but that I would need a few more components to make it work. First, I was told that in order to process credits cards securely over the internet I would need an ecommerce merchant account, which I could purchase from UNIM LLC for $399.95. I purchased the merchant account to make the website work.
Next I would need a 1-800 phone network. UNIM offered me a PBNext plan for $29.95 set-up and $29.95 per month. I signed up. With the upside in profit potential, the promise of a UNIM LLC Premier Website builder, and the promise of outstanding UNIM LLC technical support, this investment seemed reasonable at the time.
I loaded my UNIM LLC website disk on June 9th, 2004. It linked me to the UNIM LLC server. I downloaded the UNIM LLC manual and attempted to start the process of setting up my site. The first time I attempted to enter the builder I discovered that the UNIM LLC website builder only runs through Internet Explorer 6.
This immediately presented a problem for me since I had a Macintosh platform, and Explorer 6 doesn't support Macintosh. This was not disclosed at the workshop. I was forced to make another decision. I decided to invest in a PC platform because I didn't have any reason to believe that UNIM LLC websites were not what they said they were, and I didn't want to loose out on the opportunity to sell on the internet. $3256.59 later I had the equipment and software I needed to function on Internet Explorer 6.
On June 9th, 2004 I received a phone call from Lewis. He asked me if I was interested in being considered for a marketing team where I would be trained to sell UNIM LLC Premium websites. I agreed to be interviewed. It should be noted that Lewis could not have contacted me without obtaining my personal information from UNIM LLC. Since I thought he was an employee of UNIM LLC, I was not aware of the scam that I was being led into.
On June 11th, 2004 Lewis called again and took me through a 25 minute interview. He asked me if I was serious about selling UNIM LLC websites, and I assured him that I was. During this interview he made statements indicating that I was being considered for SELECTION to a sales team. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Lewis Larry Lee's associate (June 11th, 2004) Statements made by Lewis indicating that I was being selected to a sales team:
1. and if he feels you're a good fit for the program
2. Danthe conversation with my director, he's my senior advisor, the individual that's in charge of making the final selection on the people that WE work with on this level
3. Larry Lee is looking for people who can give the 8-10 hours per week that WE require for marketing ecommerce websites
4. I am going to transfer you to talk with my Director"
When he completed his questions and instructions, he transferred me to his Director, Larry Lee.
I believed Larry Lee to be the Director of Marketing of UNIM LLC. He took me through another long interview. He said he was looking for someone who was serious about selling UNIM LLC websites for the long term. He said that, if I joined his marketing team, I would be supplied with as many Premium UNIM LLC Website disks as I needed, that I would sell them for $1000.00 a piece, and that the entire $1000.00 would be my commission. He said UNIM LLC was profiting from the server fees and merchant accounts and wasn't looking to profit from the website sales.
During the conversation with Larry Lee, he never identified himself to be affiliated with Global Marketing Alliance (GMA), but he did represent himself to an agent of UNIM LLC. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Larry Lee (June 11th, 2004) Statements in which Larry Lee identifies himself as an agent of UNIM:
1. You attended a Seminar with US
2. Sometimes people misunderstand US from the seminar
3. Now you saw this audience at OUR seminar.
4. You saw this audience at OUR seminar.
5. leave OUR seminar
6. In return WE get to host every website
7. WE get to host all of them.
8. WE generate residual income from both streams, merchant accounts and websites
9. WE are going to help you make money selling websites over the internet
10. You sell that (the premium website) at the same price as WE do$1,000
11. WE make $39.95 per month.
12. Who knows, WE may wind up working together.
13. UNIMWEB provides
14. doing what WE'RE already doing as a companyproviding websitesWE'RE talking about using the internet, not cold calling.
15. welcome to the UNIMWEB /Perforum, Inc. Mentor Program
16. as of today you have enrolled in the UNIMWEB /Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program
Statements in which Larry Lee identifies himself as an agent of UNIM Coaching and Marketing.
1. We have limited coaches
2. OUR goal is to teach you and help you to sell 80 premier websites sales in your first year of business working together with you, if not more.
3. WE assign an expert
4. WE'RE also going to be building a business plan and a marketing plan for the business.
5. You will be contacted by THE COACHING DEPARTMENT
6. welcome to the UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. Mentor Program
7. as of today you have enrolled in the UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program
Not only did he represent himself to be an agent of UNIM LLC, but he represented himself to be the head of a UNIM LLC sales team. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Lewis Larry Lee's associate (June 11th, 2004) Statements made by Lewis indicating that I was being selected to a sales team:
1. and if he feels you're a good fit for the program
2. Danthe conversation with my director, he's my senior advisor, the individual that's in charge of making the final selection on the people that WE work with on this level
3. Larry Lee is looking for people who can give the 8-10 hours per week that WE require for marketing ecommerce websites
4. I am going to transfer you to talk with my Director"
From interview with Larry Lee (June 11th, 2004) Statements made by Larry Lee indicating that I was being selected to a sales team:
1. to see if you are a fit for the program
2. I'm (Larry Lee) looking for someone who wants to earn a full-time income on the internet, and to learn how.
3. how it would work if we were to work together.
4. Who knows, WE may wind up working together.
5. Are you willing to work with US as a team over the following year?
6. I want to be the first to congratulate you and welcome you aboard MY teamCongratulations, Dan.
I purchased the UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program for $7,040. This package was to include:
1. 10 thirty minute teaching sessions with a personal coach
2. 4 disks: Initiative Marketing, PPC Analyzer, E-auction Success, Site Analyzer Domain Monitor
3. unlimited call-in support for a year or longer, if I hadn't yet recovered my investment at the end of a year
4. 4 teleconferences on internet marketing
5. Building an internet plan and a marketing plan for my business
6. 100,000 targeted Opt-In emails with a guaranteed 2000 responses (hits on my site).
Here is the heart of the Rip-Off. I was sold this mentoring program under false pretenses. Larry Lee clearly represented himself to be an agent of UNIM LLC. He clearly, claimed to have a premium product. He clearly selected me to his marketing team, and made me promises that he could not possibly keep.
I would never have contracted with Larry Lee, if I didn't believe he was the Director of Marketing for UNIM LLC. Not only did Larry Lee lead me to believe he was the Marketing Director of UNIM LLC, but he misrepresented the UNIM LLC Premium Website product. The following are direct quotes from a taped conversation:
From interview with Larry Lee (June 11th, 2004) Statements in which Larry Lee misrepresents the facts about UNIM premier websites:
1. This one (the premier website) is much more powerful and advanced than the standard website
Larry Lee lied when here answered my direct question and asserted that the UNIM LLC Premium Website is much more powerful and advanced than the UNIM LLC Standard Website. UNIM LLC's own support staff affirmed that the disk for the UNIM LLC Standard Website and the disk for the UNIM LLC Premier Website are identical. The only difference between the two options is the Standard is limited to 15 pages and 25 products for a hosting fee of $29.95 per month, while the Premier has unlimited pages and products for a hosting fee of $39.95 per month. The builder itself is identical.
2. You sell that (the premium website) at the same price as WE do$1,000
Furthermore, I have no proof that Larry Lee sells UNIM LLC websites, and UNIM LLC doesn't sell Premium Websites for $1,000 at their workshops either. At the UNIM LLC workshop they sold the UNIM LLC Standard Website disks for $20 each. They said it was valued at $299.95 and UNIM LLC was offering a special promotional price, only for those who attend the workshops. If you go to www.unimllc.com you cannot purchase their website. There is no evidence that Larry Lee or UNIM LLC sells the UNIM LLC Premium Website disk for $1,000. I believe that was a lie.
I had no idea that UNIM LLC didn't have a sales division. That would explain why they have had no interest in protecting the suggested retail price of their product. I have found the UNIM LLC websites disk listed by independent sellers for $299.95 and $999.95 as suggested, but there are many more online stores offering them for $129.95 or below. UNIM LLC Websites are being offered for $1.99 on eBay with no hits, which leads to the next issue.
UNIM LLC asserts in its advertising, at its workshops and by its agents, that the UNIM LLC web-builder is a premium product with cutting edge technology. In reality, the UNIM LLC website builder falls woefully short of the industry standards for premium websites. Here is a partial list of the UNIM LLC website builder's shortcomings:
1. Inaccurate Site Statistics
2. No postal calculator
3. Shopping cart doesn't immediately confirm that an item has been added to the cart
4. Cannot employ drop-down menus
5. No search function within the site
6. Limited templates
7. No difference between Standard & Premier websites functionality.
8. The UNIM web-builder is full of bugs:
9. Formatting glitches formatting must appear wrong in the builder in order to appear correct on the website
10. Outdated word processor has limited fonts, and is not compatible with pages made in Microsoft Word
11. Awkward entry and removal of pictures must handle pictures one at a time cannot mass delete
12. Link tool frequently will not function
13. No control of the look of auto-responder emails
14. No control of the shopping cart routing sequence
15. 20 minute auto logout - logs you out, even when you are still working, and doesn't prompt you before auto logout occurs. When this occurs all current work is lost.
16. Builder is frequently down without notice. You cannot work on your web pages offline because you have no access to the software. You may only use it online.
Larry Lee asked me twice if I would do whatever it took to sell the websites as long as it was moral, ethical, legal and profitable. I cannot morally nor ethically sell a product that does not live up to its billing. The UNIM Unlimited Upgraded Website is a Premier website in name only.
UNIM LLC also asserts that they provide a high level of service including phone support and after hours email support. This is a partial list of the problems I have encountered with UNIM LLC technical support:
1. When I call the UNIM LLC technical support line, I am put on hold for the next available technician. If no technician is available after 10 minutes, I get a recording that asks me to leave a message. When I leave a message, no one has ever returned them. Only 1 out of 2 attempts to reach technical support are successful.
2. When I've sent in a trouble report via email, the response time averages more than 24 hours. When I have received a response, the technician frequently hasn't understood or answered the questions I raised, and when I send a reply email, they're never answered.
3. I have been served by approximately 5 or 6 different technical support personnel in my 5 months with UNIM LLC. Only 1 of them has consistently demonstrated a professional knowledge of his craft. Several times I have had a technician say it can't do that! or there is no way to do that or the builder doesn't support that.
Most of the time they were right. The UNIM LLC product doesn't do many of the things I requested (i.e. postal calculator and drop-down menus), but, if I if I was fortunate enough to get the expert technician, he would often help me find a way to get around some of the UNIM LLC web-builder's shortcomings. I don't know how many technicians UNIM LLC has, but I have found the quality of the technical support to be inconsistent in professional knowledge and sub-par in customer relations: a C- rating overall.
4. I also had several occasions to talk with the UNIM LLC programmer. Not only was he not helpful, he was seriously lacking in people skills.
5. On 4 or 5 occasions I talked with a technician who could not answer my questions, but said he would find out the answer and call me back. Only once did I receive a return call with the answer. On every other occasion I had to call back again and start over again with another technician.
6. On two occasions I was told that new features were coming soon, but nothing has.
7. The UNIM LLC builder is frequently down for service without notice. This down-time can last as little as a couple of hours and as much as an entire day. I was often frustrated by this, and requested an email notification when UNIM LLC knew it was planning to take the builder offline for service. I was told by UNIM LLC technical support staff that they couldn't do that; I was just 1 of 15,000 customers, and they couldn't provide that service.
UNIM LLC's technical support and customer service is far from what could be described as a high level of service.
The mentoring program that Larry Lee (GMA) sold me, and that he referred to as the UNIM WEB/Perforum, Inc. Master Mentor Program is run by a company called Perforum, Inc. /IRC Consulting for which Stephen Bulpit is the Director of Coaching. I received a Getting Started Booklet that is clearly labeled Perforum, Inc. /UNIMWEB. There can be no question that this mentoring program is an extension of UNIM LLC.
At first I was confused at the two references: UNIM LLC and UNIMWEB. I have learned through UNIM LLC technical support itself that UNIMWEB was a company from which UNIM LLC split off. The other part of the company became Irvine Web Works. The www.unimweb.com website is still operational, and the 1-800 number on that site is a UNIM LLC technical support number. Furthermore, the new address of UNIM LLC is listed on that site. In addition, all email sent to UNIM LLC personnel is sent to [email protected]. There can be no question that Larry Lee's reference to UNIMWEB was a reference to UNIM LLC.
On June 15th, 2004, I received the 4 mentoring disks, and downloaded and read the Initiative Marketing disk as per instructions. This disk was an eBook. It contained 18 chapters and a glossary of internet terms. The information was new to me, but it was easy to understand. I was ready to get started learning how to sell the UNIM LLC websites, since, at this point, I had no idea that the UNIM product was not what it was advertised and represented to be.
On June 16th, 2004 I began the Mentoring Program. I had ten sessions in all. The sessions included nothing that wasn't in the Initiative Marketing eBook, except information about setting up link-exchanges and adding counters to my web pages. The first few sessions focused on selecting a domain name, establishing relationships with drop-shippers, getting my website up and running, finding highly rated keywords, optimizing my site, and submitting to search engines. All this was important, but I wasn't learning how to market the UNIM LLC premier websites.
On July 21st, 2004 I asked my mentor when I was going to get help selling the UNIM LLC websites. He said I should create a websites page on my website. By this time I knew that the UNIM LLC website builder was full of bugs, so I was concerned about selling them retail. I decided that I would offer the UNIM LLC Standard Website at retail price, but since I knew that a person who bought the UNIM LLC Premier Website wasn't getting anything more for their investment, I decided to only offer the UNIM LLC Premier website as a part of a mentorship package, where I would teach them how to get around the bugs in the system, and how to use some strategies for building parts of the web pages offline. This was the only way I felt I could ethically offer the UNIM LLC Premier Website for more money than the UNIM LLC Standard Website. I was no longer sold on the UNIM LLC product as a cutting edge technology, because I was now an expert at using it, and I knew it wasn't.
On July 28th, 2004 my coach encouraged me to sign-up with Kanoodle, a Pay-Per-Click search engine. At about the same time I signed up with Jellycounter, which gave me a detailed traffic report about my website. Almost immediately it began to generate traffic to my site; however the clicks that we were being charged for by Kanoodle were almost double the amount on my Jellycounter.
My UNIM LLC site statistics were not functioning properly, so I went almost a month before I figured out how search engines were getting into my site without being counted by my counter. When I confronted Kanoodle with my counter's detailed traffic logs, to their credit, they immediately offered us a refund.
On August 12th, 2004 in a session with my mentor, I questioned whether UNIM LLC's builder had the capacity to run my site effectively. He said that he had several websites using different servers, and that the UNIM LLC site that he had, he never purchased. He said he spent about an hour building it, and that it was just a promotional site. He told me he got so fed up with UMIN LLC support that he asked for the extensions of a couple of managers.
The same day I asked my mentor about the 3 disks we had never covered (PPC Analyzer, E-auction Success, and Site Analyzer Domain Monitor) I informed him that I had tried to load them, but they didn't work. He said he would send me replacements disks, but I never received them. My last mentoring session was on August 27th, 2004.
On September 15th, 2004 I called my mentor to discuss the continuing problems I was having with UNIM LLC technical support regarding my site statistics and the Kanoodle Pay-Per-Click overcharges. It was in this session that I learned for the first time that UNIM LLC was a totally separate company from Perforum, Inc., and that Larry Lee didn't work for either company, but was associated with a company called Global Marketing Alliance (GMA).
I was dumbfounded, and began to rethink what was going on. This was the day I began searching the internet to find out as much as I could about these companies. I discovered the UNIM LLC websites being auctioned on eBay for as little as $1.99 and the Rip-Off reports that had already been filed against UNIM LLC and Perforum, Inc.
On September 17th, 2004 I called my mentor again regarding my UNIM LLC counter problems. It was in this conversation that he recommended that I consider changing builders and moving to Netfirms.
On September 21st, 2004, I decided to call Larry Lee and request help selling the websites to see what he would say when I shared what I knew. After 3 failed attempts, I finally got a return call on September 23rd, 2004. I asked him how I was going to be able to sell the UNIM LLC Premier Websites for $1,000.00 apiece, when the same disk was being auctioned on eBay for $1.99. He said that he was going to call coaching and have someone help me.
The person he referred me to was Stephen Bulpitt, Director of Coaching, Perforum, Inc. /IRC Consulting. After leaving 2 messages for Stephen Bulpitt on October 6th, 2004, he returned my call on October 8th, 2004. I told him I had been referred to him by Larry Lee, and that I needed help marketing the UNIM LLC websites. He looked at my site while we were on the phone, and then asked if he could look over my site that evening and call me back in the morning. I agreed.
On October 11th, 2004 I still hadn't been contacted Stephen Bulpitt. I called his office to try to reach him and was told he was unavailable. I explained what he had told me, and the receptionist could only say, I'll give him your message. I looked on my caller ID and found the number he called from on October 8th, 2004. I called that number. It was his home. His wife said he wasn't there and gave me his cell number. I called his cell and left a message requesting that he return my call. Then I called Larry Lee again and was told that he was unavailable.
On October 12th, 2004 I, once again, tried to reach Stephen Bulpitt. Again, I was told that he was unavailable, and that, if I would like, I could leave a message. After about an hour of no responses, I had had enough. I called Larry Lee's office and reported that I believed I had been Ripped-Off, and that I wanted a refund. Next I called Stephen Bulpitt's office and left the same message.
In less than an hour Stephen Bulpitt called. He affirmed that UNIM LLC's product was not worth their suggested retail selling price. He then said he had a different utility that he wanted me to sell. He said that I could sell his 180 Design Group packages. Basically, he was asking us to market his website design business. He totally distanced himself from UNIM LLC. He told me that he had used the UNIM LLC product, and that I didn't have to explain to him what was wrong with it.
In the following dialog Stephen Bulpitt acknowledges that he cannot fulfill his contract and assist me in selling UNIM LLC premium websites. Instead, he attempts to solicit my services selling his product instead.
From a conversation with Stephen Bulpitt on October 12th, 2004
STEPHEN: Now the UNIM utility (interrupted himself) I just going to be flat out with you. OK?
DANIEL: Yep. That's what we want.
STEPHEN: Uuuuum, here's, the thing is, I, I, I understand exactly what you're saying, because, you know, UNIM's selling it for this much. You see other places that are selling it for this much. You're saying, hey, the disk, itself, is not worth the four-ninety-five or the 1000 dollars.
DANIEL: Exactly.
STEPHEN: Ok, now, here's, here's my opinion where the value can be added in. OK. We have a utility that we use to build our websites on. If you go to Perforum Marketing, it was built on that. If you go to Solus Computers, it was built on that utility. Um, and I, and I can have Eric give you a call with some of those sites.
DANIEL: OK?
STEPHEN: What I would suggest, and here's an option for you. Now you're not going to make as much money on this avenue as you would if you were selling the disk for four-hundred-and-ninety-five. OK?
DANIEL: Nobody's going to buy that disk for four-hundred-and-ninety-five...
STEPHEN: (speaking over DANIEL) Yeh, yeh, but you take. (DANIEL stops talking here) Yeah! But what I'm sayin' is what we do is, we have a program, um, that we do on our own, and if you go to, um, if you go to 180designgroup.com.
DANIEL: Um. OK.
STEPHEN: And, I'm just going to give you, if you go to that website you'll see some of the websites. That's our program. Does it make sense (space with no reply) that we do internally here at our office?
When Stephen Bulpitt was asked why he contracted me into the UNIMWEB Master mentoring program, when both he and Larry Lee knew that the UNIM LLC product was not Premium, and that others were selling it at cut-rate prices, he dodged the first issue. He responded to the issue of under pricing by trying to make the case that you just have to expect that in business. To me, that's like saying, in business you just have to expect you'll get ripped off. I don't buy it.
I asked him to send me a copy of his new proposal in writing. He said he would have it sent out the next day. Two weeks have passed. I have received nothing, and I have not been contacted.
Larry Lee not only refuses to take my calls, but his receptionist refuses to give me his email address. Stephen Bulpitt's receptionist likewise, refuses to give me his email address.
There is a disabled website (www.coaching.unimstores.com) that has a 1-800 number for Irvine Web Works. They told me that they no longer host UNIM LLC websites. That UNIM LLC had contracted with a new server company. UNIM LLC charges me server fees, and they aren't actually doing the serving. They're just a middleman.
On October 13th, 2004, I called UNIM LLC, told them of the misrepresentations of Larry Lee, and the failure of the UNIMWEB mentoring program, and asked for a refund. Yonnas, supervisor of technical support for UNIM LLC requested that I send documentation of the misrepresentations of Larry Lee.
When I asked him to whom I should send this documentation, he instructed me to send it to Brian Zeiler, Director of Operations, UNIM LLC. I asked for his email address and he refused to give it. He told me to send it to [email protected]. This is the email address of Ed Mendez, UNIM LLC Support Team Manager. I took a week to prepare the documentation, and on October 21st, 2004 I sent it to Ed. I requested a confirmation email so that I would know that my documentation was received. I have received no response from UNIM LLC. Today is Thursday, October 28, 2004.
This past week I contacted ePostalBlast, which is the Opt-in targeted email service that was part of my mentorship/marketing package to find out how their service provides targeted marketing. They told me that their Opt-in emails are random lists, not targeted lists. I'd like to tell you I was shocked by this discovery, but at this point I see it as just another lie used to perpetrate this Rip-Off scam.
My Custom Website page mysteriously rose to the first page of Google/Yahoo/MSN when searching for UNIM LLC a little over a week ago. I don't know how this occurred. I can only assume that someone from either UNIM LLC or Perforum, Inc. is responsible. It wasn't anything I did. I don't even have UNIM or UNIM LLC as one of my keywords (metatags) on any of my pages. As a result of this first page rating on these major search engines, I have gotten a few hits on my site websites page.
Last week I was contacted by another UNIMWEB/Perforum, Inc. victim. She hasn't been at it quite as long as I, but she knew that something wasn't right. She reported to me that she couldn't even get her coach to return her calls, and that she had been promised many things that she didn't receive, among which were the teaching disks, monthly submission to 40 search engines, and virtually no response from her ePostalBlast Opt-in email service. We were both guaranteed at least 2000 responses/hits from the ePostalBlast.
I have been writing this Rip-Off Report for the past week. This report is based on written documentation and taped telephone communications. I have a taped record of telephone conversations, hand written notes, and printed records. This report is just touching on the key points. There is much more that could be said.
Here's the bottom line. Disingenuous promises were made, lies were told, misrepresentations were made, and through these, money was extorted. I wasn't born yesterday, but it is my I hope that the people who run these companies will see the light, turn from their wicked ways, and give me a refund. At this point I am out $11,409.89, not to mention working 60 hours plus per week for the last 5 months building my website and trying to market on the internet.
As of this very moment I have had ZERO sales.
Beware of these Companies:
1. UNIM LLC UNIMWEB - UNIM LLC Seminars
2. Perforum, Inc.-Perforum Marketing - IRC Consulting 180 Design Group
3. Global Marketing Alliance - Empire Marketing Systems
4. ePostalBlast
5. National Grants Conferences (NGC)
6. Innovative Merchant Solutions itransact - Century Bank Services
7. PBNext
Beware of these people:
1. Ken Nielsen - John Bishop - Larry Lee - Steve Larsen (GMA)
2. Stephen Bulpitt Chanen Cushing (Perforum)
3. Brian Zeiler - Edward Mendez (UNIM)
From other rip-off reports I have learned that the people running this scam use aliases and change their company's names to keep under the radar. Do your homework and beware!
Daniel
Eugene, Oregon
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Tina
Navarre,Florida,
U.S.A.
I got burned too - Would like help/advise from Daniel
#2Consumer Comment
Mon, May 23, 2005
I too had almost the same identical problems and complaints as originally listed by Daniel. I am starting the complaint process and would like advise or tips from Daniel in regards to how he went about and convinced them to give him the refunds. Daniel is you can help I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks for a great post and good information. I had almost lost hope of any restitution. Good luck to all!
Daniel
Eugene,Oregon,
U.S.A.
Respectable Resolution from UNIM ..Cudos to Rip-Off Reports!
#3Author of original report
Wed, November 17, 2004
On October 21st, 2004, I requested a reimbursement of $11,409.89 from UNIM LLC. On November 3rd, 2004, at 12:20pm PST, I called Stephen Bulpitt, Director of Coaching, Perforum, Inc./IRC Consulting, and requested a refund. He asked me who sold me the coaching program. I told him Larry Lee sold it. He told me that I would have to make my request to him. I responded that my contract was with Perforum, not Larry Lee. He then requested that I send him a copy of my contract with Perforum. I thought it was odd that he would ask me for a copy of his own contract, but I agreed to send it to him if he would give me a mailing address. He said that I should send it to the address that was on the contract. I explained to him that there was no address on the contract. Then, and only then, did he agree to give me a mailing address for Perforum, Inc. The address I was given is: Perforum, Inc. 768 North 1200 West Orem, Utah 84057 On November 3rd, 2004, at 2:30pm PST, I received a phone call from Brian Zeiler, Director of Operations, UNIM LLC. He told me that he was sorry it had taken so long to get back to me regarding my request for reimbursement, and that UNIM would definitely have my coaching fees refunded as well as my other direct UNIM costs. He said he would have to talk to a couple of people about whether UNIM would reimburse me for my indirect losses. He said he would meet with them and then he would call me at the same time the next day. During this conversation he admitted that UNIM was having problems with coaching. He referred to coaching as the sales office. He said that I was not the only one who had complained about their tactics. I told him that Perforum did not stand behind UNIM's product, and had attempted to sell me on another sales plan selling a web-builder service (180 Design Group). He thanked me for sharing that information, and told me that UNIM was no longer going to be using their services as of November 15th, 2004. It was unclear to me whether he was referring to Perforum, Inc. or Global Marketing Alliance (Larry Lee) or both. On November 4th, 2004, at 1:50pm PST, Brian Zeiler called as he had promised. He reported that the coaching refund was being processed and that his council didn't feel that UNIM should be held responsible for our indirect expenses. We had a short amicable discussion about these other expenses. To his credit, he agreed with part of my argument, and did agree to reimburse me for interest on the credit card and a few other expenses that were a total loss to me. In all Brian Zeiler approved an $8,593.06 reimbursement. On November 5th, 2004 the credit card was credited back $7,040. On November 15th, 2004 I received a check from UNIM for $1,553.06. I waited until I had received the complete reimbursement before I wrote and filed this addendum to my report. I cannot say that the reimbursement I received fully compensated me for my time and effort, but I do feel that UNIM made an earnest effort to resolve my complaint. My advice to anyone pursuing this kind of venture is: 1. Check out the companies you're dealing with before contracting with them 2. Make certain you keep accurate records of everything that you're being promised (the taped conversations proved invaluable to me) 3. Get promises in writing 4. Report improprieties to the proper authorities To Melissa in Knoxville, I'm sorry it has taken so long to respond to your questions. I had to wait for my reimbursement before I could make this report. My only complaint against PBNext is: 1. They are selling their service through UNIM. At the UNIM workshop I was promised service to the entire US, but my service did not include Alaska & Hawaii. When I questioned PBNext about this, they referred to what I bought as the UNIM package, which only includes the continental US. I am not a lawyer and am not qualified to comment on issues of legality, but I believe there is the possibility of a class action suit referred to in one of the Perform, Inc. Rip-Off reports. I would have attempted to join this class action suit if my complaint hadn't been resolved satisfactorily. Since, UNIM made restitution to me, not just for UNIM charges, but for my merchant account with Century Bank Services, my coaching expenses with Perforum, and my 1-800 expenses with PBNext, I believe they were accepting responsibility for the other companies who were acting on their behalf. If you have any complaints against any of these companies, I would suggest that you register your complaint with UNIM, and let them work it out with the other companies. I wish you well. Cudos to Rip-Off Reports!
Melissa
Knoxville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Question Only ????
#4Consumer Suggestion
Wed, November 10, 2004
Daniel in Eugene Oregon I have a question. Could the loss of the amount of money and the aggravation of all this cause you a life threating problem ??? Could that be considered some type of stalking ? Wonder what the laws are in all of our states ?
Melissa
Knoxville,Tennessee,
U.S.A.
Just Dropped UNIM LLC TODAY after reading
#5Consumer Comment
Fri, November 05, 2004
Hello, Yes I also bought a UNIM LLC web hosting package.After reading your site I emailed,faxed,and mailed them and asked them to get out of my life and stay out of my bank account.I did not ask for any money back as it had already been over the three days they say people have to get their money back. I just want them out of my life.Thank you for posting such an in detail report. My problem is that you listed PBNEXT company as a company to look out for??? They seem to offer a good service and they are not the same company.Please let me ask if you have ever had problems with PBNEXT ?? They have been very nice to me in the short time I have had their service ?? Again thank you for the report you posted.I printed out so I can always keep it to remind myself to look harder and longer before I leap next time.
