RIP OFF!!! SCAM!!! THEY USE 26 DIFFERENT COMPANIES AT THE SAME ADDRESS TO STEAL YOUR MONEY!!!

Complaint

0
Jacob Zellman
Country: United States
O2 Media (aka Tricom Pictures) & Five Star Productions are a Major Scam! They have just recently merged together with a new company called BrandStar Entertainment.  

They issued a press release in the end of October 2008 stating:

"O2 Media Inc. announced today that it has formed a new Joint Venture named BrandStar Entertainment with venture partner Five Star Productions. "

These SWINDLERS also do business as 25 plus other companies:

O2 Media Services Group Inc.
02 Media, Inc
02 Production Studios, Inc.
02 Executive Services, Inc.
DR Marketing Group Inc.
Intellibrands Group LLC
Tricom Pictures and Productions, Inc.
Tricom Pictures
Tricom Productions
Immediate Capital Group, Inc.
Quorum Productions, Inc.
Incredible Discoveries Distribution Services LLC
Incredible Discoveries Inc.
National Shopping Club, Inc.
Access Health, Inc.
Designing Spaces, LLC
Drtv Capital Group, LLC
Eternal Security, Inc.
Etv Acquisitions LLC
Infomercial Fund I’, LLP
Infoquest Licensing, Inc.
Infoquest Management Services, Inc.
Intermedia Marketing Solutions, Inc.
International Pictures & Productions, Inc.
Iq Business Intelligence Group, LLC
Kitchen Spaces TV, Inc.
M.A. Investments, LLC
Media Funding Group LLC
Mirage Talent, Inc.
Production Funding, LLC
SITE2SHOP T.V., Inc.

These 25 plus fraudulent companies charge you tens of thousands of dollars to appear on television shows that NEVER AIR.  They have absolutely NO affiliation with any national television networks like they claim and if you do get lucky and they put you on a show that does run, it is at 4:30 AM in the morning on some local cable station in a town with a population of 500 people.

It has recently come to my attention that these scam artists use their friends, relatives and employees as third party business references.

The names of their FAKE TV SHOWS are:

Designing Spaces
Incredible Discoveries
Kitchen Spaces
W, the Women’s Show
World Business Digest
Be Safe America
The Curious Cook

If anyone calls you from one of these FAKE TV SHOWS, hang up the phone and run for the hills! Otherwise these ROBBERS will empty out your bank account!

You can read more about these CON ARTISTS at:

http://matthewchan.com/incrediblediscoveries-info.htm

I have copied key excerpts from the article below, listing the 150 plus lawsuits against them.  Copy and paste the above link to read the article in its entirety and you will be able to access all of the hyperlinks with every lawsuit listed, plus detailed information on the 25 plus "alias" companies.

Here are some excerpts from the amazing research article done by Matthew Chan.

According to the Florida Division of Corporations, Incredible Discoveries was a registered fictious name orignally filed on September 29, 2003 in Broward County. It expired on December 31, 2008. The Owner is listed as Immediate Capital Group Inc.

According to the Florida Division of Corporations, Immediate Capital Group Inc. was formed on September 14, 1999 and is located in Pompano Beach, Florida. However, the Incredible Discoveries website lists their primary location in Deerfield Beach, FL.
According to Immediate Capital Group's Articles of Incorporation, Mark Alfieri and Jack Levine are the two founding principals of this company. They are listed as Directors in Annual Reports from 2000 to 2003.

In September 2003, an Articles Amendment states that Mary Eade became a new Director of Immediate Capital Group as both Mark and Jack are removed as Directors. Mary Eade remains as Director as stated in Annual Reports for 2004 and 2005.  In August 2005, Mary Eade is removed as Director and Doug Campbell is added as Director. Interestingly, in December 2005 (only 4 month later), Doug Campbell is removed as Director but Dawn Halloran is added as Secretary.

From what I can tell, there are now no publicly disclosed Directors or Officers of the company except for Dawn Hallovan. If the company is so big, why is there no listed President, Vice-President, CEO, CFO, or Treasurer which are often listed?

ADDRESS CHANGES:

According to the Annual Reports of 2000 to 2002, Immediate Capital Group's primary place of business is at:

22783 S. State Rd. 7 #103, Boca Raton, FL 33428

The 2003 Annual Report lists the principal address as:
6574 N. State Rd. 7 #277, Coconut Creek, FL 33073

Sometime after the filing of the 2003 Annual Report, the September 2003 Amendment and Registered Agent changes list the new principal address:

3850 N. Powerline Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441

This address appears to be the company's best known principal address according to the Incredible Discoveries website as well as various customer letters and documents. This address is in effect for Annual Reports 2004, 2005, and 2006.

The 2007 Annual Report lists another address:
2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064

This address appears to be current for the 2008 Annual Report.

More recently, the help of CorporationWiki, I discovered there is an Incredible Discoveries Distribution Services LLC and an Incredible Discoveries Inc. Essentially, there are now 3 corporations all using the "Incredible Discoveries" mark.
I would like to comment that changes of addresses in themselves are nowhere close to being unethical, immoral, or criminal. We are in the U.S. We can move anywhere we want anytime we want. However, most stable and established businesses don't move around unless there is a good reason. I have no idea what the reasons for the changes were. However, I will say I am most curious as to why Immediate Capital Group (aka Incredible Discoveries) left their Deerfield Beach office location.

COURT CASES:

Immediate Capital Group Inc. has a respectable list of 20+ court cases listed in the Broward County Clerk of Courts website.

Incredible Discoveries also has a respectable list of 20+ court cases listed in the Broward County Clerk of Courts website.

I would have thought the number of outstanding cases would be the same but it appears that a few of the lawsuits are listed in the database as Incredible Cap Group Inc. instead of Incredible Capital Group Inc.  Essentially, with every listing of Incredible Discoveries as a party, there should be a corresponding listing of Immediate Capital Group Inc.

RELATED COMPANIES:

Tricom Pictures & Productions Inc. appears to be a related company to Immediate Capital Group Inc. based on information listed by the Florida Division of Corporations:
The name of its two principal founders, Mark Alfieri and Jack Levine. Between the two individuals, they are listed as Directors, President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

They share similar addresses Immediate Capital Group used:
2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064 and 6574 N. State Rd. 7 #282, Coconut Creek, FL 33073

The Registered Agents for the two companies were A. Wayne Gill and Patricia Klein.

According to the Florida Division of Corporations, Tricom Pictures & Productions Inc. was formed on November 27, 1991. However, it was administratively dissolved on September 14, 2007 for not filing an Annual Report. Whether this was an oversight or intentional is unclear. What is clear is that the Registered Agent resigned on March 11, 2008. With no Registered Agent and the State of Florida's Administrative Dissolution, Tricom Pictures & Productions Inc. is no longer a corporation in good standing and technically does not exist anymore.

According to Broward County Clerk of Courts website, Tricom Pictures has an impressive 100+ court cases listed.

National Shopping Club Inc. appears to be a related company to Immediate Capital Group Inc. based on information listed by the Florida Division of Corporations:
The Registered Agent is Patricia Klein.

They share similar addresses Immediate Capital Group used: 2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064 and 3850 N. Powerline Rd, Deerfield Beach, FL 33441.
According to the Florida Division of Corporations, Fulvio of Italy Inc. was formed on May 15, 1989 with a name change to National Shopping Club Inc. on June 18, 1999, and administratively dissolved on October 1, 2004.

According to Broward County Clerk of Courts website, National Shopping Club Inc. is listed 8 times.

O2 Media Services Group Inc. (now renamed DR Marketing Group Inc. as of November 10, 2008) appears to be a new but related company to Immediate Capital Group Inc. based on information listed by the Florida Division of Corporations:

The name of its Secretary is Mark Alfieri.
The Registered Agent is Patricia Klein.
Their listed address is: 2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064

O2 Media Services Group Inc. has no court cases listed. However, I would be surprised if they did since this is a very new corporation.

O2 Production Studios Inc. appears to be a related (but defunct as of 2006) company based on information listed by the Florida Division of Corporations:

The Registered Agent is Patricia Klein.

Their listed address is: 3850 N. Powerline Rd., Deerfield Beach, FL 33073

They appeared to sign a lease because on August 6, 2008, United Properties of South Florida and/or RB Properties of South Florida filed for "Removal of Tenant" against O2 Production Studios Inc. This sounds like an eviction. Generally, evictions are filed against tenants that cannot pay their rent.

O2 Executive Services Inc. appears to be appears to be a related company based on information listed by the Florida Division of Corporations:

The Registered Agent is Patricia Klein.
Their listed address is: 2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064
Mark Alfieri is listed as an Officer/Director.

Quorum Productions Inc. appears to be a related company that was established on June 3, 2004.

The name of its Secretary is Louis Alfieri (appears to be related to Mark Alfieri).
The Registered Agent is Patricia Klein.
Their listed address is: 2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064

According to Broward County Clerk of Courts website, Quorum Productions Inc. has 14 court cases listed.

Intelibrands Group LLC appears to be a related company that was recently established on October 29, 2008.

The Registered Agent is Patricia Klein.
Their listed address is: 2001 W. Sample Rd., Suite 101, Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Reports Submitted to Florida Attorney General's Office

There were alleged reports submitted to the Florida Attorney General's Office. I wanted to find out myself if that were true. I made a phone inquiry where I informed Becky at the Office that I was doing a report and needed to do some fact-finding and fact-checking. I told her I only needed complaints, not general inquiries for information on Incredible Discoveries.

What I received was about 24 pages worth of FAXed information. The Office of Citizen Services FAX cover sheet states 40 pages but I only received 21 pages in the first batch. I received 3 pages in the second batch. Becky told me she must have incorrectly estimated the page count because there were not 40 pages.

I deleted the general inquiries and Robert Danoff's (ex-employee) inquiry pages to save on page count and file size. I was only interested in what people who actually did business with Incredible Discoveries reported to the Florida Attorney General's Office.
FAX 1 (Office of Citizen Services)
FAX 2 (Office of Citizen Services)

Here are a few excerpts from the 02 Media / Five Star October 2008 Press Release:

"It is a phenomenal opportunity for O2 Media and Five Star to combine our talent and resources in a way that will ensure our collective core competencies are utilized to the best advantage for quality programming and client satisfaction," says Gerry Czarnecki, President and CEO of O2 Media, who will also serve as President & CEO of BrandStar Entertainment.

"O2 Media, through its subsidiary Quorum Productions, has demonstrated its expertise in producing award-wining shows such as Designing Spaces and Kitchen Spaces, coupled with successful Direct Response marketing," says Mark Alfieri, founder and Chairman of O2 Media.

"Our mutual history of successful programming, combined with our close geographic proximity, means that BrandStar Entertainment is uniquely poised for significant growth in the future," says Scott Woolley, President of Five Star Productions.


THEY HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!! THERE ARE 150 PLUS LAWSUITS OUT THERE AND NOW THEY HAVE MERGED TO COMBINE THEIR SCAM??  THE BEST ADVICE I CAN GIVE YOU IS TO RUN...

Here are some more excerpts from the Matthew Chan article:

INCORRECT CORPORATE & FICTITIOUS NAME USAGE:

In two of those press releases, they are intentionally or unintentionally providing incorrect corporate information to the public. The later press releases states that "Incredible Discoveries" is owned by O2 Media Inc. This is incorrect on two counts.
The Florida Division of Corporations lists the fictitious name of "Incredible Discoveries" as owned by Immediate Capital Group Inc.

According to the Florida Division of Corporations, there is no such corporation as O2 Media Inc. only O2 Media Services Group Inc. This is important because anyone doing business needs to know the true corporate identity of the company they are dealing with.

In another press release, they state that Quorum Productions is a division of O2 Media Inc.

As a personal comment, it makes me nervous when a company cannot get its true corporate name or structure right. Even with the errors, they are not consistent. Whether it is intentional or not, details absolutely matter. Some people might construe this "sloppiness" as being "loose with the facts".

CORPORATIONWIKI "GOLDMINE"

I stumbled on to the CorporationWiki website during a Google Search of "Incredible Discoveries". It revealed so much more information than I could ever follow-up on. I discovered "Incredible Discoveries Inc." and "Incredible Discoveries Distribution Services LLC". Through these 2 listings, it lead me to many other links.

There is a link to 26 other companies that have companies based at:

2001 W Sample Rd, Ste 101 Pompano Beach, FL 33064

Most appear to be related companies because they share the same address. Many of these company names appear to be related to the infomercial industry. They all appear to share the same Registered Agent, Patricia Klein.

A link to the Registered Agent, Patricia Klein, reveals all the companies she has assisted and related to. Ms. Klein appears to be tied into many of the same companies that were listed at 2001 W. Sample Rd, Suite 101. Most appear to be infomercial industry related. But there are some that appear to be totally unrelated.

DO AN INTERNET SEARCH AND YOU WILL FIND OUT EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THESE SCAM ARTISTS!!!

Comments

  • 0
    help
    Most likely TriStar Too...
  • 0
    help
    Good Work, really!!!
    I may be able to help you. I'll take a look at what happend to me
    a few years ago, then I'll post it here!
  • 0
    Darla
    Are these scammers working "with" the Lifetime network and "The Balancing Act", or are they just "posing" as producers to this show?  Because I was approached by someone last week, and with a quick Google, saw immediately that BrandStar was listed on several scam sites.
  • 0
    Yeah they got me too
    | 1 reply
    Mary Eade is Mark Alfieri's wife. Dawn Halloran or "Dee" used to be used as a reference and she would lie and say she sold tons of stuff on air with one of the scam companies. They never sold a thing. I think some companies complained and for every five that did, there are twenty five who probably have given up going after these jerks. Klein is the lawyer. She writes up the contracts with loopholes just wide enough for these slime balls to get through. With all the facts about their fraud out there, its pretty disgraceful that the attorney general keeps allowing them to screw people out of their hard earned money.
    • 0
      Robert replies to Yeah they got me too
      time is a funny thing
      Been in Boca for 25 years seen many companies like these go under ! They are complete frauds but you should have known better ! They never got me I was way yo smart!!
      I always knew they were crooks whyvarmtbthey in jail for 20! Years
  • 0
    Jacmarc Alfvine
    This whole thing is kinda sick, like aging pro-wrestlers. Makes you wanna say "are those guys still at it"? Except here, they're still gettin away with ripping people off who get tricked by the slick contract the legel beagel whips up. They were a scam when they started and they're a scam today. They have spin offs too, like whatever scam outfit Shaun Bombaro is with now since he was one of their lackey closers back in the day when Site2Shop actually sold people's stuff at a local flea market when they thought it was getting sold on TV. That's some racket these guys got going, and yet they haven't been locked down or locked up yet. This Alfieri guy, looks like he just re-mortgaged his Boca place to the tune of almost three mil. I guess ripping people off is nice work, if you can stomach it.
  • 0
    Ex "Trick'em employee
    I used to work there as a "producer" when they were on Sample road. We had a script to read - back then it was like 29,000 dollars if the cutomer bit. The script would lead the customer to believe he was going to be on this big tv show. The problem was that we had to do a fancy side step when the customer asked what channel? What TV show? We could never send them an actuall TV listing of the show.

    After a while most of os "producers" would sit around and laugh our heads off at the whole thing and make funny comments. We couldn't even keep from laughing any more becuase we knew each other was listening to our scripted misleading pitch.

    Tricom pictures was no doubt a complete misleading scam thus we called it Trick'em pictures. Mark and Jack are nothing more than your typical South Florida scammers who are able to look at themselves in the mirror for some reason. They try and act like they are religious and go to church.

    All in all it was a good laugh between careers for me.
  • 0
    Anonymous
    I used to work there until about 2004 and I am laughing (sadly) because EVERY SINGLE THING ON THIS PAGE IS TRUE!!!!!

    The only thing left out is that these people are the most hypocritical Evangelical CHRISTIANS of all things so not only are they going straight to HELL but it should be especially nasty for them.

    Wow, for years while me and co workers worked there, we tried to "out" them w/inside info but this page is the best compilation ever!

    Great work!!!!

    Amazing they are not in jail -- at lunches we used to bet on how soon the cops would arrest them... sadly apparently it never happened.

    Awesome.

    STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM THESE PEOPLE.

    IF ANYONE understands SEO please post this when people search the company name -- that would help save poor moms and pops from continuing to lose their life savings.
  • 0
    green1
    | 1 reply
    we were contacted by a maureeen nicholas email: mnicholas@designingspaces.tv who offered us a space(for 38k) on a show called "designing spaces" which apparently airs on TLC and WE, in contacting both networks no such so exists, this blatant lying and false advertising. how are they not in jail! taking peoples savings under false pretenses is a sin.
    • 0
      Hadtoleave replies to green1
      That is not her real name & I worked with her. One day I cleaned my desk out . I excused myself from a meeting & got out of there with a quickness. They kept calling asking what they did wrong. I couldn't look at myself in the mirror anymore. 1 out of 30 products, may make it. The rest have just thrown their hard earned money into empty promises... I felt so bad working there. They told me I was too nice & to play the Takeaway. (That we weren't sure if their product was good enough.) we had to research it.
  • 0
    Worked there 1995
    I worked there, and Scott Woolley is the biggest [***] ever. It was 1995, there were two of us with the same name. Sound familiar?

    I see now he's running a pet store.
  • 0
    YOU'RE ALL WRONG!
    | 1 reply
    The Balancing Act is a packager for Lifetime, they're a 1 hour tv show monday through friday on The Lifetime Television Network! Check out mylifetime.com and you'll see for yourself. You all should be prosecuted for spreading such false information about the show.
    • 0
      Ex employee replies to YOU'RE ALL WRONG!
      Sorry, but Balancing act is not a packager for Lifetime.   I worked there for 4 years part of it in a leadership role on the board and everytihng posted here is true.  While I was there I challenged it.. the problem is as someone stated earlier on this list that they have ways to get around things and have an in house attorney to work on all the lawsuits that they get.  That is a full time job which should tell you something.   I had to lie to customers because we often did not have the money to air their shows, nor was there any interest by Doug and or Mark to really work on a show to make it better.  Once they got paid, they moved on to the next lead and left the mess for the production and management team to work out.  They don't treat their employees any better.  While I was there paychecks bounced all the time and I was once given the checks to hand out and told to take my time because there is not enough money in the bank.  I think that is illegal.   Horrible Horrible place and even 4 years later I still get very angry about it.
  • 0
    Right as Rain Here
    Prosecuted? It's Mark Alfieri, Doug Campbell and the PAID TO PLAY Gerry Czernecki who should be prosecuted!! As for why this hasn't happened, my money says that it's a combination of the contract Patricia Klein puts together which protects them under "caveat emptor" (sucker beware) and perhaps some hefty donations made by Alfie to the PBA of Palm Beach and Broward County, etc. The D.A.'s office has plenty of info on them, but if people are dumb enough to enter into a contract with these slick scammers and no clauses therein are found to be unconscionable, etc., ignorance is not one of the grounds to invalidate a contract.

    No matter what "project" these clowns work on, there is ALWAYS a "VENDOR FEE." It's "all about the monies". Sound familiar? I'll bet!!

    Steer clear of these thieves, for the kingdom of HELL shall be theirs!
  • 0
    All There In Black and White
    Due diligence against these crooks is easy. Do this - www.netronline.com. Click on "Public Records" to the left, then select Florida and Broward County, then Clerk Recorders Office, and type in Brandstar to research public records recorded against them TO DATE (meaning there are more to come).

    So far, you'll see one Default Judgment against them for almost 30K recorded by a Washington State company ripped off by "Balancing Act." If these people were legitimate, why would they have allowed a default judgment to be recorded against them? Could it be because in Florida, civil judgments are almost impossible to collect?

    Another interesting recorded document you'll see is an agreement with Mr. PAID TO PLAY  himself, Gerry Czarnecki. Shame on  you, Gerry. You know the difference between legitimacy and scam. You sold out for a buck, or at least fifty thousand of them to start the ante. I guess for that much, it's OK to look the other way and pretend that guys like Alfieri and Campbell aren't the scum of the Earth.

    If you knew how many businesses and lives these people have destroyed (this reality is disgraceful and tragic) over the past almost 20 years, would that make a difference? Try to justify it all you want, but only someone totally bereft of decency and conscience would continue to affiliate with thieves like these.

    Don't believe all of their own press releases. A scam by any other name.....
  • 0
    I am who I say I am, of course!
    (CJF) Certified Judgment - Foreign


    Record Date :      9/17/2009 7:51:29 AM
    From the Florida Public Records database, looks like there's already one customer so unhappy with "The Balancing Act" that they've taken THEIR ACT to court!! This is a default judgment since the scammers didn't even bother putting in a defense.


    Judgment Holder:      BLUETOOTH SIG INC

    Debtor:      BRANDSTAR ENTERTAINMENT LLC
    BALANCING ACT TV LLC
    BALNACING ACT LLC

    Book Type:      O
    Book / Page:      46526 / 1535
    Amount: $26,700
  • 0
    Tricia Williams
    I dont know who u r, but I worked there at one time as well.  and YES ur 100% correct.  Hiding behind the church (Mark Alferi) really is amazing.
  • 0
    Howie Greenspan
    Have to say, they just contacted us. Thanks for saving us the trouble of further research

    Shari Marine <smarine@o2mediainc.com>

    Per your request, here is a brief introductory email.  I am the executive assistant to Lee Kaplan, the Director of Operations for  Incredible Discoveries. He is interested in speaking to you about  XXXXX.  Specifically, he would like to learn more about the product and current distribution, as he is interviewing potential candidates and gathering information about unique products that we could partner with and sell those products direct to consumers through direct response marketing.

    Please give me a call at 954.935.3162, Ext 373 to arrange a mutually convenient time for a brief phone conversation.
  • 0
    Eagle Games
    We were taken for almost $20,000 back in 2003.  I filed a complaint with the BBB, but I was too busy trying to run my small company to sue them.  Also suing them in Florida would have cost more than we would have recovered. I'm sure they count on that.

    These are bad people.  I can't believe that the DA has not gone after them.  Regardless of the contract, they intentionally mis-lead people.  In my case, I was aware that they could bury the TV spot and made them commit in writing to airing it on certain cable networks and between 9am and 10pm.  They agreed in writing, but then didn't deliver.  Again, I could have sued them, but it probably wouldn't have been worth my time.
  • 0
    Jeff
    Anybody heard of Media Funding Group?  They supposedly provide financing for advertising a new product in exchange for part ownership of you company or some other payback arrangement.  Anybody know anything about them?  Are they a scam?

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