What Steps To Take If You Get Scammed

 When you get scammed, it is not pleasant. Quickly, it becomes very important to know what steps to take if you get scammed. You had a gut feeling something was wrong, but a fast talking salesperson fooled you. Or the product you ended up with is not at all what you imagined it would be. Now,you feel stupid and helpless. To help you deal with that despair, I have created this review to help others know what steps to take when you get scammed.

What Steps to Take If You Get Scammed Overview

I know the feeling, I’ve been there! That is why I started this site.

My goal was to help people in this situation. I sadly hear the same sad story. I can relate because I was a victim as well.

They took my money, now what do I do?

Victims are sick to there stomach and need to know as quickly as possible, what can be done to get their money back. They need help now. They may have just lost their entire life savings to some scam. These are hard lessons and very painful to endure. 

 As I said, I have been scammed, and I know that devastating and hopeless feeling. Victims need to know what to do! They need to know right away! So, here in detail I explain what steps to take if you get scammed. I do this and got my money back, maybe you can too!

What Steps To Take When You Get Scammed – You Need a Plan

 In order to help others, I needed to create a step by step list of things I did to get my money back. You can see my desktop version of the checklist here.If something like that would have been available, I know it would have helped me a lot. Some guide to show exactly what I can do and when to do each thing.

 I know first hand, that once the reality of actually losing your hard earned money sinks in, it becomes a terror in your mind. You have been scammed and you start to think, what am I going to do now? If it was your savings and all you had in the world, it is devastating.

You are thinking I really needed that money, and now it’s gone! Or maybe you are stuck with a product that is totally worthless. Either way it’s sickening.

You Are Not Alone Scams Are On The Rise

A Don't Panic Button for What Steps to Take if You Get Scammed

 Well, first of all, Don’t Panic! Whenever people get scammed, they feel frightened,  helpless, and stupid. Because the fact is, you have been robbed of your hard earned money. It’s a normal feeling, but very painful.

  Now, You are going to have to fight to get your money back and I am going to help you do it. Remember, NOBODY is going to fight as hard as you, because it is YOUR money, not theirs.

 You need real ammunition, and that is what I am going to give you. I am going to give you a list of the most helpful agencies and get you started on getting your money back. I am going to tell you how I did it.

 When you are  armed with powerful information you can fight back. It is not going to be easy, but it’s not as hard as you may think.Why let them get away with it? It’s your money! So, let’s get this battle started.

 What Steps To Take When You Get Scammed – A 4 Step Plan

 << Print a copy of my checklist and put it by your computer or phone >>

1. Call the bank and stop payment

Don’t hesitate, call the bank immediately and stop any payment you can.If payment was made by check, debit or credit card, you keep the money. Unauthorized charges put on your card, are limited by federal law to $50. Or, if they have future payments coming…it will stop them!

2. Put a Hold on Your Credit Card or Cancel the Card

If you authorized them to take money,before you realized it was a scam, then you need to put a hold on your credit card or cancel it completely to stop any future automatic payments, and to keep the crooks from using it in the future.

If it was a money order, report it to the Post Office, they do not take fraud lightly.

It’s much easier to stop them from getting your money in the first place, instead of trying to get it back once they have it.

3. Organize Your Records

File Folder for What Steps to Take if You Get Scammed

Get all your records together and in order by date of first payment to the last payment, what the payments were for? How much were they for?

Who did you pay, what was his name, phone number, email address, and his title in the company.

What did the contract promise you? Write down in your own words exactly what you were to receive for your money, whether it was a service or product.

How did it fall short of your expectations? Why?

What is the return or cancellation policy? Is there any warranty on the product?

4. File a Police Report and/or Contact the Attorney Generals Office

 After you have called your bank to stop any payments you can, then file a crime report with you local police department and tell them what happened.

Once you have that done,I always recommend filing a report with :

Attorney Generals Office   in your state.

http://www.justice.gov/ag

 Call The Attorney General Before You Hire a Lawyer

They will attempt to help you at no cost. So, before you hire an attorney, give them a shot at your case.You may save yourself thousands in attorney fees.They will not help you if you have already involved an attorney, so call them first.

 The way they work is they will use the influence of their office to try to persuade the guilty parties to refund your money. Sometimes, they don’t succeed, but more than not they do!

 I have used the Attorney General many times in personal consumer issues and I can tell you, they are extremely helpful. Reputable companies do not want the Attorney Generals Office contacting them. Businesses will often cooperate quickly to get the matter settled promptly when the Attorney Generals Office is involved


EIC3 Deals With More Scams Every Year

IC3 or  Internet Crime Complaint Center   http://www.ic3.gov/ 

If you have a tip or email that is suspected to be a scam or fraudFBI Online Tip Form

(IC3) is the easiest source to use because it operates in partnership with the other  FBI agencies below.

FBI Cyber Crime Division – https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/cyber

National White Collar Crime Center– http://www.nw3c.org/ or FBI NWC3

Bureau of Justice Assistance –  https://www.bja.gov/ or BJA


Federal Trade Commission

How to File a Complaint With The FTC

Other Resources For Victims

National Consumers League    or  NCL

CyberCops.com

Better Business Bureau   or BBB


To Report Tax Fraud And Scams

Contact the IRS or go to  https://www.irs.gov/uac/Report-Phishing

Protect Yourself From Scams in the Future

helpforscamsandfrauds.com -offering scam tips as well as the best things you can do right away and why.

Scambusters.org   a good source of additional scams to be aware of.

OnGuardOnline.gov   Is a good guide for online dating with good tips, advise and where to report dating scams.

For Crimes Outside the U.S.

Contact: International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network or ICPEN. http://www.icpen.org/

 They are a group of consumer protection agencies from over 50 countries. Their purpose it to protect the financial interests of consumers globally.They do this by sharing commercial activities affecting consumer welfare.Also, by encouraging cooperation with law enforcement across international borders.


What Steps To Take When You Get Scammed – How To Avoid Scams

Always deal with known reputable companies

  Be sure they have a phone number, and a physical address.Also, check with the BBB, and local consumer agency to be sure they are a legitimate business.

  • Don’t answer unsolicited emails and unrelated pop-up ads

 Crooks are trying to capture your email address. If you do get spammed by constant emails, report them to you email provider.

 If they are harassing you on social  networks like Facebook, report them using the report links near most content types and features on Facebook.

 You can read more about how Scams Target Business Emails, and learn different ways the crooks use emails to target victims.

  • Emails with offers for money or asking for emergency money are scams

 One good way to check is to type the name of the person or a few sentences of the letter into google search. The letter may show up under another name.

  • Look for the warranty and check the terms and conditions

  Check out the details, delivery time, total price, refunds and cancellations. This isn’t foolproof either, but the scammers push for payments and offer little information.

  • Do not give out personal information

 Especially to people who should have that information already, such as your bank. Scammers like to impersonate banks and ask for your social security number. Be sure the company you are talking to is who they say they are. Remember you are your own Personal Fraud Protection

There Is No Get Rich Quick Method

 Beware of claims of easy money and ways to get rich quick. Anyone who tells you this,is trying to scam you.Nobody wants anyone with “no credit or bad credit,” that is a fact! When a promotion states: “bad credit or no credit,no problem” beware.That is a major RED FLAG!.

  People with low credit scores pay higher interest rates. Usually, credit scores are based on credit history. If your history is not good, you will not be approved. The bottom line is they are trying to sell you something that is likely a total scam.

If It Sounds Too Good To Be True, It Probably Is

 You can’t win a contest you did not enter. If someone tells you, that you are a winner in a contest you don’t remember entering, you probably didn’t enter it. Crooks use contests and forms to get you filling out your information. Make sure it is a reputable company running the contest, before you give personal information to others.

Be Smart, Be Aware, Think About The Situation

 Contact friends and ask their opinion, before you end up giving your hard earned money away. Give your money slowly, and say no quickly. Sleep on it. It may seem less attractive after a nights rest.

Here are more tips in my article Popular Internet Scams.


 If you need more help, please leave your name and address below, and I will get back to you ASAP. If this has helped you in any way, please let me know. I appreciate any comments.

Chas

 If you are sick of getting scammed and want to learn more about starting a business or building a website, let me show you how.Learn how to do it the right way, truly start your own business SCAM FREE. You will get the chance to live your life on your own terms.

Don’t wait another minute, do it today, or tomorrow won’t change. If you don’t change anything, nothing changes. Your life will be the same, living paycheck to paycheck ten years from now! Let me help you and show you how – My#1 Recommendation.

Challenge Yourself And Change Your Life Forever

Covid 19 has ravaged the world causing the death of tens of thousands compromised family members and tens of millions of people worldwide. Millions of people in the USA have been thrown out of work do to no fault of their own. This has caused workers to rely on temporary state aid, and forced many from their homes. Something like this is how your life can be turned upside down in an instant. It doesn’t have to be that way

This stark reality is why creating your own business is so important now more than ever. Affiliate Marketing is something that cannot be taken away. Online business is thriving because people are shopping online more than ever!

There has never been a better time to cash in on this lucrative business and create your own financial Independence with online marketing.

Be your own boss, start your journey to financial freedom today.

 

Chas The Owner Of Help For Scams And Frauds

I am Chas, creator and founder of Help For Scams And Frauds. I started affiliate marketing and earning money online in 2015. And I can tell you, anyone can do this. But, in order to build a business the right way you must have the right training and avoid the get rich quick schemes.

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38 thoughts on “What Steps To Take If You Get Scammed”

  1. I think I was scammed on my computer. All of a sudden there were all these warnings of a virus and my computer was locked up. There was a number to call which I did and now I am out of $338.00 to have it fixed. The phone number I called was 1-888-860-6088. It is supposedly computerlivesupport.com . They charged by credit card with the name of Finden Media GML support Service. They say they are located in Florida but now I am not sure. I looked them up on the internet and cannot find anything regarding this information that they gave me. Do I have any recourse to get my money back?

    Reply
    • Hi Linda,
      I had a similar thing happen to me. Call the credit card company and report the charge as a scam. You may get it taken off.
      That should work…it may take a few days.
      If not,I can only tell you to try my Checklist and contact the Attorney General’s Office. They will most likely try to contact them and try to get your money back. Give them the phone number.
      But, without any information, it may be next to impossible.
      These are tough scams to try to figure out who they are. I even was able to get a screenshot of the url, but it was fake.
      You can also try to report it to the FTC at ftc.gov They want to know about these scams. Maybe they can do something with the phone number?
      Hope that helps? Good luck!
      Chas

      Reply
    • Linda please call me. My Number is 8645254101 or email me at lauraleighsmith@hotmail.com. They did the exact same thing to my mother around the same time and I am trying to gather together other victims so that we can use group power to get them to back off, etc. I also and speaking with a lawyer. – Laura Smith

      Reply
      • Hi Laura,
        I am not sure if linda will respond, but I have posted your comment. I can tell you that contacting the Attorney Generals Office is very powerful. It is a free service! But, if you are already speaking to an attorney, they won’t help you. If you tell your attorney to wait before pursuing anything, and let you try the Attorney General in your State first. Attorney are not cheap! Most of the time you will pay them more than you lost in the first place! So beware. here is a link to my checklist. The is more information in my article What steps to take if you get scammed.

        Tell the Attorney General’s office in your state, you have been scammed, and contact your credit card and let them know as well.(they will investigate also) The FTC at ftc.gov wants to know about these scams, so fill out a complaint with them as well. If they close them down, you may get some compensation. That is why you need to fill out a complaint. I hope that helps, if you have any questions, I will do my best to help you. Good Luck!
        Chas

        Reply
          • Hi Brenda,
            I am sorry to hear that happened to you. Unfortunately, there is no way to track gift cards. All you really can do is contact the FBI and tell them everything you know. If you have any phone numbers, or names they used, give it to them, and if they get enough complaints, they will investigate it. You may save someone else if they catch the bad guys!
            My checklist has a lot of numbers to help you.
            Thank you for your question, I wish I could do more for you!
            Chas

  2. I’ve been scammed x 2
    I now have no money to pay mortgage bills food medicine
    I wish someone could find these people & bring them to judgment

    Reply
    • Hi Patrica,
      Who scammed you? was it a company? If you know the company name you can report them. Look a my Checklist, and get all the facts together, and tell me what happened. The attorney generals Office may be able to help.If you give me more information, I may be able to help you.
      Chas

      Reply
  3. I have been scammed several times, especially with ordering weight loss products – where you pay $1.00 for freight to try their product for a trial of 14 days.  

    Lo and behold! after 14 days they try to take hundreds of dollars out automatically because they did not make it clear enough, that the trial was an actual purchase pack and because you accepted the trial, it was an actual agreement. They record your credit card that paid for the $1.00 freight, and think its their right to keep sending and paying.

    It was not until three $160 payments later that I realized I was being scammed – and like you said a real sick feeling in my stomach.

    I am sick too of all the scams that I have come across with big MLM companies who have sucked in my friends and family members – to a state where our relationships are broken, because of their sale tactics and lies. 

    I wish that I had read your article before all this happened to me, it would have given me the information and instructions to outsmart the scammers. I get overwhelmed by what I need to do and rather than fight them, I let them get away with it.

    However, I have saved a copy of your wonderful to do list so that I can refer back to it, if I ever have to face another scam or fraudulent activity against me again. It is a simple and easy to follow. Thanks again, for providing valuable information.

    Reply
    • Hi Laisaane,

      Those online scam products are the worst! You should also read my article on The Smart Pill Scam. it is the same type of scam. If you cancel a card now…be sure you don’t open it back up with the same company, they will attach the payment to the new card, just like you changed a card and they are just continuing the subscription.

      I am sick when I hear others getting scammed. It is a devastating experience for sure, and hard to even think straight when you lose your money! I am glad you copied my checklist, and you are now ready to fight to get your money back! Thanks for letting me know your story, and please stop back anytime!

      Chas

      Reply
  4. Hi Chas, I have been scammed before, I know the horrible feel. I like your 4 step plan. It’s good to know we could call the bank to stop any payment we don’t approve of. Or that we could stop or cancel a card. I paid so much money to these bad people in the past. I wonder if I could still recover some or all of that money. 

    Reply
    • Hi Juliet,

      I am glad you like the Plan, and be sure to check out my Checklist as well. I don’t know if you can recover your money or not. It likely depends upon how long ago it was and how much it was for. If it is a smaller amount, the It likely would not be worth the expense, But,if it is a larger amount, you might want to file a report with the FTC and see what they say. Call the attorney Generals Office and see what they tell you. Hope that helps?

      Thanks for stopping by.

      Chas

      Reply
  5. I have to tell you I feel so much better knowing that I’m not the only person who has been scammed. When it happened to me I really felt embarrassed but my back took good care of me and reassured me that it happens to people all the time. I also did place a police report, but the lady was never caught. So I wasn’t able to go further. I just know I wasn’t the only one. Hopefully, she eventually got caught. Thanks for helping people get sorted out. 

    Reply
    • Hi Wendy,

      All of us who have been tricked, felt stupid for sure. But, the scammers are experts at conning people, so we really should try to report it and move on. I was fortunate to get my money back. Many people are not that fortunate.The MOBE Scam the FTC shut down, took a lot of money from a lot of people who will never see it again.I am sorry you did not get your money back either,

      Thank you for stopping by and please stop back!

      Chas

      Reply
  6. What a really good, helpful and useful idea for a website. I thought a lot of your information was full of the one thing that people fail to grasp when they get themselves into a panic ‘good old fashioned common sense.’

    Although some of your information is US specific and not applicable in other countries, perhaps you could link to some information for other legislation areas.

    I think also advise regarding how not to get scammed in the first place would be very useful.

    Reply
    • Hi Adrian,

      I did try to give some tips on avoiding scams, but you hit the main thing…”common sense” ! People will always fall for the pie in the sky program offering a million bucks overnight! Then when they lose their money, they figure it out!

      I do have people contact me from places like Australia, and I do briefly research, and  what they should do. However, the majority of my traffic is from the United States, so it is not time efficient to figure out the laws all over the world. I am here in the U.S. Thanks for the great question, I hope I explained it for you.

      Chas

      Reply
  7. I’d definitely be one to cancel my card before undertaking anything else. The fact that so many of these scams have hidden costs and offer nothing in return requires an active card, so I’d shut that thing down before anything else before embarking on an attorney, record collecting, etc. I’d also be one to warn the masses via social media to not spend their money in a way that caused me to lose something with nothing to show for it. 

    Reply
    • Hi Todd,

      Great ideas, and yes the credit card is the first phone call to make. Today, the credit card companies are holding us more and more liable, so they try to get you to keep the account open while they investigate, but that only put’s you in the position of being held liable for payment, if they decide you are.

      Informing social media is another good thing to do!.I see this happening more and more often.

      Thanks for stopping by,

      Chas

      Reply
  8. Oh wow…you aren’t kidding about how helpless, dumb and panicked you feel when you finally realize you’ve been scammed! I has happened to me…more than once, I hate to admit :/ Your very extensive list of things to do and contacts is definitely something I wish I had at the time. I will be making a copy of it, as well as keeping your contact info around. 

    I do have a question about a student loan forgiveness scam that I got sucked into a couple years ago. I paid $795 and then found out it was a scam and they are now being sued so there is no way for me to get my money back while they are in this process… My question is…once this case is settled will I get my $795 back, or am I just out that money forever?

    Thank you for all of the great info 🙂

    Chris

    Reply
    • Hi MissChriss,

      It is an awful feeling and you have no where to escape it, it haunts you! 

      I am glad you find the list useful.

      Unfortunately, I am not familiar with that scam. Give me the name, and I will see what I can find out.

      Chances are, you will only get pennies on the dollar if that! If they filed bankruptcy, they are protected from creditors(you are one).

      Have you been contacted? You can contact the attorneys if you know who they are. You may also get some help finding out some info from the Attorney General Office. Try them?

      Thanks for the great comments!

      Chas

      Reply
  9. Hello Chas. Thank you for sharing this awesome information with us. These steps are powerful and I know they would be effective for anyone that has been scammed. I have not been scammed before because I look for much reviews before attempting to buy any product Online. If by any way I get scammed, this article will be useful.

    Reply
    • Hi BEazzy,

      I am glad you find the article useful.

      Keep on checking everyone out, it’s the best thing to do! However, you can become a victim and not even know. Check out my article Caught in the River City Media Data Breach.

      I actually had my information stolen from somewhere I never knew who they were! You never know! Sometimes, you are lucky as well. You may not be able to find any reviews on a product you want someday.

      Thanks for your comments,

      Chas

      Reply
  10. Hi there!

    Thank you for sharing this useful post to the victims of fraudulent outthere. Unfortunately, when it happened to me there was no post or anybody who could help me. So thank you for telling everyone step by step since I learned it the hard way.

    I am always and have been very careful when it comes to my hard earned money. I never bought anything online using my debit card or checking account, unfortunately somehow they managed to make a purchase from my account several times, now the bank has me on the too list loll, they call me right away in person if there is some funny activity in my account. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing but at least I am aware of what is going on.

    I find that if you are checking your bank acct and your cc activity everyday, it helps. You should be on top of your finance. You are totally righy! You are the one who should watch over YOUR MONEY. 

    Anyway, very informative post, thank you for sharing step by step useful information for us!

    Nuttanee

    Reply
    • Hi Nuttanee,

      I am sorry to hear you got scammed as well.  I hear about it quite often and it is still heartbreaking every time I hear about another one.

      I think it is a great thing they call you and let you know. But, my credit cards seem to call when it’s me using the card!! that gets rather annoying. Better safe than sorry, right?

      When I got scammed, I decided to fight back, and that is how the website got started. 

      Thanks for your great questions!

      Chas

      Reply
  11. Hi Chas, it’s sad that there are so many scams around now, and it seems to be growing by the day. The ones I see often have similar characteristics – they promise a system to generate money with little or no effort required; the website is essentially a voice over video with fake testimonials and little other information on the site; there is requirement to pay money before really understanding what it is you are getting for that money. Like you say, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    In my view there is no such thing as free money. You have to put in effort and time in order to make money and the internet is no different. 

    Thanks for sharing your strategies with people who find themselves in this situation. 

    Reply
    • Hi Melissa,

      Thanks for the kind words. Yes,almost everyday we hear of more scams. Sometime people are not aware of all the scams out there, and they want the easy money. But it is just not true.

      I always takes hard work to accomplish any legitimate way to make money.

      thanks you for the great comments,

      Chas

      Reply
  12. This is very useful information, thank you for sharing it.

    I did not know you can contact the Attorney General’s office directly for help.  I wonder if I can do that in the country I’m in.  I will check it out.  For international frauds, I can still report to the FBI Cyber division as per your article I think.

    Your article gives a little ease at the thought of knowing what to do if I was defrauded.

    I will bookmark your article as a precautionary measure.

    Thank you for the great advice!

    Reply
    • Hi Cath,

      I am in the USA, and that is how it works in this country. You will have to check the laws with your authorities and see if you have a similar department. Yes, if it is an international fraud, you may be able to get help form the FBI.

      I am glad you found the article useful, Cath.

      Thanks for the great questions.

      Chas

      Reply
  13. I personally think it’s a lost cause, depending on how much money you were scammed for. Something like $50 lost to a scam hardly seems worth the time and effort let alone the expense of getting a lawyer or calling the attorney general because at the end of the day, someone who has been scammed for anything less that $10,000 is likely to spend more than that trying to regain what was lost. The best thing to do is to try to avoid scams and the best way to do that is to do thorough research on a company or product prior to making a purchase.  It saves a lot of time, money and headaches.

    Reply
    • Hello,

      It is not a lost cause, and $50 is $50. It doesn’t cost anything but the time to fill out a complaint to the Attorney Generals Office. You can do it online, and it is free! So, if it takes you 15 minutes and you get $50 back, that would be $200 an hour at a job.

      The AG office does not charge you anything. If you have a valid complaint, you may receive all your money back. If they aren’t successful, then you hire an attorney. Yes, it could cost a few thousand.

      You are right, the best thing is to avoid scams! But, most times people who get caught in the scams, don’t take the time to check people out. They trust others to do the right thing, and of course it is a big mistake!

      Thanks for leaving a comment!

      Chas

      Reply
  14. vibrant has screwed me. they wont answer the phones my emails nothing. they even shut down my site and are ignoring me I need help plz!

    Reply
    • Hi Shirley,
      You can start by following the advice in What Steps To Take If You Get Scammed. Get your records together, and contact the Attorney Generals Office. File a police report to protect yourself, and don’t get a lawyer just yet. The Attorney Generals Office won’t help you if you do. They may be able to get your money back. Tell them exactly what Vibrant Web did, and how you can’t use your website you paid for. You want your money back. Also file reports with the online agencies, the IC3 of the FBI and the FTC. You will find the addresses in my article.Or check out my new condensed checklist I have posted! Good luck and if you need anything else, let me know.
      Chas

      Reply
  15. Julia Gifford,

    My story is almost as yours on Vibrant Web. I lost my job, and thought this would be a great way to earn money until I found a job. I so much wish I could get a refund. Have you found a successful method to do so?

    Thank you so much for any help you may provide.

    Nancy

    Reply
    • Hi Nancy,
      I suppose you meant to contact me, Chas, not Julia Gifford?? Anyway, yes just do as I have written down in what steps to take if you get scammed and contact the police,and/or Attorney Generals Office in your state. They will contact you.
      If you want, call Vibrant Web first and demand a refund. Tell them you are not satisfied with their product, it doesn’t work and is not what they told you it was going to be. If they refuse to give you a refund, then contact the Attorney General, and file a report.
      Look at my post solutions for scams as well under the help section.
      You most certainly can get your money back, I have and others have as well. But be firm and committed about it, you will be told a sad sack story of how they put all the work in, blah, blah…and want paid for it, but it is a junk site or you would not be here right now.
      If you ever want to know what a working website actually looks like, you can take advantage of the no scam free offer to join Wealthy Affiliates for free and take a look inside.
      Good luck Nancy, and if you need more help just drop another email, and I will get back to you.
      Chas

      Reply
  16. Everything I have read negative about this company has happened to me. They are like flies on poop until the get all the money they want from you. I started with them 2/15/15. Initial investment was 2.5K the next day was offered a big discount after a meeting with the owners. I suckered in for another 2.5K for a better looking site. 2 days later same scamer call and now I am being offered the Royals Royce site for huge discount, and no more sales pitches. I’m an idiot it took a few days and I gave them 5K more from my pension. I had 1 phone appointment with the ‘support manager’ and some email links to google Adsense, Amazon and eBay. My next phone appointment was set for 1 week later. A guy called and said support manager was in meeting and that she would call me back. She never called me back. I have sent countless emails to her with no reply. On 3/29/16 I received an email from them, congratulations on your new website, a complete different name involving electronic. I have had the flu the last week and have not looked at this new junk! Oh I forgot to mention that I got an email 3 weeks ago that my application for Amazon affiliate had been rejected because it looked like some web company had built or helped me build the site and it copied their info to my site. Also my website would bring no traffic to Amazon! Now today I’m getting calls from a company in Utah, Next Gen Tax, to help me move personal debt into business debt! WTF? I feel like a Mac truck was driven up my butt and decided to stay awhile………….10K in the hole and depressed!

    Reply
    • Hi Scott,
      I am sorry to hear that you have gotten taken as well Scott, it is like a very bad nightmare that turns out to be very real! They have mostly salespeople that are getting paid by commission to sell, sell, sell. When it is all said and done, you have a site that doesn’t work properly,if at all.And you paid Vibrant Web top dollar for it.Also, very sad when Amazon tells you they copied Amazon stuff, and put it in there, rather than install it properly. I wondered why I never got one sale from Amazon on my site! No wonder!
      You are on the right page Scott, and I will tell you it won’t get any better.
      What Steps to Take if You Get Scammed
      They will continue to promise you more, maybe the store that has merchandise you buy real cheap and sell for top dollar…but, it will cost 5k more, then something else…maybe 10k more.
      You have to decide: Have you been promised more than they delivered? Of course! So, I would suggest you get all you records together, write down everything they promised you,and what little you received, get all your records together and file a police report against them for deceptive business practices.Then contact the Attorney Generals Office, and follow the additional steps above.
      Let me know if I can help in any way, and I wish you the best of luck! Keep in touch!
      Chas

      Reply
  17. Well you are right. Vibrant Web gave me that hefty sales pitch, and I fell for it hook line and sinker. Now, I am just sick and feel so helpless. They do not want me to control their so called website. They think I am dumb. I feel sorry for the people that don’t even know how to copy and paste, much less run an eBay store. They have been had big time! I knew after the 3r week! So sick to my stomach. I signed up Oct. 13, 2015, and just wasted so much money on my credit card with these scammers. They are so rude, like I told them “Now you have got my money and I am not important any more!” Just so hard to believe I was so stupid to fall for this scam. Now how do I get my money back, and forget these people. They do not want me to have any control. There are no 450 drop shippers. What a lie! When you sell something, you have to email them with the order. Then, before you know it, they have emailed your buyer, and said so sorry this item is out of stock. They even can even give the refund back from your “PayPal account. How scary, and how mad I was the first time this happened. But no matter how much I complained and all of those refunds stock is out will have to refund you. I just can not believe this! They want fix my website. I have not made a dime out of selling any of those products. The stock is not ever there. just lots of returns. The are telling me that they will take care of my eBay store and I am saying NO you wont! They have given me nothing but lots of headaches and no money to speak of. Just lost money. One sad person who does not know what to do.

    Reply
    • Hi Julie,
      Each time I hear these stories I get sick. Yep, they control the site! They intend to keep telling you to give them more and more money!
      Everything they tell you is a lie. If you can still contact them, tell them you want your money back! I looked at your site and it is terribly slow to load. It took 60secs for your site to load! It is not properly configured,it should be about 3secs or less to load your home page,then load the rest in the background unnoticed.It is not functioning properly! Check it yourself here:
      Sorry, I posted the wrong link…here it is.

      http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/
      Here is the test:
      http://tools.pingdom.com/fpt/#!/bvy8bO/http://sports4everybody.com/

      I would file a police report myself, because they issued funds without your permission thru Paypal.

      File a report with the Attorney Generals Office in your state, the addresses can be found here:

      http://helpforscamsandfrauds.com/what-steps-to-take-if-you-get-scammed/
      http://helpforscamsandfrauds.com/solutions-for-scams-and-frauds/

      Also, file reports with the FBI-Ic3 Division, and any of the other sites listed.
      Vibrant Web just destroys everybody’s business on the web, it is awful! I found Wealthy Affiliates after I got scammed by them!
      I am so glad I did!
      If you want to learn how a website is truly supposed to be built, and it is not that difficult, please check out my page:

      http://helpforscamsandfrauds.com/build-a-website/ Then YOU control everything!
      It costs nothing to take a look. You will be surprised to learn everything they use to build your site is available for free!
      It will take some time for everything to work, and I hope you let me know how everything works out.
      If you have anymore questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
      I wish you the best!
      Chas

      Reply

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