Complain about a product or service

Enlightened Wealth Institute

Mary of Chicago, IL January 20, 2010

In 2007 my partner and I attended the Robert A. Free Workshop. Having a little extra money we decided to get into real estate - we purchased everything Robert A. had to sell, books software, etc. While trying to establish our business the we were contacted by Enlightened Wealth Institute (EWI) workshops and bootcamps. We told John B. we were not interested in spending another 10,000 because by this time we had invested approximately 40,000 into what we were told was "our education".

Mr B. was persistent and called regularly - each time we said no until he promised our money back by the EWI if we did not make back the cost of the training. Needless to say, we didn't make a penny. When we tried to get a refund we were pushed through so many hoops. Although we did exactly as requested EWI makes it virtually impossible to get a refund.

While in a workshop in Detroit MI we were sold on doing rehabbing out that way. EWI strongly recommends using specific companies for financing the rehab work. And although you are taught by EWI if you set up your company in a LLC you will not be personally responsible. This is not true. We used a company recommended by EWI - Brookview Financial to finance the rehab work. Because they were recommended by EWI we felt it was a safe way to go.

After all is said and done we felt we were brainwashed by EWI into thinking what they were teaching us was accurate and legal. Nothing could be farther from the true. We had one lady that worked for IRS tell us that the advice they are giving on taxes in inaccurate and should not be followed. We purchased five houses with our own money and hired Brookview Financial to finance the rehab work.

After the work was completed we were not able to sell or rent out the houses and because of this we were not able to pay Brookview Financial back the money used to finance the houses. We are currently being sued by Brookview Financial for 198,000.00 and have to file for bankruptcy. Brookview Financial now own the houses they paid to rehab and still wants this additional money.

Because EWI recommended this company we trusted them without realizing Brookview makes you sign a secured loan statement. EWI said if you set up a LLC you are not held personally responsible for the companies finances if there is a problem. Since Brookview only issues secured loans (something we were not aware of at that time)we feel we were misled by EWI into using this company.

Nick of Washington, DC December 18, 2009

For those of you considering signing up for any of the Robert Allen sponsored Enlightened Wealth Institute (EWI) "training" seminar series - either the Silver (19,000) or the Platinum (35,000), do yourselves a favor and invest in something that actually is meaningful to you, just not this waste of time and money. The real estate (or get rich on the Internet) plays that EWI peddles is nothing that cannot be found on thorough Web searches for FREE.

Below is a portion of the actual email thread (names deleted) from earlier this month between me and EWI's financing arm, Conrad Acceptance. It is UNEDITED and VERY REAL. If you choose to do business with a mafia operation like this, you have been forewarned: "Dear CUSTOMER: As I have explained to you several times, you have signed your contract. Whether you choose to use the program or not is your decision, but the amount on the contract has to be paid. Due to this contractual obligation I would recommend using the program since you will have to pay for it. But again, it is your decision.

"Conrad has already started you on terms, so I cannot extend them again; so your November payment is due and on the 12th of December that payment is due as well. Please give us a call when you are ready to make that payment. Thank you, CONRAD ACCEPTANCE"

"Dear CONRAD: I'd like to make this simple for everyone involved. Neither my sister, NAME, nor I intend to attend any other bootcamps or otherwise use any of the resources of EWI, including field training. We attended 2 bootcamps and have decided after careful deliberation that this program is not what we expected or of which can make the best use.

"I am asking very simply for us to be released from further obligation. How in good conscience can your organizations hold us accountable for a contract, signed without the benefit of careful review, when the client won't be using any of the resources of the supplier? I understand the nuances of contract law, but isn't part of your business to be sensitive to customer service? We've already paid a great deal to EWI, so what benefit is there to continually pushing us to fulfill an obligation that is totally against our grain? I doubt any of you would appreciate being forced to pay many thousands of dollars for something you're not using. And you would let the vendor know about it. Please advise, thank you - MY NAME"

If after reading this actual email exchange you feel like you would want to dance with this devil, then you very likely may wind up having the same conversation I'm having with them. And as you can see, I am far from alone in conflicting with their agenda. Greed has an ugly face. Do yourself a major favor and spare yourself this aggravation. Operations like these prey on people who feel that all the solutions to their financial problems are based in programs like this. WRONG! Look within, and all the answers are there. They have not responded to my request for release from this obligation.

Nancy of Grand Prairie, TX October 14, 2009

I went to a free 3 day seminar and was sold on getting into real estate. I was promised I would make 20,000 in 90 days with one deal and after that I could make 5 deals a week (earning a min. of 20K each deal). I was told that it would be okay if my husband doesn't want to be a part of this. My total due was 36,000. I paid 10,000 down. I have since learned that I cannot attend classes without my husband and that all classes were out of state. I can't afford to go anyway.

This started the first week of Aug. All I get is being hounded for more money to pay them -they charged my credit card 10,000 for software that I never received and one on one training with I have not received. Still I have not made one penny. This is the biggest scam I have ever seen! They use the fact that they are Mormon, God and helping people and giving back and I fell prey! After a lifetime of perfect credit - I am now filing bankruptcy. I have been turned down for 2 job opportunities because of my credit thanks to EWI.

Bonnie of Lake Elsinore, CA September 4, 2009

At a free seminar we were talked into cashing out our 401k and buyout to pay for classes that we were told would make us millioners within a year. We had just lost our jobs of 32 years. R. Allen and the Enlightened Wealth Institute team put on a very good show to get you to spend all your money or max out your credit cards with promisses of a great way to make money helping other people and providing for your own family. We went to 4 classes and were not able to finish the last 3 because they were out of state and we ran out of money.

We were not able to buy any houses with no money down or no credit like they teach. No one in any of the classes had been able to either. They said we did not need a job or money to buy a house. They only teach you how to cheat someone out of their home. They turned us over to collections for the rest of the classes.

We are still unemployed, we wasted our buyout and 401k on worthless classes and have received an eviction notice. EWI says they give back to help people after they make their millions. But they make their millions by cheating poor people who are desparate to feed their family and want an honest job. If they gave back, they would not send us to collections and further ruin our credit, when we run out of money for their over priced worthless classes.

If they were honest they would just cancel the rest of the classes when we were unable to pay more. R. Allen preaches God and giving back to the poor to get you to trust him, so he can rip you off for every cent he can. We no longer have a retirement account. We are being evicted because we can't pay our rent. Our car and truck were repossed. We spent almost 20,000 for classes that were supposed to provide us with means to support our family.

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