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:02/03/2023

  Type:Product 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.

  I viewed a training video regarding *** Arnold's / Broker Certification program and paid $1497 on 12/15/22. After reviewing additional training materials and learning about added costs of the program, I became disenchanted with the program.I was hoping to learn more and feel comfortable but was laid off from my tech company in December. I reached out to ****** Services / *************************************** as well as called them *************). I even sent *** Arnold several messages through LinkedIn expressing financial hardship for requesting a refund.My first message to *** Arnold was sent on January 14th, 2023, and the last one (2/1/23) was to ask him to follow up on my behalf with ****** Services. There was to be a Resolution Meeting to review requests on February 2nd - which I sent them an email on February 1st to ask them again to approve my refund request for financial hardship.I have made multiple attempts in contacting them and have not received a refund for the $1497 - a service that I have not used or a program that I have not participated in. Thank You,*****

  Business Response

  Date: 02/16/2023

  We are sorry you are unhappy with the Broker Certification Program in which you invested. We are unable to refund your payment for the program because you initiated a payment charge back with your payment card provider and as result, we have no payment for this product that can be returned to you.  Your Desired Outcome of this complaint cannot be provided because of your actions.

  
  Our records show you invested $1497 in the Independent Private Money Broker Certification and the Virtual ************************** Class on December 1, 2022. At that time you were sent an invoice indicating the program in which you invested and specifying our long standing return policy:

  . . . in order to be entitled to a refund LAS must receive your request within three (3) days of your original transaction date. That request must be in writing to **************************************.

  
  We sent via email Broker Blueprint Home Study Course, a component of the Independent Private Money Broker Certification Program.
  
  It was not until January 6, 2022, you requested a return of your $1497 payment, well outside the stated return period.

  
  Since you initiated a payment card chargeback on, we have no payment from this order. We unable to provide a return of a payment that we have not received.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:12/07/2022

  Type:Product 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.

  A few days before 10/28/2022, I attended a webinar and a had call with a Sales agent regarding the private money broker and the private money lending. I should have known the company was bad when I talked to them. They were asking all kinds of invasive questions regarding how I will pay the dowm payment and where it was coming from. I'm like you are a Private Money Broker where the money comes from is of no relevance whatsoever, and I felt offended at that especially that I had a great deal on this property and literally all other PML never asked that question. It's almost like it was the ** president's money you were dealing with and their LTV was not even that good.Given them the benefit of the doubt and thinking it's a one off, I on 10/28/2022 I signed up with their Private Money Broker (PMB) for $497 the ***** stated that the offer which consisted in getting that money back would be packaged with the $**** but I had a year to make 2 deals and get my reimbursement back. They send the invoice and but don't tell me about the refund policy. Real sneaky. I read it from the invoice and they give only 3 days. Ridiculous.I send an email that night asking where is my login. No response Then a day or so later, I call to find get information but I get this rude *************** who tells me I owe money and when can I give them the rest. I'm like wait a minute? ***** told me I had a year for this program why are you asking for money? I don't owe anybody anything. He said "ok but how are you going to talk about lending when you can't even pay for ****?" I said I don't know how you were raised you but you are being very disrespectful. He raised his voice at me and I was like I can't believe this. We ended the call. I checked my email for login and we are day 4 10/31/2022 and still nothing. I called, they send the login but I'm like I don't want to pursue this and they refused to give me a refund even though they sent the login after on day 4 days.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/16/2023

  We are sorry you are unhappy with the Broker Certification Program in which you invested. We are unable to refund your payment for the program because you initiated a payment charge back with your payment card provider and as result, we have no payment for this product that can be returned to you.  Your Desired Outcome of this complaint cannot be provided because of your actions.

  
  Our records show you invested (with an initial payment of $497 on a $1497 discounted order) in the Independent Private Money Broker Certification Program on October 28, 2022. At that time you were sent an invoice indicating the program in which you invested and specifying our long standing return policy:

  
  . . . in order to be entitled to a refund LAS must receive your request within three (3) days of your original transaction date. That request must be in writing to **************************************.

  
  Although you were not paid in full, as a courtesy, we provided you access to the pre-certification Money Broker Blueprint Home Study Course, a component of the Independent Private Money Broker Certification Program.
  It was not until December 1, 2022, you requested a return of your $497 payment, well outside the stated return period.  
  

  Since you initiated a payment card chargeback, we have no payment from this order. We unable to provide a return of a payment that we have not received.
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/11/2022

  Type:Product 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.

  The 1st trans was $1,497 dated 10/19/22. The merchant listed on the cc stmt was The *** Arnold System. The $1,497 was to pay for 3 days of upcoming training for Broker Certification. The 2nd trans was $3,500 dated 10/20. The merchant listed on the cc stmt was ****************** Cor. The $3,500 was to pay a portion of the Ultimate ******************* Package, including, but not limited to, future training and some software. Both charges were affiliated with & from the same entity, The Lee Arnold System of Real Estate Investing. These purchases were made during a free all-day "funding tour" on 10/19. I was reassured repeatedly by ***** (the one that processed the $3,500) everything he was saying would be in writing in a DocuSign doc that would be sent the next day via email for my review and signature. I was ****% under the impression and led to believe that I could read through everything thoroughly and ask any questions before I signed & agreed to anything binding. I didnt receive the promised e-docs to review and sign. But emails were sent to me with access to software I was not expecting to receive yet, since I had not signed a contract yet to agree to the Ultimate Package. I hadnt fully paid for this. I haven't had the training yet in order to utilize the software. When I read the fine print on the invoice, I thought surely they didnt consider a portion of the amount I pd to be software cost, since it said in the fine print that it was non-refundable. I cant in good conscious move fwd with this company. I refuse to be associated w/ a company that is deceptive, misleading, manipulative, dishonest, and untrustworthy. Refund requests were submitted in writing on 10/20 & 10/22. On 10/29 ****************** Cor refunded $1,003, which leaves a needed refund of $2,497 from them. The $1,497 was for training only & has nothing to do with software, so there should be no issues with refunding this. I haven't opened, logged in, or utilized any of the software.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/15/2022

  Attached to this email is the *** with the main supporting documentation. It looked like I had attached it to the complaint before submitting, but when I got the confirmation email from the BBB, the only *** document listed was the secondary *** (part 2), which does not have the bulk of the supporting documentation.  
  The *** attached is a crucial part of the complaint and includes most of the detailed information.
  Thank you for making sure this is attached to my complaint!
  *****************************
  ************
  

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 11/18/2022

  As a courtesy, we have returned your entire investment of $4997.00 on the cards you used in payment.  The first return of $1003 was submitted on October 28, 2022 and should already be shown in your statements. A return of $1497 and another at $2549 was initiated yesterday and should be reflexed in your account in 2 to 4 days. 

  Since your desired resolution to this complaint has occurred. we request that you inform the BBB that it is resolved.  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:08/10/2022

  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.

  I received a text message from **** from *** Arnold REI and ************ on 7/18/22 while looking for a private investor loan. He said he had some things he would like to go over with me and wanted to put me on his schedule. I told him I had a property under contract and had already ask for an extension on. I gave him the address of the property, he said he could see it. I told him how much I offered and what it was worth and that there were no needed repairs. He said it looks like a deal they could help with. He told me if I was to join ***** inner circle, I could get it for nothing down. The cost to join was $25k. The other way I would have to put $56k for a down payment. I asked him, by putting the $25k down I would be able to get the loan of $250k for this place. He assured me that was the case. I would have to do 4 other deals with them through the inner circle. But this was to be one of the 4 deals. I paid him $5k deposit and told him I would need a couple days to get the rest of the money. When we talked again, I told him I was having second thoughts and he assured me again that I would get this property. He even put me on hold as he said he was going to go ask someone else. He came back and said yes that we could do this. So, I had the wire transfer of $20k sent. It didn't get there until the 22nd. 4 days after the first payment. He connected me to *********** who was the underwriter. While talking with *********** he told me I needed another $56k. I was *****. I tried to call ****. I text him and no response. Finally, 2 days later **** called me and said he didn't know why *********** told me that. I told him I wanted my money back. He said let me get this straighten out for you. You won't need the $56k extra. I asked for a refund. He said good luck with that. I called his manager and told him. He said he will have his compliance team look over the recordings. He said the first part he didn't see anything. It's been 2 weeks and have not heard anything

  Business Response

  Date: 10/28/2022

  As you experienced on July 19, 2022, Lee Arnold System of Real Estate Investing, has a very specific Compliance procedure before clients invest in our top-level courses.Our Complaince script is closely followed on each call and explains in detail the components of the investment, the terms of the investment and our longstanding return policy.  In your call (and in the Training Agreement you signed on July 21, 2021) the benefits of the course, in terms of the borrowing benefit was very specific:
  
  Graduates of Lees Inner Circle 2.0 training qualify for 100% financing (including purchase price, rehab costs, and closing costs) for purchasing non-owner occupied properties. This benefit applies
  to up to four (4) properties at a time which are purchased for less than or equal to 70%of the *** (After Repaired Value) of the property. All other criteria for borrowing from ************ applies.
  
  This borrowing benefit in no way guarantees the approval of any loan, any terms for any loan or repudiates the standard criteria for borrowing from ************. It is important to understand you invested in education alone and any borrowing benefit is a result of completing your educational program and not a result of the investment.
  
  In addition,you agreed to the statement in a recorded call (as well a signed the Fulfillment Training Agreement.) as follows:
  
  
  The Lee Arnold System of Real Estate Investing cannot predict or guarantee your success as a real estate investor, and only provides this training under those circumstances. Do you acknowledge that your success is dependent upon your own ability to implement the training you receive, and even then, your ability to earn back your investment in education or make a profit from it is
  never promised or guaranteed?
  
  Do you agree that no additional products or services, other than those just designated, were promised to you by Lee Arnold System of Real Estate Investing or its representatives, including additional coaching or mentorship or additional leads and opportunities, and that no income, earnings,or profit guarantees were made to you as result of this investment?
  
  
  In reviewing the calls leading up to your investment, no promises or guarantees about lending, nor provision for a borrowing benefit prior to completion of education,were tendered to you and the Compliance call and the Fulfillment Training Agreement indicate you agreed to these specifications.
  
  
  Despite the fact that your previous application for a loan did not meet the required criteria for the event graduate borrowing benefits because you had not yet attended your program, we are anxious to fulfill the educational events to which you invested and help you move forward with real estate investments with the borrowing benefits. Please call our ************************* to reschedule your *** Inner Circle event and move forward with you real estate investing. ************
  Tell us why here...

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/31/2022

   
  Complaint: 17697775
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  I was told by the rep that I would only need the $25k for the down payment and then I was told I would need an additional $56k after the 3 days. The rep told me that he didn't know why they would say that. He also told me that I would be able to get this particular deal if I signed up. Then, I couldn't get a hold of him or the other rep for 3 days. It's all in the recorded calls. I specifically told the rep if I couldn't get this deal, I didn't want to go through with it. He had they would help and even help to extend the closing. I'm truly unhappy with this as I thought this was an upstanding company. It left a bad taste in my mouth. I have reached out several times and the calls are all recorded. No one ever gets back with me. I'll not recommend them to anyone. I would like my refund as this was not how it was told to me. I have texts from the same rep.  

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