Scam???

kdw75

Well-known member
I have been talking to someone from the "Small Business Advisory Group" who is trying to sell our company on being a GSA contract printer. Deena Brown is one of the contacts, and another is Brittney.

The claim is that they will fill out a 500 page government contract, do the negotiations, and then you can get government jobs without having to bid on each one. The kicker is they wanted $7500, then knocked it down to $6000. As we have bid on, and printed GSA work in the past, I asked her why we needed them, and the response was that it would cut out the bidding, as they pre negotiate a price in the contract. I typed in their address and came up with the info in the link below:



The Small Business Advisory Group Chicago IL, 60611 – Manta.com
 
I have been talking to someone from the "Small Business Advisory Group" who is trying to sell our company on being a GSA contract printer. Deena Brown is one of the contacts, and another is Brittney.

The claim is that they will fill out a 500 page government contract, do the negotiations, and then you can get government jobs without having to bid on each one. The kicker is they wanted $7500, then knocked it down to $6000. As we have bid on, and printed GSA work in the past, I asked her why we needed them, and the response was that it would cut out the bidding, as they pre negotiate a price in the contract. I typed in their address and came up with the info in the link below:

It's a scam.

Here are two alerts from the Better Business Bureau:

"Alert Issued by BBB http://www.bbb.org/west-florida/business-revi ... mar-fl-50000463

Incorporated: January 2008, FL
Contact Information
Principal: Mr. Garry Fink (President)Customer Contact: Ms. Joanne M. Budash (Customer Service/Sr Processor)Ms. Deena Brown Mr. Gary Sizemore Mr. James Sprecher
Business Category

Business Consultants, Marketing Consultants, Advertising Companies, Publishing Consultants
Products & Services

The business offers complete preparation and processing services to submit a GSA Schedule application for its customers. The business also facilitates schedule negotiations with the Federal government on its customers' behalf.
Alternate Business Names
FEMA Today (previously), GDI, GSA Application Services, Creative Concept Group LLC, GSA Alliance, Government Awards Consulting, GSA Processors CO, GSA 1000 LLC (previously), GSA Preview (previously), Federal Suppliers Guide (previously), Countryside Publishing Co., Inc. (previously), Target GSA, Access GSA, Contract Award Services, Advisory Associates, The Advisory Organization, Alliance Publishing, American Strategy Consultants, The Bridgewater Consulting Group, Commercial Connections & Research Center, GSA Processing Group, GSA South Carolina, GSA Pennsylvania, GSA Applications, Express Procurement Group, Fed Government Advisors, Fed Government Consultant, Fed Government Consultants, Fed Government Specialists, Federal Suppliers Guide, Inc., GAC Offices (DC), The Gov DocuPrep, Government Consulting Corp., Government Consulting Specialists, Government Marketing Advisors, Government Verification, GSA Awards, GSA Consultants, GSA Consultants Online, GSA Dallas, GSA Discount, GSA DocuPrep, GSA Government Consultants, GSA Greenville, GSA London, GSA Pittsburgh, GSA Schedule Aid, GSA Schedule Service, GSA Specialists, GSA Tampa, Increased Federal Solutions, K&J's Managed Solutions, Market GSA, National Government Specialists, National GSA Consultants, National Processing Center, National Procurement Center, PCP Tampa Road, LLC, Rapid GSA, Service GSA, Tampa Bay GSA, Tampa GSA, The Lewisburg Group, Inc., The Verification Co., Professional Government Preparations, United Procurement Specialists, United Strategy Consultants, USA Strategy Group, US Consulting Specialists

Also:

FLORIDA: On 11/4/14, the Florida Attorney General's office filed a complaint against Federal Verification Co., Inc.; GSA 1000, LLC; and James Sprecher for allegedly misleading small businesses by claiming to be the U.S. General Services Administration or implying a government affiliation to offer a five-year GSA contract (Case No. 14-008205-CI, filed in the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Pinellas County, Florida). The Federal Verification Co, Inc. dba GSA Applications conducts business through more than 60 business names and more than 50 websites. The company and manager of the businesses, James Dale Sprecher, allegedly used telemarketing to solicit small businesses and guarantee them a GSA contract within a short time frame, 90 days to six months, for an upfront fee ranging typically from $5,000 to $8,000. A GSA contract allows a business to sell goods and services to the federal government at pre-negotiated pricing. Attorney General Pam Bondi's Office received more than 200 complaints about the defendants' unfair business practices.

The Complaint alleges violations of the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act. According to the complaint the company allegedly:

**Makes false and misleading representations as to the likelihood of a customer successfully obtaining a GSA contract, including assuring the business that it qualifies for a five-year to 20-year GSA contract award;

**Makes false and misleading representations assuring government-guaranteed minimum revenues upon a contract award and a 100 percent guaranteed return on investment;

**Unfairly collects advance fees, up to $10,000, from customers before services begin; and

**Enrolls customers without diligent review of their circumstances, adequate disclosure of requirements pertaining to the customer or its products or services, or regard for the customer's meaningful probability or being awarded a GSA contract.

The matter is pending.
 
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Much appreciated. I had suspected, it sounded like too much of a sure thing, and the upfront payment seemed rather high.
 
I received a quite similar proposal via email about a month ago and didn't buy it really.

By the way I am a newbie. Sorry for my first ever post. It is just that the scenario of the starter really caught my attention.
 

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