Paul Darby claims FBI agent cleared YouGetPaidFast
As dubious schemes pop up in the MLM industry there’s usually an accompaniment of silly arguments explaining how said scheme is infact not dubious.
These arguments usually begin with the claim that anyone who thinks otherwise is “uneducated” or “just doesn’t get it”, followed by any number of fallacy-ridden arguments.
“We’re legal because we haven’t been shut down!”, “we have a product!”, “you’re just jealous!”, “my upline said…” are just some of the more commonly used arguments we frequently see here on BehindMLM.
(Editorial note: Even as I sit here and write this article, someone just now tried to pull the “we’re legal because we haven’t been shut down!” argument elsewhere on the site…)
Last month Paul Darby launched YouGetPaidFast, a gifting scheme in which participants send each other $7 money orders via the US postal service.
Upon signing up an affiliate is given 4 names and addresses to send the money orders to, after which the recipients mark the money as received. When this happens the newly recruited affiliates moves up the list and is eligible to receive $7 money orders from those they recruit and the new affiliates those recruited recruit and so on.
As obvious a gifting scheme as they come, Paul Darby (right) addresses this concern on the YouGetPaidFast website’s FAQ:
Is this like a fancy gifting program?
No. Gifting programs are typically ponzi schemes with no product or service offered.
The You Get Paid Fast program not only has a product, we have multiple expensive, valuable, wonderful products that are of great value and worth to anyone wishing to make an income online.
Whilst it’s undeniable that YouGetPaidFast bundles a bunch of useless digital downloads with affiliate membership, these “products” have nothing to do with the YouGetPaidFast compensation plan or business model.
Affiliates sign up, gift four levels of the upline affiliate who recruited them and then recruit others who do the same. It is the gifting opportunity itself that participants are marketed and sold on, rather than commissions generated via the sale of products to non-participant end-users.
Paul Darby himself actively markets the gifting opportunity in his YouTube videos. In a video titled “What ta do”, Darby explains
So, if ya wanna know everything ya have to do to do get the system completely set up… ya have to follow a process and here’s that process. Here’s how it works.
Go to the bottom of the page and you’ll find a button called “one”. Click on it, pay your seven bucks.
You’ll automatically be returned back to button number two. Click on that, seven bucks.
When you get to the fourth you’ll have paid twenty-eight bucks and you’re done. You own a business for twenty-eight dollars.
Infact so obvious is the gifting nature of Darby’s YouGetPaidFast scheme that he felt the need to send out an email to affiliates, advising them not to accept payments accompanied by signed documents:
Dear everyone…
I got an envelope today with a money order wrapped in a “legal” document stating that this was a legal gift to Paul Darby and it was signed and was just a wonderful thing.
So… first of all if you get anything, ANYTHING like this – do not cash the check.
It`s someone gifting you in the mail and if you complete the transaction you just gifted.
Let`s play, get a lawyer and fight a big legal battle and perhaps go to jail for breaking several laws.
I think frankly that this was a set up and not a mistake.
So if you get anything with a little note that says “please add me to your list” or this is a legal “gift” pretend it`s on fire and run away.
We are not only very legal but we are very much onto a good thing here – just know that when you start having significant money, some people will want it.
Ok gotta scoot, I`m validating payments and marking people paid!
All my best,
Paul Darby
Receiving money orders from people who send them to qualify to receive money orders from people they recruit? Totally not a gifting scheme.
Receiving money orders from people who send them to qualify to receive money orders from people they recruit… with a signature? Totally a gifting scheme EVERYBODY RUN FOR THE HILLS!
And if you thought Darby’s bizarre logic couldn’t get any… bizarrer (?), think again.
Fresh from a weekend of receiving checks from participants in his scheme, Darby uploaded a new YouTube video titled “Scams, lawyers, the FBI Customer Service & More”.
Moving on from “but we have a product” and “don’t sign anything and it’s not a gifting scheme!”, Darby’s lays out his latest “YouGetPaidFast is not a cash gifting scheme” strategy:
[7:40] I had a slight bump in the road and the only reason I mention it is because some of you may have seen it.
The danger bringing up something like this is um, a lot of people love drama and they latch onto something like this in an inappropriate level of interest and intent.
So, I’m gunna tell you it’s not a big deal. However, we did have somebody post on a big forum that uh, this (YouGetPaidFast) was a scam, and that Paul Darby was running a Ponzi scheme, etc., etc. And, there was no product, and there was some things said that were defamatory and libellous to the point that um, I’m gunna have to deal with it. And here’s why:
I was um, reading on there that this person has contacted the FBI and put a link on there so that everybody else could contact the FBI. And that if they didn’t want to go to prison they needed to contact the FBI too… and, I was going to prison because I was definitely running a scam.
Normally I wrote back to the person that sent this and I had a big smiley face and went on I don’t have time for it (sic).
However, what a lot of you don’t know is I am fortunate and blessed that um, I probably have a little bit different relationship with the FBI people than most do. And that I have FBI agents on my speed dial. And am friends with law enforcement types and federal agent typesbecause I… what, how do I keep this short…
I do a lot of work as a private contractor and travel around the country and do law enforcement training, and firefighter training and military training for first responders for anti-terrorism mitigation.
So, I know all these guys. I hang out with them for a week at a time in yknow, schools. Or I get to go um, down in underground chambers and um, work in bio-hazard conditions and get live nerve gas. Or get to go out on the bomb range, or train on the active shooter scenarios and that kind of fun stuff.
I mean, so I contacted one (an FBI agent) and said “look, here’s what was said,” and they go
“look, you have a real product. It’s a $28 product. You’re not at any level of running any kind of scam and you’re selling a higher value worth than what you’re charging. And you have a program where you pay for people that are sponsors.”
Now we use the words “affiliates” and “resellers” but they don’t necessarily know that so they used “sponsors”.
Um, and then he suggested that I get a cease and desist order filed through the attorneys.
You heard it here first folks. If you have FBI agents on speed-dial and attach products that have nothing to do with how affiliates receive money within your scheme, apparently you don’t need to worry about running a cash gifting scheme in the US.
What’s more, the FBI will even go so far as to give you their blessing and advise you take legal action against anyone who suggests otherwise.
Darby continues on in the video mentioning that, after chatting with his FBI informant, he went on to talk to his pastor who declared
[10:50] Look, being a Christian doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to have legal rights, that you’re not allowed to use the court system.
[11:20] So if somebody puts in libellous and slanderous statements and attacks a business and attacks an individual, there are legal ramifications for that.
So, I’ll be doing that.
[12:47] I guess I will have to make an example of somebody and then post all that. So the next people coming in that think it would be cute to go into a theatre and yell “fire!”, or think it would be cute to get hard-working, honest, excellent men and women’s business, and hurt them financially, thousands of families around the world – because they’re angry and want to do a Jerry Springer act, they might be mean or they want to hurt somebody… we’ll just put a stop to that.
Darby claims that as a result of the discussion about the FBI published on the “popular forum”, around two hundred or so affiliates left YouGetPaidFast. Rather than “deal with it” though, Darby just marked them all as “paid” and continued on with the scheme.
I’m having a hard time looking at Darby’s response to people quitting as anything other than wholesale fraud. From a business perspective he’s citing the exchange of money between participants that simply never took place.
But apparently that’s just another day inside YouGetPaidFast…
Darby doesn’t name “the forum” he references in his video, however I believe he’s referring to the thread “yougetpaidfast.com”. On October 1st poster “ElmerFudd” wrote,
People should make decision based on all the facts they can gather.
So allow me to give readers the most important piece of information they can have so they can make an informed decision.
Whilst there does seem to be a product here there was no mention of the product(s) by you or admin till you did so in post #50 that I can see.
Till now both you and admin have only spoke about recruiting and how there are no fees and no matrix and how you get paid directly from other members who you sign up. There has been zero talk about the product.
United States law is crystal clear on this. When the emphasis is on recruiting and not on selling the product then the whole thing is a pyramid scheme.
This is clearly the case here that this program is a pyramid scheme.
Since the participation and promotion of pyramid schemes is illegal in the USA I urge you to stop participating in this illegal activity at once.
I have taken the liberty of informing the FBI Chicago office. I have provided them your name and home address which I got from the page you pitching in your sig. I also informed the FBI of this thread and I provided a link.
Any concerned citizen wishing to inform the FBI can do so via the following contact information.
FBI Chicago
2111 West Roosevelt Road Chicago, IL 60608-1128
chicago.fbi.gov
(312) 421-6700
Whether or not Paul Darby has any Chicago FBI agents on speed-dial is unclear as YouGetPaidFast is based out of Texas. Geography aside however, one certainly gets the impression that, rather than conduct their own investigation, Darby is on rather personal terms with the FBI such that any matters will be sorted out on a one to one basis behind closed doors.
Perhaps Darby might even go so far as to ask his FBI agent contact to pay a visit to and rough up the owners of the MoneyMakerGroup forum. Y’know… to really get his message out there:
“Fuck with Paul Darby and you fuck with the FBI. Fo’realz.”
Stay tuned…
If this is a “real business”, then I can claim to be 25, Blond and have huge knockers.
You sell doors ??
It’s probbly about the third alternative …
FBI don’t do financial crimes. Secret service does.
@Kchang
I beg to differ. Bankfraud, wirefraud, embezzlement, money laundering etc etc are ALL crimes investigated by the FBI.
When you have FBI agents in your pocket, there is apparently no limit to what you can do. Taken from YouGetPaidFast’s latest affiliate email:
Filing with AG’s as an “international marketing company”? You heard it heere first folks, so long as you register you register your gifting scheme with five Attorney-General’s you’re fine. And if anyone objects, well hey the FBI has your back right?
Who knew Paul Darby was such a generous fountain of lol…
I think Darby secretly always wished he was a famous comedian. I guess in some ways he has managed to be a stand up comic, but one that is actually ripping people off and making them laugh while he is reaching in their pockets.
I think everything will be just fine, Darby has a new support system coming for all the YGPF members. It might be a good thing since Darby has tons of complaints over the years as calling people names and being nasty when they are asking for help.
I think he should have a hotline going straight to his FBI friends when people ask if YGPF is a gifting scheme. The FBI can clearly confirm they are not and that they have awesome products worth waaaaaay more than what is being charged.
After all the FBI would know, since they viewed and tested the products.
Okay, I’m stupid.
You are current. There’s quite a bit of overlap.
FBI investigates WHITE COLLAR crimes, which often are financial crimes.
http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/white_collar
Secret service, being formerly part of Department of Treasury, still investigates financial crimes involving the US currency. However, that role expanded in 1984
There seems to be quite a bit of overlap but it seems Secret Service, being related to IRS, has better financial tracking capability, and may be concentrating on Internet financial crimes, esp. when it involves moving a lot of money electronically, which a lot of internet Ponzi schemes do.
Still, my booboo. That should teach me NOT to post crap when I’m not at a real keyboard. Phooey. 😛
I think you mean magician, like Paul “Zeek Ponzi” Burks, the “singing magician”.
Latest video mentions an unnamed law firm who, amongst other things, have allegedly greenlighted cash gifting in the US and blabbering on about FBI endorsement.
Darby claims to be exhausted…
In a YTube video you can see that Darby actually started this gifting scheme back in January 22nd 2008. Looks like it didn’t work back then and he re-launched it.
…well at least he wore a suit back then. Looks less coked up too.
Here is a new video on how this guy Dave Hall I think his name is, got screwed by Darby.
It’s a shame this Hall guy got upset only after Darby stole his gifting downline.
He’s angry he didn’t get to scam them first…
Yeah Oz, you pretty much sum it up! A scammer got scammed by a bigger scammer.
One question that pops to mind is… “If this program is so legitimate why doesn’t he automate the system and use the traditional payment processors that cater to these types of programs.
Does the fact that the system is not automated with payment processors mean it’s too dirty even for THEM?
Yikes, I’m just saying….
ARWR
A Random Walk Rant
Good question! That’s one of the Socratic questions discussed in recent episode of Skeptoid under the category: implications and extrapolations, I think. Basically, what’s the consequences and implications if we are to assume that the other side claimed to be true is indeed true? In this case, it conflicts with existing facts!
I think I’ll have that “how to ask the right questions to extricate someone stuck in cult sales” article ready soon. It covers this and other questions.
Stay tuned. 🙂
This was taken from the mmg forum, might give some insight on this Darby Clown Show 2013. Darby was ranting about how he has friends in the FBI and how he was going after the person that said he reported his scam.
Truth is Darby’s FBI story is a bunch of bull. Do you think the FBI would endorse a gifting scam?
This video posted actually gives anyone the info needed to make a scam claim where it should go. The US Postal Service and investigations in Texas.
People will always find the negative, even when there is positive happening! This is the first program I have joined, that is actually giving people what was promised!!
Paul is professional, smart, and has a whole legal team behind You Get Paid Fast!! This opportunity will be around a very long time, and I am excited for the future! Haters will hate, because they have nothing positive going on in their life!
Trying to reduce criticism of what is an obvious cash gifting scheme to “haterism”… does that approach really work outside of cash gifting circles?
Then again, here we are with you trying to justify one by saying it delivers what was promised (gifting payments from new recruits), professionalism, an unnamed legal team and “the future” (until the new recruits run out).
Fail.
Of course, so have you weighed the positive AND the negative?
By the way you’re phrasing the original sentence, you seem to be avoiding the negative?
“And if the blind lead the blind, both will fall into a pit.” Matthew 15:14, Christian Bible.
And you dear, by refusing to see the negative, are blind.
Whoa,.. An Atheist quoting the Bible?, so proud of you Chang! my California friend. =)
Ever taken a close look at a battery Amy ???
You’ll notice a battery has both a “+” positive and a “-” negative terminal.
Just like online “opportunities” of the type we’re discussing, neither positive or negative are more important than the other and, as a matter of fact, each one is useless without the other.
I’m more of a non-practicing Buddhist Baptist Agnotic.
Actually I discovered a new past-time… quote Bible… IN SPANISH to the various Latino pushers of WCM777. Haven’t seen any reactions yet. 😉
You’re kind of my hero.
If Paul Darby’s YouGetPaidFast is a scam,an illegal gifting activity, then whoever started this should report this company to the authorities & stop all this Yuk Yuk.
It it gets closed down then all the negative comments are correct. If it remains in business, then all this talk is just a bunch of @#@!!
Right. Just like how you can be staring at a dead body with a knife protruding out of it, but nobody has been actually killed unless it’s “reported to the authorities”.
Being “reported to the authorities” doesn’t make YouGetPaidFast a gifting scheme, its business model and compensation plan does.
And you know it HASN’T been reported, how, exactly ??
In the grand scheme of things, YouGetPaidFast is a low level cash gifting scheme and Paul Darby and Co are comparatively small fish in a bloody big pond of fraudsters.
I can’t for a moment imagine any of the overworked, underfunded and underpaid “authorities” have YGPF or Paul Darby high up on their priority lists, at the minute.
Thus the reason blogs such as BehindMLM exist.
Anyway, YouGetPaidFast is already showing the inevitable signs of going belly up, which is the guaranteed fate of all these smalltime cons.
Maybe Darby is an FBI agent himself and working undercover to entice people into committing gifting type fraud…. or trying to identify people complicit with or willing to be complicit with such fraud?
(Ozedit: reference to opportunity not run by Darby removed)