E-Commerce Scam Awareness

[adiquarto]

I recently had a very real nightmare dealing with a company called "LeaseComm." This company is the principal banking/leasing agency for "The Internet Toolbox." E-commerce rip-offs start here! The Internet Toolbox, which by the way is endorsed by an actor from the former television show starring Tim Allen, is bogus and scandalous. The situation is this: Please save yourselves the grief of attempting to upstart an e-commerce business with this company. They defraud the American people with misleading business opportunities, and plain bad business practices, on top of negelecting to tell the consumer about the myriad of hidden costs involved after you purchase their stupid box of useless Internet products. Either way, the consumer is screwed-minus the KY Jelly by this company. Bad business practices and horrible customer service are just the start. I want responses from any others out there who have had dealings with The Internet Toolbox, or LeaseComm. Please tell me your story and we'll swap ideas for recouping our losses.
Thanks,
Ray

[benmar]

I bought the toolbox in June of last year. I of course got stuck in the so called lease for 4 years. I have yet to sell one item on the web site even though I tried several of your suggestions for free advertising. I was told the 89.95 was all I needed plus the merchant account with card services and I was set forr the next 4 years. Meaning no other monthly charges! Now for the 50 item setup like I have it's going to be $1,000.00 plus a monthly charge? I want information. This virtual terminal that I'm "leasing" which I was told I would own in 4 years, when I contacted Lease Comm they say return it and you can have a buy out price. Return what? I don't have anything and what control do I have over it? None it would seem. You are the supposed "business consultants", Now if I don't pay more I won't have a web site. I think this is very under- handed to say the least. I never had a real consultant to begin with nor did I get the service I was promised the first day I called Themeware. It's a joke and a sick one. Where do I stand because I'm not going to pay more, what about this equipment lease? Hopefully someone will give me a straight answer. I recently had to go through my credit card services and the BBB of Utah to get back $5,400. from ITB/Galaxy mall another Internet Toolbox affiliate. I was approached about help for my web site and then found out the whole deal was to purchase a 2nd site this company and it's affiliates have no shame! Everyone burned should contact their Attourney General and the BBB in their state.

[Ron McKendree]

Leasecomm Sites, try http://geocities.com/leasescamm/ and www.thecomplaintstation.com Good Luck

[Lea]

Check out http://www.skywebbiz.com/bizbuilders

We made this web site with all the info we could find on how to fight Leasecomm and it's related companies like H.O.M.E., Net-bizz.com, Themeware, Valulink, US Merchant Services, etc. Contact all the agencies and news media noted on that web site with your complaint and story.

[Ron McKendree]

Lea, you need to visit www.thecomplaintstation.com and click on archives, go back to the start and read about Leasecomm.

[Lea]

Thanks Ron -- I've been to thecomplaintstation.com and actually got a lot of the info we listed on our web site http://www.skywebbiz.com/bizbuilders from there. Were you scammed like the rest of us and would you be willing to tell your story to the news media? We have had response from the news media and we're asking everyone to please go to our web site and write your story in letter form and send it to each news agency listed on the "Your Story" page. We have been told that the more people who contact these agencies, the stronger our position and the more likely of the business practices of Leasecomm getting national news attention. We were also scammed by Net-bizz.com and US Merchant Systems. Anyone else have the same problem?

[bcbobb]

To everyone who has had a negative experience with Leasecomm: I am in this business and can help you unravel the complex myriad of corporate structures. Leasecomm is simply the financing vehicle which purchased the contract from the sales organization. Although they are partially to blame (as are other similar lease companies, the real villian in this scenario is the person/company who sold you the service directly AND the company behind them. Most lease companies these days will not finance this type of transaction because of very poor experiences (translation: high rates of charge-offs). The leasing companies generally turn a deaf ear to stories of businesses being scammed. Their motto is usually "buyer beware-if you're old enough to enter into a legal contract, you're old enough to make a bad decision." And the courts will always support the holder of the contract. I could have sold a lot of these as well but I prefer to sleep well at night. I'd be happy to help anyone here as best I can, but the reality is that you're probably stuck. If it's any consolation, you're far from alone. There are people and business all over the country who have entered into leases not just for software (really a bad concept) but for hardware (terminals and printers) who are stuck in a 48-60 month lease because they were the victims of a smooth talking sales rep. If you don't mind a little ding on your credit (you can always include a statement on your credit profile explaining your position), just send a letter to Leasecomm and tell them why you're not paying. You might also want to pursue the option of Small Claims Court against the person/company who misrepresented the service and/or product. If anyone has any questions about this, feel free to write. I'll be glad to help you.

[Lea]

I've been talking with people from two national media agencies who are interested in doing a piece on Leasecomm. Also one government agency who is interested in investigating them. I'm putting together a spread sheet for these agencies. I need to know, from AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE:

1. Their name
2. How to contact them
3. The names of each of the businesses included in their scam situation
4. The amount of money each business scammed them for
5. The date of the initial transaction

I don't need stories because these agencies will contact the people directly. I just need to show there are a lot of us out here and the scam is similar, even though there have been a variety of businesses involved in it.

It doesn't matter if the person paid Leasecomm, or got sued, or signed the lease last week or ten years ago. I just need numbers of people who were scammed.

Please email us with just the basics noted above about your situation.

We also updated our web site with more places to send complaints to as well as links to other informative sites and message boards. That's http://www.skywebbiz.com/bizbuilders.

Thanks everyone for your help!

[Starshadow]

If you need and want help in fighting Leasecomm and their maze of affiliates, email me. I have an attorney who is working on this case. We think we can get a Class Action Suit or better going.
keeperofthedream@hotmail.com
We WILL BEAT THEM!
Holly

[char]

Dear Friends,

I have just read and signed the online petition:

"American victims against Leasecomm"

hosted on the web by PetitionOnline.com, the free online petition
service, at:

http://www.PetitionOnline.com/Stoplc/

I personally agree with what this petition says, and I think you might
agree, too. If you can spare a moment, please take a look, and consider
signing yourself.

[slr2000]

Does anyone know of any class actions in new york city? I learned of a lawyer on madison ave, but I want to look further in to who else or what other options I may have before I make another bad decision.

[moose]

moose

[moose]

you people are all idiots, you signed a damn lease, now youre trying to cry your way out of it. why dont you just admit you were stupid and signed something you didnt read. take responsibility for yourselves and pay the damn compnay its money. what you people fail to understand is that lease com has nothing to do with themeware or any other stupid get rich quick venture you losers signed up for. they are just a bank. if you lease a Kia and it craps out on you, do you complain to the bank? no, you go to the Kia dealer. i swear, its so basic, but you people are low life scum that never paid you bills before leasecomm which is why you have bad credit. and now you dont want to pay your current bills with them. so pathetic. you people may not like what you signed, but you signed it, and youre going to pay leasecomm . either through garnished wages, leins on your houses, or any other way that they have the right to. next time read what you sign you cry-babies, and pay your bills..losers.

[Spike]

What's the matter, "Moose"? Won't anyone acknowledge your existence in your hum-drum daily life?

Your poorly written missive makes two points painfully obvious:

[1] You posted such a negative tirade only to elicit a response.
You have my sympathy that you're so desperate for attention
from or interaction with others that you must expose your
loneliness in such a pathetic manner.

[2] Your writing skills are barely at a grade school level. If you've
progressed beyond the sixth grade, you'd better go back.
There's a whole lot you apparently missed.


I realize that this post fullfills your desire for some type of
come-back. Revel in that fact during your brief but disgusting
moment of fame.

[PJONES6120]

I am a first time user and the Message about a bad experience with LeaseComm caught my eye. I am having a challenge with them, also. I purchased a Storefront with Galaxy Mall, and LeaseComm financed it. In the meantime, the storefront never became operational because the programmers simply didn't respond to me. The payments from LeaseComm continued to come out of my bank acount until that account was depleted.

I got a call from one of LeaseComm's collectors this last week and he hollered at me, threathened me and told me that he had a right to call me by the regulations of FTC to my place of employment. I hung up on him and he'd call me back immediately. This upset me so much until it ran my blood pressure up dangerously high.

I am so frustrated because I have been reading of other's experiences with this company and there appears to be no recourse.

If there is anyone who has had a positive resolution, please share this with me. I don't have the additional money and if I don't pay it, it will ruin my credit thus preventing me from getting a job with higher pay. Many companies run a credit check.
HELP?