MLM Bot Watch 17- chat about Utah based tragicomic cultastic racketeering scamalangadingdongs like Forever Living, Ariix, Herbalife, Younique, Juiceplus etc etc etc

[Toobusytowee]

A brief history of the threads so far-

A few people were bemused at their friends' strange personality changes when they joined MLMs.
Eyespying told us they were tragicomic, thought stopping cultic racketeers.
We told him to go away, he was clearly obsessed, and can he go to his own serious thread?
We delved a bit deeper into the issues.
Eyes started creeping back. We told him he was too serious.
We became more horrified at the information being turned up and were sharing links.
Eyes told us aboutMerchants of Deception.
Timeless Vie was set up as a parody about MLMs.[[www.facebook.com/timelessvie
Facebook,]] Twitter, blog, Instagram and YouTube were all used.
People started coming forward, telling of their experiences in MLMs.
We became more horrified.
Bot Watch started on Facebook where links were put up of interest to do with MLMs.
Botwatchblog started and produced factual analysis of the discussions from MN.
MLM members (bots) waded in saying it was all ok. You can earn great money. You just have to work 19 hours a day and not worry about morals.
Bots complained about their names being used. Their lawyers complained to MNHQ so that MN now do not allow us to use bots' names or show screengrabs of their writings even if it is in the public domain.
Blogs and FB posts increased, with the increasing amount of facts and whistleblowers coming forward.
FL lawyer tried to get TV YouTube video banned.
Bots claimed we were bullying them because we were asking them questions they couldn't answer. we were called middle aged women and accused of being drug dealers.
It got a bit nasty so we ate some cheese for a bit and they went away.
Health claims from FL bots now reducing dramatically as a result of pestering from all of us.
We stopped telling Eyes he was too serious. We all started thinking in his language and realised he was right.
Eyes turned out to be very funny and entertained us all.
Sunday Times article produced exposing FL. With a little help from people here.
Lawyers still persisting in trying to ban TV's videos.

Some links of interest-
A factsheet aimed at people considering joining an MLM or who have just done so, to warn them of some facts. tinyurl.com/ha6sgxw

A film of herbalife victims describing what it is like in their MLM-

A film on how to spot a pyramid scheme-

A comedy review of an MLM product- www.youtu.be/4yr_etbfZtQ

My nuskin bot just posted this on FB. Says she was sceptical...but makes 375 a month. And will be level 6 by November ...where is she getting this from....surely not real?!

Just looked at the website for the tree supermarket thing. It's so badly written and unbelievable but people are obviously falling for it: 3 separate people have popped up on my newsfeed today advertising it's amaaaaazing opportunity.

Well done, Toobusy.

Hopping on

toobusy working on a bank holiday, in the evening? u should join an MLM hun, then you never have to work and /or have to work 19 hours a day

eyes you were very thick skinned to endure all our subtle and not so subtle attempts to shake you off in the early days. When you finally emerge from what I can only hope assume is an Easter egg induced coma I look forward to more of your insights

Good Grief, Ifi. Do you even need to ask?

It's truly sad though all the same.

Most of the videos throw lots of (large) figures around, stopfaffing. (Referencing an earlier thread here.) It would burn out your brain if you didn't let at least some of them just wash right over you.

Someone who is VERY distantly related to me does this, I think it's a juice cleanse one.

It smacks of not wanting to get a proper job really.

Are we getting anywhere with TV merchandise? Thinking about work, I have an FL bot here. She has a large FL drinking bottle. I'm thinking a few TV mugs might reset the balance a little bit.

we are. we have images for printing, we are just waiting for them to be sized correctly for the products we want to create.

hola, everyone.

throwingpebbles I've been taking it easy today - 'an Easter egg induced coma,' is not too far removed from the truth. Tomorrow, my Bond Girls and I might attempt to attack the remaining half kilo of Jeff de Bruges Easter chocolates.

Good to have a weekend of chocolate feasting to balance out all the cheese eyes

A good friend of mine has just signed up to FL. She has recently gone back to work after mat leave and is struggling with costs. A co-worker told her it was a good idea.

:(

I have tried saying 'I've heard good and bad about things like that, think I read a thread about MLMs on Mumsnet'

and

'Oh my only worry is that is I've heard you make more off recruiting than selling'

But she thought maybe all her friends could sell it, as if we'd all enjoy that?

She is a super lovely person who for all I know will read this one day. She thinks the best of people and thinks FL makes decent products.

I suppose it depends how you first meet FL. An old FB friend of mine has been spamming about them for years so I have been wary for a long time. If it was new to me I might think it's more like Avon which most people is hard to make money with, but at least isn't an MLM (right?).

BTW everyone, I have been invited to this, but I don't think I shall be attending.

www.valuewalk.com/2016/03/bill-ackman-herbalife-betting-on-zero/

HopefulHamster 'Avon' used not to be an 'MLM,' but lately it has become a sort of half-baked 'MLM.'

pyramidschemealert.org/has-mlm-corrupted-avon/

God that's a depressing but useful read Eyespying

Hi everyone :) have enjoyed reading the threads and loving Tiimeless Vie - absolutely brilliant!

I know a few FL bots and can see all of the brainwashing that you have all spoken of within all their posts and the way the conduct themselves.

It is a real eye opener to be honest!

However, It is making me question myself and I feel like a hypocrite even posting on here.

Over the past couple of years I have done Avon (still buy from them, quite fond of them childhood memories of treating myself with pocket money when my Mum's Avon Lady dropped a book off), Scentsy (overpriced, difficult to sell but still use every day at home) and Actiderm (Acti is beyond tacky in how they promote and the products aren't that great).

I now do Body Shop at Home parties -- after reading these threads I suppose I can see I am a MLM addict however I am not under any illusions that it is a get rich quick scheme. I joined after having a party myself and felt that Body Shop is somehow different to other companies due to their history, ethics, retail presence etc. I'm not naiive and I know the party side of it is MLM but I entered into it understanding all of that and with no intention to recruit I just do it for friends to get their stuff from me as we don't have a local store and to get my stuff cheaper. Anything I make is a bonus really, I have made back my initial outlay and enough to cover what I lost with other schemes and I do have a "proper" job in HR within the public sector.

Honest opinions please, is Body Shop different to companies such as FL, JP, Herbalife et al or are they just as bad?

our Twitter link for any new lurkers / de lurkers

When 'MLM' racketeers and propagandists talk about their Industry being more than 100 years old, they are referring to the 'California Perfume Company,' founded in 1886 and which became 'Avon' in 1939.

In reality, the first 'MLM' racket appeared just after WWII and its bosses pretended to be running a legitimate direct selling scheme, just like 'Avon.'

Extract du parslai rocks!

It felt really odd not writing that as parslaii though.

really sad story of Herbalife victim

Just spotted this on Twitter. Behind all the bad jokes and cheese convos humour, this is why I keep coming back to these threads.
How many more people have to go through this before the regulators finally do something?????

Hi windy I've bought from Avon and Body Shop in the past, also got my gas, electric, phone, broadband through Utility Warehouse (just broadband now) and they also pay commission if you recommend someone to join. I don't think they are in the same league as some of the MLM companies we've been investigating though. Avon and Body Shop stuff is reasonably priced and outrageous medical claims don't get made. U Warehouse is usually in the Which top three energy companies due to their value for money and customer support (always been very good imo).