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Tag: Biz AdSplash

  • BizAdSplash Tanks, Takes Participants’ Money With It, Members Say; Surf Invokes God, Says ‘Party Is Over’ In Sign-Off Note

    The Biz Ad Splash (BAS) autosurf has tanked, taking participants’ money with it, members said tonight.

    Members reported receiving a platitude-filled email from Clarence Busby announcing the surf’s closure. The email, which included a pep talk and invoked God, did not say if, when or how members would be compensated.

    “Now what about the future?” the email said. “No matter what, there is a future. There are many things on the internet that will help you in this future, so don’t give up. Make the effort and success is just right around the corner. May your life be full of faith, hope and love. This is where you will find your best rewards. May God bless you all!”

    Busby’s name appeared at the bottom of the email, which carried a business address of Acworth, Ga. The surf, which purported upon its 2009 launch to be headquartered offshore, came to life in the wake of the seizure of tens of millions of dollars from AdSurfDaily Inc. and Golden Panda Ad Builder. Busby is the former president of Golden Panda, which ceded more than $14 million to the government in the ASD/Golden Panda case.

    Known for syrupy communications, Busby described the BAS staff as “sad,” according to the email.

    “Our staff has been sad, not just because of losing a job, but because they have developed friendships with many of you and are very sad to ‘break up the party,’” the email said. “With anything that has had life, it is very sad to have that life taken away.”

    Busby was identified in the email as the owner of BAS. In earlier communications, he was identified as “chief consultant.” It was not immediately clear how he purportedly had ascended from consulting work to ownership.

    “As owner of this company, I have had many, many hours that I sincerely enjoyed working with you, and of course, a few ‘witching’ hours that were just plain scary,” the email said. “After many sleepless nights over the past few weeks, trying to come to the correct conclusion, I have made a decision to ‘pull the cord and turn out the lights.’ The party is over.

    “No decision like this comes easy, at least not for me,” the email continued. “I know many people have had tremendous success, while others have just learned another of life’s lessons in their loss. With a heart that is very heavy and sad, I have come to realize that not every plan brings success. But I do know that every failed plan does bring you a tremendous amount of knowledge in lessons learned, that will bring you closer to the success you are reaching to achieve.”

    One BAS member who contacted the PP Blog said her family was out tens of thousands of dollars with the closure — and also out the value of advertising they purchased.

    “I am retired and I did not get involved in this company just to give money away for we need the money to retire,” the member said. “Mr. Clarence Busby is nothing but a dishonest crook.”

    Busby, who used the title “Rev.” at least 120 times in a court filing involving Golden Panda last year, was implicated by the SEC in three prime-bank schemes in the 1990s, according to records. He agreed not to break securities laws in a settlement with the SEC.

    Despite the failure of BAS and the problems Golden Panda had that resulted in the seizure of more than $14 million in five Busby/Golden Panda bank accounts, Busby had he was better for having operated BAS.

    “Please accept my humble appreciation to all of you who have encouraged, supported and worked so diligently with all of us this past year. Also, for those who prayed for me when I was in the hospital, I will never forget your calls, your letters and your friendships. It really did help move me to get well.”

    BAS paid out more than $2 million during its operations, according to the email. The email did not say how much the surf had taken in.

    “Biz Ad Splash has been online as an internet advertising business for one year this very week,” the email said. “During that time, BAS has paid out over $2,000,000 in commissions and has almost 9000 members.

    “This year has brought many new friends who have believed in BAS and whose efforts gave BAS a chance for success,” the email continued. “Your encouragement and commitment was well received, and with sincere appreciation for the opportunity we had working with each of you, we honorably salute you.

    “You are the reason that we have delayed this closing, hoping that there would be enough that believed in the program to see it through,” the email said. “The past 120 days BAS’ balance sheet as continually gone in the red, and at this time, we do not have the funds to continue with our program. The past few weeks our sales have not been strong enough to pay out reasonable commissions with our RRSP program, or enough funds to handle overhead and continue operations.”

  • PARTIAL LIST: Gold Nugget Invest (GNI) Just Latest Failed Scheme Promoted By AdSurfDaily Members; One Program After Another Pushed By Promoters Has Collapsed

    EDITOR’S NOTE: This list summarizes several programs pushed by members of AdSurfDaily, a Florida company implicated in an alleged $100 million Ponzi scheme. In some cases, the programs were pushed prior to the seizure by the U.S. Secret Service in August 2008 of 15 bank accounts linked to ASD or Golden Panda Ad Builder, one of the companies implicated in the ASD scheme. Each of the programs listed below came to a dubious end or continue to exist in an unclear, shadowy form. This list is presented in no particular order and does not include every HYIP/autosurf pitched by ASD members.

    UPDATED 3:16 P.M. ET (U.S.A.)

    Gold Nugget Invest (GNI): Collapsed Friday. HYIP. Government of Belize issued warning in November. Ownership hidden behind proxy. Business model unclear. Presented as betting arbitrage, but perhaps was involved in forex. Advertised payout of 7.5 percent per week. Possibly linked to European banking investigation. Changed rules on the fly. Still collecting money after “Re-organization.” Purportedly launched in October 2006, the same month ASD was preparing for launch.

    Genius Funds/Cash Tanker/Saza Investments: Pushed by ASD member “joe” in a post on the ProASD Surf’s Up forum just prior to collapse of GNI. CashTanker, which used a graphic depicting Jesus, now has tanked after advertising payouts of 2 percent a day. “joe” pitched GNI, Genius Funds, Cash Tanker and Saza Investments in an egg-themed promotion in which the word “egg” was used in domain names that redirected to the HYIPs. “joe’s” egg-themed domain that redirected to Cash Tanker now redirects to a program called PTV Partner, an HYIP that bills itself “The Ultimate High Yield Asset for your Financial Portfolio!” “joe’s” egg-themed pitch was based on the screaming notion that “ALL MY EGGS ARE NOT IN ONE BASKET. I MAKE $2000.00 A WEEK.” A street address for the egg-themed domains corresponds to an address in a federal lawsuit involving cell-phone trafficking.

    Regenesis 2×2: Matrix in Seattle area. Records seized by U.S. Secret Service in July 2009. Operators kept under surveillance for five weeks. Multiple search warrants issued. Discarded records found in Dumpster. Sold “commission centers” for $325. Touted itself the “THE ECONOMIC STIMULUS PLAN FOR YOU.” Site appears to have been registered behind a proxy in Europe. Jeffrey William Snyder, one of the individuals kept under surveillance, was a convicted felon on probation for a previous securities scheme.

    GoldenPandaAdBuilder: So-called “Chinese” version of ASD. Assets seized in two forfeiture complaints in ASD case. Operated by Clarence Busby of Georgia. Records in now-dismissed RICO lawsuit against Busby identified him as “Rev.” at least 120 times. Busby was implicated by SEC in 1990s in three prime-bank schemes that promised enormous payouts. Purportedly became Golden Panda president after going fishing with ASD President Andy Bowdoin in April 2008. Federal judge ordered forfeiture of more than $14 million from Golden Panda in July 2009. Busby now purported “chief consultant” of BizAdSplash (BAS). Ceased payouts in July 2009, after declaring “crisis” and claiming members were overpaid. Went offline. Returned online. Went offline again for about two weeks during 2009 Holiday season. Now back online.

    BizAdSplash (BAS): (Also see GoldenPanda entry above.) BAS launched in aftermath of seizure of assets in ASD/GoldenPanda case. Assets seized in civil complaints in ASD/GoldenPanda case total about $80.52 million. Clarence Busby purported to be chief consultant of BAS. BAS touted purported offshore registration in Panama. Georgia corporation records show version of surf’s name used address of UPS Store No. 2644 in Kennesaw, Ga.

    Noobing: Pitched as alternative to ASD after seizure. Noobing targeted deaf people. Deaf member says she reported Noobing to FBI and sheriff’s department in California. There are recent suggestions that deaf members also reported Noobing to SEC. FTC and attorneys general of Minnesota, Kansas and North Carolina joined in suing Affiliate Strategies Inc. (ASI), Noobing’s parent company, in alleged scheme offering guaranteed government grants from economic stimulus funds. Illinois now has joined the FTC action. Original lawsuit filed in July 2009. Like ASD, ASI owned a jet ski. Court-appointed receiver sold it at auction. Receiver performed a preliminary exam of Noobing’s records and determined surf was upside down by approximately $550,000. Noobing gathered money in aftermath of seizure of ASD’s bank accounts. Surf slashed payouts in early 2009, citing unclear ruling in ASD case. Site offline since FTC lawsuit, which did not name Noobing.

    DailyProSurf (DPS): DPS is a largely unknown and mysterious surf site registered by ASD President Andy Bowdoin in August 2006, about two months prior to the formal birth of ASD. Records suggest DPS operated prior to registration, although its ownership was unclear. (NOTE: The story in the DPS link in this paragraph also contains information on 12DailyPro and PhoenixSurf, two surfs sued successfully by the SEC.)

    AdVentures4U (ADV4U): Surf tanked in August 2009. Reportedly had more than 60,000 members. Members identified Steve R. Smith as owner. Smith also purported owner of venture called TradingGold4Cash. In confusing note to ADV4U members, Smith purportedly said his family received threats. Used ASD-like “rebates aren’t guaranteed” excuse upon payout suspension. Urged members not to contact payment processors. Site reportedly conducted business with hotmail address.

    CEP: Judicially declared Ponzi scheme. Smashed by SEC. ASD once advertised it accepted funds through CEP Trust, the payment processor associated with the CEP Ponzi scheme.

    MegaLido: Pushed by ASD members in aftermath of seizure of ASD’s assets and positioned as a safe, “offshore” alternative, MegaLido tanked late in 2008, during the Christmas season, a few months after the ASD seizure. MegaLido purportedly had 27,000 members. MegaLido might have had a tie to Instant2U, another surf that tanked during the 2008 Holiday season. “MegaLido Rocks!” one ASD promoter blared, noting excitedly that it paid 12 percent a day and “It’s Offshore!” Instant2U advertised 14 percent a day.

    Frogress: Pitched by ASD members in aftermath of seizure. Frogress tanked in January 2009, just after the Christmas holiday in 2008.

    DailyProfitPond: Another surf pitched by ASD members in aftermath of seizure. DailyProfitPond tanked in December 2008, in the days leading up to Christmas. One DailyProfitPond promoter said it was possible to start with $12 and turn it into $12,000. The “return” was listed as 150 percent over 30 days.

    AdViewGlobal (AVG or AVGA): Surf with ASD/Bowdoin ties. Formally debuted in February 2009, with a push from the now-defunct Pro-ASD Surf’s Up forum and ASD members. Tanked in June 2009 after collecting untold millions of dollars.

    Perhaps one of the most bizarre autosurfs ever to enter the “industry.” Switched to “private association” structure after reportedly meeting with felon convicted in a 1990s securities scheme. Cited U.S. Constitutional protection despite purported headquarters in Uruguay.

    AVG disclaimed any ties to ASD, despite fact its CEO was a former ASD executive who submitted a sworn affidavit in the ASD case. Issued news release disclaiming ASD ties; release was signed by an ASD employee who had testified in federal court for ASD in 2008. Said the fact AVG’s graphics appeared on ASD-controlled website was “operational coincidence.”

    Announced bank account “suspension” in March 2009, blaming it on members who wired too many transactions in excess of $9,500. Announced CEO resignation, saying CEO would remain in “accounting” department. Announced new wire facility as done deal in May 2009. Company it identified as wire facilitator issued public denial, suggesting AVG was trying to funnel money to itself through a shell company.

    Shell company operated by man with two large bankruptcy filings, including one in which an address listed as an apartment was the address of a mail drop. Purported AVG “compliance” department head was sued twice in 2008 for noncompliance with federal law. AVG claimed to own eWalletPlus payment processor. Actual eWalletPlus ownership far from clear. At least two people close to AVG money had spectacular bankruptcy filings. Andy Bowdoin, whom members later said was AVG’s silent head, was arrested for felony securities violations in the 1990s and entered guilty pleas.

    AdGateWorld (AGW): Now-defunct surf launched after ASD seizure. Later purportedly sold to interests in the “Middle East.” Claims cannot be verified. AGW linked to ASD member Jack Schrold, a Florida attorney once suspended from the Florida bar for misconduct. Schrold was sued successfully by the FTC for the actions of his credit-repair firm, and also was convicted separately of knowledge of the commission of conspiracy and wire-fraud. AGW announced its death as “End of Dream.” Blamed members in announcement: “This honest and legitimate approach using the advertising rebate model apparently did not meet the expectations of the herd mentality.”

    PaperlessAccess: Mysterious upstart surf. ASD President Andy Bowdoin appeared in a video for Paperless Access in 2009, after the ASD seizure. Video appeared online in March 2009 — during time frame in which AVG was announcing bank-account suspension and the departure of its CEO. PaperlessAccess positioned as way for ASD members to regain money seized by the government. Bowdoin did not identify the owners of Paperless Access, describing them only as a small group of people. Nor did Bowdoin mention that the government was establishing an ASD refund program.

    PremiumAdsClub (PAC): Tanked in February 2009. Members said it collected money right up to the end.

    AggeroInvestment: Had PAC ties. Advertised 60 percent a month, plus bonuses. Collected money to the bitter end.

    QBusinessSolution: Surf with purported ties to former ASD executive Juan Fernandez, who took the 5th Amendment in the ASD forfeiture case. # # #