World Financial Group [WFG]
Reviews and Complaints

WFG reputation appears to be quite strong in my area. WFG focus is to educate the less knowledgeable in financial services. It seems that the uneducated can be disgruntle when someone is trying to teach them. My personal dealings with WFG have been informative and focused on earning, saving, and investing.

Aegon owns WFG. It is Half trillion $ company. It is currently ranked 103 in forbes worlds largest companies. And after 2008 it is stronger than ever. So if its not legitimate, what is?

Zach johnson in the PGA tour is sponsored by aegon.
The USA luge team and NASCAR has WFG sponsorships. They must be scams too huh?

Too many idiots in the world.

It's a scam!

Well, when you're a pyramid scheme you grow at a rate where quality training is unsustainable. The quality of the training gets diluted through broken telephone. Primerica works the same way. Scary...

Even their high ranked reps are not so used to high-end prospects/potential clients. They prefer uneducated prospects who do not have a skill to scrutinize the nature of business.

High-end/highly educated people are attracted to big names with long established insurance companies.

If you have to pay $500/month premium, which one would you choose? Shaky one or trust-worthy one?

WFG reps are well trained to talk back a lot on the various website where WFG are criticized a lot, which means that they are not that good. "Look at complaints about other insurers!" they would say. Yes there are so many complaints about AllState, Farmers, Geico posted on websites. Read carefully! The nature of complaints of other big names and WFG is so different. WFG? Mostly about their poor operation and bad customer services, the most critical points. Insurance products are basically the same. What makes the difference is how the clients are taken care of for a long time.

I have read 6 reviews now, enough to know NOT to waste my time going to "interview" on Saturday morning in Brea.My call came from a MATT, whom I had to ask to spell his name as even that was undecipherable from this marble mouthed marketer slash appointment setter. arghh ! RUN SCREAMING FOR THE PARKING LOT !

I totally agree. Before I was a WFG trainee associate, I had a bad experience with another insurance mlm type of business opportunity. So being the open minded optimist I am, I decided I should give another multi-level marketing company a shot. Not surprisingly, WFG training is a joke but a little better than just making cold calls off of old internet leads. My trainer asked me to invite friends and family to come in and do a financial dream maps where I can practice in front of them. What is really strange is WFG doesn't let their new associate actually practice in front of friends and family, WFG just let the trainer do all the work. In my opinion, you don't learn by not doing it. Absoulutely ridiculous!

Where there is smoke, there is fire.

So many complaints going around on Internet about them. WFG agents are so busy with putting out fire. That is something.

When they get turned down by customers, they usually blame it on the customers.
Very unprofessional.

Selling insurance is a job, being part of WFG qualifies you as a business owner. I've done a lot of due diligence on this company. The reality from my experience is this, those who are purely negative understand nothing at all about this business. Those who are in between, gave it an honest try got licensed and realized how much work is involved and may or maynot have continued, they got some sort of education from all this, those who love it are those who are disciplined and understand the business are making money and realize this is what they want to do going forward. This is a great opportunity but it's not for lazy people, or people who are afraid to succeed. I would not have been successful at this business 20 years ago, you really need to be convinced, this is an all or nothing business even if it starts out as part time.

My wife got involved with this cult and got me to attend an introductory meeting. The cult members met in a separate room, and every so often there would be a loud chants, applause, and cheering coming from that group. The introductory presentation never really disclosed what was offered; they just said financial products and career opportunity. And the presentation was full of half truths such as, "If you miss the fifteen best days of the stock market...", but left out missing the fifteen worst days. The presentor said that the compound interest formula he learned in college was too complex for him. He used the faulty method we are taught in school to calculate percent change. If something declines 50% they teach that if falls to half its value; the correct way is to evaluate fifty successive declines of 1%. That makes equal percent changes up and down more nearly cancel. There is a general appeal to the ignorant. And they stress FAITH, not facts. Alas, I am not blessed with faith. I have tried and tried to believe, but I just don't.
If WFG gets my wife, it will surely end a 30 year marriage.

this is stupid. first you have no background information of how people benefit from insurance other than you. how about you research little more before talk. Second what separate you from the rest of people attaining there. You think all these stranger that don't work there come out making over 100, 000 k income with no education requirement or skill. I pretty sure you been to a interview before, some people get the job and some don't. this bpm is a interview. To test your interest and get your interest. not to fool you wasting your money

This company is a true CULT! I have a family member who has been involved for the last few years. She has invested all of her money into the company so she's in deep. I sat in on one of her "training" sessions where the fellow she was training under tried to get me to buy a Indexed Universal Life Insurance policy. Anyone with half a brain knows these are risky and full of ridiculous hidden fees. When I started to ask him the hard questions he shut down and packed up his stuff and was on his way. This company caters to the poor and uneducated. They say they are trying to "help families"...Ha! They're helping families allright, by taking their very last dollar! Shame on them! And by bringing God into the picture they are really going down the wrong path. My family member is now obsessed with making $$, even if it means never having anything to do with her family again.
My family member now shuns all her former caring brothers and sisters, nieces and newphews, old friends, etc. because they won't buy her terrible product or go to her "cult" meetings. It breaks my heart as before she got involved in this she was a terrific fun person. This companies philosophy is if you're not with them you're agaisnt them and they make all their members feel the same way. It's their way or the highway. I would highly suggest reading up on what's it like to be in a cult. This company fits about 99% of the criteria...pathetic.

I have seen only one smart comments about WFG and this is the first one. All you do is stoling people money you have numerous complaints about you everywhere as I have never seen fo any companies in my life. Why don't they aren't shutting you down because you use the money you stole to win . Shame on youuu for those who are doing it on purpose and those who are too stupid to see the reality. I pray they will shut you down as soon as possible.

Tom92's Bizarre Cult Complaints are typical of a looser who can do anything for themselves but whining.

I have selected a few paragraphs from Tom92's Bizarre Cult complaint above because I have just recently been chosen to interview and work for this company. The similarities concern me. Tom92's paragraph 1. is pretty much how it happened for me except it was not a friend of mine it was a classmate. Paragraph 2. and 4. REALLY interest me because this is exactly what happened to me, and when Tom92 writes "brothers" I worried because my classmate has been referring to me and these other people as "brothers" to the point where I wanna say something. Paragraph 3. sums up the first meeting at company headquarters, and paragraph 4. is right on point. From the start I didn't put much stock in what my classmate was saying but I was curious and had the time so I went to the meeting. Next my classmate, another girl, and the trainer met with me for an interview and I paid the $100 even though I really thought they should have covered that. The interviewer told me in six months he wants me to be a manager at a new office they're opening in my area. During the interview my classmate just sat there nodding her head up and down oblivious to what was being said and spouted out "brother this" and "brother that" every now and then. Now I don't know what to expect from this company so I am gonna go to the follow up meetings etc, but I am definitely keeping my eyes open and not putting any faith in them until I see otherwise.

Tom92's Bizarre Cult Complaint

(1.) I was recently invited to attend a presentation by a friend of mine who has recently been sucked into World Financial Group. He explained it as an opportunity to make a great deal of money and said that he wanted to bring me "on board". My "BS" radar was already switched on. Nevertheless I found it hard to imagine that a company like AGEON would be foolish enough to purchase a company that wasn't on the up and up. So I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

(2.) A few days before I attended the meeting, my friend told me that he couldn't wait for me to meet his "friends" x, y, and z. He said that he had been working very closely with x, y and z and that they had become like "brothers". I aussumed they had been working together for quite some time.

(3.) Not surprisingly, the next day I was swiftly ushered in by the usual group of enthusiastic, grinning faces eager to learn my life story. I was given a name tag, and escorted to a thumping disco of a an office party, with Lady Gaga blaring over the throngs of followers and their invited guests shouting over eachother and the music to exchange testimonials about how they'd been "saved" from their circumstances by WFG.

(4.) After having met with x, y and z I learned that my friend had only been with the company for a week. He didn't know anything about x, y, and z. That he was already referring to them as "friends" and "like brothers" demonstrates the firm grip these people will have on you from the get go if you let them.

Not a bizarre cult, just fake [censor] people trying to put on a game face in order to impress potential recruits. They have an event before the Mozone (Motivation Zone) which is called the pre-game where they discuss who's doing what. This happens every Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings. This event is called BPM (Business Presentation Meeting). WFG make their associates lie about limited seating when associates invite guests. It is very very very rare for a BPM to be out of seatings since not many guests show up to warrant that.

they do the background check because if you have had any felonies, money laundering, bankruptcies and such - who the hell would want to listen to you about finance? also, if you try to get appointed by other companies that wfg sells for such as Prudential, Pacific Life, etc., - they too will ask you about your background and if you've had felonies, money laundering, bankruptcies, etc, you will not be able to sell their products.

and when you pay for your online class, that does not go to WFG you idiot. maybe if you made the initiative to enroll in class, you too would see that you're not paying WFG. i took my class at Kaplin Financial Institute and paid them. my friend paid to do online classes with EXAMFX.COM - they have nothing to do with WFG.

THE BIGGEST FORM OF IGNORANCE IS WHEN SOMEONE REJECTS OR SPEAKS NEGATIVELY ABOUT SOMETHING THEY KNOW LITTLE OR NOTHING ABOUT.

The person complaining is totally clueless and not with reality. $100.00 cover background check and who do you think is processing your paperwork do you think they should be paid also? Anyone reading and believing these complaints look at them are they complaining about anything the company itself has done so wrong? No, why because the company is solid. You work the company pays just like your job if you work you get paid but the difference is no matter how hard you work at your job you get paid no more no less until review time comes around her with WFG you work hard you get paid your worth and efforts. Every day we help people teaching and encouraging them to make sound financial decisions. Showing people how to make positive choices regarding their finances and showing them effective ways to earn more and save more has never been a bad thing.

BIG SCAM ALSO ----SKY INTERNATIONAL /UK-CANADA
this was the letter and check i received.

I got a similar letter... Posted information including the check and letter at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nailsnwings/3744458886/

RECIVED A LETTER AND A CHECK DATE MAY 11, 209 (IN THE AMOUNT OF $4, 800.00) STATING I WAS DECLARED WINNER OF NORTH AMERICAN SHOPPERS SWEEPSTAKES HELD ON MAY 18, 2009 IN THE SECON CATEGORY. LETTER GAVE CLAIM NUMBER AND PHONE NUMBER OF CLAIM AGENT, MR ADAM JAGA [protected].SIMILAR SCAMS I READ ON THIS SITE. SEND GOVERMENT TAX VIA MONEY GRAM OR WESTERN UNION DIRECTLY TO THE TAX AGENT.

Received a letter and a check dated March 23, 2009 (in the amount of $ 4, 975.00)
stating I was a declared winner of North American Shoppers Sweepstakes held on February 7th, 2009 in the second category.
Letter gave claim number and phone number of claim
agent, Mrs.Brenda Hicks [protected].
Similar scams I read on this site. Send government tax via Moneygram or Western Union directly to the tax agent.

It is a scam...don't fall for it...

These people are scamming...I got the same letter and immediately went to the Internet to check out the validity. I knew I would find several people who have already been scammed...please don't fall for this scam.

10-03-2008- The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged five brokers in the Los Angeles area with securities fraud, alleging that they told their clients to refinance their homes with subprime mortgages to buy unsuitable securities that they couldn’t afford.

Kederio Ainsworth, Jesus Gutierrez, Guillermo Haro, Gabriel Paredes and Angel Romo, all registered representatives with Duluth, Ga.-based World Group Securities Inc., paid themselves high commissions for the subprime mortgages and the securities that they sold — primarily variable universal life policies, according to the SEC.

Most of their clients had neither the money nor the income to buy the securities, but the brokers allegedly told them to raise the money by refinancing their fixed-rate mortgages into subprime adjustable-rate negative-amortization mortgages, the SEC alleged.

http://www.investmentnews.com/article/20081003/FREE/810039936/fraudsters-face-sec-charges

Yes, WFG is very unprofessional indeed. They still have not process my paperwork in order for me to get paid. They are more than willing to take my money but they do not do jobs properly when it comes to the adminsitrative aspect.

Because the agents, trainers, and back-offices are very unprofessional.

Many people talk bad about WFG because of a couple of bad fishes in the ocean. People dont talk about all the good things that many of these agents are doing out there for family. People that been in this industry and cant handle this type of job always have bad things to say about it like any other places. Im an agent with WFG and i help many people. Like i said though, how can you judge a whole company because of a couple of bad fishes in the ocean.

My gosh, when will the CEO MDs and all their "Marketing Directors" charged for FRAUD and misrepresentation.

Yes. Used to work there, left because of the illegal activity I saw. Tried to report it but it was brushed under the rug. This is just the tip of the iceberg!

I was called yesterday for an accounting job at the World Financial Group, Chino, CA.
I asked 3 times to make sure it is for the job that I am looking for.

Finally, I went to the office, meet lots of employees and had some informal interviews.
They said this is not a traditional interview and it will be one on one interview later.

Then, there is another lecture for an hour by a rude chinese CEO. He keep using "freaking" words all the time. He yelled and keep telling people to leave the room if they do not like what they hear from him.

Then finally, one on one interview. I said, I am here for...I haven't finished my word.
And the man said yes, you are looking for an accounting job. I said yes, but I am confused with all of these and when I will be having the interview ? I spent 1.5 hours already listening to them and meeting people.

Finally he said, this is what they offer. There is no other job.

****this is a scam everyone. BE CAREFUL.*****
I lost my hours of work just to come for the interview. I am a victim of this financial practice."

You can file a complaint to:
Fraud Division of Insurance.(State you live).gov
This is from the Ca web site:
The core mission of the Fraud Division is to protect the public from economic loss and distress by actively investigating and arresting those who commit insurance fraud. The Fraud Division acts as the primary law enforcement agency in the State of California for investigating different types of Suspected Fraudulent Insurance Claims.
Do a google of your state for your website! Best of Luck!

Love from CA

The agent treated on me, making me loose $8000. ###! F%&k WFG!

my question is for all. why govt. allow this sort of business ?
if we know by experience that they are scam or fraud, no matter, as long as their is all established company or bank or institute for all financial matter then why this [censored] are running in front of all and all countries.
why law not taking action. are they mafia like money mart ?
thanks

To Sue Again and other current reps from WFG,
You are so good at redirecting the subject. There is nothing wrong with educating yourself. The warning in this subject is that WFG does not pay for you. The tuition, registration fees, test fees, educational materials' price are all paid from your pocket money.

When you leave the organization, they call you "loser." that is their same old cliche, cheap talking. The paper work process is so slow. The office people don't speak English. Please educate the agents professionalism.

DO NOT LEAVE YOUR MONEY AND TRUST IN THEIR SLOPPY HANDS. THE SERVICE QUALITY IS VERY LOW -- UNLIKE OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

Go to other old big names with knowledgeable employees.

It's not a team, it's a pyramid. A team is when each person relies on each other to get the job done. When you are a team member with WFG, you depend on each other to get promoted not necessarily helping families to be financially free.

WFG stands for Wonderful F#@%ers Group because they like to f#@% people over wonderfully. It's like getting shot in the face while you suck on your favorite lollipop. The experience may seem all sweet in the beginning with their weekly Mozones, but they will screw you over when you least expect it when it comes down to getting paid.

people pay for eduction to get a good job - so you're saying thats a bad idea as well?

RULE #1:
NEVER, EVER EVER PAY to work. it goes the OTHER WAY people!

Somewhat grey zone business. It is not scam, but pyramid for sure. It works really well for certain kinds of people. Here is the news about them and their business style remains the same. Nobody want to give away money to a grey zone business these days. There many other better and trust-worthy insurance companies out there. Insurance products themselves are not that bad. Their customer care sucks, that is what makes it so different.

http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/moneymag_archive/2000/05/01/278258/index.htm

Too many people are invited to be members of "team"!
It means the company's strategy is shaky and not trust worthy at all.

They are such liars and criminals, all they do is manipulate people's minds and steal their money by saying background checks and access to websites. They do not have feelings, just read their faces clearly and you will get to know what I literally want to say

I got register for a license and paid $169.50 .However, now i changed my mind and don't want to continue with this. Due to which i would like to refund my amount back.

Please process my refund as soon as possible.

This lady name Joti from wfg got all my information and charged my card I want my money credit back to my account and cancel these things I don’t want to participate in nothing you guys have to offer I just want a refund

Hello,

I submitted my resignation letter from WFG, but I was charged platform fees for $125. How would I be able to receive a refund and further prevent my account from being charged these fees? Please let me know. Thank you in advance.

This company only tries to get into your head and steal your money.
My rapists also works at this company.
This company is a scam and they hire criminals.
Stay Away.

I will give you an insider view.

2 month ago, my favourite Aunt reached out and told me that there is a wonderful business opportunity. I was connected with her "friend" who then sold me into joining WFG. Now let me make this clear. Life insurance is very important, and I strongly believe in it. I also believe in financial planning, saving for emergencies and investing. I was drawn to the company because I was told I would be making a difference in people's lives by helping them better manage their money. Then I was told that I need to pay $100 to register a business number as a sole proprietor. I didn't know it was an admin fee that WFG charges, so I paid for it. It was a lie by the way. What I paid for is an agent number, which would be taken back by WFG if I do leave, along with any clients I signed up. Then she whipped out a URL policy and tried to talk me into signing up. First red flag. I should have known that it was shady as I have already told her that I am fully covered in life and critical illness insurance.

Because I trust my aunt so much, I didn't want to believe that this business has questionable ethics. I went ahead with the sign up and attended a couple of WFG workshop at a local office. This is where things went down hill. First of all, ALL of the meeting were organized very last minute. I would receive a text at 2 or 3pm in the afternoon for a 6pm seminar. I don't know about anyone else, but I have a full time job, which I NEED so I can pay my bills and survive. I have clients to attend to, I can't get off at exactly 5pm everyday. This was a HUGE red flag. Secondly, the workshops focuses so much on the benefits of UL policy. Yet when I read more into it, there are more risks than benefits because the average people would not understand how the investment part works, or how to invest. They could very well lose all their hard earned money. I would never sell UL to anyone other than people who are already well off, and looking for a place to park their money without paying extra taxes. Thirdly, I was told constantly that if I recruit enough people, I will be making 6 figures without needing to sell anything. I was also told that "losers" won't make it because they don't want to make money quick. Um, no. There are lots of other way to make money without needed to build a pyramid. They want me to recruit everyone. Co workers, friends, family, PEOPLE WORKING AT STARBUCKS, MY SERVER, basically people without any financial background. HUGE red flag. Actually, I remember now, some years ago a girl I worked with at the front desk of a hotel tried to get me to sign up WFG. She didn't even finish college. Fourth, my team leader emphasize that I will work and study on my own time. Yet, she made me sit through seminars and meetings that end close to midnight, knowing full well that it takes me an hour to travel back home and then to wake up at 6am the next day for work. I once sat through this useless one hour "conference" call that started at 10pm. It was one guy talking about how we are not hitting our recruitment target. I am pretty sure an email will suffice. And that was supposed to be a mentoring session.

What made me angry the most is that my Aunt is currently going through divorce. It is a very stressful time for her as her legal battle is very financial and emotional draining. I feel like her "friend" took advantage of her weakened state and sold her into some packaged dream with tiny fine prints.

So is this a legit business? It is definitely legal. Can you make money in this business? Yes, if you focus primarily on recruitment and taking commission "shares" from agents under you. Is this business ethical? I'm not sure. I know I will not be able to sleep if I blindly lure people in, and if I sell products that my clients don't need.

I went to an interview at WFG. The guy who interviewed me wanted my personal information such as Social Security #, date of birth and credit card # which I very foolishly gave to him. I didn't bring a resume or any references and was not dressed very professionally. This did not seem to bother WFG. He told me he was interviewing 8 people of which he would chose 2 to come back for a second interview. He told me that after a second interview he would tell me if I was accepted for the job. The only information they wanted to check on was a background report that they would charge me $100 for. I asked if I would be charged for the background check if I didn't end up getting the job or if i didn't accept their job offer.

I spoke to a friend of mine the night after my first interview and he told me he knew about WFG and that they weren't to be trusted and that I shouldn't work for them. I called WFG first thing the next morning to cancel my second interview. Later that day I was called back and told that I had been accepted for the position even though I had never given them a resume or references. I was surprised that they would allow me to manage their customers retirement accounts without knowing anything about me. I told them thank you for the offer but I'm not interested.

Later I reviewed my online bank statement and saw that I had been charged the $100 background check fee despite not taking the job or showing up for the second interview. I have since been in the process of disputing this charge and getting the word out that no one should take a job with WFG or allow them to see any personal financial information.

I consider myself a very ethical person and would never do harm to any of my friends or family. Be very careful

Their customer service quality is unbearably low. OK, insurance products are basically similar among many insurance companies.

What makes difference is the customer service and agents' quality.

You don't want to deal with a sloppy management.