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Beacon
11-10-2014, 04:01 PM
I have been asked by a new member who has not posted to remove this post:
http://www.realscam.com/f8/banners-broker-hyip-ponzi-scam-897/index183.html#post42815

the suggestion being that the FBI don't directly say Allied Wallet is a fraud or participated in a fraud.

I'm happy to clarify the issue and have invited the member to come here to submit their views.

I will supply some definitions first
fraud legal definition of fraud (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/fraud)


Fraud is commonly understood as dishonesty calculated for advantage. A person who is dishonest may be called a fraud. In the U.S. legal system, fraud is a specific offense with certain features.

misrepresentation legal definition of misrepresentation (http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Misrepresentation)


An assertion or manifestation by words or conduct that is not in accord with the facts.

Misrepresentation is a tort or civil wrong.

Forfeiture | Wex Legal Dictionary / Encyclopedia | LII / Legal Information Institute (http://www.law.cornell.edu/wex/forfeiture)


Forfeiture takes two distinct forms -- criminal and civil. Nearly all contemporary forfeiture involves the civil variety. Criminal forfeiture operates as punishment for a crime. It, therefore, requires a conviction, following which the state takes the assets in question from the criminal. Civil forfeiture rests on the idea (a legal fiction) that the property itself, not the owner, has violated the law. Thus, the proceeding is directed against the res, or the thing involved in some illegal activity specified by statute. Unlike criminal forfeiture, in rem forfeiture does not require a conviction or even an official criminal charge against the owner. This is the source of its attractiveness to law enforcement, and its threat to those concerned about abuse or circumvention of Constitutional protections.


An old cop I knew used to say to me "Sometimes we should forget about the crime or catching criminals. If they knew we were going to take everything they gained from crime away from them that would be reason enough for them not to get involved in it".

There is an old adage "be careful what you wish for..." the idea being that if your wish is fulfilled it may have unforeseen consequences. I'll keep my powder dry for now.

Anyone who wants to make a case for (or against) Allied Wallet is free to do so here and I am quite prepared to accept any corrections to the facts. In doing so I may clarify what I mean by suggesting Allied Wallet is a fraud or is/was connected to a fraud.

ribshaw
11-10-2014, 05:16 PM
As I look at the landing page, Allied Wallet accepts Binary Options Platforms, Escort Services, and Online Gaming as some of their "high risk clients". Assuming they are accepting payments from US citizens (and many other countries) they are helping companies/individuals to skirt the law. Maybe Allied needs to restrict the type of business they deal with if they are concerned with "image".

https://www.alliedwallet.com/high-risk-credit-card-processing-landingpage/


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

My understanding is the Allied Wallet civil forfeiture was related to them accepting money for Pokerstars from US citizens...

PokerStars will be barred from employing Full Tilt Chief Executive Raymond Bitar, who faces criminal fraud charges and is now out on bail, as well as part-owners and famous players Ferguson and Howard "The Professor" Lederer, who remain defendants in the civil case.

PokerStars also agreed that its founder Isai Scheinberg, who also faces criminal gambling, fraud and money laundering charges, would no longer serve as an executive or director. Scheinberg remains at large, according to prosecutors.

2 poker sites agree to forfeit $731 million - US news - Crime & courts | NBC News (http://www.nbcnews.com/id/48433962/ns/us_news-crime_and_courts/t/poker-sites-agree-forfeit-million-after-prosecutors-allege-global-ponzi-scheme/#.VGE1uclNdzl)

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

To my thinking the words "fraud" or "scam" are the best adjectives that can be used to warn others that their money will be taking a one way trip. Especially in the context of "starting your own business" by funding it with some payment processor accepting $$$$ for a company based in a territory known for loosey goosey laws.

Whip
11-10-2014, 06:49 PM
I have been asked by a new member who has not posted to remove this post:
http://www.realscam.com/f8/banners-broker-hyip-ponzi-scam-897/index183.html#post42815

the suggestion being that the FBI don't directly say Allied Wallet is a fraud or participated in a fraud.


The owners pretty much said it themselves by agreeing with the FBI.

NikSam
11-10-2014, 07:06 PM
As for a valid permit, they have a US FinCEN MSB registration (as a california corp): http://www.fincen.gov/financial_institutions/msb/msb.registration.letter.html?ID=8253842

Note: individual per state registrations to serve its residents are still required

They have no MSB registrations in Canada or UK.

Having a MSB registration in US does not guarantee the entity is honest or legal.
If they process payments for online casinos, it is already a violation of US federal law.

As for their claim on the site "Allied Wallet LTD is a Licensed Visa and MasterCard Member."
They are on a list of compliant MC partners: http://www.mastercard.com/us/company/en/docs/SP_Post_List.pdf
as "Allied Wallet Ltd. (GTBill, Baltic Bill) US company since 04/06/2014"

Beacon
11-11-2014, 06:12 AM
Thanks guys. The PM to me prompted me to do some research on Allied Wallet but at a different angle to the ones mentioned by you above. I was aware of a recent "expansion" using a UK address but havent looked up business registration or domain name as I expected others would supply this in any case. My research was more along the lines of how Allied Wallet presents itself for example while not illegal the "CEO/founder" has changed his first name from Ahmad to Andy. I found some interesting things. I'll allow others to post before I share my experiences. Where's Julie Dilligent when you need her? :)

Here is their own company overview. https://www.alliedwallet.com/wp-content/uploads/allied_wallet_overview_2014.pdf
Note their map of the world offices don't mention some but you will get them here

https://www.alliedwallet.com/contact/

If one were to accept glossy brochures and look at their press coverage one might think they have an impeccable record.
But I'm the sort of guy who suspects a "long con".

Here's some homework for you guys if you are interested
Note their staff ~ mentioned in the above pdf you can do a lot of digging on them background/web presence etc.


Also on the surface of it they have a Better Business Bureau A+ rating
But most people might not then read the complaints which do tie in with above staff names
Customer Reviews for Allied Wallet, Inc. - BBB serving Central, Northern and Western Arizona (http://www.bbb.org/phoenix/Business-Reviews/internet-services/allied-wallet-inc-in-scottsdale-az-36007629/Customer-Reviews)

I have been looking more at their branding and image. All this glossy brochure element gave me the impression that it was what I call a "Hollywood" type company. I'll explain that I hope in my next post.

Maybe in the meantime someone will post in support of Allied Wallet?

Beacon
11-11-2014, 08:55 AM
Here is a critical review that does not quite say AW are from scamland but does point to dubious practices
Allied Wallet Review & Complaints | Expert & User Reviews (http://www.cardpaymentoptions.com/credit-card-processors/allied-wallet/)

I do think they have dubious practices and again Ill post on that later. for now Ill wait till others have time to reply.

NikSam
11-11-2014, 09:26 AM
A bit conflicting list of their prohibited Industries:



Adult and Pornographic Content
Animals
Alcohol
Body Parts
Cash Advance
Child Pornography
Drugs
eWallets
Face to Face (Point of sale)
Money Transfer Businesses
Online gaming or Gambling in the USA (USA Cards must be blocked 7995 MCC)
Pharmacy: Controlled Substances
Prostitution
Tobacco (when sent outside of your country and/or state)
Weapons



How do those in bold mix in with high risk ones they do process:


Adult Toys
Apparel
Cigars
Continuity
Dating Websites
Downloadable Software
E-Cigarettes
Educational Software
Electronics
Escort Services
Financial Services
Forex Trading
Insurance Brokers
Penny Auction
Law Firms
Loan Services
Matrimonial Services
Multilevel Marketing
Nutraceuticals
Online Gaming
Online Retail
Personal Injury
Payday Loans
Phone Sex
PPI Claims
Strip Clubs
Tech Support
Telemarketing
Travel Agencies
Weight Loss
Binary Options
Insurance Merchants
Magazine Subscriptions
Membership Sites
Satellite TV Repair
Scholarship Programs



Note that they do not explicitly forbid pyramid schemes,matrixes, ponzi schemes, unlicensed financial services, unlicensed forex and binop brokers.

Beacon
11-11-2014, 03:19 PM
A bit conflicting list of their prohibited Industries:



How do those in bold mix in with high risk ones they do process:


Note that they do not explicitly forbid pyramid schemes,matrixes, ponzi schemes, unlicensed financial services, unlicensed forex and binop brokers.

Adult toys, phone sex and strip clubs don't seem to come under their prohibition of adult and pornographic services either it seems.

Beacon
11-12-2014, 11:57 AM
Okay so here is my research so far into Beacon's adventures into Allied Wallet Land.

Before I go further I was not going to post much of what follows. Allied Wallet seem to have honoured chargebacks on Banners Broker and I won't say they are criminal in that regard, but look above as to torts and my comments about deceptive and misleading practice. I know some business people chance their arm and project a false image and I prefer Khajaw's humility to Stepsy's Wolf of Wall street “greed is good” projection but all the same...

I noted that the founder of AW (Khawaja the man referred to in the FBI press release he since changed his first name and is using Andy instead of Ahmad but more on that later) is referred to as being praised in the March 2013 issue of Fortune but all the sources for this and other mentions in various trade papers seem to trace back to AW itself.
https://www.alliedwallet.com/press-releases/fortune-magazine-fraud-prevention/

Curiouser and curiouser I thought as I disappeared like Alice down the Rabbit hole in pursuit of the elusive Khawaja. In the distance I thought I heard the phrase “primary sources”.

Many people think Due diligence is looking up a website or looking at a copy of a document or a copy of it on a website. One should however look for Primary sources i.e. The original source or first hand copy. If the source is an official source e.g. Government stats. all the better but one would think Fortune is an established magazine and as such is a reliable source. By reliable I mean that you can rely on it to be telling the truth. A verifiable source however is one you know is measuring what was intended. A reliable thermometer will measure boiling water at or near 100 Celsius. You can rely on it because it always measures temperature correctly. But it may not be a valid measurement. It may be in simmering sugar or butter. You need to check to see if it was in water.

I looked for the claimed feature and could not find it in Fortune. Maybe they had two editions in march 2013? Or a US and UK one, only one of which had a valid feature?
The only “Khawaja” I could find in fortune is one in 2006 in an article about refurbishing old buildings.
Fortune. 3/6/2006, Vol. 153 Issue 4, p176-176


SOARING WAREHOUSES with minimalist decor, textile factories transformed into chic spaces for the wealthy and stylish ... these days there's really nothing that unusual about real estate makeovers.

Or at least that's what Hadya Khawaja, a research technician in Albuquerque, thought before she laid eyes on her new home: the gymnasium of the old Albuquerque High School. ..."A lot of people wouldn't consider living there. But I was really drawn to the building."

Now that is the only valid Khawaja featured in any article in Fortune in the last ten years.

In fact my library search returned a Press Release distribution firm as the primary source
https://ireach.prnewswire.com/orders/price-options.aspx


Alternate Title:
CA-Allied-Wallet
Authors:
PR Newswire
Source:
PR Newswire US. 03/05/2013.
Document Type:
Article
Geographic Terms:
California
Abstract:
LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied Wallet, a global leader in online credit card processing, multi-currency merchant services, state-of-the-art payment processing, digital eWallet solutions, software development, and a provider of a PCI Level 1 payment gateway, was featured in Fortune Magazine's section "The Digital Dollar" as a pioneer of payment innovation in 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]


Why”primary” ?
Interesting that the PR firm release is March 5
Allied Wallet Featured in Fortune Magazine's 'The Digital Dollar' -- LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allied-wallet-featured-in-fortune-magazines-the-digital-dollar-195229511.html)

But the Fortune edition was 28th march?

and the source is "Allied Wallet"!
Allied Wallet Featured in Fortune Magazine's 'The Digital Dollar' -- LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allied-wallet-featured-in-fortune-magazines-the-digital-dollar-195229511.html)

How curious that a PR firm had copy of a Fortune Magazine article weeks before it went to print?

Just then Scooby Doo arrived and suggested we split up and look for clues. Shaggy and Scooby started in the Kitchen but I decided to look at the source material. This is a pdf copy of what is claimed to be a feature in Fortune.

This was when I noticed a part of the page that seemed to be saying "read me".
AHA! said I. I know now why it isn't listed as a feature by any library. That's because it isn't a feature!

I thought it was page “53” in fact it is “S3” I assumed S was an advertising supplement?

And here it is on their site: http://www.customcontentonline.com/sections/130318_MobileBanking.pdf

Note the Fortune version has the words "SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION" at the top of the first page?
One can see on the Allied Wallet version that "Advertisement" has also been chopped from the second page. Note the cut and paste above the words "And Sound" in the title where the blue/white colour bars don't quite match? This is the part that must have been saying "read me".

I'm struck by the irony that the "Article" is about Allied Wallet's efforts to combat fraud and deception when in fact the idea it is a Feature Article is in itself a deception! Purchace an advert and then pay a PR firm to make it look like a feature!

So I started this thread. It was when Ribshaw drew attention to the Landing Page I started browsing around the site. I then noticed there was more than one magasine reference.
https://www.alliedwallet.com/publications/

He did it again.
Allied Wallet Featured in Fortune Magazine's 'The Digital Dollar' -- LOS ANGELES, March 5, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allied-wallet-featured-in-fortune-magazines-the-digital-dollar-195229511.html)

https://www.alliedwallet.com/wp-content/uploads/fortune_alliedwallet.pdf

There is no “The Digital dollar” feature article in Fortune.

His copy
https://www.alliedwallet.com/wp-content/uploads/Allied_Wallet_AndyK_Fortune_0713.pdf

The real version (see page 2) http://www.customcontentonline.com/sections/130722_MobileBanking.pdf
Note the missing "Advertisement"?


Allied Wallet Gives Fortune Magazine a Look at the Blueprints of the... -- LOS ANGELES, July 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allied-wallet-gives-fortune-magazine-a-look-at-the-blueprints-of-the-future-215493351.html)


INC magasine looks like vanity publishing. Pay $150 and get yourself listed.

https://www.alliedwallet.com/wp-content/uploads/Allied-Wallet-Sunday-Times-June2014.pdf

is a banner advertisment on page 8!

The wired "article" seems to be an advert too! https://www.alliedwallet.com/press/wired-magazine-2013/ says
(January 2013) The Wired Magazine article, “Building a New Era of E-Commerce From London,” features an interview with Allied Wallet’s CEO, Andy Khawaja, ...
But here is Wired from Jan 2013
http://www.wired.com/magazine/21-01
the article does not seem to be listed by the Primary Source!
You can always email the people listed at the bottom here as Media Contacts: if you dont believe me.
21.01 January Issue Highlights | WIRED (http://www.wired.com/2013/01/current-21-01-january-issue-highlights/)

As for fortune
https://www.alliedwallet.com/publications/

Compare them to
Custom Content - Fortune (http://www.customcontentonline.com/fortune.html)

Those are the advertising sections in case you don't know. You won't find an actual article mentioning the Allied Wallet CEO in Fortune.
How about Businessweek?
Bloomberg has no news about Allied anything on that day
News Archive: Top News from December 24, 2012 - Bloomberg (http://www.bloomberg.com/archive/news/2012-12-24/)

"Bloomberg Businessweek", December 24, 2012 - MagsReview.com (http://magsreview.com/bloomberg-businessweek/bloomberg-businessweek-december-24-2012.html)

No Khawaja; no “A Global Vision” piece.
They do have this:
Allied Wallet, Ltd.: Private Company Information - Businessweek (http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=254456895)
Which might explain how a US company Bloomberg isn't referring to the US Allied Wallet Inc. but instead has the UK Allied Wallet Limited address and used Andy whereas the FBI used Ahmad and went after Allied Wallet Inc. the US company.

And in relation to the Time Magasine there is this



Allied Wallet has been speaking with nearly every major publication, offering interviews to financial-based publications like Fortune Magazine, technology-based publications like Wired Magazine, and even travel-based publications like United Airlines' Hemispheres Magazine.
In this month's 'I Have a Dream' - Martin Luther King, Double-Issue of TIME Magazine, Allied Wallet and its CEO are featured for their solutions and customer service in an article entitled, “Allied Wallet is Spreading the E-Commerce Gospel”


That to me is clearly putting out the message that they are being featured in a feature article by the magasine because Time were interested in them and not because they bought an ADVERTISEMENT in the magasine which they then dressed up as if it was a feature article.
I have not looked at all of these and some no doubt ( especially cover features ) are real features.
Newbusiness Summer 2014 for example.
https://www.alliedwallet.com/wp-content/uploads/New_Business_Summer_2014.pdf
You will also note unlike an advert, the name of the journalist is mentioned in the opening. This seems like a legitimate feature. Im sure that can be verified by contacting the Magasine.

But only at the end of that article do you realise it was a phone interview. The journalist never saw the offices or employees. Now I think I remember in the glossy brochure above there is the claim AW have 1,100 employees? Am I correct on that? I'm sure a journalist would notice that if they turned up at the office.
The company in the UK is worth a little over a half million which is mostly cash it has in the bank.
https://www.opencompany.co.uk/company/05832811/allied-wallet-ltd
I can only assume the “offices” are nameplates or virtual offices.
London Trafalgar Square Office Space - Serviced Offices for Rent - Regus Ireland (http://www.regus.ie/locations/office-space/london-trafalgar-square)

I could continue in my enquireries but I don't think that is necessary. I'm sure people can also go through their website.
So I'm prepared to say I accept Allied Wallet were not convicted of a criminal fraud in the US. They were only associated with one. I'm reminded of Father Ted “that money was only resting in my account” Crilly. As far as Torts go one could allege their misrepresentation of advertising is a civil fraud.
In Doyle v. Olby (Ironmongers) Ltd Lord Denning MR remarked, "it does not lie in the mouth of the fraudulent person to say that they could not reasonably have been foreseen."
Doyle v Olby (Ironmongers) Ltd - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doyle_v_Olby_%28Ironmongers%29_Ltd)

fraud means a false representation made (a) knowingly, (b) without belief in its truth, or (c) recklessly.

R v Ghosh - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R_v_Ghosh)
1. Was the act one that an ordinary decent person (normally considered to be the ubiquitous ‘The man on the Clapham omnibus’) would consider to be dishonest (the objective test)? If so*:
2. Must the accused have realised that what he was doing was, by those standards, dishonest (the subjective test)?

Beacon
05-11-2015, 02:56 PM
Khawaja has been busy
CorporateLiveWire Business Awards (http://www.corporatelivewire.com/BusinessAwards/CorporateLiveWireBusinessAwards2014/flipviewerxpress.html)

Contact Us - Corporate LiveWire (http://www.corporatelivewire.com/contact-us.html)
The Big Peg - 120 Vyse Street
Birmingham, B18 6NF
120 Vyse Street - The Big Peg, Birmingham, B18 6NF (http://www.showcase.co.uk/property/120-Vyse-Street/West-Midlands/Birmingham/7456031)
8 floor building
spare space on floors 1 through 6

About Us - Corporate LiveWire (http://www.corporatelivewire.com/about-us.html)
Lists no staff management or board members or company information.

Media Partnerships - Corporate LiveWire (http://www.corporatelivewire.com/media-partnership.html)
Shows no apartnership information
It is just a list of other companies with links to them
for example what is the partnership between Corporatelivewire and
Association Of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE)
link given Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Fraud Training Education and Certification (http://www.acfe.com/)
searching there for :
No Search Results for: "corporatelivewire"

No Search Results for: "corporatelivewire.com"

Need we go through all the other companies listed as "media partners"?

https://twitter.com/corplivewire
over 2700 tweets since 2011

Beacon
01-10-2016, 07:56 AM
they are on the financial services register

https://register.fca.org.uk/shpo_searchresultspage?search=Allied+Wallet

seem to have lost registration and moved from "payment services " to "emoney"
Company Number
05832811
You will find their filing history here:
At least they have a half million in shares.
https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05832811/filing-history?page=1+

cb9611
05-18-2016, 08:19 AM
Joining Allied Wallet in 2013 was a costly $5000 mistake.

With AlliedWallet you are guaranteed the following:

1) Loss of funds
2) Zero customer support
3) Unprofessional service
4) Become another foolish victim

I have experienced all 4.

My payouts suddenly stopped in August 2015 without any prior notice.

Receiving a response from AlliedWallet "customer support" has been virtually impossible, you have more chance of Leicester City football club winning the premier league.
The very brief and unhelpful reply from "customer support" stated my account was on hold due to low volume. In order for the funds to be released (approx $5000) volume should be increased.

Now, no one in their right minds would trust a tinpot company with more cash $$$?

Here is a little about my account:

I have zero charge backs
I have zero customer complaints
I have been in business 8+ years
My industry is mid-risk
Process approx $750/month via AlliedWallet

Let's be clear:

I was never never never informed of any account issues
$5000+ is sitting in my account (not including rolling reserve)
My AlliedWallet merchant account is fully functional
My AlliedWallet account panel states "Active"
I've been polite in all email correspondence (I might as well improve my odds of a reply)
To this day I've received only 1x brief email from "customer support"


Fortunately for me, scam merchants AlliedWallet was never my 1st choice provider, simply a backup solution.

If you are looking to lose money and potentially ruin your livelihood, go ahead sign-up fool !!!!

cb9611
05-21-2016, 09:14 AM
Update: Payout issue has been resolved successfully. I no longer feel my review is fair.
The lack of communication left me in limbo but Allied Wallet are not scam merchants.

ymra
09-29-2017, 01:13 PM
Thanks guys. The PM to me prompted me to do some research on Allied Wallet but at a different angle to the ones mentioned by you above. I was aware of a recent "expansion" using a UK address but havent looked up business registration or domain name as I expected others would supply this in any case. My research was more along the lines of how Allied Wallet presents itself for example while not illegal the "CEO/founder" has changed his first name from Ahmad to Andy. I found some interesting things. I'll allow others to post before I share my experiences. Where's Julie Dilligent when you need her? :)

Here is their own company overview. https://www.alliedwallet.com/wp-content/uploads/allied_wallet_overview_2014.pdf
Note their map of the world offices don't mention some but you will get them here

https://www.alliedwallet.com/contact/

If one were to accept glossy brochures and look at their press coverage one might think they have an impeccable record.
But I'm the sort of guy who suspects a "long con".

Here's some homework for you guys if you are interested
Note their staff ~ mentioned in the above pdf you can do a lot of digging on them background/web presence etc.


Also on the surface of it they have a Better Business Bureau A+ rating
But most people might not then read the complaints which do tie in with above staff names
Customer Reviews for Allied Wallet, Inc. - BBB serving Central, Northern and Western Arizona (http://www.bbb.org/phoenix/Business-Reviews/internet-services/allied-wallet-inc-in-scottsdale-az-36007629/Customer-Reviews)

I have been looking more at their branding and image. All this glossy brochure element gave me the impression that it was what I call a "Hollywood" type company. I'll explain that I hope in my next post.

Maybe in the meantime someone will post in support of Allied Wallet?

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________ ___


Dude, shut up, Allies is the worse, They take our hard earn money that we charge client cards for the products they buy from us business owners.
Don't try to make Allied Wallet as a good or honest company, For they are a big piece of crap,