Americans Serving Americans Review: “We The People” cash gifting?
Americans Serving Americans are extremely coy about the business opportunity side of the business.
A visit to the Americans Serving Americans website reveals a lot of “coming soon” messages. What is presented is a “movement” marketing pitch, complete with Trump’esque red caps, fundraising, franchisees, investment plans, sponsorships…
ASA’s Mission is to raise billions of dollars, through fun and exciting fund-raising events as well as commercial businesses, in order to provide hope, financial relief, and job opportunities to millions of Americans.
There’s a lot to digest and underneath it, the opportunity to make money.
Today we take a look into Americans Serving Americans’ income opportunity.
Americans Serving Americans are based out of Georgia in the US. The company is headed up by Vice-President David Ashby.
In 2010 Ashby (right) was promoting The Bold Approach pyramid scheme. In 2012 he started promoting another pyramid scheme, Penny Matrix.
Other than running something called “Team Fam mini banks” in 2013 and promising “something big is coming” over the past few years on Facebook, Ashby doesn’t appear to be recently active in the MLM community.
Ashby serves as the public face of Americans Serving Americans. If anyone is above him within the company’s corporate structure it is not publicly disclosed.
Before signing up as an affiliate, Americans Serving Americans makes you take an “ASA Certification Course”. This is done through the company’s “ASA University” website.
Americans Serving Americans provide those that complete the course with an “access code”, which along with $299 is required to sign up as an affiliate.
Americans Serving Americans refers to new affiliates as “candidates”. And this is where it gets weird.
Candidate affiliates have to decide what level of “ASA government” they wish to run for.
Affiliates can opt to run as a delegate, a house representative, a senator, a mayor or a governor.
Whether there’s any additional fees attached to any of these roles is unclear. What we do know however is that each role is attached to qualification criteria.
This qualification criteria (referred to as a “campaign”) pertains to fundraising, advertising and community service monthly quotas.
Fundraising sees an Americans Serving Americans affiliate set up a fundraiser for the company.
In exchange for soliciting funds from the general public, an Americans Serving Americans affiliate hands out little cards with a corresponding dollar amount on them.
These cards have a QR code that can be scanned. The website the code redirects to a website that the holder can direct the dollar amount on the card to.
Funds are directed to “entrepreneurs”. One example provided in an Americans Serving Americans marketing video is “William”.
William receives $50,000 to fund a beverage that purportedly aids heroin addicts with cravings. David Ashby claims the Americans Serving Americans will help distribute and market the product, in exchange for a percentage of sales revenue.
Whether Americans Serving Americans affiliates can nominate themselves as entrepreneurs is unclear.
A Facebook post by David Ashby dated 19th February certainly seems to suggest so:
In 2016, the two Presidential Candidates collectively raised approximately 2.4 BILLION Dollars (not to mention what their parties also raised). That was enough money to give 120,000 Households a check for $20,000.
Would a check for $20,000 have made your Year 2016 much better? The politicians raise money for themselves. Who’s raising money for “We The People?” Who’s raising money for you?
Thousands of people are coming together to raise money for you!
Americans Serving Americans affiliates raising money for other Americans Serving Americans affiliates sounds an awful lot like cash gifting to me.
Other “projects” raised funds can be directed to include a Krispy Kreme in Texas, Little Caesars in Florida and Subway in Georgia. At the time of publication these projects have 16 days remaining and have as of yet received no funds.
One example featured on David Ashby’s Facebook page is a car wash. Footage of the event shows multiple Americans Serving Americans affiliates washing cars in a carpark.
Once campaign qualification criteria is met, Americans Serving Americans affiliates qualify for “election”. This grants them access to an annual “financial relief check”.
This check is touted as a full-time or part-time income equivalent for Americans Serving Americans affiliates.
The problem as I see it, is that the only source of revenue entering Americans Serving Americans are affiliate fees and funds raised from the general public.
External revenue can be generated via funded projects, but I’m as of yet to see any proof or documented accounting.
Moreover, if Americans Serving Americans affiliates can nominate themselves as entrepreneurs, there’s a possibility that affiliate fees and funds raised will be used to pay affiliates.
This is probably already happening with the annual financial relief check, which runs the risk of being pyramid recruitment if there’s any recruitment requirements attached to the relief check qualification criteria.
Personally I can’t see why Americans Serving Americans wouldn’t disclose this information openly if everything was above-board.
Whereas generally there’s a sense of “something’s not right here”, in some aspects of the business there does appear to be a genuine attempt at legitimacy.
In the “investment plans” section of the Americans Serving Americans website, for example, investors are able to invest a minimum of $10,000 with the company.
Pending registration with the SEC however, Americans Serving Americans are as of yet not accepting investment.
We are not accepting investments at this time. We must complete necessary steps with the S.E.C. Once we are fully ready to accept investors, we will release a Detailed Video explaining our different Investment Plans.
Overall though it sounds as if downline funds are being used to pay “elected” affiliates. The whole government angle is convoluted, but underneath it is an income opportunity that does appear to pool funding over multiple levels.
At the time of publication Americans Serving Americans claim to be in prelaunch. Regardless of whether the company wishes to be taken seriously as an income opportunity, full disclosure needs to happen.
As it stands affiliates are expected to take a course, hand over $299 and then raise money. Providing specific information to people only after they’ve handed over $299 is not a reputable business practice.
There is currently no launch date provided on the Americans Serving Americans website. Clearly there’s a lot to be done before then.
Bonus content:
CRINGETASTIC!
Oz, it has been flooding my UK based groups for the last two months and I simply kick them out.
Looks like a scam and smells like a scam.
I do recall before this was announced people were filling out applications to be founders of this and were putting in $1000 each.
These members will be the managers in americans helping americans.
They agreed to a non disclosure. It was said they were all joining a “mini bank” that they needed 10000 members to join at $1000 each.
It was not made clear at the time I looked into this that the 1000 member quota was met.
I was further informed that certain members were removed and they are still searching for new members from within their closed ranks.
I took the test to be a member and I did not like how the test was arranged. It seemed the questions on the test were grooming members to accept the fact that they may lose money and that no guarantee of income is stated.
Yet Ashby had a full phone webinar hyping up the business of the mini bank and income from the future business that would provide stable monthly income for all the 1000 members.
He would not reveal what that plan was unless you paid the $1000 and signed the non disclosure.
From the looks of this it seems he has placed himself on the top of the “gifting chain”.
IF he can keep everyone busy fund raising while he hands out checks here and there it may last a while.
I’ve had an eye on this one for a bit, seeing numerous members of other clear & obvious scams promoting it heavily.
However, with my offline situation being as precarious as it currently is, I haven’t had the time & resources to delve into it in depth as I have with other cash gifting schemes.
PHH
NDAs and a “mini bank”? Ruhroh…
They’ve started linking a product to their adverts, “Crossroads” from Upinya beverages in Pennsylvania.
The bad part? It’s being spun as a cure for drug addiction.
“Solving world poverty” again …
Anyone who follows crap like this for the last 20 years recognizes it as the dressed-up SCAM that it is (WorldWide Solutionz, Club Asteria, etc).
Yet, as I surf my gifting/Ponzi/pyramid bookmarks of the most egregious promoters, I see them enthusiastically selling this as legitimate.
Why can’t there be a streamlined legal process for shutting these SCAMS down before the promoters give them momentum?
SD
Well, I can’t understand why you mentioned my company on a site dedicated to MLM (behindmlm). But, I guess you did make an attempt to be fair in your assessment.
Let’s start off with what’s most important, Americans Serving Americans is in Pre-Launch. Meaning, we’re currently gathering members.
Next, members must past a very extensive educational course before they are allowed to pay any money for their T-shirts, etc. This is in response to your statement, “Providing specific information to people only after they’ve handed over $299 is not a reputable business practice.”
ASA will have many income streams. We actually discuss the 10 Income Streams we’re launching this year, during our Tuesday & Thursday night Live Calls.
Now, to save time, I’m going to copy & paste a post from my Facebook Profile below:
(Ozedit: Copy/paste marketing spam removed)
Like many of your readers, I have participated in the MLM world in the past. But, those who really follow me, understand that I have developed a disdain for that industry. It was good to me, when I was involved. However, most people fail and I got tired of leading people down a path where success was nearly impossible.
Anyway, I don’t expect any of you to take my word. So, continue to evaluate us. Even, attend one of our calls. Time proves all things.
until next time…
Because it appears Americans Serving Americans affiliates are earning money from recruited affiliates in their downlines. This is an MLM compensation plan.
Americans Serving Americans are recruiting affiliates on the premise of it being a business opportunity.
That business opportunity is based on a compensation plan, which for some reason you’re adamant not to make public.
Unless the “educational course” lays out the Americans Serving Americans business model and compensation plan in its entirety, then the fact of the matter is you’re not providing specific information about the business opportunity until someone has handed over $299.
But right now it’s just $299 from newly recruited affiliates, which is being used to pay existing Americans Serving Americans affiliates.
This is cash gifting.
Feel free to provide evidence to the contrary, such as products and services marketed to retail customers and a compensation plan that identifies a source of revenue other than $299 affiliate payments, but do not copy and paste marketing spam again.
ASA has not paid any commissions to anyone. Again, we are in Pre-Launch. In fact, ASA has not currently taken $299 from anyone, because we have not officially launched yet. As of now, people are simply lining up to join ASA.
Soon, everyone will be required to take the ASA Certification Course. The course includes everything pertaining to ASA (mandatory background check, rules, procedures, lessons on navigating our Websites and Mobile Apps, detailed breakdowns of the earnings, community service requirements, etc.)
In ASA, there’s no such thing as Downlines, Uplines, Sidelines, etc. Members do not build a team, network, or organization. A member can not bring in another member and receive compensation from anything that member does.
A member can not even receive compensation for bringing someone to ASA. If you’re familiar with how the Girl Scouts work, our company follows a similar model.
Also, you’re mentioning the $299 often. It’s possible that our company may take a loss on each $299, because the t-shirts, hats, body camera, hundreds of flyers, campaign boards, megaphone, car flags, shipping & handling is so expensive.
We’re still struggling to get the costs, on our end, below $299 per person to avoid taking a loss per Member. Therefore, when we start collecting that money, it will be impossible to use that to pay commissions.
To you and your readers, we are a new company on the scene. We don’t mind criticism. But, just remember, our company is in Pre-Launch.
At the time our company Officially Launches, we will have multiple income streams in effect. This is no secret. We discuss our income streams Live, every week.
Based on the representation they’re going to make a lot of money… signing people up who are each going to pay $299.
What’s happening to the $299 each affiliate pays then?
Assigning payments from new affiliates to existing affiliates on the backend is still paying commissions out on multiple levels.
The Girl Scouts is not a business opportunity, so any comparison is pointless.
So how are people going to get paid then?
Fat lot of good that does anything doing their due diligence.
When a member pays $299, it goes towards their t-shirts, hats, body camera, hundreds of flyers, campaign boards, megaphone, car flags, shipping & handling. We call this their ASA Campaign Kit.
Our company does not produce the items mentioned above. We buy these items for each member. The costs of these items is a little more than $299. Therefore, the $299 is not used to pay commissions.
You asked, “So how are people going to get paid then?” ASA Members will get paid from the 10 Different ASA Income Streams. The reason why I used the Girl Scouts (700 Million Dollar per year business) is because they are also a Fundraising Company.
Remember, ASA is a Fundraising Company too. People who join ASA will be required to organize ASA Fundraising Events (car washes, barbecues, sports tournaments, etc). These events represent 1 of the 10 ASA Income Streams.
We discuss these things through our videos and Live Calls. Referring to ASA as a MLM is like calling UBER a MLM. We recruit members just like UBER does. But also, just like Uber, you earn from what you personally do, Not from what anyone else does. Again, in ASA, there’s no such thing as multiple levels.
It’s now 4:00 in the morning where I am. Therefore, it’s time for me to close my eyes. Oz, feel free to join any of our live calls and talk to me Live. Verbal communication is probably better.
we’ll be talking soon…
Which are…?
There’s a difference between fundraising for a legitimate third-party cause and getting paid a commission.
Feel free to be transparent about the flow of money within Americans Serving Americans and take off your slick marketing cap.
It looks really simple to me even though I would never waist my time reading an entire article (Ozedit: Snip, don’t waste my time commenting on something you haven’t read.)
Or the dictionary either, by the looks of it.
So with the Hurricane distruction all around.
Where is Americans Serving Americans now?
Isn’t this what its about helping people and the shirts caps and cameras are all about?
Anyone see the “movement” Now?
I hope they can step up an do something positive or else it just might be the crazy scam that is revealed here.
According to Alexa, down the toilet.
ASA peaked in mid February then bottomed out in mid May, with no discernible activity since then.
From facebook
Americans Serving Americans now has an Official Launch Date! We are officially launching ASA on Jan 20th 2018 and there will be a massive Launch Celebration Event in Atlanta Georgia on this exact day!
Launch date?
Ashby posted this back in May:
“Gathering members” = recruitment, which means Americans Serving Americans has already launched.
Nothing but a well-orchestrated scam run by a seasoned con artist.
This guy is trying run his own mini “shark tank” – kula brands fund raising deal for new folk.
These people are a joke.
Why would anyone give money to these startups?
I just revisited the Americans Serving Americans website and am excited to announce that they are now offering “Investment Plans” that invite you to “Earn a 3-5% Monthly Return” …
asamovement.com/about/investment-plans
They’re trying to dodge SEC registration requirements by stating that the opportunity is only available to accredited investors.
If anyone with a million bucks is dumb enough to believe this bait, they’ll certainly have grounds for a lawsuit when David Ashby fails to deliver the 36-60% annual returns.
SD
The fakeness of ASA is visible all over.
The S.E.C. has no power over A.S.A. We have God on our side. God is on David’s side.
Newsflash: God doesn’t give a shit about your gifting scams.
Mich… if David is in Georgia, his nuts belong to Satan.
law.georgia.gov/press-releases/2017-12-21/carr-beware-blessing-loom-and-social-media-pyramid-schemes-holiday-season made it extremely clear that schemes of this kind are a serious crime under Georgia state laws.
Ah, faith doesn’t protect you from Homeland Security Investigiation agents. Unless you want to go Branch Davidian way.
I second that, Mich. The S.E.C. CANNOT and WILL NOT dare touch A.S.A. We have our Eagles sent by God.
They are a powerful bunch of people that the S.E.C. will not dare go after.
I challenge you all to ask the S.E.C. to knock on our doors and we will welcome them with arms wide open. We have nothing to hide.
The S.E.C. won’t find any grounds to shut us down! WE ARE GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE!!!!!
…never go full retard.
Why wait for the SEC to come to you? Get David Ashby to register himself and Americans Saving Americans with the SEC and disclose to them the use of newly invested funds to pay existing investors.
Please do. We need some comedy outside of the MLM crypto niche.
The S.E.C. will just laugh at you once they hear the names of our Eagles. They will not move a finger. LOL
Feel free to name your silly eagles, otherwise spam-bin for wasting my time.
You and your eagles aren’t above the law. If the marketing videos are anything to go by, Americans Servings Americans is full of uneducated morons being led down the garden path through religious affinity fraud.
Eagles? What do greasy birds have to do with either God or the law, outside of symbolism and the Endangered Species Act?
Paul, you aren’t making any sense… would you happen to habitually wear a straitjacket?
Americans Serving Americans website Alexa ranking = 7.7 million.
I take it back, obviously the SEC aren’t going to be interested in Americans Serving Americans. All what, five of you left?
Not even a successful religious affinity scam… #RIP
I found your eagles, Paul Sealy. And one of them is already in trouble with the SEC and the media regarding the Arisebank scam.
Here are the names claimed:
Evander Holyfield
La Detra White
Mike Bjorkman
Brock Felt
Forbes Riley
Frankly, Paul, I think that you never Googled any of their names in combination with the term ‘scam.’ While Mike and La Detra may come up clean, Evander, Brock and Forbes come up in various flavors of filthy.
lol. no you won’t. If it wasn’t a scam, you wouldn’t need to be here defending it.
More like ASS.
Americans Serving a Scammer LOL!
Fake press,
Fake leader,
Fake everything LOL!
If you watch the videos OBJECTIVELY and at least try to smarten up, especially the members of ASA, you will really see that ASA “Vice-president” David Ashby is a sociopath and a narcissist. 100%
He now wants to run for president in 2024. not sure if anyone is still talking in this page but his followers act like hes the second coming of jesus and he just eats it up.
Seems ASA is under investigation.
fox5atlanta.com/news/is-anyone-really-being-served-by-americans-serving-americans
I know it is old news but wanted it posted here for the record:
I missed this part from the above post.
Obviously ASA is an Ashby gifting slush fund. Hopefully they can pull him up on it.
It’s not like the compensation plan is complicated.
Is ASA still in prelaunch?
David need to be in prison. He’s wrong for taking money from ppl promising a return but spending the money on new clothes to go to his meetings or etc.
He knew what he was doing. Late night 3 hr conf calls, all the assignments ppl had to do for nothing. I hope he rot in prison.
AFAIK Americans Serving Americans is long collapsed.