“Results not typical”.

For a number of years this disclaimer has been plastered on Empower Network marketing material.

Rather than serve as an actual disclaimer though, instead it’s used as a liability waiver. Or at least that’s the intention.

And it’s not just rogue affiliates doing it either, Empower Network corporate mandate the disclaimer be used:

It’s okay to make income claims as long as they are true and properly disclaimed.

A step in the right direction is proper disclosures. We need to advise consumers and prospects of the average earnings of our affiliates.

A statement like, “Results Not Typical. For average earnings, click HERE” (with an active link to the Empower Network Income Disclosure Statement).

So basically as long as you do the above, you can pretty much publish whatever you want.

Well, almost. [Continue reading…]

Following a decision last week to can US business operations, American MyAdvertisingPays affiliates are threatening legal action over slashed ROI payouts. [Continue reading…]

Following a judgement hearing held a few hours ago, we can now report that the ACCC’s pyramid scheme case against Lyoness has been dismissed. [Continue reading…]

With his plans to launch Auction Attics using the Zeek affiliate database in ruins, Darryle Douglas’ mounting legal problems continue to escalate.

The latest has seen the Zeek Receiver file a motion ‘requiring Darryle Douglas to personally appear and show cause‘.

This filing sees Douglas now facing contempt for failing to comply with court orders. [Continue reading…]

Two defendants in the DFRF Enterprises Ponzi bust have failed to respond to the SEC’s complaint, DFRF Enterprises itself and Heriberto C. Perez Valdes.

Left with no other recourse, the SEC has now moved for a Motion of Entry of Default against DFRF and a Motion for Default Judgment against Valdes. [Continue reading…]

Following the revelation that 5 Star Signals was founded on lies and deception, the company has announced pending legal action against alleged whistleblower Emily Mendez.

In a blog post titled “Corporate Statement and Legal Actions” published a few hours ago, 5 Star Signals write:

Approximately seven months ago it was discovered that Marie Shaw was actually an alias for another trader who had been shedding a great deal of light on many of the predators in the Forex industry.

Prior to any knowledge of this being an alias there were many friendships built, like there are in the marketing industry as well as the Forex industry, who were so very grateful for the knowledge gained from this amazing friendship.

Long after the company was formed and successfully start to build a team of very happy members, it was almost unfathomable to find one of the founders was not who she claimed to be in terms of name/gender.

That much we already knew…

Rather than apologize for the deception and fraud though, 5 Star Signals are now pushing a strawman defense of alleged extortion. [Continue reading…]

There is no information on the 7Gain website indicating who owns or runs the business.

The 7Gain website domain (“7gain.com”) was registered on the 1st of September 2015, however the domain registration is set to private.

As always, if an MLM company is not openly upfront about who is running or owns it, think long and hard about joining and/or handing over any money. [Continue reading…]

Zeek Rewards figure Robert Craddock plead guilty to unrelated wire fraud back in June.

In exchange for pleading guilty, Craddock and the US Attorney’s Office reached an agreement wherein prosecutors would

recommend to the Court that the defendant receive a two level downward adjustment for acceptance of responsibility.

As per a filing by Craddock dated October 20th, this translates to ‘an advisory sentence between 12 and 18 months.‘

Now Craddock’s attorneys are pushing for an ever lighter sentence which, if granted, will see Craddock serve no jail time at all. [Continue reading…]

Things aren’t going well at Options Rider.

We’ve been getting comments from disgruntled investors complaining about withdrawal problems for months.

Comments like this, published only a few hours ago, appear to be reflective of the current situation:

I put in 4k, currently at 44k, will I see any pay out?

Additionally there also appears to be problems with Options Rider’s ewallet provider, which has seen services suspended for most of this month.

Now, in an email update sent out by Bob Roberts, Options Rider appear to be getting desperate for cash. [Continue reading…]

I recently reviewed 5 Star Signals and in conducting my own due diligence into the scheme, identified potential Ponzi fraud and unregistered securities issues.

For $497 a month, 5 Star Signals will provide you with access to

The first rule about the gold forum is, you do not talk about the gold forum.

With a mixture of it being hard to explain and also not wanting to disclose too much we will not give any details about what goes on in the gold forum.

I’m not kidding, that’s an official corporate product description from a member of 5 Star Signals management. This on top of a compensation plan that was likely affiliate-heavy and functioning as a pyramid scheme.

Rushing to the defense of 5 Star Signals within hours of the BehindMLM review, was Craig Walters.

Walters credits himself as the “Fund Manager” of 5 Star Signals Ltd. He appears to oversee funds 5 Star Signals affiliates invest through the company.

With potentially hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not millions at play, that’s an awful lot of responsibility.

So who exactly is Craig Walters? [Continue reading…]