Menu
For Business Write a review File a complaint
Urban Nation Ent

Urban Nation Ent review: Scam 10

K
Author of the review
5:26 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

I had a man approach when I was doing yardwork and he was selling magazines. I live in cul-de-sac so seeing someone walking around in black slacks and a white button down shirt was out of the ordinary. He was friendly and very talkative. He had a good story about selling these magazines to help himself, to create jobs for inner city youth and to help feed his nine year old daughter. I'm a sucker-thats a given and if you ask me to buy something then 9 out of 1o times I am going to buy it. So I signed up for 2 magazines and then he aske if I could possibly buy 2 more so he could get points that would help him get a promotion. It was about feeding his daughter, I couldn't say no.

I signed up for 4 magazines and then he was ready for his check. The minimum subscription timeframe was for 2 years per magazine-all of which you pay for up front. My total was $261 and as I was writing the check I was wondering how angry my husband was going to be when I told him. This entire sales pitch took about 45 minutes.

As soon as he left I got online and went to www.urbannationent.com and there isn't a great deal on the website. I found a contact number and got a voicemail. Then I looked online and found a "direct line" to their CEO and this voicemail was just for a cell phone without a real voice mail message set up.

I started reading all the online complaints and my stomach started turning. There are a lot of complaints out there. One man said he drove around until he found his salesperson and got his check back. I thought about that and did the exact same tihng. I was nervous, but he gave me my check back. I talked to him another 10-15 minutes as he tried to get me to talk to him manager to prove the company was real. A number he was going to dial on his cell phone. Also he said the company had been around 20 years. I told him the website said the company was established in August 2003. He didn't know what to say to that. At the end of this entire ordeal he finally just asked me for a tip for all the word he had put into his sale. I didn't have any cash or my guilty conscience would have given it to him.

I know I'm gullible, but it was just too much money to give up to a scam. I am not saying the salesperson was scamming me, but the company he works for just doesn't appear to be legit and it has a lot of BBB complaints filed against it. The Better Business Bureau rates it an "F." That isn't a good sign.

So everyone out there just be careful and remember its ok to say "no thank you." Even though that is harder for some of us to say.

10 comments
Add a comment
W
W
weenie
Seattle, US
Nov 24, 2010 6:11 am EST

Did you ever get your $ back? just wondering, because I fell for it too, ugh!

K
K
Kremzeek
Mount Horeb, US
Jan 11, 2011 9:43 pm EST

Lawrence Engerman is slime, pure and simple. The address for Urban Nation is not even a legit location. It's a UPS store in Willis, TX.

Lawrence also runs a "cash building website" called mycashchain.com. I'm guessing the only person building cash here is Lawrence himself. Nevertheless, he registered the website using his personal address and email.

engerman79@aol.com
9731 west shore dr
willis, Texas 77318

Check google maps. He's living really well on our dime.

J
J
June Lowry
US
May 09, 2017 5:26 pm EDT
Replying to comment of Kremzeek

His other email is urbannationent@gmail.com

D
D
dbeebee
US
Mar 25, 2011 9:07 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I am a single woman living on my own and I fell for the sales pitch myself. After I gave him the check and filled out his form and performance review, he very inappropriately asked me for my phone number and began prying into my personal life and trying to touch me. I retreating into my house had a terrible feeling about the transaction, so I called the phone number on the receipt to cancel my order and report his behavior. The phone number connected me to a voicemail on a cell phone. I did a stop payment on the check immediately and I urge you to share this info with your other neighbors and friends to stop encouragement of this type of soliciting and harassment in your community.

T
T
tikib321
US
Dec 22, 2016 2:42 pm EST

Well you cant believe everything you here or see... Im a urban nation employee and i've been with the company 5 years ago for almost year and just been back a year as of 2/19/16 and what i can say is the company is far from a scam. I have a 4 yr old and 2 month old i wouldn't be here if i thought other wise! You have to remember the company is hiring individuals who have made mistakes in they life, convicted felons ex prostitutes or simply trying to better they life period and every one isn't costume to doing the right thing some people here because they have nothing so to get something they dont know what to do specially coming from a place your always talked down about didn't have much was told they wasn't gone be #### in life and ect... And you willinging willing to give you money to them i mean its different people that come to the company not the company its self. Its also two places to fill out on receipts and if gifting you would put the organization donating to in the delivery section and same for if you was getting for self this company has helped me challenged matured me in so many ways im so honest it kills people so ere me when i say urban nation is the ishhh

J
J
June Lowry
US
May 09, 2017 5:25 pm EDT
Replying to comment of tikib321

So how does someone get in touch with this company? If you work for them, you should have contact information besides their answering machine and email of urbannationent@gmail.com. Again, how do you contact them? I was taken just Saturday.

A
A
ACayler
US
Feb 08, 2019 6:52 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Stole money from me too. SCAM

A
A
Anti H1b
US
Mar 04, 2020 7:14 pm EST

A HipHopAndFriends representative (possibly Lawrence or Zion) came to my front door this afternoon Oakland, CA
He cursed at me and called me a racist for taking his picture.
He challenged me to come out onto the street and fight him. He physically threatened me.
Then he spat on my property and moved on.
I don't think he's legitimate. Too high strung.

View 0 more photos
A
A
Anti H1b
US
Mar 04, 2020 7:15 pm EST

Scammers

View 0 more photos
A
A
Anti H1b
US
Mar 04, 2020 7:16 pm EST

Threatened me w/ violence on my own front porch.

View 0 more photos