| ♦ REFRESH to rotate MAAMAW'S CLICKY NOTES thru this space..... Timely Tips, Best of the Boards & More ♦ |
Be sure to visit the Current Message Board when you're finished here. We're very friendly, so don't be shy... just jump right in and post your question. Scams outnumber legitimate biz ops about a bzillion to one, so it's well worth your time. |
| | View Thread | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg | |
|---|
FIB - Scams 101 - Ye Olde Archives
Posted By: Jennie
Tuesday, 15 February 2005, at 8:51 p.m.
Oh Maamaw, it's worse than I thought, and so, so, sad. However, hopefully people/prospects here will learn a lesson by reading what happens behind the scenes of a real life multi-company, multi-million dollar scam.
I've previously posted a bit about World Traders Association, The Global Connection, International Merchandise Group and Musketeer Partners.
Now that they've been shut down, the first report from the receivership defendant is available online: http://www.robbevans.com/html/worldta.html
Bottom line, according to the report, in six years this organized group formed 18 companies and grossed $30 MILLION DOLLARS IN MEMBERSHIP FEES from over 4,700 PEOPLE. There are a bunch of other "show-stopper" statisics there, but this was the one the popped right off the sheet. $30 million dollars.
The good news is they have been stopped before they could officially transfer the business to the two newest entities...assuming their lawyers don't succeed in court...but I doubt that will happen.
I feel sorry for those who were taken in by this group. However, if their misery raises the awareness and caution level of the newbies stuggling to find a legitmate business to work from home, then there is a silver lining.
I encourage you to print the documents above for future reference. It is a cruel lesson in how far people will go to take your money. They may sound nice and almost like family on the phone/email, but once they have your money their true colors show. Of special interest is the email from one of the sales reps...actually the president of WTA who was (until recently...HA!) a sales rep for the other companies. Look at how he describes his job everyday. It's disgusting.
It's a long document, but worth the 75 pages of paper and well worth the read.
Maamaw, have you thought about adding a place on your site for how to look up and cross reference online businesses? Just a simple how to. So much of this information was public, but people just don't know how or where to look beside the traditional BBB report (and we know how accurate they are). For me, I was satisfied to see that the names of business I thought were connected even though I couldn't really prove it were included in the doc. No other names listed here. Read the doc.
Roadie: Thanks again for your email/spam tips. They've come in handy!
Time for a brownie and a big glass of milk. J.
| | View Thread | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg | |
|---|
FIB - Scams 101 - Ye Olde Archives is maintained with WebBBS 3.11.
|
| PLEASE READ THIS LEGAL NOTICE CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU FILE A LAWSUIT OR EVEN WASTE TIME THINKING ABOUT IT. It has been done before, but never successfully. In fact, the last dodobird who tried it ended up being ordered to pay more than $77,000 in attorney fees ($65,000+ to my attorneys and $12,000+ to my co-defendant's legal advisor).
If your attorney is worth his salt, he's going to tell you that the expense of filing a lawsuit you can't win is a whole lot worse than any "damages" resulting from messages posted on this insignificant little chunk of cyberspace. NEWS FLASH: I didn't just climb down off that ol' turnip truck yesterday. I'm well aware that expressing a negative opinion, relating one's personal experience, and restating provable facts are all legal in this country and do not constitute libel, slander, or defamation -- so you don't want to play games with me, and you sure don't want to start something you aren't prepared to finish. I don't take threats lightly, and I don't accept bribes (or did you call it a "mutually-beneficial arrangement"?). I'll turn you in faster than you can yell, "ARREST ME, I'M SCUM!!" Do yourself a favor and turn your legal team loose in greener pastures. Although we may, from time to time, monitor or review discussions, postings and the like on the Friends In Business (Scams 101) Message Board, we are under no obligation to do so. We are not responsible or liable for any claim arising from the content of any such discussions or postings or for any error, defamation, libel, slander, omission, falsehood, obscenity, pornography, profanity, danger, or inaccuracy contained in any information contained within such locations on the Site. You are prohibited from posting or transmitting any unlawful, threatening, libelous, defamatory, obscene, scandalous, inflammatory, pornographic, or profane materials or any material that could constitute or encourage conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability, or otherwise violate any law. You are likewise prohibited from posting any false claims against any company or individual. We will fully cooperate with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity of anyone posting any such information or materials. By posting messages and/or content on the Friends In Business (Scams 101) Message Board, you give permission for Lesley Fountain/Friends In Business/Shoestring Success Publications to display, distribute and use the posting and content for publication, advertising, promotion, excerption or example. You grant Lesley Fountain/Friends In Business/Shoestring Success Publications complete, perpetual, but non-exclusive rights to use, archive, reproduce, adapt, modify, distribute, sub-license, repurpose, rework, compile, or offer for sale or resale the messages, postings or content appearing on this site in whole or in part, throughout the world and universe, on a royalty-free basis without remuneration. If you cannot accept or agree with the terms of service for this website and discussion board, you are advised not to post on this board. In closing, I would like to remind you once again that it is still legal, in this great country of ours, to express a PERSONAL OPINION, as long as it is presented as opinion and not as fact. And finally, all you scammers out there will do well to remember that TRUTH IS AN ABSOLUTE DEFENSE against charges of libel, defamation, and slander... so if you're operating just a hop, skip, and jump ahead of the law, you might want to think twice before doing anything stupid... (AND SHAME ON YOU!!). |