A young friendly black women knocked on my door claiming to sell magazines and also asking for donations to provide magazines to inner city children. I even fed this girl a sandwich at my kitchen table when she claimed to be hungry after walking the area all day. Well, $152 and 6 months later, still no magazines and no means of contacting this organization.
I will not be duped like this again.
Company Business Name: Seedtime Publications
Country of complaint: United States
Address: New Jersey
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I had the same experience. I will be filing a complaint with the SC better business bureau. Was completely scammed by this ### of the earth organization. Consider yourselves warned... stay away from SEEDTIME PUBLICATIONS, a total sham!
This also happen to me in Grand Rapids Michigan, I talked to this guy for a while he told me how good i had it and bamm, check I wrote I just now searched seedtime and noticed all the complaints.
Wont happen again.
Beware of this scam by Seedtime. I purchased $160.00 from two polite young ladies that were good salespeople six months ago. They even spoke to my daughter about how difficult their lives where and how lucky she is to have a good home. I too, offered them a snack and let them in to cool down from the hot day. I did get a contact number to their boss, who I have since called. He promised that with his own money he would purchase the magizines to me. Also I keep emailing a lady called Margina Bravo who from time to time tells me my check is in the mail! Haven't heard from her lately and I am emailing her every day just to bug them! I'm sure by now I'm in their trash file. I am so angry! I do have an email address if you want it...
Hey everyone. I was able to find a phone number for Seedtime, not that it will do any good, but a least you can call. The number is [protected] fax is [protected]. Good luck!
I had the same experience. I was approached by a young black man who was very polite. He told me he was trying to make a living for himself and his daughter (picture) and that this job provided him invaluable training. Would I support him. Bang! Of course I would. I signed up for 2 publications - $120. I never got any magazines and when they respond to email they just thank me for the business. Dissappointing when individuals and companies exploit a natural good-will to help a fellow-human being.
I, too, was approached last summer by two black girls who claimed that my buying their magazines would help them escape poverty and help them be responsible citizens. When they told me my total was going to be some ridiculous amount, I downsized to a smaller amount. Same story, 8 months later and still no magazines or refund check. Margina needs to be stopped. Can't we contact the police in South Carolina? I don't like to be duped - now I won't trust anyone who comes a-knockin'!
I just contacted the Attorney General's Office of South Carolina where Seedtime is located. If everyone files a complaint, maybe we can see this "business" closed down. Don't assume you can't do anything - do SOMETHING! The email address is www.scattorneygeneral.com. Hit "Contact" in the upper left hand corner and then Consumer Complaint. At the bottom of that page is a spot to hit "Complaint Services". Hit Online Complaint Form and you can fill out your complaint and what you want to see happen.
Let's put this organization out of business!
This happened to me this past summer - a nice black girl who was going door to door -- and I helped her out with three magazine orders and a donation! I tried emailing the address and calling == can't get ahold of anyone ! Now I know why! I will definitely contact office of Attorney General as suggested by previous writer ! How can the laws let people keep doing this if they know how crooked it is ?
I also filled out a complaint to the BBB of that part of South Carolina. Their e-mail address is:
info@charlotte.bbb.org
This also happened to me in Allegan Michigan during the summer. I forgot all about it until I was going through my tax stuff and ran across the receipt. I guess I can consider myself fortunate because I only lost $50.00. I doubt it will do any good but I'm definitely calling them tomorrow.
I paid $66 for three magazines to a salesrep who came to my door. This was on June 9, 2007. She was a young black woman, who said she was selling magazines to make a living. I have not received any of the magazines and cannot reach this company by phone or e mail.
Ms. Tycie Godsey of Seedtime Publications came to our house selling magazine subscriptions. Usually these door-to-door sales are through honest people and organizations -- not this one. It is a complete scam. I allowed well over the 120-day period for delivery and still no magazines. I have called and emailed to request a refund, but there has been no response. I've filed complaints with the Charlote, NC BBB and with the SC Attorney General's office (as recommended by another consumer who filed a complaint re. this same company). The Better Business Bureau's report on this company is not favorable; obviously the owners, Mr. & Mrs. James Davis, ran this same sort of scam down in Florida, then moved up to South Carolina due to the multitude of consumer complaints in Florida. I don't expect to see the refund nor the magazines, but I hope that this company gets shut down for good.
I also purchased a magazine on 6/20/07 from a door-to-door salesman named Darryl Baker - representing Seedtime Publications. He said "if you don't want a magazine for yourself, how about a subscription to be sent overseas to our servicemen in Irac". He claimed several neighbors had purchased one like that. Well we ordered one magazine. Waited over 120 days & nothing. Called January 14, 2008 and requested a refund. Was told it would be processed 2/1/8 & we would have it 3-5 days. Nothing! Called 2/13/8 and was assured "we'll look into this and get back to you". Nothing! Why are business like this allowed to continue? It's fraud & they should be procecuted!
I too was scammed by this company. One hot day in June a young black girl and her trainee a young black man hoping to escape poverty came to my door. I gave them bottled water and freshly made chocolate chip cookies. Bought a magazine that I did not want for $42.00 plus $10 handling and processing. Now 8 months later no magazine. I sent a letter asking for my refund, which is what they say is required, no response. I acutally spoke with someone on a Thursday, was promised a call back on Friday, no call, so I called again left a message, no return call, called Tuesday the number is now disconneted, big surprise. I will never purchase anything from anyone who comes to my door again. So sad for the honest people out there.
My husband and I ordered subscriptions from a overweight, black man, on 8/25/07. He appeared to be exhausted & overheated. Like many of you, we invited him in our home to cool off & gave beverages. This crook's story he was trying to obtain a quoto for sales, and helping with college. This same joker told my neighbor the lie about helping inner city kids go to camp. The phone number listed on the receipt is no longer in service. The BBB of SC has been contacted.We were taken for $80 & my neighbor $50. I'm not sure how many others in our development he scammed. They seem to target affluent areas.
I purchased two magazine subscriptions from this company when they came to my door on 06/23/07 .I waited patiently before trying to call them. Giving them the benefit of doubt. Then I decided to check the complaints. There were so many. I lost fifty dollars on that sale and magazines for my new grand daughter.
SAME HERE! VICTORIA SMITH, A NICE BLACK LADY, KNOCKED ON MY DOOR AND SOLD ME 162.00 FOR MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTIONS. I STILL HAVE THE RECEIPT AND NEVER GOT A MAGAZINE. AND THAT WAS ORDERED 02-20-2007.
A friendly black man came to my office, I sell car insurance, and told me he worked to help inner city children. He had a brochure, and a slick line about how black people don't get ahead in the world. I felt bad for him and bought (THANK GOD) only 30 dollars worth of Savuer. After I refused to pay 640 dollars for 10 magazines for 5 years. I ordered my "magazines" on 06/29/2007 and its now March 21, 2008. No magazines.
Can't wait for the next person to come by ringing my doorbell to sell magazines -- they'll be in for a surpise! Same situation, young black guy telling me about his unfortunate life, and his quest to get off the streets and make a living. After 40 minutes of hearing his smooth talking tale he was able to squeeze out $30.00 for a magazine. Kept calling Seedtime after 120 days when no magazine arrived and was told the publishers were swamped with orders -- eventually asked for a refund. Promised that on 3/14 -- now their numbers are disconnected! Hope they all rot!
On July 6, 2007 a young "Christian" black man came to my door. I bought two magazines $86.
I called and left a message sometime in March 2008.
I haven't heard a thing May 2, 2008 Phone is disconnected.
I've learned and shame on them.
The owners of this company, James and Lourdes Davis, also ran Trinity Publications which was shut down in North Carolina for scamming people out of money. This is why they are now running Seedtime in South Carolina. I received the same song and dance as all of you from a young black man who was selling magazines to try to better himself. I really believe some of these salespeople like the one I talked to are desperately trying to make what they believe is an honest living, so I don't regret getting this guy out of the heat for a little while and giving him a bottle of gatorade. The real problem is the scammers running this company- specifically the owners and managers- who train these people to be smooth talkers who will do whatever it takes for a sale and then don't deliver on the product. I filed a complaint last november through the better business bureau and was offered a refund. The refund never came, so I filed another one last week and received an email that Seedtime is being shut down. So please if you have been scammed by this company do as others have done and file a complaint with the south carolina attorney general's office or the better business bureau. I consider the $180 I lost as my gift to charity for the next ten years! Rip off!
I found my invoice last night - dated July 3, 2007 - where I ordered a business magazine for myself and a Nickelodeon magazine for my toddler. Mysteriously, I started receiving the business magazine this February. I only received February, March and April's editions but by now, I should have received May. I have yet to receive Nickelodeon. The young black girl said she was from Florida. She had big dreams and determination after living in foster care and coming against terrible situations. She spared the details. I was so moved, I introduced her to my mother, a published author, who gave this black girl an autographed copy of the autobiography in hopes the teen would find inspiration from my mother's testimony. I will never be duped again by door to door sales people. I'll go straight to the publications from now on.
Found out that Seedtime Publications, aka Trinity Public Relations (North Carolina) were originally out of Florida. Once their scam was exposed, they moved across the border to a new state. Looks like their moving their way up north. Everyone who has been a victim of this scam needs to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney's General Office in S.C. - where the last location of Seedtime was located. These scammers need to be stopped because too many innocent people are becoming their victims.
www.charlotte.bbb.org
www.scattorneygeneral.com (Hit "contact" in upper left corner and then Consumer Complaint - bottom of page "Complaint Services" - Hit "Online Complaint").
I had the same experience. This past August I paid $75 for Nickelodeon magazines for the kids. I talked to a "Ms. Davis" at [protected] in Feb. '08 and she said the magazines would start in April '08...today May 30, 2008...still no magazines and the number is disconnected.
https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/
I am filing a complaint with the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) They have a specific area for Magazine Scams.
I encourage anyone that has lost a considerable amount of money or even 10 dollars, to file a complaint. I don't expect to get any money back, but it would be really nice to know these two ### are behind bars.