Dennis Mason aka Dennis K. Mason, Denis Mason, Dennis Maason, Keith Samuels, Anthony Stewart, Franchise Ventures Inc. Franchises Unlimited Inc., franchise complaints, warnings OR praise and recommendations for Dennis K. Mason are welcome below.
In researching franchise disputes on complaint websites, franchise discussion boards and franchise lawsuit and court records, certain names seem to crop up again and again.
One of those names is that of a long-time, New Jersey – based franchise salesman and broker named Dennis K. Mason. Allegations seem to center around deceptive franchise sales techniques, including the use of illegal earnings claims, to sell high-risk, low-quality franchise opportunities doomed to fail.
We don’t know if these allegations are true or not. We invite your confirmation, rebuttal or opinions below on Dennis Mason or other franchise sales brokers.
Most recently, franchise salesman Dennis Mason was named in a lawsuit from franchisees of New York Bagel Café & Deli. The franchisees claim that Dennis Mason understated the necessary investment costs and provided unrealistic and illegal earnings representations in order to induce them to buy New York Bagel Café & Deli franchise.
According to a story on NorthJersey.com:
The suit says that Dennis Mason told [the franchisees] that “franchised locations were earning $10,000 to $15,000 a week,” but their store earned only $4,200 to $4,900 a week.
New York Bagel provided a franchise disclosure document that said the cost of building a store would be $27,500 to $60,000, and the equipment would cost $22,000 to $38,000, the suit says. But it says the couple has so far spent $230,000 on the business, including $108,000 to build the store, and $55,000 on equipment.
The lawsuit also alleges that the franchise disclosure document used by Mason did not meet the required standards, was intentionally misleading, and did not disclose critical, required information, including Dennis Mason’s prior franchise lawsuit in connection with his sale of Java’s Brewin franchises.
Dennis Mason was named in a lawsuit against Java’s Brewin Development. According to the complaint:
This lawsuit arises from the illicit scheme carried out by Java’s Brewin, Christopher Gregoris, and Dennis Mason, through which they extracted significant sums of money from Plaintiffs by employing fraud and deception to induce Plaintiffs into purchasing Java’s Brewin franchises in the state of New York… during a time that Java’s Brewin was not properly registered to offer or sell franchises within the state of New York…
The lawsuit alleged that Mason used deceptive tactics in the franchise sales process, including selling in New York without the required disclosures, which would have included company financials showing the franchisor’s “bleak” financial condition.
Additionally, the lawsuit alleged that Dennis Mason grossly understated the initial investment cost of building out a franchise location by more than $50,000 in order to close a franchise sale. The suit alleged that services promised by Dennis Mason, such as “expert” site selection assistance was never provided, resulting in numerous stores never getting open.
MerchantCircle.com reviews of Mason’s Franchises Unlimited Inc. (18 Log Rd, Tabernacle, NJ 08088, 609-859-8686) were all negative, alleging that the New York Bagel Café franchise opportunity sold by Mason was a scam.
November 11, 2011 Janet in Millbury, MA wrote:
NEW YORK BAGEL CAFE & DELI
JOE SMITH AND DENNIS MASON CON PEOPLE…THEIR START UP FEES FOR BAGEL FRANCHISE ARE TOO LOW..MANY NEW YORK BAGEL CAFE & DELI RESTAURANTS CLOSED OR ARE CLOSING OR ARE STRUGGLING..BUYER BEWARE
August 12, 2011 David wrote:
DENNIS MASON STIFFED 200 PEOPLE OUT OF MILLIONS DOLLARS
Do not sign any franchise agreement with Dennis Mason or Joe Smith, NY BAGEL CAFE
June 17, 2011 by Sam wrote:
Dennis K. Mason, the owner is a scam artist who leads people to believe they are buying a franchise and he takes a down payment from them and disappears. He works along with a couple of other guys, one named Chris. He claims to sell NY Bagel Cafes, YoFresh Yogurt Cafes, Amazon Cafes and Hoagie stores. DO NOT give this man any money. SCAM ARTIST. He should be convicted and prosecuted.
A coffee website that reviewed a now-closed Java’s Brewin franchise location in Philadelphia contained this warning from Anonymous:
The people who committed this franchise fraud have also fraudulently sold Horn and Hardart franchises, Amazon Cafe franchises, Planet Hoagie franchises and Petrucci’s franchises…they set up these dummy businesses and then take the franchise fees and run. The franchisors are left with a poor product and lots of promises. Beware of Dennis Mason!!!
UnhappyFranchisee.com doesn’t know if these allegations are true or not, so we invite your comments, opinions, experiences, affirmations or rebuttals.
ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH DENNIS MASON & FRANCHISES UNLIMITED, INC.? WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT BELOW.
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Joe Smith and Dennis Mason scammed me out of thousands of dollars. Joe Smith was aware of Dennis's schemes and I on many many occasions sent via certified mail and called Joe Smith and he refused to call me back. Joe Smith ignored me after I gave Joe Smith $25,000.00 dollars. Joe Smith was in on the Scam more than Dennis Mason. Joe Smith is a thief. I signed the franchise agreement with Joe Smith...Why wouldn't he continue to deal with me since I was trying to establish my New York Bagel Deli? I still have a valid franchise agreement with Joe Smith and till this day he continues to refuse to communicate with me. Joe Smith took my money and ran. I have consulted with three attorney's in Massachusetts and they all said I do have a lawsuit but am I willing to spend an additional $25,000.00 in litigation expenses.
Well you may wanna check Chris Gregoris. He is another scam artist that worked with Dennis Mason. I am also looking to get everyone that was scammed by these crooks and file a class action suit against there new businesses and any personal assets they have. All of us victims need to come together and see justice served. I have an attorney that will represent us but I need all the people that had there money taken such as you. Please give the administrator of these web site your information so I can add you to the list.
Whatever Joe Smith said is complete BS. Him and Dennis Mason set my mother up with a few of "their" banks to help us get a loan. My mother called these people over and over and never got a response. Once we had trouble finding a loan, they shut down communication with us. Blocked our emails, wouldn't return our phone calls. YOU KNOW YOU'RE A SCAM ARTIST JOE, JUST ADMIT IT.
I bought into New York Bagel Cafe & Deli. Joe Smith is now New York Bagel Cafe & Deli Corporate. Do not buy a franchise with New York Bagel Cafe & Deli Corporate. Also on Facebook Joe Smith's personal page is Joe Bagels. He has a photo of a sports car that he painted GOLD. I guess that is where my $25,000 thousand dollars went. Also, I talked to alot of people that Dennis Mason scammed through Javin Brew that were from Pennslyvania. I know of one couple from Lancaster that were scammed out of $100,000 dollars from Dennis Mason. I also contacted the New York Bagel Cafe in Westchester, Pa. to warn them. There are about 20 people that have contacted me. Joe Smith scammed at least 25 people that I know of. I will leave my information on the web site. Thanks for adding me to the lawsuit. I don't expect to recover any of my monies. I swallowed the 25K lost and moved on financially but I know of many many people who lost way more than me. Joe Smith is still out their scamming people. I have a question for Joe Smith. If Joe Smith removed himself from Dennis Mason, then why won't he contact me. At least give me back half my money. Because he won't call me tells me that he is still out Scamming innocent people...BEWARE OF JOE SMITH, NEW YORK BAGEL CAFE & DELI CORPORATE.
I was promised a Javas Brewin Franchise. My first point of contact was Dennis Mason then later a fellow name Chris Gregoris. I gave Chris a $34,500 check and after months of the run around they both never returned my calls. There new thing is Yo Fresh Yogurt and Poppin Kettle. I am looking to get my money back and the more victims I can find the better chance there is of getting this resolved.
Please provide a contact number franchise scam as I too need to be involved in that lawsuit
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This forum is growing. I bet there are many victims still out there
Joe Smith can say Mason was an outside broker all he wants.
However Joe Smith is responsible for any agent selling franchises for him.
Joe Smith may want to bone up a bit on franchise law.
So if you were deceived by Mason in buying a NY Bagel Cafe franchise you should sue both Mason and Joe Smith.
And to Joe maybe this franchise thing isn’t for you?
I want to be added to any suit that's being filed as I'm also a victim in their franchise scam.
Well, don't take a chance with your monies. Dennis Mason guaranteed me locations, and quoted, each franchisee owner(s). has a minimum net profit of $12,000 a month. in the first year of opening their location(s). Increasingly, due to Franchise support. ( Highly Unlikely). It appeared, they closed more Franchises then opened.
Apparently, this was not the case. Not only did he mislead, distort and/or fabricate the numbers, the site locations, never materialized.
I notified their real estate broker for a month and a half before a call was returned or acknowledged. Thus, trying to place me in a failing location just to make a commission.
A frustrating and financial disaster, then I placed several calls out to Mr. Chris Gregoris ( CEO) of Java Brewing all he would quote...these things take time!
Wait, your agent, Dennis Mason quoted in front of me and my family there were twelve sites ready to go in my specific geographic locations.. quote,(s). OH! Mr. Dennis Mason must have misunderstood me. Are you kidding me!
At most, their site team of trainers knowledge of food safety and handling were the poorest professional(s) in our time. Then, Mr. Mason, runs straight for Bankruptcy Court after the litigation ladder exploded.
I'm an instructor and Proctor for ServSafe and various National Food Associations so what are you doing? do you TRAINER(S) make this stuff up as you go or what??
Misery, Deception Distortion of facts at its best. Where's the Security and Exchange Commission and the Attorney General???
So, in closing I hope you really needed the money because I did contact other Franchise owner(s). and the experience was not good.
Shame on Prosperity at times. But please send out all your investors the
Company [s] annual revenue chart growth for the past five calendar years. And don't omit the geographic location[s].
Yes indeed, I wish to join the litigation process.