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Amway and MLM scams get my goat. They're like a cult the way they operate and brainwash people. When I'm bored, I do a new thing with telephone scammers telling me I owe money or that my computer is infected with a virus or something and pretend to act really concerned and promise to send the money, etc. Then I pretend to get confused and not hear what they're saying or start telling them long drawn out stories just to waste their time and see how long they'll stay with it.
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Feb 21, 2016 19:50
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Domus posted:My Brother's father-in-law is one of the few people who actually make money from Amway. I doubt it. Typically what happens is they show you a check they got but neglect to mention all the money they themselves spent buying bullshit and attending seminars. It's a rebate of sorts. They might get a check for a thousand dollars or something but almost always they've spent 5 times that much to get it. I'd be interested to see the guy's actual tax returns.
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Feb 27, 2016 22:18
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The Ferret King posted:Yep. That's exactly what he said. Thanks for clarifying. Still not buying it. I'd love to see his tax returns and how much of his money comes from selling motivational tools and bilking suckers into attending conventions over actually running a business.
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Feb 28, 2016 22:26
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Has Bitcoin been brought up in this thread yet? I have a friend who I generally respect and like a lot but every now and again he brings up bitcoin and I just wince.
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Feb 29, 2016 02:47
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Who could forget the biggest scam of all? Comcast. They sign you up for a "deal" then gradually escalate your payments until you one day realize that your loving bill is $165. When you call them, you're on hold for an hour, dealing with a guy named "Steve" who somehow has a very thick Indian accent, then routed through several different departments where you're offered another "deal". Wash, rinse, repeat. Half the time your call is dropped entirely between transfers and you have to call back and go through the whole process again. There's no record of the previous call or anything you changed, ordered or cancelled. Somehow, 2 months later, your bill always winds up exactly where it was when you tried to pare it down and weed out the services you don't want. If you tell them you ONLY want internet and basic cable, somehow that costs MORE than extended cable, land line and internet. This is the biggest communications company in the world and they willfully and intentionally flat out suck at communicating. It's genuinely incredible to witness. And you have no recourse because they hardly have any competition. What I'm saying is "gently caress Comcast"
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Mar 4, 2016 00:34
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Arctic Bunny posted:One time as a teen a slightly disheveled dude came up to me outside a subway station and gave me a sob story how he and his daughter had been stranded in the city and someone had stolen their ids, bank cards and cash, and they needed 10€ for a long distance bus home. He had about 50 cents on him, and I had a few coins in the pocket, so I handed him about 1,50€, figuring that it's at least triple what he has got so far. Quickest way to weed these out is just offer to buy them the item they claim to need. I like to help people out but also hate getting scammed so, if they seem to really need help, I'll say "I'm not carrying any cash but I can buy you the (gas, bus ticket, food, diapers, etc.)" Nine times out of ten they pass which tells you how often they really need help and how often it's a con. Off the subject, but I love caper/con men/double cross movies (House of Games, Matchstick Men, Oceans Eleven, Hard Eight, The Sting, etc.). Can anyone recommend some good con man/scam movies?
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Apr 1, 2016 21:04
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Deified Data posted:I think I've only encountered one scam so far (that I'm aware of). That's not really a scam. The local paper where I live did the same thing. They had a booth at our farmer's market and the guy handed me a free copy of (yesterday's) newspaper and I was like "sure". Then he wanted me to subscribe. I think it's supposed to play on your guilt for accepting a free item so really more of a (cheesy) sales tactic than a scam. He looked dejected and upset when I said no too. The local paper sucks rear end and is dying on the vine.
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Apr 2, 2016 18:15
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photomikey posted:It is not hard for me to believe that you could exist better begging than you could working. You should go try it.
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Apr 8, 2016 00:35
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pastor of muppets posted:My friend told this story today. Not really a scam per se since no money exchanged hands, but back when we were in college.... this reminded me of something. Those kiosks that credit card companies set up at colleges offering a free bag of gummy bears or something to sign up for a 20% interest credit card that they know will gently caress these kids over. Most of them are so desperate for financial relief (and free gummy bears), they sign up right away and then gently caress up their credit by taking cash advances and poo poo. Legal, but scummy, and sort of a scam.
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Apr 10, 2016 16:29
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Antifreeze Head posted:I have some friends that considered paying an obscene amount of money to pretend to be a peasant in Mongolia. They eventually reconsidered, but not for a rational reason like paying someone else to do their farm work is a bad idea. Get some new friends.
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Apr 11, 2016 23:17
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That Robox posted:How common is it for MLM/Pyramid scams to team up? I don't know about the "teaming up" part but anywhere there's a crowd that might have anything resembling free time, they're all over it. I remember getting caught up in that Amway poo poo for about 3 weeks when I was waiting tables and some dude started telling me the secret to success and all that. A few years later, when I was waiting tables, there was an Amway convention in the hotel I was working at and every loving person I waited on left me a card and was "in town on some business". MLM is the worst. Worse than waiting tables where, unlike MLM's, you can actually make some money.
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Apr 12, 2016 20:52
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I read this book a while back after one of my friends started getting into the Amway poo poo. He changed almost overnight, and not for the better. http://www.transgallaxys.com/~emerald/ It's a free download and was fascinating to read. All about one dude's experience in Amway/Quixtar. Is there a dedicated MLM thread?
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Apr 14, 2016 19:22
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House Louse posted:Speaking of New York, there were a bunch of street vendors approaching me selling stuff on my one visit there. Are they mostly legit, or just way overpricing, or scammers? Counterfeit merchandise usually.
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Apr 29, 2016 23:14
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Boris Galerkin posted:I read that already. So is your whole arm just covered in bracelets right now?
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Jun 13, 2016 00:30
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What's the deal with those dudes who go around steaks door to door? Omaha I think they're called? Is it pretty common for people to buy meat like they do girl scout cookies? Are they any good? What's their angle?
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Jun 25, 2016 16:48
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Lutha Mahtin posted:where are all these stolen chips and parts coming from anyway? Frank Costello I think.
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Jun 28, 2016 18:18
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Professor Shark posted:See also: Shinola watches Well, I know them from poo poo anyway.
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Jun 30, 2016 15:15
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Professor Shark posted:See also: Shinola watches Not for nothing and it's not a scam, but has anyone noticed that in every watch ad the hands are set to 10 and 2? I wonder why that is? I discovered it 20 years ago when I used to do a lot of collage art and wound up making a whole piece on it titled "10 After 10". Apparently, this hand placement is the most esthetically pleasing position and generates more sales of watches. poo poo, Shinola or otherwise.
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Jun 30, 2016 17:57
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grack posted:It makes the watch face look "happy". It's not a secret. Well, apparently I don't know poo poo from shinola after all. What a happy looking watch that is. I believe I shall buy one.
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Jul 1, 2016 01:24
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KingRaizen posted:I have a story... You're going to laugh. I've had this one. I can't believe it works. Last time it happened to me I held the guy on the phone as long as possible pretending not to know how to work my computer and just really wasting his time. I was bored.
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Jul 6, 2016 15:57
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What's the thing where you're browsing online and your screen locks up and tells you you're under arrest or some poo poo and that the FBI has taken over your computer? Usually happens when you're looking at porn. Or so I'm told. Does anyone ever stupidly call this number and, if so, what happens? I assume they ask for money to unfreeze it or something but I admit to being a little impressed at how they can actually lock up my entire...um..."browsing" session. And while I'm on the subject, loving MacKeeper. Whatever that is. (Legend has it) this thing is a stubborn pop up on pornographic websites and does this weird backwards thing where if you click "cancel" it accepts your intent as "ok. install that" or refuses to leave the page. From what I've heard, MacKeeper is basically a terrible form of malware designed to gently caress up your mac somehow, but what does it DO? and what's their upside? It scares me sometimes to think how easy it is for online marketers and skeevy creeps to genuinely gently caress up your pc or laptop, especially knowing how much people use them for banking and finance and poo poo. And porn too. I hear some people look at porn on the internet.
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Jul 19, 2016 17:30
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Blackchamber posted:Ransomware. Some just lock up your browser, others can make using your computer near impossible, and the worst kind can encrypt your hard-drive and if you don't pony up it'll delete it. Even if you did pay them off theres no guarantee they'll unlock your poo poo. I'm just wondering how they DO it and it's utterly terrifying to me. I guess they target porn sites because a person is less likely to complain when they were looking at midget/foot fetish/scat/incest videos than "I was balancing my checkbook and then THIS happened" but, still. Just being able to lock your browser like that... I dunno. It's spooky to me. I think it's only a matter of time before they really hijack bank accounts, power grids and credit card info and poo poo, which I know has already happened but to some extent, but aren't the government and military computers notoriously antiquated and out dated? It's this weird digital arms race that I think is only going to escalate. For years, I insisted on writing and mailing checks for bills, only using ONE credit card that had a really low limit for online purchases and what have you, until I realized that all I was doing was mailing in my checks to somoene else who would simply key it into a computer anyway. This whole online privacy genie is WAY out of the bottle. I even think it's weird how Facebook algorithms connect me to people and how certain online sights ask me a car I owned 20 years ago or a place I rented for 6 months as a security question. Creeps me out.
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Jul 20, 2016 20:38
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Over the course of a rather long job search, I've received maybe 10 calls/emails from a company called Primerica. It's loving ridiculous. NO WHERE on my resume, in my job experience or in my skill set is there anything whatsoever to suggest I would be good at sales or slinging life insurance. I'm a freelance illustrator, graphic designer and pre-press specialist. That's all I've ever done. I couldn't figure out why this "company" kept contacting me and red flags went up right away the first time they did because I could recognize the standard MLM pitch and buzzwords. "You'll get out of it what you put in", "Your work determines your success", etc. I've even asked the last few people who've contacted me "What exactly did you see on my resume or LinkedIn profile that would suggest I would be good at this?" They talk about "work ethic" and how "sharp" and "accomplished" I seem. Seems like bullshit. Near as I can tell, I guess it's a MLM based insurance company, although I'm not sure how that would work. I guess you get "points" or whatever from people you recruit and if they sell a (probably worthless) policy, you get money from their sales. Google turns up the usual "war of the message board comments" that usually surrounds poo poo like Amway and Herbalife. Anyone know about Primerica? Are the policies worthless? Is at an MLM? Anyone else get these stupid calls? Edit: guess I could have just Wiki'd it. Yes it's bullshit. Anyone here actually try it? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primerica
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Sep 18, 2016 17:24
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ToxicSlurpee posted:
From forever ago but I recently called Comcast to cancel my cable TV and landline after my mother was permanently hospitalized (she wanted that poo poo). As of now, I'm still receiving cable TV. I haven't gotten a bill yet but why do I suspect that they'll have no record of me cancelling my service even though I turned in almost all of my equipment? I kept the one box because the poo poo still worked, figuring I'd hand that in once the signal went out. gently caress...now Im worried they'll have no record of me returning the equipment. Comcast is amazing in its fuckery.
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Aug 2, 2017 19:48
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Proteus Jones posted:Did you turn in the equipment at a depot/servive center? If so, you've got your receipt ilmucche posted:comcast Yeah, I have the receipts for what I returned. I gathered up the boxes and remotes and poo poo out of the two bedrooms I wasn't using about 2 or 3 days after the cancel order and when I went to do the living room, I left it on to see if they'd honored my request to shut it off and was surprised when it worked. I've had instances in the past where TV service came through even though i wasn't ordering so decided to hang on to the remaining box and remote until the TV went out. I've canceled cable Tv in the past like when I moved or something and had the signal go dead that day no matter how long I kept the equipment. I simply got charged for not returning the boxes/DVR/whatever, which on occasion took a month for various reasons. This smells like bullshit where I can't prove that I CANCELLED the service over the phone so they can bill me for another month and wear me down trying to prove it. They never said anything about 10 days or even having to return stuff at all other than being charged for those boxes and poo poo if I didn't do it within a time frame. They're supposed to shut off the TV and bill me the monthly fee for any equipment.
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Aug 6, 2017 22:16
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Platystemon posted:What does holding on to the box get you? To confirm that they canceled the service like I asked. Without it, I can't check.
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Aug 6, 2017 23:26
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Absurd Alhazred posted:
No. It means I should only have to pay the $10 bucks/month or whatever it is for the loving box I didn't return yet, since that is itemized on my loving bill as a rental service, or pay for it in full if I fail to return it. They told me to "return the equipment at my convenience but by the next billing cycle to avoid being charged for those items ". What if I lost a remote or a modem or some poo poo during a move and it took me a few weeks to find it? Which has actually happened... I moved my mother from Delaware to Florida last year and didn't return Verizon's poo poo for 3-4 weeks but we didn't get charged for her non existent "service" at another address. The loving TV was off the same day I called. Same when I moved my family. Took us a few weeks to get around to unpacking and returning the boxes/remotes but our "service" was immediately cancelled and not billed. "Holding up my end" has nothing to do with it. If I wanted, I could continue to "rent" the box without TV service in perpetuity as long as I pay that itemized rental charge, which has in fact always been the case in my experience. Why is this difficult for you to grasp? Do you work for a telecom or something? I'll return the one remaining loving box tomorrow if it makes you feel any better and then report back.
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Aug 6, 2017 23:54
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Absurd Alhazred posted:You're using the cable service, though. I am usually on the consumer's side because cable companies are assholes, but you're literally keeping the box and using it, and wondering how you're going to get away without paying for this service you're using, because you asked them to shut it off. I don't think you read anything I wrote, especially since you ignored half of it. See if you can spot the flaw in your sentence up there. Just shut off the loving cable TV and itemize me for the equipment until I get around to returning it. I'm not "trying to get away with anything" beyond paying for what I asked for (internet only) and a willingness to pay for the box/remote I still have. I don't even really watch TV. 3 or 4 days later after cancelling I was surprised it still worked and wondered if they'd hosed up, which, being Comcast and all, has happened a LOT and seemed within the realm of possibility. I've cancelled my phone service before and still had the phone they leased me. Phone was OFF quick. Same with internet and a modem. I've dealt with several deceased relatives where service was shut off and equipment took me forever to find and return. I can't believe we're arguing about this.
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Aug 7, 2017 00:26
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Absurd Alhazred posted:I'm trying to read what you're saying, but nothing of what you're saying makes "I shouldn't pay for this service" consistent with "I am using equipment I have but have not returned, although I was supposed to, to 'check" whether the service I canceled is still working" unless you think cable companies are suckers. They didn't say I had to return it in a given time frame or that cancellation was contingent on sending back their magic precious box, only that I'd be billed for it (the equipment charge) once it hit the next billing cycle if I didn't. Christ. i still have internet service through them and lease a modem for instance which I pay for both. BiggerBoat fucked around with this message at 00:46 on Aug 7, 2017 |
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Aug 7, 2017 00:44
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monster on a stick posted:Dear Comcast, Right. Pretty much. I still have service with them. Just canceled the TV/DVR and stupid landline phone part that my mom wanted. I should go see if the phone still works. I bet it does and it's not related to equipment rentals. I'll say it one last time: they said return the equipment before the next billing cycle to avoid being charged for the equipment. Nothing and no one anywhere said that cancelling my service was contingent on a timely or scheduled return of the god damned box. Christ, OK. You guys win. I'll surrender to the Comcast police tomorrow and confess. No one here has ever cancelled service, moved somewhere and taken a while to find or return equipment? Did you get billed for the entire service for the whole month anyway from your previous residence? Lutha Mahtin posted:why do you keep avoiding the issue of the fact that you signed legal contracts with this company, yet you don't want to address these actual contracts that you signed? you signed contracts, thus if you have done your homework legally this would be pretty easy to sort out right? post the text of the contract(s) imo Because cancelling the loving TV was not contingent on a time frame for returning the equipment and I asked them that specifically when I cancelled. I have one box and one remote. It's been like a loving month. I still have (internet) service with them and lease a modem. They said for every cycle I still have their stuff, I get billed FOR THAT STUFF. Christ, I'll jump right on it tomorrow and remember to consult a lawyer next time but good job dogpiling on me in the scam thread and defending the second shittiest company earth behind Amway. I get that it's funny. And, yeah, hang on, give me sec. Let me go find, scan and post the loving contract from Comcast, lol.
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Aug 7, 2017 01:08
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Watermelon Daiquiri posted:to be fair to him, every time ive had to return equipment it had absolutely zero to do with the service, billing or otherwise. The only thing that was ever mentioned about the dvrs/routers was that we'd be charged the full price for it if it weren't returned on time, not that they'd continue the service and the charges for the service in perpetuity. Thank you. Thank you for reading my loving posts. The DVR was returned. It's been ONE MONTH and I have one box and one remote. I'm gonna let it drop now, return the mother loving box tomorrow and maybe I'll report back. But I got a call yesterday from an old friend I haven't heard from in years who wants to show me this great business opportunity where I can work for myself and be rich working from home. I also got two voicemails: one from some Prince i Egypt or some poo poo and one from the IRS so I need to look into that. So maybe Tuesday.
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Aug 7, 2017 01:43
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Comcast cable box update. I returned the remaining equipment I had but, stunningly, they had no record of me even attempting to cancel my TV and phone services and gave me a direct number to call to do it AGAIN, so the month delay for the last box I kept had nothing to do with anything. My bill WAS lower, because of the poo poo I had returned right away, but, as I suspected, they basically just left the service on because they could and I had no way to prove I had called so they billed me for it. The dude at Xfinity store straight up told me that the delay in the equipment return had no bearing on anything and gave me the REAL number to call for cancellation so gently caress all you people that tried to hang this horseshit on me.
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Aug 11, 2017 19:49
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No one's spoken about Amway and MLM in a while but, skimming the thread, I've noticed some people actually say that they "know a friend who made $xx,xxx. He showed me a check". to which I say, no. No he or she did not. You may have seen a check for say $10,000 but what they're not telling you is that it's not net profit and that they bought $9,000 worth of bullshit that month/year/whatever. I have a real hard on for MLM's and those that get wrapped in it, similar to mega churches and faith healers. They grind my gears and piss me off. ... BTW, I know I said I'd let it drop but I also promised a follow up to my posts about Comcast. Surprised to see so many defenders of this poo poo company on here and people mis reading what i was saying but they credited and back dated my cancellation, acknowledged that there was no time table on returning the equipment and confirmed what I had posted; that I was ONLY supposed to be charged for unreturned boxes and NOT the TV and phone I cancelled. So there's that.
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Aug 16, 2017 19:32
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Platystemon posted:Whoa, Comcast’s PR firm is now posting comments on dead comedy fora. I thought the same thing based on how many people were calling me out.
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Aug 16, 2017 20:09
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Lutha Mahtin posted:you're an ungrateful crybaby, we get it already Go gently caress yourself. You were one of the main people telling me I did something wrong and glossing over the specific details of my posts. Now you're calling me a crybaby for straightening it out and posting that Comcast admitted their error? The gently caress is wrong with you?
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Aug 16, 2017 20:33
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I've received a ton of these things ever since I abandoned my landline and began listing my primary contact number on my resume and applying for jobs with it. Seems to me we're going to need and entirely new "Do Not Call" registry, similar to the "unsubscribe" feature on span emails. I don't get why telecoms can't make call blocking a basic feature of the service and the phone either. Telemarketers aside, you think about things like stalkers, abusive spouses, crazy exes and other estranged parties and you'd think at this stage it'd be a built in feature rather than an app you had to install. Semi related, since I started applying for new jobs online, I get at lest one call a week from some MLM shithead at Primerica (I think it is) who, for whatever reason, seem to think that my extensive background in offset printing, graphic design, sign making and Adobe Creative Suite would make me a loving GREAT insurance salesman.
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Aug 30, 2017 00:29
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maskenfreiheit posted:blocking doesn't help it's a different # each time It's a loving arms race. Why not extend the Do Not Call list to cell phones then? It was one of the few good things GWB actually accomplished.
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Aug 30, 2017 01:15
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I've thought a lot about pretending to sign up for some of these MLM scams and doing an undercover documentary of sorts or writing a book. See how far I can penetrate it without going broke.
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Aug 31, 2017 03:58
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That job offering reminded me of Primerica. not sure if it's been mentioned in this thread. When I was job hunting I kept getting calls offering me a sales job, which was baffling because my work history and resume is nothing but printing and graphic design. It's a MLM style insurance company and apparently, they'll call ANYONE and offer them this "opportunity." Finally after telling the 4th or 5th person that called that I wan't interested, I asked them "what speficially did you see on my resume that makes you think I'd be good at sales?" and the guy said "you seem sharp". Click.
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Nov 17, 2017 18:05
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We had an MLM thread here for a while. I have real serious issues with these assholes, even though I personally wasn't really duped. Thing that pisses me off a lot is the people who say "there's people making really good money in Amway. In knew a guy who was making blah, blah blah." No, they're not and no he wasn't. They'll show you a rebate check or something and leave out the fact that typically they had to spend 10x that amount to earn their points. They basically get a check back (rebate) for buying product for themselves and call it a commission. Plus the loving brainwashing is frightening. Google "Amway seminar" on youtube.
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Dec 11, 2017 14:44
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