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	The following posts have been reprinted in their entirety from posts e-mailed by readers of this website, except that headers, names and locations have been removed. These posts express the opinions and experiences of their authors, and this site publisher makes no representations about them in any way whatsoever. Re: Taylor Lawsuit I am interested to know whether Gary and Kathy Taylor's lawsuit is still proceeding, has been concluded or what. Do you have any information on that? . Also, I have been told that Jewelway was exposed as a scam and is no longer operational. Is this true? . If you get a chance to reply, please reply to me at * . thank you for your time. Re: Getting into the business! Could you please send me information about becomming a quixtar representative. email: * Re: Primerica i wanted to look at your posting regarding primerica, but when i selected it, I was asked my network name and password... why?
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I apologize for making any assumptions about you which are not true. I'm sure there are many things that I don't know and frankly I know that I am sometimes told things by my upline that I don't agree with, nor do I follow. But understand me well, it is MY choice and everyone's choice as well to follow what the "mentor" says. I know Dexter and whether I agree with his politics or religious enthusiasm is irrelevant. I believe that what he teaches people about personal growth is correct. If people need to be "brainwashed" to feel good about themselves then so be it. If more people felt good about who they are we would not have nearly the poverty or crime we have today. This is not an irresponsible statement on my part. And frankly, if I can help someone achieve a measure of success in their life, then I will have also achieved my success. The money, is a by product never the end.

Don't judge us all by some. My husband has had both Miller and Yager as upline in his lifetime and the difference comes down to who YOU are not who they are.

With regards and respect,

Part II

I could go on with this forever but the bottom line is that change can only come from within the system not out. These are new times and things are changing just by the people getting in. Have a great day!

hello there. After reading all of these stories, it is amazing how many people are/were involved in Amway. I have my own story/ideas I want to share, and that is the reason I found your site. The word "Amway" was a familiar word to me when I got involved with someone who was heavily into the whole thing. My mother was a distributor, although she only buys the products she likes. During my 2 year relationship with this person, I was introduced to the business and the system. I tried to be open-minded and supportive about it, because I cared for him. I did go to some functions with him. Most of the time, I would feel really weird afterwards because in my logical mind, none of this sounded "right". But it was very difficult for me to accept that because that would have meant I was in love with the wrong person. At the beginning, it was okay, because Amway was just part of him that I wanted to get to know. But after a while, it started to come clear to me that Amway was "everything" for him and that if he didn't succeed in that "Amway world" he would never be happy in his life, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to be with him. Things happened and to make a long story short, we ende our relationship. That would have been the end of my relationship with Amway, except that as we were breaking up, when I thought we were still figuring things out, he met a woman. He continued telling me that he was just prospecting her, but I was not stupid enough to buy into that. And this incident really hurt me, and lost most of my willingness to be fair towards the Amway world. I know that it's not really the company itself, but the AMO that makes their people into certain types, and I am not saying that one incident with one person represents the whole company. It's just that this incident opened up my mind and now a lot of questions I had about this system is finally making sense to me that it is really scarely. I did go to one of the major functions after our break-up to check Quixtar out and I came to the conclusion that this system will work for people who have certain type of goals and whose current lives sre so bad. But it is not the only way and the way the system makes people think that it is the only way, is very disturbing. I think by doing that, they are stealing the dreams from these people.

My story is just like everyone else's, but I wanted to write to you because I really think that there are some people out there who are in realationships with distributors, married and husband/wife got involved and he/she doesn't want to, etc. This system could perhaps work for some people out there, but it is certainly damaging the rest of us in our relationships.

All through my 2 years with him, the toughest thing was that I couldn't talk to anyone about his involvement with Amway, which was a huge part of him.

Is there a chat group, message boads, out there for people like us? I think we can only help ourselves, and that we need an honest support group. If not, how would you recommend starting one?

one more question. I am remaining friends with him, and I want to be supportive to him, but at the same time, I want to tell him things about the system that is hurting him. He is a talented person with many interests but he seem to neglect everythingelse for Amway. And I have a feeling he'll always feel like "looser" unless he'll succeed in Amway, and I think that's dangerous. Is this impossible for me to do? Is it none of my business to talk to someone who is so deeply into the system?

Thank you for your help in advance.

Hi, I am a new "IBO" in colorado.....I appreciate your site as an informational resource that I read regularly....and I am open as always to anyone's opinion. I am new at this (2 months), and have spent most of that time researching what I've gotten myself and my family involved in......and of course I just attended FED in Salt Lake, and found it motivational and seemingly honest...but took it with a grain of salt of course...anything mixed with "Rocky Theme Music", bells/whistles/and laser beams and the like.....is motivational. It just seems to make sense to me, I cannot find a single solid thing to refute the success you receive should you follow the plan they suggest.....you receive profit from the volume you create, and your upline receives profit from the tools that you buy to train yourself in creating and managing others in the business. They seem to lay it out honestly, as I do now when I show the plan (only twice so far). If you build your organization wide and deep enough.....you will receive at 7900 PV 25% profit....right?....and so forth and so on......are they lying?......thanks for taking the time to read this, I could blab on and on, but I don't yet see where the plan can fail, other than by an individual having personal problems, week downlines or otherwise just not gettting out and doing it.......and other than this.....what real opportunity is there for the average person.....are the diamonds lying?....we all know they profit from the "system", as well they should......I will continue to read your site, I am not narrow-minded or going on "blind faith"....I'm new and learning and I really want something special for my families future....giving it my best shot, but keeping my eyes and ears open.....thanks again so much!!!!

Just to clarify they have been amway IBOs for 5 years and so they are at the emerald level in Quixtar now as well. So they did start from the bottom with a full time insurance job and have worked their way up. Also you say that fewer than 1 in 120 acheive Direct. Well that is expected with a $99 entry fee. The price of giving up and quiting is to low to get people through the first year. If the admission fee were say that of a food franchise...$100,000.00, I promise you, 9/10 would work the business until successful, for failure is not an option with such a high investment. I am a senior college student and Mktg major right now and I have been in and out of the MLM circle for several years, learning and studying the industry. I have shared Quixtar with many friends who have become IBOs and have not done a thing with it simply because they don't lose that much if they decide they would rather go party. I had a problem with the high failure rate at first and felt like I was peddling a lie. But over time I have realized that each of us is given the chance to make of it what we choose. Their failure has nothing to do with the opportunity. And like in any business I tell new IBOs to do their homework and study the industry. This is another reason the failure rate is so high, people don't become students of their trade. How can you be successful without that? People pay their $100, talk it up for a week, find out it actually takes work like any other real job, and then quit. Hey they are only out $100.

Thank you for your time.

I am about to take up SMC .... is this is a good move or will I end up like so many ? I have no money much and very much in debt . I need a way out and I have chosen to do the SMC deal ... If you have any suggestions let me know please .. Thank you ...

Part II

Sorry to bother you with all this .. No the name of the company is Specialty Merchandise Corporation..... I am thinking about mail order and placing ads in papers ... this is not like a MLM thing .. I am 40 years old and never been in a business like this .. I;ve been a musician all my life and played with many artist but now I have no money and in debt ... I am only bringing in $265.00 for 2 nites work at the place I play ... So I need to do something fast ... thanks for your help ... The real reason I am writing to you is I hear things from friends and need a stranger with some real input !!! and that seems to be you . You've been there etc ... see ya later .. :)

Thanks for taking the time to educate people to not only the financial deception of MLM organizations, but the relationship disaster they can cause.

I truly wish that the MLM, network marketing, biz-op industry was exposed by a national news organization, or better yet, the government.

People will continue to buy into "the dream" of easy money and will continue to look at the money to be made, without considering the ethics or morality of what they are doing. Besides the ethics and morality, most do not have a basis to evaluate the financial impossibility of making a profit in a MLM.

You probably have seen the website "What's Wrong With Multi-level Marketing" (www.vandruff.com/mlm.html). If you have not had the opportunity, I'm sure that you would find it most interesting.

Keep up the good work!!!!

Best regards,

Im writing because I believe equinox has good products but at the same time it is a big scam and their saying was to'' rape and pillage people for there money''.I was a former distributor under Laura Rubbiges group achiving a high level in equinox a director I must have spent over 15,000 dollars.The one thing that i saw in the company was peoples dignities are being stolen,by wasting money when they dont even have any .I WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO SOMEBODY TO GIVE MORE INFORMATION AND GET MORE INFORMATION EX. EQUINOX DITRIBUTOR

Monday October 4, 1999 I just returned from a presentation for Equinox in Charlotte, NC....thought I would check out this company seeing that I have never heard of their product and they have SO much to offer someone; so I went on-line and thank god I did.....if it wasnt for reading your emails, I would be back at their office at 10:00 in the morning. Totally believing in their "PRODUCT" I was completely sold on everything. Ready to sign up an start my so called career. However, there was no mention of the 5k or the 20k to get started...that must be there strategy for tomorrow, I presume! But there was a $49.95 fee for a manual (they call their bible) and that didn't include shipping! Did I buy it?? No!! I forgot the check book and they don't take credit cards... Everything that Dave's email said is ABSOLUTELY TRUE!

Thanks again for posting your emails globally! I would of been "sucked" in no doubt!!

Thank you for the time and effort put into your site. Have you ever heard of a company called BeautiControl? I realize you probably do not have time to respond to everyone personally------I will watch your site for further info if you post it. Thank you again. Also, we just met a very persuasive man and wife with Quixtar and felt that familiar pull of "caring people only out to help and make you feel like family". It was weird and scarey but I wanted to trust them so much. I decided to check out Quxtar myself on the web and came acreoss your site.

Hello, My name is *. I found your story very interesting and informable. I have been roped into a few "all you have to do is" nightmares myself. The reason I am mailing you is I have a question and I was wondering if you could help me. It is my understanding that the "Fortunes In Forclosures" scam by William J. McCorkle is under fire with a law suit. Do you know anything about this and is there any way of possibly getting my money back because, I am a sucker and I bought into the cleverly orchastrated television campaign. Thank you very much and please overlook any grammer errors. LOL

I think that your information on tools is pretty out of date. In my LOS, every IBO has the opportunity to profit financially from the tools at every level. There is a tool bonus schedule. Like every thing from Amway and Quixtar has a Point Value and Business, Volume, each tool has a Tool Volume. Like Amway and Quixtar, there is a bonus schedule. For tools it starts at 100 TV= 4% rebate. It is a separate check from Amway/Quixtar as the tools are sold by a separate business. This information is 5 years old. I hope that you will correct your old information to reflect the truth. After all, you do say: This site exists to provide factual information for prospective and current MLM distributors. This includes Amway, and now Quixtar among others. People deserve a chance to get all the facts before they spend their time and their money.

And:

Do I present accurate information? Yes, to the very best of my ability

I was involved with a company called Mannatech. It is a "supplement" company. I also was involved in Amway 3-4 years back. I got involved with Mannatech because of what they said during a presentation. I am a 20 yr. RN with an active interest in alternative medicine. My sponsor did an impressive vitae on their proprietary substance called Ambrotose, which he said was "within the next 3 years" would be listed as the drug of choice for autoimmune disease. I said Whoa---this is huge and through greed committed $1000 and my soul. Funny thing is that I have been vehemently opposed to MLM since my Amway experience.

Also, several years ago (25 or so) I was involved very briefly with Mary Kay. I did the math one day and realized the only one making money was Mary Kay as they annually changed product colors, bottles etc. and I was stuck with merchandise that was no longer sellable at retail.

I went to an MLM site that gave the inside story of MLM's and how they are all destined to fail. I believe Amway is the laughing stock of the country. I went to a comedy show sometime back that poked fun at Amway. Having been approached at least a dozen times to be an Amway rep, I have their number. I only got involved because of a persistent boyfriend - that I was insanely trying to hang on to.

I was approached in the grocery store by a Mellaleuca distributor. All the flattering comments and how his company was looking for a few bright people.....etc.

I have spent hours researching MLM fraud. I think every distributor from any MLM should get together somehow - petition wise or something - and ask the FTC to make these companies disclose more to potential people. After all, they are ALL walking a very fine line of being a pyramid scheme, which is illegal.

I don't have the time or expertise to organize such a petition, but I'm sure someone out there does. I think a lot of bright and caring people will continue to be dupped by Amway or any other MLM. I consider myself above average and I fell hook line and sinker for the Mannatech story, of course, thinking it would be different. My sponsor also gave a nice little speech on how the owners of Mannatech researched and set up their MLM different than any other MLM out there. I had a downline, by their system, before the ink was dry on my check. I think the name they gave me when I signed up was fake to get me involved. ??? He told me when he was showing me the program that he already had someone who would be in my downline....giving me a headstart and all. Right! Because most of the world hates their jobs and bosses, MLM's are going to continue to take people for a ride in hopes of getting the heck out of dodge.

Nice talking to you. Please keep up the good work. Pam

I read you site with great interest! Wow! I am involved in a network marketing company, I have been VERY pleased with the results. I wanted to simply share something that I have seen over and over. A person get's involved with a company that promises gazillion's of dollars for no or very little effort. I think it is the "greed" factor, naturally they get scammed. What I don't understand is why most people seem to do no research at all! I find this amazing! I joined a company (naturally I would rather keep the name under wraps) but they simply promised me this, that if their products were purchased on a regular basis I could be eligible for a comission. Well, I called the Better Business Bureau, the State Attorney's Office, and researched them on Dunn and Bradstreet and looked up articles about them. So far (2 yrs), I'm not making millions or even thousands but I make a few bucks and it's kinda fun. That brings me to the second point: Why do most people believe that you will make gazillions without working for it?? This just cracks me up! I really can't understand it! I think if a person wants to make a few extra bucks, does their homework and reads the fine print, the small print and the extra small print, then they have a good chance at being successful. Hmmm, maybe my idea of successful is different than most. I don't atted any meetings, (and they have NEVER pressured me to, if they did I would quit), I simply work a couple of hours a month with a decent easy goal of making some part time income. Sort of a hobby that pays a bit. I think if people stopped believing in things they KNOW can' t be true, maybe they wouldn't have such bad experiences. Anyway, I really like your site, it seems fair and honest and as an MLMer (part time/hobbyist), I think you do a good job and I will recommend it to my friends.

wow, i can't believe it, you've hit the nail on the head. we joined amway before sept. 1 because of all the promises and hype. now they claim to be getting 30 million ;hits per day. well, most of those hits are probably from all the people trying over and over just to get to the opening page. we were filled with promises, etc. now i'm doing research only to find that 70% of amway's earnings are from overseas. not the usa. and first we were told that all prospects who logged on to quixtar and showed interest, would be directed to the nearest IBO in their zip code. NOT!! now corporate is telling ;us that those prospects will be directed to the nearest direct distributor. they are the ones who make a lot more than us pleebs. so the rich will get richer. day by day the lies add up. but are covered up with a cover up. they blame our isp's for us not getting on the site. or by all the hits they've had. it's really their inadequate site. they claimed that microsoft and ibm were also developing the site with them, partners, and led us to believe they had a financial interest. and what happened to all those great partner stores???

signed, really bummed here

I have recently joined a company called PrePaid Legal Services out of Ada Oklahoma. It is a publicly traded company on the New York Stock Exchange. However, I am not having much success. Have you heard any negatives about the company. Also I heard about a 20/80 rule. Do you know what that is.

Thank you.

Part II

thank you for responding. i found out that the 20/80 rule says that 20% of the people do 80% of the work.

As far as Prepaid Legal goes. I love the product but it does not seem to be working for me.

Have you heard of TouchStone? Any opinions? I would value your clear eyes. Thanks!

Dear Sir:

When I read stories and articles such the the once that you have posted on your website it makes me not only angry-- but it also makes me very sad. You see I have been working with Equinox since January of 1995 and although I had never worked in this industry before and I had never had any type of training in recruiting or selling I have done exceptionally well. I mean, by no means am I some kind of superstar, but my life has totally changed for the better.

I used to be a single mom and a waitress. When I graduated from college I was really frustrated-- I was in a tremendous amount of debt and I was living pay check to pay check. (And that is no cliche.) I had truely given up on my dreams. When I met Bill Gouldd my entire outlook on life changed. He actually gave me HOPE! He gave me a chance to become more.

I started out part-time in Equinox selling the products. After one month I decided that the success I had was good enough for me to quit my waitressing job and do Equinox full-time. I went to work and yes-- it does take a tremendous amount of work, committment, and time-- BUT IT IS ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT! Ever since I have worked with Equinox, I have become more confident, I am certainly happier, I have a lot more money, and best of all, I can be with my children any time that I want! Good things have happened to me, and I believe that good things happen to a lot of people in this company because of what Bill Gouldd gives us, ie. information, motivation, goals, focus, confidence, health, and happiness.

All I know is that a lot of people want to be wealthy, they want a better lifestyle, they want an opportunity to build a legacy-- but very few people are willing to do what it takes to get it. So no matter where you go, no matter what company you see, no matter what, there are always going to be people that get involved with high hopes of getting something easy, almost like something for nothing; these same people don't do what it takes and they never blame themselves for their failure. That is so sad. And the thing that bothers me the most about that is that they only hurt the people that can do this, the people who are willing to do this, the people who truly deserve this type of lifestyle by spreading their negativity across the newspapers, the TV, and the Internet. It is such a shame that the success stories aren't shared in the media. The same stories that inspired me to believe in this company that I absolutely love and has changed my life for the better forever.

Sincerley,

Hi all,

I just spent $47.00 over this weekend to attend "Shades of Beauty" makeup seminar highlighting the Amway make-up brand Artistry. I had a delicious $47.00 sandwich. One of my uplines uplines called convincing me to go and hear Trish Brown, a world renown make-up artist in ** speak on Amway's products. I had to get a sitter, missed a homecoming game, missed my son's soccer game and a cub scout camping trip all to hear that Trish loves Artistry because she gets paid to say those things.

This books, tapes, functions operation is one way Harteis International makes their money. I get bad vibes from these women who stand on stage, admit their husbands are SOB's and persuade 2000 women that "you must fill out and order today".

The lady who persuaded me to attend didn't pay much attention to me because she had her Nutrilite vitamins on a display table and was selling, selling, selling. I feel raped. As a young widow, I need a social group and at first I found it by attending these functions. But this organization is preying on vulnerable young woman with dreams.

As you can see below, my upline who is computer literate has me signed with my Quixtar site and my IBO. I just wanted to vent but the dream to make alot of money is still with me and I can see how this can border on gambling and addiction.

Do I really need a 3,000 acre ranch in Colorado and my own island? The couple in Amway didn't get these things by peddling soap but by pushing the books, tapes, functions aspect of the business. They are excellent marketers!

Regards,

Hi, I just finished reading a lot of your site, it definitely has some good points to it. I am a distributor and proud of it, I have not been coerced to buy tapes or attend functions and did not realize that this was going on. It's sad, but the feeling that I get as I read many of your e-mails is that the people are upset with the organizations that they are involved with and not so much the Amway Corp. I am in the INA organization with Jim Janz and Bob Schmidt, both of which I have met personally and happen to have close relationships with Bob and Joyce. I have heard rumbles about the Yaeger and the Britt organizations, it's unfortunate that things like this happen and that people are used and abused in this manner, but personally it has not happened in my line of sponsorship and I have been in for over 9 years(mostly as a consumer of the products) but I do know that the tapes are $6 each and have a 180 day $ back guarantee which I have personally experienced. Anyhow, thanks for your site, it is a bit negative, but there are some people out there that have been legitamitely(sp?) hurt and I think that it's is inexcusable. But take heart that all people will eventually meet their maker and will have to pay for what they have done, the judgement is not up to us. Take care and God Bless, you don't have to post this if you don't want to, just wanted to have my voice heard I guess.

Isn't it ironic that the very medium through which Amway/Quixtar expects for make billions, will eventually be their demise as more of us log on to your site here and find the truth revealed, along with all our suspicions. Yes, I am a new IBO, well, really just a sucker, who was preyed on when things were tough. that's who they go for. but I asked too many questions and they don't like that.

The medium I am speaking of, by the way, is the INTERNET. If not for the net, most of us never would've been able to read what's on your site. this will surely bite them where it hurts!

Signed, Reality Hit

Part II

THANK YOU!! you'll be surprised to know, well , probably not, that i addressed some of my concerns to my emerald, about accusing my ISP of inadequacy, and blaming me for not sponsoring because we had to go off sot's. well, they dropped me like a hot potato. now, due to your site, i realize why. no $$ from me now. i've since referred your site to many others. they have also gotten a rude awakening. we're all stuck. what makes us even more mad, is that the mass exodus to get us all signed up before sept. 1st, cost $300 , now it's only $99. now i know why they wanted a mass sponsorship beforehand. we truly cannot afford to stay in. but i'm sure they'll blame me andmake me feel like a failure. but how do i begin to drop out officially??

how to i tell my emerald?? isn't it true they have to buy back any unused tools?? also, now i know why they all homeschool their kids. to keep them away from outside influences. because if the kids don't want to go into the biz. when they are older, the business is not willable.

oh, i've got tons more. but enough for now!! thank you again for helping us all before our minds and our pocketbooks become anymore diseased by Amway than they already have.

Signed,
distraught IBO

I enjoyed reading your web site, I am currently in business with an mlm company (not Amway) and the experience has been the best thing that has ever happened to us. The company's dramatic unique products resolved some chronic health problems I have had for years. We have been in for a year and find this one delivers where Amway failed. ( I was in for a short time years ago) Our company is excellent, honest, and tools are sold by other companies. You can't publish tools and be a distributor. After a year our checks run from $1000 to $1500 a month and show signs of going on up. We really do spend about 5 to 10 hours a week working and it is fun and it is easy. I have close friends who have doubled their income. There are many excellent mlms out there. It is a shame Amway has done so much damage to an excellent concept. We do and did make a substantial investment to begin with but it wasn't required and we were incouraged to make our own decision about that. We love our company and consider it to be the best business opportunity we have ever seen. I am a successful mechanical contractor and will be closing that business after 24 years in the near future and thats no hype or self deception. I hope your readers will not classify all mlms in the same class as Amway. But are still advised to examne carefully before joining one as they are not all the same. Ours is the second largest in the world but few have heard of it. Nikken Corp originated in Japan in 1975 headquartered in Irvine California. Second in size to Amway, the largest mlm. We run up against the resistance of the Amway stigma in our work all the time. BTW we have 5A1 d&b rating. Only 1% of US companies enjoy such a rating

Hi. My name is *. I'd really love to know which Amway organisation you were with and which Diamond you worked for. I am currently an IBO with Amway. Also, Quixtar did open on 1/9/99, Several comtacts of mine in the USA signed up on that day. The problems you may have experienced were probably because of a system overload when hundreds of thousands of people tried to log on on the same day. I'm not meaning to have a dig at you, but it does arouse suspicion when a book is written and only published at the backstreet bookstore. If the information is really true, why isn't it released internationally to make everyone aware? And I don't believe that it's only because Amway are so big. I'd love to hear specifically where you're coming from.

May you be blessed with all your heart desires...

Part II

Thanks for the caution. I'm now on my way to National Convention to restart my life. I hope all goes well with your book. I'll let you know how I do.

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