David Fessler — Scam Or Legit? All You Need To Know

Background

David or Dave Fessler is currently the head of his own firm, Fessler Wealth Management.

Prior to this, he served as The Oxford Club's Energy, Infrastructure, and Technology expert. He was with the company for close to 16 years. Obviously, this is a long, impressive stint with the Agora affiliate.

He became editor of a number of advisories, which we will discuss below. Fessler was also a regular contributor to Investment U and co-editor of Energy & Resource Digest.

What we like about his background is his real-world experience. Prior to becoming a newsletter editor, he was Vice President of two companies. The first one was LTX, and after that, Quality Telecommunications.

According to his profile, he is a "degreed Electrical Engineer." As well, he claims to be "a renowned specialist in the semiconductor, telecommunications, energy, and infrastructure sectors."

Services

Newsletters

Today, it seems Fessler now focuses on his own wealth management company. But he has been with The Oxford Club for almost 16 years.

Among those he handled for the company is The Oxford Growth Investor. It is an entry-level newsletter that follows various trends. The advisory's supposed to lead you to great investments.

Meanwhile, Extreme Disruptions Trader is a premium service. In it, Fessler says it contains "smaller and disruptive companies" you need to invest in. The newsletter also gives options trading recommendations.

As for his Advanced Energy Strategist, it's for you if you want to get in on the fastest-growing private companies. Subscribing will give you insights on "hyper-growth" stocks to invest in.

Aside from these, Fessler also had Oxford Resource Explorer. It was devoted to investments in metals, energy, and other natural resources.

As well, the editor also has a free newsletter called Profit Trends. It "focuses on trends before they start to move the market can generate big returns for subscribers."

The Energy Disruption Triangle: Three Sectors That Will Change How We Generate, Use, and Store Energy

Fessler's profile says his book on energy was a number 1 best-seller. If truly "a real-world guide for adapting to the new energy era," then we know why people bought it.

The author describes The Energy Disruption Triangle as a handbook. If you want to know how to thrive in the energy revolution, Fessler says you can benefit from reading it.

Also, he predicts that "the nation's energy habits will experience a dramatic upheaval" due to major developments. These include solar energy, electric vehicles, and energy storage. Therefore, you need to know how to adapt.

Unfortunately, Fessler believes many do not know what's coming. However, the revolution "will come much sooner and much faster than anyone thinks."

When you read the book, the author says you will:

• Learn how our energy supplies―and usage―are changing,
• Understand why energy storage matters, and how the technology is evolving,
• Explore the history and future of groundbreaking energy technologies, and
• Delve into the disruption of the U.S. energy supply, and the possibility of energy independence.

Again, if it indeed delivers, what a book, indeed. It seems people today need reliable information on the future of energy.

Unfortunately, there are so many resources out there that do not provide well-researched data. If Fessler can provide facts about his predictions, many will indeed benefit.

But what do those who have read it think? Do they endorse the book and the ideas it presents? Are the readers happy about purchasing Fessler's The Energy Disruption Triangle?

We will discuss feedback on the book in the later chapters, so read on.

Feedback

Teasers

We have already written a few articles about Fessler. In fact, we exposed what his EV stocks were in a past article.

In our “The Charging King” & “The Battery Disrupter” writeup, the highlight was on his special reports.

First, Fessler writes about what's supposed to be “The EV IPO of the Decade.” Second, he talks about “The Battery Disrupter.” Of course, if you want to see what's inside them, you need to subscribe to his newsletter.

To know how you can get this number one profit opportunity, you must shell out big dough. His Extreme Disruptions Trader newsletter costs $2,095 annually. 

Aside from the special reports, you will also get video tutorials on options trading. Supposedly, there are also step-by-step action plans to make the most of your investments.

Many are interested because Fessler says the EV market could potentially unlock $1 trillion by 2035. Naturally, investors get excited when they see such numbers.

But is this a realistic view of the investing space? 

According to the author, the first stock he teases is "a small company that could expand its business 28x over.” Obviously, this sounds like a great deal.

This "Charging King" stock "boasts the largest network of EV charging stations in the world." Fessler adds that it "became the world's first publicly traded global EV charging network."

Based on this and other clues, we believe the company is ChargePoint Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CHPT). 

Meanwhile, the "Battery Disrupter" stock supposedly "solves a problem that has plagued the EV industry since its inception."

In fact, the major come-on here is that the new battery technology is better than most today. Apparently, it's "cheap, lightweight, and charges faster than lithium-ion batteries."

Moreover, the company "holds around 200 patents and patent applications related to solid-state battery technology."

So, what is Fessler talking about here? Based on the clues, the second stock here is QuantumScape Corp. (NYSE: QS).

What did we think about the editor's EV stocks? Are they worth the hype? Will you really get revolutionary returns on these companies? Here is what we said in our previous article:

Predictably, both companies' underlying economics are not exactly great at this stage. 

However, we are being asked to pay hefty valuations for both, which gives us pause despite the lofty growth projections.

Travis Johnson of Stock Gumshoe also wrote about Fessler's "Charging King." For him, it does seem like the editor was referring to ChargePoint Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CHPT).

A key note he made in his article was about the company's merger with Switchback Energy Acquisition Corp (SBE).

Johnson agrees with Fessler. According to him, the business seems poised for growth. The fact that the company will have revenues from the hardware and software is promising.

First, they will sell the charging stations. Second, ChargePoint will "also tack on a software subscription to run the stations and a service contract/warranty."

So the company will get revenue upfront. But it will not end with a one-time purchase. Customers will continue to pay the company for years to run the charging station.

However, Johnson thinks other EV charging stocks have more potential. If he were to invest, Stock Gumshoe says he may go with "EVBox and EVgo over ChargePoint."

For him, "EVgo's business model and growth profile" is "more appealing at first glance."

As for EVBox, it has "a similar business model but faster turn to profitability." Moreover, Johnson thinks its "valuation seems a little less stretched."

But based on the EV stocks he examined, he has one conclusion:

Everyone is using similarly aggressive estimates about rapid increases in the number of electric vehicles and the number of charging stations needed in the US and Europe.

Aside from these, we also exposed Fessler's "Liquid Electricity" teaser. It seems like a big deal. Apparently, this stock is a $12 trillion opportunity!

According to the editor, this is an energy-saving type of technology. What makes it special is how it combines water and electricity. Of course, before he reveals what this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is, there's a catch.

Obviously, you need to subscribe to his service first. In this case, it's still the expensive Extreme Disruptions Trader. With it, you'll get weekly newsletters, plus a model portfolio. Of course, he'll tell you where to invest, too.

But what exactly is he referring to? Based on our research, this liquid electricity is the much-hyped hydrogen. True enough, it's supposed to have “the highest energy per mass of any fuel.”

But which company is he talking about? Who can actually turn hydrogen into a sustainable energy source?

In our liquid electricity article, we said we think it's the Norwegian company NEL ASA. Its ticker symbol on the Oslo Stock Exchange is (OSL: NEL). In the United States, it is listed as an ADR (OTC: NLLSY).

Here are some positive things about the stock:

• It dates all the way back to 1927.
• Built what was at that time the world's largest water electrolysis plant in Rjukan, Norway in 1940.
• It has 14 technological patents to its name.

What do we think about it? What we said then was we liked that it's a pioneer in hydrogen works. However, the investing space is very competitive. It may succeed, but probably not how Fessler described it.

How about you? Are you familiar with hydrogen? Is the company familiar to you? Have you invested in this type of energy stock? Let us know in the comments section.

In June 2020, we also wrote about Fessler's Next Tech Giant teaser. In it, the discussion was about a so-called "linchpin of the potential $11.2 trillion 5G revolution." Apparently, it will "reshape America forever."

According to the teaser, you could make up to "24 times your money." Is this a truly revolutionary tech development? Upon further investigation, we found out Fessler was referring to 5G routers and hotspots.

Some of the clues he gave about the stock was about its 35-year tech veteran CEO. Also, it has over 200 patents and has contracts with Ericsson and Qualcomm.

Aside from that, giants like J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and BlackRock have large stakes in the company.

Based on these, we figured the company is s Inseego (INSG). In our linchpin review, we said the company would indeed benefit from the 5G rollout. However, making 24 times your money is unlikely.

Stock Gumshoe's article on this "next tech giant" also reveals it is the same company. 

According to Johnson, it doesn't appear like Inseego will revolutionize 5G. For him, there are too many companies out there already. As more see potential in the technology, there will be more competition.

As a result, he does not think making 24 times your money is guaranteed either. Although possible, Johnson says this:

selling this kind of equipment is not generally a high-margin business so they’ll need remarkable volume to have huge profit surges.

In the Inseego exchange below, we see why we should be careful about the claims Fessler makes. He tends to overhype these. However, if you're not careful, you could lose a lot of money.

Based on a more recent Fessler microblog on Stock Gumshoe, it seems the editor is persistent about the stock. A subscriber asked Johnson about a 2022 5G stock teaser.

Here is how Johnson responded:

That’s still Inseego (INSG).

Fessler has been touting it for a round trip now over the past few years, from $5 or so back in 2019 up to the low teens for a while in 2020, and now back below $5 again. 

I think the last time I updated my article about that teaser was a little over two years ago now.

Apparently, Fessler and The Oxford Club has continued to recirculate the teaser. What does this mean? It may mean they strongly believe in the stock. Another way to look at it is that many continue to fall for the teaser.

Either way, recycling teasers like this may be counterproductive in the long run. It already appears desperate, like the copywriters do not have new material.

In fact, Green Bull Research and Johnson both note the language used is almost the same.

Based on all the teasers, there is a pattern. We're sure you've also observed how the editor advertises his picks. Like most advisories, Fessler tends to be overly optimistic about his recommendations.

In general, Green Bull Research thinks it's fine. If the "experts" truly believe in them, it's okay to be confident. However, there must always be disclaimers for the sake of the subscribers.

Responsible editors will also ensure their readers know the pros and cons of each stock recommendation. It should be common sense, but some get too swayed by exaggerations.

Besides, there are laws about truth in advertising. Editors and the companies behind them have to abide by policies to protect consumers.

Newsletters

Fessler's Oxford Growth Investor got 4.6 stars from 1446 votes as of this writing from Stock Gumshoe. It's a pretty high score from a good number of reviewers, so good for the editor.

However, we would also like to note that of the 56 comments on the page when we published this article, most talked about Matthew Carr. Apparently, he is Fessler's co-writer on the service.

We actually found no comment about our subject here. Maybe that's because he works more behind the scenes. We are not sure, but either way, it is a good rating.

As for his Oxford Resource Explorer, 119 voters gave it 2.4 out of 5 stars from Stock Gumshoe. Like the previous service, his co-writers were mentioned more by commenters.

However, one asked Fessler a question about his recommendation:

We have tried searching for reviews about Fessler on Better Business Bureau. However, there were no results specifically about him. As an alternative, we looked at those for The Oxford Club.

After all, he was the go-to there on Energy and Infrastructure for almost 16 years. In a way, the feedback for the team also reflects on him as part of the senior team.

The Oxford Club's BBB page shows it has a rating of 4/5 stars based on about 35 customers.

As of this writing, there are also six complaints closed in the last 12 months. As for those closed in the last 3 years, the record shows 35 complaints.

Here are some of the examples of the glowing reviews. Although there were complaints, there were also periods where the page was peppered by these kinds of 5-star reviews.

They seem pretty generic and similar. But maybe these are legit comments. What do you think?

Meanwhile, here are some of the issues subscribers have:

The scumbags won't unsubscribe me from the mailing list. The unsubscribe icon is turned off.

They will not respond to me. I was scammed. They will not explain what happened. I have been ignored.

Of the six trades I've entered since joining, five have been losses. The results are, instead of the 75-80% win rate we were told we could expect, thus far this has resulted in an 80% loss rate.

The company charged my debit card for a service that I did not want. It is like they are stealing money from me. The amount of the charge was over $1500. I want my money back.

Obviously, these are unsettling reviews from BBB. No subscriber should experience these, especially if they invested significant money in subscription fees.

In investing, there are always risks. So readers should also be aware they could lose money. But that's the problem when Fessler and editors overhype stocks and do not discuss the risks.

That's why we really advocate being transparent with the risks involved. It will help subscribers temper their expectations. As well, it's beneficial for advisory companies so they don't get these kinds of complaints.

The Oxford Club's Trustpilot page shows it has 3.1 out of 5 stars from 20 reviewers. Fessler's parent company, though, got mostly 1 star. 

A reviewer said he has been a subscriber since 2016 and totally trusts the Club's recommendations.

Another said the company has made him "good money over the past 30 years." Trying really hard to convince us, he adds "nothing is wrong here that is for sure!"

Meanwhile, there was also feedback that said Fessler's company was "good at spinning false promises." For user "BH," the services are a scam and he has lost a lot of money on the recommendations.

Another commenter wanted something done because of his experiences:

For "Lone Veng," here is a warning:

Hugely hyped stocks that don’t return what they promised. Newsletter full of erroneous claims - stay away!

The Energy Disruption Triangle: Three Sectors That Will Change How We Generate, Use, and Store Energy

As of this writing, Fessler's book has 4.6/5 stars on Amazon. This is from a total of 28 ratings. From these, 72% gave the book 5 stars, while 18% gave 4 stars.

Based on the ratings, it appears those who bought the book liked it.

Reviewer Bill DeHaven commented that it was well-written. Since it's heavy with facts, DeHaven said it provides a good glimpse into the future.

Meanwhile, Paul E. Smith writes that Fessler is spot on about renewables. Not only that, his comment also commends the author for spelling out the road to that future:

The disruptive triangle: Renewable Energy, Electronic Vehicles, and Energy Storage define the long-range road to a much cleaner and stable planet.

Moreover, the commenter said the book prompted him to act. As a response, he was encouraged "to put solar cells on my property, buy an EV, and get my own charging station."

Aside from these reviews, worth noting as well are the praises the book got from Fessler's colleagues.

Julia Guth, the CEO of The Oxford Club, says it is a must-read for her financial research team. She adds that Fessler's "passion and optimism for 'energy disruption' comes through loud and clear."

As the President and CEO of Sprott US Holdings, Rick Rule thinks The Energy Disruption Triangle is fascinating. He believes the book "describes a highly attractive vision of the future of energy, driven by technological advances."

In addition, Rule adds that those who "care about investing, energy, technology, or simply the ascent of humankind" should read it.

Meanwhile, Karim Rahemtulla, co-founder of Monument Traders Alliance, also has great things to say. He says Fessler is an expert guide who has been "spot-on with his analysis of the coming disruption in what we know as energy."

For Rahemtulla:

You don't want to miss what's coming next, and that is why you should inhale every word of this book."

Pros v Cons

Pros

• David Fessler has over 45 years of experience in sales, marketing, and financial investments.
• He was among the first to focus on energy, infrastructure, and technology.

Cons

• We could not see a good number of definitive feedback on his personal contribution to his newsletters.
• His parent company, The Oxford Club, where he serves as the main energy and tech expert, does not have the best reviews on spam mail and credit card charges.

Conclusion -- Can You Trust Fessler?

As a veteran of The Oxford Club for 16 years, many ask if David Fessler is a scam artist.

We hope our extensive article has given you enough information to make a decision. Although he now focuses on Fessler Wealth Management, the editor was on top of many newsletters through the years.

Among them are Extreme Disruptions Trader, Advanced Energy Strategist, and Oxford Resource Explorer.

The "degreed electrical engineer" is not shy about his expertise. His profile states he's "a renowned specialist in the semiconductor, telecommunications, energy and infrastructure sectors."

Prior to writing advisories, he was Vice President of LTX and after that, Quality Telecommunications.

As an energy expert, his book, The Energy Disruption Triangle, was a best-seller. Fessler says it's the ultimate handbook for people wanting to invest in the sector.

We have also talked about the teasers he made for his reports and newsletters. Overall, we said his picks had potential, for sure. But he also has a tendency to overhype the companies.

As for his newsletters, there were some good and bad reviews. But it was interesting that he was not mentioned that much in the comments. 

Overall, is he a scam artist? In the end, it really is up to you if you want to entrust your money to him, especially now that he specializes in wealth management. But we did give you all the details you need to know.

Let us know your thoughts below.