SEO companies promising first page in google

Basically scams. I tried one, OMEFYI Software run by a man name Rajat Gupta, and wasted $400 over four months. The advice I got ran contrary to what I found on the web. They wanted me to keyword stuff, put in NOODP and NOYDIR meta keywords which I read are obsolete and OMEFYI did not move the needle as far as his promise of 'first page in google' - not even close. These companies also speak of 'backlinks' that they (you) will pay sites to link to your website - another practice that google frowns upon. Once you stop paying them they stop paying for the backlinks and they go away - so they serve no real purpose except to keep you paying the SEO company. I also found that their critiques were difficult to follow and we would go back and forth for days and, in the end, I still did not have a clear answer as to what was wrong or what I was supposed to do. Part of this was due to the language barrier doing business with someone in India. In addition OMEFYI created a gmail account in my website's name. When I questioned this they said it was for something like 'offsite work' and they would give it to me when we terminated our relationship. When I did they, despite many emails requesting that they do so, have not given me that gmail account. They have no use for it so it just strikes me as being vindictive for my terminating the business relationship.