It’s Only 5 is a matrix cycler that represents it is based out of Detroit, Michigan.

It’s Only 5’s website domain (“itsonly5.com”), was privately registered on March 19th, 2022.

Heading up It’s Only 5 are co-founders Elton and Sarah Potts, and John and Lisa Arnold.

As far as I can tell, both the Potts and Arnolds are relative nobodies in the MLM industry.

Earlier this year Elton Potts and John Arnold Sr. were promoting B-Eco:

That doesn’t seem to have panned out.

Last year Potts was promoting crypto scams on Telegram:

He also fell for the iHub Global HNT mining grift:

Here’s how that’s going:

Potts and John Arnold Sr. created the FaceBook group “Survive and Thrive” back in November 2021.

Arnold Sr. also fell for the iHub Global grift, which is probably where he met Potts.

It’s Only 5 also names Guillermo Joya as its Training & Media Manager.

Joya is a serial promoter of MLM Ponzi schemes. These include CashFX Group and Cloud Token:

The Potts are based out of Michigan. The Arnolds are based out of Texas. And the Joyas are based out of Colombia.

Read on for a full review of It’s Only 5’s MLM opportunity.

It’s Only 5’s Products

It’s Only 5 has no retailable products or services.

Affiliates are only able to market It’s Only 5 affiliate membership itself.

It’s Only 5’s Compensation Plan

It’s Only 5 affiliates purchase $6 positions in a nine-tier matrix cycler.

Of this $6 buy-in, It’s Only 5 keeps $1. The other $5 is used to fund It’s Only 5’s cycler.

It’s Only 5’s cycler uses 2×3 matrices.

A 2×3 matrix places an affiliate at the top of a matrix, with two positions directly under them:

These two positions form the first level of the matrix. The second level of the matrix is generated by splitting each of these two positions into another two positions each (four positions).

Level three of the matrix is generated in the same manner and houses eight positions. This brings the total number of positions in a 2×3 matrix to fourteen.

Positions in the matrix are filled via position purchased by other directly and indirectly recruited It’s Only 5 affiliates.

When all positions in a matrix are filled, a “cycle” is triggered.

Cycle commissions across It’s Only 5’s nine-tier cycler are as follows:

Round 1

  • Tier 1 (positions cost $6) – $19 cycle commission and generates a new Round 1 Tier 2 position
  • Tier 2 – $105 cycle commission and generates a new Round 1 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $143 cycle commission and generates a new Round 1 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $1476 cycle commission and generates a new Round 1 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $1653 cycle commission, generates two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and generates a new Round 1 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $4555 cycle commission, generates two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 1 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $10,275 cycle commission, generates two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 1 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $23,600 cycle commission, generates two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 1 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $44,690 cycle commission, generates two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 2 Tier 1 position

Round 2

  • Tier 1 – $38 cycle commission and generates a new Round 2 Tier 2 position
  • Tier 2 – $210 cycle commission and generates a new Round 2 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $287 cycle commission and generates a new Round 2 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $1804 cycle commission, generates one hundred new Round 2 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 2 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $5705 cycle commission and a new Round 2 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $9075 cycle commission, generates one hundred new Round 2 Tier 1 positions, two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 2 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $21,800 cycle commission, generates one hundred new Round 2 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 2 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $49,700 cycle commission, generates one hundred new Round 2 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 2 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $92,580 cycle commission, generates one hundred new Round 2 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 3 Tier 1 position

Round 3

  • Tier 1 – $76 cycle commission, generates a new Round 3 Tier 2 position
  • Tier 2 – $428 cycle commission, generates a new Round 3 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $571 cycle commission, generates a new Round 3 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $4704 cycle commission, generates fifty new Round 3 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 3 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $11,405 cycle commission, generates a new Round 3 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $20,625 cycle commission, generates fifty new Round 3 Tier 1 positions, two hundred new Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 3 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $44,650 cycle commission, generates fifty new Round 3 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 3 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $90,450 cycle commission, generates fifty new Round 3 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 3 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $242,000 cycle commission, generates fifty new Round 3 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 4 Tier 1 position

Round 4

  • Tier 1 – $190 cycle commission, generates a new Round 4 Tier 2 position
  • Tier 2 – $1045 cycle commission, generates a new Round 4 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $1427 cycle commission, generates a new Round 4 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $13,284 cycle commission, generates twenty new Round 4 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 4 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $28,505 cycle commission and generates a new Round 4 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $54,855 cycle commission, generates twenty new Round 4 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 4 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $113,080 cycle commission, generates twenty new Round 4 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 4 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $246,280 cycle commission, generates twenty new Round 4 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 4 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $455,180 cycle commission, generates twenty new Round 4 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 5 Tier 1 position

Round 5

  • Tier 1 – $380 cycle commission and generates a new Round 5 Tier 1 position
  • Tier 2 – $2090 cycle commission and generates a new Round 5 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $2854 cycle commission and generates a new Round 5 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $26,398 cycle commission, generates ten new Round 5 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 5 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $51,010 cycle commission and generates a new Round 5 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $111,940 cycle commission, generates ten new Round 5 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 5 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $225,990 cycle commission, generates ten new Round 5 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 5 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $492,390 cycle commission, generates ten new Round 5 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 5 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $909,890 cycle commission, generates ten new Round 5 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 6 Tier 1 position

Round 6

  • Tier 1 – $1900 cycle commission and generates a new Round 6 Tier 2 position
  • Tier 2 – $10,450 cycle commission and generates a new Round 6 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $14,270 cycle commission and generates a new Round 6 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $146,406 cycle commission and generates two new Round 6 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 6 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $298,505 cycle commission and generates a new Round 6 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $567,873 cycle commission and generates two new Round 6 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 6 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $1,137,898 cycle commission and generates two new Round 6 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 6 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $2,468,098 cycle commission and generates two new Round 6 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 6 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $4,607,098 cycle commission and generates ten new Round 6 Tier 1 positions, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 7 Tier 1 position

Round 7

  • Tier 1 – $3800 cycle commission and generates a new Round 7 Tier 2 position
  • Tier 2 – $20,900 cycle commission and generates a new Round 7 Tier 3 position
  • Tier 3 – $28,540 cycle commission and generates a new Round 7 Tier 4 position
  • Tier 4 – $295,015 cycle commission and generates one Round 7 Tier 1 position, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 7 Tier 5 position
  • Tier 5 – $570,100 cycle commission and generates a new Round 7 Tier 6 position
  • Tier 6 – $1,137,949 cycle commission and generates one Round 7 Tier 1 position, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 7 Tier 7 position
  • Tier 7 – $2,277,999 cycle commission and generates one Round 7 Tier 1 position, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 7 Tier 8 position
  • Tier 8 – $4,948,399 cycle commission and generates one Round 7 Tier 1 position, two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions and a new Round 7 Tier 9 position
  • Tier 9 – $9,218,399 cycle commission and generates one Round 7 Tier 1 position and two hundred Round 1 Tier 1 positions

Referral Commissions

It’s Only 5 affiliates earn a referral commission when personally recruited affiliates cycle.

Round 1

  • Round 1 Tier 1 pays a $1 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 2 pays a $5 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 3 pays a $7 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 4 pays a $24 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 5 pays a $147 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 6 pays a $245 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 7 pays a $525 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 8 pays a $1200 referral commission
  • Round 1 Tier 9 pays a $2100 referral commission

Round 2

  • Round 2 Tier 1 pays a $2 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 2 pays a $10 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 3 pays a $13 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 4 pays a $96 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 5 pays a $295 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 6 pays a $625 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 7 pays a $1100 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 8 pays a $1200 referral commission
  • Round 2 Tier 9 pays a $2300 referral commission

Round 3

  • Round 3 Tier 1 pays a $4 referral commission
  • Round 3 Tier 2 pays a $12 referral commission
  • Round 3 Tier 3 pays a $29 referral commission
  • Round 3 Tier 4 pays a $246 referral commission
  • Round 3 Tier 5 pays a $595 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 6 pays a $1125 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 7 pays a $2300 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 8 pays a $4500 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 9 pays a $12,500 referral commission

Round 4

  • Round 4 Tier 1 pays a $10 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 2 pays a $55 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 3 pays a $73 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 4 pays a $696 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 5 pays a $1495 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 6 pays a $2925 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 7 pays a $5900 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 8 pays a $12,700 referral commission
  • Round 4 Tier 9 pays a $23,700 referral commission

Round 5

  • Round 5 Tier 1 pays a $20 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 2 pays a $110 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 3 pays a $146 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 4 pays a $1392 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 5 pays a $8990 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 6 pays a $5850 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 7 pays a $11,800 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 8 pays a $25,400 referral commission
  • Round 5 Tier 9 pays a $47,400 referral commission

Round 6

  • Round 6 Tier 1 pays a $100 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 2 pays a $550 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 3 pays a $730 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 4 pays a $1392 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 5 pays a $1495 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 6 pays a $29,925 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 7 pays a $59,900 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 8 pays a $129,700 referral commission
  • Round 6 Tier 9 pays a $189,700 referral commission

Round 7

  • Round 7 Tier 1 pays a $200 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 2 pays a $1100 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 3 pays a $1460 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 4 pays a $2784 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 5 pays a $29,900 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 6 pays a $59,850 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 7 pays a $119,800 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 8 pays a $249,400 referral commission
  • Round 7 Tier 9 pays a $379,400 referral commission

Joining It’s Only 5

It’s Only 5 affiliate membership is tied to an initial $6 cycler position purchase.

It’s Only 5 Conclusion

Matrix cyclers are simple. You buy-in and hope enough people invest after you so you can steal their money.

To illustrate how much that concept is stretched in It’s Only 5, we need only look at the math behind it.

One full It’s Only 5 run is $5 in and a whopping $30,490,387 out. That’s over six million $5 payments.

Add in referral commissions and that amount grows another $1,437,254 (an additional 287,450 $5 payments).

Oh and that run will generate hundreds of Round 1 Tier 1 positions, exploding the financial liability of just one It’s Only 5 $5 position.

Needless to say the vast majority of It’s Only 5 investors aren’t going to get anywhere near the higher rounds, where most of the invested funds are passed up to.

And bear in mind, all the position amounts quoted are if It’s Only 5’s matrices filled in a linear fashion. That is every new purchase went into the same matrix lineage.

They don’t, meaning the total number of required positions for just one position run across seven rounds is far greater.

Hell, less than 1% will even cycle out of Round 1 (18,154 $5 payments required). With the minimum withdrawal amount being $100, for most It’s Only 5 investors it’s a $5 or more instant loss.

$5 might not sound like much but there’s no limit to the amount of positions affiliates can invest in.

Can I use the same email for multiple accounts?

Only if you purchase them in your back office. For creating new accounts, you have to use different emails. Or if you have gmail you can use the gmail trick.

Like any cycler Ponzi, the take-away from all of this is that the primary beneficiaries in It’s Only 5 will be Elton and Sarah Potts, John and Lisa Arnold, Guillermo Joya, victims of their previous schemes and top It’s Only 5 recruiters.

In order for these scammers to steal money, everyone else in It’s Only 5 has to lose it.

Math, as we’ve demonstrated above, guarantees the majority of participants in cycler Ponzis lose money.

On the It’s Only 5 regulatory front, we have two admins based in the US and one who regularly travels from Colombia to the US.

SimilarWeb tracked almost a million It’s Only 5 website visits for June 2022, the majority of which were from the US:

Between the DOJ, SEC and FTC, the US is the most active regulator of MLM cycler Ponzis on the planet.

Be it a collapse, regulatory clean up or both, you know how this ends.

 

Update 14th March 2023 – Looks like It’s Only 5 has collapsed or is on the verge of collapse. It’s Only 5 website content and marketing videos are being deleted and/or marked as private.

Down from almost a million visits a month in August 2022, SimilarWeb tracked just ~28,100 visits to It’s Only 5’s website in Feb 2022.

What prompted this update was Guillermo Joya, It’s Only 5’s Training & Media Manager, reaching out to falsely deny involvement in the Ponzi.

Dear Oz.

Can you please remove my name and private information from this post and review related to www.itsonly5.com

I am not the owner or affiliated with this business.

I am not a training manager for them.

Thank you so much.

My job and human resources department was asking me why my name was listed on your website.

My attorney advised me contact you directly and request your webmaster delete and suppress my name from your website and delete any comments.

Please reach out via email if you have any questions or if you need this request sent to you in writing or post office mail to your legal department please respond to this very important message.

Thank you OZ

Here’s Joya cited on It’s Only 5’s website circa July 2022:

Any mention of Joya has since been scrubbed from the website.

From what I’ve been able to piece together, Joya was still promoting It’s Only 5 as late as December 2022.

Sometime after Joya abandoned It’s Only 5, eventually leading to his false claims quoted above.

 

Update 19th June 2023 – It’s Only 5 and Elton Potts have been fined $10,000 for securities fraud.

The fine was issued back in April by Michigan’s Corporation, Securities and Commercial Licensing Bureau.