Zeekers Targeted In New Scheme With Ties To Piccolo Organization
BULLETIN: Zeek Rewards members are being targeted in a new scheme with ties to the Phil Piccolo organization and are being solicited for sums ranging from $600 to $60,000 “in return for ” . . . “guaranteed 50 percent interest” from a purported “unique and legal loan system” over an unspecified time period, the PP Blog has learned.
The offering, which hints of some sort of falling out with Zeek’s management, has been styled on YouTube as “The Diamond Club by TRUE CASH.” The emerging “program” was the subject of an email pitch yesterday that appears to have been targeted by an unknown party at former Zeek “Diamond” affiliates, potentially including some of Zeek’s largest “winners” who have exposure to clawback lawsuits filed by the court-appointed receiver and who previously have been solicited to make contributions to a purported defense fund for Zeek affiliates. Zeek “losers” also could be targets.
Previous schemes linked to Piccolo include the uber-bizarre Data Network Affiliates (DNA) “program” and One World One Website (OWOW), an equally bizarre money grab. (Use the PP Blog’s search function for information on those “programs.”)
In August 2012, the SEC described Zeek as a $600 million Ponzi- and pyramid scheme. In April 2013, the SEC took down a purported “loan” program known as Profitable Sunrise that may have gathered tens of millions of dollars through an alleged offering fraud. How the “The Diamond Club by TRUE CASH” offering intends to collect money is unclear, although a website to which pitchmen are directing traffic includes the logo of SolidTrustPay, one of the offshore processors used by Zeek.
Certain members of a Zeek-related email chain received the purported “Diamond Club” pitch yesterday. Hinting of bad blood, the pitch appeared below this headline, “Zeek Management Belongs in Prison – On 8/27/2013 I earned over $500,000 – I will pay your way in from $600 to $3000.”
How the $500,000 purportedly was earned was not explained. Also unclear was the identity of the sender. Among the claims in the pitch is this one (italics added):
IF YOU LOST $10,000 IN ZEEK OR RECRUITED 10 PEOPLE IN ZEEK I WILL PUT UP $3,000.00 FOR YOU
The principal part of the pitch claims this: “I just made $500,000.00[.] I will put up the $600 minimum for you – You pay me back ‘ONLY OUT OF COMMISSIONS’. If you are already in one of TCN 12 opportunities and want to be on my “DIAMOND CLUB” Team then you need to re-sign up. If you are resigning up you will need a new e-mail address. Get a free g-mail account from Google.”
From the lower-right corner of the True Cash Network website. Source: Aug. 30 screen shot.
In the same email, the pitch points recipients to a YouTube video and a website URL of ThePowerTeam.TrueCashNetwork.Com. “TrueCashNetwork” is using the same acronym used by TextCashNetwork (TCN), an earlier scheme linked to Piccolo and Joe Reid, a longtime huckster associated with Piccolo. On the TrueCashNetwork website, an emblem labeled SiteLock SECURE appears, along with the word “Passed.” The emblem incongruously includes the name of “TEXTCASHNETWORK.COM,” even though it appears on the TrueCashNetwork domain. The TrueCashNetwork domain appears to have been registered behind a proxy on June 28, 2013.
Reid, according to the TrueCashNetwork website, is the new TCN’s “Master Referral Agent” or “MRA.”
Precisely what happened with the original TCN, a purported daily deals site that purportedly used text-messaging, never has been clear. The emerging TCN, however, appears to have access to the original’s database and appears already to have used it to create affiliate links for “old” TCN members — this despite the fact TextCashNetwork is listed in Wyoming as a “dissolved” entity and its members may not have given permission to be ported to the “new” TCN.
These links shown in Google search results are showing the name of “textcashnetwork” in the URL. But all of them rotate to True Cash Network.
The “new” TCN purports to be operating as “True Cash Network, Inc.” Disputes, according to its website, will be handled under Wyoming law, but there appears to be no corresponding registration for True Cash Network in the state. Meanwhile, the “new” TCN is using the same Boca Raton (Fla.) business address as the “old” TCN. The old TCN once curiously purported that a member’s agreement with it “may not be transferred or assigned without prior written consent of REX Venture Group.”
Rex was the operator of Zeek Rewards and one of the defendants in the SEC’s Ponzi case.
True Cash Network — like TextCashNetwork before it — appears to be positioning itself as an MLM company that pushes affiliate products, including a “Medical Savings Plan,” X8 Energy Gum, Parcman Male Enhancer and more.
While TCN was operating as TextCashNetwork, the Piccolo organization appears to have tried to dupe people into believing the company was owned by Johnson & Johnson, a component of both Dow Jones and the S&P 500 and an internationally famous maker of pharmaceuticals and consumer products that are household names.
Patrick,
I am posting this at the Help Desk to help keep networkers get more of the info on this crap!!! Thank you.
Troy,
I listened today to part of your 2010 interview with Piccolo that was prompted in part by his threat to sue you. You’ll probably remember it; it’s the one in which he intermittently praised God while at once suggesting he could bring in leg-breakers to deal with his critics:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/jimgillhouse/2010/08/27/phil-piccolo-this-week-on-aces-radio-live
You may want to listen to the YouTube video referenced in the story above to determine if you can make a clear determination whether one of the speakers is Piccolo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIIl0TjkMrQ&feature=youtu.be
Patrick
…the one in which he intermittently praised God while at once suggesting he could bring in leg-breakers to deal with his critics…
That would be funny if it wasn’t a perfectly believable statement from him.
From the PP Blog, Feb. 14, 2012:
_______________________________________________________________________
[TextCashNetwork], according to the posts, is seeking “INTERNATIONAL SATELLITE PARTNERS” willing to plunk down a “minimum $25,000 deposit.” The posts are tied to a purported TCN celebration for being in business for 100 days.
The promos also are hyping something called the “VIP Plus Advertising Package,” which purportedly will debut March 16 at a cost of “$499 + $60 Monthly x 11 Months with 100% of the additional funds going to the VIP Plus Agents.”
Some TCN affiliates are simultaneously encouraging recruits and prospects to send money to TCN via Western Union to buy in as TCN distributors at levels between $129 and $399. Such tactics have been associated with advance-fee scams and other forms of fraud.
“Western Union will allow you to put it on your credit card!” one TCN affiliate promo roars. “Call Western Union for details.”
In November 2010, a Piccolo-associated entity known as One World One Website (OWOW) solicited members to send in cash amid promises the contributions would earn “24% Annual Interest.” The offer led to questions about whether OWOW, which is listed as a defunct Wyoming corporation while it maintains websites that are unable to process payments, was selling unregistered securities as investment contracts.
“The 24% Annual Interest On Your Money … Did you know that many PROS are receiving 24% Annual Interest on their money. The deadline for 24% annual interest paid in monthly increments of 2% will end on 11/30/2010 . . . Any funds deposited thereafter will pay 18% annual interest in monthly increments of 1.5%,” the Nov. 18, 2010, OWOW email read in part.
In July 2010, Data Network Affiliates — another venture associated with Piccolo — said it was offering an offshore “resorts” program through a vendor. Members could buy into the purported program through a “No Interest Easy 24 Month” payment plan of of $625 a month. DNA solicited members to spend $14,995 on the resorts program, suggesting that some prospects would put the entire amount on a credit card.
_______________________________________________________________________
Source:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/02/14/update-text-cash-network-firm-with-phil-piccolo-tie-now-fishing-for-international-satellite-partners-and-25000-deposits-after-earlier-piccolo-associated-firm-asked-for-14995-at-a-time-fo/
Patrick
Also see Jan. 17, 2012, PP Blog story:
Snippet:
” . . . OWOW introduced a scheme by which “FOUNDER PACKAGES” would be created in four tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum) and sold online to right the OWOW ship. The purported packages were priced between $500 and $5,000, and purchasers who bought in at the $5,000 level were promised they would get “20 shares in a (sic) 5% of The Sales Profit Pool from 8/8/11 to 12/12/12 of The O.W.O.W. Program…”
The claim leads to questions about whether OWOW was offering unregistered securities as investment contracts and effectively creating an investment pool while using unregistered broker-dealers to sell the offer.”
Source:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/01/17/special-report-owow-phil-piccolo-associated-firm-that-pumped-text-cash-network-purportedly-cited-financial-trouble-last-summer-and-sought-brand-new-people-to-pay-off-all-of-the-past-commi/
Patrick
This is the PP Blog’s first story on the original TCN. From Nov. 13, 2011:
‘TEXT CASH NETWORK’: RED FLAGS GALORE: New ‘Opportunity’ Linked To Ponzi Boards And To Phil Piccolo-Associated ‘Firms’: Hype, Vapid Claims, Alexa Charts, Launch Countdown Timer, Brand Leeching — And Possible Ties To Long-Running SEC Case
https://patrickpretty.com/2011/11/13/text-cash-network-red-flags-galore-new-opportunity-linked-to-ponzi-boards-and-to-phil-piccolo-associated-firms-hype-vapid-claims-alexa-charts-launch-countdown-timer-brand-leeching/
Patrick
Quick note: More from MLM La-La Land: Have now received a would-be comment that appears to be from a TrueCashNetwork affiliate who “thanks” me for “this INFO” in the story above and says “Now I know!” — and nevertheless tries to plant a recruitment link to the TrueCashNetwork “Tsunami” team.
The IP appears to be from the Philippines.
Patrick
Quick note: There were three attempts to plant links to a TCN affiliate site after “thanking” me. They were at 1:04, 1:05 and 1:06 p.m.
Patrick
Not sure if this is an extra piece or a new puzzle but I found it interesting. The “Johnson Group” related to both Text and True Cash Networks circle back to Dalton Johnson. He’s listed as CEO of “True” and similar clams can be found from “Text.”
Next we have Nutra Pharma Corp, an over the counter drug maker who from the looks of the EDGAR filings are pretty much screwed financially. Their primary commercial product is a pain relief medication derived from cobra venom originally marketed as Cobroxin and more recently as Nyloxin.
December of last year Nutra Pharm announced that they had reached a distribution agreement with MyNyloxin, a new MLM company to be their exclusive network marketing channel. Dalton Johnson is the CEO of MyNyloxin and a press release mentions that his “TCN Group” will be introducing Nyloxin to their distributors.
http://otc.pharmaceutical-business-review.com/news/nutra-pharma-finalizes-marketing-distribution-agreement-for-nyloxin-031213-4140030
This is kinda ugly in a number of ways. First we have a product which hasn’t exactly established it’s commercial viability. Looking for reviews online about the only ones that aren’t entirely anecdotal in nature seem to be quite skeptical.
I haven’t been able to find a peer reviewed placebo controlled study indicating the efficacy of orally or topically administered cobra venom in mitigating pain.
Then we have a MLM company who’s track record is bad enough that selling snake oil is actually a step up for them.
Times like this make me wonder if Barnum was an optimist.