MLM Mythbusting: No, MLM Did NOT Create the most millionaires of any modern industry

Recently, I can across yet ANOTHER MLM wild claim  from a MLM supporter

He claimed that "MLM has produced more millionaires than any other industry".

I asked him does he have any proof, and he never got back to me.

Time to call in the MLM Mythbusters!  Is the claim "MLM has produced more millionaires than any other industry" true or false?

The story is quite fascinating, as it demonstrates some of the worst aspects of MLM... blind repetition of claims with no verification.

First, there is NO PROOF of this claim in ANY popular fact-checking sources, or any reputable news source.

The sole source that can be verified was that it was ALLEGEDLY stated by "Les Brown", pretty famous motivational speaker. It was cited by multiple MLM fan sources, but nobody can give a specific date, time, or speech that he allegedly said that, nor was his source of that claim given.

UPDATE: MLM Consultant Len Clements (whose website is InsideNM.com) identified the source of the myth as Beverly Nadler, a popular MLM author in the 1980's and 1990's, who since has backed away from her own claims. MLM Skeptic have previously identified Nadler as the source of "Harvard Teaches MLM" myth. Please see comments at the end.

A secondary source is Paul Zane Pilzer, an economist who likes to play entrepreneur and encourage the wellness industry, which jibes with a lot of MLM pushing "nutritional supplements". Pilzer claimed that the wellness industry, and network marketing will be the two largest growth markets in the US in the coming decades. However, he didn't say it already produced millionaires.

THERE IS NO PROOF that MLM / Network Marketing has produced the most millionaires in modern times (say, since MLM got started with Amway in late 1970's) other than ONE man's word, with no evidence and no source.

But it's repeated by all the MLM fan sites, with NO fact-checking.

So which industry did produce the millionaires, if not network marketing?

UPDATED NEWS: Payza funds in US frozen by Department of Homeland Security? Or Not?

U.S. Department of Homeland Security Official Signature Websafe Colors (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

According to Ultralight Financial Services (ultralightfs.com), aka Obopay's homepage, funds that originally belonged to Payza (i.e. MH Pillars, who bought out AlertPay earlier) was frozen by Department of Homeland Security.

EDIT: Some updated info regarding Obopay. Please click "continued" and see the UPDATE section.

Those who play in HYIP or suspect Ponzi scheme circles should be familiar with Payza, because Payza doesn't have the restrictions of Paypal (no HYIP, no get rich quick schemes, etc.). With closing of Liberty Reserve earlier (and guilty plea by one of the co-owners not long ago) Payza had inherited the "Dark Paypal" moniker from Liberty Reserve.

Several suspect Ponzi schemes (they call themselves "income systems" or "rev share systems" or such) are definitely using Payza. Though some European firms prefer the Russian version.

However, Payza does not have license to transmit money in the US, so it has an exchange agreement with Obopay (i.e. Ultralight Financial Services) which has such license.

And now Payza US funds are frozen. Not seized, mind you, merely frozen. ALL OF IT, millions of dollars.

This apparently was noticed days ago, when Payza started notifying their US customers that they cannot get through to Obopay to pay people in the US, and they will have to start legal action against Obopay.

Then suddenly the notice on Obopay's home website appeared... Assets frozen.

It's suddenly very clear that Obopay was under a gag order... They are NOT to reveal what's going on with Payza's account... Until they are allowed to say so... and it's clear that DHS now has a full record of who got / sent how much Payza money via Obopay to / from whom.

While no reason was given by Obopay, one can easily surmise the reason had everything to do with money laundering... the same reason Liberty Reserve was shut down.

And speculations are running wild.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, and a message from MLM Skeptic

Today is Thanksgiving Day in the US, where we are supposed to give thanks to the world and each other about having made it another year.

So here's best wishes to you, the reader, with a bit of help from a South Park meme... (look up "Craig")

"If I could get some real customers
instead of just friends and family needing
favors... I would be so happy." 

If you are in MLM, may you find real customers (who are NOT affiliates like yourself) and make a profit the way it's meant to be made.

If you are a victim of scams, may you find relief soon... and the wisdom to not fall for a reload scam or any other types of scams.

If you're neither, you get the generic "Happy Holidays" wishes. :D

MLM Mythbusting: No, Network Marketing is NOT Among the Best Paid Careers

Did Success magazine ever said that network marketing is among the best paid careers of the world?
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Recently I ran into someone claiming that "network marketing is the best paid profession in the world". Yes, that's the exact quote.

I find that quote... idiotic, as it lit off all my skeptic sense alarms. :)

First, that makes no sense, as UN doesn't keep stats on best paid professions, yet UN is like the only agency that could have tallied "in the world" stats.

Second, no such quote can be found on Google. What Google said, is that some websites claimed that Success Magazine wrote once that "Network marketing is among the the best paid professions in the world."

Well, that's busted already, but how true is that "revised" quote? Is network marketing among the best paid professions in the world? Did Success Magazine ever published this quote?

I CANNOT find such a quote on the Success magazine website. I tried using search for "network marketing best paid" and got a bunch of articles, NONE of which contained the sentence that is even CLOSE to "network marketing is among the best paid professions in the world."  I tried searching just for "best paid" (in quotes) and got NOTHING. It is likely that the quote did NOT come from Success magazine.

(To the doubters... find me the article. Magazine scan will do, or PDF reprint, or such official statements, and I'll clearly issue an update.)

But where did the quote come from?

Woo Most Bizarre: Fake "Device" Sold by Now Transvestite Singer Fugitive

It is quite often that the MLM Skeptic encountered woo, but this one is far more bizarre than most. In fact, this may be the most bizarre woo that I have ever encountered (even including "cans of air certified to do nothing" and "fuel additive that violates laws of thermodynamics")

This woo is called QXCI, but it is also known as EPFX, or even SCIO. What the letters stand for is not important (it'll be listed at the end).

It roughly looks like this (laptop not included):

QXCI (everything except the laptop), picture courtesy of
http://www.badscience.net/2008/08/bill-nelson-wins-the-internet/

The important part is they are just random jumble of buzzwords. It's a machine that claims to be woo for all seasons... it is  (I am quoting from a website pushing such)

"... is an incredibly acurate (sic) biofeedback stress reduction system, combining the best of biofeedback, stress reduction, Rife machines, homeopathic medicine, bioresonance, electro-acupuncture, computer technology and quantum physics”.

And the operating principle of this device is based on...

"the following modalities: naturopathy, homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, energetic medicine, psychology, aromatherapy, reflexology, colour therapy, Neuro- Linguistic Programming, biofeedback and Rife Resonator. It also incorporates knowledge of metaphysical subjects to bring a unique synergistic perspective to natural healing."

In other words, this is every quack woo lover naturopath dream machine!

But you'd never guess who invented this... and what happened to him...