Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
A second quick one for the waiter or waitress who happens to show up wondering who was this man alan@alansills who chatted me up. I spent most of my high school and college years waiting tables, and had more than my share of 1:45 in this video. CREEPY!!! I say this with a straight face, if some random chats you up all nicey nicey and gives you a card they want one of two things, the first is likely Multi Level Marketing.
There is almost a statistical certainty you make more as a sever than the person who handed you the card makes in the business they claim they have. Every MLM is required to publish affiliate earnings, take them for what they are. If you are a super sales type person, there are plenty of things you can do, if you are not-- really take the stats seriously. And if you work near a hotel that holds pep rallies where these wackadoos roll in late, take up your whole station, demand separate checks, order toast, and leave you a tip that clinks, you have my sympathy.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
This has to be the STUPIDEST IDEA Alan Sills has promoted since lugging Mike Dillard's water. Unless you want a set of raccoon eyes, might I suggest hanging out in a parking lot and jotting down people's license plate numbers not such a hot idea. But, I am not a "Success Mentor" like Alan Sills, so what the hell do I know?
So you want me to stand on the street corner or sit on my front porch and write down liscences plates as vichels drive by. What idiot came up with this idea. oh yeah, Phil Piccolo, read up on this guy at the following links.
So I am not the only one that finds this silly, there are actually a few links on the web that are pretty funny.
The rest of this is just disturbing, how someone could call themselves anything but a HACK and recommend garbage like this unexplainable. Might I suggest you never do ANY business with a website where identities are hidden, and if the people who are showing their faces have a long history of questionable choices..
The coup de grace, if someone is holding themselves out as an EXPERT and **** like this turns up. Grab your wallet and run in the other direction.
=================================================
But what about the things a "Success Mentor" should ferret out BEFORE telling you something is a good deal? Hidden Registration, and a pay structure that appears illegal under the rules against pyramid schemes. Yeah Alan Sills, really did his homework on this. (MLM Helpdesk does reviews of other opportunities, I know nothing about them, just linked it for this post)
Now, let’s take a look at Data Network Affiliates aka DNA.
First red flag with DNA is the fact their website registry is hidden.
Registrant:
Direct Privacy ID FAADA
PO Box 12068
George Town, Grand Cayman KY1-1010
1-345-745-6022
Domain Name: DATANETWORKAFFILIATES.COM
Record last updated 02-02-2010 09:20:16 PM
Record expires on 01-21-2011
Record created on 01-21-2010
Now let’s take a look at Dean Blechman As Its Chief Executive Officer, Chairman Of The Board & Founder:
There is no doubt he has an impressive background. However, there are a few things which are questionable.
Before Twin Lab was bought by Tony Robbin’s company, ISI Brands, a class action lawsuit. Now overall this isn’t a huge deal, except it shows a track record. Review Here
Then there is the issue of Mr. Blechman’s claim of “being an owner of Ideal Health aka The Trump Network. Well, Ideal Health terminated Mr. Blechman for running the company into the ground, then filed a civil lawsuit against him (Ideal Health .vs Blechman)
Then Mr. Blechman counter filed trying to move the case to fit his needs Blechman .vs Ideal Health
However, the Court did not see it his way and allowed it to be transferred to Massachusetts. (Review Here)
Now let’s take a look at Anthony Sasso As Chief Data Consultant to the Board. Now I want everyone to realize that nowhere does it state Mr. Sasso is an owner of Data Network Affiliates aka DNA or that he is an officer of the company. This in and of itself raises some new question.
What private agreements are in place for Mr. Sasso to use all the new distributor data for his others business, and/or sell it to other scammers, spammers, or use it himself? This concern was first raised by an article we found outside of the MLM niche, raising their own red flags as to the purpose of Sasso’s ultimate use of the data he collects. (Review Here)
Now, here is another concern we found. Mr Sasso is also the ceo of Text2WinLotto.com this raises two questions…
1. Will he use the data he is gathering from distributors and spam them for this new opportunity?
2. Is this his next deal when Data Network Affiliates goes south?
These questions are way to important to go unasked. If a perosn is giving up their personal info to someone who is seen not just as the data base king, but also the top sms spammer, then we have huge issues.
Ok, now let’s look at what DNA calls the “product”…Well there isn’t one. Her eis the exact phrase from the Data Network Affiliate website “As an independent affiliate with D.N.A. you are helping to build databases. With most Network Marketing Companies, reps are selling a product for the company, with D.N.A., we are Building the Product for the company and ourselves.”
This goes 100% against the rules of law already put into place. If there is no product or service being marketed by distributors to an end user (as in phase one) then DNA falls into the legal definition of MLM Pyramid Scheme. (Read Kevin Thompson’s book above)
Ok, the compensation plan. For some reason DNA feels they are protected because they are not charging a mandatory fee to join. However, just like Narc That Car, they are not providing the distributors a product to the end user to sell. Which means the only thing the distributors are selling is the opportunity.
Which means, even though they claim…
Fact: all income generated is from the collection of Data Collected.
Fact: there is not one dime paid for the act of sponsoring.
Fact: even the D.N.A. Business Package with Data Entry Software is 100% non-commission-able
This does not change the FACT that the only money distributor’s are personally generating to place into the compensation plan comes from recruiting others into the compensation structure.
Here’s an additional item of record from a friend of mine Patrick Pretty for all to tink about…
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Yep, Piccolo was also behind True cash Network, and multiple others MLM scams.
search on "piccolo" also yelds a lot of results on Patrick's blog and on google.
And feds still think some fake brand lady bags demand all agencies to be doing nothing else than shutting down domains internationally.
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Turns out Alan Sills of alan@alansills.com fame, master internet marketer and all around "excellent communicator" was pushing Prepaid Legal back in the day. I believe it is Legal Shield now, from pre-paid law plans to Forex to fake ad panels, seems there is nothing "excellent communicator" and modest molly Alan Sills won't pimp. To juxtapose this with something, it is similar to MCA in that yes it offers services, but the fees and benefits are disproportional. In the Rip Off report, you will see the come sell MCA comments lest anyone think MLM is not like a school of sharks all circling the same wounded seal.
On this one, I really am with Dave Ramsey, and would say the same about most "warranty" type programs, put in a big pile of savings and over time you most likely come out ahead.
Do you have an opinion on whether or not pre-paid legal is a product worth purchasing?
– Anika
Dear Anika,
I’m not mad about pre-paid legal. But a lot of folks who recommend and advocate it don’t like me very much, because I tell people it’s a bad idea. Here’s why: Pre-paid legal will cost you about $300 a year. If you take $300 a year, and multiply that out over 10 years, you’re looking at $3,000. The truth is that the average American consumer doesn’t spend $3,000 on legal bills in this amount of time.
Lots of people will tell you that you miss out on tons of opportunities by not having a lawyer ready to jump into things. That’s a bunch of garbage! Once in a great while you may need the services of an attorney, but think about this: If the average person spent $3,000 or more over the course of 10 years on legal bills, while pre-paid legal took $3,000 from each of these people, pre-paid legal would go broke, wouldn’t it? They’d be handing out more in legal services than they receive in fees!
On average, you’ll come out better if you self-insure by having a good emergency fund in place. That way, you’ll have the money to pay for legal services should the need arise. And part of the reason you’ll have the money in place is because you didn’t give it to someone else—like pre-paid legal!
– Dave
I love the part about stealing towels, see my previous comments about being a waiter.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Ok, so I stumbled upon this, maybe someone has some more insight in to the allegations, but I am running short on time. Here is Alan Sills offering some helpful advice on pain relief, but it isn't really helpful in the way most of us consider helpful. It is $30 for a tube of mystery goo, and guess who is a distributor? The allegations about the shark finning are pretty disturbing. If they actually kept the body of the shark, say to feed people, I might not find it so offensive. Ripoff Report | Good Life Sciences Japan, Dr. Zachary Guterman Complaint Review Internet: 826243
Here is a product I have had good success with. Pay attention to the burning part as it does take a while for the skin to acclimate. I don't get a cut of the $7, you can't join ribshaw's Team Winner Gold Club, just my version of how one person may do something for another without looking to put a buck in their pocket.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
I was wrong bout the company that sells "Its Amazing", they also sell "Hair of the Dog Energy drink and Liver Cleanse". It is Good Life International LLC, not Good Life Sciences.
Sorry for the confusion, I try to put out good information.
My opinion based on a dearth of information is CLEANSING cleans one thing, the inside of your wallet. But don't take my word for it, the company itself DISCLAIMS any evaluated benefits, and suggests you speak with your physician. Just my opinion though, your wallet, your body.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
So I am not a scientist, barely passed Chemistry. In fact the only thing I really remember is how hot my lab partner was, and how little I impressed her. If only she knew one day I would be a blogger.
At any rate, this guy seems to make a pretty good case, based on muh limited knowledge. And he is quoted by another source which is good enough for me to call bullshit....
---but we could compare oxygen in essential oils to atmospheric oxygen. Sea-level air contains 21% oxygen, and a 50 times greater concentration would be….well, impossible, as even five times would be more than 100%. Also, the predominant elements found in essential oil constituents are hydrogen and carbon, with oxygen, when it is found, a minor player. At best, a few essential oils might contain about the same concentration of oxygen as that found in the air. But that’s percent, not amount. There’s no way that essential oils could ever deliver as much oxygen as we inhale every time we breathe air.
Frankly I am surprised Al is not touting the miraculous benefits of Dihydrogen Monoxide, I hear it sells for upwards of $2 a 12oz bottle in better locations.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Another chestnut that got left to burn in the ash heap of Al Sills Flopportunities.
Alan Sills, profsci, blastofftoday, al.sills, alan@alansills.com, Owner at alansills.com (Internet), Internet Marketer at Business Consultant, Owner at ADS Consulting (E-Learning industry), this guy:
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Originally Posted by ribshaw
Another chestnut that got left to burn in the ash heap of Al Sills Flopportunities.
Alan Sills, profsci, blastofftoday, al.sills, alan@alansills.com, Owner at alansills.com (Internet), Internet Marketer at Business Consultant, Owner at ADS Consulting (E-Learning industry), this guy:
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Originally Posted by littleroundman
HeHe,
Alan SHILLS - but not very well
...And let's not forget Joe Reid, Master Baiter, ( not to be confused with mastur..... err, wait! ...forgot for a moment this is a family forum...!) ( Well, there's family, and then there's family!
It seems like in this "industry" common sense is not all that common!
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
How to know you are dealing with an idiot, fraud, or both!!!
There is a common canard that runs the MLM and scammy circles that there are HUGE advantages to having an MLM business because you get to deduct everything. If you hear this and then someone proceeds to talk about business expenses, you are dealing with an IDIOT, they should be treated as such, and your wallet firmly closed from their prying little fingers.
Taking one step back, and this post will be a little long, but important truths must be told. Surely there are tax and income timing options available to business owners that are not available to employees, I don't dispute that. But to realize these advantages the business owner must earn a significant income, as in much more than they make as an employee. Otherwise our progressive tax system provides little realized benefit over that of an employee. OR and this is a big OR, the owner must be willing to take aggressive deductions, that may or may not be in the spirit and letter of the law. Personal/Business use items are a somewhat gray area. I will submit that if someone advocates say a 179 deduction for a trailer (video 9:15) that appears to be used more than 50% of the time for PERSONAL USE, and then makes a U-tube video about it, they are an IDIOT.
==========================================
To get started on the ADVANTAGES of a 1099 "business owner" deducting business expenses, give me a f-ing break they are EXPENSES. Imagine this, your spouse comes home from the mall and tells you about a 50% off sale, and they BOUGHT $5,000 worth of stuff. Do you smile and consider this income to your family? A huge windfall? The only consolation is if they actually needed the things they bought, and the same thing is true for business. IN NO WAY is this a financial benefit unless you can turn around an monetize the purchase for more than $5000 + Time and Expenses.
At 1:17 of the video, Alan Shills admits he is not a tax expert, and suggests that you consult a professional. FINALLY something we can agree on.
At 3:33 he makes the inference that Dry Cleaning is deductible since you are a business owner. BULLSHIT this is the problem with MLM advice, its crap. The only clothing or related expenses that are deductible are those specific to an industry that have little or no use outside work. Like a Welding Helmet, or a TuTu for a dancer. Don't You Dare Deduct These Expenses | Fox Business (Oh by the way, bars, shakes, lotions, potions, that you buy on your monthly MLM PV plan, NOT DEDUCTIBLE, another MLM LIE!) It pays not to deal with idiots, but this is small ball, a few other points.
In al.sills video he uses a mileage expense and compares driving your car to a job versus using your car when a 1099 business owner. One thing that jumps out immediately is if you drive to and from your job, you get a paycheck, in virtually all circumstances you come out AHEAD. Let's say you start an MLM business and drive 50 miles to an appointment, for 2013 the standard mileage deduction is $.565 per mile, or $28.25. That's not free money, it is a cost, wear and tear, gas, and higher insurance premiums if you are on the road a lot. And what if you don't make a sale? Then you are essentially out $28.25, what if you do this 200 times over the course of a year in your MLM business. $5650 in allowable deduction/auto expense. This is only an "advantage" if you actually have sales far in excess of your time and expense. It is not "magic" or some "Rich Dad Secret", it is a cost of doing business. If you hear this spiel about creating this massive tax shelter with your MLM business, like I said, IDIOTS. But there's more...
Ah says (7:42 of video) Alan Sills, if you lose money in your MLM business you can deduct it against the income from your J.O.B. GREAT, you have just lost money, no bonus, no freebies, you lost. Let's say your MLM business loses $5000 and you apply that LOSS against the income form your job. Your tax savings, let's call it $1,500 using 30%. Great job, you just spent $5K to save a grand and a half. Yeah, that is quite a goodie bag of financial wizardry. Someone should make a video about it.
The ONLY way carrying business losses to your 1040 is any financial advantage is if you are CHEATING on your taxes. If you take a vacation and call it business expense because you hassled some kid at Starbucks, or write off your tookie bars, you have broke the law, but yes you did save money on taxes. I would not shoot U-Tube videos yucking this up.
Finally, the IRS has something called the Hobby Loss Rule. Is Your Hobby a For-Profit Endeavor? The IRS expects your endeavor to earn money in at least 3 out of 5 years, with a little wiggle room based how things are handled. THE BIGGEST RED FLAG FOR AN AUDIT, personal income offset with business income cause your "business" is not making any money.
So the next person that tries to sell you on BUSINESS EXPENSES being some sort of Robert Kiyosaki secrets of the wealthy --KNOW YOU DEALING WITH AN IDIOT and move along.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
Part II of avoiding idiots, and when I say "IDIOTS" I don't mean this in a cute way.
Folks like @alansills are getting people to invest money in very questionable schemes, and seem not to have one inkling of business acumen. In MANY cases this is money people can't afford to lose. Before I dive in, a "A message for Rick", if you want to blow 8 minutes of your life. My message to the "Ricks" of the world, if $250 is a lot of money to you, if you are in a bad place in your life, and someone is trying to take it from you on the premise of some "venture", they do not have YOUR interests at heart. You want to spin the dice, when you can't get at your money expect the second screen shot as posted by LRM.
From the tax video above, Alan Sills mentions at 8:06 reporting income form a "Foreign Company" where NO 1099 is issued.
Now what company (Banners Broker) could ever he be mentioning? One thing is correct, whether you get a 1099 or not the income MUST be reported to the IRS. What he seems not to understand "when it hits your BANK ACCOUNT" is nonsense. Under US Tax law income MUST be reported and TAXES PAID when you have CONSTRUCTIVE RECEIPT. This is how anyone with the slightest smidge of knowledge would have realized HE and is FOLLOWERS were being scammed. Constructive Receipt occurred when Banners Broker "profits" were available to be rolled over as he advocates in his videos. The FACT that the ONLY option available was to roll over profits does not violate Constructive Receipt, it means there is NO MONEY and YOU are being scammed. Success Coach my ass.
According to IRS (Publication 538), income is constructively received when an amount is credited to your account or made available to you without restriction, even if you don't have possession of it. Publication 538 (12/2012), Accounting Periods and Methods
"Without restriction" does not mean Chris Smith spinning yarns for a year. Restriction, would be something like bankruptcy proceedings, the fact that Al Sills claimed to be "earning an income" with Banners Broker, MASSIVE FAIL.
The second thing that should have jumped out immediately to our video making chum is how companies EARNING INCOME SOURCED in the US are TAXED. If a company has a bunch of affiliates doing work in the US, unless they are exempt under some treaty, the corporation must file a US tax return and PAY TAXES. To be 100% clear on this, (absent a tax treaty) if a company earns income in the US, they pay tax on that income. Form 1120-F, U.S. Income Tax Return of a Foreign Corporation
Long story short, since commissions and salary reduce taxable income a foreign corporation would be mad not to issue a US contractor a 1099 or foreign equivalent as it is their proof they are in compliance. (If someone in the US does some web design or something similar for a foreign company that does no business in the US that is not what we are talking about here, we are talking about a company that claims to have earned MILLIONS of dollars using contractors in the US)
SECTION 179 (9:15 of video, Al gushes over the perks available to RV owners). If you place assets in service for a business, it is well worth looking at SECTION 179. BUT it is still not a free lunch. You have to pay for stuff, and in the case of say an RV, when you convert it back to personal use, or sell it the some of the depreciation has to be recaptured.
If I were going to attempt this transaction, I would use a qualified tax professional. On the surface what he mentions is a very questionable deduction. Here is a link to the CASE http://www.ustaxcourt.gov/InOpHistor...ey.TCM.WPD.pdf few details, this was for a Class A motor home, I learned there are three classes A, B, and C, NONE of which Alan Sills has. Have you seen the trailer he lives in, UH NO MOTOR.
From the opinion:
,” but is allowable if a
motor home is “used primarily as a means of transportation.”
It thus asks an imponderable question--when a vehicle can be
simultaneously used for both lodging and transportation, how can
one tell which use is primary
I am not 100% on this, but I believe that to satisfy the business use requirement under Section 179 you would need allocate "business use" based on mileage, not the time you sit in a lot in some campground. What is more clear Publication 946 (2012), How To Depreciate Property
Property used for lodging. Generally, you cannot claim a section 179 deduction for property used predominantly to furnish lodging or in connection with the furnishing of lodging.
When you use property for both business and nonbusiness purposes, you can elect the section 179 deduction only if you use the property more than 50% for business in the year you place it in service.
So how does a man who works as a ski instructor, seems to spend a lot of time skiing and making videos about skiing, with no MOTOR on his trailer, and seemingly not using it for more than 50% of the time for business justify making a video where he brings it up?
Maybe it is 100% on the up and up, but I sure would not want to be on the other side of that audit.
Last edited by ribshaw; 12-27-2013 at 01:14 PM.
"It's virtually impossible to violate rules ... but it's impossible for a violation to go undetected, certainly not for a considerable period of time." Bernie Madoff https://www.facebook.com/pages/Scam-...98399986981403
Re: Alan Sills, Alansills.com. Knowlegeable business builder, or dangerous to your wallet?
What many people, (certainly most of the ones that get mixed up with the likes of Al Shills...) don't understand is that tax AVOIDANCE is legal, whereas tax EVASION is not, and it usually takes more than a casual glance to ascertain the difference.
It seems like in this "industry" common sense is not all that common!
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