MLM Blog – Network Marketing Blog

ASEA MLM – An Incredible Product?

Posted on 03. Feb, 2010 by Ty Tribble.

I went from stalking the mall for prospects to creating over 14,386 names on my list using the Internet. Download Ty Tribble's MLM Web Secrets. It's my free gift to you for visiting.

With Asea (see my previous post for some context) launching a new product, I thought I could launch one too.  Check out the video...Ty Tribble, Blogger and MLM Kitchen Chemist...

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Google Scams Making Comeback on Facebook

Posted on 10. Jan, 2010 by Dan Mitchell.

Here's an interesting article from The Tech Herald about the Google Work At Home Scams:

Since Monday, searches on Google and posts on Facebook have started to crop up with links to a site that uses some clever code and legitimate news to push the now classic “make money with Google” scam.

After being alerted to the rise in the number of links circulating online and on Facebook pitching the scam by security vendor Websense, The Tech Herald investigated further, digging into the site’s code and method of propagation. Was there anything new about this scam? Exactly how does it work?

To start, the links to the website will vary. However, the most common one is binsservicesonline-dot-info. If you follow that link, you are forwarded to another domain, biznews7-dot-org. The biznews7 site comes off as a news portal. The news of the day revolves around the headline, “Jobs: Is Working Online At Home The Next Gold Rush?”

The fake article is sprinkled with quotes touting the ease of working from home, and the money that can be made with “easy Google profit”. However, there is more to the site than the pitch.

The code running it has gone all out for the person reading, adding a bit of local flair thanks to JavaScript pulling data from GeoIP. The GeoIP code will alter the title of the portal, in our case it became the Indiana Financial Journal, as well as tag various parts of the headline story with your local city and state, such as it did for us in the example below.

Read more:
 

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Buzzirk Mobile Tries to Shake Its Scammy Past

Posted on 10. Jan, 2010 by Dan Mitchell.

I found this over at PhoneNews.com:

Buzzirk Mobile reveals itself from the shroud of a Zer01-sized pyramid scheme, to showcase itself at CES.

Unfortunately, when we asked Buzzirk what network they used, they couldn’t answer.

When we asked what frequencies their phones operated on, they gave an answer that can only be paraphrased as “all of them.”

And yes, we have emails that say the same thing from Buzzirk.

Bottom line, once a scam, always a scam. Avoid Buzzirk.
 

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Pyxism a New Travel Scam?

Posted on 17. Dec, 2009 by Dan Mitchell.

Has anyone heard of Pyxism? I stumbled on this new Travel MLM yesterday...looks like your typical hype-filled, travel scam with some kind of "revolutionary" matrix compensation plan.

If you have any information let us know and leave a comment. You can check out the company at http://pyxism.com/

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The 12 Scams of Christmas

Posted on 17. Dec, 2009 by Dan Mitchell.

McAfee recently released their “Twelve Scams of Christmas” list to assist consumers in avoiding being scammed via email and internet this holiday season. Here's the first 5...be careful out there!

Scam I: Charity Phishing Scams – Be Careful Who You Give To

During the holiday season, hackers take advantage of citizens’ generosity by sending e-mails that appear to be from legitimate charitable organizations. In reality, they are fake Web sites designed to steal donations, credit card information and the identities of donors.

Scam 2: Fake Invoices from Delivery Services to Steal Your Money

During the holidays, cybercriminals often send fake invoices and delivery notifications appearing to be from Federal Express, UPS or the U.S. Customs Service. They e-mail consumers asking for credit card details to credit back the account, or require users to open an online invoice or customs form to receive the package. Once completed, the person’s information is stolen or malware is automatically installed on their computer.

Scam 3: Social Networking – A Cybercriminal “Wants to be Your Friend”

Cybercriminals take advantage of this social time of the year by sending authentic-looking “New Friend Request” e-mails from social networking sites. Internet users should beware that clicking on links in these e-mails can automatically install malware on computers and steal personal information.

Scam 4: The Dangers of Holiday E-Cards

Cyber thieves cash in on consumers who send holiday e-cards in an effort to be environmentally conscious. Last holiday season, McAfee Labs discovered a worm masked as Hallmark e-cards and McDonald’s and Coca-Cola holiday promotions. Holiday-themed PowerPoint e-mail attachments are also popular among cybercriminals. Be careful what you click on.

Scam 5: “Luxury” Holiday Jewelry Comes at a High Price

McAfee Labs recently uncovered a new holiday campaign that leads shoppers to malware-ridden sites offering “discounted” luxury gifts from Cartier, Gucci, and Tag Heuer. Cybercriminals even use fraudulent logos of the Better Business Bureau to trick shoppers into buying products they never receive.

Check out McAfee for the rest of the Holiday Internet Scams.

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Emerald Passport Shuts Down and Polaris Media Group Rant

Posted on 16. Dec, 2009 by Ty Tribble.

This comes from Michael Lemm who is one of the "good guys" in Network Marketing. Michael has given me permission to post his thoughts, tips and rants in the past and I don't take advantage of it enough.  Michael's blog is always interesting and next to this one, it is one of the longest running MLM Blogs on the web.  Check it out here.

On November 17th, 2009 one of the original two big ticket home businesses went bust. The other big ticket original is Liberty League. Now, of course, there have been several others come and go.

By big ticket I mean price points of $1,200, $5,700, and $10,900. They sold digital downloadable products.

Here's what their web site says today. "The Emerald Passport income opportunity is no longer available due to the severe global economic downturn. There will be no new product sales."

Now I doubt that is the truthful reason. Yes, big ticket sales must be considerably harder now than a year ago, but operating a web site with downloadable product .... already established .... costs how much? A few hundred bucks a month at most?!! So they're quitting after 5 years because of cost? I doubt it. There must be hidden reasons.

These are people with an official office address in Panama .... and a secretive owner in Canada who does not wish to be identified as the owner.

Liberty League also has re-vamped with a new name .... and they added lower priced products to the mix in an effort to work more with prospects neededing less of an up front investment. It appears that LL has morphed into Polaris Media which is still like LL - and still mostly all high ticket items!

Companies like Emerald get my blood pressure up! Compared to the companies that most MLMers work with, Emerald and their ilk simply aren't legitimate. But people join them anyway looking for their fortune, and when it never appears they go on to slam the entire mlm industry.

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Google Sues Work-At-Home Scammers

Posted on 11. Dec, 2009 by Dan Mitchell.

Beware of Google Work-at-Home schemes and scams!

Google is suing Pacific WebWorks and several unnamed defendants for running a scam selling work-from-home tool kits using Google's name. According to Google, people who signed up for the offer were hit with unfair reoccurring monthly credit card charges.

Google filed a lawsuit Dec. 7 in U.S. federal court in Utah accusing a company of using its brand name in a work-from-home scam and slamming people with suspect credit card charges.

According to Google, Salt Lake City-based Pacific WebWorks and several unnamed defendants offered a tool kit for stay-at-home online workers. The tool kit is advertised as free, minus a nominal shipping and handling fee. However, Google alleges in the lawsuit that people who sign up for the offer have their credit cards hit with monthly fees and receive “little of value, or nothing at all, in return for their payments.”

Source: eWeek

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Cedric Penn Now With Sisel?

Posted on 15. Oct, 2009 by Ty Tribble.

We received a comment from someone who said that they were forwarding proof to Mandura that Cedric Penn was cross-recruiting people into Sisel.

Whoa Horse. Not long ago, news came down that Cedric Penn, left Zija for Zrii (that was July).  Then we hear that Cedric was no longer with Zrii, and he had moved to Mandura (that was August), now we hear that is cross-recruiting people from Mandura to Sisel (October).

That's 4 companies in 4 months.

Hey, maybe Sisel is a good last stop for Cedric. Believe it or not,  Sisel was founded by Tom Mower Sr, who happened to be in federal prison for tax evasion at the time.

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iJango Claims BBB Warnings Unfounded

Posted on 25. Sep, 2009 by Dan Mitchell.

Source: Biz Journals

In a recent article in Biz Journals, iJango spokeswoman Angela Hale disputes the BBB claim that iJango could be a pyramid scheme.

Attorney for iJango, Ed Burbach, claims "A considerable amount of investor money, computer programming, time, resources and sweat equity has been invested into iJango Network, which is a startup internet company."

A considerable amount of computer programming? Have you seen the iJango portal? A few teenagers with a bottle of Jolt and a free weekend could have done better!

Here's the Biz Journals story:

A Texas marketing firm says its getting a bum rap from the Better Business Bureau

The BBB’s Phoenix, Texas and national offices issued consumer warnings earlier this month warning that Austin-based iJango Network could be a pyramid scheme.

Angela Hale, a spokeswoman for iJango, disputes that contention, saying the Internet marketing company has a legitimate business model. She also said the BBB is misleading the media and consumers as to how many complaints have been filed against the company.

A BBB news release earlier this month said it had received 3,400 inquiries about iJango. Hale said inquiries are not the same as formal complaints, which she contends number in the half-dozen range and have been resolved.

Ed Burbach, an attorney for iJango Network, also denies the BBB’s accusations against the company.

“A considerable amount of investor money, computer programming, time, resources and sweat equity has been invested into iJango Network, which is a startup internet company. We believe the Central Texas Better Business Bureau mistakenly mischaracterized the company in a news release and in a reliability report. IJango adamantly denies the allegations,” Burbach said in a prepared statement.

“The company is following a proven network marketing business model based on the success of Excel Communications, which became the fourth-largest long-distance company in the country. With any startup, there are a few glitches with an initial launch, but there have only been a few complaints filed against the company at the BBB. The company has resolved the complaints and refunded the money to consumers,” Burbach’s statement continued.

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iJango Scam Claims 16,000 Free Users in Six Weeks

Posted on 20. Sep, 2009 by Dan Mitchell.

Source: PR Newswire

iJango has issued a press release that claims iJango has "exploded to over 16,000 free users within the first six weeks of launching"

Here's iJango CEO Rayner Smith's take on why the iJango portal did not function at launch time. Smith states "We had our share of bugs in the outset, but with our loyal member base providing feedback and conceptual ideas, we have harnessed the power of the iJango Community and refined our offering to cater to our members' needs. We have been able to prove to our users that we are able to adapt to their feedback."

The corporate press release goes on to state that iJango has repositioned "itself to a Membership Rewards Community, iJango's free users will now be referred to as Community Members. Those wishing to earn compensation from growing the Membership base are referred to as Community Directors."

Here's the corporate take on iJango getting the lowest possible rating from the BBB: "Unfortunately, despite the fact that iJango has provided the Central Texas BBB with everything it has requested, the BBB has mischaracterized the company in a news release and a reliability report," said Smith. "In its rush to tar network marketing companies such as iJango, the Central Texas BBB has mislead the public by failing to mention that: iJango Network and its Community Directors earn Usage Commissions from Shopping and Traffic, that the BBB had in its possession iJango's Agreements with its vendors, and the Central Texas BBB had edited out portions of its unannounced conversation with me."

I don't think the BBB was "in a rush to tar network marketing companies such as iJango"  as Smith states. I think they were in a rush to tar iJango. The BBB reports 3,400 complaints nationwide about iJango since Aug. 1.

If you want to contact iJango's PR department here's the contact info:
press@ijangocorp.com
512-289-2995
 

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