Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/19/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I am writing to express my profound dissatisfaction with the services provided by ***************** and to formally request a refund for the misleading practices and ongoing delays I have experienced.I engaged ***************** for a fully automated Shopify store based on advertisements of some profitability within 90 days. Regrettably, over a year later, my store remains inactive, and the financial losses incurred from excessive ad and product expenditures far outweigh any income generated. The transaction of $5,997.00 was made on 11/22/2022.In my attempt to address these concerns, I contacted the individual I was working with at ***************** several times over the last year. The last time I reached out to them, which was a couple of months ago, I was assured that improvements would be made in Q4. With only a couple of weeks remaining in the quarter, my store is still inactive and not operational.Furthermore, I discovered that I was unknowingly enrolled in an additional app on my Shopify store, incurring monthly charges on top of the standard Shopify fees. This unforeseen financial burden has only compounded my losses.When I raised these issues and referenced other negative reviews on the Better Business Bureau, the response from ***************** was dismissive and unhelpful. Their attempt to shift blame onto customers is unacceptable, and it further highlights the lack of transparency and disregard for customer satisfaction.Considering the significant discrepancies between the advertised services and the actual outcomes, I am formally requesting a refund for the services rendered by *****************. I believe this request is justified given the persistent delays, financial losses, and overall dissatisfaction with the provided services.I sincerely hope that ***************** will take this request seriously and promptly address the issues that have led to numerous dissatisfied customers. Your cooperation in facilitating a refund will greatly contribute to resolving this matter amicably.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/30/2023

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  UnresolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  Complaint: 20119186
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  Client communication - I sent emails asking for help because I was getting no communication from my account representative via Skype, which is Leading Groups preferred form of communication.  The only time communication was initiated was me reaching out to find out what's next.  With each ask, I was told what was next, but the majority of the time nothing happened.    
  

  In regard to the orders being fulfilled - they were not fulfilled when I made the original complaint to BBB.  It obvious to me they were only fulfilled because of the complaint.  I asked on several occasions thru their preferred avenue for communication, skype, to have the orders fulfilled.  Each time I was told they would check on it.  Again, it wasn't done until the complaint.  The orders were placed on October 31st 2022, Dec 8, 2022, Feb. 17, 2023, and March 28, 2023.  As of today, none of the orders have been received by the customer.  

  In regard to the ads and products - There have only been two ads run to my knowledge. There have only been two products advertised in what has now been a year.  

  Regard to charges - I have no issue with the charges.  I was fully aware of all charges when I signed the agreement. 

  My concern is with the lack of diligence and service provided by ***************** in agreeance with the service agreement I signed with them.  They are simply not performing their obligations as stated in the service agreement.  

   I will be sending a copy of the service agreement at the next communication.  I don't have it available on this tablet.  

  Sincerely,
  
  *******************

  nager for first time on June 21, 2022. He said it would take two weeks to get store up and running. Didn't hear from him and I reached out again on July 5th. He said store would be up and running the next week. Didn't hear back and reached out again on Aug. 5th. He said it would be up and running Wednesday. August 19th I reached out again because I hadn't heard from him. Store was finally ready in September. There was one ad ran and two sales before the end of the year '22. Getting nothing from my acct. manager, I emailed the ************* on Jan 30th, 2023 with concerns. Got a short response but nothing changed. I emailed again on Feb 10th. Again got a short response but no changes. I emailed again on March 23, again a response with no change. Lastly emailed asking for answers on May 18 and did not get a response. Not a single order has been fulfilled/shipped and I've asked them to do so numerous times. The last ad run was in February. There is no communication.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/10/2023

  Dear ******************* and BBB,

  
  We hope this message finds you well. We would like to address the concerns raised by Mr. ******************* and provide you with some important information. **** is a valued client of ours, and we have already established regular communication with him.

  
  Firstly, we want to clarify that our company utilizes email solely for sales and marketing purposes. We have a separate platform specifically designed for daily client communication, ensuring efficient and effective interactions.

  
  We are pleased to confirm that all of Mr. ********************************* orders have been successfully fulfilled and shipped out. **** has made payments to our company for the marketing services we provided, which encompass the creation of an online store with various products and the implementation of marketing strategies. We ensured that all these services were delivered to **** as agreed upon.

  
  Furthermore, it is important to note that we create different advertisement videos with unique marketing angles for each product. As a result, it does take some time to have the ads prepared and running for every individual item, considering the attention to detail and tailored approach we employ.

  
  Regarding the charges mentioned by Mr. ***** we want to emphasize that these were costs he agreed to pay prior to joining **********. These charges include the monthly recurring payment for Shopify, an online platform commonly used by ecommerce websites. It is a standard practice to pay a fee to utilize ********* services, and Mr. ******************* was fully aware of this requirement from the outset. Therefore, these charges were not unexpected or undisclosed to our client.
  

  Moreover, Mr. ******************* was fully aware of the expenses associated with our marketing activities. We employ various marketing platforms to effectively promote and sell products.

  
  We hope this clarification addresses any concerns and provides a better understanding of the situation. If you have any further questions or require additional information, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.
  

  Best regards,

  Team Management. 

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/08/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  ..cancel at any time as we operate a month to month subscription, and give our clients the option to leave if they are not happy, he can exercise this right at any time. This was not a monthly charge, but rather a one time up front fee, as even seen by the one time charge in question of $3000. After months of no results and no services seen as listed in the email, this is when we requested the chargeback. We are not stating fraud, we are stating goods and services that were promised, did not happen, which we were only able to understand and see after 5 months had passed and nothing of what was purchased was coming to fruition. We gave them time to make the services happen, we are not responsible for their ineptitude and quite frankly for their deceit. Failure of ***************** to provide services renders the client non-liable for previously agreed upon compensation.This statement means that if the company fails to provide the services that it agreed to provide to the client, the client is no longer obligated to pay the compensation (payment) that was previously agreed upon. In other words, the lack of services provided by the company releases the client from their obligation to pay. We are entitled to relief if the services promised by the merchant were not rendered, and such is the case in this instance. In conclusion, after going to the merchant directly requesting a refund for services not rendered, they deleted the slack channel and all communication. This is why we turned to the bank to open a dispute. My confidence in Citibank is weakened through this process. The first report I made was with a customer service representative, who did not seem to understand what I was saying or filing, so I reopened the case but did not receive any communication except for this notice. As a long standing Citibank customer, I am hopeful that now understanding my side, you will see the lack of services and inexcusable inaction on the merchants behalf.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/22/2023

  Dear *********************** or *********************** and BBB,

  We would like to address the situation regarding ***** or *****'s enrollment in our marketing services on July 20, 2022, specifically for our 90-day program. Throughout this period, *****/***** was assigned their own dedicated account manager, ensuring daily communication via Slack. We successfully established their online store and initiated marketing efforts, resulting in sales for their products.

  However, several weeks later, *****/***** approached ** with a proposal to offer their own services. Regrettably, the leading group did not express interest in their offerings, as we determined they were not necessary for our operations. Following this, ***** began to express dissatisfaction with our services and directed negative feedback towards their account manager. In response, we promptly assigned ***** a new account manager to ensure their satisfaction.

  Upon contacting ***** to set up the transition, he informed us that he was in the midst of a relocation and would get back to us when he had the opportunity. Unfortunately, weeks passed without any communication from *****, despite our consistent follow-**** Eventually, he removed himself from our Slack channel.

  Several months later, ***** disputed the charges with his bank, alleging that we had not provided any services as agreed upon. However, we consider this chargeback to be fraudulent, as we had indeed rendered the services specified in our agreement. To support our case, we submitted our side of the story, including screenshots and a chronological record of our interactions, to the bank. Fortunately, the bank reviewed the evidence and ruled in our favor.

  We would like to emphasize that our 90-day service package offers customers the choice to either continue working with us for a fee beyond the initial 90-day period or part ways and manage their store independently. We remain open to providing additional evidence to support our position. Please feel free to reach out to us for further information.

  
  Thank you and best regards,
  Team Management
  

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/10/2023

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

   
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and while I disagree with their assessment of events, they have independently issued me a partial refund and I am satisfied with this resolution. Since their customer service has made me whole I feel no need to continue with this complaint.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

  Business Response

  Date: 05/10/2023

  Dear BBB and ***********************,
  
  I am writing to provide an update regarding the enrollment of *********************** in ********** on 30th October 2022 for our advertisement management service, which involves running marketing campaigns through ******** ads / TikTok ads for online-stores. Since *********************** joined **, we have been working diligently to provide our agreed upon services on a daily basis. Our communication with *********************** has been regular and through Slack, and we have documented evidence of this communication, which can be provided upon request.
  
  I am pleased to report that The Leading Group has fulfilled our service 100%, as we have been putting in the work on a daily basis. During our work with ***********************, he has also seen results. It is worth noting that our agreement with him includes a disclaimer that results may vary and are not guaranteed. This information is clearly stated in the order form.
  
  Thank you for your attention to this matter. Please let ** know if you have any further questions or concerns. We have attached the proof of evidence in the *** format below. Thank you.
  
  Sincerely, Team Management. 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/15/2023

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Hello. I filed a complaint January 15 against The Leading Group. I forgot to mention in my complaint form that I have not been able to get in contract through the phone with my Shopify account manager. It is all through Slack. Also there's two orders on Shopify that need to be fulfilled and they have yet to fulfill them or reach out to me to teach me how to fulfill them. I am very suspicious of this company and I am afraid I have been frauded out of my money. This is additional information to the complaint case number 9224ddf4-9536-11ed-b304-0e63a05a1194
  
  Sent from *********************** (************************)
  
  Shopify store creation, $15 for Shopify Domain registration. I am seeking a refund for all of these charges that I made.I also do not think that this company is US based as I have not been able to speak with them over the phone. I requested to speak to them through Slack the day of the dispute, but my phone call was never answered. They only communicate through the Slack app and at very odd hours. This is very suspicious to me. I believe I have been scammed and am seeking to recuperate all monetary amounts that I have paid out to the Leading Group and other accounts they asked me to fund. The business did try to resolve it, but I do not think this is a legitimate company as it took over a month to get my store open and I am afraid I am being frauded out of my money. I have receipts for all amounts that I have mentioned in this written explanation.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2023

  On November 30th, 2022, Ms. ******* entered into an agreement with ********** for advertisement management services, which include running marketing campaigns through TikTok ads for online stores. ********** has been providing the agreed-upon services to Ms. ******* on a daily basis since her enrollment and has maintained regular communication with her through Slack. Evidence supporting this can be produced upon request. Before enrolling with **********, Ms. ******* was informed of all charges she could expect to incur. Our standard process for building a website for clients is approximately 3-4 weeks, and Ms. ******* was aware of this timeline. Despite her awareness, she became impatient. At the end of the third week, the website went live and generated $160 in sales with a $50 marketing spend, achieving a 3x return on ad spend, which is a remarkable accomplishment in such a short amount of time. However, Ms. ******* disputed the transaction with her bank. She claimed to have cancelled the dispute after her store started making sales, but no proof was provided to support this claim. ********** submitted our side of the story to the bank, as they will be determining the outcome of the dispute. The funds are no longer available to ********** since the dispute was initiated by Ms. ******** Our attempts to contact Ms. ******* via phone and email were unsuccessful. Ms. ********* review on BBB is considered unjust and unfair. ********** has spent a significant amount of time and resources building the necessary backend infrastructure, and we have learned a valuable ****** to screen clients more thoroughly for their work ethic.
  See Attachment/File: Client Documentation _ ************************pdf

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/01/2023

  (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
  I do not agree with the response from The Leading Group. They took over a month to create my store with minimal updates on how the store was going since I went into agreement on November 30, 2022 with them. When I filed a dispute since it had been over a month since the agreement was signed, then they reached out to me saying the communication would get better. This tells me that if I had not reached out to my bank, nothing would have changed also. Also, The Leading Group claims that they helped my store generate money, however, one of the services they were supposed to provide me was ************************************************* and Shipping" and this was NOT provided to me. I reached out to *********************** on January 9, 2023 saying I had two unfulfilled orders and I asked him how to I fill them. He said "You don't need to do anything right now. I will let you know when it's time." On January 18, 2022 I noticed orders still weren't fulfilled so I asked again, "How do I fulfill the items?" He said "I will let you know" and NEVER got back to me. I quickly realized this was a scam. The services were not being provided correctly and to this day I still do NOT know if those orders were ever fulfilled. The communication and support was not conducive to support and communication that should be given to a customer that paid $5,500.
  I have YET to receive a REFUND from the LEADING GROUP.
  They reached out to me on Instagram January 30, 2023 saying "We can send you a refund if you cooperate with us. Since you already charge-backed we do not have your funds available to us. It is held by the bank. So we definitely can't do anything at the moment. What I could do is if you can show up proof of cancelling the dispute we can find a way out. Otherwise you are putting us in jeopardy and refunding 2x."
  Also, they say their attempts to contact me were unsuccessful. When I tried to contact ******** on January 5, 2022 who was someone I could go to for support and questions he didn't answer. He told me he was calling me back, but he wasn't. I wanted to know what was going on with my Shopify store, and I couldn't even speak to a human being. I do not know who is running this company, but I have never spoke to them on the phone.
  I will not be cancelling my dispute because ALL of the serves THE LEADING GROUP should have provided me ************************************************* and Shipping" WERE NOT provided to me. The services provided by my account manager did not make me feel secure in my purchase and if this company was even legit. I do not want anyone else to go through what I went through. Once again, they only reached out once they saw that I had contacted my bank to dispute the charge.
  I gave them another chance to provide better service, but that was unsuccessful as well.
  They said that they do not believe that I cancelled the dispute with my bank, but I have the proof in the transactions where on November 30, 2022 the amount of $5,500 was once again charged to my credit card account because I cancelled the dispute in hope of better service. That better service didn't happen. So I am again disputing the charge of $5,500 because The Leading Group failed to provide me with ************************************************* and Shipping."
  It has been a nightmare working with this company who does not provide good transparency on what is happening. As I mentioned to this day I do not know if any orders were sent out because order management, fulfillment, customer service, and fulfillment" were not being communicated to me even once I asked them if the orders were sent out or what I need to to do to fulfill the orders.
  I want to know for certain that I will be getting a refund, whether it be from BBB or from my credit card, but this company did not provide me with good service.
  See Attachment/File: Message from The Leading Group.PNG

• Initial Complaint

  Date:09/29/2022

  Type:Billing Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  This company charged me $6000 upfront but did not explain that I would end up spending extra money for the upkeep of the website and******* advertisements. The contract was deceiving to say the least. I ended up spending $29/monthly for 6 months plus over $400 a month for advertisement and have received a fraction of return on Investments. Along with multiple complaints from clients which didn't received their order and now my Paypal is on negative to payback. When I asked multiple questions on blueprints, goals of my investments and how things will work in the long run I did not get any answers. They were literally doing experiments with my investments for months. When I asked for my money back they refused to process a refund. Now I'm filling multiple complaints and are willing to take legal action.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 5, 2022/10/25) */
  Mr. ********* enrolled at our agency on the 8th of March, 2022. Our agency runs marketing campaigns through ******** and ****** for online eCommerce stores. Upon enrolling in our services, we provided Mr. ********* with the agreed services written in our contract. We communicated regularly with Mr. ********* through *****; time stamps are available if needed. Mr. ********* also signed our contract which explicitly states that our business does not guarantee specific results. The contract he signed (attached) states, "The leading Group is not liable for any losses sustained by the clients investments. Client understands the risk factors involved in implementation and is not due restitution/refunds in the event that investments do not produce positive returns"(2). This mention of no guarantee is also clearly written on our website.
  
  What we have seen happen often from the time that our business has been running is that clients tend to take advantage of chargebacks / money back which we don't have as a policy. Since we provide the option of paying with credit cards. This leaves us with a loss and causes harm to our payment processor. They do this because we provide a teaching service; when the client learns our strategy they tend to request a chargeback.
  
  We've taken a loss and refunded MR.**********. The contract and proof of refund will be attached below.