Update by user Jul 02, 2013 Incidentally, the total loss for me was $11,000.00. One contract was dated March 20, 2013 for work that was to begin on April 26, 2013. The contract was disputed on April 4, 2013. Lou Ceparano at Close-Up TV News falsified his report and reported that all work on the March 30, 2013 contract had been completed and used documentation dated February as back-up. Update by user Jul 02, 2013 I have since learned that the Close-Up TV News/Radio has solicited clients in 26 different states in the US and also in Canada. There are telemarketing statutes in 27 of the US states. Complaints have been filed in those states where Close-Up TV News/Radio has solicitied business in which there are also telemarketing statutes. Not only do those states generally require the merchant to be licensed, bonding is required, and in some cases the sales people must be licensed as well. I wrote an article and had it published titled "What Do You Do About A Bad Business Experience?" It is posted on my website www.janethorton.net. The complaint is registered with www.scamboard.com, as well as all the locations noted in my article where people can file complaints. Close-Up TV News/Radio is on the "watch-list" for several state attorney general offices and government agencies. Everyone who has suffered through experiences with Close-Up TV News/Radio and other scams, should file their complaints so that these organizations can be dealt with. Several clients of Close-Up TV News/Radio have contacted me with their complaints. I have also heard from previous employees. I am sorry to hear how so many people have been taken advantage of. Original review posted by user Jun 01, 2013 Here is the latest telemarketing scam that is crossing America and costing Americans millions of dollars. This is what has happened to me, so far, and it is unfortunately the norm rather than the exception. Close-Up TV News contacted me via telephone and led me to believe that I was contracting for interviews on Close-UP TV News. The paperwork I later received referred to Close-Up Talk Radio. Never did anything or anyone refer to or use “blog talk radio”. I actually did not know until about two minutes before the interview, when I called-in for the interview, that the interview was being conducted under “blog talk radio”, NOT Close-Up TV News or Close-Up TV News Radio. That was extremely misleading and a misrepresentation on their part. In my case, the services Close-Up TV News provided were, and are not in dispute: The 4 interviews The 30 second promotions The DVD recordings Press release with photo or video distribution to major news outlets - there was nothing personalized about this. The release was distributed through a random newspaper clipping service. The services not provided were: Close-Up TV continues to not address these services. The email list - Anthony Holmes required that I agree to clear my calendar to be available to accept requests for public speaking engagements and be able to travel after he sent requests to the Fortune 500 companies urging them to schedule me. According to Holmes, “If we tell a Fortune 500 company to hire someone, they do”. I agreed. Press release with photo or video distribution to media publications Press release with photo or video distribution to networks - Anthony Holmes required that I agree to clear my calendar to be available to accept requests for interviews and be able to travel after he sent requests to the networks and radio and television talk shows urging they schedule me. I agreed. Promotional campaign for products, services, books, etc. Provide company visibility on the major search engines Professionally scripted interviews Live streaming from website (Holmes insisted this feature be added to my website) Podcast of interview series (Holmes insisted this feature be added to my website) Stats on live callers to show Stats on listeners Detailed year long media campaign Under the second contract dated 1/17/2013 the same applies. Close-Up TV continues to not address these services. Provided: Website design – Close-Up TV News did not redesign page 1 however I do not dispute that Kevin Rocke recommended that a pix be relocated, and I did that. Rocke also answered a question re the legality of using the guest book feature. Rocke made no changes on page 2 and there was no input, suggestions or recommendations for page 3; though Rocke did compliment me on a job well done. The website was actually an existing working website that had been designed and maintained by me. The redesign had been demanded of Close-Up TV News (Anthony Holmes and Louis Ceparano) and the work was to be completed prior to the release of the press release or the first interview. I felt I had no choice but to agree – a contract was never signed. Not Provided: Close-Up TV continues to not address these services. Website tech support – Questions were asked and not answered. The banner was changed without authorization or approval. I asked that those changes be removed – they were not. While I liked the visual affect, it was not usable because it was not layered. Website design completion – There was no input on pages 2 or 3; unauthorized changes were not undone.