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Awareness is Protection
After permitting Bush to get the nation into huge debt, waste billions of dollar on wars, bail out Wall St., etc. – it is the Republicans who fight and resist helping the regular people on Main St .
A BRIEF SUMMARY OF
THE SCAM OF THE CENTURY:
When I was a college student, I purchased a VW
-- similar to the one in this picture:
with the computer, cell phones, TVs, and other mechanisms ...and we should be
getting (as much as) 110 miles per gallon by now. BUT THAT IS NOT THE CASE.
-- here or there --- we should look at them with scorn and distrust. Somehow,
the auto manufacturers, politicians,and oil traders have managed to evade and
ignore the example set forth by the VW-- many years ago. And we let them get
away with a lot of it--because we wanted to LOOK IMPORTANT by driving
the biggest, fanciest, gas guzzling luxury car or SUV that they could make.
by using these gas guzzling cars that emit poisons from their tailpipes.
with the HIGH PRICE OF GAS and cars that get worse gas mileage than the VW
did many years ago.
cars that are mostly "gas guzzlers." Gas costs more than $4.00 per gallon -- and most
cars are getting very poor mileage. And if that is not bad enough-- the emissions are
to skyrocket, and the pathetic way that car manufacturers have permitted the
"lack of development" for better gas mileage -- and even cars that use alternative
much --- are sickened by the way our politicians, leaders, and auto companies have
placed us at the mercy of oil speculators and devious Middle East dictators who
have oil....because they have failed to follow the lead of the original VW.
and unscrupulous dictators...why not develop better cars that do not use so much
gas and oil???
energy-efficient...and perhaps not even using gas --instead some form of "clean energy" ???
POLLUTION HURTS THE ENVIRONMENT. Have you ever heard about "acid rain"...
or "the hole in the ozone" ? Those problems are the result of too much pollution.
CHECK OUT THESE LINKS --
James Lovelock on Climate Change -(FirstScience.com, 2 Feb 2007)
www.personal.psu.edu/users/m/w/mws243/effects_of_fossil_fuels_on_the_e.htm
2008 was a record breaker for more than just oil profits -- it was also the year of the wildest storms, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc. --- and the warmest year on record!
And yet, despite the wild weather -- we keep on burning more and more fossil fuels....
Click here to get info on FACTS ON GLOBAL WARMING online.
...LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW OUR GOV'T HAS FAILED US: 
BUSINESS LESSONS
SCAMS ARE RUNNING RAMPANT !
** DID YOU KNOW THAT....
~ Entrepreneur Magazine.
EVEN IF THE NEW SMALL BUSINESSES ARE NOT SCAMS...
...many are poorly planned, under-financed, and loser deals.
WHY ?
...Poor planning
....poor management....poor financing....lack of training....
...no marketing plans....mediocre products....illegal activities...
...Thousands of people lose money everyday to scams.
It's really not funny when you get conned out a lot of your hard-earned money.
BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES….
AWARENESS is your best PROTECTION:
THERE ARE SOME SIGNS OF SCAM THAT WILL
ALERT YOU TO WEASELS WHO ARE TRYING
TO USE, ABUSE AND RIP YOU OFF....
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON INDICATORS OF
A SCAM is that victims are asked for some type
of “upfront” payment, “investment,” sign up fee
….or --- in one way or another….there is some
excuse for getting a large amount of money from
the victim as quickly as possible.
RED FLAGS SHOULD GO UP and
...warning bells should sound--
...if the promoters of a "biz opp" tell you any of the following ---
1) You get paid or some type of compensation for recruiting new people.
2) They will BUILD YOUR DOWNLINE FOR YOU...at a cost.
3) You are asked to pay high fees just to sign up or to join the deal.
4) If the product seems to be "worthless" or highly overpriced.
Or if the promoters are making FANTASTIC CLAIMS about their product...
---such as: "It will cure your Diabetes in one week."
or
"These are sold everywhere--- just show them and get rich quick."
5) The promoters ask you to buy a huge inventory to resell to customers.
6) Big claims are made that you will "get rich quick" or if you are
pressured to join "right away" .... by similar HYPE.
7) If distributors or participants are asked to pay high prices for
"sales kits" and websites, ....for " training sessions" or an
office space, similar other peripheral items.
8) If you are asked to invest or pay money to view "advertisements" on
a website for which the promoters claim they will pay you to do.
9) You receive a letter or email from someone in a foreign country who
wants you to deposit checks, or that claims you have won a foreign LOTTERY ---
or that they are a "bank manager" or any other "business owner"-- and
they "really" need your help in money transactions, paying fees, etc.
EXAMPLES OF ILLEGAL BUSINESS PRACTICES --
In Iowa and other states in the US and in Canada hundreds of farmers are buying breeder pigeons. They think they are now in the pigeon breeding business. Elsewhere, millions of consumers are paying huge fees to sign up to GO INTO THEIR OWN HOME-BASED BUSINESS -- and to qualify to buy at discount -- gadgets, trinkets, soap, diet pills, fruit juices, ink cartridges, travel services, legal aid, or phone services. They get the opportunity to also pay for a website and training.
In many of these cases, the companies offering these types of "opportunities" are listed with the BBB or they show articles that appeared in local newspapers, in fancy business magazines, or they have all kinds of other references that make them appear to be "honest enterprises." The people who signed up or invested think they are now multi-level marketing (MLM) “distributors.” In 99% of such cases, the farmers, investors, and the distributors believe they are in “legit businesses.”
Are they? ...........No, they are not. Why?
A crucial part of a legitimate business is missing. Without this crucial part, they are actually in a money-transfer scam, a pyramid-scheme fraud, a Ponzi scheme. They don’t realize that this crucial part is missing because the scam is disguised as a business. It has products, “sales”, profits, contracts, meetings, CEOs, shipping, warehouses and distributors.
But it has no customers! All in all --most of the profits are being earned from the HIGH SIGN UP FEES paid to the owners of the company! Actually, there are very few sales made...and the time & energy spent to advertise, distribute the company brochures, and to make sales is "over and above the call of duty."
This situation that is happening involves one group of investors (V.I.P.'s ....breeders or distributors) transferring money to others that invested ahead of them. The company is actually little more than "highly motivated recruiters --recruiting more people to recruit." For all to succeed, the chain would have to continue forever! It would have to expand endlessly! Unfortunately this cannot happen. As a result, most must lose.
SEVERAL LARGE "MLM-style" companies have been sued and shut down for the same reasons--lack of sales and earning money by misleading people into thinking they would earn lots of money if they pay to sign up. One of the most famous cases was EQUINOX...which was also accused of illegal "front-loading."
YTB is under fire !
YTB problems are mounting --
CALIF. ATTORNEY GENERAL SUES YTB and others are following --
http://www.mlmwatchdog.com/pyramid_YTB_Your_Travel_Business.html
Recently the California Attorney General filed a major lawsuit ($25 million)...under Calif. Penal Code Section 327....against the company known as: YTB (Your Travel Business). This company has a sales force (distributors) of more than 340,000 people. It claims to have an income of billions of dollars. However the main reasons that they were sued are:
* Only approx. 15% of the income earned by YTB came from actual sales of the travel services. Most distributors are not earning as much as the cost of their distributor website ($49.95) every month.
* More than 200,000 members in 2007 paid more than $1,000 a year to set up online travel agencies, but only 38 percent of the company's members made any travel commissions...most of which were less than $100. per distributor.
* More than 70% of the income earned by YTB came from "sign up fees" -- and payments for other business & training services....not from sales.
* Most of the profits were being earned by a few people (at the top)--owners and managers of the program.
http://ag.ca.gov/newsalerts/release.php?id=1596
http://www.entrepreneur.com/localnews/1679943.html
http://www.pyramidschemealert.org/PSAMain/news/YTBScheme.html
SCAM SYMPTOMS:
Many promoters tell their prospects that they are
offering an MLM deal that will make the distributors rich.
However, the truth is that most of these phoney deals are
nothing but illegal pyramid scams...designed to make the
owners and promoters 90% of the income.
RED FLAGS…Beware of these types of businesses:
SYMPTOMS OF SCAMS--
1. Recruiting of participants is unlimited in an endless chain of empowered and motivated recruiters recruiting recruiters. Sign up fees are high ! Nothing offered is worth $500.-- or more-- just to sign up to become a “sales rep.” Genuine small home-based business opportunities or MLMs do not charge high fees to just become a SALES REP. There are many legitimate business opps that charge a fee of less than $100 to get started.
2. Advancement in a hierarchy of multiple levels of "distributors" is achieved either by the Rep paying for a position, via high volume recruitment, rather than by sales of the products.
Products are not unique or attractive…and not offered at a discount to customers. WARNING... if products are similar to ones widely available in major stores....distributors will be climbing a greasy pole to sell them. Potential to earn profits from sales is low. Income is based mostly upon high volume recruiting of more Reps.
3. Reps and distributors' encouraged to make significant purchases or investments when recruited.
Watch out for requests for your “investments” …to be a “founder” -- or REQUIREMENTS TO STOCK UP ON LOTS OF PRODUCTS. BEWARE OF any type of huge quantity purchases of products or services over time – where you must "pay to play" the game – to qualify for commissions or advancement. The Fed. Trade Comm. rules and laws require that MLM be based upon earning money from SALES of products/services. FRONT-LOADING distributors with lots of products is illegal.
LEARN MORE ---
“The Myth of MLM Income”
DID YOU KNOW THAT---
READ THIS REPORT:
* HERE IS A RULE OF THUMB....when someone shows you their "home-based biz deal or MLM plan" --ask yourself --- "Is this a product that would sell well no matter what I get paid?" "Are there some good benefits in this service for customers?" If the answer is 'yes' -- then find out how much they are charging to sign up. If it is "affordable and fair" -- that is...less than $100 to get involved...and they are offering good commissions -- it is probably a good deal. If there is a bunch of HYPE over products that are mediocre -- and maybe sold in regular retail stores-- and the main (hot) part of the compensation plan is that you must find other people to pay this high fee--RUN !!!
IF YOU WANT TO KNOW MORE ??
....read books by M. Miller
Scam vs. Scam -- $10.00
(--booklet contains info that helps raise your awareness about rip-offs & scams)
Visit this website:
HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY OF THESE
COMPANIES that got in trouble...???
Well –known businesses that have found themselves in TROUBLE
with the GOVERNMENT--- F.T.C., Attorney Generals and/or
the F.D.A---Some have been shut down and some of the
owners & founders sent to JAIL ---
• Xango
• Liberty League
• Equinox (Health Products)
• Global Prosperity (Tax Evasion Program)
• Bio-Performance (Gas Pill)
• Five Star Auto Club
• Sky Biz (websites)
• Mannatech, Inc.
Multi-Level Marketing TRAVEL:
One of the most popular companies... "Coastal Vacations"
has been repeatedly accused of scamming people.
And some claim that they were lead to believe that they
would be able to "get rich while you sleep"
--- because people travel so much....when actually they
did not make a dime. Many of the MLM TRAVEL DEALS charge
high fees-- $500+ --- to sign up to be a REP, but their salespeople
earn very little. Check out any that you may deal with...
....AND THERE ARE MANY MORE...who falsely claim to people that
"you can get rich"--- "be cured of diseases"--- "get a free car"---
or some other big promise THAT IS NOT TRUE !!!!
HAVE YOU HEARD OF ANY OF THESE BUSINESSES ?
http://www.mlmwatchdog.com/mlm_lead_and_downline_builder_scams.html
Companies get in trouble if they violate certain
State Business & Trade Laws and/or
Fed. Trade Commission regulations--such as:
FALSE ADVERTISING, making phoney claims and
promises...and CHARGING OUTRAGEOUS
SIGN UP FEES
.... or some just cycle money (calling it "gifting")
Some of these MLM DEALS are not as profitable or as easy to do as the promoters claim.
There are some that are nothing but scams, designed to make their promoters rich.
Also, there is usually a huge amount of “HYPE”--- statements
meant to convince you that…. “you will get rich quick…”
AND VISIT THESE WEBSITES FOR MORE RESOURCES:
That's the cost of most Internet Home Business ideas and you're about to give your hard-earned 49 dollars (or whatever sign-up fee they are charging) to some Internet dweeb because he's convinced you that he can tell you how to make a lot of money starting a new kind of home business on the Internet.
You've probably seen dozens of them. They show you check stubs, and daily revenues and promise you mansions, lear jets, pools and fast cars.
"Just send me the low one-time fee of $49 and I'll show you how you can make $2000 every day working only 30 minutes a day!"
But look, here's the real deal:
... almost all of these deals are scams.
They are not going to show you much of anything that you cannot learn for free.
There are many legitimate businesses that are free to get into....or which will not charge much and will help you earn money-- drop-shipping products or earning from making referrals.
ONE OF THE MOST COMMON INDICATORS OF
A SCAM is that victims are asked for or pressured
to pay large sums of money...in advance
--- in one way or another….there is some
excuse for getting a large amount of money from
the victim as quickly as possible (or small amounts
from thousands of victims) ... in return for
products or services--- something of very little (or no) value.
DECEPTION is the key ingredient to the deal.
WHY DO PEOPLE RUN SCAMS?
Most scam-artists are "sociopaths" who have no social conscience and
do not care about hurting or cheating other people. Some get a "thrill" out of
feeling like they "pulled one over on someone."
Some SCAMS have been created by people who just don't want to work a regular job.
So they set up slick ways to get money from tricking & cheating other people, without
returning much to the consumer or member. Other scam-artists are lazy--and want a
"free ride thru life"--- they don't want to work a job, or go to college to get a career.
A common desire of the scam-artists is to set up a situation that
yields them a "quick buck."
There are several reasons that people run scams, but just remember that no
scam-artist is "normal" or fair people. They want to "slick" their way thru life.
WHAT TYPE OF PEOPLE RUN SCAMS?
Some con-artists come from upper class or wealthy homes.
Some come from the slums. Some hold meetings in elegant
places and wear fancy suits. Others run games on the Internet only....
They come from all backgrounds, races, genders and heritage.
They are "mentally ill" people who get a "charge" out of cheating.
HOW DO SCAM ARTISTS CHOOSE THEIR VICTIMS?
Con artists choose you very carefully. They are only interested
in those people who don't ask many questions or who have great
needs... and can be turned around to believe in them without question.
They don't merely seek out the greedy or the weak or the stupid.
Not at all. They seek out the needy.
They sniff and snuffle around until they find someone who has an
unfulfilled desire that even you yourself may be unaware of until the
carrot is dangled in front of your face.
Sometimes, the scam-artist uses "charm" and pour tons of endearing
compliments upon the victims.....
FOR EXAMPLE: If the con-game involves getting the victim
to invest in publishing a song, poem, or in getting them to
invest in worthless products PYRAMID SCAM ---
*** the scam-artist may say things like---
" We are only selecting a few classy people to
help us sell these products."
OR
"You are a very special poet--and we want to get you noticed."
But, then, following all the "buttering up" the victim is soon asked for
an "investment" of some type.
Con artists will stalk anyone whose weaknesses or strengths can be
used to advantage. Most often, they prey on people who are desperately
seeking to "get rich"--without working much.... or who have extreme
financial problems and seek "quick bucks"--- or an EASY
HOME-BASED BUSINESS DEAL.
...DANGER????
--- far too many are nothing but PYRAMID SCAMS.
Maybe you don't know where to start.
Maybe you find it difficult to stay motivated.
Maybe you're intimidated by all the techie stuff and choices.
(Need help to set up a website to deliver product and accept credit card payments?)
Maybe you're working really hard, but not seeing any results.
... Whatever your situation may be -- whether you are a beginner at business or a seasoned investor, it's quite possible that you could benefit from the personal assistance of an Internet business coach or mentor. There is no question that training is very helpful and contributes to success. Believe it or not...there are people who claim to be "success coaches"--but do not have one idea of their own--- they listen to other teacher's tapes --and then use the material as if it were their own--- charging high fees to their workshop participants.
But one does not have to pay high fees...some as high as $3,000 to $15,000 per workshop (or more) to go listen to a fake trainer simply re-gurgitate some words that they have heard on a CD by a famous "motivational speaker" -- such as:
...... Zig Ziglar, Dale Carnegie, Tavis Smiley, Bill Gates, Tony Robbins, or Robert Kiyosaki.
BUT BE CAREFUL in selecting where and from whom you get your training....
There are many phoney-baloney people parading around selling their "coaching services."
"Why I Spend $36,000 Per Year On Just ONE Mentor...?????"
There's no denying that a personal business coach can have a dramatic impact on the success of your business...but--- far too many of these "coaches" are charging outrageous fees and they are not really the "experts" that they claim to be. Prices are ranging from $2,000 per session to $7,000 for a seminar.
And worse, there are many who have set up their operations to charge participants in an MLM fashion...where you bring in (sign up) others at a high rate-- maybe $10,000 -- and you get some chump change ($500) for your recruit. Then the new recruit does the same. Some of these operations claim to offer "special secrets"-- and thus, you must become a member.
THE REAL DEAL ---
Many, if not most of your questions about starting a business or
expanding it can be found on good CDs, DVDs, and in manuals.
There are also FREE webinars, e-Newsletters, blogs, and other
resources offered on the Internet.
You simply do not have to pay fees that are higher than college tuition.
REMEMBER: If you decide to get a "coach or mentor"---make sure that s/he
really is an "expert" and that you will get results from their mentoring. Ask around.
Check out the person, their program and their references.
NIGERIAN SCAMS:
WHAT BUSINESSES ARE OK?
HAVING A GOOD HOME-BASED BUSINESS CAN
BE A GOOD THING !!!!
THERE ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF GOOD
HOME-BASED BUSINESS--
* They offer a valuable, unique product or service....that sells.
* The cost to sign up is reasonable and low...less than $250.00--- OR FREE.
NOTE: The cost should be for "fair value" of what you are getting.
...Does the fee include: Products, Sales Materials, Website, etc.???
* The company offers many benefits to its reps...such as free training,
websites, conference calls, leads, etc.
AND ALTHOUGH MLM can be very lucrative for many people,
there are some people who want something different.
MANY PEOPLE ARE DOING at least one home-based MLM business.
In many cases, with a good solid unique product-- these entreneurs
are increasing their income.
ARE THERE OTHER GOOD BUSINESSES THAT ARE
NOT MLM ???
YES.... of course...
* Mail Order
* Fund-raisers
* Grants
* Real Estate
WANT TO KNOW MORE?????
IS THERE A REMEDY or HELP?
....yes, better training, skill building and more resources:
* Get a ... FINANCIAL FIRST AID KIT
Available at -- www.WOCF.ws
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