I read the Conquest Financial Services RipOffReport.Com allegations about Jeremy Murray below, from April, 2012, and, if they are true, this absolutely should make anyone upset!
These are the allegations in that RipOffReport:
"Conquest Financial Services Jeremy Murray Beware doing business with Conquest Financial Services. From their salesman, to the owners will never be there for you after you sign up a contract that's designed to completely rip you off. Totonto, Ontario Canada
Submitted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Posted: Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Reported By: Emma — Etobicoke Ontario Canada
Conquest Financial Services
326 Adelaide St. West, Suite 400, Totonto Ontario M9C 4X1 Canada
Conquest Financial Services was represented to me by Paul Murton as a sales agent. Once the terminal was installed and I had problems with it, he's gone! I would call their office and he no longer works there. Whenever I called their office for questions about billings and problems with my terminal, I never got any proper support. Once I got through (after many attempts) their tech guy Farouk for help, he came to my house and I had to give him $30 just so I could get my terminal running again. To top it all, you will be billed by 2 other companies that are based in US!
I can't remember the number of times they put me on hold only to be cut off for reasons only they know. All they do is charge your account without invoice, no explanation and you are left in the dark as to what they are for. They are defensive and rude and you will be shocked at how these people suck you dry. Cancellation fee is $700 and I am stuck with a terminal that they said they can't repair because it will be just as expensive than getting a new one. They said I can't have it repaired because that will mean I have tampered with the machine! Where do I turn then.
Now the terminal does not work and I owe another $1700 to Northern Leasing Company that's based in US, that these leeches are working with to scam people. Yes, CONQUEST financed my terminal through a company based in US with a Canadian address in its letterhead. Be forewarned and never come close to these company or you will find that these sharks are still very much a part of this society. I just hope that they meet their karma soon!"
http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-fraud/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-je-6000b.htm
Then I read all of the RipOffReport alleged scam and alleged fraud pages on Jeremy Murray and Conquest Financial Services on the RipOffReport.com site at http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-processing-companies/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-je-c8cb3.htm and got really, really disgusted!
Then I read the ScamInformer.Com allegations mentioning Michael Shvartsman, the Russian Mafia, Admeris Payment Systems, jeremy Murray, Conquest Financial, Fraud And Organized Crime etc. at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html - the same 'Fraud and Organized Crime' allegations appear on the RipoffReport.com site under the heading 'Conquest Financial Services Jeremy Murray SCAM ARTIST, WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE Toronto, Ontario Fraud and Organized Crime' at http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-processing-companies/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-je-c8cb3.htm - and I was astonished!
Then I read the allegations from Conquest Financial Services 'ex-employees' - "Conquest Financial Scam Misleading claims, horrible customer service & cancellation fee Toronto Ontario - I was not a client but am actually an ex-employee who left Conquest Financial within the past few months (because I realized exactly how bad I was scamming clients), I reveal everything they are trying to hide from you..." at http://www.ripoffreport.com/financial-services/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-scam-mislea-nd6dn.htm AND "they are a scam. I used to work there myself and found this blog post here - http://conquest-financial-scam.blogspot.com/ . That accurately describes how they scam their customers. With regards to how they treat you as an employee, they will save you should be making at least $500 a week, however most only make $200-$300 a week - and these are the openers that are good enough to stay. Some would actually be making $0 a week if they stayed. They also treat your paycheck like a loss of profit for them and it's a hassle to get paid. Never work at conquest financial" at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/conquest-financial-services-scam-736019/ and felt sick again!
Then I re-read again the first part of "Fraud and Organized Crime How is it that people suspected of having ties to Organized Crime are able to start up a Business that is involved with the collection of Credit Card Transactions and Money Lending. The Shvartsman Family from Toronto Ontario, Klara, Michael and Gerald, owners of the long deceased million dollar nightclub in the West Edmonton Mall known as KAOS, were accused of having ties to the Russian Mafia by the Edmonton Police Services. This action along with the police warning people to not go to this nightclub for safety reasons resulted in the Shvartsman’s closing the bar in the late 1990’s. Law Suits followed and The Shvartsman family left Edmonton, to return to Toronto and also set up roots in Boynton Beach Florida..." at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html
Then I read the posting by 'Boynton Beach' above: "I've been reading the allegations in the ScamInformer.Com report 'Fraud and Organized Crime' at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html with interest.
Russian Mafia allegations? Boynton Beach, Florida?
Hmmm....!
This is from a June 1, 2011, story in the Palm Beach Post, Florida, headlined 'Russian Mob Influence Growing In South Florida, FBI Says'
"Authorities say the case is a sign of the mob from the former Soviet Union reaching deeper into South Florida to commit "any type of fraud you can think of," said Brodsky, in charge of the Miami FBI's organized crime squad. Their stocks in trade: credit card fraud, cybercrime, human trafficking, prostitution, drugs, extortion and arms smuggling."
See http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/news/russia ... rida-f-1/nLssD/
'Credit card fraud'?
If this ScamInformer report's 'Russian Mafia' allegations are founded in fact, this may be relevant or it may be not...."
Seeing these 'Russian Mafia' and 'credit card fraud' allegations, for some reason all I could think of in relation to the opportunities offered by credit card fraud as against credit card processing, without making any specific, express or implied scamming allegations about Ameris Payment Systems or Conquest Financial Services myself, was that famous quote from Teddy Roosevelt: "The uneducated man robs the train. The educated man steals the railroad."! That shrewd quote may be relevant here or it may not be.
Now I don't know if the allegations previously mentioned above are true or not, but there do seem to be a lot of them and they certainly do seem to raise some very unsavory questions.
According to another post above by 'Going Global' in reference to the alleged scamming by Conquest Financial, Toronto, Conquest Financial Services are now seeking "top sales superstars with a hunter mentality to develop new business opportunities globally".
Conquest Financial Services, Toronto, with a string of RipOffReport.Com scam allegations, is now going GLOBAL???
I'm amazed at all of these RipOffReport.Com scamming allegations reports on Conquest Financial Services, Toronto!
One RipOffReport on Conquest Financial alleges "Conquest Financial" and "scam"; another alleges "Conquest Financial Services" and "scamming companies", and then alleges "We all know already about the SCAMS by Conquest Financial Services"; another alleges "Conquest Financial Services Jeremy Murray Beware doing business with Conquest Financial Services" and then alleges "a contract that's designed to completely rip you off." and includes the allegation "Credit Card Fraud: Conquest Financial Services"; yet another RipOffReport alleges "Conquest Financial Services BEWARE!!!Ripped off and scammed by a company who I thought would help." to which allegations are added a Comment confirming the "Location of Conquest Financial Services" (in 'Toronto, Ont, Canada') and a general Comment and allegations "Confirming that Conquest is a big rip off!"; with yet a further RipOffReport alleging "Conquest Financial Scam Misleading claims, horrible customer service & cancellation fee Toronto Ontario" with additional allegations below headed "UPDATE Author: toronto Ontario Financial Services: Conquest Financial Scam"; then we get the RipOffReport allegations headed "Conquest Financial Services, Admeris Payment Systems & Jeremy Murray- SCAMS and FRAUD Michael Shvartsman SCAMMING COMPANIES TO, ANYTHING TO GET THEIR HANDS ON INNOCENT PEOPLES CREDIT CARD INFORMATION Internet Author: TORONTO Ontario Credit Card Processing Companies: Conquest Financial Services"; and then these Ripoffreport allegations headed "Conquest-Financial-Services NLS LEASING, Northern Leasing System SCAM ARTISTS, THIEVES, DOWN RIGHT CROOKS Toronto, Ontario Author: Renfrew Ontario Sales People: Conquest-Financial-Services."
All these RipOffReports on Conquest Financial Services, Toronto, alleging scamming, fraud, rip off etc. are at RipOffreport.Com. You can find an index of RipOffReport alleged scam and alleged fraud pages on Jeremy Murray and Conquest Financial Services on the RipOffReport.com site at http://www.ripoffreport.com/directory/Conquest-Financial-Services.aspx
Now add to those RipOffReport.Com scamming, fraud and rip-off allegations about Conquest Financial Services the additional postings by alleged Conquest Financial services 'ex-employees', including the allegations in this "Thread: Conquest Financial Services... Scam?", on RedFlagDeals at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/conquest-financial-services-scam-736019/ and the Conquest Financial alleged scam report on RipoffReports.Com ("Conquest Financial Scam Misleading claims, horrible customer service & cancellation fee Toronto Ontario" at http://www.ripoffreport.com/financial-services/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-scam-mislea-nd6dn.htm
Then we see Conquest Financial Services mentioned among the ScamInformer.Com allegations titled "Fraud And Organized Crime", which mentions Jeremy Murray, Michael Shvartsman, Admeris Payment Systems, Conquest Financial Services etc, on Scaminformer.Com at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html
Who is Jeremy Murray, the alleged Conquest Financial Services 'scam artist', who features so prominently in the RipOffReport report allegations of 'scamming, 'fraud', 'rip off' regarding Conquest Finanial services?
Perhaps we should ask that question of the person who posted the allegations below about Conquest Financial Services, Toronto, as a Comment under another Report on RipOffReport.Com?
"NLS LEASING SCAM
AUTHOR: agent99 - TORONTO (Canada)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, February 19, 2011
We to were scammed by a different Merchant Services Company Known as CONQUEST FINANCIAL SERVICES, out of Toronto. It seems all these Merchant Services Companies are just THE SCUM OF THE EARTH. Conquest Financial Services now deny any responsibility and say our lease is with NLS LEASING, also know as MBF Leasing, Northern Leasing Systems, Lease Finance Group and Golden Eagle Leasing. The person at CONQUST FINANCIL SERVICES is JEREMY MURRAY, but he is just the goffer boy, the owner is MICHAEL SHVARTSMAN.
They scammed us with an Merchant Application that Included a Contract with NLS LEASING. They ripped us off for HUNDREDS of dollars in a very short period of time.. We had to close our Business Account and we are still receiving Invoices and phone calls from NLS LEASING. Research NLS LEASING at complaints.com and you will see the mess you can get in to with these CROOKS.
I don't know what is happening to you now, but I know we are in a real mess, trying to run a business and dealing with these THIEVES at the same time."
http://www.ripoffreport.com/miscellaneous-electronics/msi-canada/msi-canada-nls-leasing-decept-378d7.htm
If you want to see these Conquest Financial Services, Toronto, 'scam', 'fraud' or 'rip off' allegations for yourself, here are the RipoffReport.Com links for allegations about Conquest Financial Services:
http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-fraud/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-je-6000b.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/financial-services/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-b-eb3db.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/financial-services/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-scam-mislea-nd6dn.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-processing-companies/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-a-47dff.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-processing-companies/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-je-c8cb3.htm http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-processing-companies/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-je-c8cb3.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/loans/aci-financial/aci-financial-conquest-financ-fmm3f.htm
http://www.ripoffreport.com/financial-services/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-scam-mislea-nd6dn.htm (see Comment below this allegations posting)
http://www.ripoffreport.com/miscellaneous-electronics/msi-canada/msi-canada-nls-leasing-decept-378d7.htm (see Comment below this allegations posting)
And Conquest Financial Services, is also mentioned in these 'Fraud and Organized Crime' allegations on ScamInformer.Com
http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html
I've read this thread referring to 'Conquest Financial Services', 'fraud', 'scam', 'Jeremy Murray', 'Russian Mafia', 'Admeris Payment Systems', 'Michael Shvartsman' with more than passing interest.
You asked about 'Merchant Cash Advances' as againt 'loans' and the equivalent APR if a 'merchant cash advance' was actually treated as a 'loan'?
Okay, here is how 'Merchant Cash Advances' or 'Merchant Funding' (AKA 'Credit Card Receivable Factoring'), as offered by the RipOffReport.Com-alleged 'scammers' at Conquest Financial Services in Toronto, appear to work.
Like another a contributor to this thread further up, I'm reproducing the selected quotes below under 'Fair Use' provisions and for educational purposes.
And, as another contributor said, I am not making any express or implied allegations myself against Conquest Financial Serices, Jeremy Murray or Michael Shvartsman with this posting; I'm just passing on the results of my own research for your information and consideration.
About three years ago, the Financial Post Magazine of Toronto ran an article entitled 'Have We Got Money For You!' It begins by describing a businessman who took a $25,000 merchant cash advance from Conquest Financial Services which he figured he could pay off in around four months. This merchant cash advance cost him a "hefty additional fee of $6,000".
The article goes on to say that "A typical merchant cash-advance fee would work out to an annual interest rate of around 70% if it was considered a loan, although providers are careful to differentiate their products to avoid usury laws. Instead, the merchant is considered to be selling their future credit and debit income at a discount. The merchant doesn’t pay interest, but is charged a fixed fee." and later adds "...the failure of the business doesn’t necessarily let the owner off the hook — Abbey says the merchant cash providers often try to move in on the business owner’s other assets".
This article includes a quote from Michael Shvartsman, referred to as "Conquest Financial Services’ 38-year-old founder and owner", who is also mentioned in a RipoffReports.Com 'scam' allegation at http://www.ripoffreport.com/credit-card-processing-companies/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-services-a-47dff.htm.
The Financial Post Magazine article reveals that: "Typically, a merchant cash provider advances a business owner 50% to 100% of their monthly credit- and debit-card income. Each day, a percentage of the credit- and debit-card sales — up to 25% — is diverted to the merchant cash provider’s account. If the merchant’s sales drop, the amount they pay goes down, extending the payment time without increasing the cost. If the business takes longer to pay the money, the deal becomes less profitable for the merchant cash provider. However, providers have other ways of getting money from their deals, such as making merchants use them for credit- and debit-card processing, which earns the provider an additional fee on each sale."
After reading that article, I found this illuminating paragraph in an online "BusinessWeek", 9 January, 2009, story on small business financing, "How Merchant Cash Advances Work":
"Cash advance providers offer businesses a lump sum payment in exchange for a share of future sales. They mostly target retail, restaurant, and service companies that have strong credit-card sales but don't qualify for loans because they have bad credit or little or no collateral. The catch for takers is how much cash advances cost compared with interest on a loan or credit line. The equivalent interest rates can range from 60% to 200% APR, according to Leonard C. Wright, a San Diego accountant and "Money Doctor" columnist for the American Institute of CPAs. He says that may be acceptable for companies with no other options, but business owners need to treat the advance like a loan and understand what the costs are."
I must say that out of all of the links in this thread, the ones that have shocked and amazed me the most are these:
The 'Fraud and Organized Crime' allegations on ScamInformer.Com
http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html
I don't think, after reading all of these linked items, that I'd personally want to have any business dealings of any kind with Conquest Financial Services, Jeremy Murray, Admeris Payment Systems or Michael Shvartsman. But that's just my own opinion on all of this.
Is Conquest Financial Services, Toronto, just a 'loan shark' for businesses in disguise?
Like you, I've read this thread referring to 'Conquest Financial Services', 'fraud', 'scam', 'Jeremy Murray', 'Admeris Payment Systems', 'Russian Mafia', 'Michael Shvartsman' with more than passing interest, too.
Thanks for posting all of that useful information on 'Merchant Cash Advances', 'Merchant Funding' or 'Credit Card Receivable Factoring' as against 'loans', 'APR' and 'usury laws', together with "A typical merchant cash-advance fee would work out to an annual interest rate of around 70% if it was considered a loan" and "The equivalent interest rates can range from 60% to 200% APR".
In my own opinion, without making any express or implied allegations myself, this fits exactly with the "Loan shark" article in Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_shark), where it says:
"Over time, mob loan sharks moved away from such labor intensive rackets. By the 1960s, the preferred clientele was small and medium sized businesses. Business customers had the advantage of possessing assets that could be seized in case of default, or used to engage in fraud or to launder money." But that's just in my opinion.
Why do I have that opinion?
Because as a result of that statement in the Wikipedia "Loan Shark" article, by mind went straight back to these allegations in the Scaminformer.Com posting, "Fraud and Organized Crime" at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html
"How is it that people suspected of having ties to Organized Crime are able to start up a Business that is involved with the collection of Credit Card Transactions and Money Lending. The Shvartsman Family from Toronto Ontario, Klara, Michael and Gerald, owners of the long deceased million dollar nightclub in the West Edmonton Mall known as KAOS, were accused of having ties to the Russian Mafia by the Edmonton Police Services. This action along with the police warning people to not go to this nightclub for safety reasons resulted in the Shvartsman’s closing the bar in the late 1990’s. Law Suits followed and The Shvartsman family left Edmonton, to return to Toronto and also set up roots in Boynton Beach Florida. In Florida, Klara Shvartsman started up another nightclub known as The Grand. It to was short lived, after approximately 4 months the bar was closed by the police and the city of Boynton Beach..."
That Scaminformer.Com posting goes on to allege that the Shvartsman family then set up Conquest Financial Services in Florida and that "After all the Florida businesses were set up, some active, some not, Michael Shvartsman returned to Toronto to start a Business there called Conquest Financial Services..."
So perhaps you can see why all this makes me think of the Wikipedia "Loan Shark" article.
But, again, that's just my own opinion, right or wrong - I'm not making any allegations of any kind here.
I'm not making any allegations either, but I am really grateful as well to have found this thread referring to 'Conquest Financial Services', 'Eraud', 'Scam', 'Jeremy Murray', 'Admeris Payment Systems', 'Russian Mafia', 'Michael Shvartsman', 'Merchant Cash Advances', 'Merchant Funding' , 'Credit Card Receivable Factoring', 'Loan Shark' and 'Money Lending'.
This may have saved me from making a BIG mistake!
I was particularly intrigued by the question that was posed, "Is Conquest Financial Services, Toronto, just a 'loan shark' in disguise?". I think I've now formed my own opinion on that!
Here's a GREAT article from INC. magazine that's well worth reading:
"Thanks, But No Thanks
Why To Avoid Taking Out A Merchant Cash Advance."
at http://www.inc.com/magazine/20080401/thanks-but-no-thanks.html
It was published in 2008, but its warnings still hold true today, I think!
I read the allegations in that Scaminformer.Com posting, "Fraud and Organized Crime" at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html and that "Loan Shark" article in Wikipedia at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loan_shark and they both really made me shiver!
It's been really helpful for me to read all of these 'scam' allegations about Conquest Financial Services.
Thank you particularly for that RedFlagDeals.Com link to "Thread: Conquest Financial Services... Scam?"
at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/conquest-financial-services-scam-736019/
The last comment and allegation on that "Thread: Conquest Financial Services... Scam?" posting at at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/conquest-financial-services-scam-736019/ definitely helped me to make my own mind up.
I was also very appreciative, as was another poster, of the allegations and warnings from Conquest Financial Services 'ex-employees' - "Conquest Financial Scam Misleading claims, horrible customer service & cancellation fee Toronto Ontario - I was not a client but am actually an ex-employee who left Conquest Financial within the past few months (because I realized exactly how bad I was scamming clients), I reveal everything they are trying to hide from you..." at http://www.ripoffreport.com/financial-services/conquest-financial-s/conquest-financial-scam-mislea-nd6dn.htm as well to "they are a scam. I used to work there myself and found this blog post here - http://conquest-financial-scam.blogspot.com/ . That accurately describes how they scam their customers. With regards to how they treat you as an employee, they will save you should be making at least $500 a week, however most only make $200-$300 a week - and these are the openers that are good enough to stay. Some would actually be making $0 a week if they stayed. They also treat your paycheck like a loss of profit for them and it's a hassle to get paid. Never work at conquest financial" at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/conquest-financial-services-scam-736019/
I think that the RedFlagDeals.Com link, RedFlagDeals.Com link to "Thread: Conquest Financial Services... Scam?" at http://forums.redflagdeals.com/conquest-financial-services-scam-736019/ definitely had the most influence on me, even more than the ScamInformer.Com report 'Fraud and Organized Crime' at http://www.scaminformer.com/scam-report/fraud-and-organized-crime-how-is-it-that-people-suspected-c17189.html
Conquest Financial Services can advertise as much as they want for external sales agents and for inside sales account executives. I won't be applying to them for a job.