integritypgm.com scam
My brother-in-law is at our house for a quick surprise visit as he passes through on business, two contractors are banging away upstairs on an addition, my year and a half old son is missing his nap and being really cranky, my daughter is all wound up that her uncle is here, my wife is trying to whip up a quick but fancy meal and the doorbell rings, which automatically puts our Lab into defensive barking. Who the hell is it? We're not expecting anyone.
There are two college age kids at my door, a boy and a girl, and the boy instantly goes into a routine on how they both attend UMASS nearby, he lives at the end of a nearby street, they have the highest GPA's in their major (Communications) and are going on a trip to London. Sounds okay, of course they want money. They're selling magazines, of course I don't want the magazines, so I'll buy the magazines which will be sent to troops in Iraq and they'll get money for their trip. He's got it all figured out, or someone does for sure. On top of the chaos at the house the kid doesn't give me a second to pause, the pauses are filled with questions "Have you been to London?" "Can you tell us what to do there?" "Our professor is going to rank us on our presentation, can you say two things about it?" "Rate our appearance on a scale of 1-10" and so on, he's talking, keeping things going, I am waiting for it to end. My default behavior is to support this kind of thing, what is it, usually $10, maybe $20, reasonable and not a great loss. So I agree.
The punchline of course is that it is $96, I'm not cheap, but a $96 check to some kid I don't know doesn't seem reasonable. In one of those brief moments that seem to last forever I was thinking to myself that I should not do this, surprised by the amount mainly, but the snowball is rolling and I agree. I write a check to "Integrity Program" and they give me a receipt.
My wife goes into a who the hell was that, why did you let them in the house, "It's a scam!" Of course I don't want to admit it is a scam right away, because that would mean I was stupid enough to fall for it. I try to shrug it off and forgot about it in the craziness of the evening.
Today I remind myself I should check up on this Integrity Program and of course find a couple other stories which say it is a scam, it is not affiliated with any school and the salespeople should not be saying as such. In small print on the website "This company does not sponsor any scholarships, tuition fees, or participate in any educational programs in affilliation with any school or institution. Participant is not permitted to state or imply such. These people are self employed clearing orders through Integrity Program"
Ugh, at least the web makes it easy to check up on these things, and even easier to stop payment on the check.
posted by cjwl @ 4:58 PM
56 Comments:
SUCKER!
My husband said, "I thought you were smarter than that!" They got me for $96.00 too. I put a stop-payment on check but think they beat me to the bank. Same m.o as yours except "Brian" is going to Italy to study arcitecture for U. of M.for six months.
same m.o here..bobby and jim..off
to london with more than 4 mags
would cost for 5 years..hope they
have a merry christmas
Same Scam happened here on Long Island, except the student that came to my door was going to Austrailia through Stony Brook U. I knew that somthing did not seem right but he kept showing me my neighbors checks and felt bad that I was not helping this "neighborhood kid." After writing a $54.00 check, I stopped payment when I checked the internet. Thanks for posting comments. Have local NYC TV station investigating them. Hope to expose them.
Holy Crap! They just got me here in Florida today! SAME EXACT pitch, right down to the "neighbor's" checks. I stopped the check as well. It's a good pitch, and you're caught with the "not being totally cynical about the world" and not suspicious enough....
Same here in Seattle, Wa. I've contacted our local TV investigators to do a piece on these scammers. Next I'm looking into legally going after them. I would love to take them to court! Thanks for the post.
Same thing just happened here today in Wellington, FL. He was a University of Miami "Architecht Student". Yeah Right! Luckily we found him out in the neighborhood and got our check back. We told him we were calling the cops.
Did any of you close your checking accounts? I am worried that he has the account number and routing number.
Yeah I fell for this one too. I usually don't answer the door but I happen to be standing right there when this nice looking "innocent" kid knocked on it. After opening the door and talking with him he had me convinced that he was a neighborhood kid raising money to go on a school trip to London. The speel was that the books that I would be buying would be donated to the Children's Hospital of my choice...he had a list and address of all of them in the Atlanta area. Also I was to receive a gift certificate from a major book chain( I won't use their name here)equal to half of my purchase. After I let him in I really became suspicious as he was making comments about all the nice things in my house and my cars. The red flag really went up when he told me he was a baseball star and was going to UGA on a full baseball scholarship...Okay why is that suspicious, well the kid reeked of Cigarettes. I wrote the kid a check just to get him out of my house and then investigated the receipt. Needless to say I found it a scam and stopped payment on my check. I immediately sent an email to our neighborhood watch and guess what??? They found one of the kids and hauled her sorry butt off to jail!!!! A couple of days later the whole scam was on WSB TV here in Atlanta. Hope they have learned their lesson...I know I have!!! I am know monitoring my checking account daily for any unauthorized activity but like the previous poster commented they do have information that I wish that didn't have. Lession learned, will never answer the door again unless I know the person!
Same thing here in Spring, Texas, although they've added a new twist. His parents have already paid for his trip to London and they are a wealthy family living in the neighborhood. So they will come back the next day and do things like wash the windows of my house in order to help those who can't afford it pay for their trip. Luckily, after they left things didn't add up and I cancelled payment. If anyone has had identidy theft problems from this scam, please let the rest of us know. Thanks.
Me too,On 1/16/07.
Sarasota,Fl.
Rang the bell and said she lived up the street. Had a sob story and got me for $54.00.I gave her $60.00 with the promis of the change on her way back.
Her name was elizabeth wood.
Ron
My husband and I live in Kemah, TX. About 9:00 PM (the first red flag), a young female (20ish), rang the doorbell, introduced herself as living one street over, and she and her classmate were trying to reach their target (only 4 mags to go) to earn a trip to Australia. They were "Junior, marine biologist students going to Australia to complete research that was initiated by" ??? (the guy that died while swimming with stingrays). We fell for the BS, hook, line, and sinker. We cannot believe that we were so gullible, especially at our ages.
First, we tried calling the cell number that she gave us as hers. Of course, it was temporarily out of service. Then, we visited "Integrity" Program's website and filed a concern. Then, we checked other sites related to "Integrity" Program, saw all the warnings, complaints, and postings, and were then certain we were scammed.
Immediately, we contacted our bank to stop payment on the check that we wrote.
Unfortunately, the experience leaves us with an extreme disapointment in human nature, a heightened level of distrust, and a definite opposition to try and do the right thing, which, in our opinion, is to help a young person succeed in their education.
Samething here, San Diego CA the students that came to my door was going to Australia and of course she lived a couple blocks away .Wrote a check for $48 usd . I stopped payment when i checked the internet. Thanks for posting comments,
Thanks to everone posting here and on RIPOFFERPORT.ORG My fiance and I live near San Francisco and this young guy came buy claiming to be trying to win a trip and that he was going to attend UCSD to study Marine Biology (unlikely, the guy was so not a geek and was tatted up). He said he was "shy" and that he was practicing his speech. Meanwhile, he was flirting with me saying how "beautiful" I was and going on and on. He said the $ was for magazines for a local hospital. We thought it was sketchy, but we somehow got convinced to do it and wrote him a check for $48. We did ask him for his parents address (he thought he was clever but gave us a bogey address) they are LIARS and cheats and need to be stopped.
This compnay(IntegrityPGM) preys on teens and young adults(usually from sad backgrounds) and makes them slaves to the sales. They themselves usually don't get any of the $, but barely have enough for food each day. It is an abusive lifestyle and often those who are "trapped" in it feel it is a better alternative than what they were living before(such as being homeless) This company is totally corrupt. Please get the word out and if you see another of their "independent contractors" ask them if they want you to call the police and get them some help. They are often abused.
Jan of Santa Rosa, CA says BEWARE!
Same story here in Santa Rosa, CA; but, since I wrote a check for $132 I felt I should check the Web immediately after he left. I have put a stop payment on my check within the hour and hope that works. My husband couldn't believe I fell for it. Shane has the same M.O. as the others but he studies communications @ UCSC and is going to London to work with the BBC.dumox
The guy who came to my door must have been new to the business because he didn't claim to be associated w/ any school or University. He looked young, exhasuted and was trying hard to make the sale. He used my neighbors names, as if they sent him over. He also showed me a check from another neighbor. He kept asking me to please help him out by buying books and get him points and saying he needed positive role models in his life and he was trying to reach his goals. He was saying he could get 1,000 if he earns 20,000 points. Each book is only worth abt 150 pts for him and costs 5x more than you'd pay for it elsewhere. He would hardly see any of the money.
I think oftent imes these sales people lie because they are in fear and feel there is no other way, they lie as part of their survival and are punished for not making enough sales. I wish I would have called the police or offered to call his parents or relatives and let them know where he is. Please pray for these young people!
Scammed in Novato, California!
Boy these people are getting around - Here is my story:
College looking kid comes to friend's door and says that he goes to UCLA and his theater group is raising money for transportation and hotel so they can be a part of a John Cleese theaterical program in London. Same scam story as the rest of you - so friend cancelled check. This kid claimed to be a neighbor, he had no receipt, no card, no brochure and my friend believed his story! It reeked of fraud. Friend was duped and gave money - he left and I investigated on the internet and discovered similar stories.
Scam artists!
Please do what I did and file your complaints on
http://www.complaint.tv/integrity_program_llc-516.html
and
http://www.ripoffreport.com/
Here in Spring, TX, they're regulars in our neighborhood. When we first moved in, two very nice African American girls were selling magazines to accumulate points so they could make money. I cut a check, and in a month or so, my magazines showed up. A few weeks after that, another showed, then another and another. It got to be a joke... You know, donate them to the troops in Iraq or donate them to the local children's hospital...
It wasn't until about a year afterwards, that one girl came by telling me that she lived in the neighborhood and was working to do a summer acting workshop with John Cleese. We cut a check and never got the magazines. Her friend showed up and told us that she was "required" to ask us for more business because she too was going to work with John Cleese. "Okay", I thought, lesson learned, right? Wrong, I "forgot" to tell my wife about it and she got suckered by some kid going to architecture school. I cancelled the check within minutes and told the next kid who said he was going to school at MIT for aeronautical engineering that we were calling the police. Now I just say no, so they're playing the race card now. These guys must really hate the Internet.
Ok, Everyone out there. My name is dan and i am an angent that works for Integrity pgm. Ive been with them for almost two years traveling the country. Oringinaly from Racine.wi i started door to door sales when i was 19 i am now 22. Just a few thing about your so called (SCAMS). When this company hires someone they get two weeks paid training and they learn the job and either the can do or they cant. This job is definetly not for everyone, anyways the spills the agents as well as myself to sell mags and books is pretty much all makebelive and a lie, Ill tell you why i and most agents use these bad canvas's. Well for one telling you people we are one of the neighbors make you feel more cofortable with us talking to you and that just makes are job easier, second the whole school thing and going on a trip is just a great cause to be selling mag and book for. Now what we say to you to get u to buy is a lie BUT the company does not abuse us or make us lie in amyway infact most managers will punish u if you are caught useing this sales talk. us angent actully came up with most of these spills. I want to stress if you order books through integrity pgm u ACTULLY get what u buy unless the payment or reciet is tampered with before the agent turn this order in that night, some agent wont even hand in alot of those cash order and keep the money for themselfs. So all you jones that dont recive anything it not because of the company its 95% odds that its the agent. integrity is a great sales group that pays and actully treats their agents well. But we are Indpentent Contracters so we have bad apples in the group. All i know is by useing the phony sales talk and telling everyone that it for school will make you double or triple the amount of sales than if we all were telling the complete truth. lol O and to add to this agian, we still sell u people with pure confidence, excitment, and bravery in what where tellin you. ive had days where i tell 50 to a 100 people my school canvas and dont sell nothin becuase i was boring and wasent happy with what i was doing. I love all you Jones and will continue to think of even easier ways to sell. lol
Similar story in my little N. California town. After checking the website and the scam reports I stopped payment on the check. My bank advised me to close the account ASAP and I did that too.
OK Now I don't feel so alone in my total stupidity. I fell for it. about 10 minutes ago. I am stoping payment on my check and canceling the order.. I hope it works. He even said he was going to wash my car. He gave me a 'local' address which was totaly bogus.. along with his name. Not a neighbor. Not a student. and the way they involve the "troops" really is dishonest.
I handed over a check for $54, despite my better instincts. After a discussion with my husband, we decided to use the receipt for charitable contributions on our 2007 taxes. Let them stand accountable to Uncle Sam! If I stop pay on the check, I am not really out anything. This way, we can let them be investigated by the IRS, US Attorney's office and any other law efforcement agency Intergrity PGM scams!
scam artist from Integrity PMG knocked on our door in Woodland Park CO...unfortunately husband exhibited empathy and wrote $108 ck We found out no such person lives in neighborhood (elizabeth wood, also name used in Sarasota) Put stop paymt on check immediately
i am also a salesman with integrity pgm, and i would like to tell you that all the stuff about the bbc and school fundraisers but, the one with the points and the cash awards and trips is true, they are competing for it. i know the kid who has won it, so just to make that clear
I also "worked" for Integrity PGM. I absolutely hated every minute of the work. Lying, stealing, and basically thieving from complete strangers on a daily basis was a means for my survival. This type of work was immoral to me and rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning but they had me in a position. I only got 25 dollars a day to live off of. Sometimes I would earn more...as long as I had my "sales." If any of you workers from Integrity are on here I would just like to say that you know what you are doing is wrong everytime you knock on a door. The people you pray on truly want to help you and you turn around and stab them in the back for it. I was in TX, AZ, and in CA and only stayed on with the crew because I was in a position where I could not leave. They would not pay for my transportation back home if I quit and wouldn't fire me (that is how you get your transportation paid for). I hope that anyone reading this realizes the type of kids who are on this crew. They are criminals, drug addicts, and sometimes in my case kids who have never heard of solisitors. Growing up in small towns does this for you. TELL YOUR NEIGHBORS do not give these kids cash, cancel your checks, and most of all never let them into your houses. They are thieves for the most part. Oh and if you are reading this Integrity just realize what goes around will eventually come around. I spent time in jail for you jerks. I have a hard time applying for colleges, jobs, etc now because of your damn sales. I will get even with you in one way or another.
Happened tonight to me. I won though. Once I found the web site I hunted her down like an animal and got my check back. Then made sure the local cops had a talk with the crew. Small towns are a good place to be everyone knows everyone. The word was out in our town and 3 other small towns in the area in just a couple of hours.
just happened to me. same m.o. Need money for a London and paris trip. His parents are making him go door-to-door to earn the rest of his money. His father is in Irac needs money. I have him a chk for 154.00 Hey I know realy stupid. he was next door when I went on line to find out about integrity program. I realize it was a scam and ask for my checks back. Close call this time. I called the police to file a complaint. I actually let me him in my house, thougt he was a neighbor. Again real stupid on my part.
Me too, in Magnolia, Tx. Same story about London and John Cleese. I wrote the checks to get them out of my house. I'm pretty sure they were casing my place when they asked to go out of a completely different door than they came in. They looked at everything in the room like a visual inventory. I immediately stopped payment on the checks and hoped they would leave the neighborhood. None of my neighbors were at home, so I was their only victim on my street. Just in case they do come to your home, don't give them any info on your neighbors. Someone told them my whole life story and that my husband was a pilot and not at home very much. I was a sitting duck. Thank goodness, maybe these kids weren't as hardened as they are made out to be
They are here, in Barrington, IL. w/similar story - mom and dad live 5 houses away. dad is a doctor (why do I care?), mom is a nurse at Chgo Memorial Hospital. Kids books can be used at the hospital. His mom will stop by and will talk even more than him! They are raising money for a trip to Tuscany for architecture project that will be filmed on bbc. His mom will send a thank you note, what is my favorite color for the note? His mom will burn a cd of the bbc special! the tip off is that he doesn't just want the minimum $108 purchase, most people give $216. This is the biggest scam I've seen and so easy to get pulled into until you think of the gall of strangers wanting you to give them a chunk of money for their trip. drug addicts did come to my mind....
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN: Grumpy Old Guy Who Doesn't Like Door Knockers............was just visited by an earnest young man with exactly the same "London" story. The Mrs. wrote a check. I'll put a stop order on it. The cycle of life is complete.
Fort Gratiot MI, exact same story. MI State sudents, trying to get to London. Be wary...be VERY wary!
Just happened to me too. Felt funny since I live near The Ohio State University and he said he was going to state school. When I asked what state school OSU? He said yes. I was at home sick that day with a sick kid and the whole week had been full of illness in our house. I must have been delirious because I can't believe I was so stupid. Same story about the BBC and getting a 6 week internship. Luckily I did not let him in the house since I had some relitives there. He did ask about neighbors but I hate to send on solicitors to my neighbors so I gave no names. He also used the Iraq thing and had the correct name of the new Children's Hospital here in Columbus. I can't even think of it off the top of my head right now but it was updated.
Santa Cruz County California - Aptos
He hit here in June 2007 - Got to me for $288.00 - same mo. Quite a few of the neighbors donated as well. One whose check hadn't cleared called me and alerted me to the scam. I hope they get him or the ring. Looks like they've been at it for a while. It would be nice to see the FBI get involved since it looks like the $$ are up there.
Just read all these and realize I need stop the check. Guess what, it hasn't cleared yet. I wrote it 10/9/07. West Chester, Ohio suburb
Fort Worth TX--The newest spiel is from "Elizabeth Lockerbee", who says she is a 17 year old home schooled girl who lives just down the street and is selling books to pay for her trip to China to compete in a gymnastics tournament next year. She was being trailed by a white van with no license plates all through our neighborhood and we all got together to compare notes and figured out it was a scam.
Holy Geez!!! We are all stupid for falling for this. My dumb azz fell for the whole bit, however I was skeptical after the whole incident. I googled like you all have done and found this website. I immediately put a stop pay on the check ($29) but it is well worth it knowing they will not get my money. I usually pride myself at seeing through these things, but I haven't been hit by a "college student" who spoke like he was educated and looked the part. Put a stop pay on your check as fast as you can!!!!
SPRING TEXAS
My husband got suckered by a guy yesterday claiming to live 'just behind us' selling childrens books to fund a trip to somewhere. My husband agreed to buy a childrens encyclopaedia for $55. I asked the guy where he lived and he just gave me a house number in the street behind where of course, he doesnt live. It didnt sit well with me so I looked it up and - oh yes - scammed again! I stopped the check today and hope they dont misuse the bank details for anything else. Luckily, my bank is out of state so they should not have managed to cash the check yet. Trust me, they wont get a dime from our neighborhood again (and ive had words with the husband).
Houston, TX
Same story here. Young man named Josh. His mom rides bike in the neighborhood. Attends UT studying aeronautical engineering. Brother in Iraq. Parents making him earn his way. Offered to do chores. Very chatty and flattering. Ordered the children's encyclopedias for $55. Claimed neighbors ordered avg of 4 items. Then pushed for ordering 2 items "everything works better in pairs". Told him that was what the budget could allow and sent him on his way. Saw local tv news bulletin about it being a scam. Went to their website listed on receipt and actually saw a picture of the young man that came to the door. Did the google search and saw the other complaints and reports and called the bank immediately to stop payment and put a fraud alert on account. These folks are ruining it for the children who actually have legitimate fund raisers.
They are now in San Antonio, TX. Just got my wife for $110. His name is Tim Hughes. When he shows up, call the cops!
Do not answer the door to these criminals. Just recently a couple in Albuquerque New Mexico were killed and two magazine salesmen are major suspects.
BEWARE
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Robbery Motive in Couple's Killings
By T.J. Wilham
Copyright © 2007 Albuquerque Journal; Journal Staff Writer
Two traveling salesmen in custody and charged with killing an elderly Albuquerque couple were trying to rob them when they beat and suffocated the wife and stomped on the husband, according to criminal complaints filed Saturday.
Boston-born Michael Joseph Lee, 21, and Glendora, Calif., native Travis R. Rowley, 23, have been charged in Metro Court with two open counts of murder and tampering with evidence in connection with Tuesday's killing of Tak and Pung Yi.
Both men worked for IntegrityPGM, a Las Vegas, Nev.-based company that contracts young people to sell magazine and book subscriptions throughout the country. IntegrityPGM has not responded to e-mails or phone calls seeking comment.
About 15 salesmen from the company arrived in Albuquerque on Dec. 2 and were staying at an east Central lodge. They intended to leave Friday, the day police took Rowley and Lee into custody.
The two, who were listed as transients on their jail booking cards, were each being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center late Saturday in lieu of a $2 million bond.
Their co-workers left town at 5 a.m. Saturday for their next stop.
"I am glad they're gone," said Thomas Fristo, a security guard at the Econo Lodge near Central and Tramway. "I lost a lot of sleep while they were here.
"Most of them were good kids, but some of them were drinking, up all night, going from room to room, and it bothered our other guests."
Missing items
Tak Yi, 79, and his wife Pung, 69, were among the first Korean immigrants to Albuquerque.
The random nature of their deaths shocked their Northeast Heights neighbors.
At first, police had few leads.
The Yis' son found their bodies about 4:30 p.m. Tuesday when he went to check on them at their home in the 6900 block of Avenida la Costa NE.
At the time, it didn't appear anything was stolen, and there were no signs of forced entry or a weapon.
A day later, family members reported to police that a thorough search of the home revealed that jewelry and several cameras and credit cards were missing, according to the complaints.
The only lead police had was a neighbor's report of a confrontation with a salesman the day before. The salesman was trying to get into his home, he said.
So police released a sketch and asked the public for tips.
According to the complaints, detectives got a break Thursday night when someone called Crime Stoppers to report that the suspects were staying with a group of salesmen at the Econo Lodge.
Detectives started questioning the salesmen, including Lee. Lee said he was at the Yi home the day of the killing but had nothing to do with the crime.
Albuquerque police let Lee go.
About the same time, APD got a call from Rio Rancho police reporting they had taken Rowley into custody.
According to investigators, Rio Rancho police received complaints Thursday morning from Northern Meadows residents about a magazine salesman in the area.
Rio Rancho police located Rowley, thought he looked like the sketch, and took him into custody for soliciting without a permit.
On Friday, Rowley was taken to the main Albuquerque police station where he admitted killing the Yis and implicated Lee, according to the complaints.
Suspects' stories
According to the complaints:
Rowley told police that, on Tuesday afternoon, he and Lee were dropped off by their company at San Antonio and Louisiana NE to sell books and magazine subscriptions.
While approaching the Yi home, Lee saw that a garage door was open and an elderly man was working in the backyard.
Rowley said Lee told him that he was going to "steal an item from the home." Rowley said Lee walked into the garage while he walked to the front door. He next heard Lee shout profanities at someone.
The front door opened, Rowley said, and he saw Lee punch an elderly woman on the head. The woman fell to the floor.
Rowley told police he shut the front door and was dragging the woman to the end of a hallway when he saw the elderly man run into the home through a back door and into a back bedroom in what Rowley believed was an attempt to call police.
Rowley said he followed the man into the bedroom and struck him on the head with his fist, sending him to the ground.
He said he brought the man into a den and struck him in the lower neck with his hand, again sending him to the ground.
Lee suffocated the woman and then walked over to the man and stomped his foot on his head, Rowley told police.
Rowley said he believed "the blow was fatal."
When the two men arrived at their hotel that night, Rowley said, he saw Lee with a new camera. While investigators were questioning Rowley, police went looking for Lee and found him Friday afternoon selling books and magazine subscriptions in a neighborhood near Unser and Arenal SW.
When police questioned Lee, he "reiterated what he told detectives the evening before." He said he was at the Yi home and sold them a half-order of books but never went inside and "had nothing to do with the double murder."
Under city ordinance, door-to-door salespeople are required to have a permit.
Salespeople must pay a $10 fee and provide the city with their name, Social Security number, tax identification, name of their employer, evidence they have paid taxes as a result of their sales, two photographs, the locations where they will conduct business and a declaration that they have not been convicted of a crime in the United States in the past 10 years.
Salespeople are then issued identification with a photo that is good for one year. Matthew Conrad, the city's code compliance official, said he was unable to determine Saturday if Lee and Rowley had received permits.
He said he didn't recall if a large group of salesmen had sought permits earlier in the week, but he added that he would likely have remembered.
Conrad acknowledged that most door-to-door salespeople do not follow the ordinance.
"They tend to follow it once they realize they are in violation and we catch them," he said. "Once we make contact with them, they typically leave the city or get their permits.
"If a door-to-door salesman came to my door, I would ask them to show me their permit that has their picture and the city symbol on it."
A violation of the ordinance is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of up to $500 and 90 days in jail.
I've experience a couple of times, these so-called college students who are trying to get a magazine subscription out of you.
The first two times, I opened the door and then, I decided not to open it anymore!
It is pathetically sad to see them walking around looking somewhat haggard (even though they are young!)
I've also noticed that they wouldn't come back in the evening when my husband was there.
Sure, I would like to support them on their trip to wherever but, they all appeared 'desperate' and I knew something was not right at all.
I finally decided I wasn't going to answer any more doors.
After this incident in Albuquerque, I hope 'someone' shines the spotlight on this IntegrityPGM company and do a full investigation!
I got burned, too, but only found out when the order did not come after 2 months.
This scam needs to stop !!!! It has been going on for over a year and still people are falling for it. Please, all of you, do file complaints. Flood the authorities with complaints that they start investigating. Integrity Program has a US bank account, so there needs to be a way to get after them and give people their money back.
1. File a complaint at www.bbb.org (search for "Integrity Program" at Phoenix, AZ [that's where they have an account with Wells Fargo, that's what my canceled check says])
2. File a complaint with your State Attorney (Googgle for his/her website)
3 File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at http://www.ftc.gov/ftc/cmplanding.shtm
Most of all, call 911 if anybody from Integrity Programs shows up at your door. They have photos of many of their "agents" posted on their website (http://www.integritypgm.com/team.asp), I immediately recognized the 2 guys who came to my door.
"Dan" came to the door. Said he was in an "acting class" and was selling mags to "gain experience meeting people and earn money for the class" Boy di he - to the tune of $54.00
I an really stupid. They got me for $270.00 assuring me that I would get all but $80.00 back in 2 weeks. I must have been asleep when they were passing out brains. Young man,(teen) said the books I ordered were to be shipped to Childrens Medical Center in Dallas and he would get points to go to England on a school trip. Plus I would receive the $190.00 back.
This was in November. He also said he would be glad to do chores to earn the money
Right!!!
Mary in Highland Village, TX
i was a car handler for integrity program i worked for John Tork and although the wbb site and program is set up as L.L.C. or limited liabuilty company meaning thay do not take responsibuilty for what thare sales people say.Do not let this fool you thay have meetings every nght prepping people how to lie "im your naibhor" "im in your local school" "can i use a table to write on" "its just 24 dollars a year for two years that makes 48 dollars" thay are trained to screw you.
John Tork,Kevin Tork ,Robert Spruil,Jim Scribbner,all owners of mag. crew and theives
I also use to work for Integrity PGM. They are a horrible, horrible, horrible group of people. The owners don't care about you--they care about making money. We were constantly treated like trash. Dropped off alone in neighborhoods at all hours of the night. Even though our contracts we igned at the very beginning explained to us that we were "independent"...we had no say as to where we lived (usually drug-infested hotels), where we worked, what hours we could work, and we even had no control as to what we got paid. We are told we get about $8 an order...but all of our money went to the "books" that we could not get access to. Our managers would fine us $500 just for wearing flip flops. Believe me---there are tons of other things they fined us for that was just ridiculous. So just a warning to everyone out there--DON'T HELP!!!! DO NOT write a check---they will more than likely change the amount. DO NOT give cash....trust me--all cash usually goes to paying for drugs and alcohol.
And just a response to the other little notes left on this site by other Integrity workers....Dan..I'm pretty sure I know who you are and you are one of the biggest druggies I had ever met. Meth...coke...pot...yea---ALL your specialty. Most of the leading salesman on Integrity are meth heads, crack heads, and everyone is a pothead...even the managers. I know for a fact that the under-owner John Tork is a heroine addict and that Robert Spirull(spelling?)....even though he is MARRIED to another mag crew owner..Kay...sleeps with agents (of all ages) and of course, gives big gifts to them. For instance Katie Teal, she was a top performer at Integrity...a great liar. Katie slept with customers for orders as well as our boss. He even took her to Mexico for a little get away.
Just know that everyone on the crew is a liar and a cheat. There are a few exeptions...but to just be on the safe side...ignore all of them and call the police ASAP. They go into your homes to "use a table" then they steal from you when you are not looking. We have had convicted rapists on our crew along with felons, murderers, and child molestors. It is just a dirty business and they should all be put away. They hit their employees and allow the employees to beat each other up. You don't know how many broken bones I saw in the time I worked there. So much blood. Anyway, that is it for now. I know my info was random but I feel it had to be said.
I worked for integrity and made a load of money not making deals or sleeping with people. I worked my fuckin ass off didn't steal a a dime and told every person the truth about my sales. Some people appreciate the truth and if you do things honestly you will make sales either way. True there are sales agent that have problems and are criminals. I myself am not and I still use some of the sales techniques i learned from the crew in my current sales job. So to say dont answer the door for all of them is to say that you are not willing to help the ones who are really dedicated to their job and are making a career out of what their doing. Believe it or not thier are those out there who take it seriously. I have been off the crew since 2003 and was offered a promotion and the oppurtunity to have my own crew, and the only reason i turned it down was because i had to return home for medical reasons. You may contact me at desalationkds@hotmail.com
someone followed me home from my walk this afternoon using a similar story with the same points and magazines line. I told him I needed to put my kids down for a nap and to come back in a few hours. I'm sure glad I took some time to look into this before he comes back. Thanks for the warning!
i sold mags i lied sorry i got to travel the country when i was 19. now that im back in the "real world" im suicidal again the world is full of good and evil the mag crews cant make people lie it was my choice i thanks the poeple who helped me sorry i lied but out there i was happy for once in my life. If it makes anyone feel better i got them back, i hustled them back a little and left they're crew plagued. i would advise any struggling youth to join it will give memories that kids that us would never have the chance to experience and show you what you're made of, catch the next Greyhound to Magland!
just read the blog from dan straight up real talk whatever you want to call it Dan is the man
I worked for Integrity sales back about 5 years ago I cant say that I ever saw alot of bad stuff going on there such as beating kids. and for the most part we only stayed at like 2 bad hotels the whole time i was there. We stayed at the Double tree for fuck sacks. as far as the drugs and drinking goes. It was an everyday thing. But what do you exepect when you get 20 people from ages 18-24 working together traveling the country. it was a big party the whole time prity much.
I can say that i myself lied to 1000s of people. I would feel bad about it. but i always turned in my sales wether they sent you the magazine promised is on them.
im sory if anyone lost anything because of me.
so if by chance someone does knock on your door and give you the whole spill dont belive them because they are lieing but that dosent mean you cant help them. Im happy to say that me and my wife "which i meet on the crew" do when they come buy my house.
as of now im a Spc in the army and am deploying the 25th of next month
and a pround father of 2 daughters and am doing fine for myslf so not all thouse kids are that bad if anyone would like to reach me for any storyes about the life on the crew good or bad you can E0mail me at sheppard_isaiah@yahoo.com
I worked for Kevin Tork back in 1989 1990.I can honestly say that while most of the stories regarding cheating & drugs etc.etc. are true, it was a defintely a good learning experience for me. Kevin was always great to me. John Tork however was an ASSHOLE !!! Long story short is I had a great time growing up & learning about life. NO....i didnt get all my money off the books (SUPRISE) but I did meet my wife who i have been with since i left crew (yes ,I did meet her there) & have a beautiful 16 year old daughter resulting from it. To each their own.............it can be a rewarding experience for what it is or it can be a horror story. Personally I give thanks for the experience..........and Kevin Tork.......much love (i was always treated good)
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