TVI Express boosters can't argue, tries ignore instead

"I can't hear you!" Image by baking_in_pearls via Flickr

On the Voice of Sikkim website, I invited all TVI boosters to actually try to explain WHY their business is legitimate. Instead of answering me, all they did was keep posting advertising spiel from TVI Express, many of which have already been debunked. To help them along, I even posted specific questions, such as "Why is TVI Express NOT a pyramid scheme, based on the definition of pyramid scheme as given by the E.U, or the American FBI?" And guess what answer I got?

"Whatever you will post it is doesn’t matter for us bcoz peoples knows the truth about TVI Express. Negativities people will boost up the energy level of Leader. We are going to inaugurated world class branch office in the heart of Sikkim at Gangtok. We will send you Invitation letter soon."

Or put it in other words, "I don't care what you say."

Well, how much legitimacy would YOU put in a company who will NOT bother to defend themselves against being compared to pyramid scheme?

Chinese blogger debunks myth of TVI Express' "London Office"

Chinese blogger did a detailed analysis of how TVI Express does NOT exist in London. He is basing his analysis on the old Marble Tower address, but the analysis still stands. You can read the Google Auto-Translation here, though not all of the screenshots came through.

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.sina.com.cn%2Fs%2Fblog_60b9757d0100d2i4.html&sl=zh-CN&tl=en

TVI Express distributors convicted of fraud in China

Here's the Google Autotranslation if you doubt my translation abilities...



日前，洞头县人民法院以组织、领导传销罪对被告人陈海圆判处有期徒刑一年，并处罚金1万元。
Recently, Dongtou County People's Court, has convicted Hai-Yuen Chen, of  organizing and leading pyramid scheme, and sentenced the subject to one year in prison, plus $10000 RMB fine.

据悉，这是温州地区首起以该罪名对被告人进行判决的案件。
This is the first case in the Wenzhou area for this specific type of fraud that resulted in a conviction. 

由于 该案涉及的罪名特殊，影响较大，还是公安部督办的重要案件。
Due to the special circumstances of this case, with widespread effect, the GongAnBu (public security bureau) is supervising this important case.

2009年5月份，被告人陈海圆通过蒋环(另案处理)介绍，参加“英国TVI旅游快车”活动，注册了16个会员号，每个会员号费用为人民币 1897元。
In May of 2009, the defendent, HaiYuen Chen, was recruited by Jian Ling (separate case), and joined "TVI Express", and registered 16 accounts, each costing $1897 RMB. 

2009年5月至7月间，陈海圆在洞头县积极向他人宣传购买1单“英国TVI旅游快车”旅游卡后，可免费住宿五星级酒店7天6夜和享受全球旅 游打折优惠，
Between May and July 2009, HaiYuen Chen promoted TVI Express in Dongtou county, that if you buy one "TVI Express" travel card, you can get free accommodation at 5-star hotel for 7-day 6-night and enjoy discount travel around the world. 


购买3单旅游卡还可参与投资活动，获取500美金返还，
If you buy 3 cards, you can join "investment", and get back $500 USD. 

如推荐、发展下线人员还可获取最高15000美金的高额回报等具有诱惑力的奖金制度和 运行模式。
If you recommend and recruit downlines, you can get up to $15000 USD, and such high returns, and very tempting incentives and modes of operation. 


通过这种办法，陈海圆发展了下线会员，并引诱这些人继续发展他人参加，以提升自己的级别获取高额奖金。
Using this method, HaiYuen Chen developed a lot of downlines, and used them to continued recruit others, to raise his own "level" to get high prizes. 

至案发时，陈海圆发展的下线人数达3层 60余人，下线会员号404个，涉案金额76万余元，非法获利美金13000元。
At the time of the arrest, HaiYuen Chen's downline is 3 levels of over 60 people, with 404 downlines, and over 760000 RMB is involved, with illegally obtained profit of USD $13000. 

据悉，“组织、领导传销罪”是2009年2月28日全国人大常委会《中华人民共和国刑法修正案(七)》第四条所增设的
 The crime "organizing, leading a pyramid scheme" is added in February 28, 2009 by the NPC Standing Committee (i.e. Chinese "congress") as People's Republic of China Criminal Code, Amended, Chapter 7, Article IV. 

TVI Express: called "fake tourism organization" by Indian officials

HGTI (can't find what it stands for, but it sounds like the local tourism board of Sikkim, India) calls for stronger legal crack-down on "fake tourism organization such as TVI [Express] which have been operating in Sikkim for the last one year without any registration or licence [sic] etc. but fleecing our local people."

http://voiceofsikkim.com/2010/03/16/extortion-by-the-fake-agencies-a-major-concern-for-sikkim-industries-and-reputation-in-globe-hgti/

TVI Express under investigation in Hungary!

Hungarian government bureau in charge of consumer fraud has reported two companies to be suspicious of pyramid scheme, and one of them is TVI Express! They did not bring any charges as TVI Express is not within the jurisdiction of the agency, but they want to warn all about the suspected scam!


http://www.realdeal.hu/20100316/two-companies-suspected-of-operating-pyramid-schemes

TVI Express: fits more warning signs than ever!

Real and Sherri, network marketers and coaches, want to warn you about 5 signs of a MLM scam, and TVI Express fits most of them!

1) BEWARE of a Company Who's Owners and Management Fail to Disclose themselves.

Oh, this is TVI Express alright. Not a single name on the entire website.  It's been a YEAR, and no a single name was published.

2) BEWARE of a Company Who's main traffic is the USA, yet they maintain some offshore secret headquarters.

If you look at the Traffic Info as indexed by Alexa, you will see that almost 1/3rd of all traffic (32.6%) came from the US of A (2nd is Indonesia, 16%), yet the company claims to be in London UK (but is in Uxbridge, 20 miles away), with legal HQ actually in Cyprus (which is off TURKEY), and is probably controlled from India (in Asia)!

3) BEWARE of a Company that accepts only Cashiers Checks.

Almost as bad, company only accepts payment through online currency places!  Credit card? Keeps going up and down. Argh!

4) BEWARE of a Company who doesn't keep track of and/or report your earnings.

Company only keeps track of your "boards", or "matrices", not your sales and earnings from sales.  In fact, it has never really defined "residual income", which is supposedly from sales, not recruiting.

5) BEWARE of a Company that Requires Big Front End Investments.

$250 is a lot. Amway startup kits are like $50 or so. 

Are you getting jitters yet? TVI Express is fitting almost every single MLM Scam red flag that we can find. It fits every definition of pyramid scheme we can find as well. Yet there are still shills who insist the company is legal and great opportunity, but cannot explain ANY of the problems we presented!

People are abandoning TVI Express in droves, and IMHO, they are desperate to keep attracting more people so it can feed the pyramid! Beware! Beware!

Is TVI Express distributor the MLM Pinnochio?

Image via Wikipedia

Carlos Anastacio wrote on his blog the 5 signs of a MLM Pinnochio. Is your TVI Express recruit/distributor/member trying to get you into TVI Express, or your "upline", a MLM Pinnochio? (the version below is slightly edited for length)

1.)    Most MLM Pinocchio’s will promise more money than you know is possible.  You should question how they come up with their income promises and never feel silly questioning your gut instincts when it comes to the sponsors. 

2.)    Does the MLM sponsor have money?  Sponsors can be very profitable so when there is not proof of substantial income to show what they have done monetarily, you could have a red flag waving in your face.

3.)    How long your upline have been in business can be a tell-tale sign if s/he is a MLM Pinocchio.  You will not want to use the newest one on the web because there is not proof of what they are promising you will work. 

4.)    Not giving enough support can surely be a bad sign.  The MLM Pinocchio may tell you that they will give great support but if you’ve experienced unacceptable support, you’ve probably run into a MLM Pinocchio.

5.)    When you start dreaming about Pinocchio at night and day dreaming about being as smart as Jiminy Cricket you’ve probably figured it out for yourself but have not wanted to admit it to yourself just yet.

 If your upline is just repeating the drivel the company itself puts out, with no answers to any of the concerns, you should be very cautious...
 

Why do TVI Express distributors lie

Truth on MLM discusses why do participants in a recruiting MLM (we've explained how TVI Express is such by match it four red flags out of five) continue to believe in the scam...

...Thus, recruiting MLM’s are inherently flawed systems that promise ongoing residual income, but deliver very little except financial loss at the least, and loss of treasured relationships and values of honesty and integrity at the worst. They maintain themselves by continuous recruitment of new recruits, as investing participants give up or run out of funds and leave the system. Victims almost never file complaints with law enforcement because (1) they have been conditioned to blame themselves for their “failure,” (2) they fear consequences from or to friends of family they have recruited – or who recruited them, (3) they fear self-incrimination for have (unwittingly) victimized others by recruiting them into the chain (in order to recoup their initial and ongoing investments), and (4) simply not understanding what happened to them. And since the squeaky wheel gets the grease in law enforcement, officials rarely take action.
-- cited from http://www.mlm-thetruth.com/5RedFlags-summary

I don't know about 2, 3, and 4, but I can find plenty of evidence for 1.

"Some netwotkers don't take responsibility for what happens around them, they don't take responsibility for faillures and blame others. And if you're like that, then you're not going to grow." 
-- cited from http://hubpages.com/hub/The-TVI-Express-Controversy

Actually, I found one for  2 as well...


TVI Express distributor defrauded friend out of thousands, friend forced to sue

If any one tells you that if you cannot succeed, it must be your own fault, run away and cut your losses.

TVI Express: Fits FOUR OUT OF FIVE RED FLAGS of MLM Scam

Las Vegas, NV, USA  Image via Wikipedia

Truth on MLM website has a list of 5 red flags that the MLM is probably a scam, and TVI Express hits FOUR out of FIVE flags! One or two is probably a coincidence, but FOUR?!?!

RED FLAG 1. Recruiting of participants is unlimited in an endless chain of empowered and motivated recruiters recruiting recruiters – ad infinitum.

TVI Express fits this to a Tee... You're supposed to recruit two, and teach each of them to recruit two more, since it's the only way they can "cycle out" for the big payout.

WHY is this bad? Because eventually the market will saturate, and no more payout! You run out of people to recruit, and that's NOT even discussing the legality of the whole thing!

TVI Express: illegal under Cyprus and EU law

Cyprus is in the European Union (at least the southern 2/3rds of it), and in 2007, it has passed the E.U. "Unfair Consumer Practices Directive" as its own "Law on the Unfair Commercial Practices from Businesses to Consumers of 2007" (PDF, Greek). I don't recommend clicking on the link, unless you can read Greek. However, the original Directive itself, which is like a E.U. recommended "common law", is available in English here (PDF, English). And based on this document, TVI Express is illegal! Here's a quote from the PDF itself:

pg 20, Chapter 4, "The Black List"

The commercial practices on the Black List are unfair in all circumstances and no case-by-case assessment against other provisions of the Directive is required. The list may only be modified at EU level, by revision of the Directive with the involvement of the European Parliament and the Council (representatives from Member States).

• Pyramid schemes
“Establishing, operating or promoting a pyramid promotional scheme where a consumer gives consideration for the opportunity to receive compensation that is derived primarily from the introduction of other consumers into the scheme rather than from the sale or consumption of products.”

So, let's see... TVI Express distributor = consumer, and voila! That's it! Substitute that into the sentence and you get:

Pyramid scheme: establishing, operating, or promoting a pyramid promotional scheme where a TVI Express distributor gives consideration for the opportunity to receive compensation (the $250+$250, then $10000+whatever) that is derived primarily from the introduction of other consumers into the scheme, rather than from the sale or consumption of products.

Fits perfectly! This fits exactly what the TVI Express FAQ itself states: you don't need to sell anything, you just need to recruit two people, and teach them each to recruit two more!

Now why is TVI Express NOT a scam under EU law? Can TVI Express member explain THAT?

Network Marketing Insider says TVI Express is likely scam

Network Marketing Insider conducted a full third-party objective review on TVI Express, and concluded it is probably a Ponzi / Pyramid scheme.

You can read the full review yourself here:   http://www.networkmarketing247.com/tvi-express/tvi-express-review/

Another TVI Express distributor says TVI Express is scam

Yep, TVI Express distributor (okay, alleged, as it's kinda hard to verify the info) says the whole thing is a scam. Will you be left in the dark when the whole thing fades away?

http://freetviexpress.com/  You can read it for yourself.

To Muslims thinking about joining TVI Express: is it halal?

I am not the one who posed the question, but a news blogger in Brunei, apparently a pretty important person.

TVI Express: where do they get the source of income?
http://www.brudirect.com/index.php/2010031918088/HYS-Topic-Of-the-Day/tvi-express-where-do-they-get-the-source-of-income.html

There are sufficient doubts about the company's "fitness" regarding the shariah (sp?) law, which governs all Muslim behavior, that it may NOT be advisable for a Muslim to join TVI Express until the doubt has been cleared up by a shariah scholar or a committee of scholars who specialize in interpretation of shariah for business. 

TVI Express wants you to think Cyprus is paradise. It is not

TVI Express has changed their official address to Cyprus, because that's about as far as you can go in Europe, and still be in E.U. It is CLOSER to LEBANON than to London.

If you can just spend some time to read the bits on Wikipedia, instead of the advertorial on TVI Express's website, you'll see that Cyprus is basically a miniature version of the Korean peninsula: Turkey holds the northern 1/3, and it's technically an independent republic, while the southern 2/3 is mostly Greek. And it is the southern part that joined the European Union.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Cyprus#Modern_era

Furthermore, Cyprus allows what is known as an offshore company: registered in Cyprus, but operates completely abroad. It's now also known as an IBC: international business company.

See http://www.lowtax.net/lowtax/html/jcyoltr.html

Thus, just how are you going to sue TVI Express, in case you need to resolve a legal issue? They say they are headquartered in UK, but you have to sue them in Cyprus, and they are not even physically located there! Wonder how that would work out?

Former TVI Express booster turned her back on TVI Express

I have no idea what Kelly Pope is selling now, but she was a TVI Express booster and distributor, from the URL. And she is now anti-TVI Express.

TVI Express work from home opportunity is a SCAM!

Affiliated with Travelocity!

They may Pay You but they will Shut Their Doors!

--cited from http://www.workfromhometviexpress.com/

So, what do you think? Still want to join TVI Express?

TVI Express: still not a London Company

Stockley Park Image via Wikipedia

Some TVI Express cheerleaders have brought to my attention that TVI Express now lists a new address in Heathrow, not London. The problem is, that address is not quite valid.

The address they want you to check is

Lakeside House
1 Furzeground Way, Stockley Park
Heathrow UB11 1BD, UK

If you plug that into Google Map, you'll see that it is NOT a valid address.

The correct address is

1 Furzeground Way, Stockley Park, Uxbridge, UK (Go ahead, Google it)

Which is NEAR Heathrow, but actually NOT in Heathrow. And it's 20 miles away from London.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=directions%20uxbridge%20to%20london%2C%20uk&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wl

Furthermore, care to guess how many businesses are listed at the same address, no room number or suite number? FOURTEEN, just those found on Google. Go ahead, look it up. One is the landlord, Regus, which provides virtual offices (allegedly, they also provided the original TVI Express address in London)

What's more, the TVI Express webpage STILL says "headquartered in London, UK"!

If this is supposed to convince me that this is a real office, sorry, I am still NOT convinced.

TVI Express promised to give refunds in Sikkim, India

After intense investigation by local police, who had cracked down on various pyramid schemes before, TVI Express called a "depositor's conference" and promised to refund up to 6000 "depositors" (probably investors, it's hard to get the translation right) their money.

http://voiceofsikkim.com/2010/03/15/tvi-express-promises-to-refund-the-deposits/

Lufthansa, Avis, and Marriott initiated legal action against TVI Express

According to Spanish Newspaper Mallorca Zeitung, Lufthansa, and its parent company, SwissAir, have repeated sent cease and desist letters to TVI Express, but the letters keeps coming back as "undeliverable".

The companies are NOT happy about their logo and name being used to justify TVI Express's legitimacy. And they are going to SUE TVI Express, since repeated warnings have failed.

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mallorcazeitung.es%2Flokales%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fneues-schneeballsystem-mallorca-reichtum-alle%2F16738.html&sl=de&tl=en

Well, that pretty much proves that TVI Express is NOT at where they say they are, right?

TVI Express under investigation in Hungary as pyramid scam

Hungarians not too long ago were taken by a scam called Sciennet, but now it is again overrun by TVI Express, and authorities are concerned!

Origo News found TVI Express to be very suspicious!
Google Autotranslation link below:
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.origo.hu%2Futazas%2F20100224-utazas-pilota-jatek-piramis-jatek.html&sl=hu&tl=en

Hungarian authority, "Financial Supervisory Authority" found ten companies to be suspicious of pyramid scheme, and TVI Express is among them!

Google Autotranslation link below
http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=hu&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.google.com%2Fnews%2Furl%3Fsa%3Dt%26ct2%3Dus%252F0_0_s_6_0_t%26ct3%3DMAA4AEgGUABqAnVz%26usg%3DAFQjCNECSYloBxFLoj6BFZBt1X0BwIf0AA%26sig2%3D_UbipgvC3pl5c7juBifvpg%26cid%3D1086734054055273150%26ei%3DPV-hS-DLBpPYlQT75dm0Ag%26rt%3DSEARCH%26vm%3DSTANDARD%26url%3Dhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.rtlhirek.hu%252Fcikk%252F308233

Spanish Newspaper denounces TVI Express as scam

Newspaper Mallorca Zeitung, of Spain denounced TVI Express as scam.

Google Auto-translation linked to below
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mallorcazeitung.es%2Flokales%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fneues-schneeballsystem-mallorca-reichtum-alle%2F16738.html&sl=de&tl=en

Five MORE TVI Express myths busted

Series of TVI Express Myths busted comes to a close with entry 3 out of 3...

Even More TVI Express Myths Busted
http://hubpages.com/hub/Even-more-TVI-Express-myths-busted

Do you have any questions about TVI Express myths that you want the author to bust?

TVI Express cheerleader plagiarizes himself, says nothing new

Welcome to another episode of TVI Express madness, where TVI Express cheerleaders, or shills, put out bad explanations, lies, untruths, and bogus reasoning in order to sign you up as their downline! We scour the Internet for more examples every day, to document this mass madness phenomenon!

Today's website we'll highlight is http://hubpages.com/hub/TVI-Express-Scam-Is-TVI-Express-a-HUGE-Scam-To-Steal-Peoples-Money

Generally we only highlight each victim once. However, this victim here plagiarized himself (from another article he posted), and still have really nothing new to say, which is a symptom of the madness.

A relatively objective review of TVI Express (not by me)

Read a relatively objective review of TVI Express



http://www.mlmglobaltakeover.com/articles/tvi-express-revew-from-a-third-party-expert-why-i-would-never-join-5847/

"You see, in order to make money in TVI Express, you've got to 'cycle' through the express board.  Every time you 'cycle' you make $15,000.  It costs about $250 to get involved in TVI Express, and it's a one time cost.  So how do you pay $250, get 2 people to pay $250, and make $15,000?
 
Simple.  Swarms of other people are getting involved and paying $250, and AS LONG AS THAT KEEPS HAPPENING, people will keep cycling through the express board.  However, the second the crazy growth stops (and it will) there's no consumable product to keep the pay checks coming."

He got the math slightly wrong (99.6%, not 99.9% will not make the big money), but otherwise it's spot on. 

TVI Express: no direct contact with any one?

Just realize something very curious: why does TVI Express seem to AVOID contact with any live people at all costs? Or leave any sort of statement in official capacity?

Almost all companies nowadays have profiles on Facebook, Twitter, Myspace, and so on and so forth. Not TVI Express. If you do find them on those places, they are created by individual TVI Express distributors, NOT TVI Express itself.

This is VERY consistent with their policy of "no names on the whole website", and always sign all announcements with no names at all, just "TVI Express Team". 

The only way to get in touch is with someone live is via phone, and they only answer phones 8 hours of the day. (But which 8 hours? Is it really UK time?)

Also, it is very interesting that a lot of the information out there did NOT come from any company reps (and thus can be verified), but from uplines, and thus, can only be considered as hearsay, not official announcements. 

At least one have reported that one supposed customer rep for TVI Express has been revealed to be an Indian by the name of Aroon, who was later revealed to be one of the earliest members and possibly a co-founder. This is unconfirmed though. 

Just what are they hiding? Are they operating a spy agency where deniability is key, or an actual business?

TVI Express: fits FBI's definition of pyramid scheme

Here's FBI's definition of pyramid scheme:

Pyramid Scheme
Pyramid schemes, also referred to as franchise fraud, or chain referral schemes, are marketing and investment frauds in which an individual is offered a distributorship or franchise to market a particular product. The real profit is earned, not by the sale of the product, but by the sale of new distributorships. Emphasis on selling franchises rather than the product eventually leads to a point where the supply of potential investors is exhausted and the pyramid collapses. At the heart of each pyramid scheme there is typically a representation that new participants can recoup their original investments by inducing two or more prospects to make the same investment. Promoters fail to tell prospective participants that this is mathematically impossible for everyone to do, since some participants drop out, while others recoup their original investments and then drop out.

Some Tips to Avoid Pyramid Schemes:

• Be wary of "opportunities" to invest your money in franchises or investments that require you to bring in subsequent investors to increase your profit or recoup your initial investment.
  
  
• Independently verify the legitimacy of any franchise or investment before you invest.

( cited from http://www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/fraudschemes.htm )

 Let's see...

distributorship -- TVI Express call all recruits "distributors". Says so on the front page of their website!

"The real profit is earned, not by the sale of the product, but by the sale of new distributorships." -- yep, the $10000 (or $15000 or whatever) payout is obtained by "cycling the matrix", which means "get a lot of downlines". Besides, the company's own FAQ says "you don't need to sell anything." If there's no sales of product, then it must be sale of new distributorships, i.e. recruiting!

"At the heart of each pyramid scheme there is typically a representation that new participants can recoup their original investments by inducing two or more prospects to make the same investment." -- yep! Bullseye... You recoup your investment by cycling out the first matrix/board, which you start by recruiting two downlines, and teach EACH of them to recruit two more... (that's from the TVI Express FAQ)

So far, we've pointed out that TVI Express fits every definition of a pyramid scheme we've thrown at it. The FBI's definition above, the FTC's definition we used before, and others. Of the 600000 members out there in TVI world, NONE had came and offered any explanation WHY TVI Express is NOT a pyramid scheme. Does that mean they are ignorant, or they just don't care that they are participating in a crime?

TVI Express member felt betrayed by TVI Express

Image via Wikipedia

Instead of bashing TVI Express myself, I'll let a TVI Express member do it!

Here's a direct quote from http://tviexpressblog.net/date/2010/02/ . The author is trying to answer someone else's question about if Warren Buffet owns (or indeed, have anything to do with) TVI Express. If you explore the rest of the site, you can see that it's clearly a recruitment site.  So what does this member have to say about TVI Express now?

"... Lastly, Mr. Buffet, a well respected businessman, entrepreneur and self made billionaire has more business sense then to establish a company that over a year now offered it’s main product or selling tool, ie; “free travel” and which has at best been slow to be provided (if at all) to it’s huge member base.

Simply stated; I think Mr. Buffet is honorable enough not to be involved in such a messy and seemingly confused business model as TVI has been to date.

David, I hope this clears up your questions and as you are aware, I too got involved with TVI, however without a viable product in the form of their offered “free vacation”;  I wonder if TVI will be a viable business model for the future.  Only time will tell….!"

So, even a TVI Express distributor is now disillusioned with TVI Express. Are you *sure* you want to join a company that is disappointing its distributors?

TVI Express member admits no 7-day 6-night thing for 13 MONTHS

Image via Wikipedia

One of the biggest draw for TVI Express, and one of the most cited "reasons" for TVI Express's legitimacy is that 7-day 6-night accomodation at a 5-star hotel (since downgraded to a 3-5 star) and return ticket, but so far no one can actually FIND any one who had gone on such a trip.

Well, here's a TVI Express member admitting that redemption of such trips ONLY STARTED AT THE END OF DECEMBER 2009! That's NINE MONTHS where this is an empty promise!

"TVI Express Vacation Booking Update…ready to Book Your Free Vacation!

Monday, December 14th, 2009 /

We have started providing six nights/seven days vacations to our members world-wide but ingress of festive season has constricted the availability as this is the peak season for vacations."
 -- cited from http://tviexpressblog.net/359/tvi-express-vacation-booking-update-ready-to-book-your-free-vacation/

In other words, even by TVI Express's admission, they have been LYING about the free gift for joining for NINE MONTHS! (Claimed launch date for TVI Express is February 2009, so December 2009 is 9 full months (more like 10, but we'll give them benefit of the doubt).

Add that to their own announcement in 1-FEB-2010, that only "hundreds" have booked such trips (since the 1.5 months that have elapsed) How long do you think it will take them to process a trip from all 600000 members? Hmmm?  And why are all 11 properties they said are open for booking... are all in India?

ADDITIONAL INFO! Apparently the rollout of the redemption system was pushed to March 1st, 2010, and pushed back YET AGAIN! So it's 13 months, and still counting!


P.S. The answer is never, because they've signed up 50000 members per month (12 months, 600000 members), and they are only processing LESS THAN A THOUSAND free trips a month! And they are working against a huge backlog to start with!

P.P.S. The same TVI Express distributor has since become disillusioned. Here's a direct quote:

"...I too got involved with TVI, however without a viable product in the form of their offered “free vacation”;  I wonder if TVI will be a viable business model for the future.  Only time will tell….!"
-- cited from http://tviexpressblog.net/date/2010/02/

TVI Express: 5 more myths busted

Enjoy 5 more myths busted about TVI Express.

More TVI Express Myth Busted
http://hubpages.com/hub/More-TVI-Express-Myths-Busted

TVI Express shill blames readers for lack of success

Welcome to another episode of "TVI Express Madness", where we scour the Internet, searching for the signs of TVI Express Madness that is sweeping the world! Symptoms include loss of touch with reality, babbling, ignoring truth, faulty logic, and many others!

Today's victim (not by me, by TVI Express) is http://hubpages.com/hub/The-TVI-Express-Controversy

The author of this page hopes to address some of the issues on why TVI Express is attracting so much flak from the detractors. The three issues he hopes to address are: no names of leadership, no product, and no headquarter location. So how did he do? Absolutely horrible.

TVI Express: website down again, maybe no more credit cards!

TVI Express website appears to be down AGAIN (as of 5PM PST, 11-MAR-2010) and was probably down for hours.

Furthermore, I have been receiving some unconfirmed reports that TVI Express have stopped taking credit cards (again). Last time, they blamed fraud. However, I specualate that some people actually realized that they've been con'ed, and disputed their payments!  (And if you get too many disputes, your merchant account gets chopped!)

TVI Express: illegal under CA "endless chain" law

Image by Bearman2007 via Flickr

What is endless chain? It's the original name for the Ponzi scheme, but is also related to the Pyramid. Basically, as long as you recruit more than the people leaving, people leaving can enjoy a "profit". In other words, the latercomers are paying the early goers.


So what does the CA Penal code say?

CA Penal Code 327: Endless Chain Scheme

"Every person who contrives, prepares, sets up, proposes, operates any endless chain is guilty of a misdemeanor. As used in this section, an 'endless chain' means any scheme for the disposal or distribution of property whereby a participant pays a valuable consideration for the chance to receive compensation for introducing one or more additional persons into participation in the scheme or for the chance to receive compensation when a person introduced by the participant introduces a new participant. Compensation, as used in this section, does not mean or include payment based upon sales made to persons who are not participants in the scheme and who are not purchasing in order to participate in the scheme."

Let's see, "participant pays valuable consideration ($250 or whatever) for the chance to receive compensation ($250+$250 evoucher, then $10000+whatever evoucher, for 2 separate boards) for introducing one or more additional persons into participation of the scheme (you need to recruit two people) or for the chance to receive compensation when a person itnroduced by the participant introduces a new participant (and teach those two people each to also recruit two people each).

Fits TVI Express to a T, no pun intended! 


So keep that in mind: if you recruit for TVI Express in California, you can be charged with a misdemeanor!

What does YOUR state's laws say about "endless chain" or "pyramid scheme"?

Why is TVI Express NOT an endless chain / pyramid scheme? Can you explain THAT?

Why should you NOT be charged with a misdeameanor, if you're in it?

TVI Express: 5 myths busted

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Check out this hubpage, which busts 5 of the most persistent myths about TVI Express


TVI Express Myths Busted
http://hubpages.com/hub/TVI-Express-Myths-Busted

(My apology to the REAL Mythbusters)

TVI Express distributor scammed relatives and friends out of thousands

Image via Wikipedia

Here's the original Chinese link and Google Autotranslation

TVI Express entered the news in China again, and NOT in a good way!

忽悠朋友传销挣大钱欠债不还被告上法庭
Betrayed friend, hoping to make big money via MLM
Owed a lot of money, sued by friend

2010-02-09 13:38:30 文章来源： 扬子晚报
09-FEB-2010 13:38:30 Source: YangTze Evening News

轻信朋友做传销可以赚大钱，投资5700元购买股份，没想到血本无归，在向朋友索款无望的情况下，只好拿着朋友出具的借条将其告上了法庭。近日，江阴法院审理了这起因传销引发的债务纠纷案。
Believing a friend that MLM can make lots of money, X invested 5700 Yuan (RMB), but got nothing back, except an I-O-U (a promissory note). As there seems to be no hope of ever seeing the money again, X went to court with the I-O-U hoping to force return of the money. Recently, JiangYin Local Court received such a financial dispute caused by money lost in MLM.

江阴市民祁海发财心切，不但自己加入了传销组织，而且还发展了多名亲戚和朋友加入。
JiangYin Citizen Qi Hai was in a hurry to make money. He not only joined MLM himself, he also recruit many of his relatives and friends.

2009年7月，祁海以“投资英国TVI国际快旅集团能挣大钱”为名，向朋友朱波强烈推介购买该公司股份，并将朱波骗到镇江，要求其加入该传销组织。
In July 2009, QiHai, using the topic of "Investing in TVI Express can make a lot of money", pushed his friend Zhu Po to invest as well, and even enticed Zhu Po to come to Zhengjian, to push him into joining this MLM.

TVI Express busted in Fujian, China

Shanghai Image via Wikipedia

From Fujian XiaPu People's Government Official Website Press Release

http://www.fjxp.gov.cn/html/importantnews/2009/10/09109101130740.html (Google's autotranslation)

(Translator's note: Chinese tradition dictates that the full name of the suspect is not released. Instead, the middle word is left out. I use "X" as substitute letter)

霞浦警方破获 一起网上非法传销案
XiaPu Police have broken up an online pyramid scheme

1900元可住全球星级宾馆一周？
1900 Yuan (RMB) can get you accomodations at highest rated hotels for a week all over the world?

来源：县委报道组 作者：夏斌 张青 点击次数：221 发布时间：09-10-09 10:11:30
Source: County Report Group    Author: Xia Bin Zhang Qing   Clicks: 221    Release time: 09-10-09 10:11:30

9月23日，霞浦警方在宁德市公安局和上海市普陀公安分局的协助下，在上海市宜川新村将涉嫌非法经营的网上在逃人员黄某莉抓获。
On September 23rd (2009), XiaPu Police, with cooperate from NingDe City's Public Security Office, and Shanghai City PuDuo Branch of the Public Security Office, has apprehended a fugitive in Shanghai City, YiChuan New Village. The suspect, Huang X. Li, was a suspect in an illegal operation. 

今年3月以来，霞浦警方陆续获得线索，有人通过网络组织人员进行非法传销，诈骗钱款。县公安局经侦大队立即成立专案组，展开侦查。
Since March of this year (2009), XiaPu Police have received many tips, that someone is using the Internet to recruit people illegally into a pyramid scheme, defrauding people of their money. The Public Security Bureau's special investigation task force has formed a special task group concentrating on this problem. 

TVI Express booster wants you to "go to his TVI Express scam"

Image by jepoirrier via Flickr

Welcome to another episode of "TVI Express Booster Madness", where we expose the various bull**** posted by TVI Express members hoping to recruit more downline so they can get their $10000. We have explored, in previous episodes, that TVI Express members will lie, bend truth, use false logic, and even point at government websites and say "that's a scammy site!" There is clearly a pattern going on!

Today, we will explore http://autopilotincome101.com/the-tvi-express-scam-10k-by-signing-up-2-people-yeah-right/  The blog date was 10-Feb-2010, so this drivel is relatively fresh. However, this author actually wants you to "go to his TVI Express Scam"! Really!

So what does this gentleman have to say about is TVI Express a scam or not? His title is of no help. So his first evidence that TVI Express is not a scam is...

"The first piece of evidence that I found was that every one of the major travel companies that TVI Express is doing business with was putting their business and their reputation on the line and backing their word 100%."

And just WHICH major travel companies are "putting their business and their reputation on the line and backing their word 100%"?  No idea.

TVI Express busted in Yunnan, China

Yunnan People's Government Official Website Press Releases

NOTE: Google Translate Link to original and autotranslation is here

Dated 2009-8-10 16:07:57

五华科技园分局查处一起涉嫌传销案件 

WuHua Technology Park District found a suspected illegal marketing case


五华区科技园分局积极在辖区内深入开展创建“无传销社区”活动，强化宣传，注重教育，维护稳定，突出重点，加大查处力度
WuHua Technology Park Branch office is pushing the "anti-pyramid scheme" movement, trying to spread the news, with focused education, maintain stability, focus important items, and intensify prosecution. 


近期，在接到华山东路派出所关于××酒店有人涉嫌传销的情况通报后，科技园分局联合我局经检大队、华山东路派出所立即前往××酒店进行了检查。
Recently, upon receiving a tip that at UNNAMED hotel near the HuaShang East road police station, someone is attempting to recruit people for a suspected pyramid scheme, the district station at the Technology Park, with cooperation of our office (Gongshangbu, the Industry and Commerce Ministry), and the local police station, immediate raided the hotel room and conducted a no-notice investigation.


执法人员于××酒店二楼发现有一女性正在宣传“TVI快车”相关内容，现场另有群众四名。
Law enforcement officers located, a the hotel's second floor, a female promoting and recruiting for "TVI Express". Four other people, who were listening, were detained for questioning.


在检查中发现“TVI快车”相关宣传资料一份，笔记本电脑一台，投影仪一台。
During the inspection, following items were found: one full set of TVI Express promotional materials, one notebook computer, and one projector. 

分局执法人员对该涉嫌传销人员进行了询问，并联系该女性发展的会员到分局对“TVI快车”的相关事项进行进一步的询问，目前该案正在进一步的调查当中。
Law enforcement officials questioned the suspect female engaging in recruiting for illegal MLM, and also contacted her downline to come to the district offices for further questioning. The case is still pending further investigation.

TVI Express busted in Wuxi, China

NOTE: Google Translate Link is here. I don't claim to be a professional translator, so if you spot a mistake, let me know.
   

刑事發案平穩 Crimes are average

市民要謹防非法傳銷陷阱 Citizens should be careful of falling into illegal marketing traps

來源：無錫日報  時間：2009-11-11
Source: WuXi Daily News   Date: 2009-Nov-11

上周110接警量比前周上升2.8%，刑事案件發案与前周持平，火災事故比前周下降170%。
Last Week, the 110 (China's equivalent of 911 emergency number) call history shows a 2.8% rise from prevous week. Number of criminal activities reported held steady compared to previous week. Fire reports are down 170% from previous week. 

近日，警方接報以銷售“英國TVI旅游快車公司”旅游卡為名的詐騙案件。
In recent days, police are receiving reports of fraud involving selling "TVI Express" travel cards. 

据初步調查，今年6月份以來，少數群眾被騙加入以銷售“英國TVI旅游 快車公司”旅游卡為名的非法傳銷組織，被騙子以購卡返利為名騙走現金30余万元。
Based on preliminary investigation, since June of this year (2009), some have been tricked into joining this illegal marketing organization, based on selling "TVI Express" travel card. Scammers have defrauded victims out of over 300,000 RMB (about $44000 USD) claiming that they can obtain huge profits from buying these membership cards. 

現警方正在全力偵查，同時提醒廣大市民，傳銷是違法行為，任何“一夜暴 富”式的承諾都是犯罪分子的“噱頭”，一定要擦亮眼睛提高警惕。
Police is on the case, and reminds all citizens: pyramid scheme is ILLEGAL. Any sort of overnight-riches promise is merely propaganda by these scammers. Please clear your eyes and be careful out there.

責編：《中國無錫》編輯部
Edited by: Editing department of "China Wuxi"

TVI Express: fails the 11 question test of a legitimate MLM

Consumerfraudreporting.org have a list of 11 questions you need to ask about a MLM opportunity. How does TVI Express score on this test? VERY badly. A real MLM should score no more than 2 out of 11. TVI Express scored 6 out of 11, indicating a HIGH probability of fraud. If you throw in the various falsehoods the TVI Express distributors are spreading, the score climbs to 7 out of 11.

Here is a detailed analysis of each question, answer, and the score given.

TVI Express matrix: hey, just like the iPod "buyers clubs" of 2004!

Image via Wikipedia

A bit of research brought up this old article from Wired magazine, circa 2004:

"Ebay is swamped with new 'matrix' schemes, which appear to be legitimate buyers clubs but are in fact variations on classic pyramid scams, which are outlawed around the world.

In most cases, eBay shoppers are offered hot products like an iPod, a game console or a cell phone at an incredible discount, say for $40 or $25.

The eager bargain hunter is told not to bid on the item, but is directed instead to sites like My3Mobile, The Phone Matrix or Goraks.com, which offer iPods or cell phones as free gifts when products like CDs or eBooks are purchased.

The catch is that buyers only get their free iPod after more people sign up. When making a purchase, the buyer's name is added to a list. As new members join, names are shuffled up the list. When they reach the top, the iPod is dispatched

To speed up the process, buyers are often encouraged to recruit new members to join the scheme. And that's where all the eBay posts come from: Victims are using eBay to recruit new members..."

http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/02/62226#ixzz0hNRqYtTw

 Substitute iPod with "$10000", and you pretty much have "TVI Express" compensation model. 

TVI Express booster deludes himself with new definition of "scam"

Image via Wikipedia

Welcome to another episode of "TVI Booster Madness", where we analyze the drivel some TVI Express members pump out in the hopes of convincing someone else to join up, thereby helping HIM (or her) toward the that big payout (is it $10000 or $15000? nobody really knows!)

Today, our highlight is on http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-TVI-Express-Another-False-Promise-Or-Can-You-Really-Make-$15,000-Over-and-Over-Again?&id=2823390

The author claims he had been scammed several times. Well, I am sorry to hear that. So how does he define a scam?

"Any work from home opportunity where you have almost no chance of achieving the financial promises that they make is a scam."

This one is one of the sub-definitions of scam, but it's not the full definition.

scam: a fraudulent or deceptive act or operation (EX: insurance scam)
(Merriam-Webster online dictionary at m-w.com)

So in other words, it is an incomplete definition. While "promising the moon" is one form of fraud, so is a pyramid scheme, and other forms of con / scam / fraud. By only acknowledging ONE form (out of many) of fraud as scam, the author is basically using bad logic to prove his case.

TVI Express cheer section says .gov.uk domain is a scam site

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Welcome to another episode of "TVI Express Madness", where we locate TVI Express members who are losing their grip on reality. Today's episode features a TVI Express cheerleader who cites nonexistent research to support his claim that TVI Express is NOT a scam, compounded by ability to point at a .gov.uk domain (yes, government website) and say it's a scammy website. 

Today's target is http://hubpages.com/hub/TVI-Express-Scam-Is-TVI-The-Biggest-Pyramid-Scam-Of-2009

The article, if you can even call it that, starts by giving a whole bunch of questions. First question:

"The first thing that had to be figured out was did TVI Express has any credibility and if they did where did it come from? "

The first answer it gave was:

"What research showed was that every single major travel company that TVI "claims" to be doing business with was actually backing them up 100%. That was a major green light because no international travel company would put their business and their reputation on the line for TVI if they weren't a legitimate company."

And where is this supposed "research"? WHAT major travel company(ies) are backing them up? What kind of f***ing nonsense is this? And it didn't even answer the question! What credibility? WHERE did it come from? Who's behind this "company"? Nothing!

If you mean Travelocity, there is NO relation there!