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illegal "pyramid scheme". Thats all you need to know. An illegal "pyramid scheme" is a form of multi-level marketing where the product or service is only of secondary importance, or there may be no product at all in the case of gifting or blessing scams. To join, you must pay some type of initial investment that gives you the right to recruit others into the company. For each person you bring into the company you receive money, or other bonuses or move closer to your big pay day Therefore, your earning potential depends primarily on how many people you sign up, not how much merchandise is sold.

Washington law declares the following practices illegal under the Anti-pyramid Promotional Schemes Act:

(1) No person may establish, promote, operate, or participate in any pyramid scheme.

(2) A limitation as to the number of persons who may participate, or the presence of additional conditions affecting eligibility for the opportunity to receive compensation under the scheme, does not change the identity of the scheme as a pyramid scheme.

(3) It is not a defense under chapter 65, Laws of 2006 that a person, on giving consideration, obtains goods, services, or intangible property in addition to the right to receive compensation, nor is it a defense to designate the consideration a gift, donation offering, or other word of similar meaning.

What is meant by an "investment"?

An investment includes any money paid to enter the venture. Though it may be called a "membership fee" or a "bookkeeping charge", the law still considers it to be an investment. And an inventory of products you must buy to resell is also considered an investment. Giving your time or talents, or buying demonstration samples at cost, are not considered investments.

Location: Gig Harbor, Washington

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Guest

If you were to actually read into the company a bit more it shows that when you sign someone up you DO NOT make any money off of an individual signing up. Money is only made (a small percentage) of when the person you brought on starts to make money by bringing in other customers.

Above you all are saying that for it to be a "Pyramid Scheme" when you bring someone on and they pay their fees you make a Determined amount or percentage for every person coming on board. By the looks of it not the typical "Pyramid Scheme" but a decently thought out plan

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-805264

Then where are the bonuses from?

Guest

"A fool and his money are soon parted"

"A sucker is born every minute"

These are the two founding principles behind the success of ACN. Everything else is a clever, 'legally' structured business model using even more clever word games. Ethical? Absolutely not. Do their tactics work and defy the consumer protection authorities? Yes. "You can't touch this". O.J. Simpson committed murder and his bank of lawyers successfully defended him.

Want a $500 dollar investment the touts the same dream but doesn't require you to swindle family, friends and gullible strangers, and actually funds community projects? Buy $500 worth of lottery tickets - about the same odds for success and a lot less work! And oh yeah, someone always wins too...who knows but next time it could be you. Ah limitless wealth and riches, here I come!

To coin ACN reps' favourite testemonial expression, joining ACN is "a no brainer". Go ahead. Make my day. Join ACN but please be sure to check your brain at the door and suspend all rational thinking. No brainer indeed.

Guest

Karinita,

To be honest, I think you would be wasting your time and money in an attempt of a legal complaint against ACN Inc. They operate within consumer laws and can they get any higher legal representation they what they have? Take a look at acnintegrity dot com

Guest

Do you know where people could fill out a legal complain against ACN Inc?

Guest

"There can be confusion between an acceptable multilevel distribution marketing scheme and a pyramid scheme. Both will exhibit a pyramid structure, but a multilevel marketing scheme will reward participants for the sale of genuine products by them or the people they have brought into the scheme.

Rewards are based on product sales not for enlisting others. Goods sold must be genuine products; the type consumers buy from time to time.

Guest

Is ACN a pyramid scheme.

ACN has had to defend itself from others calling it a pyramid scheme, however this has most likely happened because of the power filled industry of telecommunications and essential services that it is involved in. ACN has won every time regarding this in the court of law.

A few key extracts to clear up any confusion

A pyramid type practice is similar to a chain letter operation. Such a program is inherently deceptive for the seemingly endless chain must come to a halt inasmuch as growth cannot be perpetual and the market becomes saturated by the number of participants....Thus many participants are mathematically barred from ever recouping their original investments, let alone making profits.

"There can be confusion between an acceptable multilevel distribution marketing scheme and a pyramid scheme. Both will exhibit a pyramid structure, but a multilevel marketing scheme will reward participants for the sale of genuine products by them or the people they have brought into the scheme. Rewards are based on product sales not for enlisting others. Goods sold must be genuine products; the type consumers buy from time to time.

Pyramid selling may involve the pretence of selling goods but often they are over-priced, of poor quality, difficult to sell and of little value. But promotion and sales are of little importance; the target is recruiting people and collecting their fees."

Guest

IBO's can make 10% of their own customers, month after month after month

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-493818

It's up to 10%. Clarify that.

Guest

ACN Mark, how can you make $1000/month money without recruiting anyone, when you get .5% of commission on services? The math doesn't work, if you haven't gotten anyone signed up under you in the ACN scheme, then you HAVE to have gotten $200,000 per month in services signed up to make $1k/mo!! Your claim smells fishier than a rotting whale!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-492741

Hay,Anonymous. Do do your homework before your man pleasing mouth opens.

Cellphones are three points and merchant services 5 points poor line. After 30 points it's already over 3% income. That's only 10 cell phone lines. You only need 60 people paying $40 a month for 10% residual income.

So get your facts straight. Anonymous the ***.

Guest

I see the cult members have responded in force....

Guest

So this is an illegal pyramid scheme in which the product that ACN is secondary to "membership fees?" That is very strange seeing how I am making over $1000 a month and have not signed up a single person. Now what was that again about not being able to make money unless your recruit?

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-290965

lol ACN Mark

*** ***

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-290965

12,000 a year, huh. Well I suppose that income is above the poverty line. But doesn't part time work as a cashier in McDonalds pays more?

Guest

Mark, I am with you. I was also able to have some success with ACN and think it is pretty *** that so many people have to bad mouth the company based on their own personal failures.

I am not a fresh fish either, I have been with ACN for a few years now.

Every year has been better than the last. It is not my only job, but it has been a strong focus.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-281857

So parenthood you must be climbing the pyramid if you have been with acn a few years.My question to you is how many people have you talked into coming to the pyramid meetings.I would like to know how many of these people you have encouraged to pay 500 to join.It is common knowledge 98% dont earn a dime.I bet your gonna say they didnt "work" as hard as you have right?My next question is hard work harrasing friends and family to sign up for services thru you?Or maybe you consider it hard work to dupe people you know into coming to pyramid meetings and leting acn suck 500 dollars out of their bank acct.It baffles me how you acn clones sleep at night.My last question is how many of these poor people will still talk to you.I guess it doesnt matter as long as you are making money ,right?

Guest

:grin - Sorry plenty of typos- should be written as do not spend your last dime. etc.

etc.

I am sure you get the msg. PEACE!!!

Guest

:eek - I have not join. However I called a friend who like MLM ventures.

They informed me that ACN had a bad rap in New York, Phila., and CT. They are tying to build themselves back up through Donald Trump- Celebrity Apprentice. I say! If you do not have the money do not spend your last time.

If you do not like people.. do not join... if you are not a good closer do not join. If you are lazy..do not join.

If you do not believe in anything..

do not join. If you are a risk taker and you feel you can make a difference, then join.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-281515

BLAH BLAH BLAH Yvette!Although you say you havent joined,it sounds like you have been sipping acn cool aid.What the *** is hard work to you Yvette?Is it clling everyone you know over and over again to try to get them to come to an acn pyramid meeting.Is it calling you friends and family and pestering them into signing up thru acn on all their telecom services.What the *** do acn cult members consider hard work?Is it really hard to be a nusance to society and talk everyone into wasting their money on acn ***?

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