When you Google search an MLM business opportunity, due to the introduction of predictive search and now Google Instant search results, more often then not the company in question is associated with the word ‘scam’.

Not unnoticed by MLM marketers, over the last five years or so there’s been a big attempt to capitalize on this market.

The process is quite simple; focusing on the keywords ‘scam’ and the business opportunities’ name itself, a marketer creates a website, does some basic SEO, generates a few decent backlinks all with the hope of capturing some of the people doing their due diligence out there.

Due to the ulterior motives of an MLM marketer however, instead of factual independent analysis, more often then not a researcher is given biased, vague and sometimes inaccurate information aimed at convincing the researcher that company X isn’t a scam, or information that rubbishes company X whilst subtly (and sometimes not so subtlety), promoting company Y.

In both instances the MLM marketer gains the attention of the researcher through blatant deception.

Some marketers have even taken this process one step further and set up entire sites promising independent and accurate reviews of MLM business opportunities, but in reality are nothing more than recruiting portals for the business opportunities their owner promotes.

One such website is the MLM marketing portal ‘Citizen Corps’, run by Mr. Alan Nettle.

For those living outside of the US and not familiar with the term, ‘Citizen Corps’ generally refers to

a United States national service program under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security that seeks to mobilize the population of the country against threats to national security as well as to assist in the recovery after a disaster or terrorist attack.

By utilising the Citizencorps.com domain, Nettles seeks to associate his website with the principle of a national service program that exists solely to protect you. What better way to gain the trust of your reader and assert niche authority then to attach your website to the Department of Homeland Security.

It also serves to dilute search engine results for users searching for ‘Citizen Corps’. Nettles’ domain is an exact match for Citizen Corps and as such features strongly on search results for the term.

Most of the other first page Google results however are about the military operation, rather then discussion or relevant results for ‘Citizen Corps’ the marketing portal.

This deliberately intentional and misleading association is clearly seen in the opening statement of Citizen Corp’s ‘About’ page;

Citizen Corps Mission: To Protect And Serve

This division of Citizen Corps was formed with the sole purpose of providing useful factual information and guidelines to assist the aspiring entrepreneur in their search for personal and financial freedom.

Truth be told there is no division of Citizen Corps ‘the website’ and Alan Nettles’ marketing portal certainly isn’t a division of Homeland Security.

Nettles has been careful about his phrasing though and whilst the doesn’t mention the actual Citizen Corps, the use of  ‘division’ is a clear reference to the military unit and a misleading deception.

But that’s only the beginning.

As a MLM business review site, Citizen Corps claims to focus only

on what is known as the “Top Tier” opportunities.

The “Top Tier” opportunities are those that have at least a six figure income potential in the first year of business and sometimes require a higher initial investment.

Top Tier according to whom? Well Citizen Corps site owner Alan Nettles of course!

Depending on whatever MLM business opportunities Nettles is pushing at any given time, the ‘top tier’ MLM’s included in Citizen Corps reviews are either there because Nettles is an active distributor in them (and wanting you to sign up under him), or as fodder (in the form of negative reviews) to make the companies Nettles is involved in look better.

The use of the term ‘top tier’ also serves to generate the impression of exclusivity in the reader’s mind;

‘Wow, how lucky am I. I’ve just found this website that seeks to provide me with factual, independent reviews of just the MLM opportunities I was looking for… AND they’re top tier? OMG WHERE do I sign up?!’

The reality of the situation is the company’s featured on Citizen Corps are nothing more than a listing of MLM opportunities Nettles is an active distributor in, ordered from most lucrative for him (5 star rating) to not so lucrative.

A far cry from the marketing spiel Nettles attempts to convince you with;

Citizen Corps reviews are intended to provide service to the serious minded individuals who are seeking to start a home business that will become their primary source of income within the first year.

Sound familiar? It should.

‘We only want to work with those who are passionately determined to earn a six figure income in their first year’ and it’s derivatives has been a common marketing call for MLM associates everywhere for some time now.

What they’re really looking for is someone with dollar signs in their eyes who isn’t likely to ask many difficult questions or assess a business opportunities properly or in any great detail.

In short, a less scrupulous MLM marketer’s target prospect.

Alan Nettles most recently joined MLM opportunity, Organo Gold recently received a glowing ‘review’ on Citizen Corps – but ultimately reads more like sales copy than an actual review.

We have just completed our review of Organo Gold and what we have discovered is amazing. Organo Gold is an opportunity that promotes healthy coffee.

At a glance that may not sound significant but as it turns out it is huge. It does actually come down to the product, but not just because of the obvious reasons that people drink coffee.

Organo Gold does offer a full line of coffee products, black, latte, mocha as well as tea and hot chocolate, but the real thrust is the Ganoderma.

Buggered if I know or care what Gonorrhea, sorry Ganoderma is, but ready to be sold on Nettles latest business opportunity and become a member of his downline?

Nettles has gone to extreme lengths to ensure that the only mention of his name on the site is as a author credit for coming up with Lifepath Unlimited’s compensation plan.

Nowhere else is it mentioned that by clicking on any of the referral links on Citizen Corps, you’ll automatically be enrolled under Nettles should you choose to join.

This can be seen in action if you head over to Nettles’ Organo Gold sales funnel (http://join-organogold.com), which linked to numerous times in Citizen Corps ‘review’ of Organo Gold.

If you then click on ‘Start Today, Join Here!’ which features on the left, you’re redirected to Nettles’ recruitment portal. Have a look up the top and you’ll clearly see Nettles’ distributor contact information.

So the same goes with every other opportunity featured on Citizen Corps. They all at some point contain referral links which in turn eventually lead back to a capture page offering you the chance to be a part of Nettles’ downline, should you decide to join the respective business opportunity you’re looking at.

Fruther proof can be found with the not so publicised but still featured ‘Free Consultation’ page offered on Citizen Corps.

Simply punch in your details and Alan Nettles one of ‘our experts‘ will get back to you with marketing spiel about why you need to join whatever company Nettles has currently given a 5 star rating to.

Ask yourself, why on Earth would a website which claims to be ‘dedicated in researching and providing the most truthful and factual reviews of the legitimate home businesses‘ even need a recruitment page?

Let me be clear here, I’ve got nothing against marketing or sales portals and completely understand how the internet has changed the way business opportunities are marketed.

However, the manner in which Nettles utilises Citizen Corps to push his various MLM opportunities is downright misleading, deceptive and further to that causes irrevocable damage to the MLM industry’s reputation.

Firstly there’s the misleading and deception of potential prospects who, duped into believing they’re reading independent analysis of a business opportunity are receiving nothing more then crafted sales pitch.

Should they ever find out, a lifelong sense of distrust and acceptance of the underhanded tactics that are prevalent in the MLM industry are born.

Is this really the mindset we want people who are joining the industry to bring on board?

Then there’s the industry itself. Citizen Corps has been around for a while and inevitably, along with the general public, you’re going to get MLM marketers who read the reviews published on Citizen Corps and use it as a marketing tool to show prospects the legitimacy of the business opportunity they’re pushing.

God help them if their prospect clicks on any of Alan Nettles’ referral links that flood the reviews featured on Citizen Corps though. If this happens and the prospect signs up the original associate who referred them loses the signup and it’s in this manner that Alan Nettles and sites like Citizen Corps cannibalize the MLM industry.

Simply put; It’s not good for business.

If you’re a network marketer does sending your prospects to a site that could potentially steal your prospect away from you after you’ve done all the hard work?

And if you’re a member of the general public conducting their due diligence on any given company, be aware that the reviews published on Citizen Corps are done so with the sole purpose of enrolling you into Nettles’ downline.

There’s no objectivity, lack of bias or truly independent research to be found anywhere on the site.

Take what you read on Citizen Corps with a huge grain of salt. Actually make that a truckload of salt…

…

…to be honest an aircraft carrier full of salt probably still wouldn’t be enough.