Complain about a product or service

Absolute Solutions Technology

JoAnn of Scranton, PA, writes:
In August of 1998 I puchased a software package for an Electronic Medical billing business that included training and technical support that was supposed to be able to easily gross $60,000 per year. I was told by their sales representive, Mr. C that I would have no trouble getting clients who would pay for my services in numerous ways including a percentage of the amount billed.

Upon completion of my minimal training I requested to purchase my first client as promised in my contract for $1,000 so I could learn more about the business. I was told they had none at that time, but for $4,000 they would arrange a marketing/training trip in my area.

After haggling we set up a trip for $3,000 in Nov. 1998. There marketing/trainer signed three clients, one dropped out because of delays in getting a testing date with the clearinghouse to qualify me to submit claims to them and then delays in signing him up for Medicare and BC. Another hung in but since Jan. 1999 I have only received approx. 25 claims to submit. Of the twenty five claims the client was charged $22.50 for my services, which I am still waiting for payment. The third decided to start sending me claims the end of Feb. 1999. He has sent me 26 claims to submit and I have received $45.00 from him for my services.

I have been in contact with the marketing office in N.Y., they refer clients to me that also drop out or change there minds about using the services. As you can see from what I have received in payment I am not earning anything like was told to me by Mr. C. Even though I am getting paid something it doesn't even cover my expenses.

Now their phones are disconnected and I am in a hole for the software and marketing trip to the tune of $11,000 plus expenses that continue to mount monthly. I purchased this business to make money, not to lose more and more each month. In my opinion they have not lived up to their part and have left me and many others holding the bag.

I am on the verge of closing my "business" and am on the verge on going bankrupt. This has put extreme stress on me and my husband.

Mary of Forest, MS:
We purchased a software system for $7995.00 in June of 1998; in July we agreed to purchase a marketing assistance trip for an additional $4000.00.

The two doctors who signed on during our marketing trip backed out because of the unreliable service both of the ET&T clearinghouse as well as the lack of support furnished by AST. We lost our entire investment of $12,000.

Another thing to beware of is that both Medicare/Medicaid offer free software, and Blue Cross has some for not much more than free. Most doctors, when they purchase their computer billing systems, find that they already have a billing program set up in their systems. Essentially, we are trying to sell a product for which there is little or no market. What a waste of $12,000.00, money which we did not have to waste. We have three teenagers, all preparing for college. That's where we needed to invest!

We are stuck with a 300.00 a month note which we struggle to pay. We are trying not to default on it, but it is difficult. Like I mentioned above, we have other, more important needs at this time; this business was supposed to have aided our finances, not drain them.

What a strain on our marriage. We are no longer able to save any money because all of our savings go to paying a useless note. We need our money back.

I have a chronic lung condition, and foresee a time in the not so distant future when I will have to retire from full time employment. I am only 42. My husband is 50. We should have put that money on the downpayment for a house. We are only one paycheck away from financial disaster now.

A.H. of Hilo, Hawaii, writes:
I purchased a Medical Billing business from AST which included software, training, and a marketing effort with a guarantee of 6 clients. I received the software, some minimal training over the telephone, and a marketing trip to Hawaii that was not as fruitful as guaranteed.

Within a month of the marketing trip which ended on November 16, 1998, I was supposed to have my account set up with a Clearing house for billing insurance companies in Hawaii and throughout the Continental US.

I was not set up with the clearinghouse until February 1999, and by then, all the clients that were signed by the marketing trip had withdrawn because of the poor service, and the fact that the Clearing house could not service Hawaii based insurance companies electronically.

I received 1 client from California who refused to accept my billing center because I was not in California, and have been waiting since January for the six clients they owe me for the marketing trip I paid $11,000 for. I can't get anyone to return my telephone calls from the Marketing Department, and have not been able to get anyone to return my calls from the business office in California.

C.T. of Woodland, CA, writes:
In September of 1998 we bought a software package for electronic medical billing that included training & technical support. The training was poor. The technical support is non existent. No one has returned any calls to me since April 15, 1999 and now have disconnected their phones.

We also purchased a marketing trip which was supposed to obtain doctors for our business and to date we still have no doctors.

They are associated with a marketing firm in New York They also will not return phone calls to discuss this matter. We did request a refund from both parties. But they have not responded. We also contacted the BBB, the Attorney General in Sacramento and the NY Attoroney General. We are among many people that this has happened to.

We spent $11,995 on the software and marketing. We were told that we would have our business up and going in three weeks. And to date we are paying credit card payments and are not making any money in return.

Kathryn of Boaz, AL:
I began communicating with AST in January of this year. In February my husband and I decided to proceed with this business opportunity. We paid $7,995 for the software and another $3,500 for marketing to obtain local doctors as clients.

I received the investment pkg in March which consisted of 6 floppy disks, 1 cd-rom, and several manuals and tutorials. In April, the 27th to be exact, a rep came to my area and did the marketing with me by which I obtained no certain contracted physicians as clients. She signed one with a signature "stamp" from the officer mgr. who informed me the next day that the Dr. had not actually decided to use my service.

I also spent weeks in the "test" phase where I was never able to process even one test claim from a doctor and was told by tech support that they needed to send me additional software in order for me to transmit claims if I received any due to a follow-up that the marketing firm was supposed to do--and they did.

Now I have one prospective client (was promised 2) but am unable to transmit a claim due to the fact that there is no one in the CA office to assist me with the test claims that the clearinghouse requires all new claim center owners to complete.

I want a refund from Mr. B, and from MAP the firm hired for marketing thru AST. We, myself and other claim center owners, deserve some justice. Thanks

Martin of London, KY:
We started talking to KK from AbsoTech. He informed us of the great earning potential with this kind of home business. We went through the interview process in October and passed with flying colors.

In this interview we were asked what kind of earning potential we expected. We answered that we would like to make $35,000 to start. We were told that this was a low amount and very much attainable.

We were then informed that we 5 business days to send in the $7,995.00. I had taken out a loan against my familys land to pay for the business. On November 6th we overnighted a Money Order for $7,995.00 to Absolute Solutions Technologies.

We then started talking to ABS about acquiring Drs. We were told that we could buy our first Dr. for $1,000 and each additional one would cost $2,000. We decided to do the $4,000 Marketing Trip.

Our Marketing Trip was scheduled for the middle of December, that way we could get our stuff setup before the Christmas and New Years holidays. The day before our Marketing Trip was scheduled for I picked up the Marketing Rep, Ronnie, at the airport. Drove him to the motel where he was going to stay. The next morning we started out on the Marketing Trip. We were scheduled to meet with 6 Drs.

Due to the fact that the Drs were in towns that were so far away from each other there was no possible way to get from one appointment to the next. So the day was a total waste, we only met with 3 of the 6 Drs. Of those three Drs 2 of them tentatively signed up, but the next day after the Marketing Trip, both Drs called and cancelled on us.

After the Christmas and New Years holidays were over I started contacting the New York Marketing Dept. We were told that they were backed up from the holiday breaks. We were told that we would get our Drs by the First of February. Well, February came and still no Drs. So I started calling on a daily basis talking to Ann, she told me that they had a schedule system setup to get people their Drs.

Since trying to start this business we have had to stop paying our normal bills just to be able to make the loan payment so my family's home doesn't get repossed by the bank. I'm so far in debt now that my only option is to file bankruptcy.

It's hard to describe the emotional stress that we have been put under. Its a sad day when you have to worry day to day about whether or not you can pay your rent, electric bill or even put groceries on the table for you family. We would like a full refund of our money plus some sort of compensation from Mr. B. He deceived us and took our money then left us with no tech support and no drs.

J.S. of Kansas writes:
I, like so many others on your site purchased books, copied software and incomplete and unsatisfactory training from Absolute Solutions Technology for the amount of $7,9995. I had not sent a signed agreement to the training center indicating that I felt my training was complete. I had not been set up with the clearing house and I had not even processed one claim or bill. I found out that Absotech had shut down when trying to gather some additional information for a prospective client and discovered disconnected phone lines.

My father died in January and I used my inheritance to finance this business. It is with a heavy heart that I feel I've been duped out of what was left to me to make my life better. I had hopes that by investing my inheritance in my own business I would be able to send our childred to college without assistance and worry. In addition, I have not shared this with my husband as to not cause him undue anguish. My hope is that since I had not completed my training or gotten set up with the clearinghouse that I could show that Absotech had not upheld their signed contract. When I know the status of legal procedures available to us, I will talk to my husband and we will weigh our options together.

Unfortunately, since AST is apparently out of business, there is little that can be done. When a corporation dissolves, it legally ceases to exist, so that there is no entity left to sue. Whether this was a scam or simply a business concept that didn't work out is not really relevant at this point.

Business is, by its very nature, risky. In fact, if you look at the statistics, MOST new businesses fail within their first few years. Anyone starting a business should recognize this. On the other hand, almost everyone who has a successful business today has had one or more business failures along the way. We all learn from our mistakes.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but that's how we see it.

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