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Category: Writing And Branding

REPORTS: Ice Cream Flavor Named After TelexFree, An Alleged Pyramid Scheme; Separately, TelexFree Affiliates May Be Crossing National Borders To Keep The Money Flowing — Even As Purported Opportunity Turns To New Payment Method

The HYIP world is known for promoters’ bids to change the storyline, but this one may take the cake — or at least be a sweet complement. There are reports in Brazilian media that a promoter of the TelexFree MLM scheme — alleged to be a massive pyramid — has named an ice cream after…

Aug 21, 2013
EDITORIAL: Death Of An MLM Salesman — Brought To You Via Empower Network’s ‘Badass’ Button

If you’re an MLM company facing a PR problem or a crisis involving the firm and its distributors, don’t expect fellow MLM firm Empower Network to solve it for you. In fact, it’s probably prudent to expect that Empower Network will only magnify your bad press or virally blab the things you’re trying to keep…

Aug 19, 2013
TelexFree, MLM Firm That Is Subject Of Pyramid Probe, Says It Will Offer ‘At Sea’ Event

TelexFree, an MLM “opportunity” under investigation in Brazil amid allegations it is orchestrating a massive pyramid scheme, says on its website that it is conducting an “at sea” event Dec. 15-18. Perhaps accidentally providing an awkward hint of dire portent, the promo shows the TelexFree logo superimposed on the side of a luxury ocean liner…

Aug 16, 2013
How Bizarre Will MLM Get? YouTube Video That Drives Traffic To Empower Network Feeds On Name Of ‘CashCropCycler’ And Trades On Images Of White House, Obama And Biden

EDITOR’S NOTE: Our thanks to reader “Tony” for pointing out the video described below. UPDATED 9:26 A.M. EDT (SEPT. 10, U.S.A.): How bizarre will MLM get? Well, there may be no ceiling: A 2:47 video animation playing on YouTube depicts U.S. Vice President Joe Biden as a recent enrollee in the CashCropCycler HYIP “program” who…

Aug 12, 2013
UPDATE: After Claiming It Was Interested In ‘Building A Network That Ticks,’ ‘CashCropCycler’ Appears to Be DOA; ‘NEOMutual’ Also Appears To Have Gone Missing After ‘Crowdfunding’ Claims

Touted on the MoneyMakerGroup Ponzi forum by former Zeek Rewards pitchman “mmgcjm,” a bizarre “program” known as CashCropCycler appears to have tanked. Joining CashCropCycler in the recent HYIP DOA lineup was NEOMutual, a purported “crowdfunding” opportunity that claimed it used bitcoin and a series of offshore payment processors to provide daily interest rates of 1.4…

Aug 11, 2013
Series Of News Releases From Purported MLM Trainer Plants Seed That Federal Trade Commission Has Given Green Light To Several Opportunities, Including Herbalife

EDITOR’S NOTE: The PP Blog called the Federal Trade Commission to get its take on these news releases, which use the agency’s name and imply that the FTC recently has given several MLM “opportunities” a clean bill of health. The agency did not immediately respond. What would you think if you read a headline on…

Aug 6, 2013
Gary Calhoun, MPB Today MLM Operator, Jailed In Florida

UPDATED 5:52 P.M. EDT (JULY 31, U.S.A.) Gary Calhoun, the operator of the MPB Today MLM program who was charged in December with racketeering under Florida state law, is listed as a prisoner at the Escambia County Jail. Today was Calhoun’s sentencing date. The length of his sentence was not immediately clear. [July 31 UPDATE:…

Jul 30, 2013
From Profitable Sunrise To ‘Guaranteed50kIn30days’: ‘What Would You Do With $50,800? Or Better Yet, What Would You Do With A MILLION $$!’

After the Profitable Sunrise intercontinental affinity-fraud and pyramid-scheme aimed at Christians, Rev. Jon Simmons has cast his net with a 5X5 matrix “program” known as “Guaranteed50kIn30days” and is fishing for a “team,” a source tells the PP Blog. “Turn your $50 [into] a MILLION Dollars!” Simmons trawled. Simmons was a Profitable Sunrise colleague of Nanci…

Jul 24, 2013
BIZARRE: ‘Program’ Dubbed ‘CashCropCycler’ Has Ponzi-Board Presence And Zeek Pitchman While Touting Payouts Through PerfectMoney, SolidTrustPay And EgoPay — And Saying It Provides JSSTripler-Like Signup Bonus Of $10

A “program” with the bizarre name of “CashCropCycler” (Triple C) is being pushed on the Ponzi forums, amid claims it issues cashouts through offshore payment processors linked to fraud scheme after fraud scheme and gives enrollees $10 just for signing up. An earlier HYIP scam known as JSSTripler/JustBeenPaid that appears to have morphed into at…

Jul 16, 2013
TelexFree Affiliates Gave AdSurfDaily-Like Coaching Tips, Instructed Prospects To Make Deposits At Bank Of America — And To Copy Slips To ‘Team Leader’s’ Gmail Address For ‘Expedited’ Service; TelexFree Also May Have TD Bank Account

“On or about July 14, 2008, [an undercover agent] opened an ‘upgraded member’ account with [AdSurfDaily]. ASD directs new members either to mail a money order or cashier’s check to its Florida office, or to deposit a certified check, money order or cash at ‘your nearest branch of Bank of America,’ directly into ASD’s BOA…

Jul 8, 2013
UPDATE: Statue Of Jesus Christ Used In TelexFree Promo On YouTube

Depictions of Jesus Christ were used in the Profitable Sunrise and the equally bizarre “Cash Tanker” HYIP schemes — and now are being used in promos for TelexFree, an MLM “opportunity” under investigation in Brazil amid pyramid-scheme and securities concerns. It looks as though the statue of Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro has…

Jul 7, 2013