Position Gurus, LLC
The FTC alleged that Position Gurus and its co-defendants used deceptive sales claims to sell marketing services to people starting online retail businesses. Settlements barred business coaching sales and required the defendants to surrender at least $1.2 million.
Resolved. Refunded, settled, ceased operating, or the claim did not hold up. Kept for the record.
Identity
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- Registrations
- FTC v. Position Gurus, LLC (FTC case 182-3110, 2020)
- Jurisdictions
- United States (federal)
Settlements barred deceptive online business coaching sales
The FTC alleged that Position Gurus, LLC, Top Shelf Ecommerce, LLC, and their owners targeted people who wanted to start online retail businesses. According to the complaint, the defendants bought contact information from other online business coaching operations, then used high pressure calls to sell marketing products and services. They allegedly claimed that the services would bring customers to new online stores and sharply increase sales and earnings.
The complaint also alleged that the defendants sometimes claimed an association with coaching companies that consumers had previously used. They sought detailed financial information under the guise of deciding whether consumers qualified, then allegedly used it to determine what they could charge. Consumers were pressured to pay thousands of dollars, often with credit cards. The FTC said the products and services frequently did not produce the promised sales or earnings, and that contract terms restricted negative reviews and complaints.
The settlements prohibit the defendants from marketing or selling business coaching services and from misleading consumers when selling goods or services or seeking financial information. The release says the defendants were required to surrender at least $1.2 million in money and assets. In August 2021, the FTC reported sending more than $1.5 million in checks to more than 3,000 consumers.
What is not established
The documents describe the conduct as FTC allegations and do not state that the defendants admitted them.
Sources
Every claim above rests on one of these. Open them and check.
- Enforcement action May 13, 2020
- Enforcement action August 2, 2021
- Enforcement action August 2, 2021
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First recorded May 13, 2020 · Last updated August 2, 2021