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RickJ · Oct 26, 2006, 02:21 PM

1. I am not representing AskMeHelpDesk in any way.
2. I'm just a curious and nosy fella myself
3. I called Theous and asked for Sarah Williams
4. A guy hesitated just a moment past what I was comfortable with - then said "hold on please", then
5. A gal with a very heavy asian accent came on the line and said "May I help you?"
6. I hung up.

This is not an effort to discredit the company in any way - or to claim that this experience means anything at all. I am just sharing my experience with y'all :)

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 08:44 AM

THEOUS IS A SCAM!

Contact The Internet Crimes Division of the FBI. THEOUS, INFINOLOGY, ALBERT PALOMO are being investigated.

Indeed, these are talented people at Theous; talented at deception and ripping people off.

They took my money, did not deliver the product, and never did refund my money as promised.

There address in Los Angeles is a false-front.

Also, keep an eye out for Trade-Pals. Albert Palomo is somehow affiliated with them too.

ANOTHER POSSIBLE SCAM SITE: BEWARE

http://www.trade-pals.com/business-p...ther-1534.html

RickJ · Nov 1, 2006, 08:48 AM

Being investigated by the FBI? Where is this found?

You pretty much posted this same thing awhile back in this thread... is there new info to add?

I say this only to point out that we are certainly interested in sharing information and experiences, but don't want to be just a bulletin board to bash people or companies.

Has anyone complained to the California Attorney General about these folks? And I'm still eager to see if the BBB might take complaints of them more seriously if it were pointed out to them that Theos is falsly advertising their rating... so seemingly therefore misusing BBB's logo.

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 08:56 AM

THEOUS IS A SCAM.

Again, read my post: "Contact the FBI Internet Crimes Division"

Inquire, Inquire, Inquire!

http://www.ic3.gov/contact/

RickJ · Nov 1, 2006, 09:29 AM

Did you post the correct link? It does not tell us that the company or owner is being investigated by the FBI.

Don't get me wrong here, I'm not disagreeing with your claim: I do personally agree that it's a scam to say "best rated" with the BBB and be rated F... or take peoples money and not give them what they paid for... but an investigation by the FBI is another matter altogether.

Fr_Chuck · Nov 1, 2006, 10:51 AM

I would say the answer should be in what they will do.

Our one poster said they paid money and never received anything, so I think the company rep should tell us the date the refund will be made to this customer. ( assuming all this is real)

And honestly even I have a company and a church email address, I don't use them on here but even the most basic company should have their own email address. I most likley have 4 or 5 ( too many for me personally_

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 12:27 PM

Originally Posted by Fr_Chuck

I would say the answer should be in what they will do.

Our one poster said they paid money and never recieved anything, so I think the company rep should tell us the date the refund will be made to this customer. ( assuming all this is real)

And honestly even I have a company and a church email address, I don't use them on here but even the most basic company should have thier own email address. I most likley have 4 or 5 ( too many for me personally_

Thank you Father. Absolutely! Theous has not made good on their word that I would be refunded.

I would appreciate it if this guy Rick would stop down-playing all of this. Clearly, Theous.com, Infinology, and Sophea.com are a scam. It is all too obvious, especially to the many victims.

For me, it's not a matter of getting my money back anymore. I am confident in that I will not be getting my money back from Theous. However, my mission is to do whatever I can to help the U.S. Government bring them to their knees and shut them down.

NeedKarma · Nov 1, 2006, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by DieselDude

However, my mission is to do whatever I can to help the U.S. Government bring them to their knees and shut them down.

So what are you doing?

P.S. it's never a good idea to piss off the moderators of a website.

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by DieselDude

THEOUS IS A SCAM.

Again, read my post: "Contact the FBI Internet Crimes Division"

Inquire, Inquire, Inquire!

http://www.ic3.gov/contact/

Rick,

1) Go To The Link. http://www.ic3.gov/contact/

2) Click on the Contact Us Tab.

3) You Can Eiither Call Them, or Send Them An E-Mail Inquiry.

The process is really not all that difficult.

RickJ · Nov 1, 2006, 12:34 PM

Hey, I'm on your side, really! :D

Yes, taking money and not delivering is a scam, and
Yes, falsifying a BBB rating is a scam.

I was only asking you to say where and how it can be verified that they are being investigated by the FBI.

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 12:34 PM

P.S. it's never a good idea to piss off the moderators of a website.[/QUOTE]

Why, is it because they can't handle the truth?

Originally Posted by RickJ

Hey, I'm on your side, really! :D

Yes, taking money and not delivering is a scam, and
yes, falsifying a BBB rating is a scam.

I was only asking you to say where and how it can be verified that they are being investigated by the FBI.

Alrighty then. No problem.

[QUOTE=NeedKarma]So what are you doing?

1) I am in close communication with 11 individuals that have been victimized by this scam.

2) I am working with the LA Better Business Bureau to make sure that all communications and transactions are documented regarding the Scammers.

3) I am working with the FBI Internet Crimes Division by providing them as much information as possible, (Correspondence, TraceRoute Info, etc.)

4) I am working with the Federal Trade Commission, which referred me to the FBI Internet Crimes Division. The FTC is also monitoring this situation.

I am not the only person doing all of this, and those eleven people that I mentioned are not the only ones pursuing this.

ScottGem · Nov 1, 2006, 12:49 PM

Originally Posted by DieselDude

Why, is it because they can't handle the truth?

The issue is not handling the truth, but seeing it. You have made a statement that the FBI is investigating this company. When asked to back up that statement your response is basically "ask them yourself" and you provide a link to do so. The point Rick was making here is that, you are not answering the question.

I don't think anyone here believes this company is legitimate. Their forgery of the BBB site makes that obvious. But if you make a statement you should be able to back it up with more than go ask them yourself.

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 12:55 PM

Originally Posted by ScottGem

The issue is not handling the truth, but seeing it. You have made a statement that the FBI is investigating this company. When asked to back up that statement your response is basically "ask them yourself" and you provide a link to do so. The point Rick was making here is that, you are not answering the question.

I don't think anyone here believes this company is legitimate. Their forgery of the BBB site makes that obvious. But if you make a statement you should be able to back it up with more than go ask them yourself.

Would it help if I provided you all with every piece of E-mail correspondence that I have? Just give me the go-ahead.

ScottGem · Nov 1, 2006, 01:01 PM

That is not necessary. The text of one e-mail that backs up what you have said would be sufficient. Or if one e-mail doesn't do it, then maybe some isolated quotes will do a better job. Something along the lines of:

I received an e-mail from Agent John Hardesty of the FBI stating that the company had been under investigation for fraud since 2005. A case against them is pending.

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 01:02 PM

"I don't think anyone here believes this company is legitimate. Their forgery of the BBB site makes that obvious. But if you make a statement you should be able to back it up with more than go ask them yourself.[/QUOTE]"

That's all I hope to achieve here; to make it as obvious as possible.
I don't have access to the FBI's servers. Common sense should tell you that if I am in communication with the FBI, that for you to find out whether they are being investigated, you shoud contact them to hear it from them. I am not an FBI spokesman. I simply provided a way for you to contact them and inquire.

The reason that I know they are investigating this, is because I was contacted and told so by them. If that's not good enough, then yes, contact them yourself and inquire.

RickJ · Nov 1, 2006, 01:09 PM

I think I see the issue here. You've reported them to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, "an FBI - NW3C Partnership"... so presume that they are being investigated by the FBI.

Hopefully they really are

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by RickJ

I think I see the issue here. You've reported them to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, "an FBI - NW3C Partnership"...so presume that they are being investigated by the FBI.

Hopefully they really are

Almost. But then again, I have actually verbally spoken with someone.

RickJ · Nov 1, 2006, 01:35 PM

I like to see justice done. I've just emailed Mary Lou Diaz, Director of Consumer Services of the LA office of the BBB that this company is falsely advertising their BBB rating ;)

DieselDude · Nov 1, 2006, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by RickJ

I like to see justice done. I've just emailed Mary Lou Diaz, Director of Consumer Services of the LA office of the BBB that this company is falsely advertising their BBB rating ;)

Absolutely. That's all I want too. I only lost $165 to them, yet there are some folks that have lost a lot more than $165 to Theous.com, Sophea.com and Infinology. Even though I was a victim, my fight is genuinely for those folks that have been greatly taken advantage of.

I research Theous.com, Sophea.com.net, and Infinology every single day. I do whatever I can to follow their trail. I am just waiting for their Web Site to be shut down; in the meantime, I'll bet that they are probably scheming up some other fraudulent plan to create emotional distress on their future victims.

RickJ · Nov 2, 2006, 03:52 AM

Response is back from my email to BBB:

Originally Posted by Better Business Bureau

Mr. J*,

Thank you for letting us know of this company's misrepresentations regarding
their BBB report. We are aware of their misuse of our name and have referred
the matter to our legal department for further recourse. The company's
rating takes into consideration the misuse of our name and logo.

Sincerely,

Alicia Robertson

Assistant Director of Trade Practice