JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The complaints against a well-known Jacksonville entrepreneur accused of fraud continue to roll in as dozens tell the New4JAX I-TEAM that they invested tens of thousands of dollars into real estate transactions and short-term rental opportunities with Janay White, who is the CEO of eight different companies in Jacksonville including J White Business Center on Dunn Avenue.
More people are coming forward about credit repair services they feel were a waste of money through the J White Business Center.
In most cases, consumers can repair their credit for free. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made most “for-profit” credit companies illegal. Daveana Davis said she realized that a little too late because she paid White $600 in 2021 in hopes of repairing her credit.
“We were part of the same social network and I saw her posting results and inquired about credit repair and business credit,” Davis said.
After enrolling in the credit repair program, Davis said her credit never improved.
“Still, didn’t see any results. I for one, because it wasn’t a big loss, I never said anything because she was such a big social media following,” Davis said.
Others have similar stories to Davis.
Another woman who did not want to be identified said an email from White was one of the only forms of communication she had with her after she gave the business owner almost $700 to repair her credit. The woman said her credit score also never improved.
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White has recently deleted her Facebook and Instagram pages as she faced backlash from members of a growing social media group called “J White Ponzi Scheme,” which has nearly 12,000 members.
“After seeing the massive response from the Facebook group and hearing everything everyone said it lines up exactly what I went through with her,” Davis said.
According to the FTC, most credit repair companies are operating illegally. It’s unlawful for companies to charge fees to consumers until six months after the credit repair company has provided all of the promised benefits.
Based on Davis’ experience of paying White to repair her credit, but seeing no results, and based on the Facebook posts, Davis is concerned.
“She’s a scam artist. Definitely a scam artist,” Davis said. “I don’t know what implications are gonna come from this, but she definitely needs to address it, especially the people who she took thousands from.”
News4JAX reached out to White for comment but has not heard back from her. She has denied allegations of fraud in the past.
If you have a complaint against Janay White, you can file a report with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office by calling the non-emergency line: 904-630-0500.
How to Report Credit Repair Fraud
If you suspect you’ve been scammed by a credit repair company, report it to:
- Federal Trade Commission, online or at 877-382-4357.
- Florida Attorney General, Office of Citizens Services by calling (866) 966-7226, or filling out an online form.