XKCD on Crowdsourcing... Isn't Crowdsourced Marketing MLM?

http://xkcd.com/1060/

Isn't crowd-sourced marketing just MLM? Think about it. MLM companies "crowd-source" their marketing to their reps (letting them bear the marketing costs).

The problem with some MLM companies is they ONLY do marketing. They don't have their own products or services. They are purely marketing organizations that can be pushing multiple companies / opportunities at the same time. That creates a fundamental disconnect, as there are TWO types of people... customers, and affiliates. If you can't figure out which is which (they respond to different things), you have a pyramid scheme in the making. They have no "us". They are much like this comic: it's all about other people making and selling products.

So what is the company itself for?

Related articles

• Is Network Marketing a cult? Good Question! The Answer is Yes (keep reading)
• The MLM Test by Rod Cook of MLMWatchDog
• How Much Can You REALISTICALLY Expect to Make With MLM?
• The Three Types of People Looking Into MLM: What You Should REALLY Know

HYIP Pitchman's New Pitch

Like it? Spread it with this URL:

http://chogger.com/comics/fYXe8/hyip-pitchman-s-new-pitch

Why Scammers Hate Skeptics

PolySkeptic (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Scammers are expert bullsh**ers. They are experts in appearing trustworthy that you accept their word as believable without verifying the information they give out. They play the confidence game extremely well.

Previously I've highlighted 5 secrets of expert bullsh**ers (and scammers) based on article from Psychology Today. Most scammers know not to take on the skeptics directly, because skeptics are NOT vulnerable to the 5 secrets.

Secret 1: Skeptics are NOT afraid to challenge Scam Leaders

Sheeple are afraid to challenge the leaders. They will either clam up or just "go along with the crowd" even when they don't really agree with the leader.

Skeptics are not afraid to challenge the leader for answers. If they don't get an answer, they'll find a way to get an answer. They are very much like scientists... devising ways to get at the data to analyze.

Secret 2: Skeptics do NOT accept tales told at face value, but always seek verification

Sheeple are easily impressed by titles, alleged experience, and even association with titles or alleged experience. MLMers thus often claimed "top rank in multiple companies", "decades of experience", and so on. Or have hired the biggest lawyers or associated with the biggest companies.

Skeptics never accept titles or experience at face value, but instead, figure out how such titles and experience are earned (or faked). Skeptics know having X years in an particular industry doesn't mean much. And titles and degrees can be faked. Even hiring of lawyers can be faked. Skeptics prefer to see proof, not "I told you so".

How many stock photos can a fake university steal?

A fake university, with no campus and no students, usually resort to stock photos to create the impression that it is a real university.

The fake "Riverbanks" university is no exception. We've highlighted them before for their fakery. (see the end in "related posts")

Just on the home page, you'll find that virtually every photo they have is a stock photo. I've cut their homepage into 3 sections to give you a visual breakdown.

Part 1: "above the fold".

Looks impressive, except it's stock photo:

BREAKING NEWS: More Potential Ponzi Schemes Flee US, while Ponzi Pitchmen get SEC Subpoena

John Scheppcoff, presenting yet another "opportunity"
on a Youtube video after Profitable Sunrise was
declared a scam. This one supposedly is
"1000%  better", according to the guy with bad
judgement and picked a scam.  

Relatively slow day in the news department... except two items...

Ponzi Pitchmen Get SEC Subpoena, Round 2

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it. -- George Santayana

James Scheppcoff also known as John Scheppcoff, had been involved in various Ponzi schemes, but was probably best known for his involvement in Profitable Sunrise, where he used his gray-haired old man in a suit appearance to pitch it as profitable opportunity.

In April 2013, after collapse of Profitable Sunrise, he quickly switched gears and went on to pitch something else, which he won't say unless you contact him. Though it's believed to be "Better Living Global Marketing", operator of a Zeek Rewards-like program out of Hong Kong.

Zeek Rewards was a $700 million Ponzi scheme closed by the SEC on August 16, 2012.

Court documents (which is public info unless sealed) revealed that he, along with 2 others (Melton McClanahan and Don Gillette), have been issued an SEC subpoena to appear in court as a part of ongoing investigation into Profitable Sunrise ponzi scheme, which had already collapsed and its reputed owner missing (and is believed to be a fake person) back in March 2013. Two other ponzi pitchmen had already appeared before the SEC back in May 2013.

Bad Argument: The "Instinctual Reaction"

This blog has discussed many times that MLM seem to rely people using emotion, instead of logic, to conduct their business, leading to rash decisions. One of those rash decisions, when combined with confirmation bias, will lead to some very stupid actions such as spreading someone else's lies.

In a lesser case, a supporter of a particular suspect scheme, upon reading something that he considers to be "derogatory" of that scheme, will often leave a nasty comment complaining about some issue that was actually addressed, as well as use plenty of bad arguments discussed in this blog.

Here is one such example, as posted to my blogpost of Lyoness being investigated and sued in its home country of Austria as potential Ponzi scheme. I'm showing a redacted version, though you can see the original through the link:

or in text form, with a few numbers added so I can refer to different sections...

Can someone please show me a legitimate news article on this topic, an article written and published by a real news company? (1) The only articles discussed in threads like this are ones written by blog writers who primarily want to attract readers for their own gain (i.e. advertising and affiliate revenue). (2) There is no proof of what you've written, just anecdotal heresay. (3) Substantiate your claims and I'm sure the traffic to your website, and subsequent revenue, will go through the roof! Then you'll be providing a real service to the world, and not just spreading lies and rumors so you can make a profit. (4)

Okay, let's see if the comment makes any sense...

Why Did Herbalife Have Third-Party Marketing Organizations, When It Already Has Affiliates?

Ever heard of "incomeathome.com"? No? Okay, that's all right.

If you listen to a lot of talk radio, such as Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Dr. Laura... these names should be familiar to you. What do they have in common besides that they are radio personalities?

They all endorse this thing called "Income At Home", which is remarkably vague about what it really it.

Now do you recall anything about it? I'm sure one of those personalities read some ads about it. In fact, they all did.

All it says is start your own business at home, earn income quickly and legitimately, on your own terms, blah blah blah. And getting started is remarkably simple: pay the $9.95 for this "Internet Business Starter Pack".

Guess what this starter pack contains? 12 brochures, and one very short sales DVD, that does NOT tell you what exactly you're supposed to do with this "business".  And it does NOT cost $9.95, but $49.95.

Turns out this entire "income at home" thing is really one guy's attempt to feed his Herbalife downline churn.