Every Sunday, we bring you the stories Darren Campbell doesn’t want told—real experiences from FBABB clients who signed up expecting expert mentorship but found themselves facing unexpected costs, broken promises, and mounting frustration.
This week, two former clients share their journeys. One was drawn in by FBABB’s relentless success stories, convinced they were making a smart investment—only to realise too late that the numbers didn’t add up. The other ignored their gut feeling, believing the programme’s constant reassurances, until the cracks became impossible to ignore.
If you’ve been through FBABB and want to share your story—whether anonymously or not—drop me an email at [email protected]. Every voice adds to the growing movement calling for accountability.
(Client Story 1) “It Was All Smoke and Mirrors”
Myself and my partner both work full-time and also work on the side to bring in extra money. This includes selling online. I say this for context as, contrary to what some FBABB supporters would have you think, we neither have a bad work ethic nor are we unaware of how business and profit margins work. We were certainly not under the impression that this process would be a get-rich-quick scheme and were fully prepared to put a couple of years into building this business before expecting to reap any rewards.
What we did think we were spending our hard-earned money on was expert guidance from a local businessman and his hand-picked mentors—people who were successfully building their own brands and who could guide us through the same process they had used. It was clear upon joining the programme that this group was pretty much making things up as they went along—constant changes to the programme and half-answers to client questions. Certainly not the expert advice we were promised.
On sign-up, we were told that this programme was totally data-driven—a numbers game. Due to there being no guesswork and us having access to the best mentors and software in the game, we were assured we pretty much couldn't fail as long as we followed their blueprint. We asked if we could complete absolutely everything within our budget (£7k–£10k) and were assured this was all we would need. The usual sales pitch followed: limited places, they don't let just anyone on the programme, they want the right clients and don’t accept everyone who applies, etc.
Once our money was handed over, it became apparent that the community was being censored. I asked a question regarding costs outside of stock. As any business owner knows, all costs must be factored in. I had jumped ahead in the videos and could see that there were thousands of pounds ahead of me that were not mentioned upfront (company registrations, brand packages, samples, to name a few). At the time, this didn't concern me too much as this would just have to be deducted from my budget and my stock spend recalculated.
I then got a private message from another client advising me that messages like mine weren't appreciated by the team as they were seen as being "negative." This client was obviously trying to give me a heads-up on what was to come. But how can a question about keeping on budget possibly be seen as negative? Surely this is one of the most important things to keep track of? Apparently not, because a few videos in, the main man shouts about how "there is no budget in business." Silly me for thinking that keeping track of spending might actually matter. That was the first of many red flags in this programme.
Thankfully, I came across Kirsty’s video and Donald’s website before I got to the branding package, as that would have been another few grand down the drain. Seeing what’s going on now with all those brand registrations and fraudulent filings, I realise what a lucky escape I’ve had.
This works like a classic Ponzi scheme—new client fees seem to be keeping the original "success stories" ticking over. Rankbell is behind the big sales figures. It's all smoke and mirrors, and we've all been taken for a ride.
If you are currently in this programme, chances are any money you’ve put in is gone. Don’t throw good money after bad. If you're in a hole, don’t keep digging.
(Client Story 2) “The Promises Wore Me Down”
After coming across Darren Campbell’s relentless daily ads, usually of him walking backwards on Binevenagh, I couldn’t escape the promises of financial freedom. He claimed this wasn’t a “get-rich-quick scheme” but a sustainable way to create income, boasting a 100% success rate. According to him, you could achieve all this from the comfort of your home, working just six hours a week, leaving plenty of time to spend with your family.
I was extremely skeptical at first. In fact, a lot of people accuse those of us who signed up for his course of not doing our due diligence. But the truth is, I did. At the time I joined, there was absolutely no negative PR about Darren Campbell or The FBA Brand Builder. None.
I held off for months, despite seeing ad after ad, but it was the success stories that began to wear me down. There were the two Ryans who left their monotonous jobs, and then Jordan McClean, another local lad, whose Hydros brand supposedly pulled in an impressive $70,000 in revenue in a single month. Seeing someone from Northern Ireland doing so well struck a chord. Six months after first encountering the ads, I did another deep dive into the course, but there were still no red flags to be found. No negative reviews, no disgruntled clients. It seemed airtight. That’s when I decided to reach out.
I was scheduled for an onboarding call with Paul Matthews. My first impression was dominated by his overly polished, flashy turkey teeth, but I thought, “Okay, let’s give him a chance.” I asked him all the questions I could think of. How much does the course cost? £6,500, he said. What does this include? Full access to course materials and “experienced” mentorship from the FBABB team. Were there any additional costs? Just investment for inventory.
When I pressed him further on how much inventory investment was required to hit £10,000 revenue in the first month, he said £8,000 would be more than enough. He even suggested I take out a loan because, according to him, I’d make it all back. Finally, I asked about profits. Without hesitation, he claimed they were seeing margins of 33–35%. That blatant lie should’ve set off alarm bells, but instead, it impressed me.
Normally, I’m a rational, logical person who would spot a scam a mile away. But at that point in my life, I was desperately trying to escape a high-pressure job that was leading nowhere. On top of that, I’d experienced two family bereavements in the last ten months, and I realise now I was in a vulnerable, emotional state. All I wanted was the freedom to live comfortably and spend more time with my family. So, I made what turned out to be the most costly mistake of my life—I handed over £6,500.
After that, I was told to sign an NDA and was connected with another mentor for a “battle plan” call. To my surprise, it was Ryan Stewart, one of Darren Campbell’s poster boys. He was always being pushed as a shining example of the programme’s success. My first thought was, “If he’s been so successful, why is he working for Darren?” But once again, I stupidly gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Ryan was charming and motivated, promising me, “We won’t let you fail. If something goes wrong, Darren will interrogate us to find out what happened.” It gave me some comfort, though his tone shifted when he added that if I had any issues, I should search the community platform first and not waste anybody's time. That was the first crack in the façade.
I went through the course materials, starting with the cringeworthy Stage 1 “mindset” videos. Eventually, I reached the “business foundations” section, where I was advised to pay ~£160 to their recommended FBA accountant, Richard, to set up my business on Companies House. When I argued that I could do this myself, I was told it was “strongly advised” to go through Richard because he knows the industry. I asked again if there were any further costs, and Ryan reassured me, no, nothing more—just inventory investment. I pressed him on how much would be needed, and he said £10,000 would be optimum.
Then came the product validation call with Daz Tweed. To say Daz lacked charisma is an understatement; the dead lice were practically dropping off him. He was so dour and uninspiring that I immediately felt uneasy. Daz informed me that two of my chosen products were unavailable because other clients were already selling them, which left me with a completely ridiculous option that I knew would never work—but at least it was validated by the FBABB team, right?
By this point, things were starting to feel off. I put the whole process on pause, partly because of personal and professional commitments but also because something didn’t sit right.
During this pause, not one person from The FBA Brand Builder reached out to see how I was doing. I didn’t expect hand-holding, but the complete lack of communication was unsettling. I compared it to university, where at least lecturers would chase you if you missed deadlines. Still, I couldn’t shake the constant success stories on Facebook ads. They made me feel like I just needed to give it another proper go, and I convinced myself the guys had my back.
In October/November 2024, I decided to pick things up again. That’s when the truth started to unravel, and thankfully, the timing couldn't have been better for me. Stories about Darren Campbell and The FBA Brand Builder began to emerge—allegations of unethical practices, inflated promises, blatant lies, and fraud. It all came crashing down, and I realised I’d been scammed.
All the red flags I’d ignored over the months were suddenly glaringly obvious.
I’m angry at myself for falling for it, but I know there are others worse off than me. This isn’t just a case of bad business; it’s a predatory system targeting people at their most vulnerable. It has to stop. If sharing my story can save even one person from making the same mistake, then it will have been worth it.
Share Your Story With Us
These stories are a stark reminder that FBABB’s promises don’t match reality. Darren Campbell’s marketing sells a dream—clients are left with the fallout.
If you’ve been affected, we want to hear from you. Email [email protected] or use the Contact Us form. All submissions remain anonymous.
Thank you to everyone who’s shared their story. Together, we’re exposing the truth and holding FBABB accountable. More client stories coming next Sunday.