REVIVE ENERGY MINTS Vending Scam Dashes Entrepreneurial Dream
Vending scams and fraudulent business opportunities like Revive Energy Mints vending opportunity can dash the entrepreneurial dreams of individuals of all ages.
Jerry, after a long career as a hotel manager, was hoping to retire when he invested $23,000 into the Revive Energy Mints franchise. (Read: REVIVE ENERGY MINTS Katrina Survivor Devastated by Vending Scam)
Liz, on leave recovering from surgery, was still employed but wanted to supplement her income when she invested her savings of nearly $16,000 (Read: REVIVE ENERGY MINTS Vending Fraud Victim Liz Speaks Out)
Kevin* is a young, ambitious business school graduate who dreamed of owning his own business. Now he’s unemployed, depressed and out $18,250.
[For more information on Revive, check out: REVIVE ENERGY MINTS Vending Scam Information]
Kevin’s Vending Scam Story
In his early 20’s, Kevin’s career was off to a promising start. Shortly after earning his degree in Marketing, Kevin landed a job as a sales rep with one of the nation’s best known companies. He excelled at the job, managing to save nearly $20,000 for his dream of starting and building his own business.
Like others Unhappy Franchisee interviewed, Kevin ran across an enticing ad on the franchise opportunity website FranchiseGator.com. The ad was for a vending opportunity for Revive Energy Mints. It promised continued access to a proprietary energy-boosting product that contained multiple, popular anti-oxidents. It promised branded retail displays and gumball-type vending machines for selling the Revive Energy Mints products. And it promised both initial training and lifetime support and coaching to help ensure the success of the business.
Kevin did his homework, searching extensively online for info on the company. There were no red flags. The company had a positive rating from the Better Business Bureau. It was a member of the International Franchise Association, and had been named distributor opportunity of the year by what looked like a legitimate trade magazine. All of the reviews and articles that showed up on Google were positive.
After multiple phone conversations with the very polished and effective Revive Energy Mints sales representatives, Kevin was hooked. In April, 2011, Kevin became a Revive Energy Mints franchise owner. He sent the company $18,250 for 25 vending machines and a supply of mints. He was so dedicated to making his new Revive Energy Mints business a success, he quit his job so he could focus on the new venture full-time.
Despite the fact that placing machines was nowhere near as easy as the company had said, Kevin got his business off to a decent start. He received his initial training and coaching calls from Paul Haverstick. He got three machines placed, and multiple non-vending retail displays secured. 5 months after sending his initial check, he could no longer reach anyone at the company. Suddenly, he had no way to replenish his vending machines or his retail displays, as the company was his only source of inventory.
He searched the Internet once again and this time found Unhappy Franchisee, and the stories of others who had lost their investments with Revive Energy Mints as well.
He joined up with other abandoned Revive Energy Mints franchisees as part of the Revive Victims Coalition to tell his story and seek justice and restitution (for more info on the RVC email UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com)
Business Opportunity Fraud Takes a Personal Toll
Business opportunity fraud takes a personal, as well as a financial, toll on its victims.
One of Kevin’s motivations for quitting his job and starting his own business was to gain the flexibility to help care for and support his mother, who has severe health problems.
As a result of the trust Kevin put into Revive Energy Mints, he has less flexibility than ever. He now must devote his time to seeking employment that will start as soon as possible. He no longer has the $18,250 he had saved, just a garage full of machines he can’t place because he no longer has access to inventory.
Despite this major setback, Kevin hasn’t given up on the idea of owning his own business some day; he’ll just be more diligent on not rely on a vending or franchise company.
Kevin’s also refusing to go away quietly. The Revive Victims Coalition has documented their stories and complaints, which are being submitted to governmental and law enforcement agencies with the hope of bringing those responsible to justice. If you’ve been the victim of Revive Energy Mints or other business opportunity fraud, email UnhappyFranchisee[at]gmail.com for info on what you can do.
WERE YOU A VICTIM OF REVIVE ENERGY MINTS OR OTHER FRAUDULENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW OR EMAIL US AT UNHAPPYFRANCHISEE[AT]GMAIL.COM.
I bought into it for $10,750 if I remember correctly… I placed 1 machine… I tried to back out of the whole deal several times before i faxed the signed papers and they seemed frustrated with my hesitation. Pushed me to do it RIGHT NOW…I gave in… then tried to back out several times… I can’t sell these machines… I still have everything in boxes except 2 machines. I am currently struggling hard to get by and a major part of my debt was this investment… I’m a grown man I almost want to cry while I type this.
I just received a packet from the Department of Justice in which they want all information and paperwork from the purchase of the franchise so that they can pursue the proper individuals. Did everybody get this? Something is finally being done.
I am petitioning the IFA (International Franchise Association) to hold their franchisor members responsible for acts of fraud, threatening, stealing,lying and creating false documents to terminate their franchisees from their agreements.
Although our franchises may be different most are members of the IFA and the IFA is stealing our rights to due process by helping these franchisors word their contracts in a way that when we sign up to start also forfeits our rights to due process should THEY commit CRIMINAL acts against our franchise.
Please go to the link below and sign my petition. Then download it and post it to your web site so others will know and can sign as well.
http://www.change.org/petitions/veterans-deserve-success-not-matco-tools-franchise-failure?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=friends_wall
Thank You!
Todd A. Peterson
To Jeff Jones:
Jeff, I have not received anything from the Department of Justice . Any idea on how you may have received this ? Good luck to you with this…Don
Jeff, what did you do to receive your packet from the Department of Justice? What does it say? I have not received one, but would encourage anyone else who received one to return it immediately.
Don and others who have not received the packet yet: email unhappy franchisee@gmail.com
I signed up to revive back in 2010 as a sideline to my existing full time role as a CFO for a technology company. My goal was to become independent and own my own business eventually. Having received 25 machines and a ton of mints, I placed 1 machine and sold some retail mints. However I son realized that this was more difficult than expected thus after 3 months or so I concentrated on my full time role and less and less on revive. The boxes and the mints were gathering dust in my basement and after my wife kindly reminded me that space was being taken up with this inventory I decided to do something about it.
I attempted to call Paul Haverstick with no success and subsequently found out that the business had gone belly up. I sold my remaining machines for $500 this week but I still have a ton of mints to sell.
These people should be brought to justice in some form and am interested in pursuing this. Any guidance would be much appreciated.
Regards
Roger Rees
I am another veteran who was scammed by this company. They talked me into the 40 machine deal and the promise they would help me sell Wal-Mart. I had the appointments set up then they backed out and said they couldn’t handle the volume. Selling Wal-Mart was my main reason for buying the franchise. We need to bring these guys down!!!!!! This deal caused me to go bankrupt!!!!
Bob,
You are not alone! I don’t know who to talk to but this has to stop. Evidently some people can get help with franchise fraud but then victims like myself with a wall street corporation involved allows that corporation to get away with the fraud.
Where is my justice? My franchisor committed fraud, lied, threatened, stole and created false documents to have me FALSELY terminated from my franchise.
I have sent emails to ALL government officials and even contacted organizations who might investigate the fraud imposed on my franchise and NOONE will do anything. What is even more disgusting is it is VERY hard to find attorneys who will defend a franchisee who has had CRIMES committed against his franchise. You can have money to hire an attorney and they STILL will not take your case. I understand the frustration of all of those who have been involved in franchise fraud.
Bob,
I have a facebook page titled Veterans Against Matco Franchises I would like it if you would tell your story about your franchise experience even though it was not with Matco. Someone needs to start charting the fraud imposed on franchisees because the FTC, IFA and politicians could care less.
Huh… I just bought a machine for $50 at a flea market, considering I’ve always wanted one just to tinker around with… It came empty, albeit with the loose labels for the product inside, so I did a search to look into it.
I mean for $50 the machine is nice, although I’ll have trouble finding something I can sell for 50 cents instead of 1 quarter a pop.
Moral of the story? Now I feel bad, considering this machine probably has a sad tale of a ruined investor behind it, who probably paid a lot more than $50 for this..