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Money Back Haunt LLC. (BS scheme or good marketing?)

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  • Money Back Haunt LLC. (BS scheme or good marketing?)

    What's are your thoughts on the "Money Back Haunt" company and what they offer?

    For those passionate hard working haunters, do you see this as a disgrace or promising marketing scheme?
    Joshua
    www.hauntedprints.com
    info?hauntedprints.com


  • #2
    Personally I got the scam vibe, and those silky lime green shirts made them seem fake. I mean, eating weird stuff? It's not a true haunted house but rather a gross challenge. This concept could be pitched in a number of conventions but it's not exactly haunted attraction related.

    Jake




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    • #3
      No smart haunt would pay $5,500 minimum when they don't know what they are getting.
      If he truly has the patent and trademark, which it seems like he does, there is absolutely no reason they have to be so secretive about it.
      He would have sold everyone in there if he would have just stated exactly what the system is.

      i can tell you that without knowing any information at all i think it is safe to say it has something to do with Bugs, Creepy Crawlies, or snakes.

      Kinda ticks me off he trademarked all variations of the name "money back haunt" lol
      Owner of The Fear Experience Haunted House in Cleveland, Ohio, voted the #1 haunted house in Ohio, and #14 in America by Funtober. The Fear Experience Haunted House was called the premier haunted attraction in northeast ohio by cleveland.com and #1 in cleveland by metromix.

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      • #4
        Why would anyone wanna offer money back? Why go through that trouble? If the movie stinks you don't get a refund you just go to the next one.

        Comment


        • #5
          While I was in costume Saturday, I asked one of the 'smarmy' salesmen, "How much for the entire Eastern Seaboard?" he told me they only do territories of 100 mile radius. I insisted I wanted the whole Eastern seaboard, explaining that my plan was to lay waste to it and create 1 big haunted attraction. He referred me to his boss. Made a handshake deal for 13 dollars.

          Don't think they quite got the fact I was making fun of them...

          On the serious side... Total scam.
          Michael Edwards
          Dallas, Texas


          https://www.youtube.com/user/AHauntersLife
          http://darkhourhauntedhouse.com/
          http://facebook.com/Drjkyll

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          • #6
            After reviewing their site it appears to me to be the same as a get rich quick scheme. If I'm understood the whole concept rely's on doing a second attraction to their specifications in which you can advertise a money back show. You can advertise to get your money back but must complete their attraction after going thru your own show. So you spend your money building a second show only to make them money advertising a money back show. I can't help but think since they have the name trademarked that you will also be making them money without knowing it, and you will have to pay over $5,000 for an untested theory. I work in advertising. I do TV and Radio commercials for a living and have been doing so for over 8 yrs. This smells like a scam. I would never employ a client who couldn't explain to me in detail what him/her was selling. I stopped by the booth and asked what exactly can they can do to help promote my show and was promptly told to talk to someone else. I never once got a straight answer. I'm not getting a good feeling about it and I fear in a year we may see a thread of negative feedback about this business.
            Daniel Burnett
            PR/Operator
            Reindeer Manor Halloween Park: Est. 1974
            13th Street Morgue/Dungeon Of Doom/Reindeer Manor


            sigpic

            reindeermanor.com
            whenhingescreak.com

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            • #7
              Heres the scam...

              Q. Will I get in trouble if I use the “Money Back®” Name in any way (or variation) with my Haunt without an official License?

              A. Yes, we have a legal retainer who specializes in Trademark and Patent Infringement Prosecution. We will absolutely sue YOU personally and Your Event. We will aggressively advertise the entire process to the Haunt Industry and Media. DO NOT steal our Intellectual Property or attempt to copy this Idea. We take it very serious, we will make you regret it, and you will be discovered if you do – guaranteed. Buy the License legally, and then enjoy the fruits of YOUR highly-successful Haunted Event.


              Sounds to me like if you mention getting any money back in any way, you get sued.

              I went to a haunt (a good one) a few years back, and on opening night if you made it all the way through, you got $5 back. Sounds like they would get in trouble.

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              • #8
                Money Back?

                Well I talked to this guy at Shanes party (wich was great by the way) he did spill some of the details to me (thank god for beer). From what I understand you build a second attraction about the size of a carport or garage. And the it is more like a fear factor show they make you eat some thing and drink some thing and so on. To me it has nothing to do with the Haunt Industry and it is a scame to your customers. He say they pay to go through your main attraction and then there is the upsell to go through the money back part. He said that there was like a 92% that do not make it through the challanges. I would never do anything like this to me it would just piss to many people who came to see a haunt not puke because of some thing we tried to make them drink or eat.

                Shawn

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                • #9
                  I'm going to have to go with a scam on this as well. I mean, I think they run a legit business, and while the money back company themselves I don't think is a scam, I think they are sugar coating you scamming your own customers. You might make a couple bucks the first year - but when word gets out its a separate attraction that you have to do something completely outrageous to get through ( not being so scared you don't make it out, which to me is what a money back haunt implies) People will catch on, and stop coming.
                  Good deals with : brad, smiley, capt. chaos, fables studios

                  www.fearthegallows.com

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                  • #10
                    Hummm

                    total and i mean total bullshit!!!!shane and it's I also smell bullshit! Shane
                    sigpic

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by carnagecrew View Post
                      I'm going to have to go with a scam on this as well. I mean, I think they run a legit business, and while the money back company themselves I don't think is a scam, I think they are sugar coating you scamming your own customers. You might make a couple bucks the first year - but when word gets out its a separate attraction that you have to do something completely outrageous to get through ( not being so scared you don't make it out, which to me is what a money back haunt implies) People will catch on, and stop coming.
                      BINGO....I talked with one of them for 10 minutes (he talked at me). I am really hoping this just falls flat on its face and no one bites. It appears it is not what is advertised to the public....a money back haunt....but puke or something else unrelated to haunting. I have too good a reputation and word of mouth BRINGS people to my place. Why in hell would I jeapordise that and want to make my customers leave feeling they were duped.

                      Wicked Farmer

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                      • #12
                        Let's face it, haunted houses are designed for our customers to walk through (or ride, if a hay ride). Sense when are we NOT going to let people finish? Unless someone pulls a weapon or physically stops me from attending the attraction, I'm finishing. If they ask me to eat or drink something...then no way -I'll eat (and drink) before I go; or ask me to swim, walk through knee deep mud or manure, climb a 20 rope, etc. We are not an "eat gross stuff industry" or a "ruin your clothes and get a work out industry" -we are haunted attractions. Unless I advertise those other features, I'm not going to require my customers to do them.

                        I talked to the money back people and they claim there is no trickery, etc. I don't know how else they can do it. In the end, if the customer feels they were scammed or tricked, then watch out because with social media -your haunt will be know as the big scam and that will take some time to recover from. You will have one good weekend and then nothing but damage control after that.

                        I offer money back as a promo (as noted in an earlier post). If you want to know how I do it send me a note and I will explain.

                        jeslich@gmail.com

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                        • #13
                          They do not own any patent on the idea. They have a patent pending on "The Money Back Challenge." I have already informed them that I am challenging the patent. In order to receive a patent on this idea, it must be a new or novel concept. I have informed them that in 2000 and several other years myself and my former partner created the first successful money back haunt in the states. And yes, there was a challenge involved. So by them claiming this idea as their own, it is a completely false statement. My lawyer is turning in all our advertising, all media coverage, copies of all our web pages, articles from around the web and our financial records from each year. Along with past approved Service marks and Trademarks. I do not believe they will ever get the Trademark approved.

                          The concept works for a couple of years then fades off. I would not recommend anyone doing this idea or for sure not paying a fee to learn how. I can explain exactly how it was done to great success without paying for a territory or license.

                          Howie "Slobber" Erlich
                          Slobber Entertainment, LLC.
                          1986-1997 (Mutilation Mansion,) 1998 (Screamers Haunted House,) 1999 (Evil Intention Haunted House,) 2000-2001 Concept Creator/Business Partner (Urban Legends Haunted House,) 2002 Floor Plan Designer and Consultant for a (Haunted Barn) Owners had city challenges & were never able to open, 2002 Floor Plan Designer/Construction (Fright Nights Haunted House) 2003-2012 Now retired Owner (Deadly Intentions Haunted Attraction)

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                          • #14
                            ^ Yes to everything John said!

                            The only way you could do this would be like "Fear Factory LIVE" and award cash prizes if they can do the challenge, other than that your customers will be pissed.
                            If they have a trademark there is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON THEY CAN'T RELEASE FULL DETAILS.
                            Owner of The Fear Experience Haunted House in Cleveland, Ohio, voted the #1 haunted house in Ohio, and #14 in America by Funtober. The Fear Experience Haunted House was called the premier haunted attraction in northeast ohio by cleveland.com and #1 in cleveland by metromix.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Agree with all of you especially Shane

                              This will only hurt those that get into this and then the rest of us sometime later. I said it as soon as I heard they were in the show on Thursday before I even got on the floor.

                              Maybe we should sue the green guys for attempting to sell something that appears to be similar to a haunted house but is actually a fear factor show (who should also sue them ).


                              These guys claimed they were not part of the Haunted Castle in Kentucky, but it sounds identical to what they are selling. So it seems to me that they are taking someone else's idea and trying to sell it. The Haunted Castle is in Hustonville, Kentucky and it is these guys who have done this for a few years that should be suing the green guys.

                              Check out their challenge web page http://www.hustonville.com/panicroom.html for yourself. I called and talke to the guys in Kentucky and he said the three challenges were 1. lay in a casket that has snakes released into it for a few minutes, 2. lay in another casket that has rats released into it, 3. eat something that was brought in from the stockyard that was edible but not very palatable. Now anyone that feels the need to spend money on this idea owes me a beer for finders fee !

                              A few years ago I learned about trademarks and patents when a guy called me from another similar named haunt and discussed his claim to the name of each of our haunts. It was a trademark in "logo only", or "service mark" as the words were too common just like these green guys. The following comes directly from the United States Trademark website.

                              Notice the words in the disclaimer below about "no claim is made ..."




                              Registration Number 4076575
                              Registration Date December 27, 2011
                              Owner (REGISTRANT) Tennessee Community Enrichment, Inc. CORPORATION TENNESSEE 360 Willow Bough Lane Old Hickory TENNESSEE 37138
                              Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "MONEY BACK" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
                              Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
                              Register PRINCIPAL
                              Live/Dead Indicator LIVE



                              AND here is the other one




                              Filing Date June 21, 2011
                              Current Filing Basis 1A
                              Original Filing Basis 1A
                              Published for Opposition October 4, 2011
                              Registration Number 4074303
                              Registration Date December 20, 2011
                              Owner (REGISTRANT) Tennessee Community Enrichment, Inc. CORPORATION TENNESSEE 360 Willow Bough Lane Old Hickory TENNESSEE 37138
                              Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "MONEY BACK" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
                              Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
                              Register PRINCIPAL
                              Live/Dead Indicator LIVE
                              Attached Files
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                              Brett Molitor (aka ~ JamBam) Member of HAA

                              Haunted Hotel-13th Floor (est by Huntington Jaycees in 1968 8) )
                              Longest running Haunted House in the WORLD!!

                              Hysterium Haunted Asylum (old Haunted Cave), Fort Wayne Indiana

                              Hysterium Escapes - 4 rooms with 3 themes


                              www.HauntedHuntington.com

                              www.facebook.com/hauntedhotel

                              www.Hysterium.com

                              www.facebook.com/HysteriumFtWayne

                              www.hysteriumescapes.com

                              www.facebook.com/hysteriumescapes


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