Momnesia

Augusta Business says, "Con Us"

AUGUSTA, GA. - WGAC News/Talk 580 and NBC Augusta have been following a story about military personnel - and businesses wanting to market to military bases - having allegedly been scammed by a local "publishing company" called MilPubs Inc.

See the info here; And here.

eVince Unlimited blogged about it here, and their sales rep replied to the post. Let me dissect her response:

"Hi Kenny. Of course the business is running like there isn’t anything wrong…..because there isn’t anything wrong."

Except that there's nothing to show for these people's money. No publication, nothing.

"Being a business owner yourself, you should know from dealing with the public that you can’t please all of your customers at all times."

Um, isn't that the goal?

"Fort Gordon is the only area, we were told, that our customers have a complaint."

Because that's the only area in which you are running this business. The other areas are handled by other franchisees.

"We apologize that those clients feel like they were done wrong and we have made every attempt to amend with those clients. Some chose to amend, and some chose not to."

What does that even mean? Amend? Amend how?

"We chose not to speak to reporters because we will let our work speak for itself."

What work? You couldn't show reporter Ashley Campbell a SINGLE EXAMPLE of that work.

"We also chose not to release the names of our contacts on Fort Gordon to protect the relationship that we have with them on current and future projects."

As far as we can tell, your relationship would only with the U.S. Post Office - IF YOU HAD EVER PRINTED AND MAILED ANYTHING. So what contacts are protecting?

"My point Mr. Adams? Those who run scams hide from their victims. We have not ran, are not running, and will not run because we have nothing to run from."

We have also never used grammar check. Way to go, you professional publishers, you.

"We have been in the same building for over a year..."

Whoopidee do. It's a friggin' car wash with a single computer older than Methuselah.

"...and maintain an open door policy to all of our clients. You came to our office to bring me your ad design and we welcome our other clients as well. Your readers can check your ad and others out at http://www.usmilitarydiscounts.com, under the discount link."

Because they are printed so small, many of those ads cannot be used. For example, the names of the mortgage brokers in the GA Bank & Trust ad are so small that if you wanted to work with a particular broker, you couldn't ask for them by name. And if you click through the Charter Communications ad, it takes you to a promotional page where it asks for a promotional code. Can you find the code? Go ahead, look! It's right next to Waldo.

"Mil Pub Inc. is not registered in the states of GA or NV, but CONUS Advertising/Mil Pub Inc. is."

First of all: Please note that the name breaks into "Con Us." Second: Geez, lady, did you think I couldn't check that? There WERE businesses under the name of CONUS registered in the state... but none of them were ever located in Augusta, and they have all been either automatically dissolved (they didn't renew their incorporation), or they have been withdrawn. Here, search for yourself:

"I thank you for your blog and trying to warn your readers of potential buyer bewares and allowing me to speak our side of the issue. If I remember correctly, there are 3 sides to every story; your side, their side, and the absolute truth……Let us please wait for the ABSOLUTE truth Mr. Adams. I look forward to speaking to you real soon. Have a blessed beautiful day."

Okay, aside from the grammatical issues, I'd like to ask: What, exactly, are the supposed to be waiting for? And why should they have to wait any longer? Why should it take attention from major media in the area to get them to print anything?

"And just another correction Mr. Adams; we never tell our clients that we are CONTRACTED with any base to produce a pulication."

Nor do we say that we have CONTRACT with Microsoft to provide a simple spell check with our office software.

"We don’t say that we have a D.O.D (Department of Defense) contract with the government to provide our publication. We are a civilian company that produces a publication just as other civilian companies who do the same."

And as any other civilian company, you need permission to distribute to the soldiers stationed on Fort Gordon. If you don't have it, you are still lying to your customers, whether you claim to have a contract or not.