Don't make our mistake

Complaint

-1
Polly Globe
Country: United States
We attended their presentation and after some calculation decided to pay for the membership which was $4990. We wanted to update our kitchen and bathroom cabinets, as well as bedroom furniture. We put down about $1000, and the rest was financed through their lender Beta Finance.

A month later we started planning our purchases and realized we were about to pay more by buying through them than we would otherwise. What the don't tell you on their presentation is that while you save about 10% on furniture they add 8 % handling charge in addition to 7% tax, and that doesn't include shipping.

I am now trying to get our membership money back. Do not become a member! Buy from other stores.

Comments

  • 0
    Ann
    Hi Tom
    Can you please tell me where I can read more about this lawsuit because I have tried different leads & I can't find anything about it. Thanks
  • 0
    Hidden investigation news
    HI TOM
    There has been an attempt at a "hidden investigation" & it can still  be viewed.   Google:   directbuycomplaintwire  (no spaces)
    Go to     THE PRICE CUT PROMISE/CBC NEWS MARKETPLACE
    DOES IT LOOK FIXED  TO YOU?  IT SURE DOES TO ME!
    It's really pathetic that they do not give a damn about the people who got scammed & does not give them any help as how to get their money back.
    There are tons of comments listed below the video, and tons of comments defending db & ridiculing the reporter for NOT DEFENDING DB
    SOMEONE EVEN ACCUSED CBC OF "YELLOW JOURNALISM" AND "IDIOTIC" COMMENTARY
    WHAT DO YOU THINK?
  • 0
    Roger
    Ann-
    I don't think there is much online about the class action lawsuits. Contact the attorneys directly. I have found that they are all good about providing information and explaining case updates to anyone who is interested. Good luck!
  • 0
    Roger
    Sydney-
    Thanks for keeping us posted and letting others know about the new tactics DirectBuy is using. I guess they realize that we're on to the old methods and they are now going after people in a different way. I agree with Trudy in sending registered written correspondence signed by both you and your spouse. DB is slimy, slimy, slimy and needs to be shut down! Let's keep working together to put them out of business!
  • 0
    mikey
    I'm truly suprprised   there has not been some  altercations ( like db personess gettiing the crap beat out of them in the parking lot)

    If  someone in my family ( like parents)  were screwed over by db  I would be  talking to the manager  off the db property to  "explain"  the conquences  of messing with my family this way

    the legal system can only protest these scumbags   to a certian extent, and  eventually someone is going to get hurt
  • 0
    Trudy
    Hi Mikey
    I just tried looking for my letters on INFO...SCAMS, in May 2008 & I couldn't find them, then I tried to google "infomercialscams.com"
    It said the site is "gone forever"
    It gives me more reason to be worried about this site.

      I just want everyone to know that I ask people to try to get their money back because It helps us to publicize their high pressure tactics, and their "NEW & IMPROVED" DIRTY TACTICS.
      If they are not successful getting their money back, I definitely want them to join the class-action suits.  
    At least, they will have something in writing, to take to the class-action suit, showing how dishonest that db is, by breaking laws and lying to members.
    My views are very much like "My thoughts" & the comments from "Roger"
    I want db to know that there are laws & that they are always breaking them
  • 0
    Trudy
    Hi Mikey
    I absolutely understand your anger, but I honestly don't believe that violence would help anything.
    There have been too many incidents of mistaken identity, where innocent people are hurt or some innocent person accidentally gets in the way.
    The law hates revenge more than the criminals.  
      Remember that db is a multi-level marketing scheme & only  the people at the top are getting richer.   There are several letters on this site, from staff, complaining about being abused by the management of db and they don't even have anyone to help them.
    So I am saying that you would just be attacking the "little guy"
      By the way, I don't recall as to whether or not you personally got scammed or not.  If you did, is there any way that we can help you?

      I just sent you a message on the previous page, and someone else did, too.  
    !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!INFOMERCIALSCAMS.COM  DISAPPEARED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I WONDER WHAT NAME THEY WILL REAPPEAR UNDER NEXT???????????????????????????
  • 0
    Tom
    Ann,

    Which lawsuit? The one where the founder of DirectBuy, James Gagan, along with some other former DirectBuy top executives, sued Joe Yast, who is the current general counsel for DirectBuy, and the founder claims that Joe Yast called him a "liar" and a "manipulator" and an "evil" person?  Or do you mean the class action?

    Tom
  • 0
    mikey
    Trudy:

    I really don't advocate violence, but  I see it comming.  they will eventually mess with the wrong persons.

    they did not get me,  I learned of their dealings from a customer  that comes in  my business,  and after reading  all the complaints on various sites, figured I'd put in my  2cents worth.

    the  archice for infomercials  is still active

    http://web.archive.org/web/*/www.infomercialscams.com/


    mike
  • 0
    Roger
    Tom-
    Yes, I'd be interested in knowing more about the Gagan / Yast lawsuit.....Is there trouble in DB's paradise????
  • 0
    Roger
    Mikey-
    There were a couple of incidents where DB people were threatened and almost beat up....With all of the raging people out there, I'm also surprised there hasn't been anything more serious.
  • 0
    Tom
    Roger/Ann,

    I would contact the national class action attorney, Craig Matthews, for info like that.  He has done a lot of reseach into DirectBuy.  His email is: cmatthews@ctmlaw.com

    Tom
  • 0
    Angella
    Thanks to all of you for your postings. You have helped a lot of potential victims out here. I attended a presentation today July 18th and basically ran out of there when I learned of the Membership fees. Wow!

    I got really suspicious with the pressure to become members so when I came home I decided to surf the net for unhappy customers. I found this site. Again thanks, this confirms my suspicions of Direct Buy and saves another potential victim.
  • 0
    Trudy
    Hi Angella
    It's great to hear that you "got out alive" & I'm glad that you found this site.  It is the only one left that has honest complaints & you can leave a reply to someone without having to leave an e-mail address.
      I hope that you will help us to warn others & please refer anyone who has been scammed,  to this site.
      There are some of us who stay on this site specifically.  We try to reach as many people as we can & try to give individual responses to each person.
  • 0
    bogusia
    Hi,my extremely wary sister and I managed to sign up with them in NYC yesterday, 7/18, but slept on it and realized that it sounds like a scam. We checked online, and our suspicion was confirmed. We went to talk to the owner today, and he promised to run our request for a cancellation and a refund by his partners, as the franchise is LLC and get back to me by Wednesday. I will follow your advise sending cancellation letter, although, i have found out that 3 day cooling off period doesn't apply to this type of contract in NY State. It seems though that they are in violation of DCA paragraph 5-34 (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dca/html/resources/law.shtml)
    Since we signed up for installments with 2K down, we are planning to dispute the 2K charged to the credit card and not pay monthly installments, which are to automatically come off the credit card, by changing the credit card number or closing the account as we don't want to loose more money with them. Also, if they will not issue a refund, we will file complaints with DCA, BBB and Attorney General. We want to contact a news station for help and on the weekends we will hang out by the center giving out warning fliers and copy of our contract to potential victims going into the center.
    I would like to know what do you think about this strategy, and if anyone has any additional advise/tips.
    I also want to mentions that the owner of the center signed me and my sister under one agreement entering my full name in the spouse's line. I'm not sure if that makes any difference.
  • 0
    Angella
    Trudy

    I am very thankful for people like you and others for doig this. I will be passing this website along to others. In a time when our economy are not at its best, Direct Buy prey on the vulnerability of others.

    Thanks again and keep up the wonderful work and support.
  • 0
    lulu2003
    I have recently been a member of Direct buy can any one tell me how to get out of this.
  • 0
    bogusia
    read Trudy's posts and it also depends when you signed up and in what state.
  • 0
    Thank you everyone!
    I am a 19-year-old student who went online to search for cabinets within the area since I'm looking to save my parents money. DirectBuy popped up and I went to the site and was somewhat convinced- it seemed like Sams or Costco. I signed up for the "Visitor's Pass" and set up an appointment for this Sunday.

    For some reason, I wound up here and am APPALLED and DISGUSTED after reading ALL twenty pages of complaints. As an aspiring politician, I am severely disgusted that such a company has been able to trick so many people, and would LOVE to see some coverage of this on news, however, it seems that corporate greed prevents that.


    I googled DirectBuy and clicked on UserBuzz, which consists of *only* positive comments and claims that DB has a 93% user rating.
    NOW, go to www.userbuzz.com, and type in a company name, or even gibberish.. and it will take you to DB's page. ***OBVIOUSLY, it is not a REAL site; the comments are FAKE***

    I then went to the other website given to me by google, http://www.consumerreviews.org/direct-buy?imm ... CR:direct%20buy. Again, positive comments and praise for DB. GO to the regular site, http://www.consumerreviews.org/ and type in any name, and nothing happens. Therefore, it is impossible for any ordinary person to write any type of comment--all anyone can do is sign up for the Free Visitor's Pass.
    ***This proves that the site is again a FAKE, most likely fabricated by DB!**


    Quite humorously, as I was in the process of writing this, the phone rang and it happened to be a representative of DB. I told the woman my parents would not be attending because they changed their mind. She questioned who I was and I told her that I had made the appointment for them. She then asked what made them change their mind.
    I simply stated it was not worth their money and hung up. I did not want to listen to her, although, writing this now, I wish I would have known what she would have said.

    Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences as they do in fact help to warn others! (It warned me)
    :)
  • 0
    Roger
    To: Thank you everyone!
    Glad to hear that our posts on this website are making a difference and this site is getting so much traffic. Your parents should be proud that their "wise" and educated child did good research before they spent their money on a membership which only includes empty promises (not to mention their precious time in sitting through DB's awful presentation). We hope you will also spread the word to others and prevent them from having empty wallets and pockets full of frustrations.

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