About the "Private Courier" red flag (yes, a RED FLAG, RED FLAG, *RED* *FLAG*)......

WARNING!!  I'm feeling long-winded.

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Dear Kiddies,

There seems to be a misconception (definitely by Kimberly Bollman, possibly by others) that I am out to get a particular company -- namely, Emerald Passport (EPI):

    == Kim, you said, "I received an email from a collegue of mine that you
    == are at it again with EPI. SO I jumped on to see what you were up to."

I have been "out to get" many a company over the past several years -- companies with which I have been personally involved or by whom I have been personally scammed, as well as companies that I know for a fact are scamming other people.

Emerald Passport is not one of them.

(Listen up, people! This is *not* to be interpreted as a recommendation. I just said that *I* personally don't know anyone who has had a bad experience with them. I also don't personally know anyone who has had a good experience with them, and I myself do not care to get involved.)

I have absolutely *nothing* to gain by bashing Emerald Passport, and I have no ax to grind.

HOWEVER....

This site is frequented by gazillions of Newbies, Wannabes, and Yet-To-Be-Stung-bees.

I do not maintain this site for my health. I maintain this site (1) to make money, (2) to make friends (and plenty of enemies but let's not nitpick), and (3) TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT POTENTIAL RED FLAGS (thus, "Scams 101," otherwise known as "How To Smell a Rat Before It Bites You In the Hiney").

I am not bitter about the money I lost (thus poking a hole in the "you think everything's a scam" theory). In fact, some of the things I lost money on weren't even scams in the true sense of the word. I never forget for a second that I wouldn't have this site if I hadn't lost all that money, and since I wouldn't part with this site for all the chocolate in Belgium (or the money to buy it), I think everything worked out pretty well.

Having said that...

I will NOT be diverted from my chosen mission by a bunch of horsepucky, nor will I roll over and shut up while people reading this board are led to believe certain red flags are just good business because "sending money is a serious matter."

I will concede that a red flag does *not* automatically make a product or an "opportunity" a scam (and we are talking about *ALL* products and *ALL* opportunities, I think I've made that clear as a bell; we are NOT talking about EPI or any other company in particular).

However.... a RED FLAG is a RED FLAG is a RED FLAG.

NO red flag should be ignored.

ALL red flags should be a signal to you that you need to investigate a company even *MORE* thoroughly than you would in the absence of red flags.

This is NOT to say the company won't come out squeaky-clean in the end. It IS to say you are an idiot if you attribute horror stories to "sour grapes" once those red flags are raised.

Now let's get down to brass tacks:

THE "USING A PRIVATE COURIER" RED FLAG....

    == Kim, you said, "A director may have several
    == methods one can pay for a product. Using a
    == private shippers such as FEDEX is NOT A RED FLAG.
    == As you see, Maw and a few others just don't
    == like to spend the extra money for the features
    == FEdex and others offer. MANY MANY businesses use
    == Fedex, there is nothing shady about them -- "

    == And you said, "The points you guys are making are
    == ridiculous. Just because someone asks their teammate
    == to send the funds with FedEx, they should raise a red
    == flag about the opportunity! That's just foolish talk."

You are wrong.

Maybe everything about Emerald Passport is just peachy and they are using FedEx for speed and safety, as you say -- I am not going to claim otherwise because I simply don't know, but

"PRIVATE COURIER" most definitely *should* set off alarm bells in relation to *any* opportunity -- and big loud head-rattling gongy ones at that.

(And for the record, Kim, I don't think it is "someone asking their teammate to send funds with FedEx." The EPI contract seems to state that new customers *must* use a private courier for their initial purchase [last line of "Summary of Terms," about a quarter of the way down]...

but don't get sidetracked here, Dear FIBers; I'm trying to make a point that goes *way* beyond EPI and any disagreements Kim and I may have.)

Again, I am NOT saying that EPI isn't 100% legitimate. I am saying "private courier" is a red flag to be taken seriously in *ANY* opportunity.

THE EVIDENCE.....

There is tons more; just do a search on Google. This is really all I have time for right now, but anyone looking for "the perfect opportunity" would do well to take my "foolish talk" seriously.

Just search for the word "courier" on any of these pages to verify what I am telling you.

The BBB of Mainland BC says, "The tell-tale signs of fraud are...businesses asking for payment by private courier instead of by regular mail,..."

MSN MoneyCentral says, "Recognize the scam artists...most of the payments are sent to them by private courier services, which is clearly an attempt to evade the U.S. Postal authorities."

The Washington State Dept. of Financial Institutions says, "Irregular Business Practices...The promoter asks you to send your payment by private courier instead of through the mail."

The BBB of Wisconsin says, "How to Detect the Red Flags of Internet Fraud...Avoiding the U.S. Mail. If a seller requests payment in cash by a private courier or by check or money order through an overnight delivery service, be suspicious."

All-About-Credit-Cards.com says, "Be wary of requests to send your payment by private courier or wire service. The company may be trying to avoid detection by postal inspectors or to get your money before you have a chance to change your mind."

Again, I am not saying EPI won't honor their 3-day cancellation policy (and I'm not saying they will, either; I'm saying I don't have a clue).

THIS IS NOT ABOUT EPI.

Case in point:  the following link involves travel scams.

NEAMB says, "...you can avoid most travel scams by learning to recognize the telltale signs. Here are some red flags to look for: The company...offers to send a courier to your home to pick up your check....Scam operations use private courier services...in order to avoid prosecution in federal court. That's because federal agencies investigate travel fraud conducted via the post office or telephone, but not transactions that bypass mail and phone."

And finally, someone who has prosecuted bzillions of these people (only to have most of the scumbeezles come right back wearing a different hat, but I digress):

The Texas Attorney General says, "Be alert for the common signs of a scam...A request to send payment by private courier. Use of a courier...may be an effort to avoid penalties for mail fraud."

I bow to their Higher Foolishness.

Luv,

MaaMaw