This news report from the Phoenix, AZ online Fox News affiliate reports that a work from home scam operation operating under the name Bank Card Empire was recently nailed by postal inspectors and other regulators for defrauding thousands of dollars from unsuspecting consumers wanting to start a home business.
The news report is confusing because the title of the post is "Officers Raid Work-From-Home Business for Fraud". Yet the accompanying video clearly shows investigators raiding a Bank Card Empire storefront location in Tempe, AZ. Bank Card Empire itself is not a home-based business: it was operating from a physical location duping those who wanted to buy into a home-based business opportunity.
The text version goes on to cloud the story as it says:
The text of the report starts out with:
Regardless, it's always encouraging to see home-based business scam artists get what's coming to them.
Related:
The news report is confusing because the title of the post is "Officers Raid Work-From-Home Business for Fraud". Yet the accompanying video clearly shows investigators raiding a Bank Card Empire storefront location in Tempe, AZ. Bank Card Empire itself is not a home-based business: it was operating from a physical location duping those who wanted to buy into a home-based business opportunity.
The text version goes on to cloud the story as it says:
"Investigators say Bank Card Empire scammed people by requiring them to pay thousands up front to open up a home-based telemarketing business."The video (which presumably came from the local TV station's news report) says that Bank Card Empire is a telemarketing company that was trying to get would-be home-business operators to pay for a pre-made website that supposedly allowed the owners to process online credit card payments. It has been rated F by the Better Business Bureau after the Bureau received multiple unresolved complaints from people who spent their hard-earned savings and ended up with nothing.
The text of the report starts out with:
"Investigators served search and seizure warrants at several Bank Card Empire locations in the valley, following a year-long investigation into allegations of fraud."Assuming that's true (it seems to match the account in the video), it immediately discredits the title of the story, "Officers Raid Work-From-Home Business for Fraud".
Regardless, it's always encouraging to see home-based business scam artists get what's coming to them.
Related:
YEAH!!!!! I knew they were a SCAM. There I said it, “SCAM, SCAM, SCAM!!” Let’s see them try to sue me for defamation this time around. It’s a family affair with the whole bunch needing to be made responsible, Leslie Spencer Mersky, David Adam Mersky, Janice Mersky, Danielle Merrie Mersky Ashrafi, Nancy Naysan Mersky, etc. etc.
BJ:
Don’t hold back – tell us how you really feel (kidding)! Sounds like you had first-hand experience with these people.
Randy D.
Randy D. – Yes, I had my dealings with this company. After filing a complaint with the BBB, I received a threatening phone call, then after I complained online, I received a threatening phone call, then a letter threatening to sue me for defamation. In my mind, what really sent up the red flag was how they spoke to me. A legitimate company wouldn’t treat clients the way they did, and have a good reputation.
BJ:
You’re exactly right – a legitimate company wouldn’t act that way.
Randy D.
Randy,
The Seizure Warrant has been issued on this situation. You will find all the principle people (thieves), property seized, bank accounts frozen, and phony business names used in this document (29 pages).
http://recorder.maricopa.gov/recdocdata/GetRecDataDetail.aspx?Rec=20100310768
BJ:
Good to hear, thanks for the update. Looks like you have to pay a $1 per page to get the whole document, but at least the names are listed on the free page.
Randy D.
Randy D. I didn’t have to pay for it. I just clicked on where it has “29″ pages highlighted and it came up, then I printed.
Cool
Randy, The President/CEO of Bankcard Empire, David Mersky, has licensed a new LLC under the name “Sentinel Business Services”. I have no idea what this business does, and only found it at http://www.azcc.gov. How does someone that is under Federal investigation get another business licensed, and not have their interests questioned?
BJ:
I don’t know, but that’s probably a question for the Arizona Corporation Commission (the URL you show here) or the Arizona Attorney General’s Office of Secretary of State.
Randy D.
Randy, this is the response I received from the AZCC.
Thank you for your email. The statutes pertaining to limited liability companies do not require any kind of a background check by any agency in connection with the formation of a new LLC. The Arizona Corporation Commission is a ministerial or filing agency only and is not an enforcement agency. If a document submitted to the ACC meets statutory filing requirements, then it would be approved without regard to the background of the individual person submitting the document.
Patricia L. Barfield
Deputy Director, Corporations Division
Arizona Corporation Commission
1300 W. Washington Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
602-542-0018 / fax 602-542-0900
pbarfield@azcc.gov
BJ:
Thanks for the update. So they are basically saying, “We don’t care who they are”. I suppose a child molester could register an LLC for a day care operation, but then again, I suppose day care operations are licensed.
I guess any crook can open a business as long as they don’t have to get a license for it (at least in AZ).
Seems rather outrageous, don’t you think?
Randy D.
Randy D., Hear that the attorney for the Mersky’s saw this posting, and thought that the owner of Business Recovery Services posted it here and on http://www.complaintsboard.com. There are those of us out here that will continue to poke these alleged criminals in the eye, until they disappear out of the business world. Arrogant so and so’s!
Tara:
Interesting…
RD
Can no longer access http://www.complaintsboard.com. Did they go the same way as http://www.bustathief.com? Have they contacted you about comments on your site, and recommended strongly that you delete them?
Gretchen:
No one’s contacted me about removing any comments and I have no knowledge of the status of either site you’ve mentioned.
Randy D.
How do you go about getting some documents filed if you were scammed by these people? I lost some money with them, am not proud to say that I fell for it, but they made everything look really legit. Can anyone give me any advice as to where to start to recoup my money? I would appreciate all the advice.
Betsy:
I’d suggest you start by contacting your state’s attorney general’s office and let them guide you from there. I know other readers were part of this too, and I hope they’ll give you some additional insight. Good luck.
Randy D.