NEWS/NOTES: AdPayDaily Announces Tweak; Data Network Affiliates Asks Members To Participate In Imaginary Relaunch After Lecturing Churches On Their ‘MORAL OBLIGATION’ To Hawk MLM Program

UPDATED 12:39 P.M. EDT (U.S.A.) An upstart autosurf pushed by members of the alleged AdSurfDaily Ponzi scheme has announced a confusing tweak in a confusing manner.

In its announcement, AdPayDaily (APD) quoted 12 words from an attorney — and the quotation did not appear to be on the subject of legality. Rather, it appeared to be a general statement that all companies need sales to survive.

Separately, a multilevel-marketing (MLM) company that claimed churches have a “MORAL OBLIGATION” to tell congregants about its $1,500 mortgage-reduction program that pays commissions 10 levels deep now is asking members to participate in an imaginary relaunch.

Prospects willing to pay Data Network Affiliates (DNA) a fee to qualify for “Pro” status earn up to a “100% Matching Bonus” in the mortgage-reduction program, DNA said.

In an email to members, DNA did not explain why it was lecturing churches on their purported moral duty to hawk an MLM program or instruct the churches on how to overcome sales objections if a minister, pastor or priest used a worship service or church facility to preach the gospel of DNA.

DNA also did not explain if the clergy of non-Christian faiths had the same moral duty to flog a $1,500 MLM program targeted at people who could be on the verge of losing their homes.

DNA supplemented the email with yet another email, asking members to imagine the company, which launched in March after missing at least two launch dates in February, was only now launching.

“We are asking and calling on all DNA Leaders to FOCUS ON THE FUTURE… Make believe that July 26th, 2010 is the LAUNCH DATE for DNA…” the company said.

In an apparent bid to drive home its point that an imaginary launch can be as effective as an actual launch, DNA again has added what it called a “NEW COUNTDOWN CLOCK” to its website.

“OFFICIAL LAUNCH 7/26/2010,” DNA roared on its site. “Earn Up To $4500 Per Sale. LOCK IN YOUR POSITION NOW.”

The message may be confusing to website visitors stopping at DNA’s site for the first time because it flatly states a launch is under way despite the fact DNA actually launched in March.

A graphic that once advertised DNA Cellular, the company’s purported cell-phone arm, has been removed from the main page of the site. In April, DNA declared “GAME OVER — WE WIN” when it announced its purported cell-phone business that hawked a free phone with unlimited talk and text for $10 a month.

The company later acknowledged that it studied cell-phone pricing only after announcing it had become the world’s pricing leader. It then withdrew the $10 offer, but members continue to promote it.

In an email yesterday, DNA said it had learned “a lot of NOT TO DO kind of things” since it has been in business. It did not describe what it had learned not to do, choosing instead to inform members that “we have every guest you can have on tonight’s webinar” and urging members to focus on “the area of COMMISSIONS.”

A previous guest on DNA’s conference calls has suggested that churches were wonderful places for members to record the license-plate numbers of congregants for entry into the company’s purported database. The same guest also recommended that DNA members record plate numbers at doctors’ offices.

DNA has said its database could be used to locate abducted children.

APD Tweaks Autosurf Pitch

Saying it was relying on the advice of counsel, APD has tweaked its offer. In an announcement to members, the upstart surf provided a threadbare quote purportedly from its lawyer to explain the tweak.

Here are the only words attributed to the attorney:

“Every company needs new sales for survival and growth of the business.”

And here is how APD explained the tweak after providing the 12-word quote:

“To remain active and continue to earn commissions and viewing payments each month, all Reps are required to attract at least one new advertiser who makes a minimum purchase from outside funds of at least $100 or as an alternative an Advertiser/Rep can make a purchase of $100 from outside funds to qualify and remain active,” the company said.

APD then pitched members on an 80/20 program.

“[If] a Rep attracts a new advertiser who make (sic) a minimum purchase of $250 or more and the Rep rolls over at least 80% of the funds in their Cash account each month, they will earn a 20% commission for all additional sales in that month,” the company said. “10% of the commission will be paid with the sale and the remaining 10% will be paid on or before the 15th of the following month, assuming you qualify. Failure to qualify for two consecutive months will result in the deactivation of a Reps (sic) account.”

In the past, private attorneys who have sued autosurfs have described so-called 80/20 or “rollover” programs as an effort to mask the true nature of the programs by minimizing the outflow of cash — in effect, trapping money in the system to achieve the mirage of sustainability.

When the AdViewGlobal (AVG) autosurf announced a suspension of payouts in June 2009, it said that an 80/20 program would become mandatory if it ever dug itself out of the trench it created. Purported ASD “trainers” routinely promoted an 80/20 program.

See earlier stories on APD here and here. See earlier story on DNA here.