Why are MLMs/ Network Marketing 'businesses' a scam?

[Spongebobette]

This is the 44th thread in a long series about the dangers of network marketing/ MLMs such as Forever Living, Ariix, NuSkin, Arbonne, Younique, Valentus, TS Life, and MANY MANY more!
Posts here will give examples of the lies told by 'top bots' who portray luxury lifestyles in order to lure in new victims and of the other techniques and brainwashing used by MLMs
Over 90% of people who join an MLM end up LOSING money. Always bear that in mind when considering paying money to join!

Annnnnnd Roomie's book is now unavailable on Amazon. Sommat is up.

How weird. Her author page is still on Facebook but with no posts for over a week.

There's something odd going on that's for sure.

Roomie's still on Twitter and instagram but not really mentioned her book for the last week having mentioned it every two seconds before that .

Also there's been no mention of Forever Lying, aloe shite or her team. Not even a rictus grin selfie.

Her aunt left a very long review spelling out which bits of her story weren't true. She may well have had a solicitor's letter.

The perils of self-financing your own book to be published without a proper publisher behind you to advise maybe?

Although that doesn't explain the fact that she appears to have dropped FL like a hot potato.

Her aunt left a very long review spelling out which bits of her story weren't true. She may well have had a solicitor's letter.

My thoughts exactly. This happened to a friend of mine who got a letter before action from a solicitor accusing him of defamation and libel after he wrote a novel based on his life. He ended up having a to remove his book from all online outlets (it was only published as an ebook). I think the solicitors threatened his publishers as well, just for good measure.

Am I right in thinking Roomie's publishers were bots? Or were they just responsible for the cosmetic side of producing something which resembles an ebook? If they were responsible for checking content would it be reasonable to hope they'd take legal advice from a media law expert?

I have to say, the timing of Roomie being locked out of Facebook due to "hacking" has been very convenient for her.

She hasn't had to avoid or answer any awkward questions about her book or the fact it's suddenly "currently unavailable" on Amazon.

The timing is also great for if she was thinking of rebranding herself from a FL bot to an author/public speaker....

All reference to roomie’s book is no longer on the publisher’s page either!

Plot thickens.....

Oh I feel a bit sorry for Roomie actually. Not that she may have fabricated bits (according to the aunt anyway) but because she worked hard on that book and she was obviously proud of it, I really thought that might give her the push to knock FL on the head.

I read the aunts very well worded review of Roomie's book. Interesting that the book has been removed. Defamation anyone?

It is a real shame that her hard work has ended up this way though

Some things that occur to me re Roomie:

• I think she probably wrote 'her truth'; her memories won't be reliable of course, particularly if she had traumas, but she may sincerely believe that what she wrote is accurate. As she had no legal guidance before publishing, and named people, she has exposed herself to legal issues.

• however, if she did knowingly embroider the truth a bit to make the story more sensational, this is the result of the 'training' she has had from Forever Living, which encourages bots to exaggerate in order to create the impression they want. There are never any consequences when bots do this, they just move on and create the narrative as they go, so she's got into very bad habits.

• the 'publishing company' is run by ex FL bots and they have no pedigree or training in publishing, which goes to show that you can't trust a bot!

Bang on Spongebobette.
I also think she paid for this to be published in some sort of publisher package deal. The onus of truth would have been on her, in fact she probably signed a disclaimer. The 'publisher' walks away and she's left with no book to show for her money.

As I think I mentioned before she has bought herself the title of "author" just as she (and all these new bots) buy themselves the title of "business owner" or "business coach".

Just because you part with hard-earned cash and call yourself something, doesn't mean you know anything about it (and this applies to botj Roomie the "author" and her so-called ex-FL bot "publishers")

I get the impression that the company in question are basically helping people self publish with more success (proof reading, marketing, Amazon best seller strategy etc) and taking a fee for doing so. They are not listed as the publisher for the books they have worked on.

The exclusive package has an optional extra of 'responsible storytelling certification' but no mention of legal advice.

Oh good, Sleaze is back.

Sponge is spot on.

The whole thing about Roomie's book shouts bottery from start to finish.

Bots are encouraged to think that they are whatever they want to be - buy a starter pack, and you're an independent business owning entrapeneur (sic); flog a sympathy-purchased lip balm to an acquaintance, and you are smashing it; recruit someone into your downline, and you are a global business coach; pay to have your scribblings published, and you are a best-selling author...

You are taught this by your uplines (and, in this case, the bot 'publishers') who will bombard you with flattery while you are lining their pockets.

As with all aspects of MLM, the truth is that you are on your own when the real world hits. In the same way that it is the hapless bots plugging the lies that their uplines feed them who get a knock on the door from trading standards, or get short shrift from the landlord regarding their rent arrears despite 'smashing their biz', the poorly-advised 'author' is left to face the consequences (financial and possibly legal) while those that have profited from it all walk away...

Jasper- if they charged for proofreading, Roomie is entitled to a refund.

Did you buy it @twenty?

I read the extended sample that was available prior to release (first few chapters).

I will not pass judgement on style or content, but there were many simple errors that a cursory proofreading would have picked up.

My work involves translating, editing, proofreading and copy writing. As I said, this is not a critique of the author, but if someone told me they had proofread it, I would ask them to start again before invoicing...

Twenty have you scrutinised the website? The bots behind it would describe you as a "copyrighter." Yes, they lay claim to having the skills of journalists and copyrighters [sic] in their considerable bank of bot-wisdom. The irony kills me ... 😂😂

I also wonder what happened.

I hope Roomie is ok. The book clearly meant a lot to her. I hope she has support.

I’m finding it hilarious 😂.

Also, I meant to ask about that negative review that got taken down. I know someone who had a book in a similar vein published and she also attracted some negative reviews. She had them all removed, even though some of them were “verified purchase” reviews. How does that work with Amazon? Why would a negative review be deleted just because the author doesn’t like it?

My author acquaintance was actually approached to write her story and no self publishing was involved, btw.

Wig’n’Sleaze are two of the most abhorrent people on the planet. I noticed someone who appeared to be vulnerable commenting on Wig’s latest bag of bollocks status about taking risks accompanied with the usual over filtered selfie. After falling down the rabbit hole that is his profile I discovered he is autistic to the point he has a support worker and that pair of scamming bastards took him for at least €88 last year at the height of their 3D printing GCC nonsense, promising him thousands monthly. His whole family called out Wig’n’Sleaze and his mum eventually reported them to the police for taking advantage of a vulnerable person. I’d love to know if anything happened after that, but I think not.
It also looks like he’s recently been taken in again by another crypto scam. God these people boil my piss.

I just did likewise @bigbots. Thank goodness that poor man had friends & family to try to protect him.