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Astute.com.au review: Scam / High pressure sales techniques / Unlicensed to provide written financial advice 35

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6:41 am EDT
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Astute Financial Services - ABN [protected] - Company Director - Craig Eric Lynch

BEWARE - THIS IS THE RE-BORN "Paramount Finance & Investment Services" and "Auseagle Financial Solutions"

See this page for PFIS - Paramount Finance And Investments — Beware, they are shonks

See this page for Auseagle Financial Solutions - Auseagle Financial Solutions & Paramount Finance And Investment Services — Warning

Beware, if you receive a cold call from the above companies offering a free financial consultation. DON’T DO IT! They will tell you that they can reduce your mortgage in half the time and sell you a plan. They will charge you $396 for the service and present you a plan that tells you to invest in properties in Queensland.

The plan is prepared on an Excel spreadsheet and it is a generic plan. They will tell you that it is prepared for your individual situation but this is not so. On this plan they will advise you that you should refinance your mortgage into:
1. A Special Finance Facility (It’s a Line of Credit) of $30K
2. A Variable Rate Loan to the value of your current home loan and other loans
3. Another Variable Rate Loan of an amount that will finance part of the purchase on a new property in Queensland
4. Another Variable Rate Loan for the construction or purchase of a new property in Queensland

If you are one of the lucky ones that qualify for a property, they will try to sell you an investment in Queensland and it will cost you on top of the purchase price $7997 for their service. If you are only refinancing, this amount will also be charged.

Note that for every property that they sell, they get up to $50K in commission from the builder - something they do not tell you. This amount comes from the purchase so you the customers are actually paying for it. This is the main reason that the valuations of the properties they sell always comes in lower than the purchase price. If you also allow them to organize the finance for the whole thing, they also receive up front commissions from the banks of up to 1% of your total loan as well as up to 0.25% of your total loan in trail commissions.

So you see, you the customers should not be paying anything, the company make enough money on their commission not to charge you $396 and $7997.

If you are unhappy with the plan, they will NOT refund you the money. If by chance you do not want to proceed with the purchase, they will try to charge part or all of the $7997 fee. There was this time where one of their clients was diagnosed of terminal cancer and wanted not to proceed. So they charged him (a dying man) $4000.

If you do happen to proceed, please check the contracts properly. They tend to get you to sign blank contracts and application forms during the meeting. Ask to take the contracts with you after the meeting and obtain INDEPENDENT LEGAL ADVICE! before signing.

It would be prudent for you to do your research as well. Do not rely on the research paper they give you on the plan. Some of the information on it is over 3 years old - and it hasn't been updated for a while.

READ ABOUT THIS COMPANY AND HOW IT OPERATES. BEWARE OF DEALING WITH THESE CROOKS!

Update by Warren Bronson Joyce
Jul 30, 2012 5:05 am EDT

The CEO of this company has had the change his trading company every 6 months!

Timeline -
Jan 2011 - Paramount Finance Services
July 2011 - Paramount Finance & Investment Services
Jan 2012 - Auseagle Financial Solutions
July 2012 - Astute Financial Solutions

Why does this business change it's company name every 6 months? Because of the constant complaints from people being ripped off AND to enable the CEO - Craig Eric Lynch to avoid paying his staff superannuation and entitlements. (not to mention tax!)

Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

35 comments
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Craigs Afatcunt
US
Jul 31, 2012 12:51 am EDT

Astute financial solutions at Baulkam hills is a sham company run by crooks. Never deal with astute financial solutions in Baulkam hills.

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Gods Vengeance
Sydney, AU
Aug 01, 2012 4:02 pm EDT

It sounds to me like your just a hater, a small minded little evil doer. I person who doesn't contribute but takes from everyone and everybody. Your a manipulator sitting back in your home happy that you worked for this company and stole from it, not only your pay for the work you never did but also the opportunities and the assistance it gave you. You could of let this great company that had helped so many people but you didn't you continued to stay there stealing the benefits and creating destruction. There is such a thing as karma and yours will come back to you in buckets. You IP address has been traced, you identity is known, try and hide in the dark like the cockraoch that you are! Live in fear of the destruction that is coming your way!

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Super duper man
US
Aug 02, 2012 2:01 pm EDT

Lol Bronson the illiterate ###tard makes more anonymous threats. Never deal with astute financial services in baulkham hills. Btw Bronson we will follow all reincarnations of this company to give you and the fat bald Thai prostitute loving one that cannot be named, a little taste of what is like for the people you have ###ed over.

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gods vengence
AU
Aug 02, 2012 7:19 pm EDT

It Just goes to prove that you are malicous person who is hell bent on detroying inocent people doing good, you need to look within and examine your motives for being such a a hater and sad individual. In life there are people who can and thos who can't you obviously fall into the later. I feel sorry for you and hope god will forgive the evil you do here by spreading hate and doing bad. Its easy to go onto the internet and place a blog without prooving who you are, its easy to spread malicous lies and be jealous of other peoples success. When all you ever do is take and you never give your always destine to fail. Thats why you feel the way you do inside, lonely depressed and dejected. Change your life before its too late!

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wary customers
US
Aug 02, 2012 7:39 pm EDT

I bought a plan off astute financial solutions at baulkham hills and it turned out to be a generic "plan" suggesting I buy overpriced investment property in Qld. Never deal with Astute financial solutions.

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Roger Thornton
US
Aug 03, 2012 8:27 am EDT

Astute financial solutions in Baulkham hills refinanced me at a higher interest rate and still charged me! Do not use this company.

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I.P. Freely
US
Aug 03, 2012 3:54 pm EDT

Astute financial solutions in Baulkham hills ripped me off they sold me over valued investment property in Qld, when I had an independent valuation done it came in 45k under the purchase price. Never use Astute financial solutions.

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Gods Justice
US
Aug 03, 2012 8:35 pm EDT

Astute financial solutions are s sham company who started off as National Planning Services, when they got a reputation for scamming people they morphed into Paramount Finance and Investments, once again developed a horrible reputation and once again changed the name to Auseagle finance, same thing happened again and now they are trying again as Astute financial solutions. A turd is a turf no matter what you call it.

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Astute customer
US
Aug 04, 2012 6:33 pm EDT

This is hilarious, Warren blaming posters for the hurt they are causing when they are actually helping people not to be ripped off by the conmen at Astute financial solutions in Baulkham Hills.

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Howard Speck
US
Aug 06, 2012 6:07 pm EDT

They sound dodgey indeed thank you for the info I had a scheduled meeting with one of astute financial solutions salesman.

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Happy Days 11
TH
Aug 07, 2012 12:08 am EDT

Any one who believes this idiot is as stupid as them, this company has helped me heaps, I was able to consolidate my debts when no one else would help, my wife and i were argueing all the time about our bills i couldn't pay my mortgage and now i'm back on top pay and can pay my mortgage easily and my wife and i are as happy as we've ever been. Warren was a very caring man who helped me all the way!
I recommend Astute Financial Solutions to anyone seeking to improve their life. Thank you so so much!

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GreatCompany-LOL
Smallville, US
Aug 07, 2012 4:16 am EDT

"Great company"?

This is the "Great company" that -
* failed to disclose commissions earned when selling investment properties to customers
* used high pressure sales techniques that broke the law
*charged a terminally ill man $4000 to withdraw from a contract, leaving his widow the credit card debt (tell me - you're supposedly about helping people in retirement - how did this help her?)
*at induction "STRONGLY" encouraged new staff to join the company superannuation fund - the fund that would never receive a single payment for the employee
* in the last week of March 2012 sacked the majority of it's employees - but didn't pay them
*took legal action against their own customers for terminating their contracts
*charged customers a fee of $7995 while reaping the $40, 000 to $50, 000 commission from the sale of the property + the upfront commission for the placing of the loan + the trailing commission for the loan. Whose retirement were you planning for - because it wasn't the customers.
*convinced customers to sign paperwork showing that the property they had purchased was valued at less than they were paying. Once their loan settled they owed more than the property was worth.
*presented "Due Diligence" documents to convince customers to buy in QLD - documents that were 2 years out of date and did not show how the values of property were falling.
*charged the customers 0.2% more on their interest rates and collected that as extra trailing commission

"Great company"? Only if you were the CEO or GM on the endless money train - the same money train that the staff worked hard at believing that they would receive super and wages. The same staff you say stole from the company - the ones who worked daily thinking they were helping people, deserving of their entitlements such as super and in the end their termination pay.

"Great company" - what a total joke. It was a money making scheme purely for the benefit of the CEO - Craig Lynch and GM Warren Bronson.

The threats are not unexpected tho - remember Joe Daher was hired by Craig at Warrens suggestion - to go break a former employees legs.

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GreatCompany-LOL
Smallville, US
Aug 07, 2012 4:56 am EDT

"Great company"? The CEO is Craig Eric Lynch - same CEO as:
Paramount Financial Services
Paramount Finance & Investment Services
Auseagle Financial Solutions

This is the "Great company" that -
* failed to disclose commissions earned when selling investment properties to customers
* used high pressure sales techniques that broke the law
*charged a terminally ill man $4000 to withdraw from a contract, leaving his widow the credit card debt (tell me - you're supposedly about helping people in retirement - how did this help her?)
*at induction "STRONGLY" encouraged new staff to join the company superannuation fund - the fund that would never receive a single payment for the employee
* in the last week of March 2012 sacked the majority of it's employees - but didn't pay them
*took legal action against their own customers for terminating their contracts
*charged customers a fee of $7995 while reaping the $40, 000 to $50, 000 commission from the sale of the property + the upfront commission for the placing of the loan + the trailing commission for the loan. Whose retirement were you planning for - because it wasn't the customers.
*convinced customers to sign paperwork showing that the property they had purchased was valued at less than they were paying. Once their loan settled they owed more than the property was worth.
*presented "Due Diligence" documents to convince customers to buy in QLD - documents that were 2 years out of date and did not show how the values of property were falling.
*charged the customers 0.2% more on their interest rates and collected that as extra trailing commission

"Great company"? Only if you were the CEO or GM on the endless money train - the same money train that the staff worked hard at believing that they would receive super and wages. The same staff you say stole from the company - the ones who worked daily thinking they were helping people, deserving of their entitlements such as super and in the end their termination pay.

"Great company" - what a total joke. It was a money making scheme purely for the benefit of the CEO - Craig Lynch and GM Warren Bronson.

The threats are not unexpected tho - remember Joe Daher was hired by Craig at Warrens suggestion - to go break a former employees legs.

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GreatCompany-LOL
Smallville, US
Aug 07, 2012 5:04 am EDT

"Great company"? CEO is Craig Eric Lynch - same CEO as:
Paramount Financial Services
Paramount Finance & Investment Services
Auseagle Financial Solutions
Century 21 Morningside

This is the "Great company" that -
* failed to disclose commissions earned when selling investment properties to customers
* used high pressure sales techniques that broke the law
*charged a terminally ill man $4000 to withdraw from a contract, leaving his widow the credit card debt (tell me - you're supposedly about helping people in retirement - how did this help her?)
*at induction "STRONGLY" encouraged new staff to join the company superannuation fund - the fund that would never receive a single payment for the employee
* in the last week of March 2012 sacked the majority of it's employees - but didn't pay them
*took legal action against their own customers for terminating their contracts
*charged customers a fee of $7995 while reaping the $40, 000 to $50, 000 commission from the sale of the property + the upfront commission for the placing of the loan + the trailing commission for the loan. Whose retirement were you planning for - because it wasn't the customers.
*convinced customers to sign paperwork showing that the property they had purchased was valued at less than they were paying. Once their loan settled they owed more than the property was worth.
*presented "Due Diligence" documents to convince customers to buy in QLD - documents that were 2 years out of date and did not show how the values of property were falling.
*charged the customers 0.2% more on their interest rates and collected that as extra trailing commission

"Great company"? Only if you were the CEO or GM on the endless money train - the same money train that the staff worked hard at believing that they would receive super and wages. The same staff you say stole from the company - the ones who worked daily thinking they were helping people, deserving of their entitlements such as super and in the end their termination pay.

"Great company" - what a total joke. It was a money making scheme purely for the benefit of the CEO - Craig Lynch and GM Warren Bronson.

The threats are not unexpected tho - remember Joe Daher was hired by Craig at Warrens suggestion - to go break a former employees legs.

Happy Days 11 - who are you - Craig or Warren? You can do exactly the same thing at banks - with lower interest rates and no fee to do it. Consolidation? You seriously went to Astute to do that? A company that sells investment properties and charges a fee to do so? Sorry - your credibility doesn't add up...

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Dont deal with Astute financial solution
US
Aug 07, 2012 9:17 pm EDT

This is the typical ### you can expect from Astute financial solutions in Baulkham hills. They will even pose as happy customers spout ### about what a great company they are while behind the scenes will berate, belittle and laugh as they rip off another dumb ###.

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Think about it.
US
Aug 07, 2012 9:56 pm EDT

If Astute financial solutions where a legitimate helpful and trustworthy company doing the right thing by its customers they would not have changed the company name at least four times in the last two years and wouldnt have ex customers and ex staff warning prospective customers never to deal with Astute financial solutions in Baulkham Hills NSW.

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Unsatisfied customer 67889
US
Aug 08, 2012 2:09 am EDT

I used Astute Financial Solutions because they said they would give me a complete financial review. They sent me a high pressure salesman with no financial qualifications who tried to convince me to either refinance or to invest in some off the plan Qld property that seemed very expensive. When I asked the salesmen some very basic taxation questions he just looked at me blankly and tried to steer the conversation back to investment property. His name was Warren. Thank you for the warning but it really wasn't needed. The unprofessional way in which they operate will be their undoing.

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stop astute finance cold calling
US
Aug 08, 2012 5:29 am EDT

I was cold called by this company and they tried to force me into a free financial review, after telling them never to call me again and to remove me from the calling list they called me again two days later with the same offer.

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Emma.l
US
Aug 08, 2012 6:07 pm EDT

Sounds like a terrible company to deal with or work for. I live in Baulkam hills and was considering using Astute Financial Solutions to support local businesses. I am glad I did my homework first. Thank you to all posters for the detailed, informative information. I will go and see my local bank.

DIRM74
DIRM74
Albuquerque, US
Aug 08, 2012 6:14 pm EDT

Agreed little emma.

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Law Enforcer 500
TH
Aug 08, 2012 10:19 pm EDT

I don't know who you think your fooling with all these hoax postings little man your just a snake taking from others for your own benefit, when you in Jail for the lies you've told here don't look for sympathy because you don't deserve it. The next knock on your door will be the police coming to get you!

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The General public
US
Aug 09, 2012 7:19 am EDT

I agree with the last poster Craig the "little man" poster desrves jail for all the hurt Astute financial solutions, Auseagle finance, Paramount finance and investment services and National Planning Services have done. Three cheers!

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Anthony Pappalea
US
Aug 09, 2012 1:05 pm EDT

I bought a 'plan' from Astute Financial Solutions in Baulkam hills. I should say I paid for a plan weeks ago and have received nothing. I have called several times and keep being told'it is being worked on'. From what I have read here I suppose getting a refund will be out of the question?

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The Police
US
Aug 09, 2012 4:41 pm EDT

Every breath you take, every move you make, every leg you break, I'll be watching you.

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anonymous post
US
Aug 09, 2012 6:13 pm EDT

I used Astute financial services and ended up called into their office to discuss my plan. When I arrived I was taken to a room and told to sign a contract. They didn't even explain what the contract was. It was the most intimidating meeting I have ever had. I didn't sign anything and I still get calls from astute reps badgering me to go back for another meeting.

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DPM78
US
Aug 09, 2012 10:08 pm EDT

I have been called by astute financial solutions and offered a free consultation. The word free irks me. Nothing is ever free. If it sounds too good to be true it usually is. I listed myself on the do not call register to stop people like this harassing me.

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Disgusted client 994
US
Aug 13, 2012 7:21 am EDT

I had a terrible experience with paramount finance and investment services and was shocked and disgusted that they are able to change the name to Astute financial Solutions and keep ripping people off.

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Dave G....
US
Aug 14, 2012 4:16 pm EDT

These people at Astute financial Solutions in Baulkham hills sound like criminals. How do people like this get away with stealing, lying and cheating?

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TheLout
Sydney, AU
Aug 15, 2012 7:11 pm EDT

So now that I have been roped in, property built etc. what are my obligations to the company? Can I re-finance with a more reputable establishment and organise tennants/insurance etc by myself or am I somehow locked in to paying higher fee's and interest rates?

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TheLout
Sydney, AU
Aug 15, 2012 7:18 pm EDT

Also can I claim the $7997 fee in my taxes? That would come in handy right about now!

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Karl Shultz
US
Aug 16, 2012 10:04 pm EDT

Yes you can refinance. It will be cheaper in the long run also seek legal advice to sue the company for misrepresenting themselves. Please post the outcome.

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AFS-loves-your-money
US
Oct 02, 2012 3:52 am EDT

Astute Financial Solutions

If you've purchased a property from Astute Financial Solutions your chances of re-financing it to another lender is going to be difficult.

The reason for this is that when Astute Financial Solutions refinances your existing home loan the investment property is usually financed at 90% of the value of the property.

The biggest issue here is that Astute Financial Solutions have more than likely hidden the true value of the property that you've purchased. The chances that the property sold to you by Astute Financial Solutions was over valued - therefore when you go to refinance you find that the value of your property is now less than the amount that you owe on the mortgage.

This is called a negativity equity situation.

Thanks so much Astute Financial Solutions for putting you in that situation.

What you can do is this - check to see who your mortgage is with. If Astute Financial Solutions have put you through a Mortgage Manager such as National Mortgage Company you will have noticed that you are paying a higher interest rate than almost any other financial institution. This is because Astute Financial Solutions have loaded the interest rate so they make more on the trailing commission.

Well done Astute Financial Solutions - give your customers a kick in the guts while they pay off the over valued property that they can't get out of.

So if Astute Financial Solutions have put you with National Mortgage Company you need to call them and demand a cut in your interest rate. It's more than likely loaded by 0.2% however NMC can discount past that - by reducing the trailing commission paid to Astute Financial Solutions.

Astute Financial Solutions - their solution is astutely financial for them - not you the consumer.

Even if you don't purchase an investment property from Astute Financial Solutions they will use high pressure sales techniques to sell you on their "Mortgage Reduction System". What is it and how does it work?

Well here it is:-

You restructure your home loan into 2 splits -
1 split contains the major part of your debt on a 30 year term and Principle & Interest repayments
1 split is a Line of Credit (or as Astute Financial Solutions call it a "Special Finance Facility")
1 Nil Interest Visa Card (NIVA) - they will tell you that you can only get this from Astute Financial Solutions - total rubbish.

The way it works is this: all your income is paid into the Line of Credit (LOC). Your daily living expenses are paid with the NIVA card. At the end of the month the repayment on the major split is made and the NIVA card is automatically paid out.

This works because interest is calculated daily. As you pay the LOC down you can make a larger repayment on the major split from the LOC.

It's a structure that's been around for years.

Guess what - most of Astute Financial Solutions Indian customers ALREADY have a similar structure except with a 100% Offset account instead of the LOC.

This is why Astute Financial Solutions do not like Indian customers. As they are called behind closed doors - "black ###".

So there you go - set up your own Mortgage Reduction System.

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rippingoffoz.com
Brisbane, AU
Jan 01, 2014 5:31 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Just found one of his websites:
http://warrenbronsonaustralia.com/

He has a section on there giving people advise on how to deal with complaints, he has loaded a video on the site giving some pointers. I think practice what you preach would be appropriate for Warren or Wayne (whatever name he goes by).

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rippingoffoz.com
Brisbane, AU
Jan 01, 2014 5:34 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

here is another one of his websites: http://warrenbronsonaustralia.com/help-with-complaints/

Oh and Warren or Wayne (whatever you go by) feel free to make threats towards me, I will post your address (nice house and bikes by the way) and all your details on the site if you do. People should know your details so they can serve you with a summons so happy for you to make threats as you know nothing about me and I know a hell of a lot about you.

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donthatemoveon
US
Feb 19, 2014 8:13 pm EST

Searching for the best company to handle my financial situation and i found this site.

I have analyzed this thread for weeks.

It is obvious that the people who hated or commented here COULD BE someone who worked for Astute. As one of the comment have said that in the year 2012 they have sacked off people... and this thread of complaints started exactly during 2012. Move on and have a life.

If AStute had been a bad company and then why are they still in the business. They should be on the news about the complains like the other company called Heritage who was selling old properties at QLD and deceiving clients with edited nice photos.

For future clients like me. Your arE Smart. Do not be a follower of ths haters thread. You have to Personally experience the professional approach of Astute and see for yourself.

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