Data Network Affiliates’ CEO Warns Critics: ‘They Better Be Very, Very Careful’
UPDATED 10:31 A.M. ET (U.S.A.) The chief executive officer of Data Network Affiliates (DNA) has come out swinging against critics, threatening to take legal action.
“There are some distractions I’m hearing about out there,” said CEO Dean Blechman.
An audio recording of Blechman’s remarks is posted on DNA’s website. Two DNA pitchmen warmed up listeners by exchanging compliments with each other and lauding Blechman for nearly seven minutes before he offered his remarks.
Blechman described DNA as his “unbelievable vision” — for which he had come out of retirement to make come true. “I have a chance to make that really happen,” he said.
“My 30 years of my reputation in business stands for itself, no matter what distractions are out there towards Data Network Affiliates,” Blechman said, after mentioning his background in the natural-products industry with a company known as TWIN LAB.
Without specifying the distractions and what the critics have gotten wrong, Blechman suggested he’ll sue, targeting his remarks at “everyone that’s a distraction out there and anyone that’s printing stuff on the Internet or anywhere.”
“I’ll tell you one thing,” he warned in the recording. “They better be very, very careful of what they write . . . [b]ecause I have every intention of policing and pursuing every legal ramification . . . against anybody that’s reporting any information inaccurate to try to tear down what I’m trying to build here.”
DNA’s domain lists a Cayman Islands address, as does a companion domain: TagEveryCar.com. A “Contact Us” link at the bottom of the DNA website resolves to a page that says, “Contact Data Network Affiliates[:] Information is coming soon!” The TagEveryCar domain redirects to the DNA website.
DNA has delayed the program launch twice this month, and now says it will launch March 1. DNA says it is building a database of license-plate numbers.
In recent days, critics have raised issues ranging from propriety, affiliate training, safety and privacy to the ownership of the company and why the domains listed offshore addresses. A multilevel-marketing firm, DNA says it has signed up more than 37,000 participants to gather license-plate numbers.
Pitchmen for the company have identified the parking lots of Walmart, Target, churches, doctors’ offices and “anywhere” cars are parked as sources of plate data.
Promoters have provided little instruction on matters such as whether DNA members are required to obtain the permission of store managers, church pastors and physicians before recording the plate numbers of patrons or congregants or patients, whether members should obtain additional insurance protection or consult with an attorney before entering the license-plate number recording business and how members are required to behave if confronted by store managers and patrons, church pastors and congregants, doctors and patients and police.
Lionel Cesaire, one of the DNA pitchmen who introduced Blechman in the recording, previously described DNA as a company with members who would record the license-plate number of a hypothetical “red corvette” parked at Walmart at noon, a “doctor’s office” at 1 p.m. and “somewhere else” at 4 p.m.
Privacy advocates may take a dim view of the approach, raising concerns about both propriety and legality. Some DNA members have recommended that affiliates record plate numbers with video cameras. Such information easily could end up on the Internet, exposing people to invasions of privacy and triggering lawsuits. At the same time, DNA members who collected information for the company could stockpile it and offer it for sale to other companies.
Blechman thanked Cesaire for his introductory remarks, but did not reference Cesaire’s remarks in a previous conference call about recording numbers at churches, store parking lots and doctors’ offices.
In a promotional video on YouTube, Florida-based DNA promoter Jeff Long — whom DNA says has recruited more than 700 members — suggested prospects should behave “inconspicuously” when snapping photographs of license plates at stores such as Walmart with iPhones, Blackberrys and notepad computers.
Cesaire also has used the word “inconspicuous” when describing the recording of plate numbers, suggesting that members might want to be seated in their cars when writing down plate numbers in retailers’ parking lots.
Describing his own experience collecting plate numbers at Walmart by taking pictures of them while strolling through the parking lot, Long said in a DNA promo on YouTube that store patrons looked at him “weird.”
“People looked at me kinda weird. But I didn’t care. You kind of do it inconspicuously. . . . because . . . you know, everybody, ‘Why are you taking a photo of my car?’†Long said.
As Long’s video narration continued, he said, “Who cares what people think? Who cares what people are going to . . . look at you weird? Whatever. Because as you do this, and you record 20 license plates, the company’s going to pay you $25.â€
The video promo continues to appear on YouTube. A similar video featuring Long in which the words referenced in the paragraphs above appear to have been edited out was removed from YouTube “by the user” in the past several hours, according to the YouTube site.
The video also was removed from a webpage operated by an individual DNA affiliate believed to have spammed the PP Blog Thursday.
A link to the now-removed YouTube video was sent to the PP Blog in a pure spam post Thursday at 10:05 p.m. The sender targeted a DNA discussion thread, but attempted to post an ALL-CAPS sales pitch (italics added):
“WANT TO JOIN DNA’s TOP TEAM AND LEARN THE TRADE SECRETS OF BUILDING A HUGE ORGANIZATION FAST AND FREE?
TO QUALIFY YOU MUST REGISTER TO BECOME A FREE AFFILIATE AT
[**SPAMMING LINK REMOVED BY ADMIN**]
SEE YOU AT THE TOP!
Later, a possible shill entered the thread, saying he was “tryin to sign up.” After that, a third poster left a sales URL in the same thread. The PP Blog attempted to contact DNA through its website to report the spam, but the site did not have a contact form.
In the recorded conference call, Blechman said members should be confident in the program.
“I am leading this company; I’m the CEO. I’m in charge. Every big decision is made by me and my partner, Arthur Kurek.
Kurek is president and chief financial officer of DNA, Blechman said.
In the call posted on DNA’s website, Blechman did not address any of the issues raised by critics. It is unclear if he approves of the Jeff Long video and Long’s plate-number collection method. Long has been identified in a DNA conference call as the company’s top recruiter.
Long recorded a similar video to recruit members for Narc That Car. The headline on the video now says, “NARC That Car – Don’t Join!” In the upper-right corner of the YouTube site, this message appears:
“This video talks about NARC That Car… IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON MARKETING THIS BUSINESS ON THE INTERNET DO NOT JOIN!!!!! NarcThatCar CANCELED AND DISABLED My distributorship because I put this video on YouTube…I’m now the #1 leader and sponsor in their BIGGEST COMPETITOR’S BUSINESS…DataNetworkAffiliates. Again…don’t join NarcThatCar if you plan on marketing on the internet!!!!!!”
Narc That Car is a Dallas-based business. Like DNA, Narc That Car says it is in the business of gathering license-plate data.
Oh my!
Sounds just like the same crap Andy said he was going to do.
Yep,
talk as much as you like about the adverti…..err…..previous history of the “CEO”
As much as you like about how much money is spent each year on adverti….. err …… license plate gathering.
As much as you like about how much adverti….err…..lien holders will pay for exposure.
But DON’T, whatever you do, dare mention where the money is coming from to pay for the rebat…….err…….collected numbers.
Once, just once,
I’d just LOVE to see just one of these fraudsters follow through with their threat/s of legal action.
It’d be worth flying to the U.S.A. just to see the look on the face of “Dean Blechman” when the court officer says
“we now come to the DISCLOSURE part of the proceedings”
I guess he can prove his threats by starting here:
http://scam.com/showpost.php?p=881982&postcount=322
There is various speculation that the One Man Internet Crime Wave, Phil Piccollo himself is behind Data Network Affiliates.
Some of it is here:
http://www.businessforhome.org/2010/02/phil-piccollo-review/
Scammer Phil and “John Nocton” sharing the same IP address, same phone number, same address.
bankmlm.com – a Phil Piccollo scam has a whois of:
Data Network Affiliates Inc
6400 N. Andrews Ave
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
US
954-933-2038
Administrative Contact:
Kurek, Arthur
The phone number is one of Phil’s, and the address associated with the number is also Phil’s.
There is also the same link with REFEREVERYONE.COM.
It is my opinion that “Arthur Kurek” and/or “John Nocton” are in fact Phil Piccollo. I also believe that Dean Blechman is a front man in this obvious pyramid scheme. There is a listing (now deleted) that said:
I wonder if that is enough to get them to take legal action against me? Saying that a scum bag scamming toe-rag like Phil Piccollo is behind the scam would hurt a “real” business.
In researching DNA, I came across a site that was to make you think DNA was being seriously questioned. Of course just the oppostie was true. It was a puff piece to promote DNA. What was truly interesting in this piece was how the writer thought he was really praising DNA’s management team. The person writing this, Steve Hawk, stated the experience and reputation of ownership is particularly important when reviewing a start-up business. He then goes on to list the mangement team’s “credentials:”
Dean Blechman, CEO. Dean has been involved in Network Marketing for over 24 years. He helped to grow Twin Labs annual revenue to $335 million and is also the owner of Ideal Health, which owns the Trump Network.
Arthur Kurek, President. Arthur has a long and successful business track-record, dating back to 1972.
Donald Kessler, VP of Marketing. Donald is experienced in taking start-up companies to great success, including Benihana, Great Adventure Amusement Park, Tavern on the Green, and Studio 54. He was also involved in the promotion of the Nu-Skin launch.
Anthony Sasso, Chief Data Consultant. Anthony is a data “expertâ€.
I guess Arthur’s long and successful business track-record was far too long to enumerate. Now who would have thought the Chief Data Consultant would be a ‘data expert?’ Let’s not forget Donald Kessler, the VP of Marketing. He was so successful that most of his clients are out of business. Funny how when you research the “players” of Studio 54, his name never comes up. Even the silent financier is named but not Donald. Hmmm, wonder why?
So who is Steve Hawk? Steve Hawk is a rising star in network marketing and a business success coach, helping others to achieve their desired success online. He is the creator of 7 Figure MLM Success. How do I know, because he said so. So it has to be true.
I seem to remember that the same things were said about Andy, the man too honest to testify, about how the reputation and experience of the ownership was important to the success of the business.
Makes you want to rush to join with people like this involved in DNA. How can it miss?
I think Dean should be more concerened with the integrity of his management teams credentials, and his relationship with Phil Piccolo, than suing detractors; which is all talk anyway. Look for other referral whores to be soon exposed as part of this. They will be lukcy to launch at the rate they are going.
I guess Dean Blechman forgot to add this to his profile:
Ideal Health, Inc. et al v. Dean Blechman
Plaintiffs: Ideal Health, Inc., Louis DeCaprio, Scott Stanwood, Todd Stanwood, UIX, LLC and Infobroker, Inc.
Defendants: Dean Blechman
Case Number: 1:2009cv10791
Filed: May 14, 2009
Court: Massachusetts District Court
Office: Boston Office [ Court Info ]
County: Essex
Presiding Judge: Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton
Nature of Suit: Contract – Other Contract
Cause: 28:2201 Declaratory Judgment
Jurisdiction: Diversity
Jury Demanded By: None
or how about this one:
In re Twinlab Corporation Securities Litigation 98-CV-7425-U.S.
Docket as of December 3, 1998 [retrieved 1/23/99]
Proceedings include all events.
9:98cv7425 Drucker, et al v. Twinlab Corporation, et al
U.S. District Court
New York Eastern (Uniondale)
CIVIL DOCKET FOR CASE #: 98-CV-7425
Drucker, et al v. Twinlab Corporation, et al Filed: 12/02/98
Assigned to: Judge Arthur D. Spatt Jury demand: Plaintiff
Referred to: Magistrate E. Thomas Boyle
Demand: $0,000 Nature of Suit: 850
Lead Docket: None Jurisdiction: Federal Question
Dkt# in other court: None
Cause: 15:78m(a) Securities Exchange Act
RONALD K. DRUCKER, on behalf Steven G. Schulman
of himself and all others [COR LD NTC ret]
similarly situated Milberg Weiss Bershad Hynes &
plaintiff Lerach LLP
One Penn Plaza 49TH Floor
New York, NY 10119-0165
(212) 594-5300
v.
TWINLAB CORPORATION
defendant
ROSS BLECHMAN
defendant
JOHN MCCUSKER
defendant
DEAN BLECHMAN
defendant
12/2/98 1 COMPLAINT filed and summons(es) issued for Twinlab
Corporation, Ross Blechman, John McCusker, Dean Blechman
FILING FEE $ 150.00 RECEIPT # 213448 (jc)
[Entry date 12/03/98]
[END OF DOCKET: 9:98cv7425]
The case finally was settled on Feb 11, 2010 you can read all about it here:
http://www.docstoc.com/docs/25243296/In-Re-Twinlab-Corporation-Securities-Litigation-98-CV-7425-Notice-Of
“I am leading this company; I’m the CEO. I’m in charge.”
Anybody other old-timers like me out there that remember Al Haig uttering almost these same words when Reagan was shot? Kinda close to plagiarism…
Jerry
Patrick:
Please delete the second twinlabs posting the one done at 5:03pm.
Thanks
I deleted it. Appeared to be a duplicate post.
Patrick
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