Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/24/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My complaint as follows
  My last phone call with a manager he said this is not getting anywhere, and there is no need to continue this conversation it's ending. I requested all further communication to be in writing. They submitted to 75 companies the majority did not pertain to my idea. Some of them are out of business. Exposing the idea unnecessary. If the brochure requires my input recommendations why didn't the first one?. Now they indicate that they do not give input information to the brochure. They had all vital information from the beginning. The brochure repeats itself over and over with one aspect of the idea, with their first for brochure design. I revised the brochure to the best of my abilities leaving me in the dark whether or not this would be effective. An average person like myself this is not possible I will need to hire an outside firm to design and format the brochure ranging from $900 to $2,000. And most will not signed an NDA. To protect nearly $20,000 investment I would have to hire an outside firm and jeopardize my invention without an NDA.
  As seen on TV they guide you step by step process. They say that they have 9,000 companies that they can submit to. They did not Target my invention to the appropriate companies using an inadequate brochure. Leaving me with 50 submissions.
  The above complaint is supported by original documents, that have additional complaints within.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/27/2023

  This complainant contracted for our services last year for
  the assistance in submitting his invention to industry in an attempt to obtain
  a good faith review.  Our records indicate that the services are being
  provided in accordance with the contract.  Additionally, he contracted for
  our Patent Referral Services referring him to an independent patent attorney
  for the preparation and prosecution of a patent application.  It is our
  understanding, his patent application was filed with the United States Patent
  & Trademark Office and his invention is patent pending.
  
  To date, we prepared a New Product Submission Brochure
  announcing the availability of the complainant’s invention, which the
  complainant approved on April 22, 2022.  We submitted the complainant’s
  New Product Submission Brochure to companies in the InventHelp Data Bank that
  have agreed to review our clients’ inventions in confidence.  We followed
  up with certain of these companies in an attempt to obtain feedback on the
  invention.  We also prepared an Invention Summary and Press Release, which
  announces the availability of the idea, but does not disclose the working
  details.  The Invention Summary is sent to companies outside the
  InventHelp® Data Bank, and the Press Release is utilized for an online publicity
  distribution service, where it will be distributed to search engines,
  journalists, and bloggers.   A Virtual Invention Presentation (VIP)
  was prepared which contains 3-D renderings and computer-generated animation
  highlighting the main function or use of his invention.
  
  The complainant’s claim that he was not given an opportunity
  to make revisions to his brochure is simply untrue.  In fact, after
  initially approving his brochure in April 2022, we allowed him to make late
  revisions in December 2022, at no additional cost.  We sent him a draft of
  his revised brochure in December 2022, which he confirmed receiving via
  email.  As a courtesy, we also agreed to include his invention information
  in the Virtual Invention Browsing Experience (VIBE) at the Licensing Show in
  Las Vegas, Nevada being held June 13-15, 2023, at no additional charge.
  
  The complainant also questions the companies to which we
  submitted his invention.  We reached out to the complainant to obtain
  specific information regarding his vague claim so that we could investigate the
  specific company or companies further.  However, he would not provide us
  with any details.  Nevertheless, we reviewed the companies we selected and
  remain confident that they are appropriate selections based on the companies’
  areas of interest, product lines, and/or manufacturing
  capabilities. 
  
  If the complainant wishes to provide us with specific
  information regarding the companies he is questioning, we would be happy to
  respond in more detail. further.
  
  Thank you for bringing this complaint to our attention.
  
  Sincerely,
  Maura R******
  Compliance Manager
  InventHelp

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/27/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
   
  
  Regards,
  
  
  ***** **********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/22/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I want to get out of the contract with Universal Payment Corporation as they are holding me responsible for paying for an invention promotion service scam. They gave me false hope of submitting my ideas to a data bank of businesses that were seeking new ideas, but failed to mention that a lot of the businesses they were going to be sending my ideas to were dissolved or had nothing to do with the industry my ideas were for. My ideas were also supposed to be featured in their trade shows, which never took place. I know it never took place because I had a representative there and did not see my product at InventHelp both when he went and checked, so Ron lied and sent me a letter from a company that had "interest" in my product. So once again they failed to honor the contract which is another breach. InventHelp lose in court for breach, fraud and scamming inventors, I want my money back and I'm not paying another penny for violations of the American Inventors Protection Act, 35 U.S.C. 297(b), and breach of contract against InventHelp. Your payment verification code is: 394286

  Business Response

  Date: 02/27/2023

  Nearly four years ago, this complainant contracted for a
  two-year service for the assistance in submitting her invention to industry in
  an attempt to obtain a good faith review.  Our records indicate that the
  service was provided in accordance with the contract.  Additionally, she
  also contracted for our Patent Application Referral Services where we referred
  her to an independent patent attorney for the preparation and prosecution of a
  patent application.  It is our understanding, a patent was granted for her
  invention as a result of this service.
  
  During the course of her services, we prepared a New Product
  Submission Brochure announcing the availability of the complainant’s
  invention.  We submitted the complainant’s New Product Submission Brochure
  to companies in the InventHelp Data Bank that have agreed to review our
  clients’ inventions in confidence.  We prepared an Invention Summary and
  Press Release, which announces the availability of the idea, but does not
  disclose the working details.  The Invention Summary is sent to companies
  outside the InventHelp® Data Bank, and the Press Release is utilized for an
  online publicity distribution service, where it was distributed to search
  engines, journalists, and bloggers.  A Virtual Invention Presentation (VIP)
  was prepared which contains 3-D renderings and computer-generated animation
  highlighting the main function or use of her invention and is created based on
  the invention brochure information, which the complainant approved.   The
  complainant’s invention information was made available in the Virtual Invention
  Browsing Experience (VIBE) in May 2022 at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas,
  Nevada as well as in an edition of our Invention Catalog, which circulated to
  companies registered in the InventHelp Data Bank.   Finally, her invention
  information was made available in our Virtual Tradeshow, which is a secure,
  electronic showcase of our clients’ ideas and is made available at a tradeshow
  on an iPad or similar device.  Confirmation of these services was sent to
  her upon completion for her records.
  
  The complainant’s claim that her services, specifically VIBE
  at the Licensing Expo, were not provided is simply untrue.  In fact, we
  received four responses from companies as a result of VIBE, one of which
  requested additional information about her invention.  
  
  Additionally, our records indicate the complainant
  stopped paying for the services over two years ago and is in arrears over
  $9,000.  At this time, we encourage the complainant to make arrangements to
  pay for the services which she received.
  
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
  
  Sincerely,
  Maura R******
  Compliance Manager
  InventHelp

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/27/2023

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  
  
   
  
  Regards,
  
  
  ***** **********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:10/20/2022

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  As you will see detailed through this letter, and attached items, on August 6, 2022, I spoke with Micheal H******** seeking assistance to patent an idea. Through many conversations (verbal and written) Mr. H******** stated that Invent Help would be the ones patenting my idea, as they had a team of patent lawyers with experience doing the research and patenting. He even went as far as to explain that I would be working one-on-one with the lawyer assigned to me on a personal level. It was made concrete to me that the patent lawyer would assist me with patenting my product, and then I would have the separate option of producing my product with Invent Help if I chose to. Michael H******** then informed me to begin this process I needed to pay the sign up fee of $875.00 USD. I paid this amount on August 6, 2022.
  
  From there, I submitted detailed information to patent my idea. In return I was mailed information on other patents and a package stating the opposite from what I was told.I contacted Mr. H******** on October 13, 2022 and spoke with him about this package. Michael then gave me a different explanation of how Invent Help handled patent ideas:
  They were NOT patent lawyers, did not provide patent lawyers and
  Would NOT patent my idea nor connect me with a patent lawyer without me consenting to a $14,000.00 USD payment for soliciting services to even speak with a patent lawyer, via Invent Help.
  It was then that I told Mr. H******** I was no longer interested in Invent Helps services, now understanding that I was fed a bait and switch scam–as it was my firm understanding through our conversations that the $875.00 USD payment was to secure the start of a patent with their patent contracted lawyers before considering the $14,000.00 USD production plan; and, that I would like to be reimbursed my payment.
  
  To respect the space allowed here, the rest of this letter is attached to this complaint.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 10/26/2022

  
  Good Morning,
  
  Below is the forward of an email I received from Invent Help's Compliance Manager, Maura R******, detailing a solution to resolve my complaint. Invent Help has agreed to refund me the full amount of $875.00 USD if I I retract my complaint against them. 
  
  Trusting that this is a fair solution, I am requesting for my complaint #******** against Invent Help to be removed.
  
  Thank you for your outstanding work helping me to resolve this issue. 
  
  Sincerely,
  ****** ****** 
  
  
  
  ----- Forwarded Message -----
  From: InventHelp Client Services <**************@**********.com>
  To: ****** ****** <*******@*****.com>
  Sent: Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 03:24:09 PM EDT
  Subject: RE: _ File #****** Urgent
  
  Good Afternoon ******,
  
   
  
  Per our conversation today (and your voice mail message), I wanted to confirm that InventHelp will agree to cancel your Basic Information Package Services and issue you a refund for the money you paid for this service, after receiving confirmation from the Better Business Bureau that your complaint has been retracted against InventHelp.
  
   
  
  Thank you for your cooperation in resolving this matter.  If you should have any further questions, please feel free to contact me at 412-288-1300 ext. 2317.
  
   
  
  Sincerely,
  
   
  
  Maura R******
  
  Compliance Manager
  
  InventHelp®
  
  412-288-1300 ext. 2317
  
  1-800-591-1891 ext. 2317
  
  mr******@inventhelp.com
  
   
  
  cid:[email protected]

  Business Response

  Date: 11/03/2022

  We are writing to update you on the status of the above
  referenced complaint.
  
  We reached out to this complainant and have reached an
  amicable resolution.  At this time we consider this complaint to be
  closed.
  
  Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.
  
  Sincerely,
  
  Maura R******
  Compliance Manager
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/09/2022

  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 

  Hello ********,
  
  I tried to respond to the BBB message but it’s not letting me. So I’m emailing you to let you know that Invent Help has returned the money I paid them. I expressed to them that I recommend they have a talk with their agent about his misrepresentation of the package they are offering people. 

  
  I thank you for all your help!! I know they would not have refunded me if it were not for the help of the BBB. 
  
  ****** ******