2 Jake Perry is an associate of the MLM legal team over at Thompson & Burton. He is collaborating with MLM attorney Kevin Thompson, writing a series of articles on the FTC’s disclosure guidelines. For those who wish to review a disclosure page you can reviews ours here at MLM Help Desk. The world we [...]
0 For years Montana has required that multilevel distribution companies (MLMs) submit an annual filing with the Securities Division of the Montana State Auditor’s office. The filing was a “notice” filing that provided Montana with the information it felt it needed to identify persons and entities operating MLM businesses in Montana, and further gave the [...]
0 Various bloggers and analysts were abuzz last week reporting that Fortune HiTech Marketing (“FHTM”), which is being sued as an illegal pyramid scheme by the Federal Trade Commission and the states of North Carolina, Illinois, and Kentucky, was successful in its motion to have the case moved from the U.S. District Court in Illinois [...]
2 When Zeek Rewards got shut down, the consumers really lacked an understanding of the problems. As I wrote about in the past, this ignorance in the market was largely our fault. Our “self-regulated” industry failed them. The first one is on us. But with this new breed of Leveraged Profit Sharing Programs (“LPSP”), it’s [...]
0 See below for the FTC’s latest effort to protect people across the country. Begin Press Release The FTC has been commissioned to address the growing belief that shorter men can actually compete at a high level in professional boxing. In fact, after conducting surveys over a period of four years, speaking with numerous experts [...]
2 PUH, which markets products under the brand names Pharmacists Ultimate Health and Doctor’s Natural Therapy, and its president, Stephen J. Poindexter, have entered into a consent decree of permanent injunction sought by the Food and Drug Administration for allegedly distributing unapproved new drugs and adulterated dietary supplements. PUH and Poindexter claimed that the dietary supplement [...]
3 The Federal Trade Commission has announced two proposed settlements that will conclude their sweep against online marketers that allegedly used fake news sites to promote weight-loss products. The two settlements, one with Beony International and owner Mario Milanovic and one with Beony International employee Cody Adams, each impose a $13 million judgment. However, that [...]
2 The Federal Trade Commission has updated its online advertising disclosure guidelines to reiterate that just because the media are new or rapidly changing does not mean that the law and FTC regulations do not apply. “.com Disclosures: How to Make Effective Disclosures in Digital Advertising,” makes it clear that online advertising, whether desktop or [...]
1 As a refresher, in early February of 2013, the FTC got an injunction issued against Fortune Hi Tech Marketing. The summary of the lawsuit can be found here: FTC vs. Fortune Hi Tech. FTC’s Strategy FTC passes on the scalpel and picks up the sledgehammer. Since the lawsuit was filed, I’ve had a lot [...]
0 Yes, you just may have to—and in states other than where your business is located. Most entrepreneurs and business people understand that if they have a business location, employees, or business assets or property in a state, they will be required to collect sales taxes on the sales made to the residents of that [...]
0 The California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010 (“TSCA”) went into effect on January 1, 2012. Retailers and manufacturers doing business in the state of California bringing in more than $100 million in annual world-wide gross receipts must report their efforts to eliminate slavery and human trafficking from their supply chains. The California [...]
0 Some of you may have heard of the recent enforcement action taken by the Montana Securities Commissioner against a start-up MLM program known as “Funky Shark”. Funky Shark was a penny auction MLM program based in Bozeman, Montana that began operations in the Fall of 2012, but never actually launched its auction website before [...]
0 So your company has great products (or services). You’ve searched for the best of the best and you regularly lay out a significant chunk of change for R&D and inventory. You take great pride in what you offer and try to take the message to the sales force about the benefits of your products. [...]
0 Paul Orberson the founder of Fortune High-Tech Marketing aka FHTM, who was one of the highest paid Excel Communication distributors in history, may now be looking at criminal charges before all the dust settles. Over the last 24 months, FHTM has been in many lawsuits, and regulator demands, yet the founder and his executive [...]
2 Terry Dorfman & Natalie Foeller were once top income producing Melaleuca distributors who from talking with them loved the products, company culture and the founder of the company Frank Vandersloot. Yet today, these two are in the middle of lawsuits which on the surface did not make sense to me. How in the world [...]
2 Kevin Thompson the MLM Attorney, wrote an article and referenced some solid info from both Herb Greenberg (who I feel is very biased against MLM aka Network Marketing) and Billionaire Dan Loeb, who is betting against Bill Ackman in the Herbalife short sell and pyramid battle. This is well worth the read!!! Herb Greenberg [...]
1 In this week’s network marketing news, I am covering the purported evidence that Pershing Square founder, Bill Ackman states proves regulators from the SEC to the FTC have turned a blind eye. Could such a successful and educated man be so hell-bent on profits and greed that he refused to fully investigate the facts [...]
2 MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson wrote an article a couple of weeks ago, that could be the start of a very interesting conversation as we go into 2013. Especially with the current issues we are facing where critics and short sellers are misleading the public in many areas. Retired Wisconsin litigator, Bruce Craig, wrote an [...]
0 On Augest 24th, 2012 the first Federal Lawsuit was filed by Patrick Miller LLC on Behalf of Johnny Belsome, Timothy Allen, Jody Hinckley, Donald Marcel, Keith Hinkley, Starr Achinson, Edward Thiel, Brett Hunter, and Tara Belsome, on behalf of themselves, and all others simarly situated…Source ZRLawsuit.com Patrick H. Patrick graduated from the University of [...]
0 Scott Rogers called me today concerned over the report that his company ViTel was lumped in as some Penny Auction Reload Program for Zeek Rewards Affiliates. He told me after talking with his Board, they are pulling the plug and issued the following statement. Vitel has announced that it will discontinue the “Rescue Offer” [...]
0 Since may first when David Einhorn a famous Wall Street short seller asked elementary questions about the Herbalife’s reporting of sales volume. Specifically the separation of retail sales from sales made to consultants, it has caught the eye of other Wall Street short sellers who really don;t know anything about the direct sales business [...]
0 MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson,is someone I have grown to trust both as a friend and as my own attorney. His ability to think things through before he makes any statement is one of the attributes I have come to find makes him a great attorney inside of the network marketing profession. When I read [...]
0 Over the last few weeks I have been researching some of the blog reports from around the country, and comments written by Zeek Reward affiliates. What I have been able to narrow down is what seems to be an attack from Cyber Crime Gangs operating out of at least six counties known as honey-pots [...]
0 Breaking MLM News Alert MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson Hired By BidiFy I just received confirmation from the MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson that he has indeed been retained by BidiFy to head up the U.S. based legal team. Kevin Thompson told me, he will be reviewing the complete business model of BidiFy to help them [...]
0 The Direct Selling Edge Conference was founded by MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson and Party Plan Consultant Jay Leisner. The key to winning in the direct selling industry in today’s competitive landscape is leveraging information from the right sources. Here is the short list of the main speakers other than the founders Kevin Thompson & [...]
0 In this week’s MLM News Report, I cover Zeek Rewards, 21Ten, LIFE, Scentsy, Avant, Neways, Ambit Energy, an update on Robert Dean’s break from Limu and must more as I report from the TEAM Major in Columbas Ohio. Best In U Success Minute “You have probably all heard this story about goal setting The [...]
0 In this week’s MLM News Report, we look at the FTC Business Opportunity Rule ready to go live in march 2012. And we have seen network marketing companies continuing to roll out their financial success from 2011 and it is amazing. Plus, the MLM energy sector is now getting hot on both sides of [...]
0 The MLM News Report this week, covers Youngevity getting close to $100 Million in anual sales, PrePayCPA offering Free Tax Services to the first 500 Members, and the Burke Hedges vs. LifeVantage lawsuit. MLM News Sponsor David Track, the CEO of PrePayCPA called me Christmas Eve to share this powerful news. Read below, then [...]
0 Amway .vs MonaVie or was it MonaVie .vs Amway, seemed to be in the news almost daily just a few years ago. Then a few months ago, everything seemed to have gotten ironed out, with settlements between these two global MLM companies. Well, it seems we may seeing these two hammering it out again [...]
0 The First 125 to purchase my new training video “Becoming a Person of Excellence” at The Network Marketing Advocates will receive: Your personal flash drive will include the following: – Becoming a Person of Excellence – This is the first in the new E.P.I.C. Video Training Series. – Socialnomics – 8-part audio series. – [...]
0 Over the last few months I have seen an increase in free to low income opportunities launching within the network marketing arena, which from the outside sure seem to fall under the legal definition of illegal pyramid, vs. a legal direct selling compensation structure. At the same time I have seen a huge increase [...]
0 Verve Energy Shots Hot Off The Manufacturing Floor Troy DoolyTroy Dooly is recognized internationally as an influencer in the areas of personal branding, leadership development, marketing campaigns, organizational expansion, and corporate launch strategies. Dooly is a speaker, results coach, and radio host. He is a founding member, show host (Beachside CEO) and News Director [...]
0 Troy DoolyTroy Dooly is recognized internationally as an influencer in the areas of personal branding, leadership development, marketing campaigns, organizational expansion, and corporate launch strategies. Dooly is a speaker, results coach, and radio host. He is a founding member, show host (Beachside CEO) and News Director of the Home Business Radio Network. He is [...]
0 MLM Editorial: The Conversation Continued On Big Dog Deals This conversation has been going on for years. However, over the last 36 months it has taken a front-seat due to the decline in the economy, and the consolidation and merger of some direct selling companies. This is the most current conversation I was a [...]
0 This late breaking story in the MLM Wireless Wars just broke. Global Verge filed their suit in Clark Country District Court late yesterday afternoon against Chris Greco, Unlimited Wizard, and Kevin Sipes company Panther Mobile. Out of fairness to the Global Verge distributors, and at the request of Global Verge, we have agreed to [...]
0 MLM Attorney Kevin Thompson has publicly and privately denied he is connected with the newest MLM Wireless company Global Pros. On the below recording Chris Greco, CEO of Global Pros states he is hiring Kevin Thompson as Global Pros MLM Attorney. You can hear the live recorded conference call here WARNING EXPLICIT LANGUAGE Yesterday [...]
