TVI Express: recycled Fortuna Alliance pyramid scam

Image via Wikipedia

In the 1990's, when Internet is still young, the FTC busted a pyramid scammer called "Fortuna Alliance", that promised the same things that TVI Express is promising today. Want to see how much of a copycat TVI Express is when compared to a PROVEN scammer, the Fortuna Alliance? You won't like what you see, esp. if you are a member of TVI Express.

"In the complaint detailing the charges, the FTC charged that Fortuna Alliance, L.L.C., and four officers, marketed the pyramid scheme through a home page on the World Wide Web and with printed promotional materials. Using fabulous earnings claims, they induced tens of thousands of consumers in over 60 countries around the world to pay between $250 and $1750 to join their pyramid scheme, claiming that members would receive over $5,000 per month in 'profits' as others were induced to 'enroll.' In addition, Fortuna and its officers provided advice and promotional materials for members to recruit others to join the pyramid, both through direct contact and by setting up their own web sites. The FTC's complaint asked the court to order a permanent halt to the alleged deceptive practices and to order redress for the people Fortuna signed up to the scheme."

Cited from http://www.mlmlegal.com/fortunaftc.html

Homepage on the WWW: check
* TVIExpress.com, enough said

Tens of thousands of members / victims: check
* even our resident TVI Express booster Lynette claims 60000+ "members".

Pay between $250 to $1750: check
* On the TVI Express FAQ, it is stated that you can join up to SEVEN TIMES as the same person. So it's $250 for one, exactly $1750 for seven! 

Over $5000 a month in profit: check
* Cycle out of both boards, and you can get $250, then $10000 + e-vouchers!  And you're moved to another Express-board!

Provided advice on how to recruit others to join: check
* Lots of slide shows and such available on the website

Through direct contact AND through their own websites: check
* Just type in TVI Express into an Internet search engine, and you'll see "TVI Express Top Team" "TVI Express Global Team" and whatnot, and bazillion others. Not to mention various spammers spreading the TVI Express spiel on various bulletin boards, guestbooks, and whatnot.  Some of them are even willing to pay for press releases. Just look on Google News and do a search.

But wait, there's MORE!

"Fortuna Alliance ... operating from off-shore venues, including regional offices in Canada, Holland and New Zealand."

FTC called upon assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Foreign Litigation. Through that office, the U.S. government obtained a court order in Antigua, West Indies freezing company funds that had been transferred to an Antigua off-shore bank.

 Cited from http://www.babener.com/fortuna.html

Sounds familiar? TVI Express supposedly operates from London, but with offices found in Cyprus, India, England (but NOT London), and banks through an outfit in Costa Rica called Liberty Payments. 

Not only is TVI Express a scam, it is a COPYCAT SCAM.