Number looked strange as it came up with country code first so (0119723317540 on call display) but I answered it politely and he said "Hello XXXX" (my bosses name). I said, sorry but XXXX wouldn't be in the office today" and he paused and then asked if I was one of the owners. Now I was quite suspicious and said sorry, but I was not and what was this in regards to. He grumpily re-emphasized XXXX so I hung up. If he couldn't figure out the first time that he really wasn't going to get an audience with the boss, pulling attitude wasn't going to get him anything but hung up on. Glad to find out he was nothing more than a jerk cold caller.
The man asked to speak to the owner, person incharge, spouse, mother, father or even the dog would be fine. Needless to say, I hung up. This number rang back an hour later and I let the message machine pick up and a message wasn't left. When I entered the number on 411.com it gives alot of listings but the number doesn't match.
The whole thing is a SCAM. They want you to think that they have investors who are willing to buy your business and then turn around and ask you for $10k upfront for an appraisal. They make you feel like if you don't do it now, you will lose this opportunity. It's a scam to get your money upfront and you will never hear from them again. Research it.
Please let me clarify this whole matter. This company is not a scam. I've been working with this "group" (IAG, International Acquisition Group, LLC) for 5 1/2 years as an independent contractor. IAG was actually formed fall of 2009 by acquiring other firms in the Mergers and Acquisition industry, of which I was a part of. They advertise in print (USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Forbes Magazine, etc) and on the Internet (businessesforsale.com, bizquest.com, bizbuysell.com) looking for individuals, investors (Private Investment Groups, Private Equity Groups and Private Investors), and Foreign and Domestic Corporations looking to invest or to purchase an existing privately held company through a liquidity event. They start with the buyer/investor. Through their buyer registration process it is determined what type of business, price range and location the buyers/investors are looking for. Through their buyer registration it is determined what qualifications the buyer has, e.g., cash for down payment, back ground knowledge or skills they possess in their requested business type. Does the buyer need financial assistance for the purchase? IAG then begins a search for matching businesses. They obtain information from Dun & Bradstreet for this business search. Unfortunately, the information provided through Dun & Bradstreet isn't 100% accurate. And in the search for business owners that may want to sell, IAG sometimes is asking for an owners name that doesn't exist.
Since an owners decision to sell their company should be maintained in privacy, IAG can not tell an employee who answers the phone, "the reason why we are calling is to talk to your boss about selling the company, please put him on the line." IAG maintains complete confidentiality for the business owner.
Are there fees involved? Yes, IAG provides their client an Independent Certified Business Valuation, Confidential Business Review and a Comprehensive Business Plan for the owner of the business. These Documents are prepare by outside companies and are used by Buyers/Investors, Sellers, Lenders for the Buyers, and the Courts. They are a necessary part of the seller/buyer process. They are ordered and prepared in the beginning steps of the selling process to be ready for those that need them, so they are paid for at the beginning sales process, and at a cost of about 1/3 what it would normally cost without IAG's involvement.
There is no excuse for bad phone behavior. If you experience bad behavior from any of IAG's employees, IAG would like to know. No company is perfect. IAG has a lot of good employees that work hard for their clients, and they, too, would not like to have their reputation marred be people out of control. If you experience bad behavior from an IAG employee, please call 877-497-0693, and ask for Ellen Lalli.
No legitimate M&A company does cold calling. None. Not yours not anyone. No exceptions.
Only scammers operating in this space do cold calling.
And when sites like this make it hard to trick victims out of money on the phone, they send their scammers here to try to make it seem legitimate. FAIL.