The Balancing Act & BrandStar Entertainment are a Scam!

ComplaintsScamsThe Balancing Act aka BrandStar Entertainment

Complaint

+2
Heath K.
Country: United States
The Balancing Act TV Show and BrandStar Entertainment is a Scam!!!  Mark Alfieri – Shawn Bombaro - Gerald Czarnecki – Ron Secreto – Mike Lambert – Scott Woolley

The Balancing Act TV Show and BrandStar Entertainment is a scam!  These are the same scammers as Incredible Discoveries, Quorum Productions, O2 Media and Five Star Productions.   Some of their new names are InteliBrands Group, BrandStar Entertainment, Innovative Products Network and Smarter Living Products!

It has come to my attention that they use their friends, relatives and employees as third party references.

Don’t let them steal your money!

You can read about their victims @
http://matthewchan.com/incrediblediscoveries-info.htm

State Records
http://www.sunbiz.org  (Florida Department of Corporations Website)

BrandStar Entertainment aka The Balancing Act
6001 Park of Commerce Blvd
Boca Raton, FL 33487
561-279-7827
fax 561-279-4808
http://www.brandstarentertainment.com
http://thebalancingact.com

Here are some of their addresses and aliases

Incredible Discoveries
3850 N. Powerline Road
Deerfield Beach, FL  33073
954-935-3162
fax 954-969-1296
http://www.incrediblediscoveries.com

Quorum Productions
2001 W. Sample Road
Pompano Beach, FL 33064
954-571-5221
fax 954-977-4586
http://www.quorumproductions.tv

O2 Media
2001 W Sample Road, Suite 101
Pompano Beach, Florida 33064
Phone: 954-691-1102
Fax: 954-935-1352
http://o2mediainc.com

InteliBrands Group
2001 W. Sample Road
Pompano Beach, FL 33064
954-691-1102
http://www.intelibrandsgroup.com


Innovative Products Network aka Smarter Living Products
2855 North University Dr. Suite 320
Coral Springs, FL 33065
954-752-1408
fax 954-752-0217
http://www.goipn.net
http://www.innovativeproductsnetwork.tv

Immediate Capital Group
2001 W. Sample Road
Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Comments

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  • +2
    Thomas Tusser
    I've said it before and I'll say it again: "A fool and his money are soon parted." I wonder if the words "Tricom Pictures" have faded from the building on Powerline and Sample Roads in Pompano Beach, FL? Ah, what the hay, I mean they're still at it, after all these years.

    Did you ever wonder, as the late Andy Rooney would say, why the only positive press about these people comes from their own press releases? Scrolling through the comments, and the names haven't been changed to protect the defrauded. Real names of real victims, scammed by the folks who now bring the new wave of infomercial, or is that in NO mercial?

    Karma. It has a way of eventually coming back around. Maybe not now, maybe not even in life, but there will be a day of reckoning. Of that, the "three stooges" (Mark, Doug and, well not sure if Jackie boy had his little loafers filled but maybe Gerry wants to play the role of Moe...) can be certain.

    A fool and his money.......don't be their next fool.
  • +1
    Sylvia Dreiser Farnsworth
    I am the Founder of a health and fitness method called QiBounding (www.QiBounding.com) and I train people to get in shape using a miniature trampoline. I have been called three days ago  by Alexander Ledermann and Brian Maass (Senior Producer of The Balancing Act).  I had been offered to speak about my teachings on their show for the standard Scheduling fee of $39,700. This would give me 5 minutes of exposure. When I said that I did not have this money, they offered me 2 minutes for  $11,700. As they would need to supplement this to bring the amount up to the standard $39,700 and as they had a budget for this only till the end of the month (July 31st) and today is the 31st, they gave me 3 hours to make my decision. So I decided not to do it. :-)
  • +1
    Jonathan Alder
    Just had a long phone conversation with them. Definitely a SCAM!

    I know all of the "supportive" comment here are from "O2 EXE" thing.  

    Thank you everyone who posted here. Saved me a lot of time and maybe money!!!
  • 0
    Should I, shouldn't I?
    | 1 reply
    We were initially contacted by Maureen Sperling, Executive Producer for Health & Lifestyles segment of The Balancing Act. She made no mention of any costs. This was around 2 months ago. She said she saw us at a trade show and was very excited about the product. She then asked us to mail her some samples of our product. Two months later, we hear back from her, telling us that everyone loved it but that they needed final approval from the top brass in order to secure production of the segment. In order to get final approval, we would have to send in the appropriate paperwork saying we were dedicated. She finally told us it would cost $19,700 for the segment which would air in January, two different episodes.

    I have been looking for any good reason to do it (i.e., someone else did it and in return received a huge return on the investment) but so far have not found anyone on this blog who has paid for the segment and been happy.

    Anyone? Anyone?
    • +2
      It's All About The Monies! replies to Should I, shouldn't I?
      Maureen is still at it? She may have been with these crooked clowns when they had "Site 2 Shop" which basically conned manufacturers out of "x" amount of inventory, which was "applied" to the "slotting fee" of $29,200 for infomercials that NEVER aired. Oh yes, the product in the warehouse sold, all right - at the Pompano Beach Florida flea market up the road from the still-HQ of these scammers. I see they haven't changed their speel much....or their staff to some extent. The people who work for this Company KNOW they're thieves, yet continue to work for them. They'd be better off digging graves!

      Ever notice that if you "Google" them, you come up with only their own press releases? Red flag right there! Google "Incredible Discoveries Scam" as part of your due diligence on these folks, and then decide if you want to do business with them!
  • +2
    Former Employee
    | 1 reply
    I worked for The Balancing Act / O2 Media Inc.. Let's just say they are NOT who they say they are!
    • +1
      on it replies to Former Employee
      they are a scam and all calls are recorded.  in Florida all parties need to know
  • +2
    You don't know who you are messing with
    | 2 replies
    I was just contacted by two female senior associate producers from The Balancing Act who claimed to be producing a 13-part series on rare diseases. They approached my non-profit organization asking what at first, seemed to be, genuine questions about the disorder my organization represents. After spending 30 minutes on the phone with them, they revealed their real intentions.... for us to fork over $59,700 for pre-production and scheduling fees. I asked for them to email me with the information we spoke about for a few reasons, but mainly because I needed this in writing.

    The joke is one them, actually. I am a seasoned producer with a strong background in production coordination (before switching over to the non-profit industry). My strengths are in budgeting, planning, and pre-production. I have worked on dozens of national television shows, both cable and broadcast. I HAVE NEVER heard of asking interviewees to pay a price to be a show. Typically, the person who is being interviewed is paid a stipend, not the other way around, albiet 60K. Pre-production/scheduling for a show of this nature should only cost a few thousand dollars at the most. The producers also claimed that they had a budget of $175K each episode (for 7-9 minutes). Long-running shows that you see on cable (reality shows or talk shows in particular) have budgets of around 120K for an hour long. You can't pull the wool over my eyes, ladies.

    This company is a scam. They are targeting vulnerable non-profits and that is just sick. I plan to file a complain with the FCC. At the very least with Lifetime.
    • +2
      Sadly, your complaints won't get you much, as the local DA's and the Florida AG have been turning a blind eye and deaf ear to these people for the better part of a decade and a half! Better to air your grievances in DR Industry publications. Start with Florida and work from there. Don't forget Canada, as these creeps target a lot of our trusting neighbors to the North!
    • +1
      rarediseaseorg replies to You don't know who you are messing with
      I was contact too.  Carry Levy and Molly contact us for production fees of 59,700.00.  yes it is a disgrace to us non profit organizations.  we  volunteer our time most of us are moms who have children with rare disease who have no money.  Total Scam  what losers
  • 0
    Fred
    Don't waste your money! This company is straight [***]!! Very unprofessional
  • 0
    Sherri
    OMG I was contacted by them yesterday with the same 40k story ( spoke to Lee) I am very uneasy with them. I think i will try my luck someplace else :(
  • +2
    Goldbarb
    | 1 reply
    They should be in jail for fraud.  I too was ripped-off when they were Great Buys Television.  After a little research they have been morphing into different companies like Tricom Pictures, Incredible Discoveries, Site2shop, etc.  This was back in 2000.  They promised a 30 second spot that would air with Corbin Bernsen, ads in 2 national magazines, etc.  All I got was a photo of my product on a Mexican blanket with a piece of paper saying it was aired. I asked for proof and got zero response.  The money invested destroyed our business (what a fool I was).  This was before the internet explosion, so I did not research them as I should have.  I hope others do not invest.  They take your money and don't produce anything.  There were a few people who invested at the same time I did who got together and were going to sue (love to know the results if anybody is out there).  I did not participate in the lawsuit because I did not have any more money.  Still difficult to talk about - to get fleeced so bad.
    • +1
      Sympathizer replies to Goldbarb
      I wonder if any of the numerous defrauded merchants ever tried contacting Bernsen to see if he would go on record in an industry publication, to disavow any involvement with the Tricom folks on Powerline and Sample Roads in Pompano Beach, FL. These people have ruined businesses, marriages and lives, and have built their houses amidst the ruination of others. They are without conscience, soul and, of course, prosecution. They've been reported. To fraud investigators in at least Broward and Palm Beach counties in FL, if not more, to County DA's and state AG's. Yet they continue to re-invent the crooked wheel and take unsuspecting people for tens of thousands of dollars each month. They definitely tried not to strike close to home, fearful that a "patron" would show up and go postal. It's a shame that some of the victims couldn't band together and put a Facebook page together, to try to account for each victim ripped off since 2000. If even half the total victims were located and submitted a statement to the current FL Attorney General's office, I can't see how they could NOT do something about it! Better late than never!
  • +1
    JW
    | 1 reply
    As a dotcommer & Viral Strategist , I was surprised that they reached out to me.  Research, analytics & reverse engineering is my hobby.  Did they not expect me to type in "the balancing act scam" to see if anything popped up!  maybe they should hire me for reputation management and/or web consulting, so that i can show them how to make sure this website doesn't show up organically in the number 2 position.
    I was thinking of charging $40,700 for my services!
    If anyone of you new businesses want real results for about 1/10th of the cost, visit www.viralleak.com.  Best of luck.
    • 0
      Curious replies to JW
      Hey, would you be willing to help the vast multitude of victims defrauded by these scammers? Seems like you've got what it takes to do the job!
  • +2
    Past employee
    Lies, lies and more lies. I have to say I was ashamed to have worked here. Read a script to make you feel your product was perfect. If you have s... On a stick and wanted to spend 50k you were sucketed. Stay away and do your research. Nothing but a Scam
  • +2
    BLU BAMBU
    Hard to believe but they are still at it. They tried to get 10k but walked out today. Should have known they are as corrupt as onboard media in miami beach. They tried to trick me to
  • +1
    c
    Yes, Brandstar is still at it.  "Designing Spaces" actually airs on a local station, usually on weekends, late at night or early morning; they also used to air "Balancing Act.".  Their shows are distributed by Storrs Media and Telco Productions, who also provide stations with cheap E/I programs (the educational kids' shows TV stations are required to air each week).  Perhaps the Brandstar shows are part of a package Storrs provides each station.
  • +1
    No Fool
    Can you believe it - after over a decade this scam is still alive!  I've been getting emails and phone calls from The Balancing Act, trying to rope me in.  If you want to see what a sucker looks like, find their TV show on the internet, watch any of the very few episodes listed there, and they all begin with "THIS IS PAID ADVERTISING"

    The people you see in the episodes are people who paid tens of thousands of dollars hoping to get business from their infomercials.  I'd wager the only people who ever watch those shows are those of us who've been baited by cold calls, and researched to see if the show is a scam.  IT IS.
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