Yesterday, Darren Campbell sent an email asking for a truce following escalating scrutiny of The FBA Brand Builder (FBABB). In his message, Campbell acknowledged mistakes and appealed to clients and critics alike, but the email raised more questions than it answered. The disconnect between his public assurances and the reality experienced by clients has never been clearer.
During a heated client call on December 2, 2024, Campbell directly addressed what he referred to as “outside noise,” claiming it was undermining FBABB’s mission. He described the scrutiny, which includes reports from this website, as a personal vendetta and vowed to put an end to it—initially through legal threats and later by asking for a truce.
In that same call, Campbell rejected claims of hidden fees as “bullsh*t” and asserted that failures within the program were due to clients not following the “blueprint” provided. However, client concerns about escalating costs, inconsistent mentorship, and lack of transparency dominated the discussion, reflecting a deep and growing dissatisfaction.
In response to Campbell’s email, we asked clients to come forward and share their unedited thoughts. The following section features their voices—raw, honest, and unfiltered—revealing the financial and emotional toll that FBABB has taken on their lives.
We will continue to update this article as more clients share their experiences. If you’ve been affected by The FBA Brand Builder, please feel free to contact us anonymously at [email protected]. Your voice matters.
*The client testimonials below have been lightly edited for grammar, spelling, and punctuation but otherwise remain unchanged to preserve their original meaning and intent.
Client 1
"The email/response says nothing other than nonsense, and the real issues are the acknowledgment of still learning and making mistakes! What?? But all social media, sales pitches, and all the way through the program present the picture that you cannot fail in your brand. Only at the later stages, after you have invested so much, is there an acknowledgment that not everyone succeeds!!! That is not what was sold or promised. And when it does fail, it’s our fault??
Sorry, it’s not—it’s their fault. They test your final product and advise, ‘Yeah, looks brilliant. We approve you to move on with this product. Contact the supplier and organize production.’ And then on top of that, you are told to sit back while they run PPC for you, spending your money. But again, when it goes wrong, it’s your fault. What a load of nonsense.
None of us were told the odds of success at the start. If we were, would we have gone ahead? No! We were all told you cannot fail!!
There is only one way out of this for Darren—to be honest regarding being successful. On social media, admit everything: all costs, show real audited success from an outside body, and pay back all monies to everyone so far that have lost—not just the fee at the start, everything.
He needs to rebrand and ask himself if he is currently trading in a fraudulent manner and what the consequences could be if he does not make good and rebrand urgently!!!"
Client 2
"The stress that you have added to my family was uncalled for. You kept sticking a knife in repeatedly, even when you had the opportunity to do the right thing from the start."
Client 3
"Darren, if you know you made mistakes, don’t make your clients pay for that. Quietly offer refunds to anyone who wants one, and we will accept. Agree to be upfront about ALL costs in the future for new people coming onboard so this cycle stops, and maybe then this can all stop."
Client 4
"I feel disappointed in myself for putting my family in this situation and for the financial stress it has caused and will continue to do for a long time. It’s his fault for not being transparent.
I fully trusted him when I first joined, only to quickly begin seeing inconsistencies such as the hidden fees and deleting messages in the group (although he says he welcomes feedback in his email to you, which is yet another lie).
One mentor told me not to go with a particular product as there were too many competitors, only to find out other mentors gave it the green light to other members. That screamed a lack of knowledge on the mentors' side.
I am devastated and too scared to ask for a refund as the thought of getting aggressive replies or even solicitors’ letters would affect my mental health even more so.
So I’m stuck, feeling alone, and quite frankly feel sick constantly that unfortunately others are going through this too.
I just want my money back and everyone else to get theirs back too. I want this to stop for all of us—for those that have been silenced, for those that are still joining the course, and for the many others that are considering joining.
The lack of empathy and awareness that Darren has caused to many families financially and emotionally is really heartbreaking. How can he not see this?"
Client 5
"If he had any dignity or real care for his clients, he would simply offer refunds quietly to avoid this and learn from mistakes by changing the program based on what the complaints are. Instead, his ego won’t allow him, and he has embarrassed himself and hugely damaged his image with the rude videos about Kirsty and is trying to backtrack. He could fix this, but not with emails like that."
Client 6
"What about the vision we all had for our lives and our families when we believed what he was saying was true? Why should my family pay for his learning curve so that all of his dreams come true and I’ve to pick up the pieces? It absolutely sickens me.
All he is talking about is his dreams for himself—no empathy for those families he’s put into financial difficulty.
I want a refund! I’ve lost a bit more than I can get back, never mind the embarrassment that I fell for the sales pitch. Nights sitting at a computer and losing time with my family because I bought into this vision that I could create a better life for them—all the while, he knew that the chances were slim of this working. What a waste.
I couldn’t care less about his vision. I want a full refund and for nobody else to be taken in by his shite the way I was.
Full refunds for those not happy and full transparency for those thinking of ever handing over a penny to him."
Client 7
"Deal with the clients you HAVE or HAD instead of constantly wanting to grow and expand for your own interests and gain.
We deserve our money back. We were not given anywhere near the service we signed up for. Once you got your money, you left us in the dirt.
Watching Darren continue like normal and not address anything has been incredibly difficult and frustrating for us all. We are hardworking people who wanted to better ourselves.
There is no family or community. There is a cult-like culture where Darren is the leader and no one should dare question him. All the mentors are friends of Darren, so they will never not be in his pocket.
People should save their money and use the £6.5k to invest into their Amazon business. You can do this yourself with the resources Donald previously included—honestly, save your money.
Would just like to add… when I emailed Ryan/Darren for a refund, I never even got a reply! If only he could put as much effort into responding to the people who have paid his and his staff's bills…!"
Client 8
"To Darren:
Your email is full of deflection. It lacks accountability or remorse. You continue to ‘experiment’ with people’s money, ruining lives and forcing people into emotional and financial stress that some may never recover from.
We were once in your ‘family/community,’ and you did not look after us. Shame on you and your team.
You have not changed anything in the two years; the evidence shows this. It will take us years to recoup the money we lost from trusting you. This is the biggest regret of our lives."
Client 9
"Darren, how can you take pride in the community you've built when you banish, silence, and threaten us for pointing out flaws? You seem to find it incredibly hard to accept criticism, which is exactly why your program is failing. Your mindset comes across as the only way, but if you actually listened to those of us who had disastrous experiences, you could improve your services and prevent others from suffering the same fate.
As for refunds—honestly, if you had even a shred of decency, you’d step up and take responsibility. The number of lives you’ve negatively impacted is growing at an alarming rate. You’ve stolen hope, ambition, time with our families, and financial stability from us.
Offering refunds would be your chance to show you're a decent person and that you’re willing to make things right."
Client 10
"Gaslighting.
Pure and simple gaslighting.
It was obviously a company policy not to thoroughly reveal all the costs involved throughout the program before we signed up. We didn't even know that we'd have to pay them to do advertising for us on a monthly basis until I skipped to about the 150th video near the end of the program to see what people were talking about.
And now they just repeat like robots, "No hidden costs, no hidden costs," when it's one of the many problems that everyone is complaining about."
Client 11
"To be better, Darren and the team need to be clear from the onset about the costs involved! I was originally told about £15K max, but this is now upwards of £24K for me. I still have stock to sell but can't afford to pay any more money towards it, as I will be really stuck. When I sought help, I was told I would have to pay for growth at £150/month. Whatever happened to "being with us until the first product became successful"?
Also, initial sales should not encourage borrowing, as this will get people into trouble down the line—which I believe it already has. Just be upfront with people: declare a chart with all costs involved and ask people if they have a minimum of £20K to invest.
Now, I have all this money to recoup over time and potential issues I have to deal with."
Client 12
"Ignore every word. Darren still hasn’t grasped that Amazon FBA is dead as a business model due to Amazon fees and PPC. This is why the majority of those who have launched have failed.
He has indeed changed lives, but not for the better, and those voices are finally being heard. The wording of this email suggests he is willing to take on feedback and make changes. Anyone who has approached him has received intimidation, threats, and gaslighting from his ‘team.’ Those who joined during the $50 product phase were never going to be profitable, so he changed to $100 products. This is an acceptance that the programme was flawed.
The ‘success’ stories may have impressive sales, but were these sales achieved legitimately, or through influencers and RankBell, and are they actually profitable?"
Client 13
"Darren, your email is truly unbelievable. It’s clear you care only about yourself, with no genuine concern for the community or your students, who seem to have been misled by your constant lies and fabricated stories. You won’t silence me or the many others who see through you. We won’t stop until you face the consequences of your actions for the harm you’ve caused to countless people who trusted you and your so-called blueprint.
I feel sorry for those currently caught in your scheme, believing they’ll succeed because you’ve conditioned your staff to convince them that others are thriving, when in reality, no one is. Some might call your actions misleading; I call it outright scamming because you know exactly what you’re doing. After all the stress and pain you’ve inflicted on others, you deserve to face the fallout of your choices. The only destination fitting for someone like you is hell."
Client 14
“I’ve been waiting for some time for FBABB to implode. It was clear to me that Darren and his team, while wanting clients to do well, had their own interests at heart first and foremost and were conducting themselves in a way that was never going to last.
My heart breaks listening to (client’s name removed) on the recent call. You can hear him realizing the quicksand that he is in, just as I did when I was in it.
There is a cult-like feeling about FBABB. Those within it know the truth—that sickening feeling of being stuck in something that just doesn’t feel quite right.
There are people in the industry who have made it, which is fantastic and great to aspire to. But for me, the issue here is twofold:
- The over-selling of success, which is well-documented and doesn’t need me to go over it again, but basically, profit—not revenue—should be used to advertise success stories.
- Who really benefits from FBABB? The people selling the course, of course. Sorry, I meant to say ‘brand-building company.’ Why would Darren not continue to just run Outlantis and make all his money there? Why would he put up with all the stress and hassle (especially now) of FBABB? Because it’s the greatest cash cow of them all: selling the course for thousands per person (plus extras). Lots of profit.
I hope that Darren and his team are brought to justice for any supposed misconduct. In some ways, this is already being carried out.
One other thing: one of Darren’s tactics is to say that Northern Ireland doesn’t like local success stories, to try to build a picture that the ‘outside noise’ is something wrong or something that needs to change. Here’s the truth, Darren: Northern Irish people love seeing local people do well. Think Carl Frampton. Think James Nesbitt. Think Rory McIlroy. Legitimate legends who make money hand over fist and rise to the top.
You know who local people don’t like? Dickheads. Think Tom Smyth. Think James Blake. Think Darren Campbell. Think anyone who has ‘made it’ without actually making it.
No truce. It’s not ‘let’s fucking go,’ it’s ‘let’s fucking get rid."
Client 15
"I joined the program with high hopes of building a successful Amazon brand. While the initial stages provided some guidance, challenges quickly became apparent. My product launch failed despite following the blueprint, largely due to poor market fit and misaligned PPC campaigns that drained my budget with no returns. Efforts to seek timely support often resulted in delayed responses, leaving me feeling unsupported during critical moments.
Unexpected costs, such as additional fees for ongoing support, were not disclosed upfront, adding to the financial strain.
This experience has left me disheartened but determined to continue my FBA journey independently, using free resources to minimize further risks. I urge others to thoroughly research programs like this and to demand transparency regarding costs and realistic outcomes before committing."
Closing Thoughts: A Call for Accountability
Darren Campbell’s email may have been an attempt to deflect mounting scrutiny, but the client responses tell a different story—one of frustration, financial strain, and a sense of betrayal. These testimonials underscore the widening gap between the promises of The FBA Brand Builder and the lived experiences of its participants.
Campbell’s call for a truce might have been intended to quell dissent, but as the weekly client call on December 2 highlighted, the issues within the program run far deeper than any single email or legal threat can address. From hidden fees to inconsistent mentorship and escalating financial burdens, the concerns are too significant to ignore.
As one client aptly stated:
"Deal with the clients you HAVE or HAD instead of constantly wanting to grow and expand for your own interests and gain."
This is not just about fixing a flawed program; it’s about repairing the trust that has been broken and acknowledging the real harm caused to those who put their faith—and finances—into Darren’s vision.
We will continue to share client stories as they come in, and we invite anyone affected by The FBA Brand Builder to reach out anonymously to [email protected]. Transparency and accountability are essential for meaningful change, and your voice is vital in this effort.
Together, we can shine a light on the truth and push for the accountability that so many clients desperately deserve.