Category: Writing And Branding
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BULLETIN: Google Says Justice Department Is Investigating Its Advertising Program; Search Giant Sets Aside $500 Million, Notes ‘Potential Resolution’
DISCLOSURE: Until Jan. 9 of this year, the PP Blog displayed Google ads. See this post. BULLETIN: Google disclosed in a regulatory filing yesterday that its advertising program was under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The company announced that it has taken a charge of $500 million “in connection with a potential resolution.”…
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MOTHER’S DAY FANTASY POST: Legendary MLM Scammer Phil Pumpernickel Says He’ll Package ‘Troll Spray’; Fraudster Announces He’ll Coax Affiliates To Trade On Donald Trump’s Name To Reel In The ‘Birthers’
EDITOR’S NOTE: The “story” below is not real. The PP Blog occasionally presents fantasy posts, parody and satire as a means of advancing the discussion about issues in the world of online crime and marketing schemes. SOUTH FLORIDA (PPBlog) — Phil Pumpernickel, the unapologetic scammer who once started an “opportunity” that hawked caskets MLM-style after…
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UPDATE: Promo For Club Asteria Says Earnings ‘1000% Guaranteed,’ Introduces ‘Benefactor’ Program; Pitches Purportedly Show How To Earn ‘Huge Amount Without Doing Nothing’
Club Asteria, a Virginia-based company that acknowledged last week that it had liars selling its “opportunity,” appears to be having difficulty controlling its own members. A multisite promo that includes a promise of guaranteed earnings coupled with a “benefactor” program that encourages members to pay prospects’ fees to join the program now has surfaced. A…
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Pittsburgh Steelers Issue Statement On Controversial ‘Tweets’ Of Running Back Rashard Mendenhall After Successful U.S. Action Against Osama Bin Laden
Pittsburgh Steelers’ President Art Rooney II, the son of U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Dan Rooney, has issued a statement in response to controversial Tweets attributed to Steelers’ running back Rashard Mendenhall after the United States killed Osama bin Laden two days ago. The Tweets have sparked a web firestorm and enraged one of America’s hardest-working…
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PICTURE STORY: Club Asteria Promoters Claim Program Is ‘Passive’ Investment Opportunity; ‘Single Account’ Said To Return ‘About $20,000 Per Year’; Why Not Open Second Account In Same Household? Affiliate Asks
Club Asteria members now say the firm, which trades on the name of the World Bank, suddenly threatened recruits for making false claims about the program. The PP Blog reported on April 4 that the program, which is being pumped on the Ponzi boards and the personal websites of thousands of Club Asteria members, was…
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BULLETIN: Walmart Enters Home-Delivery Grocery Business; Retail Giant Testing ‘Walmart To Go’ Concept In California; News May Be Potentially Devastating To MPB Today Affiliates Because Of MLM’s Up-Front Fees, High Shipping Costs And ‘Dry Goods’ ONLY Policy
BULLETIN: Walmart said today that it was testing a grocery home-delivery concept known as “Walmart To Go” in the San Jose, Calif., market. Walmart.com visitors can test the availability of home delivery in their area by entering their address and Zip code into a form at the Walmart.com website. (Link at bottom of story.) The…
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BULLETIN: ‘Fugitive’ TV Analyst And Commodity-Pool Operator Now Faces Order Demanding $12.5 Million In Restitution And Penalties In CFTC’s Civil Case; Brian Kim Was Indicted In February
BULLETIN: A trader and TV analyst declared a “fugitive” in February by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. now faces a restitution order and penalties totaling more than $12.5 million in a lawsuit filed by the CFTC. Brian Kim, 35, the operator of a hedge fund known as Liquid Capital Management LLC, appeared on…
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FTC: Acai-Berry Scammers Created ‘Fake’ News Sites And Traded On Famous Name Of ‘Consumer Reports’ To Fleece The Masess; Letters ‘CNN’ Were Used In Web Domains In Illinois, State AG Says
EDITOR’S NOTE: If this federal and state action doesn’t get the attention of the out-of-control, direct-sales crowd that divines itself the right to plant the seed that an “offer” is endorsed by famous companies and people, well, perhaps nothing will. Even as this story is being written, affiliates of Club Asteria, a purported “passive” investment…
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BULLETIN: FLORIDA — AGAIN: FTC Seeks Contempt Sanction Against Firm That Allegedly Hawks Deceptive ‘Food Stamp’ Guide And Credit-Repair Services; Bizarre Website Linked To Defendants Rails Against ‘Greedy Politicians’
BULLETIN: The Federal Trade Commission has gone to federal court in Fort Myers to seek contempt sanctions against Florida companies accused of encouraging prospects to misrepresent information on applications to receive Food Stamp benefits. Prospects who followed the advice could be charged with a crime, the FTC said. The companies and their principal also are…