(82) MLM-theTruth Update...
MLM-theTruth Update
Issue #4, December 2011
MLM sometimes gets ugly with bankrupties,
divorces, alienation from friends and families –
even murders and suicides
We were shocked to learn of the October suicide by Don Lapre, whose vitamins were sold by infomercials and an MLM scheme. Only a couple of months before, we learned of the failed suicide attempt by Ellery Bennett, after killing his wife. Bennett had racked up mounting debt from involvement in Liberty League International and later in LGN Prosperity group. That is a total of three murders and three suicides connected with MLM involvement – that I am aware of. Add to that the thousands of bankruptcies, divorces, and loss of friends and family from endless chain recruitment, and you have a business model that is less than sanitary, to say the least. It is the appeals for help from thousands of friends and family members of victims of these schemes from all over the world that keep those of us advocating for consumers dedicated to exposing the evils of MLM fraud.
A classic article holds up over time.
One of the pioneering articles which brilliantly presented the fraud and moral problems inherent in MLM as a business model was written by Dean Vandruff and is called "What's Wrong with Multi-level Marketing." It was one of the first consumer-oriented articles to be posted on the web. This brilliant article suggests four major problems with MLM:
1. Market saturation: an inherent problem
2. Pyramid structure: an organizational problem
3. Morality and ethics: a problem of greed
4. Relationship issues: an experiential problem
Virtually all of his arguments have held up over time. However, some degree of market saturation has been to some degree overcome by resourceful MLMs willing to use clever and deceptive strategies to keep going indefinitely. These strategies are explained in chapter 3 of my ebook The Case for and against Multi-level Marketing, which can be downloaded free of charge from this website – mlm-thetruth.com.
To be well-informed on this topic, read the Vandruff article.
"Book burning in America: a tale of Nu Skin"
This article by Joe Alfieri describes how the book Formerly Filthy Rich;My Scandalous Life with a Billionaire Cougar, by Adam Baker, husband #3 of NuSkin founder Sandie Tillotson, was banned from distribution by Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com. NuSKin's attorneys. Quoting the author:
Nu Skin thinks he knows too much, or at the very least says too much, and on this particular Friday afternoon used its team of lawyers to shut down distribution of Formerly Filthy Rich by Barnes & Noble and Amazon. Let me say that another way, in case you missed it: they got the book banned. A figurative burning of a book, but in the world of electronic publishing a burning none the less. A burning worthy of Nazi Germany, or Fahrenheit 451. Book burning and censorship in America, friends.
The lawyers argued (at least to B&N, their story to Amazon was quite different, which we’ll address in a moment) that the book was defamatory. It may be, but defamation is best argued before a court of law, where each side presents its case. Adam says he stands by every word he’s written, and is ready to produce witnesses. If that’s the case, then there is no defamation. Nu Skin says burn the book anyway, before anyone gets to read it. Barnes & Noble rolled over and pulled the book from its website quicker than you could say, oh, Sarah Palin. The Joe McGinnis book about Palin, if you’re keeping score, is still available, even if it is defamation, or claimed to be.
The story presented to Amazon by Robert S. Clark of Peer Brown Gee & Loveless of Salt Lake City, said nothing about defamation, but the result was the same. Nu Skin argued that the material in the book was not Adam’s. Baker says that of course it’s his story, and is ready to produce his drafts and copyrights to prove it. No matter, Amazon has pulled the book “pending investigation.”
Earlier in the week Adam’s WordPress blog was shut down, and although he hasn’t gotten word as to why from notoriously slow to respond WordPress, one has to think there’s something of a pattern here.
And here then is the Thumper betrayed Bambi moment, for me, dear reader. I celebrate and proclaim on a continual basis, loudly and very proudly, the freedom we enjoy as Americans, even as I watch good people slandered, lies told, and reputations destroyed in the press on a daily basis because of that freedom. I tell myself it’s the exchange of ideas in a public forum, and that the truth will out in the end, that it’s the price paid for freedom of speech. And that we all enjoy that freedom, that we’re all equal in the marketplace of ideas and free speech. But I am shaken by this story of David and Goliath, by the idea that a woman with over a billion dollars and the company she owns a good deal of can prevent the publication of a book that might do them harm, even if the tale is true. I’m shaken by the story because I can’t imagine it happening in this country, where we supposedly value the truth, unvarnished, and equally distributed. Am I wrong? I’d like to think that David will slay Goliath, because if he doesn’t, then perhaps all is lost, and those mobs on the street in Oakland braying against evil corporations may have more truth in them than even they know.
Interestingly, trophy husband #2 of Sandie Tillotson, a former actor and model, is also writing an expose about his ex-wife and the Nu Skin's fraudulent program. It should be interesting to see what comes of it.
MLMs recently analyzed by Dr. Jon Taylor –
to be added to listings on our web site
As usual, these MLMs read like an alphabetical soup of appellations, with no shortage of creative spellings of exotic sounding names. And of course, each makes the claim of offering the latest and greatest of lotions, potions, notions – or whatever unique products or services they are using as reasons for people to get excited about parting with their money to participate in their great new “income opportunity.”
•DIscount Home Shoppers Club – now Global Income Partners
•Approval Warehouse
•Healthy Coffee USA
•Independence Energy Alliance
•Lyonness
We have identified over 400 MLMLs with compensation plans which satisfy at least four of the five causative and defining characteristics (“red flags”) of a recruitment-driven MLM, or product-based pyramid scheme. These recruitment-drive MLMs are incentivized by compensation plans that require unlimited recruitment of a whole network of endless chains of participants, who purchase products in order to qualify for commissions and advancement in their programs. As such, they assume infinite markets and virgin markets, neither of which exists in the real world. This makes them inherently flawed, deceptive, and profitable for only a few at the top at the expense of a revolving door of recruits at the bottom of their respective hierarchies (pyramids) of participants.
For information on these characteristics, see Dr. Taylor’s “5-step Do-it-yourself MLM Evaluation” procedure on the web site www.mlm-thetruth.com. For a more exhaustive treatment of the fundamental flaws and effects of MLM as a business model, read Chapter 2 of Dr. Taylor’s new book The Case (for and) against Multi-level Marketing, which can be downloaded free of charge from the same web site.
Please email or tweet – or send a Facebook message – to 5 people about our web site mlm-thetruth.com, and ask each of them to tell 5 people, and they each 5 more, etc. They can each sign up for this newsletter by clicking here. Or you can pass out any of the creative answer cards linked from our Actions page. Help us start an endless chain of truth-telling.
We welcome your feedback. At this point, everything is wide open on the name, content, and format for this newsletter. So if you have any suggestions that you think would make it a better information source, please send them along to the email address below.
Contact information for consumers, legislators, media representatives, academicians – and for inquiries about consulting and expert witness services:
Jon M. Taylor, MBA, Ph.D.
Consumer Awareness Institute
Email: jonmtaylor@juno.com
Telephone: (801) 298-2425, Cell: (801) 671-1870
Research-based website: http://www.mlm-thetruth.com
Our mailing address is:
Consumer Awareness Institute
P.O. Box 1654
Bountiful, UT 84011-1654
Add us to your address book
Copyright © 2011 Consumer Awareness Institute, All rights reserved.
Friday, December 30, 2011
MLM debt leads to murder and failed suicide attempt | BehindMLM
Another suicide attempt by a MLM scammer. This one failed
MLM debt leads to murder and failed suicide attempt | BehindMLM
MLM debt leads to murder and failed suicide attempt | BehindMLM
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Yahoo!
The only solution to Kevin Trudeau and his scamming ways is serious jail time
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076656/Infomercial-king-Kevin-Trudeau-fined-38m-misleading-Americans-natural-cures-deadly-diseases.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2076656/Infomercial-king-Kevin-Trudeau-fined-38m-misleading-Americans-natural-cures-deadly-diseases.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Friday, December 23, 2011
Friday, December 2, 2011
(50) Facebook
BEWARE OF THIS MAIL SCAM
UNITED WORKERS CREDIT SERVICES
http://www.kktv.com/blogs/bettysbuzz/47608952.html
UNITED WORKERS CREDIT SERVICES
http://www.kktv.com/blogs/bettysbuzz/47608952.html
Monday, September 19, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
WhatAboutThisOne.mp3 (audio/mpeg Object)
An audio presentation you must listen to and share with friends
WhatAboutThisOne.mp3 (audio/mpeg Object)
WhatAboutThisOne.mp3 (audio/mpeg Object)
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Friday, May 27, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
uh oh, ANOTHER nutritional MLM bites the dust- Eiro Research
this thread is worth reading
uh oh, ANOTHER nutritional MLM bites the dust- Eiro Research: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
uh oh, ANOTHER nutritional MLM bites the dust- Eiro Research: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Amway, Nuskin, ACN, Mona Vie, ect. - www.mlm-thetruth.com - Pills, Potions and Lotions
GET THIS E-BOOK A MUST READ
Amway, Nuskin, ACN, Mona Vie, ect. - www.mlm-thetruth.com - Pills, Potions and Lotions: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Amway, Nuskin, ACN, Mona Vie, ect. - www.mlm-thetruth.com - Pills, Potions and Lotions: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
VISALUS - It's too good to be real!!!
VISALUS - It's too good to be real!!!: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Monday, May 2, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Beware Of Gas Card Scam
This is from 2007 but the gas card scams are back
Beware Of Gas Card Scam: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Beware Of Gas Card Scam: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
USANA Watch Dog - MLM Pyramid Scheme Scam?: Myron Wentz's “The Healthy Home” makes NY Times best seller list by being sold as raffle tickets in lottery drawing held by USANA.
The Shady Activities of Kurt Donsbach
The Shady Activities of Kurt Donsbach: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Outrageous Whistleblower Prosecution Fails
Outrageous Whistleblower Prosecution Fails: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Great list of diet scams---Slim Chance Awards Index
Slim Chance Awards Index: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Fortune Hi Tech Marketing: Multi-level marketing scam or pyramid scheme? : Sequence Inc. Fraud Files Blog
Great info from a very well informed Lady
Fortune Hi Tech Marketing: Multi-level marketing scam or pyramid scheme? : Sequence Inc. Fraud Files Blog: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Fortune Hi Tech Marketing: Multi-level marketing scam or pyramid scheme? : Sequence Inc. Fraud Files Blog: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
MannaLife International Complaints - Scamming People with Lies
MannaLife International Complaints - Scamming People with Lies: "MannaLife International
Posted: 2010-08-10 by JKHIII
Scamming People with Lies
Complaint Rating: 75 % with 4 votes
Company information:
MannaLife International
Largo, Florida
United States
Phone: 877-562-2725
mannalifeinternational.com
It says the Owner /CEO is Joesph Miller. This is a LIE . Dave McCabe is the Real Owner . Dave McCabe's Building, His Phones, His Warehouse, His everything. Dave McCabe screwed 13, 000 people in 3 MLM's so far . Start with LoCarb 5 in Largo Florida. Then Go Go for Life in Largo, Fl. Then BodyAlive International with TONY LITTLE of Home Shopping in Largo Florida.
Are you starting to see a Pattern here ?
I was there the entire time. Mr McCabe is not capable of ever Owning or Opperating an MLM ..He ruins every MLM he touches. Even Tony Little QUIT Dave McCabe.
Now he want you to join his New MLM MannaLife International as he HIDES Behind Joseph Miller. Joseph Miller CEO is no one you want to follow either. His ONLY Claim to fame is an MLM that The FEDS shut down called SeaSilver. Thousands lost on that SCAM TOO.
Then go look up URI LeBarron ...OUCH...More MLM Failure. Joe Miller worked for URI LEBARRON ... Interesting..
Go lookup URI International ..Failure. Then NURICHE owned by Uri Lebarron, Failure..Are you seeing this Picture Yet.
Now combine 3 Failed MLM by Dave McCabe & 2 Failed MLM's by URI Lebarron and Joseph Miller's failed SeaSliver.
You have a 6 TIMES LOSER in Management here !
Dave McCabe had Moldy Diet Cookies. Exploding Health, Go Go Drinks. Horrible Hoodia that didn't work . Burned Diet Coffee and so much more digrace ...The worst Packaging for 6 Years. A Compensation Plan that No one made any Money in..
There you have it.. Enough Facts to have you RUNNING for The HILLS in MannaLife International !
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Posted: 2010-08-10 by JKHIII
Scamming People with Lies
Complaint Rating: 75 % with 4 votes
Company information:
MannaLife International
Largo, Florida
United States
Phone: 877-562-2725
mannalifeinternational.com
It says the Owner /CEO is Joesph Miller. This is a LIE . Dave McCabe is the Real Owner . Dave McCabe's Building, His Phones, His Warehouse, His everything. Dave McCabe screwed 13, 000 people in 3 MLM's so far . Start with LoCarb 5 in Largo Florida. Then Go Go for Life in Largo, Fl. Then BodyAlive International with TONY LITTLE of Home Shopping in Largo Florida.
Are you starting to see a Pattern here ?
I was there the entire time. Mr McCabe is not capable of ever Owning or Opperating an MLM ..He ruins every MLM he touches. Even Tony Little QUIT Dave McCabe.
Now he want you to join his New MLM MannaLife International as he HIDES Behind Joseph Miller. Joseph Miller CEO is no one you want to follow either. His ONLY Claim to fame is an MLM that The FEDS shut down called SeaSilver. Thousands lost on that SCAM TOO.
Then go look up URI LeBarron ...OUCH...More MLM Failure. Joe Miller worked for URI LEBARRON ... Interesting..
Go lookup URI International ..Failure. Then NURICHE owned by Uri Lebarron, Failure..Are you seeing this Picture Yet.
Now combine 3 Failed MLM by Dave McCabe & 2 Failed MLM's by URI Lebarron and Joseph Miller's failed SeaSliver.
You have a 6 TIMES LOSER in Management here !
Dave McCabe had Moldy Diet Cookies. Exploding Health, Go Go Drinks. Horrible Hoodia that didn't work . Burned Diet Coffee and so much more digrace ...The worst Packaging for 6 Years. A Compensation Plan that No one made any Money in..
There you have it.. Enough Facts to have you RUNNING for The HILLS in MannaLife International !
- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The IABL (international association of business leaders) scam « Simok33
This is an obvious scam
The IABL (international association of business leaders) scam « Simok33: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
The IABL (international association of business leaders) scam « Simok33: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Fortune Hi Tech Marketing a scam
FHTM Scam Makes It To The FTC List Of Companies Being Investigated: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
I Am A Victim Of Work At Home Scam
I Am A Victim Of Work At Home Scam: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Monday, March 14, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
MLM-everyone claims to make 10k/month
http://scam.com/showthread.php?s=9862476f18c1f05f90e1ae6ed7941f1d&p=1025600#post1025600
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Five myths about fraud : Sequence Inc. Fraud Files Blog
Five myths about fraud : Sequence Inc. Fraud Files Blog: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Evolv Health / Trey White An MLM with a Brilliant Multi-Billionaire at the Helm or Another MLM Scam? - Trey White, Evolv Health, Evolv water
Monday, February 14, 2011
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Dr. Earl Mindell and his Himalayan Goji Juiced Exposed as Scam | Lose Weight Fast | Lose Weight Quickly | Lose 30 lbs in 30 Days | Rocco Castellano Extreme Fat Loss Specialist
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Orrin Woodward and TEAM’s Trunks of Tools
Orrin Woodward and TEAM’s Trunks of Tools: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Its truth folks-Bo and Ty join Shaklee. It this another pump and dump?
Using the familiar phrases "step into the future", "Hit the ground running" and "Bonuses for very little work" Bo Short tried to make lemonaide out of rotten lemons in a conference call to many of his "Pinancle Group" faithful
He announced that they had come to an agreement with Shaklee to join this 55 yr. old MLM company.
Is this a "step" or a "climb out of the pit" into the future? Based on past resume will this be a long term marriage with life time residual income or another pump and dump relationship.
Are his followers "hitting" the ground running or was the fall so bad that they may be walking on crutches?
"Bonuses for very little work". Come on Bo you know better than that. To make any money and be the one out of 9,999 to make any meaningful money in MLM requires years of hard work.
Ty, do you have that nice Mercedes that Eiro got you or did you have to turn it in?
I will be following the fortunes of Ty and Bo with interest. Shaklee has or had some very strict rules for their distributors. I will be interesting to see if that will sit well with the Pinnacle Group
He announced that they had come to an agreement with Shaklee to join this 55 yr. old MLM company.
Is this a "step" or a "climb out of the pit" into the future? Based on past resume will this be a long term marriage with life time residual income or another pump and dump relationship.
Are his followers "hitting" the ground running or was the fall so bad that they may be walking on crutches?
"Bonuses for very little work". Come on Bo you know better than that. To make any money and be the one out of 9,999 to make any meaningful money in MLM requires years of hard work.
Ty, do you have that nice Mercedes that Eiro got you or did you have to turn it in?
I will be following the fortunes of Ty and Bo with interest. Shaklee has or had some very strict rules for their distributors. I will be interesting to see if that will sit well with the Pinnacle Group
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
uh oh, ANOTHER nutritional MLM bites the dust- Eiro Research
uh oh, ANOTHER nutritional MLM bites the dust- Eiro Research: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
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All original material of whatever nature appearing in this blog under the authorship of "Spotter" (abbr. of "Deception Spotter") is dedicated to the Public Domain. Note that portions of a work enclosed in "blockquote" tags are, in general, quotations to which this dedication can not apply. (Rationale) 
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Friday, January 21, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader - Yahoo! News Photos
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader - Yahoo! News Photos: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
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