Life on the Road

This is, oddly enough, not actually a review of the John Cummuta “Debt to Wealth” program itself, but only of the customer service surrounding it.

John Cummuta developed this material. He has a website where you can read all about him and his Christian witness, as well as investigate and purchase the program.

Unfortunately, they also license it out to multiple third-party vendors who market it in their own way. Always, though, they use Mr. Cummuta’s picture, direct quotes, and signature – blurring the lines between “his” and “others”.

One of the big things advertised with the program is a “Double-Your-Money-Back Satisfaction Guarantee.”

In addition to generally being able to return the products for a refund within 30 days, they offer the following:

I’m so confident in the value of my Debt To Wealth® online course that I will give you an entire year to try it and if you aren’t satisfied for any reason at any time during that year I will pay you the $39.95 back PLUS another $39.95.

(I would also ask you to write me a personal, descriptive letter/email to explain why, because I am deeply interested in your success and any way I can help.)

I purchased it (without knowing any differently), from a third-party vendor. The version I got was all downloadable content – audio, video, and print.

Shortly thereafter, it became clear that Wolf was not going to have an easy time finding a summer job in this economy. We tightened our belts. And I sent this letter to their customer service people (after some drama about unreturned phone calls and invalid email addresses):

I would like to return my “Debt to Wealth” purchase for a double refund, as advertised. My account is listed under [my name and email addy].

I have reviewed a number of the available products, but I have found them not helpful for two important reasons:

- They are all “tied” to my computer. As a busy mom of small children, I would be much better off with an actual CD that I could play in the car, and an actual book that I could read while nursing the baby.

But more importantly:

- They do not offer any guidance for those in our extreme financial situation. In addition to the staggering debt load from a failed business, we now have no income, as my husband has been unemployed for two months now, with no real prospects in sight. The idea of managing our credit score, etc., is just something out of a whole different reality right now. It’s useless – whereas my refund will put another tank of gas in the car.

Thank you.

That certainly satisfies their requirements as stated above, wouldn’t you agree?

They didn’t.

Dear Tiffany,
In order to get the money back guarantee you need to tell me what part of the product you tried and failed with. For example, what technique did you use, how did you use it and what was your result. That is the only way we can issue that refund. So get back to me with that info when you can.

Derek

Although I gathered by this point that it was hopeless, I did go ahead and respond to him, thus:

As you can see from what I DID write, I tried and failed in even being able to USE the product.

I cannot apply techniques that have no application in my life. That’s the whole point!

I cannot create a budget for $0 income. I cannot prioritize things with $0 income. I cannot strategize for eliminating my debt with $0 income.

There’s three right there…

Needless to say, I never even got a response to that one.

So I started digging around online, and found John Cummuta’s site. I was startled by the pages of information he has about salvation, and his personal faith.

I emailed his customer service people directly. I told them that I realized I bought this from a third-party vendor over whom they probably had no control… But that it was a shame that he was allowing his good name and Christian witness to be debased by association.

The response I received was from a woman whose signatue line and email address imply that she is perhaps with the materials’ publisher. After determining where I had purchased, she assured me that it would be taken care of.

I got a call back, after her intervention, from someone at the original vendor. They were more than happy to refund my purchase price, but continued to insist that somehow I had not met their criteria of having tried techniques from the program and failed.

Which:
(A) I believe I did, and
(B) Is not at all what the guarantee says!

I sent another email to the woman who emailed me from John Cummuta’s site, as well as the original Customer Service people laying this all out.

So far I have heard nothing, but hopefully they will agree to uphold their guarantee, and avoid further damage to Mr. Cummuta’s reputation and Christian witness. If not, I will certainly feel compelled to continue to discuss this “scam,” as well as filing a Better Business Bureau complaint, just for starters.

Why do people think they can say whatever they want, then simply refuse to stand behind it? Is that truly the level of dishonesty that has become the norm in this society? Even for those promoting themselves as Christians?

It’s very, very sad…