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scratchycat
10-16-2013, 08:11 AM
We have the gifting threads, the blessing gold club and many other rip off programs using religion to draw in the little fishes. This thread is just to try to bring together some of the people who are promoting and using religion or "God told me to..." ways of drawing people into a scheme of making money. Money that is usually made by those who get in and get out really fast, so they go from one program to another and convince their friends and downlines to join so they (the scammers) get the profits.

I have been following certain people and see a pattern here. In the past I have thought some to be innocent participants just trying to make a few extra dollars and not really understanding that what they are doing is hurting others. I believe I am getting a much different picture here. For me, it is not going after a particular person but the programs they promote and how they go about doing just that.

Many of you know the big fish in the pond that do this for a living and most times are probably the ones behind the various scams that popup it seems overnight. If you know they are behind certain schemes, please let us know and post others that you have found doing the same thing.

I will start with a message I received from one of our own RS members who vows that what they do is not wrong.

A Christian Friend <bjandthebear_30815@netzero.net>


Oct 14 (2 days ago)

Hi folks,
This is Steve Hauser, Runningman, Facebook . com/FindCash, MartinezShopper . ws coming to you with 10+ years experience helping each other to build a solid residual income online. This is for people of all walks of life. Whether you want to save on your cell, you like coupons, rebates, deals, discounts, savings, or what? I am fortunate and blessed to be a part of a huge downline club & teambuilding group on Facebook. We help each other to succeed online whether you want to supplement your income, or just save money. Earn 100% commissions by blogging and much more too. The choice is yours, start now!

God brought this opportunity to me at a time when I needed it most. It is giving me more time, freedom & money to spend with those I care about, like my wife, kids & others too.

Please visit my blog MartinezShopper . ws for free business advice. You can also find a huge group of 1,000+ people via Facebook . com/groups/CouponKing helping each other to succeed.

I don't imagine I was intended to receive this message, but I did.

Now I will go to another one who only a few days ago was making money with D$ Domination (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/703845386) and just today started on this one:
Law of Attraction Boot Camp VIP (http://vip.loabootcamp.com/)

Only a few weeks ago, it was Blessings Gold Club, discussed here in RS: http://www.realscam.com/f42/blessing-gold-club-2457/index10.html#post61851

It will be interesting to see just how many other scam trains they jump on and take money from friends. All in the name and blessings of God, of course.

scratchycat
10-16-2013, 08:22 AM
A few weeks ago, I commented on one of Stephen's ads and got this reaction. She also dropped me as a "friend" and better for me!! People just love to abuse my name!!

Denise Stevens



Hey, I didn't like this comment. U R smart NOT to listen to Sara, in other words "Blow" her off & ignore HA...

------------------------------
The comment:
Sara G Blow (September 11, 2013): You are smart to hold on to your money. It probably took $50 or more to make $25, my opinion.

Content URL: https://www.facebook.com/MartinezShopperDOTws/posts/712345902114321 (the comment has been removed)

scratchycat
10-16-2013, 08:42 AM
Posted in Facebook, September 6, 2013


BGC IS $45 now not 110..to get into the quick start program then after three rounds to be in the Blessing Gold Club ! this is FANTASTIC ! have a great night all !

I took a Snip of it for proof but refrain from posting at present.

September 11.

THANKS to the Blessing Gold Club for making me an admin.. I appreciate you all and will do my best to help It's the BEST PLACE on Facebook !!!!!

Same person on October 3, 2013


CHECK OUT D$ DOMINATION (http://www.dsdomination.com) to see how easy my business is

October 3 at 8:03pm

Do I feel sorry for people like this, do I cry for them or do I feel sorry for those who follow them and sign up for all the programs they jump on?? What do you think?

Soapboxmom
10-16-2013, 09:35 AM
Scamsters deliberately appeal to Christians knowing that religion card is an instant trust situation. The Christian target is easy picking for the dastardly deed doer!

littleroundman
10-16-2013, 10:09 AM
Do I feel sorry for people like this, do I cry for them or do I feel sorry for those who follow them and sign up for all the programs they jump on?? What do you think?

The problem you're going to have with people "like this" is defining like what ??

There ARE true believers, just as there are people adept at appearing to be true believers.

Followers of religion, by their very nature will: a) share with their fellows and b) trust their fellows.

Having said that, the same applies to members of any group, be they ethnic, religious, social, political or similar shared interest group.

Welcome to the world of Affinity fraud.

ribshaw
10-16-2013, 03:32 PM
Do I feel sorry for people like this, do I cry for them or do I feel sorry for those who follow them and sign up for all the programs they jump on?? What do you think?

With the exception of people who are not able to make sound decisions due to some infirmity hell no. I hate to say this, but certain people are destined to lose their money somewhere and none of us can afford to waste much time with them. It is one thing where someone is "tricked" in to giving money up, job scams, grandparent scams, charity scams, and people can be educated if they invest the time.

On the Pozni, MLM pyramid, or gifting side of things we can make a case for the people who have never heard of it before. But a lot of people seem to think that there is some secret out there where you invest and apple and return an orchard. Or that some stranger is going to approach them with a bag of money they are just dying to share. They are plain greedy, and want something for nothing.

And taking is one step further, when I read stories of Charles Ponzi there were folks that blamed the government when he was sent to prison for "ruining a good thing". Most of us have to suspend disbelief when we read reactions like this. But, fast forward a 100 years, and you can see the very same response, and even more so thanks to the interwebs.

All that said, the cause is very worthy. There are plenty of folks who visit the forum, read about something they were approached with, and get the information they need to make an informed decision. I suspect most of them keep their money safe and sound.

scratchycat
10-16-2013, 07:40 PM
Thanks and maybe it will enlighten someone who will walk away with their money in their pocket for things like food and necessities.

kschang
10-20-2013, 03:58 PM
Here's a guy who claims to be a "devout Christian" (out of China, hmmm), rambles on about "7 mountains", has a bunch of "churches" in SoCal, but may be operating a Ponzi scheme AND immigration fraud on both sides of the Pacific, flying fake flags of legitimate companies.

A MLM Skeptic: WCM777 went for a long swim back to Asia, abandoned US operations, who is Phil Ming Xu? (http://amlmskeptic.blogspot.com/2013/10/wcm777-went-for-long-swim-abandoned-us.html)

scratchycat
10-24-2013, 08:30 AM
Sometimes I wonder if "religion" is not confused with "satanism". Christianity should not be used to scam others but it is.

scratchycat
10-28-2013, 09:01 AM
D$Domination and extensions

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THERE ARE A lot of these SCAMS going around..if it looks too good to be true it probably is !!!! I got into one the other day and another one a few years ago. !They Don't pay !!!!! Please pass this on ! thank you !


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https://www.teampayitforward.us/

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scratchycat
11-03-2013, 12:48 PM
DS Domination Business Overview. Learn why DS Domination makes sense to the masses and why you should really consider joining our team today. This business makes so much sense and gives the every day person a chance to really make money online.

[DS Domination] Business Overview - Why Should You Join? on Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/78385031?fb_action_ids=10201488793875530&fb_action_types=og_vimeo%3Aupload&fb_ref=og_api&fb_source=timeline_og)


Copyright 2013 - Stinson Marketing Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
privacyYour Information is 100% Secure and Will Never Be Shared With Anyone.

Here is where they get you hooked by your email addy (http://www.ready2makemoney.com/)

Or this one. (http://www.ezcopypastecash.com/)

You are going to just love this video!! :RpS_wink:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQFYMQCjsR8

That one should work, right! I couldn't get past the 1st 2 seconds.

Review:

Jason Torres 5 days ago
LOL I loved how you mentioned introducing your pastor to this then talking about David Wood cussing in Empower Network :-) hehe I'm the same way!

Beacon
01-30-2014, 08:31 PM
I feel the need to mention cargo cults and in relation to Christian fundamentalism in particular to reference prosperity Gospel
Prosperity theology - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosperity_theology)

scratchycat
02-01-2014, 12:53 PM
A cargo cult is a kind of Melanesian millenarian movement encompassing a diverse range of practices and occurring in the wake of contact with the commercial networks of colonizing societies. The name derives from the apparent belief that various ritualistic acts will lead to a bestowing of material wealth ("cargo").[1][2]
Cargo cults often develop during a combination of crises. Under conditions of social stress, such a movement may form under the leadership of a charismatic figure. This leader may have a "vision" (or "myth-dream") of the future, often linked to an ancestral efficacy thought to be recoverable by a return to traditional morality.[1][3] This leader may characterize the present state (often imposed by colonial capitalist regimes) as a dismantling of the old social order, meaning that social hierarchy and ego boundaries have been broken down.[4]
Contact with colonizing groups brought about a considerable transformation in the way indigenous peoples of Melanesia have thought about other societies. Early theories of cargo cults began from the assumption that practitioners simply failed to understand technology, colonization, or capitalist reform; in this model, cargo cults are a misunderstanding of the trade networks involved in resource distribution and an attempt to acquire such goods in the wake of interrupted trade. However, many of these practitioners actually focus on the importance of sustaining and creating new social relationships, with material relations being secondary.[5]
Since the late twentieth century, alternative theories have arisen. For example, some scholars, such as Kaplan and Lindstrom, focus on Europeans' characterization of these movements as a fascination with manufactured goods and what such a focus says about Western commodity fetishism.[2] Others point to the need to see each movement as reflecting a particularized historical context, even eschewing the term "cargo cult" for them unless there is an attempt to elicit an exchange relationship from Europeans.[6]

Cargo cult - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult)

scratchycat
02-01-2014, 01:03 PM
Another little feeder to catch your dollars...

https://www.facebook.com/teamgratitudewithfeeder

Instant Payments to your paypal, payza, stp! (http://www.feedermatrix.com/)


Anyone know who is behind this one?? I have not checked, it is the latest in the scheme of things for our internet marketers, those who jump on and grab a few dollars and jump off and on to another one. Is there a name for those kind??

scratchycat
02-01-2014, 01:20 PM
I always like checking out their terms or disclosures/disclaimer in this case:


Earnings Disclaimer

We make every effort to ensure that we accurately represent these products and services and their potential for income. Earning and Income statements made by our company and its customers are estimates of what we think you can possibly earn. There is no guarantee that you will make these levels of income and you accept the risk that the earnings and income statements differ by individual.
As with any business, your results may vary, and will be based on your individual capacity, business experience, expertise, and level of desire. There are no guarantees concerning the level of success you may experience. The testimonials and examples used are exceptional results, which do not apply to the average purchaser, and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results. Each individual’s success depends on his or her background, dedication, desire and motivation. There is no assurance that examples of past earnings can be duplicated in the future. We cannot guarantee your future results and/or success. There are some unknown risks in business and on the internet that we cannot foresee which can reduce results. We are not responsible for your actions.The use of our information, products and services should be based on your own due diligence and you agree that our company is not liable for any success or failure of your business that is directly or indirectly related to the purchase and use of our information, products and services.

Somehow that just reads "if you recover your investment, be happy, cause it is all you will get, heh, heh, heh and we get the rest!!!

Now, who is Feeder Matrix dot com??


feedermatrix.com


The website has a bad online reputation.
Report updated 13 hours ago

SITE IS NOT BLACKLISTED
The website is not blacklisted by trusted security services such as Google SafeBrowsing, ThreatLog and MalwareDomainList. This means the website should be safe to visit and should not be used to distribute malware or trojans.

BAD TRUSTWORTHINESS
The website has a poor trustworthiness score in the WOT (Web of Trust) reputation and it is recommended to avoid to browse the website, click links or enter personal or financial information. May indicate Internet scams, identity theft risks, credit card fraud, phishing, viruses, spyware.

BAD VENDOR RELIABILITY
The website has a poor vendor reliability score in the WOT (Web of Trust) reputation, this means someone had a bad shopping experience or the website is not reliable for business transactions in general. Generally a poor rating indicates possible fraud.

WEBSITE SEEMS POPULAR
The website seems to be popular in Internet, this means the website is visited by at least some users and it has few backlinks from other websites, according to Alexa and Google.

GOOD SOCIAL NETWORK PRESENCE
We have searched the website address in the most popular social networks to see how many users have shared it and we have found in total 1,575 links, that indicates the website is at least popular in social networks.

WEBSITE IS NOT NEW
The domain of the website was created 3 years ago, this means the website is not new and we should have few details to judge its reputation.

Is feedermatrix.com safe ? - Scamvoid (http://www.scamvoid.com/check/feedermatrix.com)

Registration Service Provided By: GOLDENLINE.BIZ
Domain Name: FEEDERMATRIX.COM
Registry Domain ID: 1647257320_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
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Updated Date: 11-Mar-2013
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Registrar: PDR Ltd. d/b/a PublicDomainRegistry.com
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Registrar Abuse Contact Phone: +1-2013775952
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Registrant Street: C/O ID#10760, PO Box 16 Note - Visit PrivacyProtect.org to contact the domain owner/operator Note - Visit PrivacyProtect.org to contact the domain owner/operator
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Dave Ritchie
02-01-2014, 03:53 PM
With the exception of people who are not able to make sound decisions due to some infirmity hell no. I hate to say this, but certain people are destined to lose their money somewhere and none of us can afford to waste much time with them. It is one thing where someone is "tricked" in to giving money up, job scams, grandparent scams, charity scams, and people can be educated if they invest the time.

Blame the victim? No one deserves to be scammed! You set up a false dichotomy--a logical fallacy--with your assertion that people are either infirm or predestined to be defrauded. Have you researched why people succumb to the logical fallacies scammers use to take in their victims. If you do, you'll discover that the human mind is predisposed to intuitively accept a broad spectrum of logical fallacies; and that predisposition has nothing to do with native intelligence or character. Critical thinking is the only means by which logical fallacies can be debunked; and unfortunately it isn't intuitively engaged by most people.

I'd venture a guess that you had no idea that you were presenting a fallacious dichotomy when you made the statement referenced above--testament to your own predisposition to accept at least that logical fallacy.

IMO, compassion for victims is far more powerful than passing judgment on them in the fight against fraud.

ribshaw
02-02-2014, 12:56 PM
Blame the victim? No one deserves to be scammed! You set up a false dichotomy--a logical fallacy--with your assertion that people are either infirm or predestined to be defrauded. Have you researched why people succumb to the logical fallacies scammers use to take in their victims. If you do, you'll discover that the human mind is predisposed to intuitively accept a broad spectrum of logical fallacies; and that predisposition has nothing to do with native intelligence or character. Critical thinking is the only means by which logical fallacies can be debunked; and unfortunately it isn't intuitively engaged by most people.

I'd venture a guess that you had no idea that you were presenting a fallacious dichotomy when you made the statement referenced above--testament to your own predisposition to accept at least that logical fallacy.

IMO, compassion for victims is far more powerful than passing judgment on them in the fight against fraud.

There is no false dichotomy, in fact, there is no dichotomy at all. Unless you are changing the definition to include, A, B, or C, in which case I cry shenanigans.

If you take my statement to the question I was responding to from Scratchy "Should she feel sorry for the victims". I did not claim that people were either infirm or predestined to be defrauded. I said CERTAIN people are destined to lose their money somewhere, and the implication is THOSE people ARE able to make a "SOUND" decision.

Perhaps you are guilty of inappropriate extrapolation.

Assuming someone is of sound mind, they come here and are presented a case if you will. A group of people with years of experience in business, scams, computers, life, whatever cobble together "evidence" that is largely empirical as none of us have access to a fraudulent companies books. Like this: http://www.realscam.com/f8/forex-mmcis-com-scam-2925/ Then people are left with a choice.

In the thread above, I spent let's call it an hour researching and writing to imsmarter (Nik and LRM also contributed , along with this previous thread http://www.realscam.com/f8/mmcis-investments-mmcis-investments-com-2183/) so let's call it an hour on each of their ends as well. While the discussion points were largely to imsmarter in the first thread and calejbor in the later, there are a total of 2300 page views. So three of us spent several hours writing for let's call it 2000 strangers, why? Because we don't care? All those people are left with a choice based on available information.

In the case of imsmarter, not only here, but in other threads he was told MMCIS is a sham, and it appears he made a sound decision. There are others who come, look at all that is presented and think, BULLSHIT, I know I can make 100% per year. If fact, some will even become indignant or threatening because a bunch of "naysayers" are trying to keep them down. Those people are destined to lose, and when they do, they will blame everyone but themselves (see my 3rd paragraph). Some will eventually learn as we all do from mistakes, others will never learn. I am not going to waste my time writing for that last group of people. If fact, I would say they serve as a valuable warning to others.

This just for fun... Years ago some jerk was tailgating us on a desolate road swerving back and forth, just wanted to speed. So I pulled over and let him pass. Few miles up the road he had cooked his engine, steam pouring out, speeding no more. I laughed my ass off as we drove past. A few months back, some guy walking with a gas can, I stopped and gave him a lift to the station. Maybe you would have stopped for them both, in which case kudos.

================================================


This thread would be one more way of looking at it, do I care if this cat loses his money, NO, will I laugh when he does, YES. Solutions to problems for me often require more than one train of thought, hence my inability to paint all who get involved in scams as victims. Thus my lack of empathy, and even dark amusement when some of them get their sticky fingers burned.

http://www.realscam.com/f11/jarrettcomm-hyip-ponzi-player-2332/

=================================================




With the exception of people who are not able to make sound decisions due to some infirmity hell no. I hate to say this, but certain people are destined to lose their money somewhere and none of us can afford to waste much time with them. It is one thing where someone is "tricked" in to giving money up, job scams, grandparent scams, charity scams, and people can be educated if they invest the time.

On the Pozni, MLM pyramid, or gifting side of things we can make a case for the people who have never heard of it before. But a lot of people seem to think that there is some secret out there where you invest and apple and return an orchard. Or that some stranger is going to approach them with a bag of money they are just dying to share. They are plain greedy, and want something for nothing.

And taking is one step further, when I read stories of Charles Ponzi there were folks that blamed the government when he was sent to prison for "ruining a good thing". Most of us have to suspend disbelief when we read reactions like this. But, fast forward a 100 years, and you can see the very same response, and even more so thanks to the interwebs.

All that said, the cause is very worthy. There are plenty of folks who visit the forum, read about something they were approached with, and get the information they need to make an informed decision. I suspect most of them keep their money safe and sound.

Dave Ritchie
02-04-2014, 04:05 AM
ribshaw:

schadenfreude |ˈSHädənˌfroidə|, noun, “pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.” — New Oxford American Dictionary

Your efforts to educate those who come to this website to get reliable information on a scam they're being pressured to join are laudable. The time and energy you spend on those efforts obviously come from your caring. As a consumer, I thank you; and as a counter-mlm consumer advocate, I'm honored to be able to add my voice to yours and others' in combating pernicious scams, frauds, cons, etc.

However, I take issue with schadenfreude directed at folks who pay a price for failing to heed the many warnings available to them. NO ONE deserves to be defrauded, whether they're victimized as a result of an infirmity or because of their unwillingness to accept the counsel of people like you and me who, without compensation, bend our efforts in their interests—an unwillingness we may perceive as foolishness or willful ignorance.

In addition to those two victim categories (your dichotomy), there exists a third, which makes your dichotomy false by definition. It is comprised of the majority in our culture who, through no fault of their own, are devoid of the ability to think critically. We live in an environment in which families, schools and other social institutions actively discourage critical thinking in their constituents, from infancy on. Critical thinking skills encourage children and students to be noncompliant; and that prospect inspires fear in too many parents and educators. In the short run, absent critical thinking results in well-behaved children who are unlikely to make choices we don't want them to make. However, it's absence also creates in the long run, adults who donate large sums to their churches without pausing to consider where it’s actually going and whether or not they can afford it, citizens who'll succumb to the logical fallacies upon which political interests too often rely to gain support for their agendas, and consumers who'll bite on the many deceptive ploys commercial interests use to get into their wallets. However, absent critical thinking ability doesn't make anyone deserving of victimization, any more than do infirmity or willful ignorance.

Unfortunately, the prevailing practice among those of us who try to prevent victimization through our participation in discussion forums is to present our ideas and "facts" without adequate support, i.e. citations of or referrals to truly authoritative resources, rendering those ideas and "facts" nothing more than opinions. We tend instead to cite or refer to other blogs and forums which only feature more opinions. I'm doing exactly that with this post, relying on nothing more than anecdotal observation to support my point. I would expect any critical-thinking reader to reject what I'm writing here as proof that blogs and discussion forums ought to be more intellectually rigorous. But, I digress.

May I suggest that the consumers we're trying to educate--whether or not they accept our advice--are deserving of compassion, not judgment. For whatever it's worth, I prefer to reserve judgment and schadenfreude for the rare scammer who actually goes down in flames. In fact, I’m nasty enough that I'd happily host a schadenfreude party every time it happens.

NikSam
02-04-2014, 05:40 AM
I see Dave Ritchie did not meet enough HYIP playas, admins, shills, pimps , cheerleaders , brainwashed yet :)

I would love to see how would he care and love them in a year of personally exposing multiple scams :)

Dave Ritchie
02-04-2014, 11:14 AM
I see Dave Ritchie did not meet enough HYIP playas, admins, shills, pimps , cheerleaders , brainwashed yet :)

I would love to see how would he care and love them in a year of personally exposing multiple scams :)

Thank you NikSam, for so aptly illustrating one of my points.:RpS_smile:

ribshaw
02-04-2014, 12:15 PM
Dave welcome to the thread,

Good work here. A Simple Strategy to Distinguish Between MLM Business Opportunities and Bankruptcy Opportunities - Blogs - RealScam.com - Is it, or isn't it? You Decide. (http://www.realscam.com/blogs/dave-ritchie/375-simple-strategy-distinguish-between-mlm-business-opportunities-bankruptcy-opportunities.html)


ribshaw:

schadenfreude |ˈSHädənˌfroidə|, noun, “pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune.” — New Oxford American Dictionary

Huh, I thought that was the goopy stuff that goes on hot dogs.

A bully getting knocked out does not generally elicit the same emotion as when it happens to someone who was minding their own business. While both reactions are likely visceral, I suspect varying degrees of schadenfreude are more common than most admit in polite company.



However, I take issue with schadenfreude directed at folks who pay a price for failing to heed the many warnings available to them. NO ONE deserves to be defrauded, whether they're victimized as a result of an infirmity or because of their unwillingness to accept the counsel of people like you and me who, without compensation, bend our efforts in their interests—an unwillingness we may perceive as foolishness or willful ignorance.

There are people right now in churches (and the internet) being presented "opportunities" for them to invest in. I will make perhaps a caustic statement "If they invest, they deserve to lose". Reasonable people can argue what exactly I mean by "deserve", but that is exactly how I handle our family finances. There are plenty of areas I can "afford" to be ripped off, and make plenty of stupid choices each year. That said, no one gets their paws near family money. I would rather accept a smaller return and know exactly where our dosh is.

It is a simple chestnut that would save BILLION$ each year. For people who are trying to make a yes/no decision on doublecashcylcyer4X.scam , especially as you say for people who lack the ability to think critically. If they know I may giggle a little when things go sideways, all the more reason for them to tread carefully.

Very much enjoy looking at "opportunities" and putting pen to paper as it where on why they might or might not work out. People do deserve to be able to read well researched, well though out positions. No one wants to come to a blog where everything is just called a SCAM-- THREAD CLOSED. BUT there have to be hundreds of independent threads here and on other scam sites without a single "opportunity" that has panned out. Sans perhaps for the pimps. There are hundreds if not thousands of years of history of "too good to be true" NEVER working out. Even in the legitimate business world, 95% ish fail within several years. At some level all of us need to go into each "business" decision with eyes wide open, and none of us can afford to rely on bloggers to do it for us.

The proper approach in my opinion (not my original thought) is for someone looking an opportunity is to evaluate all the possible negative outcomes and ask themselves if the worst comes to pass, "can they live with the outcome"? If they are not prepared or able to do this, they are not ready to invest. The guy in the next pew claims to be brokering close outs, or doing hard money loans and wants them to invest. What is the worst that can happen, they can lose 100% of the money they put in.

If they decide to get in on it, and they put in more than they can afford to lose.....

Dave Ritchie
02-04-2014, 12:48 PM
Thank you sir! It's a pleasure to be in league with thoughtful commenters such as you, who can gracefully rise to a challenge from an ally. I appreciate your clarification.

kschang
02-05-2014, 02:06 AM
My view on this is... it takes two to tango. In order for a scammer to scam, a victim must be WILLING to be scammed.

So, yes, the victims are cheated, but they *do* share part of the fault for "enabling" the scammers to cheat them. it can be greed, gullibility, and variety of other factors, and combinations / permutations thereof.

There is a Chinese expression: those inside the trap are blind, those outside the trap see clearly. Are they blind to step into the trap? Or did the trap blind them to the truth? Does it matter?

But you are responsible for your OWN actions. You may be enticed into making the wrong decisions, but you did make that decision. LEARN FROM IT. :)

ribshaw
02-05-2014, 09:28 AM
So, yes, the victims are cheated, but they *do* share part of the fault for "enabling" the scammers to cheat them. it can be greed, gullibility, and variety of other factors, and combinations / permutations thereof.

Several scams such as Black Money or versions of The Wire require the mark to be willing to break the law to realize their greed. Cash gifting clubs and chain letters are illegal, regardless of assertions made by the administrators. Others such as the White Van Speaker Scam, or Reward Scams only work if the mark is willing to cheat a third party. Hence the saying "You can't cheat an honest man".

One of my learning experiences occurred at the shore watching a numbered wheel going around on the boardwalk. Guy behind me was calling the winning numbers like magic. Funny how the magic stopped when I put my money down.

scratchycat
02-06-2014, 11:45 AM
Some of the people promoting these scams are ones I got to 'know' online and after stepping back and seeing it from different prospective, I see this happening. Okay so you are a religious person (truthfully professing the love and faith of your God), now you meet up with other people seemingly doing the same thing. Except there is a catch, these people profess Christianity through song and images and present themselves as worthy religious people and many times have themselves convinced. With this portrayal and gaining the confidence of many others, they try out every new scheme that comes along and toss the line out to their 'friends' who take the bait "oh, just invest $5 - it is worth the try and you could make $1,000s". So the 'friends' bite the bait and send in their little bit of money, feeling a little guilty if they don't help this kind Christian friend and just maybe they would make some money in the meantime. You and I KNOW this is not going to happen! Their 'friend' has sent out many such requests, made a few dollars and jumped off that bandwagon onto a new in a few days (weeks if the scheme is going okay and they are getting more money from their family and friends). You don't make a dime because you don't have time for this cr*p and furthermore you are not going to try and scam your own family and friends.

There was a time I thought these people were innocent or maybe just ignorant that what they were doing was criminal but having watched the same thing happen for many years now, I realize they know exactly what they are doing! I am saying these things because I know some people out there still read what I write and I am telling you to wise up and look closely at how many times you have been taken in by these same people you have called a friend all these years. How much money have you wasted on all the promises riches from these people? Have you seen them get rich?? Of course not! They have made a few dollars here and there but I would suspect they have spent hard-earned family cash on a dream while it could have put food on the table.

Dreams are good but false dreams are like smoke they rise and vanish.

Many of them have left their old stomping grounds of adland dot com - Scamland and joined the more productive world of Facebook and other social media but they still have their roots in the place that brought them together.

scratchycat
02-06-2014, 12:03 PM
https://www.facebook.com/groups/ICP.WinnersTeam/


No Sponsoring! No Recruiting!
It's THAT Simple:
You Pay $20 ONE-Time... and then you just wait to Get Paid!
That's It! No Big Deal!
If you wanna make Money... THIS is for YOU!
You have to have a PayPal and/or STP account.

Looks like they have upped the ante a bit, now they want you to 'donate' $20 to their cause/scam.

https://www.facebook.com/saquoye.farr

And on it goes...

The Total Take Over Movement (http://www.thetotaltakeovermovement.com/)


Carla Carey
13 hours ago
THANKS Saquoye Farr for telling me about the Total Take over.. I am so excited about what I have learned so far ! I really appreciate it !
Like · · Share
Carla Carey and Saquoye Farr like this.

Saquoye Farr Absolutely Carla! Glad you're loving it. I knew you would!
13 hours ago · Like · 1

Carla Carey You sure were right about that.. now I can put things into practice that I know and am learning now..this is so awesome !
13 hours ago · Like · 1

Saquoye Farr Yes ma'am! That's it! Learn & Implement!
13 hours ago · Like · 1

Mark Gibson I enrolled one more last night in FM and have another one for sure coming as soon as he gets his PP account funded.
about an hour ago · Like

https://www.facebook.com/carlajocarey

Isn't it about time you stopped scamming your friends? You have so much to offer the world, God has given you wealth unlimited with a voice and kind heart, why do you keep trying to get what you already have but do not use wisely? I have told you many times what you are doing is not right, you are taking from others by joining these schemes and enticing your friends to send in their money.

ribshaw
02-06-2014, 01:16 PM
[COLOR="#006400" Except there is a catch, these people profess Christianity through song and images and present themselves as worthy religious people and many times have themselves convinced.

I have pause when people profess anything and then ask for something. "I am a good person", "You can trust me", "I will pay you back". When someone says they are a nice person, and then says something really mean. (Not that I don't say some mean things more often than I should, but seldom do I put my hand out.) There is certainly an instant connection and implied decency that comes along with religion. Why do people bring it up, to win us over, or to make conversation?

A long history of people in the community very active in their churches being the head of massive schemes. Jim Baker and Robert Tilton did it from TV, and John Bennett Foundation for New Era Philanthropy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundation_for_New_Era_Philanthropy) was a notorious scam that targeted ministries and charities alike. Who knows how many scams like Trend Sound Promoter or Yougetpaidfast are run by b-level scammers using religion to do it.

The long and short seems that some people want your money and will do whatever is easiest to win trust and get it from your pocket to theirs. Other than not being daft about the returns that are possible, people who just scratch the surface should be able to throw up enough red flags in almost any scam. John Bennett Jr. claimed to have "secret donors" that would double donations. Had people demanded the money be held in trust, or in a bank account where they could watch it like a mother hen, no scam would have occurred. A big part of the con is the just giving the scammer control of your money, control of the statements, and the only means of verifying the balance.

ribshaw
02-07-2014, 11:26 AM
Some great information from: Crimes of Persuasion: Nigerian email scams, pyramid schemes, consumer frauds. (http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/index.htm)

Affinity Fraud - Church Group Religion Focused Investment Scams (http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/InPerson/MajorPerson/affinity.htm)




Everyone, in some way or another, is connected to a group, association or community-based organization. Our interests, backgrounds, and other factors will naturally lead us to those affiliations that best serve our needs. Race, culture, and religious beliefs also play a role in identifying us as members of unique groups that we often come to trust —sometimes to our detriment.

Affinity fraud is when one person gains the trust of others because they share the same religion, race, ethnicity, career or other social characteristic and then deceives them in some kind of financial transaction.

The deception may be intentional, as in the case of an investment scam infiltrator, but could just as easily be the result of an enthusiastic, but misguided, participant in a local gifting club or international pyramid scheme.

In a world of increasing complexity, many people feel the need for a shorthand way of knowing who to trust. This is especially true when it comes to investing money. Unfamiliar with how our financial markets work, too many people don't know how to thoroughly research an investment and its salesperson.

Affinity fraud poses a danger since it undercuts the usual warnings about investment schemes promoted by strangers. In these cases, the fraud may come to a your attention as the result of a contact from a friend, colleague or someone who inspires a bond of trust.

"You can trust me," says the scammer, "because I'm like you. We share the same background and interests. And I can help you make money." The normal process of cautious skepticism is replaced by social banter.

Start At The Top

Another equally effective technique, if the con artist is not a member of the group, is to lull members into a misplaced trust by selling first to a few prominent members, then pitching the scam to the rest by using the names of those previously sold.

The effect is the same. Once the connection to the group is understood, the natural skepticism of the individual member is overcome, and one more group name is added to the sales presentation.

With the hierarchy of leaders and followers already established, the investment becomes merely an extension of our desire to belong and be accepted.

Beware of the use of names or testimonials from other group members. Because scam artists frequently pay out high returns to early investors using money from later arrivals the early investors may be wildly enthusiastic about a scheme that may be set to collapse entirely once you've invested.

Once an affinity fraud victim realizes that he or she has been scammed, too often the response is not to notify the authorities but instead to try to solve problems within the group. This usually just ensures that the fraud continues without anyone reporting it to the authorities until it is too late to recover funds.

Con artists recognize that the tight-knit structure of many groups makes it less likely that a scam will be detected by regulators and law enforcement officials, and that victims will be more forgiving of one of their own members.

Minority Groups

With immigration at levels not seen since early this century, many new arrivals to our country are seen by financial swindlers as ripe for the picking.

Immigrant groups are particularly vulnerable to this type of fraud because they are sometimes isolated from the larger community and their flow of information may be limited because of language and other barriers.

Some members of long-established minority groups have accumulated savings and achieved a certain standard of living through years of hard work. Often, they want to "give back to the community" in order to help others like themselves.

However, such inclinations often make these group members sitting ducks for deceitful con artists who, despite sharing the same ethnicity or culture, are really motivated solely by greed. Swindlers who prey on minority groups will play the loyalty angle for all it's worth.
Religious Affiliation Scams

Religious affinity fraud also continues to be a widespread problem. And swindlers who prey upon people of their own religion come in all denominations. Some elderly investors were duped into buying bogus promissory notes by three men, two insurance agents and an investment adviser, who often got on their knees and prayed with their victims to gain their trust.

"I've known him all my life." "I trusted her as if she were a member of my family." "He was such a nice young man." "We had the same values and beliefs."

The last of these statements was made by a complainant who had lost $100,000 by investing with a member of her church group who was going to produce a film supporting the political positions and beliefs of the group. The film was not made and the scammer disappeared.

The Internet missionary church Greater Ministries International Church GMI took in over $550 million dollars from over 27,000 believers and although it promised great returns from heaven over one half of the money has not been accounted for.

Many of the investors were fundamentalist Christians, including Mennonites in rural Pennsylvania, Ohio and Virginia. They were told their money would double in installment payments made over 17 months or less. Investors were quoted Luke 6:38: "Give, and it shall be given unto you."

With such high yield returns, promoters will suggest that much of the bounty can be used by the investor to benefit the church or organization. Prime bank schemes will often attach a charitable aspect to them so as to offset any guilt resulting from suppressed greed.

Greater Ministries officials told investors that state and federal securities laws did not apply to them because the investments were "gifts" to the Church and the payments from the church to investors, called "blessings," were not subject to taxes.

You should ignore claims that religiously-based investments are unregulated because virtually all investment opportunities, including church bonds, come under the scope of federal and state securities or commodities laws.

Scams using religion as a lure to get people to invest money have taken in about $1.8 billion over the last three years, according to the Washington-based North American Securities Administrators Association.

The Lesson Learned

A former Sunday school teacher swindled at least thirty-three people, many of them church members, and like him, immigrants from India, out of more than $1 million. He got money from investors to supposedly buy nationally known stocks but then just stashed the cash in his personal bank and brokerage accounts.

Razor Sharp Learning Curve

In California, commodity dealers targeted various Asian communities in the Los Angeles area. One company advertised in the "China Daily News" for executive positions at a new bank in Shanghai, China. Victims were told the company was looking for people without any experience in the banking business, so they could be trained from scratch.

All fifteen people attending the subsequent seminar were originally from China. After three days of training, the marketing manager said that every person expecting to get a job from the "bank" in Shanghai had to put in practice what they had learned about foreign currency exchange transactions by putting up money as a test to see if they were qualified.

The investments were touted as "no-risk" moneymaking opportunities and ranged from $15,000 to $300,000. The investors lost over 90% of their money in these foreign currency and precious metals investments —supposedly being made on their behalf on the Hong Kong exchange.

He Needs New Glasses

One promoter targeted Christians by claiming he had built a device to find oil based on "visions" he had received from God. About 150 investors are believed to have lost more than $1 million in the oil and gas investment scheme.

Non-Believers

A former financial consultant who was charismatic and had "Christian values", was sentenced to 30 years for bilking thirty retirement-age investors out of nearly $6 million. At the sentencing hearing, he was greeted with jeers and boos as he tried to apologize to his victims.

In Pennsylvania, several small Catholic churches were defrauded of about $1 million by an investment adviser-parishioner who had won the trust of parish priests. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of potential victims. Securities regulators point out that since many people feel like they've lost out on the historic bull market on Wall Street, they need to catch up.

A Fraud By Any Name

One affinity fraud which targeted members of Christian churches in rural Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri towns raised $7.4 million in funds from at least 125 investors, supposedly to trade in high-yield foreign bank instruments in a secret "prime bank" trading market. The promoters said investors would receive a monthly return of 20% for 12 to 18 months, and that the return of principal was fully guaranteed.

To establish credibility within the church-minded communities, they gave the investments various names with Biblical connotations, such as Jubilee Trust Fund, Oracle Trust Fund and Elkosh Trust Fund. They also proclaimed their status as "born-again Christians" and suggested that the investment would fulfill a religious "duty" or "prophecy." They even informally enlisted members of various church communities to praise and promote the investment funds.

Consequently, the churchgoers, most of whom were unsophisticated investors, invested in the trading programs based on trust and faith, rather than adequate information. The prime bank trading program did not actually exist and all funds have been transferred to several offshore entities. By making principal and interest payments to early investors, with funds raised from later investors, they gave the false illusion that the investment was successful.

When confronted by authorities they attempted to persuade investors not to cooperate by referring to previously signed confidentiality agreements and by falsely telling them that cooperation with the government would forfeit any return on their investment.

continue QuickTour

A Bad Choice of Investment

Through the use of church membership lists, a man in Utah preyed upon fellow members of the Assembly of God Church . Through his company, Making Good Choices Inc., he sold bogus "royalty interest" in such inventions as a "Mess Free Bird Feeder" and the "Vice Script" automobile theft-prevention engraving system.

Victims were promised returns of "25% to 100% for years to come." In most cases, no products were ever sold and losses by church members were approximately $200,000. He, in turn, was sentenced to 15 years in the Utah State Prison.

Blame God!

Not knowing what to do with the money, after receiving $300,000 from a life insurance policy on her husband, a 31-year-old mother of three in Scottsdale, Arizona, invested it with a Lay Minister in the Eagle's Nest Christian Embassy, where she was a member.

A pamphlet written by the church pastor described the scammer's "Vision Plan" for funding a new $2 million church building:

"For the past year I have prayerfully sought the Lord for the plan and direction he would have us take in regards to the financing costs of the construction and improvements of the new building.… The plan and direction God has given us is strategic, sound and safe!..."

Today, she and her family, as well as many other former Eagle's Nest parishioners, are still devastated after he pled guilty to operating a Ponzi scheme which took in $11.4 million.

Plastic Profits

A Baptist minister from Texas is accused by the SEC of robbing $3.5 million from more than 150 investors in a religious affinity fraud scam in which he exclusively targeted African-American Baptists and promised them returns of between 7 and 30 percent.

Ronald Randolph is accused of selling investment contracts for his fake plastics company, International Polymers Works which he claimed was profitable and had several contracts with major companies, including Exxon Mobil Corp., DuPont and Dow Chemical. He also said the investments were insured by Lloyds of London.

There were in fact no contracts and no guarantees. To keep the ponzi scheme alive from 1997 through 2000 he used the money of new investors to pay back prior investors.

Warfare Has No Place In The Church

09/02 Marcus D. Dukes, 33, and Teresa Hodge, 39, owners of Financial Warfare Club Inc. are accused of convincing black parishioners in 18 states to buy stock in nonpublic companies and to pay for investor education courses.

The SEC said the pair used the money for other purposes and that none of the 1000 investors have made a return on their investments, which exceeded $1 million..

Going to churches from Maryland to Alabama they held presentations full of prayers and quotes from the Bible, selling their ideas by claiming blacks had been left out of the lucrative market for initial public offerings of stocks.

They then offered parishioners unregistered securities, claiming they were investments that would help black-owned companies soon to go public through different entities, including Financial Warfare Inc., the Financial Warfare Club and Covenant EcoNet Inc.

The pair offered three types of membership: "Founders" paid $2,500 and $50 a year for 2,000 shares of stock in one of three companies that were purportedly poised to launch IPOs; "warriors" paid $1,000 and $50 a year for 500 shares of stock in the three companies; "believers" paid $500 with an annual fee of $50.

Financial Warfare Club's toll-free phone number greeted callers with: "We're excited that you are joining the war against financial apartheid and plan to ensure that we have the same economic and financial freedoms as every other American."

The money collected was spent instead on other things, including $300,000 on salaries for Dukes and Hodge, $600,000 in transfers between the defendants, $42,000 in payments to hotels and more than $92,000 in cash withdrawals.

Dukes, who was a stockbroker in the early 1990s, had been censured and fined $25,000 by the National Association of Securities Dealers, while Hodge had petitioned for bankruptcy relief four times between 1996 and 1999.

In Alabama, nine people have been charged with cheating church members at the Daystar Assembly of God church out of more than $3 million by telling them the money would be used to buy retirement properties in Florida, the income of which would be used to pay off the mortgage of the Prattville church and build a religious theme park.

The money went instead to pay off investors in a previous scam and to purchase equipment for unrelated businesses.

Such appeals to race, religion or another commonality in selling fraudulent investments are referred to as affinity fraud. Such solicitations often try to equate faith in God with faith in the financial scheme.


A handful of stories. Affinity Fraud - Church Group Religion Focused Investment Scams (http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/articles/affinity-articles.htm)

scratchycat
02-08-2014, 11:05 AM
Wow!! You about covered it all!! I hope people will read and be aware of these kind of schemes.


In Alabama, nine people have been charged with cheating church members at the Daystar Assembly of God church out of more than $3 million by telling them the money would be used to buy retirement properties in Florida, the income of which would be used to pay off the mortgage of the Prattville church and build a religious theme park. The money went instead to pay off investors in a previous scam and to purchase equipment for unrelated businesses.

Wonder if my EX got involved in that, I do know they left a church they had been attending for a long time and found another one. hmmm.... No, no way, they are Baptist. At least for that one.

All I have to do to keep updated on the latest is check with my 'friend's' FB page. She may catch on eventually and drop me but so be it. It is not that I have been dishonest with her because I have been in touch on several of her schemes. Saw the other day where she had signed up another close friend, one who should know better by now. Oh well, I do my best...

ribshaw
02-08-2014, 11:40 AM
Oh well, I do my best...

That is all we can do, thing is I think a lot of people say "not me" when they read this stuff. A few of us tried to warn a lady dating a fake soldier on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100006838564168 unfriend city. One of the things tossed around from time to time in financial fraud is it happens to those with above average intelligence. Dunno.

This hit the other day on NewsHog on my Kindle, google news missed it so I had to play to find it. Interesting article since you mentioned Alabama.

GADSDEN, Alabama -- Forget American hustlers or Wall Street wolves - if you want to take Alabamians' money illegally, the most common way is through churches.

That's what Joe Borg, the head of the Alabama Securities Commission for two decades, said today in a talk at the Gadsden Rotary Club. Religion is the most successful vehicle for fraud in the state - through what is known as affinity frauds - with Ponzi schemes and get-rich-quick investments preying on those who pray.

"Think about it, you've got a lot of people who are all part of the same community," Borg said. "God's supposed to be watching over your funds. And they think, 'Why would they take advantage of you?'"

Borg has seen and helped prosecute all kinds of phony investment scams and frauds during his time, so he has a lot of stories to tell. And here are some of the more common stories:
joe borg.JPGView full sizeJoe Borg has headed the Alabama Securities Commission for the last 20 years.

1. A church member is asked to invest some money, say $1,000, with a guaranteed return of perhaps $100 per month. After two months, the member has $200, but the scammer has $800 from the original investment. And now, he has a member who is out telling others about the money he's made.

"You get another person to invest, now he's got $1,800, and then another, and another," Borg said.

The fraud eventually collapses under its own weight. To recover any money, the scheme has to be stopped early.

2. Getting the minister involved gives the fraud legitimacy in the eyes of the congregation, Borg said. Because of this, a member who might otherwise have legitimate misgivings may be accused of "lacking faith."

One church in Prattville, he said, eventually had its building foreclosed because it had been used as collateral on a phony investment scheme.

3. Cases involving churches are hard to prosecute, Borg said. "You ask for a witness and it's like you're attacking their faith," he said. "The really good schemes make faith in God equivalent to faith in the program."

Churches also allow scammers to get closer to a big target market - the elderly. There is approximately $13 trillion in stocks, securities and other financial products held by Americans over 60. And with no money coming in, uncertainty about Social Security or anxiety over potentially-catastrophic medical costs, fear can drive them to seek safe, easy investments.

Some of Borg's most memorable frauds - not involving churches - include investments in a gold mine in Clanton, a proposed hotel sponsored by the World Wrestling Federation, and a man in Robertsdale who marketed a machine that would transform sand into gold dust.

Borg said investors in the town gave money to build a bigger machine, when beaches full of sand were only a 30-minute trip away.

"They could have driven down there and made as much gold dust as they needed to build a bigger machine, if it worked," he said.

Anyone looking for information about investment frauds or wishing to report suspicious activity can find information at the commission website.

What's the most common fraud in Alabama? Pray you don't find out | AL.com (http://blog.al.com/east-alabama/2014/02/whats_the_most_common_fraud_in.html)

Beacon
02-13-2014, 08:33 AM
Cargo cult - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cargo_cult)
On a related note

The Gods Must Be Crazy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gods_Must_Be_Crazy)

At the time, it broke all box office records in Japan and it broke all box office records for a foreign film in the United States.Despite the film's having grossed over $100 million worldwide, Nǃxau reportedly earned less than $2,000 for his starring role.

Not to forget "Fundaligionism"
The Fabulous Furry Freak Brothers in The Idiots Abroad | Now Read This! (http://www.comicsreview.co.uk/nowreadthis/2012/04/07/the-fabulous-furry-freak-brothers-in-the-idiots-abroad/)

Beacon
02-14-2014, 04:23 AM
THE Psychology of serial scammers
Here is something that upsets me.

Regularly con artists and scammers HYIP promoters etc., many of whom are really bad at what they do, are exposed.
They either move on to another scam or disappear for a while and then reemerge, usually pushing almost the same scam!
Here is an example of a religion scammer
Peter Popoff - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Popoff)

This guy was exposed on national TV ~ The Ed Sullivan Show no less in 1986
According to James Randi in 1987, he took in almost $4 million per year.[37]

[Numbers in square brackets are references from the above Wikipedia reference.]

By 1987 he was bankrupt!

He reemerged in 1998.

In 2003, Popoff's ministry received over $9.6 million and by 2005 the amount had risen to over $23 million. In that year he and his wife were paid a combined total of nearly $1 million, while two of his children were receiving over $180,000 each.[38] Financial data is not available for Popoff's ministry following 2005 because Peter Popoff Ministries changed from a for-profit business to a religious organization in 2006, making it tax-exempt.[36] Popoff purchased a home in Bradbury, California, for $4.5 million in 2007.[39][40] He reportedly drives a Porsche and a Mercedes-Benz.[41]

Popoff was designated by the James Randi Educational Foundation, (JREF) to be one of the recipients of the 2011 Pigasus Award, which exposes fraud, along with Mehmet Oz (from The Dr. Oz Show) and CVS Pharmacy.[30] “Debt cancellation is part of God’s plan,” according to Popoff. Popoff teaches that God will respond to prayer and seed-faith by providing financial blessing. Credit.com wrote a blog post concerning Popoff's claims.[31]

Currently, Popoff's "People United For Christ" has a "Did Not Disclose" rating with the Better Business Bureau.[34]

According to Ole Anthony of the Trinity Foundation, which has investigated Popoff and other televangelists since 1987, "Most of these guys are fooled by their own theology [...] He’s fundamentally evil. Because he knows he’s a con man."[36]

TSPvictims
04-09-2014, 10:11 PM
Attention everyone who was ripped off by Trend Sound Promoter!!! I was ripped OFF for about $20,000
Each of us needs to report this white collar crime to the following Government Agencies! Agencies will open crime investigation, and we will get a chance to recover our money and put these crooks behind bars!
1) https://denebleo.sec.gov/TCRExternal/disclaimer.xhtml

2) https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.go...#crnt&panel1-1

3) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Home

4) https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhand...laintForm.aspx

5) https://www.bbb.org/consumer-complai...nt/get-started

6) Investment Online Complaint Form

7) econsumer.gov - Your site for cross-border complaints.

8) https://fortress.wa.gov/lni/rts/

Here is addition information that needs to be included in your crime report : Corporations: Registration Detail
Please attach some of your unpaid invoices and receipt (that you transfer money to these crooks). Let's do it as soon as possible! Otherwise, they can flee the country, and take OUR money with them! Please keep postings who already filed crime reports! I am going to do it ASAP. Also some people can meet in their cities, and do it as a group. Make sure, file a crime report in EACH AGENCY and let them know that you are a VICTIM!!!