PP Blog Now 2,700 Posts Strong: Get Your Subscription Today!
NOTE: This post originally was published June 30 at 8:41 p.m. EDT U.S.A. It was republished in this slot on July 2, July 20, July 29 and July 30.
Dear Readers,
We are pleased to report that this is Post 2,701 on the PP Blog since December 2008.
There are four “penny-a-post” subscription options in the pull-down menu below. We’re asking readers who believe in what this Blog is doing to take out a one-year subscription for either $25, $50, $75 or $100.
The $25 fee constitutes a less than a penny a post for our current editorial well of 2,700+ articles. The pull-down menu is in case you decide you’d like personally to value the editorial well at [now less than] 2 cents a post ($50), [now less than] 3 cents a post ($75) or [now less than] 4 cents a post ($100).
We came up with this idea to celebrate our 2,500th post. As always, it is my hope that newer readers who can afford to subscribe will do so at either the $25 or $50 levels. The higher options may be best suited for readers and researchers who’ve been with us a long time and perhaps have read hundreds or even thousands of stories.
Because the Blog’s well is so deep, we’re able to provide readers additional context. You’ll often find this reflected in “quick notes” in the Comments threads below stories. The notes point readers to stories on the same topic or to stories that have a similar theme.
The Blog, of course, also points readers to other sources of information.
There is no paywall at the PP Blog. By purchasing a subscription that automatically renews in one year, you’ll be helping me personally. And, as I’ve previously, you’ll be helping a Blog that publishes hundreds of stories a year and keeps matters important to readers a bookmark away remain free for other readers.
This “penny-a-post” idea has helped me scotch the very real concern about affecting readership by offering subscriptions. The readers who subscribe will be helping keep the Blog free for those who cannot afford to subscribe and for those who simply choose not to.
Our readers of goodwill recognize the PP Blog as a persistent effort to contain harm and to educate the public about matters that destroy pocketbooks and families and, in some cases, affect national security.
My sincere thank you for your continued interest in the PP Blog.
Patrick
Here are some examples of how the PP Blog helps educate the public through its own original reporting or through links to other sources of information. Because of information/links from the PP Blog, readers today have ventured to these destinations:
1.) Headline: “Massive losses in scams only a click away.”
Source: http://www.iol.co.za/business/personal-finance/massive-losses-in-scams-only-a-click-away-1.1784568?#.VZPk50Yvn-v
Background: In a Nov. 29, 2014, report, the PP Blog supplied a link to a publication in South Africa that was reporting on “AdClickXpress,” a successor to “ProfitClicking” and other scams linked to “Frederick Mann.”
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/11/29/adclickxpress-successor-scam-to-2-earlier-scams-stirring-again-and-gets-bad-press-in-south-african-media/
Here’s another example of our ProfitClicking coverage:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/09/04/the-bizarre-wordplay-of-profitclicking/
There also is a PP Blog archive of references to “Frederick Mann”:
https://patrickpretty.com/tag/frederick-mann/
Mann is a former AdSurfDaily pitchman who took extreme antigovernment positions and sympathized with “sovereign citizens”:
Example PP Blog stories:
Topic: Wanton cross-border crime:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/05/25/urgent-bulletin-moving-jssjbps-frederick-mann-admits-company-is-not-registered-government-workers-part-of-a-criminal-gang-of-robbers-thieves-murderers-liars-imposters-program-patri/
Topic: Catholic-bashing, race-baiting:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/06/02/jss-triplerjustbeenpaid-touted-on-race-baitingcatholic-bashing-site-pitchman-linked-to-church-that-says-it-preaches-true-gospel-of-the-risen-lord-jesus-christ-to-white-raced-peoples-of-north/
Topic: “Sovereign citizen” implicated in murder plot against public officials.
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/02/27/special-report-domain-registered-to-purported-jss-tripler-operator-features-videos-of-sovereign-citizen-accused-in-alleged-alaska-murder-plot-against-public-officials-meanwhile-americans-listen/
2.) Headline: “Woman pleads guilty in multimillion dollar Ponzi scheme.”
Source: http://www.wsoctv.com/news/news/local/woman-accused-multi-million-dollar-ponzi-scheme-pl/nmpN8/
Background: The PP Blog has provided extensive coverage of “The Achieve Community” and regularly has linked to other coverage. The PP Blog was the first publication to confirm on the record that Achieve was under investigation at the state level in Colorado.
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/01/22/urgent-bulletin-moving-colorado-division-of-securities-confirms-achieve-community-investigation/
Same thing happened with TelexFree — and please look at the Comments thread to see the beginnings of the conspiracy theories:
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/02/28/urgent-bulletin-moving-massachusetts-confirms-telexfree-probe/
Some of those conspiracy theories linger even today.
Because the Blog regularly interacts with Public Information Officers, it was able to bring breaking coverage of the federal action (SEC) against Achieve Community within minutes of the information becoming public.
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/02/18/urgent-bulletin-moving-sec-charges-achieve-community-troy-barnes-kristi-johnson-federal-judge-approves-asset-freeze/
When the PP Blog encounters a situation such as this, it publishes a bulletin and updates it continuously. This sometimes absorbs hours and occasionally occurs while the Blog is providing coverage of other breaking-news events.
Archived PP Blog references to Achieve Community:
https://patrickpretty.com/tag/achieve-community/
3.) Headline: “BeWise Trader Review: GooBets Ponzi scheme rebooted.”
Source: http://behindmlm.com/mlm-reviews/bewisetrader-review-goobets-ponzi-scheme-rebooted/
Background: There are lots of BehindMLM fans out there (including the PP Blog) — and for good reason. BehindMLM covers MLM comp plans and inherent Ponzi/pyramid concerns with any number of “programs.” You can avoid a lot of trouble by reading BehindMLM. It should be bookmarked.
The PP Blog and Behind MLM sometimes link to each others coverage of a topic or event. This is done informally.
Here is an example of BehindMLM linking to the PP Blog and supplementing its own coverage of a topic based on what it read here:
http://behindmlm.com/companies/zeek-rewards/david-macgregors-zeek-rewards-clawback-denials/
Here is an example of the PP Blog linking to BehindMLM and supplementing its own coverage based on what it read there:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/12/11/behindmlm-reader-claims-excited-attendees-were-fainting-at-florida-gathering-of-world-consumer-alliance-program-that-published-laundry-list-of-hyip-ads-apparently-conducting-9-month-prelaun/
While BehindMLM covers topics in its own unique way, the PP Blog does, too. The PP Blog focuses on Ponzi schemes, securities fraud and the economic and national-security risks associated with cybercrime. The Blog also reports on potential instances of brand hijacking, which is why we contacted the NFL and the NBA in our coverage of GooBets.
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/04/15/after-seeing-photos-of-its-players-on-goobets-national-basketball-association-to-turn-matter-over-to-legal-department/
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/04/14/goobets-cross-border-fraud-scheme-emerges/
Our GooBets coverage is accessed virtually every day, which very likely means a large number of people are worried about GooBets and scams that may be associated with it.
Though unrelated to GooBets, here’s a potential instance of hijacking in which we contacted the SEC for comment:
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/01/10/network-marketing-pitchman-camps-out-at-sec-website-produces-commercial-for-achieve-community-unison-wealth-and-trinity-lines-theyre-passive-you-just-kind-of-put-your-money-down-and-rec/
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/01/12/update-sec-declines-to-comment-on-pitchmans-video-promo-for-achieve-community-and-2-other-ponzi-board-programs-that-used-footage-from-agencys-website/
4.) Current top headline: “Achieve: Kristine Johnson Enters Guilty Plea.”
Source: http://asdupdates.com/wordpress/
Background: ASD Updates educates the public about scams and shares documents with other antiscam sites. The PP Blog and ASD Updates generally talk a few times per week, over the phone or though email. Its archive of court documents has helped educate many people the world over:
https://sites.google.com/a/asdupdates.com/files-website/home
You’ll see nods of appreciation for ASD Updates from publications such as the PP Blog, BehindMLM, PonziTracker, RealScam and others. Lots of educational stories that appear on the web are crafted from information supplied or archived by ASD Updates. It should be bookmarked. So should its files site. (Links above.)
Could 11th-hour Zeek victims have avoided losses?
Read the Editor’s Note (at least) in this June 10, 2012, PP Blog editorial published more than two months before the SEC’s Zeek action in 2012:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/06/10/editorial-a-friday-evening-in-mlm-radio-la-la-land/
The ASD Updates file referenced in the PP Blog’s Editor’s Note was more than three years old, but signaled likely trouble for Zeek because the Zeek and ASD fact sets were so similar.
That note was made possible by ASD Updates — and the PP Blog’s longtime coverage of the AdSurfDaily Ponzi scheme.
The PP Blog is very thankful for its longtime association with ASD Updates. The Blogs create some traffic for each other and have exchanged links for years.
5.) Wikipedia Headline: “Bank of Credit and Commerce International.”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bank_of_Credit_and_Commerce_International
Background: The PP Blog has written about BCCI in the context of HYIP “programs” trying to be “offshore everywhere.” Any number of the “programs” we write about have invited participants to engage in an international financial conspiracy.
Example: https://patrickpretty.com/2012/02/04/disturbing-jss-tripler-related-domain-listed-in-consob-action-is-based-in-united-states-but-suddenly-starts-redirecing-to-justbeenpaid-site-in-the-netherlands-claim-that-were-not-located/
6.) The Achieve Community – huge ponzi scam
Source: http://www.realscam.com/f9/achieve-community-huge-ponzi-scam-3524/
Background: RealScam.com is an antiscam forum that, like ASD Updates and BehindMLM, should be bookmarked. Some RealScam members post at the PP Blog, and the Blog occasionally posts on RealScam. The PP Blog has supplied links to RealScam, and RealScam members have posted links to the PP Blog.
Like the PP Blog, RealScam has been targeted by DDoS attacks, trolls, stalkers and conspiracy theorists:
Examples:
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/06/19/quatloos-mod-realscam-com-pp-blog-targeted-in-bizarre-hectoring-campaign/
https://patrickpretty.com/2013/03/20/realscam-com-antiscam-site-is-under-ddos-attack/
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/03/19/adlandpro-site-whose-hyip-shills-touted-adsurfdaily-finanzas-forex-and-jss-triplerjustbeenpaid-renews-attack-against-realscam-com-as-alp-swaps-in-images-of-its-own-members-alongside-ad-for-es/
Sometimes events at RealScam or links posted there generate news coverage:
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/09/19/no-immediate-comment-from-federal-reserve-on-claims-related-to-emerging-bitclub-network-program/
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/12/13/feds-liberty-reserve-figure-mark-marmilev-shilled-on-talkgold-ponzi-forum-and-also-hired-shills-to-do-so-memo-speaks-to-vast-wasteland-of-online-criminality/
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/02/08/banners-broker-cultists-rip-play-from-zeek-adsurfdaily-adviewglobal-hyip-scambook/
https://patrickpretty.com/2013/05/12/pitchman-says-hong-kong-based-program-is-1000-percent-better-than-profitable-sunrise-and-zeek-rewards/
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/09/07/update-wealth-creation-alliance-now-publishing-ads-for-hyip-scheme-after-hyip-scheme/
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/03/05/update-antihistorical-moneymakingbrain-claim-law-enforcement-agencies-dont-pay-attention-to-whats-being-said-on-forums-and-blogs/
One of the best threads at RealScam is this one:
http://www.realscam.com/f8/banners-broker-hyip-ponzi-scam-897/
Here’s what happened:
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/10/04/kaboom-banners-broker-mlm-program-described-as-criminal-enterprise-that-gathered-tens-of-million-of-dollars/
7.) Headline: “Oregon man ordered to pay $413K for defrauding Utah investors in elaborate foreign currency trading and Brazilian emerald selling schemes.”
Source: http://www.commerce.utah.gov/releases/14-05-29_sec-jack-phillips.pdf
SNIPPET: “The Utah Securities Commission issued a Final Order against Jack Phillips, an Oregon resident, for conning Utah investors into several phony investment schemes involving travel cards, foreign currency trading, and importing Brazilian emeralds for sale all while promising guaranteed returns of 300 to 500% with no risk to investors.”
Context: Serial scam promotion:
https://patrickpretty.com/2012/10/02/was-this-man-your-zeek-sponsor/
Readers from at least 24 countries visited the PP Blog before noon today. That number will rise as the day grows older. The readers are viewing stories old and new:
Here are a few viewed by today’s readers:
Older but still in the thoughts of visitors:
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/12/04/4-people-arrested-your-own-branded-social-network-yobsn-was-mlm-fraud-and-pyramid-with-u-s-webhost-indian-police-say/
New: Very much in the thoughts of visitors:
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/06/30/bulletin-sann-rodrigues-subject-of-interpol-wanted-notice/
Older: Still accessed semiregularly.
https://patrickpretty.com/2014/03/26/more-mlm-whack-a-mole-1-quebec-securities-regulator-issues-warning-on-karatbars-international-2-cross-border-colleagues-follow-suit-3-former-zeek-ponzi-scheme-pitchman-defends-program-as/
From 2011, still gets readership:
https://patrickpretty.com/2011/10/26/urgent-bulletin-moving-american-red-cross-sends-cease-and-desist-letter-to-asteria-foundation/
From 2009: Story on purported “sovereign citizen” still gets readership:
https://patrickpretty.com/2009/11/24/special-report-convicted-3-hebrew-boys-ponzi-figure-declares-he-is-sovereign-joseph-brunson-says-prosecutors-have-no-authority-over-him/
From 2010: Still gets readership:
https://patrickpretty.com/2010/12/17/urgent-bulletin-moving-secret-service-has-seized-more-asd-cash-forfeiture-complaint-filed-today-against-bank-accounts-controlled-by-erma-web-room-lady-seabaugh-and-robyn-lynn-stevenson/
Patrick
So far today, these 10 countries have supplied the most views to the PP Blog, according to Jetpack. The United States and the United Kingdom typically are Nos. 1 and 2 by fairly wide margins. Canada typically also is high up. So is Brazil.
Today’s Top 10 so far:
United States
United Kingdom
Brazil
Canada
Malaysia
Romania
Colombia
Netherlands
India
Austria
Also visitors today from:
Taiwan
Singapore
South Africa
Dominican Republic
Hong Kong SAR China
Germany
Puerto Rico
European Union
Norway
Benin
South Korea
Ecuador
Italy
Japan
Nigeria
Bosnia & Herzegovina
France
Most-read post today is this one:
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/06/29/achieve-community-troy-barnes-i-am-guilty-of-being-ignorant/
Second-most is this one:
https://patrickpretty.com/2015/06/30/bulletin-sann-rodrigues-subject-of-interpol-wanted-notice/
More than 140 individual PP Blog stories have been accessed by readers today.
Patrick
Aug. 2 update.
Friends,
The next several hours are critical.
Here’s hoping folks who’ve been contemplating becoming a paid subscriber or who’ve been putting it off will purchase their subscriptions now.
Patrick