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We are waiting for a call from Thrive, in order to settle our request for the return of our money. We were smooth talked into thinking that we could make a little extra money but getting a web site and a drop shipper. We were told we would get our money back in 6 months time and be able to make a 6 figure income. You found out that we had a good credit rating and therefore talked us into thinking that we needed to pay this money in order to be able to make more. This is a lot of money for us and we are struggling to pay our credit card bill now. This has a potential to ruin our credit rating and we need to get this money back to be able to pay it off and get back on our feet.
We are seniors and have a limited income. We just wanted to make a little extra and now we are deeper in debt than before we started this. At one time, I also was talked into setting up and business with Google Shadow, which is a business of Dave Rasmussan. I wanted some advise from Thrive about who he was and wasn’t given any indication that he is also from Thrive. I was told that he(Thrive) didn’t know him. Now I find out that he is also a part of Thrive. I did sign up with him thinking that I could get a web site going, but later thought this was probably not a good thing and cancelled it. I was able to get my money back. I am so glad that I cancelled that offer. Just another method that Thrive was using the get peoples money.
Attention: Zach Bradshaw:
Sending another fax in hopes that we will get a response to the request for a refund of our money paid to Thrive.
We were smooth talked into being able to make some money by getting a web site and a drop shipper. We were told we could get our money back in 6 months time and then be able to make a 6 figure income. We gave you our credit card information and you scammed us out of a lot of money; ruined our credit rating and we are left with nothing but a BIG credit card debt.
We are seniors and thought that we would just be able to make a little extra income a month in order to help us pay for the mortgage on our house; maybe live a little more comfortably in our retirement years and now we are having to continue to work to pay off this credit card debt.
We were told not to tell our family at the time; that should have been a big flag to us, but we were so assured that we would be able to do this; without any computer skills, that we fell for it.
Please, please, I beg you to refund us our money. Please give us a call and give us our hard earned money back.
Thank you.
Just sent this fax to Thrive, Zach Bradshaw; wonder if I will get a reply?
"We are again sending this fax with a request to refund us our money.
We have not heard from you for over a week now and we are desperately waiting to hear about the refund of our money that we paid to Thrive for services that we did not receive.
We were smooth talked into this program and paid BIG money for a web site and a drop shipper and we never received anything. We were given access to webinars that didn’t have any information. We participated in live chats that were nothing but a lot of “self-promotion” of themselves and their web sites.
We signed up for big money; the Chief Executive spot (I am told). Nobody else paid for that spot. We were suppose to get service! Why weren’t we given the choice to sign up for a lesser spot? Why weren’t we given the option to sign up for less money? Why weren’t we given a choice? We paid for BIG service and we got none. We were told we would get TLC and we got a kick in the butt! You scammed us for $20, 000.00 and we lost out! We gave you our Credit Card info and you saw that we had a good credit rating and you took that and destroyed it. Now we are left here with a huge debt and no means of paying for it. We are seniors and all we wanted was a little extra money to help us pay for our mortgage and get it paid off sooner.
Please if you have a heart out there in Utah, please, PLEASE send us our money back.
Thank you."
We are asking for a 100% refund for our money invested. We have worked hard at the program. But there was no help from Thrive coaching. We listened to the Webinars and the Live Chats, but they didn’t give us much information. Just asked us if we had questions and I didn’t even know what kind of questions to ask. I responded a couple of times on the live chats that I didn’t understand, but didn’t get any response or help. The discussion was way above our understanding and we were promised TLC; we were told we didn’t need computer skills; actually didn’t even need a computer; we could go to a library and do the same thing.
They promised to call us and we made appointments and we stayed home to wait for the calls and they never came. It took a couple of days for them to answer the calls.
We are seniors and the coaching staff were young computer techies and that didn’t understand our frustration. We were told that we were purchasing a web site and a drop shipper, but then we were expected to set it all up and get our own drop shipper. We paid a lot of money for service, but didn’t receive anything.
It is almost a year and we have no income and we are paying high interest charges on our credit cards without the means of paying it off.
Please refund us our money.
We are sincerely requesting a 100% refund of our money; $21, 717.00 US.
We too fell into Thrive's clutches over 16 months ago. Their written warranty said that expect their clients to recoup their full initial investment inside of 6 months. We have not cleared even $300 in the 16 months we have been affiliated with Thrive.
Thrive Scam
Thrive has used countless other companies as fronts to protect them, some of these companies are Internet Auction Services, Infusion Media, Accelerated Business Solutions, Platinum Training Solutions, Internet Income Solutions, Internet Logistics and Thriveli just to name a few. These companies are in bed with Thrive, they make all of the promises and break all of the laws and then Thrive claims they did nothing wrong and that they only received 10 percent of the money you paid so in the worst case they are liable for only the 10 percent, this is a lie. Thrive eventually receives all of the money and lets the other companies that broke the laws go broke so they can't pay you back and then Thrive invents a new company to replace the one that broke the laws and went broke.
I will continue to tell the world about Thrive and the people associated with Thrive as long as I am able to type, I will be sending this message to blogs that have nothing to do with Thrive. I'm also going to contact 60 Minutes to see if they would like to do a story on Thrive, its people and the State of Utah.
I have lost $12, 000 dollars to these crooks, I'm from Grande Prairie, Alberta, Canada and I will definitely be forwarding my story to the Competition Bureau of Canada, Phonebusters, BBB, Ombudsman, my Member of Parliament and my Member of The Legislative Assembly, as well as the Governor of Utah, the Attorney General of Utah and the Governor General of the U.S., I'll also be asking the Governor and Attorney General of Utah if they are proud of the fact that Utah is the "Scam Capital of the World". I will also be including the names of the major people involved "Colton Moody, Erik Largin, Zack Bradshaw, David Rasmussen, Matthew Rasmussen and Chad Guthrie, if anyone knows of any others involved in Thrive please let me know. Thrive was originally the Summit Group, then renamed Momentum Marketing and now operates as Thrive, they change the name when they need to but it’s the same people with the same scam.
I have a new idea, if everyone sent complaints to their individual states "Secretary of State, Securities Department" and include a copy of the State of Illinois "Summary Order to Cease and Desist", along with a copy of their story we could shut them down. The order stops Thrive Learning Institute, their Officers, Directors, Employees, Agents, Affiliates, Successors and Assigns from offering and/or selling business opportunities in the State of Illinois or to residents of the State of Illinois. If every State and Country made a Cease and Desist Order Thrive would be finished. You can get a copy of the Order online from The State of Illinois Secretary of State, Securities Department; File # 0800401.
If you want to get any of your money back you must file a complaint with The State of Utah, Department of Commerce and Consumer Protection, Attention Glen Minson, Fraud Investigations Dept., treat him nicely as you need his help but don’t give up, keep calling him until you get your money back, he may try to convince you it’s your fault for signing the agreement but that’s BS, you’ve been scammed as have thousands of other innocent people. Please read the deal Thrive has made with the State of Utah (see Government Actions below) to protect themselves, look for anything that you can use in this agreement to help you get out of your deal with Thrive and its affiliates. You must do this as soon as possible, before the “sales company” you made the deal with goes out of or are forced out of business, you may be able to get your money back from them, but they will most likely drag things out until they go out of business, each company in Utah posts a $50, 000 bond, this is one of the places you may be able to get a refund from, once the $50, 000 is gone and so is the “sales company” Thrive will start up a new “sales company”. You should be able to get 10% of your money back from Thrive (see below). A very important thing to do is write letters to everybody and let everyone you can learn about Thrive and the people involved. Public awareness is Thrives greatest enemy and our greatest strength, send letters everywhere on the net.
Government Actions
September 18, 2009
On September 18, 2009 the Utah Division of Consumer Protection ("Division") entered into a Consent Agreement with Thrive Learning LLC ("Thrive"). The Division and Thrive agreed to the following:
1. Thrive shall agree to enter into an Exclusive Marketing Agreement with any and all telemarketing floors it does business with.
2. Thrive shall require all individuals, independent contractors, agents, ensigns, who actively sell its products and services to use the End User Purchase Agreement when selling Thrive products and services. In particular, Thrive agrees to disclose the following to consumers who purchase its products and services: a) the purchase price; b) a clear and detailed description of the products purchased; c) management fees or hosting fees, if applicable; d) suggested prerequisites to operating an e-commerce website, including but not limited to: ownership of a computer, additional capital resources, Internet connection, and general computer knowledge; e) there are no guarantees of success or promises of money back; f) hard work and effort is required to be successful; and g) the customer has a three (3) day right of rescission. It was agreed that these disclosures should be in a typeface which is clear and legible.
3. Thrive shall include within its End User Agreement the following written notice in twelve (12) point bold font in all caps:
YOU, THE BUYER, MAY CANCEL THIS TRANSACTION AT ANY TIME PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT OF THE THIRD BUSINESS DAY AFTER THE DATE OF THE TRANSCATION OR RECEIPT OF THE PRODUCT, WHICHEVER IS LATER. ALL SALES ARE FINAL THEREAFTER. SEE THE ATTACHED NOTICE OF CANCELLATION FORM FOR AN EXPLANATION OF THIS RIGHT.
This provision shall appear in the immediate proximity where the purchaser signs and is not valid when prohibited by local law.
4. Thrive shall include within its End User Agreement the following written notice in twelve (12) point bold font in all caps:
(MARKETING COMPANY) HEREBY REPRESENTS THERE ARE NO GUARANTEES OF SUCCESS OR INCOME FROM PURCHASING OR PARTICIPATING IN THIS TRANSACTION. EARNINGS OR INCOME STATEMENTS OR EXAMPLES ARE ONLY ESTIMATES OF WHAT COULD BE EARNED. CUSTOMER UNDERSTANDS THERE ARE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH HIS/HER DECISION. PAST RESULTS DO NOT REPRESENT AN INDICATION OF FUTURE SUCCESS OR EARNINGS. RATHER, MONETARY AND INCOME RESULTS ARE BASED ON MANY FACTORS. THERE IS NO WAY OF KNOWING HOW WELL CUSTOMER WILL DO, AS COMPANY DOES NOT KNOW CUSTOMER'S BACKGROUND, EDUCATION, WORK ETHIC, BUSINESS SKILLS, OR PRACTICES. CONSEQUENTLY, COMPANY DOES NOT GUARANTEE OR IMPLY CUSTOMER WILL MAKE MONEY OR SUCCEED. EARNINGS DERIVED FROM ONLINE BUSINESSES HAVE UNKNOWN RISKS INVOVLED AND MAY NOT BE SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE.
This provision shall appear in the immediate proximity where the purchaser signs and is not valid when prohibited by local law.
5. Both the Division and Thrive agree that, should Thrive fail to provide the disclosures outlined above to a particular purchaser and/or transaction, Thrive shall fully refund the purchaser and/or cancel the transaction.
6. Both the Division and Thrive agree that Thrive has the ability to satisfactorily resolve all customer complaints arising out of transactions which occurred prior to the execution of this Agreement. If a refund and/or cancellation is appropriate, as determined by the Division, to satisfactorily resolve a customer’s complaint, Thrives liability is limited to the amount it received from the transaction.
7. Thrive will work in good faith with the Division to resolve all complaints the Division receives irrespective whether the underlying transaction occurred before or after the execution of this Agreement.
8. Thrive will attempt to enforce the complaint resolution mechanisms outlined in its Exclusive Marketing Agreement with all telemarketing sales floors it currently does business with.
9. Thrive will use its best efforts to ensure every purchaser of its products and services will participate in a recorded compliance call. During the compliance call the customer must be informed of: the purchase price, the products the customer will receive or is receiving, the number of weeks of coaching, and the "cooling off" period. Thrive agrees to periodically review a random selection of these audio compliance recordings to ensure the information was properly disclosed to the purchaser. The underlying transaction associated with any audio compliance recording which does not contain the information may be subject to cancellation and/or refund.
10. It is understood and agreed Thrive will provide the Division a copy of a customer's compliance recording within fifteen (15) days of such request. Failure to provide a copy of the audio of the compliance recording to the Division will result in a full cancellation and refund of the transaction with the purchaser. Thrive, its agents, independent contractors, and/or ensigns are required only to maintain audio compliance recordings for one (1) year after the date of the recording.
11. Thrive will provide the Division a copy of any complaining customer's contracts, communications, and use of Thrive products and services within fifteen (15) days of receiving a request from the Division.
12. Thrive acknowledges and affirms it will: a) regularly update its coaching standards and procedures in an attempt to keep its products and services competitive and comparable with other companies which offer similar coaching; and b) require any party who provides a testimonial or earnings claim to execute a declaration in conformity with the "Guides Concerning Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".
Nothing in this Agreement should be construed as an admission of guilt or liability on the part of Thrive. Thrive has entered into this Agreement freely and voluntarily without any undue influence of the Division.
In my opinion the people involved with Thrive are crooks, scam artists with no morals or conscience. I wonder what the families and neighbours of Colton Moody, Erik Largin, Zack Bradshaw, David Rasmussen, Matthew Rasmussen and Chad Guthrie would say if they knew what these people really did for a living. I wonder how these upstanding citizens would like it if somebody went to their neighbourhood and area business’s (Springville, Orem, Lindon, American Fork, Draper, etc.)and handed out flyers and told people what kind of business they operate and how they are crooks and scam artists who prey on people when they are at their most vulnerable (not that I would ever condone doing this).
These people (Colton Moody, Erik Largin, Zack Bradshaw, David Rasmussen, Matthew Rasmussen and Chad Guthrie) set up dummy companies such as; Here is a brief list of companies associated with Thrive Learning Institute:
Professional Marketing Group, PMG, PMG Mentors, Private Mentoring Group, Vermotion, Secure Gate, Fortius, Auctions for Income, NMR, IDI, Auctions 4 Income, Quicksite National Marketing Resources, PMI, National Marketing Resources, Iworks, Inc, Virtual Contact Inc, Paynet Merchant Services, Professional Marketing International, PMI Coaching, ITC Internet Treasure Chest, IDI Global, Summit Consulting, Online Supplier Coaching, onlinesupplier.com, online supplier, Netgateway, StoresOnline.com, Galaxy Mall, Imergent, Internet Treasure Chest, Stores Online, Foreclosureworld, Summit Group, Summit Consulting, Internet Development, Income Success Team, The Tax Club, Links 4 Trade, Professional Consulting Services, PCS, nmrcoaching, pmicoaching, quicksite builder, Nathan Kenyon, Dave Espino, Jim Cochran, Greg Cooper, Frank Kerns, Colton Moody, Dolf De Roos, PROSPER INC., Prosper Learning, prosperlearning.com, pmgmentors.com, pmgicoaching.vermotion.net, pmgtech.com, multiple streams of income, PMI coaching, usight home Inc., EPenzio, Russ Dalbey, Hacket Media, John Beck, Robert Allen, auction secrets, auctionsecrets.com, brightbuilder.com, bright builders, foreclosures.com, foreclosures, EPI, epibiz, power profit system, mentors in motion, passport to millions, wealth and self, cash secrets, Auctions for Income, NMR, IDI, Auctions 4 Income, Quicksite National Marketing Resources, National Marketing Resources, Iworks, Inc, Virtual Contact Inc, Paynet Merchant Services, Professional Marketing International and the list KEEPS GROWING!, Internet Auction Services, Infusion Media, Accelerated Business Solutions, Platinum Training Solutions, Internet Income Solutions, Internet Logistics and Thriveli and so on, and they get unemployed people to own them so when they go bankrupt or are shut down for wrong doings their names are protected and so is Thrives name, they claim they have nothing to do with the “sales company” and that Thrive only receives 10% of what you pay and the rest goes to the “sales company” so Thrives liability is only 10%. I wonder if the I.R.S. would be interested in checking out all of these companies and see where the money actually goes.
Check out this blog.
Nikol
Member Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 63
Re: Thrive Learning Institute ?
________________________________________
Yes, BEWARE of Thrive Learning Institute! The latest addition to UT online 'educational' scams. The former founders of Tafiti Consulting a division of Media Learner, started Thrive because they got greedy and wanted the whole pie. Thrive uses the Lightwave Builder which is really a Bright Builders product (all these are UT based companies) who is in bed with Echo (Electronic Clearing House of SF, UT) online merchant account processors who also rip everyone off - they use First Regional bank, Ca - it's easier to get a mortgage or auto loan than a merchant account here. Then there is Prosper Inc, Mentoring of America, PMI (recently became a part of Media Learner) - all these coaching companies charge thousands of dollars to provide online websites and coaching by inexperienced kids. There is a 3 day cancellation policy which the major sales companies that sell you these programs such as Summit don’t tell you about-it is almost impossible to get your money back. Watch out for Matt & Dave Rasmussen (Thrive), S. Sonnenberg (Media Learner) Todd Baum (Echo), Alex of Summit. These are scams and all UT based. Good Luck!
What really bothers me is the State of Utah, do they not care that they are the “Internet scam capital of the world”. It’s my opinion that all of the necessary government palms have been greased, at the very best the Utah government is ignoring this problem but it’s my opinion they are much more involved. I received a blog from someone who said “The Summit Group and another call center Thrive Learning, both under the management of Colton Moody and Eric Largin, donated $25, 000 to Shurtleff’s campaign in 2008 (Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff), I don’t know if this is true, it’s word for word what I received in a blog from “not happy”. In 2008, Shurtleff filled his campaign chest with $187, 500 in donations from seven call-center companies—all based in Utah and six which have been investigated by the Utah Division of Consumer Protection or prosecuted by assistant attorneys general in Shurtleff’s office representing Consumer Protection. That’s not counting the actions these companies have faced from 10 other state’s attorneys general or consumer protection agencies and from investigative counterparts in Australia. Donations Shurtleff netted from these companies made up more than a quarter of his 2008 war chest.
Thrive has their own testimonials online, everyone of them endorses Thrive and everyone of them is a lie, the public is not allowed to post on this site, only the testimonials made up by Thrive are posted. Do not believe any positive posts about Thrive, there are no truthful positive posts about Thrive as there has never been a truly successful Thrive graduate with money making online business, not even one out of the tens of thousands of people they have scammed. Thrive hires inexperienced college students desperate for cash to pretend to train you, none of them have a successful online business. Why wouldn’t they have a part time online business if they knew how to actually start up and operate one? I’ve noticed over the last year and a half that most of the information on Thrive and how to get your money back have been removed from the internet, kind of strange that only these comments telling the truth about thrive and how to get your money back are being removed. These crooks have been at this a long time and know who to pay off and what to do to allow them to continue stealing money from uninformed innocent people like you. Write as many letters as you can to as many organisations as possible, FBI (IC3-GOV), Governor of Utah, Attorney General of Utah, Attorney General of the U.S., Better Business Bureau, /link removed/ (although I have had several bloggers tell me they believe /link removed/ is as corrupt as Thrive and probably on their payroll), your Secretary of State (Securities Department), make sure you send letters you can track so you can follow up with the date, time and who picked up your letter and always make copies off everything and make notes about every conversation you have. Don’t give up and don’t try to play fairly with these scammers, send letters to everyone you can, do whatever it takes to get your money back (within reason).
Disclaimer: ( All of the things I have stated here are my opinion only and should be not be taken as the truth or used as facts or proof, do your own research and form your own opinion.)
We have done a background report on Professional Marketing International and other known accomplices (see below link) PLEASE LET US KNOW IF WE NEED TO ADD OR UPDATE ANYTHING! Please note report consists of previous client feedback who had previously done business with Professional Marketing International.
BACKGROUND REPORT – Professional Marketing International - http://fiadservices.com/company-list/reported-large-scale-scam-list/professional-marketing-international-scams/
Reported accomplices so far for Professional Marketing International;
Professional Marketing International
PMI
P M I
PMI Coaching
PMI Education
Wasatch Summit LLC
myEBiz
My E Biz
National Marketing Resources
Home Buyer’s Club
Operation Dropship
Interactive Training System
Click Sell Go
AFI Auction Max
SKW Central
Sean Keegan Walker’s Tax Liens & Deeds
Electronic Marketing Services Inc
EMS Coaching
EMS
EMServe LLC
PMI Education Center
Insidersedge
The Insiders Edge
Think a Little Different
uSight Home Inc
Home Inc
Home Office Marketing Enterprises
Stores on Line
Storesonline Inc
Imergent Inc.
H.O.M.E. Inc
H O M E Inc.
HOME Inc.
Tafiti Consulting
http://fiadservices.com/company-list/reported-large-scale-scam-list/professional-marketing-international-scams/
Please check out the other companies we have also been informed of listed on our site should you hear of them in the future.
FIAD Card Services (please visit our website, http://www.fiadservices.com ). We definitely can be of help if you have not yet received a full refund. We have no upfront fees and work on a contingency basis. We only need you to answer a few questions to confirm we can help. PLEASE NOTE- The original purchase date must be within the past 24 months.
"In my opinion the people involved with Thrive are crooks, scam artists with no morals or conscience. I wonder what the families and neighbours of Colton Moody, Erik Largin, Zack Bradshaw, David Rasmussen, Matthew Rasmussen and Chad Guthrie would say if they knew what these people really did for a living. I wonder how these upstanding citizens would like it if somebody went to their neighbourhood and area business’s (Springville, Orem, Lindon, American Fork, Draper, etc.)and handed out flyers and told people what kind of business they operate and how they are crooks and scam artists who prey on people when they are at their most vulnerable" -
I am their neighbor.. and I agree with you buddy. They all need to go to jail (after paying everyone back with interest)
I became a victim of the Thrive Learning Institute during the great recession at a time when I was both vulnerable and desperate. I had started a business but was not making enough to support myself so I was having to spend through my resources and use credit cards. Thrive offered a chance to start an online retail store, or so I thought. I had signed up for a service here and there and was about to drop out because of the cost. I was being nickel and dimed. They told me if a paid one lump sum of $13k plus, there would be no additional cost to staring my business. That turned out NOT to include fees for annual wholesaler membership, website, products to sell, etc. I spent and hour on the phone with someone one night to discuss my business goals. A business plan was part of what I had paid for. I received what I can only call a cookie cutter plan of about 30 pages that had nothing to do with what I had discussed with them. As time went on I realized there would still be more and more costs, but I did not go any further. I did not really learn anything from them at all, except that I had been scammed. Has anyone received a refund from them? If so, could you share what I need to do. It is 2016 and I am still paying of this debt.
One born every minute...does everyone have an impaired BS meter?