I need to write this because it matches so so much stuff similar to the Essential Grocer Scam. Anyways I responded to an ad in the newspaper that read: Nabisco Distributor wanted, make $200k per year, $30, 000.00 investement required. I was thinking gosh this could be perfect for me because I am looking for a new business venture and this sounds really good so I called the 1800#.
I left a message then got a call back about 4 days later and was asked a few questions and was told I would be perfect and sounded like the person they were looking for. So they sent me a nice package with application Fed Ex.
My wife and I looked over the brochures and thought this sounds awesome. So we filled out the application and faxed it to Toronto. We then got a call back about 3 or 4 days later stating that we were in the running and they had 27 other people from Fredericton that were being considered and we would get another call later. 2 days passed and we got a call and was asked if we were to be considered further if the $30, 000.00 was a problem and how would we be requiring the money? This to me was a bit of a red flag and I should of taken better notice but I answered the question as I did not want to tip the boat at all.
Then we got a call from a fellow who called himself Mark. He told me to book a ticket to Toronto for a certain day and to call him back with the flight info and he would be giving me a check when I got to Toronto for the flight and any expences I had. I asked him I said well my wife and I are together in this business can I bring her? he says sure we want both of you to come. I said ok and booked the flight. He told me to make sure I had the $10, 000.00 retainer incase we were futhur considered for this opportunity. I said ok and away we went.
We landed in Toronto went to the Hotel they had us booked into and discovered it was booked on the wrong day. Then found out we had to pay for the room. Which is no big deal if we were to get the money back. Then we find out that the office has been changed and we are now meeting them at thir new location which is better for us because it's closer to the Airport. Again no big deal really or was it?
To make a bit of a long story short we go to the Interview the next day and we meet a fellow by the name of Rafeal and he goes through the whole business plan in detail. He tells us everything we want to hear. My biggest reason for getting into this business was that a company called Monarch was going to come help us get set up, show us the software and work along with us to get the business up and running. We were told that the accounts were already there waiting for us and all we needed to do was commit to this business and we would have everything we needed and a prooven sucesss plan. All we would need is to consider is a storage facitity because the Company all they were concered with was us buying snacks from them and that they sell to us at such a savings that we will make loads of $$.
We were also told by Rafeal that we seems perfect for this and that the Company pays him a crazy amount of money to do these interviews so that the right people were chosen from the 5 people they had been meeting with from Fredricton. he also told us that he would not be in the room when they decided but he would put in a good word for us. Then we asked about the check for travel expences. He said oh you will recieve either 1 of 2 letters when you get home. #1 accpted letter or you will get the unaccepted letter with your travel expences check. (another Red Flag?) I call it a lie now because I was told before hand we would get that when we landed in Toronto.
So we come and discuss this further and I tell my wife I say were going to have to build a shop if we get picked. She agrees and I said well if we get this I will get on the ball right away with the contractors and get a plan in place. Well we get the call and we are chosen. We are excited I mean I am in awwwww I call all my family I am estatic I call the contractor I go into massive prepare mode to make this work work work!!! 2 weeks later the brush is cleared and the cement truck is here and were pouring the foundation for the shop. Complete shop plan climate controlled for the snacks too.
We are told by Canadian Snacks that the equipment is on the way and we should be up and running by the middle of June. But still no equipment arrives. I call the Company they tell me it should be there then later tell me it was a mix up with Edina Corp and that the machines will be there soon. 2 weeks later on June 19th the machines arrive at 9:30 am so I am thinking great we should be running here very soon. I call Carlton Chambers and ask him when Monarch will be here. He says you will get a call this week. I said great. That week came and went no call. I call back he says you will here from Monarch this week I said again ok and again no call.
by this time it's gone into July and he says with all the holidays it's hard but they will call you very soon. I wait and wait now July passes and we go into Aug and still nothing I call Carl and say Cal whats going on where is Monarch? He said there in Fredericton right now I just talked to Paul Peterson and they are there they will call you today. No call. that week passes and we go into the week of Aug 6th, then i am told that there was a problem and that this lady Lorraine was there but she got sick and had to go home. I said ok whats next they said she will be there next Tuesday. Tuesday comes and goes and so does Wednesday and I get a call from Carl on Thursday he says has Monarch called you? I said no he said yeah Lorraine was there but she got sick again and had to go home. I said again? He said yes and this lady caused so much trouble for us that we fired her. I said ok what next now he said. next Tuesday yuo will have a fellow there. I said Carl Patience is running thin. He said were going to get you set up I swear. I said ok
well that was this past Tuesday and this is now Friday. I have run out of patience, I have asked for my $$ back. I have submitted a complaint to the Better Business Bureau. I am fighting mad at this point. I am in contact with WFive as well as CBC and the Toronto Sun. I am also going to get hold of the Competition Bureau as well as the Toronto Fraud Division. I will not take this sitting down. If they fail to get me my money back I will just keep going and going till I alert the whole country so no one else gets burned by these crooks. this is a well thought out plan and there needs to be justice. Any business thats legit does not hide a number when they call you.
I placed ads in Kijiji searching for others affected by this. My email is on those ads. Please feel free to contact me. I am #1 trying to get my money back so I can just rest thinking ok I atleast got my $$ back but at this point they are refusing that even though they knowingly admit to being in breach of contract. Were on day 146 of a 90 day contact I know any legit business out there if asked should offer a refund no questions.
Cory
Douglas, NorthWest Territories
Canada
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