End of year – conclusions

Participants in the class action against Pushtraffic and the Raygoza Gang already will know what has happened.
The defendants, who delayed the court hearing for months, eventually failed to show and did not contest the action in the end.
The Raygoza Gang was a group that scammed millions of dollars from victims all around the world, before their shonky outfit was busted.
Problem is: the court cannot enforce a judgment in this case.
As victims have learned, the defendants now claim to be penniless, having been allowed sufficient time to hide their loot.
Yes, the no-goodnik who stole so much of our money now asks us to believe he is bankrupt.
Aside from Raygoza, another target that ought to be pursued is the complicity of the credit card institutions. This site has already observed how fragmented and unsatisfactory American consumer protection is. I already suggested that this scamming could not go on without the eager complicity and gullible support from the credit card institutions (Visa and MasterCard). Indeed, I have been so enraged at their willingness to aid and abet fraud, that I have cut up my Visa cards.
My rancour at the betrayal of customer interests by Visa is unstilled.
In the process of collecting evidence against Pushtraffic, I sent letters to Visa’s Chargeback Processing Center in Holloway. I asked Visa to explain the decision in my case (i.e why chargeback was refused). I never got a reply from them. So much for Visa customer service. The arrogance of a big institution.
Do you think it is worthwhile for me to file a separate complaint against Visa with the Federal Trade Commission? I can’t say I would ever expect much response from that department, let alone anything worthwhile. I would be lucky even to get an acknowledgement of complaint. As my attorney in this case, noted : “to get a useful or considerate response out of the FTC would take an Act of God” (my paraphrase)
Is there a forum where angry customers can amplify their complaints against the credit card institutions?
My sombre conclusion for 2011: Given the shortage of funds, for all victims of Pushtraffic, the outlook at this stage allows rather little hope for restitution.

Raygoza ordered to pay up

The judgement is delivered.
What we all were awaiting for a long time has come to pass. As the Raygoza gang failed to show, they have been found in default of court. They therefore forfeit, and have no choice but to pay up.
However, the bad news for victims is that the Court in California does not follow up on these judgements.
It is now a challenge for the victims to track down the dispersed assets of the racketeer.
Oh, let’s not overlook the felony charges. That is a separate case, and no doubt any money Raygoza still has left will be spent on his criminal defense.
I would never have had anything to do with this nasty bunch if some LA rat named Alex Sainz had never phoned me in May, 2009. How I curse the day I took that call.

footnote
How I curse Visa, the treacherous credit card entity who aided and abetted this fraud, the credit authority who constantly ignored entreaties from Pushtraffic’s victims and who preferred the business of the gangsters.
Visa, quite simply, has been an instrument of fraud, and I wonder if political support can be amassed for a case in the FTC.
I never received any reply to my questions sent to the Visa Chargeback processing center in Holloway.
If no proceeds can be extracted from the gangsters with the defunct merchant account, I wonder how to take Visa to task.
But the global financial services industry is on the cusp of a crisis. The citadels of finance are trembling. The great reckoning is near.
With all the global upheavals, I predict Visa’s downfall, some time, somehow. You read it here first.

Some new legal targets; Attorney Michael A. Fitzpatrick and Attorney Andrew L. Weitz

Can the STATE BAR of CALIFORNIA help us?

Some victims will be interested in giving evidence against the henchmen of the racketeers, Fitzpatrick and Weitz. I have already spoken to the LAPD about at least one of the pair, but the outcome of their investigation has not been made known to me, yet.
Nor do I know what action the detectives plan.
Here is one way to get at the bastards; get them deregistered. I’m sure the Association does not want trash like this choice pair.
Useful to know: the Californian Bar Association has a hotline for complaints meriting an ethics investigation. (certainly applies to any associate of the Raygoza Gang)

Complaints concerning discipline and ethics;
State Bar of California.
http://www.calbar.ca.gov

Attorney Complaint Hotline:
1-800-843-9053
1-213-765-1200 (outside California)

The State BAr of California
San Francisco (Main Office)
180 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-538-2000

Los Angeles
1149 South Hill Street
Los Angeles, CA 90015
213-765-1000

QUESTION
Can anyone supply the full names and addresses of Michael Fitzpatrick and Andrew Weitz, the better to pursue them? It would be useful to know their domiciles during 2009.

Latest on legalities of the JP Raygoza scandals

Raygoza was released on bail in May, while more recently, Molina (general manager of Pushtraffic) also got released on bail a short time later.
It appears that Raygoza did turn up for a hearing of the civil cases, but has been allowed 6 weeks to get his act together. Half that time already has passed by June 25.

Said before, JP raygoza promoted himself as an internet marketing “guru”. JPR promises to make money for his clients, but instead, provides plenty of business for lawyers. Why does an internet “guru” need 3 attorneys? When JPR’s scam empire was in full swing, those legal types were employed to fight furious clients. Now some of the same legal team are being employed to keep Raygoza and his cronies out of jail.

JOHN RAYGOZA ARRESTED

Pent-house to penitentiary

NEWS WE HAVE LONG BEEN WAITING FOR

At time of posting, Raygoza is being held in The Twin Towers block by the (LA) Sheriff in Santa Clara county.
He was arrested on April 27, 2011.
A judicial hearing is imminent.
Bail required was $455000, but none has – so far- been posted.
(You’d think Raygoza’s mother had been passed enough loot to stump up a deposit- it does not need to exceed 10%)
I doubt that a remand cell block would be quite as commodious nor as appealing as Raygoza’s much-vaunted penthouse, not to mention his Malibu Beach palace. (strictly for business that, not pleasure!)
What this means to Raygoza’s swarms of dissatisfied former customers and sundry other creditors is, at this time, hard to estimate.
It remains to be seen how much of Raygoza’s money has been put out of reach.
Knowing the criminal mind, it is very likely that the reason Raygoza has not posted bail is to deprive plaintiffs of getting their hands on any of his money, even though half a million would not cover damages due from the current class action.
Stay posted for further news.
The sheriff’s website only describes the charge as ‘felony’.
The charge (and other facts) will soon be made public.
It would appear that Raygoza had a torrid altercation in one of his residences, either with an uncooperative associate or with an angry customer.
And it went much further than a fight. Looks like Raygoza went too far this time.
The circumstances surrounding Raygoza’s arrest make it clear that it is now fair to apply the description ‘thug’ to this smarmy fraudster. It is no longer possible to take seriously any of the (always dubious) defenses or defenders of this nasty piece of work.
We can now begin to turn our attention to some of his accomplices, including his attorneys, Michael Fitzpatrick and Andrew Weitz, who did so much to keep Raygoza’s criminal operations going in California. Raygoza’s whole purpose in keeping a legal squad was to fight his customers. As well as to keep his racketeering deceit going. How’s that for business ethics?
Now the whole shonky house of cards is crashing down about him, and Raygoza is inside it!
The beginning of the end for an over-fed, over-rewarded upstart with an unscrupulous attitude to business, who has brought disrepute to internet marketing in the USA and beyond.
A well-deserved ending it will be too, considering the misery this thug has brought to so many people.

latest on the legal case against Raygoza and co.

The lawyers most involved in prosecution of the case against the Malibu Beach Monster have observed:
“Now Raygoza’s team of defense attorneys are withdrawing after having mounted a vigorous defense for nearly a year. “
[edited]
This delay in justice is trying our patience, but note that all the delays are coming from the defendant’s side.
Who does the no-good John rAygoza think he is? The idea that a car-park attendant should be just able to go out and grab whatever wealth he likes, by a wholly reprehensible process of dishonest marketing and be allowed to keep the ill-gotten gains is an affront to civilization. It is the delusion of the brutal bandit. But Raygoza is just a gangster without guts. He has got this far without shooting anyone (supposedly).
It is tempting to speculate why the District Attorney of LA has not gone in hard with a criminal prosecution, as the evidence against the Raygoza Gang is overwhelming. My belief is that the Police do not wish to stand in the way of the civil litigation, which would be suspended and preempted if Raygoza got his criminal indictment now. But Raygoza would be deluded to imagine he can go on delaying justice forever. Some things money can’t buy.

more news on the class action

Better company than the JP Raygoza gang.

We, the victims of the scammer, John Paul Raygoza (formerly of Los Angeles and recently seen polluting the waters at Malibu Beach), have been seeking justice by means of a class action since the middle of 2010.

More delays have been sought by the defendants. (see post of 2010)

The latest cause of a delay in legal proceedings is that the attorneys of two of the defendants have asked for withdrawal because their clients have not paid their legal costs!

What attorney would want to take on the cases of scumbags like these when they have a record of defaulting on payments?

Interesting idea. As Raygoza has long pockets, why doesn’t he pay the lawyers’ bills of his henchmen and partners in crime?

Anatomy of a scam

Raygoza and Molina - Two faces of a two-faced business; or savages with a merchant account; or experts in SEO (Sick Enterprise Ownership)

When I first signed up, I was doubtful. Trusting, but skeptical. I certainly did not have confidence in Pushtraffic. In fact, I made my skepticism plain. Even Hamilton used the word skeptical to describe my remarks, so that twerp knew I was suspicious. And I was.
But I believed, wrongly, that the SYSTEM would protect me. I believed, wrongly, that US consumer protection regulations were effective. I also assumed that paying by credit card provided me some real protection. No, it did not.
I sent numerous messages to them during my first week. Most elicited no response…
one solitary exception: when I stated in an email to Hamilton that I would be keeping records of conversation for legal reasons, Raygoza quickly retorted with the advice:” look at the contract. It clearly says we do not guarantee results.”
While I dashed back my email reply with my worried questions, and waited in vain for an answer, my doubts were rising. They never got smaller.
When I sent in emails, Hamilton was the only one who returned calls. Mentors were incredibly lazy, considering I paid so much and had a tight deadline. Didn’t worry them!
But though my suspicions were growing, I reasoned that Pushtraffics’s staff were returning calls. Not usefully, but at least Hamilton acknowledged my calls. I thought: If Raygoza’s outfit were a total scam, why would they even bother to answer the phone? Their support was very poor, to be sure, their mask slipping, but if they planned to disappear soon, why did they need to make such pretences? Why bother with useless calls? It puzzled me. I sensed that the useless, smarmy, deceitful Harwood Hamilton was just obfuscating, but surely they did not believe they could actually keep my money without delivering!

Pretty soon, I could tell they were hopeless.

All the time I was thinking about asking for my money back.

But not so fast.

Though they were all inefficient, I could not tell what game the mentors were playing. From the start, I was wary of their competence and attitudes. And indeed, during the first few weeks, I still held out hope that it was not a total scam. I later learned and deduced that the mentors in Raygoza’s employ get paid commissions for each mark they handle. That was their incentive to play the scammer’s game. They dish out their amateur advice, as instructed, put the phone down, yawn, and get ready to snow the next customer. These mentors (Grajeda, Cook, Tuminaro and Mayberry) all acted as if they would like to keep their jobs. Naive they might possibly have been – in one or two cases. But it is hard to believe they did not know from the start that Raygoza was a hood. Indeed, some of the mentors are now prepared to testify against Raygoza, their former paymaster. I bet they will want to stay in hiding until the Police act and arrest members of the Raygoza Gang.
Anyway, the mentors’ phone calls were part of the deception, not just for duping the the client, but also for misleading the credit card banks.
When I finally put in for chargeback (something most customers have to do at some stage) I got refused by my bank, to my disgust and horror.
The term ‘quality dispute‘ got applied to my complaint, and the upshot of that decision was: no chargeback. See my earlier post.
But all their phone calls got a mention: Weitz actually counted the number of calls, referring to his call log. I have written to chargeback processing, asking them what influence Weitz’s devious claims have had on the decision.
At this stage, I still await a reply.
But this ruse: keeping a call log, is part of the cunning of the Angelean guttersnipe; Raygoza’s aim was simple- to keep our money. Forget about satisfied customers. Raygoza built a business on false testimonials. One business collapses, another is constructed. All based on faking it. If he thinks he has any future in business, he will try to continue with fakery of any kind he thinks he can get away with. What a fraud.

Credit card Chargeback only works with ethical and honest merchants, not with JP Raygozas.

Warning to neighbours of the deluded slum-dog now hunkered down at Malibu Beach.

John Raygoza, is a 100% scum.

And to the rat himself, if you read this

A badge of dishonor on all your relatives.
IF I ever meet your stupid mother, I will demand she apologize to the world for what she brought into it.

What some other customers said of JPR’s racketeering

…………………………………………………………………
This is a collection of comments derived from the website

Pushtrafficscam

which no longer runs. I believe its owner made a settlement with Raygoza. Nonetheless, the site owner was able to authenticate these postings. I am publishing these complaint stories separately, because I could not talk directly to any of the authors.

These damning indictments of JP Raygoza are entirely consonant with the others published here.

You can empathize with the disgust and loathing for John Paul Raygoza. I certainly do.

Author: Gravel
Comment:
I have so much hatred for John Raygoza and the rest of his criminal associates that I want to spit. I have countless horror stories regarding these people that your head would spin. They go by numerous names, they will promise you anything that they think you want to hear. Anything! And, let me tell you, once you hand them over the money, you’re done for. Here is just one example of their scamming techniques: I was call by a man name Chris Cobb about six weeks ago…some how he knew I was not happy with John R, I must mention David Sipes here also, and his program. I told him that I was scammed etc. etc. and that I was not happy. He had the nerve to start in on the sales pitch after I told him how unhappy I was. He asked me if I wanted to be my own boss and would 20,000.00 a month seem like a good income. I couldn’t believe this guy, gutsy. I kept talking to him just to see how far he would go. I was told that in order to make money, it required investing in my business. Out of the blue he asked how much would I like to pay and what card would I like to pay with. What?????? I said that I did not intend to give him any money. He still pushed. Playing with him, I asked him to give me, in writing, what he had just promised and that I would think about it. He then told me that there were only two spots left in the program and that I would have to decide now. At that point, I had had enough…I said good luck finding the next two people and hung up. I received a phone call from him right away and he left a message saying that we got off on the wrong foot and could I call him back. I did not. These guys are criminals and have to be stopped.

Author: Wrangler
Comment:
Well…I was guarenteed that my money would be made back by the time the credit card bill came. I was told that my investment was insured and I would be refunded. I did all I was asked. I worked everyday. My “coach” or “mentor” missed two appointments (which are set a week apart), I had to call and chase down information, I was “lost” when the company changed teaching, I went with unanswered e-mails and phone messages. My credit card bill has come and gone and I did not make a cent. I attended all seminars possible, went over the saved seminars I missed due to work, etc.

Author: JB
Comment:
Gail, add me to the sucker list. I fell for the same sell but have yet to receive anything that is anywhere near what was promised. The 10 points you made are all true in my case. I was promised and promised but nothing has been forthcoming worth even throughing in the trash. I did attend a two day seminar in LA but since then, I have, like everyone else, found that the information provided is just a mash of information available for free at other places on the internet. As you know, I have filed both fraud and theft changes against John with (suppressed). Keep up your efforts. As you also know, I did comment on his blog site and have not yet seen any posting of my negative comments. I really do not care if he knows who I am or not. He will find out anyway since John is such a scam artist and has talent for mailing the system as well as sneakingly finding out anything he wants.

some new developments… and some old sores

An amended class-action is now being launched against the Raygoza Gang. Not a moment too soon.

Keep looking out for it.

Pushtraffic Inc. would appear to have collapsed. Hardly makes any difference to its multitude of scammed customers. It only means Raygoza can’t find new victims.
My bank tells me that Visa closed its merchant account with Pushtraffic . Well, that cuts off the snake’s head, but it does not stop it squirming.
Raygoza will only try to open another scam-clone.

Just to let you know what perfidy and deception characterized the whole disgusting rat’s nest while it operated, let’s take another quick look at Pushtraffic’s deceptive guarantees.

Their dishonest claims
“We provide 24/7 customer support at support@pushtraffic.com
7 day e-mail support at support@pushtraffic.com.”

Reality
In fact, Pushtraffic’s “support ticket” system was busted from day 1. Even after 30 days, I could never get a response from it, and I complained by email without effect. I also complained to their attorney, Michael Fitzpatrick when that legal mountebank phoned me in June, 2009.
I asked my first mentor, Ron Grajeda, for a 24-hour turnaround on my emails to him, but he would not commit to it, and made no mention of support. No other mentor agreed to 7-day email support, or even mentioned an option. I sent several emails to D. Sipes, Customer service Manager (so-called) but he did not bother to answer one.
Moreover, in my early weeks, I once phoned Humbug Hamilton and requested daily support from them. He scoffed at my request. So much for published warranties.

Another dishonest claim

In their refund statement, there is a Seminar Refund Policy.
Their claim:
“Every seminar put forth by Pushtraffic Inc is 100% satisfactory guaranteed.”
(yes, you read it as they say it. But what does it mean?)

It then goes on to say:
“If you have attended and sat through the ENTIRE sessions(s) of any one seminar and have found yourself completely unsatisfied, please contact a Pushtraffic representative IMMEDIATELY. It is imperative that your contact is made PRIOR to the last scheduled day of the seminar you’ve attended. You will be asked to return everything you have received during the course of this relation, including but not subject to all books, binders, flowcharts, software, prizes, etc. Please note that a refund will not be considered if these items are not returned in full.”

LOL

But nowhere in the section does it state your right to a refund!
It is not even implied.
The following heading: Cancellations, transfers and substitutions” precedes this paragraph:

“Your registration will be refunded, less a 50% placement and scheduling fee. Cancellations within 30 days of the seminar are non-refundable.”

aside
Now if you can’t make sense out of that gobbledygook, the warranty concludes with this kicker:
“Our refund policy can be changed at anytime without prior notice.”
wow.

Interpretations
Tricky, eh? That’s Raygoza for you.
In fact, the whole thing is nothing but Raygoza deception.
Let’s go into the whole devious statement.

The policy statement seems to imply (possibly), at first glance, that a 50% refund is guaranteed. It is badly worded, but the 50% refund figure is put in there.
In other words, if you are given a load of complete crap (by all reliable reports, that’s all you can ever expect) you can only hope get back half your money. You had better be quick because, it must be lodged with a representative PRIOR to the last scheduled day of the seminar you’ve attended.
But you must first sit through the entire session(s), as they put it.
Now how can I sit through all the sessions and also lodge an application prior to the last scheduled day? The last scheduled day of the seminars would include the final part of the seminars, logically. But if I lodge prior to the last seminar, it is not an entire set, so I am automatically disqualified. Even if it meant prior to the Close of Business on the last day of the seminars, it is still very unfair.
And if you try cancelling within 30 days of the seminar don’t expect a cent!

It is a text-book case of consumer abuse. An ugly blot on American commerce.

But the whole thing is so badly worded, that it cannot be taken seriously.

It was never meant in good faith, that is certain!

By the way, who is to say whether anything is not returned in full, or not? The Merchant never acted in good faith, and if it helped them dupe the credit card banks, they would simply tell them something about not returning a book you may never even have received. That would be enough to stop charge back, but would be a lie.

Reality
I was personally advised by Raygoza’s scumbag whore, Michael A Fitzpatrick, in a phone call to me on 3-4 June, 2009 that I was entitled to attend a Raygoza seminar in LA due in June 2009. All at their expense, under my Mastermind entitlement, which was never disputed until long after I claimed a refund.
The bums ignored my applications. Fitz-bum did not reply to my email sent to him in July 2009, asking what the hell happened to my promised seminar. By that time I was fed up anyway, and had already applied for a full refund from the crims.
But that does not let them off complying with their refund policy. In fact any of my letters could be used to invoke the policy. But they did not even reply to my demands for refund, the first one of which was posted on June 1, 2009.
The wicked refund policy does not cover the situation that the merchant fails to deliver at all. Oops! No refund possible then.
The only conclusion is that this phoney warranty was only ever included as part of the merchant’s clear intent to defraud the client.

conclusion
Above all, do not expect the slightest customer service or any courtesy from JP Raygoza’s loathsome bunch of no-goodniks.
As long as the bastards can keep your money they wouldn’t give a stuff!
US consumer protection is feeble and very poorly supported by the Feds. Do not buy American goods, and do not trust credit card companies. If you have a dispute, you will need a lawyer.

the new contemptibles.

Remember these names.

Hated names for good reasons:
Raygoza, CEO
attorney Michael A. Fitzpatrick,
attorney Andrew L. Weitz.

This last pair of scumbag legal henchmen specialize in writing deceitful and dishonest letters to the credit card banks in order to thwart the clients’ legitimate charge back requests. The swindler-makers have found ruses to bamboozle the card issuers, Visa and Mastercard. They are both as despicable as their evil paymaster.

Damn their eyes.