Changes Worldwide Review: $25,000 revenue sharing
There is no information on the Changes Worldwide website indicating who owns or runs the business. On the Changes Worldwide Facebook page a corporate address in the US state of Florida is provided, indicating this is where the company is based.
The Changes Worldwide website domain (“changesworldwide.net”) was registered on the 12th of September 2013 and lists a “Timothy Baggett” as the owner. On his LinkedIn profile, Baggett credits himself as the CEO of Changes Worldwide:
On his blog called “The Turn-Key System”, Baggett provides a brief history of his MLM experience:
My name is Tim and I am A MLM junkie. It seems like I have tried every MLM program from this planet (and some beyond) every time absolutely sure that I was on to something big.
I would join. jump in with both feet and try to get everybody and their grandma to join the “NEXT BIG THING.”
Yea, I was that guy that everyone ran from at family reunions (weddings, banquets, sporting events, funerals….ect) and what was so bad is my enthusiasm attracted people to my business opportunity the first 3 or 4 times but after the 17th, well you get the picture.
Circa 2010 Baggett was an affiliate with Lightyear Wireless, regularly appearing in the company’s top ten “sales performers” lists.
When Baggett left Lightyear Wireless is unclear, but he published an article on IBOSocial back in March of this year titled “10 Reasons I Joined Bids That Give”.
Bids That Give (now BTG180) is modelled on the Zeek Rewards Ponzi points compensation plan. In addition to the standard affiliate-funded revenue sharing and penny auction platform combination, Bids That Give added a charity element to the business model.
In his article Baggett writes
With BTG there are no selling or recruiting requirements, we are not a pyramid.
Of additional note is the involvement of Wayne Caraway, who credits himself as Changes Worldwide’s Chief Operating Officer on his Facebook profile:
Caraway was also previously involved in Bids That Give, and in a blog post titled “Bids that give review (why I chose BTG)” shares his experience with the company:
It came as a shock to a lot of people when I decided to give up traditional network marketing and join a new business.
I’m not bragging but many different reps from many different companies had been trying to recruit me for a long time with no success, the one thing that seemed to be common knowledge was, Wayne wouldn’t move.
So why did I decide to jump ship?
It’s really quite simple……… The Money!
Though I had done well, recruited quite a few reps and was happy with the paycheck, I got introduced to a concept that totally changed my way of thinking.
Private revenue sharing and daily pay!
You get rewarded or paid for recruiting others into the business…I can make money two ways with BTG by recruiting a ton of reps which I think is smart and all affiliates should be doing it. Or I can just recruit two, purchase some wholesale bids and take part in the daily payout,
Some have compared Bids that give to Zeek rewards and have concerns that the FTC will close Bids that give down.
Lets talk about that for a minute. yes Zeek turned out to be an illegal business but…BTG has made the necessary changes to the comp plan to not only make it stronger but to make it legal. Everything has been submitted to the FTC.
The reason I got involved in the home based business arena wasn’t for the products or perks, it was for the money. So to reiterate why I chose to join BTG…….ITS THE MONEY!!!!
Whether or not Baggett and Caraway are still actively involved in Bids That Give is unclear.
Read on for a full review of the Changes Worldwide MLM business opportunity.
The Changes WorldWide Product Line
Described as “finally a product that works” on the Changes Worldwide website, Thin Slym is a dietary supplement that’s advertised to “boost your energy and fitness”.
Thin Slym contains vitamin B12, Chromium, Dicaffeine Malate, Coleus Forskohlii Root Extract, Irvingia gabonensis seed extract and raspberry ketones.
Thin Slym comes in capsule supply and is sold at $69.95 for a one month supply.
The Changes WorldWide Compensation Plan
The Changes WorldWide compensation plan primarily revolves around affiliates depositing money into the business on the expectation of a 24 month >100% ROI.
Commissions are also paid on the sale of the Thin Slym product and monthly affiliate membership fees.
Product Commissions
Changes Worldwide offer a flat 15% commission on the sale of their Thin Slym product.
Matrix Commissions
Changes Worldwide pay out commissions on monthly affiliate membership fees using a 3×5 matrix. A 3×5 matrix places an affiliate at the top of the matrix, with three positions directly under them (level 1).
Each of these first three positions branches out into three additional positions each (level 2) and so on and so forth down a total of five levels.
Positions in the matrix represent recruited fee paying affiliates, with recruitment of said affiliates either occurring directly or via the recruiting efforts of an affiliates up and downlines.
Each month when affiliate membership fees are paid, Changes Worldwide pay out a percentage of the fees via matrix commissions. How much of a percentage is paid out is determined by how much an affiliate themselves pays in membership fees.
Bronze Membership ($50) –
- levels 1 to 4 – 1%
- level 5 – 5%
Silver Membership ($100) –
- levels 1 and 2 – 1%
- levels 3 and 4 – 2%
- level 5 – 5%
Gold Membership ($250) –
- levels 1 and 2 – 2%
- levels 3 and 4 – 3%
- level 5 – 10%
Note that in order to qualify for matrix commissions, a WorldWide Changes affiliate must personally recruit at least two new affiliates.
A 50% matching bonus is also offered on the matrix earnings of all personally recruited affiliates.
Recruiter Pool
5% of the affiliate membership fees paid by WorldWide Changes each month are put into what they call the Recruiter Pool.
Affiliates can earn shares in the Recruiter Pool via the recruitment of Gold fee paying affiliates. For every five new Gold fee paying affiliates recruited in any given month, an affiliate earns a single share in that month’s Recruiter Pool.
Note that qualification in the Recruiter Pool is based on an ongoing requirement that resets monthly.
Subscription Volume Pools
Each month WorldWide Changes takes 25% of the membership fees paid by affiliates and puts it in five Subscription Volume Pools (5% each pool).
Shares are allocated in the pools equally amongst qualifying affiliates, subject to the following criteria:
- Starter (5%) – $10,000 monthly sales volume from recruited affiliate membership fees
- Grand (5%) – $50,000 monthly sales volume from recruited affiliate membership fees
- Royal (5%) – $250,000 monthly sales volume from recruited affiliate membership fees
- Imperial (5%) – $500,000 monthly sales volume from recruited affiliate membership fees
- Pinnacle (5%) – $1,000,000 monthly sales volume from recruited affiliate membership fees
In order to qualify for any payments via the above pools, an affiliate must personally recruit at least three Gold fee paying affiliates. Also note that no more than 50% of the counted sales volume in the above criteria can come from any one individual recruitment line.
A $600 monthly Car Bonus is also offered at the Grand level and above (payable as $300 if an affiliate does not want to put it towards a car).
Finally, Imperial affiliates are also given a “brand new Mercedes”.
Promo Pack Revenue Sharing
Changes Worldwide allow affiliates to deposit sums of $250, $1000, $5,000, $10,000 or $25,000 in exchange for points in a revenue-sharing pool. Points are exchanged at a rate of one dollar deposited being equal to one point.
As above, advertising credits are also bundled with each deposit made, which appear to be tied into company-run “phonerooms” that advertise the Changes Worldwide business opportunity.
Purchased revenue sharing points generate a daily ROI (paid monthly), expiring after 24 months.
In addition to requiring revenue sharing points to receive a daily ROI, Changes Worldwide affiliates also need to recruit at least two affiliates to qualify for ROIs via the Promo Pack Revenue Sharing Pool.
Finally a 10% referral commission is paid out on money deposited by personally recruited affiliates (level 1), and a 5% commission on money their recruited affiliates deposit (level 2).
Joining Changes Worldwide
Affiliate membership to Changes Worldwide is available at three price-points:
- Bronze – $50
- Silver – $100
- Gold – $250
Conclusion
We’ve all heard that “it’s all about the product” or “Find a product or cause you can be passionate about and success will be sure to follow”. Well I disagree.
The reason I got involved in the home based business arena wasn’t for the products or perks, it was for the money.
-Wayne Caraway, Chief Operating Officer of Changes Worldwide
With the above quote in mind and past involvement of both Timothy Baggett and Wayne Caraway in Zeek’esque Ponzi points businesses, it’s easy to see where the idea behind Changes Worldwide originated from.
The 15% commission on the sale of Thin Slym capsules is noteworthy, however it’s completely undermined by the abundance of red flags present in the rest of Changes Worldwide’s compensation plan.
The matrix commissions and recruitment pool are straight up pyramid scheme territory. Affiliates pay a fee and that fee is recycled and paid out to those affiliate’s who have the largest recruited downlines.
Furthermore the more an affiliate pays in fees, the more they stand to earn off recruited affiliates, which introduces a “pay to play” aspect to the business.
Meanwhile the revenue-sharing component of Changes Worldwide is the now familiar Ponzi business model, offered under the facade of promised retail activity.
Grand promises of “up to 50%” of the retail revenue from the sale of not-yet-released wireless services, “penny barrel auctions” and sports nutrition products are made, however the reality is that we’re looking at yet another affiliate-funded investment scheme.
Here’s a detailed breakdown.
Affiliates make $250, $1000, $5000, $10,000 or $25,000 investments in “points”, made under the guise of “promo pack” purchases and on the expectation that they’ll be paid a >100% ROI over 24 months (the lifetime of said points).
Where does this monthly ROI come from?
Forget about the promised retail activity, which every revenue-sharing MLM company to date has failed to deliver, it comes from none other than newly invested money (promo pack “purchases”).
Naturally Changes Worldwide will claim there’s no guaranteed daily ROI yada yada yada but affiliates are clearly dropping thousands of dollars in points on an implied >100% ROI.
Oh and they’ll even pay you out a greater percentage each day if you promise to repurchase (reinvest), spend $50 a month or more on Thin Slym or pay an additional $29.99 monthly “marketing system” fee.
Changes Worldwide’s response to what is obviously revealed to be a ressurection of Zeek Rewards’ Ponzi points business model?
“We are not a Ponzi scheme if we don’t mention the word investment”.
The real take-away from that disclaimer is the “no refunds” refund policy. The reason Changes Worldwide can’t offer refunds is because they use it to pay out existing affiliate investors (as per the revenue flow chart above).
In coming over from Bids That Give and who knows what else before that (perhaps even Zeek Rewards itself), it seems the only thing Baggett and Caraway have learnt is to minimise corporate financial liability (or should I say responsibility) on their end.
Whereas it’s typical in Ponzi points schemes to pay out virtual ROIs daily, with Changes Worldwide they are still calculated daily but are instead paid out monthly.
The 24 month point expiration also draws out the ROI process, giving Changes Worldwide plenty of wiggle-room and notice on the back-end if there isn’t enough new money coming in to sustain >100% ROIs over a rolling 24 month period.
And then that’s even if they wind up lasting 24 months to begin with. Zeek Rewards, the $600M Ponzi points model pioneer company launched in January 2011 and was shutdown by the SEC in August 2012 – marking 19 months of operation.
Not to mention that at the time the SEC shut them down Zeek Rewards was one or two months at best from having to pay out more money each month than was being invested.
If Changes Worldwide relives the Zeek Rewards Ponzi glory, and that’ s a pretty big if, the company can front-loading the daily ROI in their first few months to get their early investors over the 100% ROI line. But then that leaves little prospect for the long-term, as inevitably the daily ROI percentage has to drop and screw over later investors and those re-investing.
Reinvestment will only compound the problem (no pun intended), attracting exponentially insane liabilities owed to affiliates well before twenty-four months is up on the original points affiliates invest in.
Long story short, good luck trying to convince the SEC your affiliates are dropping $25,000 a piece on “phoneroom” advertising credits. You’re definitely going to need it guys.
And somebody here thought that revenue sharing model is dead. There always be a crack dealer at the corner as long as customers are addicted. No amount of policing can change it.
I still think the niche is dead. Just have to wait out the ex-affiliates who think running their own company instead of investing as an affiliate is the way to go.
Paul Burks’ MLM legacy continues…
But is not it the way MLM and Ponzi world works? People pay “dues” at top affiliates and then leave to try run scams of their own. Few manage to get to top level of serial scammer (law of the fittest or the luckiest), but it is life.
My thinking is, if you ask hardcore criminals: would you try to break the law to potentially make from 1 to 30 million dollars with some risk? 99% of them would think yes without thinking. The same is with “profit sharing”. It became a part of Ponzi world for good.
A good portion, certainly.
It’s important to note that Burks pioneered the “Ponzi points” model with Zeek Rewards. Profit-sharing / revenue-sharing in the absence of retail is of course just a synonym for Ponzi scheme – the addition of points (an effecitve virtual currency) was what Burks brought to the table.
Despite their continued popping up, revenue-sharing (or any other name used) opportunities are recycling at an increasing faster rate. Investor confidence in them continues to drop which is causing them to collapse at an exponentially faster rate.
The silly $2 script-based advertising credits incarnations will always be around but I predict these “we are totally legit” companies that go full hog on the Ponzi points model will die out completely in 2014.
The latest “trend” in this area is “social funding”, such as the term used by WCM777. They basically claim your money is going to worthy projects returning huge profits.
Is there a list of companies here somewhere that have used the no personal retailing, get profit share or ROI ?
The way i see it people are attracted to not having to make personal sales because they dont have, cant be bothered or just dont like the sales gig.
And acquiring the skills of a top recruiter which takes a while is just to dam long. However they are willing to throw bags of money at deals to get a return from just participating.
The challenge is can you run an attractive enough system without the ROI go to jail when caught stuff ?
eg: Ad Surf Daily i thought had a reasonable advertising mechanism and some people told me they actually got some good results from the Ad model but without the ROI could it work ?
I would like to think so with some added creativity.
How to never loose your money again at the casino…
Play the change machine, its a sure thing.
A straight up Ponzi scheme? I don’t review them unless there’s an added multi-level component, typically by way of referral commissions.
Pretty much. Invest your money, do some unrelated 30 second task daily that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside and collect that new investment money.
MLM should be about selling products to retail customers (non-affiliates). When you divert from that (“no selling!”), that’s when the problems begin.
Is there any one has the predicting answer that WCM777 is the solid online business to put our money and portend to last and recruit people to invest their hardship own money.
If no one has has heard the WCM777 FBI investigation in the US and stablished the company and start to run the business in Hong Kong very quickly
I am fed up of hearing from this two ponzy scheme company or I don’t know what not specified
Ratna
@Ratna
You don’t need to “predict” anything. WCM777 is a Ponzi scheme by merit of it’s business model.
What you meant to say is “give me an excuse to invest my money”. You’re in the wrong place if you’re looking for reassurances that investing in Ponzi schemes is safe.
FBI does not conduct background investigations on companies when they open. Whoever told you that is a liar. They do background checks on INDIVIDUALS entering certain industries such as defense, banking, security, gun ownership, and so on.
http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/business
Any company can register in Hong Kong if they choose to do work in Hong Kong. The ONLY documents needed are document of Incorporation (in whatever country), a properly filled out application form, and the application fee.
http://www.ird.gov.hk/eng/tax/bre_abr.htm
Maybe it’s because you realized you are hearing LIES and you want to hear some TRUTH.
It’s called INVESTMENT. It’s in a stock or bond market, for example. Apply the Howey test.
http://apps.americanbar.org/buslaw/blt/2005-05-06/forcier.shtml
There are lots of companies that pay dividends, but if you want daily payouts you should probably buy a chicken.
Run a system? No. The math does not add up. The equation does not balance. You have to fudge the numbers.
We can dream, but keep in mind that if you are not running the system, then the system is running you.
Grand promises of “up to 50%” of the retail revenue from the sale of not-yet-released wireless services, “penny barrel auctions” and sports nutrition products are made, however the reality is that we’re looking at yet another affiliate-funded investment scheme.
ALL OF YOU ARE FAST TO CRITICIZE (WITH NO FACTS)…
PERHAPS THEY ARE GOING TO PAY REVENUE SHARE FROM LEGIT BUSINESS OPERATIONS….then what???
SUPPOSE THEY DO (like they say) AND IF THEY DO, PERHAPS THE PAYOUT WILL BE A LOT LESS, AND ONLY ONCE A MONTH…
UNTIL YOU DO GET THESE FACTS STRAIGHT… YOU ONLY WRITING A A ONE SIDED STORY BASED ON OTHER COMPANIES THAT FAILED BECAUSE THEY DID IT ALL WRONG…REPORT FACTS ONLY PLEASE…PERHAPS CALL THE FOUNDER (Ozedit: derail attempt removed)
Sorry, what were you saying about sticking to the facts?
The only “facts” relevant here is that every revenue-sharing MLM company has utterly failed to generate retail activity, and has resorted to simply paying out existing affiliates with new affiliate money.
Those that tried to rely on retail sales (not letting affiliates invest) collapsed even faster than their Ponzi cousins.
Why, are Changes Worldwide deliberately misleading the public with their compensation plan material?
Tells you something about what an easily identifiable fraud Changes Worldwide is, doesn’t it ??
Perhaps. But currently the revenue share and other payouts are based on illegal operations. And I don’t think it will last long enough to make any difference if they add more products.
I don’t think it will have any momentum at all after the initial recruitment period. I believe this business idea will collapse rather quickly after the initial launch or prelaunch or whatever it is.
I can predict that based on how the rewards are distributed internally in the system.
The facts are in front of you. You merely declared them irrelevant without explaining why.
So who’s being arbitrary?
Taken from the latest Changes Worldwide affiliate newsletter:
Probably should have done that before taking $25,000 investments from affiliates no?
This is apparently an old review! The products that are x’d out and says does not exists, were simply not ready and all of them and more do exist today. We have a personal training coach and have partnered with real companies such as Verizon, Leanness Lifestyle, the Obama Care Act, Travel agencies and more.
Over 70% of the company is backed and supported by other OUTSIDE revenue. Our advertising dollars go to advertising which is why they are non-refundable!! I have seen the ads, heard the radio ads, and other forms of advertising. In addition they have in house call center that qualifies our prospects for us.
Obviously when we pay for advertising, a co-op of funds making it easier for the average person to purchase those funds cannot be given back to every little person who did not get what they wanted. Most people understand this! I have made money since day one with this company and love the missions they also support!!
@Jennifer
Has the business model changed? Or did they just find something else to attach to the affiliafe-funded investment scheme?
ORLY? What verifiable outside revenue is that then?
Your “advertising dollars” go to affiliates who invested in “advertising” before you. That’s why there’s no refunds.
Otherwise if you didn’t use the advertising, you’d be wholly entitled to a refund.
Riiiiight. It’s a “co-op of funds” now is it? By any other name, Changes Worldwide is a Ponzi scheme.
November 2 2013 = 3 months 1 week. Did you expect weekly updates?
Missions? “The right to bear arms and to participate in Ponzi schemes” isn’t a mission, it’s a mis
interpretation of the Fourth Amendment, a “mis-ion”.Congratulations, you have won the internets for the day of Nov 3, 2013!
Oz and the others who monitor this site;
In all due respect,
Your credibility would go a lot further if your responses were not so negative. By being more objective and less critical I think your site would earn the respect of more people and traffic.
You for sure have a lot of knowledge about comp plans and your expertise is greatly appreciated, however it would be more well received if your comments weren’t filled with taking things so personally, filled with bitchy reactive responses. Very emotionally charged with cat like attack nastiness.
Try to be more professional and neutral and you might see your audience exponentially grow as well as your repeat from others!
How about offering some positive critiques of companies? the entire approach is critical and negative right from the start ;~?
Are you happy with yourself? honestly? What you put out is what you have inside yourself. theres no way around it.
The respect you put out is the respect you will receive…it is the law.
@Joe
Measuring credibility in terms of positive and negative seems rather silly to me.
Here’s a tissue.
If you want to read glowing appraisals that blow hot air up your ass, there’s Facebook and the spam-release sites.
Right. I think it’s probably best you take off your internet marketer’s hat when browsing this site. We’re not interested in social acceptance, only the facts and discussion & analysis of them.
If you’re unhappy with the above, stop looking up scammy opportunities on here (like Changes Worldwide) and expecting to find “positive” information.
In the half-decade I’ve been running BehindMLM, the only people who have ever had an issue with the information here are those trying to push a dubious opportunity, only to have their prospects educate themselves here and ask some awkward questions.
Then we get comments like yours.
with all the revenue share/daily compounding of points style companies (how many ? ) that have evaporated into thin air in the last 2 years…Why..why would anyone attempt this again ? and believe they have it all figured out this time ?
Jennifer, Joe and WAIT N SEE… will no doubt be back posting on this thread to agree with you Oz that Changes Worldwide was a Ponzi scheme and to offer their sincere apologies for ever doubting your words.
On the other hand they’ll probably just go down the Charles Scoville route and blame the regulators for not understanding the system.
Bit hard to argue that when one of the owners admits to committing fraud.