TVI Express supporters in Namibia are in serious denial

As explained earlier in 5-stages of grief about "TVI Express is a scam", the first stage of any sort of loss is immediate denial, and nation of Namibia is no exception after its national bank declared TVI Express (and Holiday and Cash, a similar operation) to be pyramid schemes.




The messages of denial are flooding the newspapers that carried the story. Some examples can be found online, and they inevitably has the same themes:

1) It's not a scam because it paid me 
2) It's not a scam because you just don't understand it/us
3) It's not a scam. You just want to keep us poor.



These are just some of the 13 tricks identified earlier




All are "deny the allegations"
1) is "presenting personal testimony as fact" (when it's not)
2) is "you don't understand us"
3) is "attack the critic", blame it on a "conspiracy"



Actually, what's really sad is that one of those replies was "It can't be a scam. I need the money to put my kids through school."

That is how TVI Express is actually "touching lives"...

TVIExpressdollar.com author Rudy Phan's fundamental mistakes

Well, it's time to explain once and for all the problem with bogus math.

Rudy's problem is that he had NOT ACCOUNTED FOR COST OF TRIPS AT ALL.

His entire argument rested upon his mathematical "proof" that we critics somehow had gotten it wrong, that the rate of cycling out is not 1/225, but 1/8, and thus TVI Express is sustainable.

His main problem in his math is he neglected to account for the cost of the trips. According to Rudy's view, they don't exist. They cost TVI Express NOTHING. This threw his income / expense calculations completely off, which is how he came up with "TVI Express can pay up to 92% of every dollar back". I guess if he counts the trips as "payback" he *may* get away with that one...

His second problem is he only counted ONE board, but you have to count both.

Then he cites the 72% figure on TVI Express website as if it's gospel. Again, the 72% figure is unproven, has no figures backing it, so it is not fact, but dogma.

Although he is somewhat correct in pointing out a mistake... Once a pyramid is established, it takes 8 new members to "cycle out" the top member. However, this only serves to prove that TVI Express cannot function as it simply CANNOT take in enough money based on the way it is organized.

Let us take Rudy Phan's model and try to process it properly, by estimating the trip cost at $200 USD (for a 7-day 6-night vacation and one-way airfare for 2? That's too cheap even in India! But let us assume that they can do it somehow...) And at the very beginning...

* Let's say the traveler board has 7 members so far, and there is no express board...
Income = 7 * 250 = 1750
Expenses = 7 * 200 = 1400
Net = 350

* Now 8 new members join
Income = 8 * 250 = 2000
Expenses = 8 * 200 = 1600
Net = 350 + 400 = 750

* The top guy is cycled off, and board splits in 2, 1 guy in express board
Income = 0
Expenses = 250  (delayed loss of income of 250 onto next step, the eVoucher)
Net = 500

* 16 new members join
Income = 16 * 250 = 4000 - 250 = 3750 (delayed loss of income from previous step, redemption of eVoucher)
Expenses = 16 * 200 = 3200
Net = 500+ 500 = 1000

* Two top guys cycled off, four boards, 3 guys now in express board
Income = 0
Expenses=2x250 = 500 (and delayed loss of $500)
Net = 500

* 32 new members join up
Income = 32 * 250 = 8000 - 500 = 7500
Expenses = 32 * 200 = 6400
Net = 500+1100 = 1600

* 4 people cycle out (total of 7 in Express board)
Income = 0
Expenses = 4*250 = 1000 (and delayed loss of 1000)
Net = 1600 - 1000 = 600

* 64 people join up so someone can make their $10000
Income = 64 * 250 = 16000- 1000 = 15000
Expenses = 64 * 200 =  12800
Net = 600 + 2200 = 2800

* 8 people cycle out (now 15 in express board)
Income = 0
Expeses = 8 * 250 = 2000 (and delayed loss of 2000)
Net = 2800 - 2000 = 800

* Express board cycle out
Income 0
Expenses = 10000
Net =800-10000= -9200    NEGATIVE 9200

Thus, TVI Express can ONLY CONTINUE TO RUN if it does NOT redeem all the trips it promised, and/or NOT pay out all the bonuses it promised. It simply does NOT have enough income to fulfill its promises. It can redeem stuff for SOME of its members, but eventually it will collapse. It tried to stave off the collapse by instituting half-sizing the trips and charge $150 for "taxes and processing fees" to redeem the trips, but "the writing had been on the wall" from the very beginning.

Let us keep playing... What would happen if another 128 people joined the scheme?


*128 new members join up



Income = 128*250 = 32000- 2000 (eVouchers) = 30000
Expenses = 128 * 200 = 25600


Net = -9800 + 30000-25600 = -5400

* 16 people now cycle out of traveler board



Income = 0
Expenses = 16 * 250 = 4000 (delayed loss of 4000 next cycle)
Net = -9400




* Now 2 more will get their $10000, yes?
Income = 0
Expenses = 20000


Net = -29400

As you can see the number only gets worse as you continue playing. And that's just the first few "big payouts". Keep in mind that the so-called "re-entry" into the express board only makes things worse, since there is no additional income to fuel the additional $10000 payouts.



So how did TVI Express got this far?

1) It has made it as difficult as possible to redeem the eWallet. It does NOT pay in cash, but rather, eWallet, which cannot be spent. Convert that into ATM card? Impossible. Convert that into bank balance? Must be "applied" then "approved". The more eWallet money they hold, the less real money they pay out.





2) It has made it as difficult as possible to redeem the trip. They keep blaming one upgrade after another, then unannounced outages, then started charging $150 for "taxes and processing fees", then half-size the trips. The less trips they allow to be redeemed, the more money they keep in their pockets.



3) The vast amount of lies both it and its distributors have told, esp. Tarun Trikha, who quietly disappeared from the "advisory board" of TVI Express recently. In fact, the entire advisory board is likely a sham. Why? TVI Express has been ILLEGAL in China since June or July 2009. Yet advisory board still have two Chinese members on it, even today. Why have advisory board members in a country where TVI Express is ILLEGAL? It's only to keep up appearances.

Very likely there is only one REAL member of advisory board: Tarun Trikha, who's also owner/CEO/puppetmaster. Everybody else are just accomplices.

TVI Express and 5 stages of loss

Do you know the 5-stages of grief / loss? From Wikipedia:

1. Denial – "I feel fine."; "This can't be happening, not to me."
   Denial is usually only a temporary defense for the individual. This feeling is generally replaced with heightened awareness of positions and individuals that will be left behind after death.
2. Anger – "Why me? It's not fair!"; "How can this happen to me?"; "Who is to blame?"
   Once in the second stage, the individual recognizes that denial cannot continue. Because of anger, the person is very difficult to care for due to misplaced feelings of rage and envy. Any individual that symbolizes life or energy is subject to projected resentment and jealousy.
3. Bargaining – "Just let me live to see my children graduate."; "I'll do anything for a few more years."; "I will give my life savings if..."
   The third stage involves the hope that the individual can somehow postpone or delay death. Usually, the negotiation for an extended life is made with a higher power in exchange for a reformed lifestyle. Psychologically, the individual is saying, "I understand I will die, but if I could just have more time..."
4. Depression – "I'm so sad, why bother with anything?"; "I'm going to die... What's the point?"; "I miss my loved one, why go on?"
   During the fourth stage, the dying person begins to understand the certainty of death. Because of this, the individual may become silent, refuse visitors and spend much of the time crying and grieving. This process allows the dying person to disconnect oneself from things of love and affection. It is not recommended to attempt to cheer up an individual who is in this stage. It is an important time for grieving that must be processed.
5. Acceptance – "It's going to be okay."; "I can't fight it, I may as well prepare for it."
   In this last stage, the individual begins to come to terms with his mortality or that of his loved one.

So how does this apply to TVI Express?


Denial -- TVI Express is not a scam. You must be mistaken. You don't understand us.

Anger -- You are a moron! You are a part of conspiracy! You are a liar!


Bargaining -- It's NOT really a scam if the losses are so minor, people didn't really lose money...



Depression -- What am I going to do without TVI Express? I must join another MLM...

Acceptance -- Yes, TVI Express is a scam. You were right. I understand now. 

New Type of TVI Express Supporter identified: Let-them-be-conned

Just in the past few days I got two comments left on my TVI Express blog posts and such that alerted me to a new type of TVI Express supporters.



Previously I had identified three types (and 3 variants) of TVI Express supporters: debater, denier, and evangelical.

This fourth type is distinct from those three, as they possess a new mindset... They claim that all the TVI Express members are willing victims, thus there is really no reason or purpose to warn them out of TVI Express.



For example, a person from South Africa left the following comment:

"So you see, booooing everyone who has joined TVI or any other network and even calling them names is not going to stop them from doing such because they have CHOSEN to be distributors of TVI or any other network. It's not our job to judge. No one judges how you make your money, so why judge others? Afterall, it's their CHOICE and they will answer accordingly."

 And a person from Bangledesh left the following comment:

Bro I dont know who you are and what you're problem is.. you show us that tvi lied, but you havent showed us anyone who lost their money, so your evidence doesnt quit back you up with your arguement...

So in other words, they are basically saying that even if it's a scam, it is no big deal. 



I guess I can lump them into the "deniers", but that doesn't sound quite right.  

TVIexpressdollar.com author Rudy Phan writes back

That I had somehow "misunderstood" him. He wrote:

"8 is a BASIC NUMBER to calculate the REAL BOARD, new members fill the 8 nodes in level 1 of Traveller Board. While 7 old members, who was in level 2, 3 and 4, the money had been counted in the PARENT BOARD. So, if the money had been counted in the PARENT BOARD, then when it was split off, please DO NOT CALCULATED it again. We talk about business, we talk about money. Calculate the MONEY, NOT THE “NODES”. "

Well, considering we are kinda talking apples and oranges here...

I think what he's trying to say is that somehow we do NOT have to count the first 7 people/nodes when the pyramid "splits". Why? No idea. Did not give a reason, just "do not calculate it again".




I think I'll wait until he explains WHY the first 7 people don't need to be counted before I render a decision.



In the meanwhile, I'll call your attention to this classic puzzle... Trust me, it's related:

3 men go to a hotel and explain to the cashier that they would like to share one room, and need the cheapest room because they do not have much money.

The clerk provides them with a room for $30, but realized after they went to their room that the room fee is only $25, so the clerk sent the bellhop up to the room to give the men their money.

Since it was hard to give exact change, the bellhop asked if it was okay if he gave each of them $1 back and kept $2 for the tip.  The men agreed.

Each man initiall paid $10, but got $1 back so they actually paid only $9.

$9 x 3 = $27 plus the $2 for the tip equals $29.

Where did the other dollar go?

TVIExpressDollar.com author Rudy Phan claims 15 = 8

Rudy Phan, author of Tviexpressdollar.com, claims my math in my previous blog entry is wrong. Why?

You said that "the big payout of $10000 chance is 1 in 225". This is wrong. Do you know the difference between the FIRST BOARD (when TVI Express established) and the REAL BOARD that operate now? The basic number to calculate for the REAL BOARD is NOT 15, BUT 8. From the wrong basic number, your mathematical calculate in totally WRONG.

Let's see... Did he just claim that the "board" size is actually 8, not 15? Yes, I believe he just did.


But what does TVI Express say about it?



http://www.tviexpress.com/pop-up/images//travellerboard1-large.jpg

http://www.tviexpress.com/pop-up/images//expressboard1-large.jpg

So folks, these are from the OFFICIAL TVI Express website. It is the current version. There's no arguing with that, is there? Do we agree? Good.

You can count yes? How many "nodes" are there in each picture? I count 8 level 1, 4 level 2, 2 level 3, and 1 level 4. That's 15 nodes, in both pictures.



Yet Rudy claims there are only 8.

Or is Rudy claiming there is a THIRD board beyond the traveller board and express board, which he called "the REAL BOARD"? But there was no such board mentioned on TVI Express webpage. 

When you cycle out of the Traveller board, you get a position at Level 1 of the Express board. You earn a mega bonus of $ 10,000 credited to the Online Wallet instantly as soon as you cycle out of the Express Board. And that’s not all, you get a re-entry into the Express board for you to make another $ 10,000 in a revolving fashion.
-- http://www.tviexpress.com/pop-up/revolving.php

No mention of any other board, or a "real board" as Rudy called it. 

Who's not dealing with reality?

Mathematical proof that TVI Express is a Scam: TVI Express Shills Using Funny Math in Indonesia

First, I have to admit, I do NOT read Indonesian, so I am going through the website in question using Google Translate. However, it is clear that this member is spreading BULLSHIT all over the place, by claiming 3 is somehow LESS than 1, or something of the sort.



The website in question is tviexpressdollar.com, whose owner had posted various "rebuttals" on the Indonesian web forum kaskus.us against critics of TVI Express. Here's his primary rebuttal:



http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?hl=en&sl=id&u=http://www.tviexpressdollar.com/the-truth-behind-tvi-express-membongkar-kebohongan-kaskuser-terhadap-tvi-express-bagian-pertama/&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%2522TVI%2BExpress%2522%26start%3D20%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rlz%3D1B3GGLL_enUS400US400%26tbs%3Dqdr:d%26prmd%3Dvlfd&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1&usg=ALkJrhja4ZweBxm3GsEINE6vaEVaYtn9Xw

The gist of this webpage is basically as follows: Some folks on kaskus.us forum claim TVI Express is a scam and proved it mathematically that it cannot be sustainable. TVIExpressDollar will prove that TVI Express is sustainable mathematically, thus defeating the scam argument.







This is a strawman argument at best. A scam can be sustainable mathematically. Just because it can be sustained mathematically (i.e. does NOT pay out more than it takes in) does NOT prove it is not a scam.
While the original charge of being mathematically unsustainabe is one way to prove a scam, defeating that ONE argument proves just that ONE argument is flawed.



However, there is a very fundamental way of analyzing the input / output idea. In any business, for a business to be sustainable, income must be greater than expenses. What was left is "profit". To do this, you calculate the maximum income, vs. maximum expenses, and make sure the numbers are "profitable", to the order of say, a reasonable margin of 25%, before deducting for clerical expenses (alleged office, alleged employees, phones, website hosting, programmers, and so on, plus executive team salaries).  That should leave a "healthy" profit. This is an assumption, but I trust, a reasonable one.



So what are the sources of TVI Express INCOME? So far I only see two completely reliable sources: the $250 membership fee, and the recently added $150 "processing fee and taxes", that is "per member". We will have to make another assumption here... As the 150 was added only at June 2010, we will assume average member paid $300 (remember, the earlier ones did NOT pay the $150, I'm just estimating, and I believe I am generous), and we will assume there is a million members. It is a nice round number.



So the income, so far, of TVI Express, is estimated to be 300 million. It can go up to $400 million, but I believe $300 is a more reasonable number.

What about expenses? That is a bit more difficult to calculate, due to the way the matrix boards work. The first time through, the big payout of $10000 chance is 1 in 225, or less than 0.4%. However, the trick here is you are cycled back into the express board. Still, keep in mind that it still takes every member in the express board 14 people from the traveler board to push them "up", so the "re-entry" does not actually affect the calculations.



I believe we can agree that TVI Express has FOUR expenses: big board payout, small board payout, the trips, and the clerical / facility expenses. The last one we've estimated earlier to be a reasonable 5-10% range, but it could go higher. We'll estimate the ones we know first.

Big board payout is 1 million members divided by 225 * $10000 = 44,444,444



Small board payout is 1 million members divided by 15 * $500 = 33,333,333

The trips is going to be more complicated. How much is the 7-day 6-night trip for two worth? This gets complicated until you look up similar trips offered by other companies... And  the answer is... about $400. (Go ahead, price it yourself using whatever booking engine you prefer, even TVI Express's backoffice, which is just Travelocity)



1000000 members * 400 = $400 million.


Total expenditure (excluding housekeeping, such as salary, taxes, office, etc.) is in excess of 477 million.

As we have just estimated that TVI Express income with 1 million members is about $300 million, clearly the expenses have outstripped income... By over 50%.



Ah, but you ask, could I have overestimated the trip costs? It is certain possible. Let's assume 25% discount... $300 million. That's still expenses of $378 million (rounded up). NOT ENOUGH. 

I am sure the critics of this math exercise can continue to tweak the variables until they claim they *have* reached an equilibrium, where income balance expenses, but the numbers will NOT be realistic. Remember, we have yet to account for salary, office, and other expenses, or even a PROFIT for the company. 

The only way TVI Express can continue to operate is by cheating the joiners out of those trips, which is their MAJOR source of expense. They have done so throughout their company history, by making the process as difficult as possible, always blaming the problem on one delay of upgrade vs. another, and finally they decided to add the $150 "processing fees and taxes" to see if they can just pull even. 



Even TVI Express announcements only admit to "thousands" having enjoyed the trips, and they have NEVER published verifiable numbers on how many people have enjoyed those trips.

What if they only gave trips to 50% of the people who joined? Expenses falls to 150 + 78 = 228 million, now they are profitable, assuming income of 300 million. Not very much so, as there's still salary and so on, but you can see that the MORE trips they withhold, the more money they make.



So there you go. Mathematical proof that TVI Express is a scam... its business model only loses money. It relies on deception, and NOT giving out what it promised.

And everybody who claims otherwise is using funny math.

Bank of Namibia issues FORMAL WARNING against TVI Express Scam

Original URL: http://www.republikein.com.na/die-mark/bon-warns-public.115812.php

The Bank of Namibia has become aware of two networks/schemes known as Holidays and Cash (H&C) and TVI Express that are operating in Namibia in violation of the law.

The activities of the above resemble those of selling and marketing pyramid schemes as defined in section 1 of the Banking Institutions Act, (Act No. 2 of 1998) in terms of receiving funds from the public.

In a statement issued in Windhoek on Friday, the Bank of Namibia warns the public about the dangers of investing or participating in these particular schemes and other schemes of a similar nature.

“Furthermore, the Bank of Namibia would also like to caution all promoters of H&C and TVI Express, including persons who attempt to recruit others, either by word-of-mouth or via spamming email messages to join these schemes, anywhere in Namibia, to stop such practices immediately.
“After the Bank of Namibia scrutinised the business models of both H&C and TVI Express against the relevant provisions of the Act, the Bank of Namibia concluded that the business operations of the two above-noted schemes place substantial emphasis on recruitment of participants to these schemes. In this respect, the schemes offer lucrative incentives to the participants, calculated primarily on the basis of the number of participants or members they recruited into the schemes. It is evident that these recruitment-based incentives serve as a bait to attract potential participants into joining the schemes, with the prospect of making easy money by recruiting others.

“Furthermore in the whole, selling of purported products or services is a small component of the business models in the two schemes and therefore designed to defraud members of the public.

“Given the above, these business models contravene the provisions of the Act when subjected to the definition of ‘receiving funds from the public’ and are therefore considered illegal. The Bank of Namibia therefore appeals to each and every law-abiding citizen of this country to refrain from participating in any activities of H&C and TVI Express,” says Ndangi Katoma, head of corporate communication of the Bank of Namibia.

The Bank of Namibia further requests the public to report such activities to the bank through the Banking Supervision Department at 283 5040 or email: romeo.nel@bon.com.na or Corporate Communications Division. 

More TVI Express members in China arrested for FRAUD

Found the following article http://blog.ce.cn/html/74/426474-670373.html

2010英国TVI旅游快车 专骗老人

2010 UK TVI Express Cheats Elderly

2010-10-15 14:32:27

来源：《楚天金报》文/高秉  source: Chu-Tien Jin News  / Gau Bing
编辑:皓景旅行网  （崔皓景）editor: Hao Jing Travel Network (Cui Haojing)

楚天金报宜昌西陵公安分局昨日通报，打掉一个打着“英国TVI旅游快车公司”幌子，进行非法网络传销活动的犯罪团伙，涉嫌组织领导非法网络传销的刘某已被检方批准逮捕。

Chu-Tien Jin New Yichang Xiling Public Security Bureau yesterday reported that they have destroyed a group flying the banner of "UK TVI Express" pretext, conduct illegal pyramid scheme selling activitiesm, criminal gang, the suspected group leader of this illegal pyramid scheme, Ms. Liu, has been issued a warrant for his arrest. 

去年10月23日，西陵公安分局接一市民报案称，其受人邀约参加了“英国TVI旅游快车”电子商务活动，可缴纳了相关费用却得不到允诺的服务，遂疑被 骗，要求警方查处。该局经侦中队意识到其中隐藏着重要的网络传销线索，遂制定出“循序渐进、扎实取证、擒贼擒王”的侦查方案。

Last year (2009), 23-October, Xiling Public Security Bureau received a citizen report that he was invited to join a "TVI Express" e-commerce seminar, paid various joining fees, but did not received promised benefits, and believe he was defrauded, and wish police invetigation. The local Bureau, after investigation, realized in this complaint is a serious clue leading to a major pyramid scheme, thus formulated a plan: follow the link, gather the evidence, grab the leader. 

今年8月26日，西陵警方将涉嫌组织、领导“英国TVI旅游快车”所谓新型电子商务活动的犯罪嫌疑人刘某抓获，刘某对其非法传销行为供认不讳。近日，经宜昌市西陵区人民检察院批准，刘某被逮捕。

This year (2010) 26-AUGUST, Xiling Police detained the suspected organizer and leader of this so-called new e-commerce opportunity  "TVI Express", Ms. Liu. Ms. Liu quickly confessed to running a pyramid scheme, holding nothing back. Recently, through prosecutor's office of Yichung City, Xiling Region, arrest warrant was issued for Ms. Liu and she had been taken into custody.

经查，从去年4月起，刘某(化名：刘璐，女，39岁，汉族，宜昌人)通过林某(男，27岁，浙江人，现在逃)介绍，刘某出资1897元加入了“英国 TVI旅游快车公司”的网络传销组织。

According to investigation, since April 2009, Ms. Liu (alias: Lu Liu, female, 39 years old, ethnic Han, citizen of Yichan), through Mr. Lin (male, 27 yeas old, citizen of Zhejiang, fugitive) as a sponsor, paid 1897 (RMB) and joined TVI Express pyramid scheme organization.

随后，刘某在宜昌市华强大厦603号等地狂拉人头，以1897元购买旅游卡注册成“英国TVI旅游快车”会员后，可 免费入住国内线路五星级宾馆七天六夜和享受全球旅游打折优惠，推荐、发展下线可获取500元美金返还和最高奖金15000元美金奖作饵，使自己在两个月内从一般会员发展成金卡会员，累计发展下线会员达658个，非法获利近6万余元。

Later, Ms. Liu was heavily promoting the pyramid scheme in Yichan City Huachiang Building #603, promising that just pay $1897 (RMB) for travel card (membership) and register to become member of "TVI Express', can get free accommodation in domestic 5-star hotels for 7-day 6-night and enjoy global travel discount benefits. If you sponsor and develop downlines you can earn 500 and up to 15000 USD as bait, quickly gotten herself in just over two months up to "gold level" associate, with 658 downlines, with illegal profit of over 6 million RMB.

据警方介绍，此案涉及人员多、涉案金额大，受害人多为60岁以上的老人，其中，很多受害者在刘某等人的蛊惑下，被骗走毕生积蓄，系“宜昌网络传销第一案”。

Based on police information, this case has huge amount of victims and huge amount of money involved. Most victims are elderly, over 60. Many victims, entranced by Ms. Liu's scam, were swindled out of their life savings, and is currently the most devastating pyramid scheme thus far in Yichan city. 

目前，警方对此案正在审理中。

Currently police is still processing the case. 

Tarun Trikha is no longer on TVI Express Advisory Board

Go to TVI Express link and you'll see something surprising: Tarun Trikha's name is no longer on the list of advisory board members.


Now that he's off advisory board, he is definitely NOT eligible to speak for TVI Express in ANY MANNER.

Wonder when this this happen? Was it BEFORE or after Kaspi and Jackson and Traurig posted their "conference call with Owner and CEO Tarun Trikha" on their website increasemymonthlyincome.com?

Why is there still two advisory board members from China? TVI Express has been illegal in China for over a year now. Members arrested, convicted and sentenced to jail. 

TVI Express cannot redeem trips in Indonesia either

Detik News posted a comment from a reader updating the situation about TVI Express. TVI Express is leaving the joiners in Indonesia high and dry, with NO TRIPS available:

Original URL: http://us.suarapembaca.detik.com/read/2010/10/19/134547/1468780/283/proses-me-redeem-voucher-hotel-dari-tvi-express-tidak-bisa-lanjut?882205470

Translation as follows (note: updated with help from Indonesian speaker Chris Chouputra, thanks Chris!):

Procedure to claim Hotel Voucher from TVI Express cannot be proceeded

Siska Lea - Reader's Voice

Jakarta - In May 2010 I join TVI express with some of my friends. It is a company that claims itself to be a web based Joint Venture Travel company.

As a reward I was given hotel voucher (which was initially promoted to be usable freely worldwide ... wow ...). The story begins when I was intending to redeem the voucher. Here is the chronology:

On October 12 I was planning to redeem the hotel voucher for 4 days 3 night in Singapore. However, the process cannot be proceeded as there was no fund (I thought that it can be paid using Visa/MasterCard/PayPay like Agoda). It was clear later on that I had to deposit a sum of money to Ms Goenawan banking account (rumors said that she is the top dog of TVI but she was not brave enough to pick up my call).

On the 13th I deposit the money and it was registered by October 18. By the time I resume the redemption procedure the only thing happen was "There was no such hotel". Hmm ... strange.

Out of curiosity I tried again with different account. As it turns out, using a different account with no fund at all returns 40 different hotels to choose from for the same date. Weird huh (hmm .. I did not dare to accuse them. I am afraid it will be just like the "Ms Prita" case [A case of a patient named "Prita" who was misdiagnosed http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prita_Mulyasari]). A screen capture from the my booking screen can be seen at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=81220&id=1019906214&saved

Siska Lea

Taman Kopo Bandung

siska_lea_kumalasari@yahoo.co.id 

08122083159

 

So, TVI Express is leaving people high and dry everywhere. Instead of pay online, you must deposit money straight into the upline's account! How can this be legal or ethical?

Some more classic "dogma" from TVI Express

Image via Wikipedia
Kim Willis runs a multi-purpose website that includes tips on blogging, branding, MLM, and so on, and is one of the first US MLM coaches to call TVI Express a scam (September 2009). On another website he reports MLM news, and this is some classic "comments" left by TVI Express supporters with "faith" when ACCC in Australia initiated legal action against TVI Team Oz, and MLM News reported it in May 2010.
Comment #1

Tony Wyche wrote 31 May 2010, 7:09 am

You missed the number word in this charge and that word is “alleged”. These people along with TVI Express are innocent until proven guilty and already critics are quick to convict. Make no sense. Everybody knows that sooner or later all new companies are going to be challenged by some Govt entity. It just a matter of time. YTB, Pyxism, are being challenged now in the US. I dont hear nobody sounding the alarm about these companies and there are more of them. I read the accused’s site information and as far as I can see, they haven’t broken any laws other than from what Im reading here. I see 2 flaws so far that might get them in trouble. One is TVI’s membership fee. It’s not $330 to join TVI. It’s a $250 membership fee + $25 intl currency fee which total $275. And 2, you do not purchase a travel voucher when you initially join TVI Express. You are purchasing a membership to the travel program offered by TVI Express. That’s the product that keeps getting left out and people dont seem to understand. From what Im reading, this would make this program a pyramid scheme. But that’s not how we market TVI Express here.

A search through Internet archive shows that Mr. Wyche, based in state of Virginia, had been trying to defend TVI Express for a while. He had done so on Troy Dooly's website as well. However, his statements has many problems.

First, Mr. Wyche basically cannot discredit the ACCC case against TVI Express, and in turn tries to plant "reasonable doubt", such as "Other companies had been challenged before, and will be in the future". He named YTB, but that is indeed a pyramid scheme, declared so in two states, including California. I have not seen any legal challenges to Pyxism, which doesn't mean it's not there, just I haven't seen any. In either case it's NOT relevant. This is known as the "heresy" argument... "We may not be accepted now, but we will be triumphant!" It is FAITH, not based on any facts or logic. It is good for a coach or a leader, but it is not a valid "argument" or even logical.

Second, Mr. Wyche does not seem to understand that this "travel membership" he's selling is promising $10000+$500 USD for recruiting 224 people. THAT IS A PYRAMID SCHEME: you get paid for recruiting people, who will also be paid for recruiting people... It doesn't matter what he's marketing it as. It may have ancillary benefits (which are impossible to redeem or are worth ZERO), but those are irrelevant.

Lean how a scam mess with your judgement

A scam mess with your judgment on risk, value, and cost. Learn how.

http://hubpages.com/hub/How-Does-a-Scam-Mess-with-Your-Head

Major Steve Motley (USMC, Ret.) is about to kick TVI Express Ass

And he's making videos to help do it!



http://www.youtube.com/user/TVIScam



He's a little late to the party, but every bit helps.

More Hilarious TVI Express spam on a sports website

TVI Express spammers reached a sports website:



http://www.notonlysport.com/tvi-express-opportunity-part-1/



They also hit a weight loss / diet website, but the spam was deleted. 


 

More Hilarity: Visual Edition

This is Kaspi and Jackson's website on TVI Express. It is filled with dogma (My upline said so)

Another TVI Express MORON posts evidence of his stupidity

The guy posts a video of himself checking into a 5-star hotel in Australia, and thanks TVI Express.



http://familymascot.com/travelcentre/2010/10/13/tvi-express-jack-redeeming-his-travel-voucher-10-10-2010/

However, he never actually shown on camera what sort of stay he booked through TVI Express. He said he paid about $69 USD for 1 day stay at a 5-star resort, so it's clearly NOT the 7-day 6-night thing. He had never shown it.



So it must be the "back office" booking portal. But that's just Travelocity.com / Res99.com, which is FREE to use.

The video basically proved that the guy pay $250 for something that is free.



In other words, he proved that he's a moron. 

More TVI Express spam hilarity: TVI Express & Age Spots

TVI Express is now spamming cosmetics! This following URL is about TVI Express! Really!



http://age-spots.ebloge.com/skin-bleaching-creams-for-dark-underarms-are-underarm-whitening-creams-effective/

More Hilarity: Ros Kaspi blog is "Healthy People and Pet Store"

Don't believe me? See for yourself:



http://healthypeopleandpetstore.typepad.com/blog/

Who's Ros Kaspi, you ask? Kaspi is half of the moronic duo who had been publishing increasingly hallucinatory entries about TVI Express, passing on messages from their uplines that made absolutely no sense at all. Some excerpts from past few weeks include



"TVI Express is having a convention in Florida in January 2011!" (except TVI Express has no such announcement, the alleged hotel has no such announcement, and basically NOBODY can confirm this) 



"TVI Express is opening a call center in Florida in 2011 or 2012!"  (they had two separate messages with two separate dates. Besides, call centers for US are usually in CENTRAL timezone)



"TVI Express had just hired a 'barrister of marketing' and my upline talked to him!"  (a "barrister" is a lawyer! What the **** is "lawyer of marketing?")



"TVI Express has hired lawyers to make themselves legal in the US!" (so that means they ADMIT TO BEING ILLEGAL, right? And why is there a message, from an upline, that says "do NOT call the lawyers to verify"?)

NONE of the information they gave above can be verified. All are dogma... It is because their upline said so.



They show every sign of having been indoctrinated into a cult. 

Learn the Scam Tactics TVI Express use to Trick People

Scam tactics used by TVI Express and its supporters were analyzed and distilled into this article:

http://hubpages.com/hub/TVI-Express-Scam-Tactic-Analysis-How-and-Why-Do-People-Fall-for-a-Scam

Actual samples of TVI Express and supporter lies and untruths are cited. 

Here's an excerpt:

Make it sound legitimate

TVI Express claims to be a networking marketing company, also known as multi-level marketing. It uses all the same terminology: it calls its members "distributors", it claims it pays out 72 cents out of every dollar brought in. It uses matrices. Its members "cycle out". So on and so forth. Just look at the following quotes from their own website:

"Network Marketing — also Direct Selling or Multi Level Marketing is the most powerful system of free enterprise in our modern world, and it is the business model that TVI Express chose from the beginning."
-- http://www.tviexpress.com/financial.php

"Today, TVI stands as the poster child for modern MLM done right"
-- http://www.tviexpress.com/financial.php

"TVl's first month of sales was bigger than any other network marketing company known, and we're still exceeding sales projections."
-- http://www.tviexpress.com/pop-up/why-tvi.php

"Network Marketing can be an amazing business opportunity, but it takes a lot of hard work, and we [TVI Express] are dedicated, above all else, to support each and every one of our distributors, from those just starting out, to the most experienced business leaders."
-- http://www.tviexpress.com/aboutus.php

However, keep in mind that in its own FAQ, TVI Express stated:

3. Do I need to sell any products?

No. You don’t need to sell any products. TVI Express is a unique e-commerce opportunity allowing you to build the Business around the globe sitting at your home.

-- http://www.tviexpress.com/faq.php

How can you be network marketing if you don't need to sell anything? That becomes clear when you read their other FAQs... Just recruit, and you'll be making money while you sleep. The membership is for... selling more memberships. That is a pyramid scheme.

People only see what they want to see, and hear what they want to hear. It is more comforting to them. In case of TVI Express, they see network marketing buzzwords, and automatically accept it as network marketing, even though there's nothing to sell, just recruiting.

Grimes and Reese confirms that TVI Express is illegal in the US

From Grimes and Reese website:

“If a program compensates participants, directly or indirectly, merely for the introduction or enrollment of other participants into the program, it is a pyramid. ”

– http://www.mlmlaw.com/library/guides/Primer.htm website of Grimes and Reese, MLM Attorneys

You join TVI Express, you get paid for filling the board with recruits, and not sell anything.

TVI Express spokesman admits to TVI Express being illegal in the US

From unofficial announcement passed from an upline:

2. Mr Trikha also confirmed again that his attorneys in the US are currently working on compliance but also asked for people not to send emails or make calls to them since it ties up the attorneys and their office.

 So in other words, Tarun Trikha basically admitted that TVI Express is illegal (non-compliant) in the US.



What's even MORE interesting is Mr. Trikha also begged his members NOT to verify the claim that the lawyer is actually working on behalf of TVI Express. 

More Hilarity... do people know what Aknon stands for?

Search on Internet shows that "aknon" is "pimple" in Esperanto.



It is also a city in Everquest needed in a certain quest.

Other than that, there are some gamers using aknoN as their gametag, but I haven't found any references yet to origin. It appears to be a word in transliteration of Persian, but it does not appear to be a word in Hindi or English, and does not appear to be a name.

This is may just be ANOTHER joke from TVI Express. They've always tweaked the language to include a lot of verbal jokes for people who aren't skeptical.


Previously they used PIMPS.WS as their stream server. No, I am NOT kidding.

Or claimed that they are a "tsunami" (which, as we know, left only devastation in its wake)


People who WANT to believe sees signs guiding them everywhere. People who are neutral looks at the believers and wonders what's wrong with them. 

Even more idiocy from remaining TVI Express North America members Kaspi and Jackson

Kaspi and Jackson, who runs a TVI Express member website called IncreaseMyMonthlyIncome. They've published some crazy claims before, such as claiming a TVI Express convention in the Florida, US in 3 months even though TVI Express has no announcement doing so. Today, they released even MORE unconfirmed information, which is just... idiotic.

They claim that their upline (the new one, since the old one quit after getting a "cease and desist" from state of Georgia) ...

Darren Aikens TVI Presidential in the United States today had a webinar with quest speaker Aknon, who is the current TVI Express Barrister of Marketing. 

Do they even know what a "barrister" is? A barrister is what the Brits call a LAWYER or attorney. What the **** is a "lawyer of marketing"? What sort of a lawyer is he that won't even give his full name? And where does he practice law? India? VP of marketing or president of marketing, I can believe. LAWYER OF MARKETING? Are they kidding me!?!?!?!



And then here's the bombshell:

Aknon has been Barrister of Marketing for one month

 Then there's the weasel paragraph (bold sentence was bolded by me):

TVI has had to make some minor adjustments in other countries in order to fully comply with regulations. They have all been completed and now do not have any issues in these countries. TVI is now focusing on the United States and if there needs to be any adjustments to fully comply it will be taken care of as quickly as possible. In order to comply with US regulations a company has to have a “retail” product. Aknon was fully aware of this and will keep US TVI members up to date with any news as it happens. He was not at all trying to dodge the issue but stated that “yes” TVI has all possible people working on making sure all regulations are going to be adhered to now and into the future.

So in other words, they KNEW ALL ALONG TVI Express is NOT legal in the US, but they kept on recruiting members any way! Can they even CITE what laws that they are trying to comply with? No! And this guy is a "barrister"?



More like bulls**tter.

More announcements from ex-TVI Patrick Dejour

Mr. Patrick Dejour, TVI Express North America, was remarkably honest about his own failure regarding TVI Express, and seems to be doing his best in spreading REAL information about TVI Express. Here's a very interesting announcement from his group:

September 12, 2010

After Full Investigative Research, the following can be Verified

  

After full investigative research, the following can be verified:

1) The Cease and Desist order in the state of Georgia is permanent

2) Several leaders have been identified in the state of Florida; state attorney has been contacted and a Cease and Desist order has been recommended

3) Investigative reporters propose to expose TVI Express as illegal in the state of Florida

4) Any leaders found promoting TVI Express will be subject to fines and prosecution in these states

5) RCMP in Canada have banned TVI Express

6) Tarun Trikha cannot get a Visa to enter the United States


It is estimated that TVI Express will be completely shut down within the next 60 days.

For further information:  info@tvinorthamerica.com  or call 206-350-9071

So Florida, possibly Hawaii, and Maryland may be acting upon TVI Express very soon. Remember, there is no confirmation for any of these news, as no source were cited except (1), which is supposedly witnessed by Mr. Dejour (he's the recipient).

Who's telling tall tales? Kapi and Jackson, who runs "increasemymonthlyincome", is claiming a CONVENTION in Florida in  January 2011.

Who's writing fiction, do you think? My bet is on Kaspi and Jackson, but you should decide for yourself. 

Sherry Dossey, TVI Express "leader", defends her failure on Hubpages

Sherry Dossey is one of the top TVI Express leaders in the US, and when the sky came falling down (TVI Express ordered to "cease and desist" in state of Georgia), hundreds of members felt betrayed, as it was Dossey that recruited them into the scam. What was her response?

sdossey 7 weeks ago

I normally don't commit on anything negative such as this, but no one is responsible for any body loosing any money in their business but themselves. I put together a perfect system but we do not live in a perfect world so it didn't work. The system did not fail...The people failed the system and blamed me. I did everything I could do to make sure everyone made money. I told them we had to have at least 85 to 90% of the people working the business to pull everything back on track. If this had happened everyone would have been making a lot of money. These people put in $250 dollars and set back for a free ride thinking we would do all the work and they would draw big checks. At first everything worked perfect, but the bigger it grew we could not keep up with doing all the work. Only 8% of the people worked this business. A lot of the people that didn't work made money. and yes there were some that worked that got in at the end and got hurt. but nobody was responsible. You go open a Burger King and never leave your tv set to unlock the doors, how much money will you make. That is exactly what happened here. No different except it was less than $300 dollars instead of $300,000+.
I am so sorry and have taken more bad things said to me and about me than most people will in their life.
I will always believe in team work and will always help others be successful.
God Bless,
Sherry

See the problems? Even today, she refused to accept that she lead people into a scam. Just read those sentences:




"no one is responsible for any body loosing any money in their business but themselves"  -- except it wasn't a business, but a scam, and you were the recruiter.

"The system did not fail...The people failed the system and blamed me" -- of course they blamed you... you recruited them and were their upline.

"I told them we had to have at least 85 to 90% of the people working the business to pull everything back on track" -- even now she doesn't understand that a business have to SELL SOMETHING to non-members, not just recruit. Recruit, recruit, and recruit means pyramid scheme.







Her explanation of the failure is "blame it all on the people who refuse to further participate in a scam".

Is TVI Express hacking blog sites to post TVI Express spam?

The more I researched TVI Express, the more TVI Express spam I am finding on all sorts completely irrelevant blog sites... like Car Insurance, Abortion (!), Shoes, Band Fandom, and so on.
Here's one on car insurance...  http://carsinsurance.ebloge.com/has-anyone-ever-filled-a-claim-with-nationwide/
Yet it's clear that this blog post WAS NOT about TVI Express. The comments were about Nationwide.  Somehow the content was overwritten with TVI Express spam.
Is there a coordinated attack on blogs to spread TVI Express spam? It is not out of the question... Remember, Ted Nuyten's website was taken down by a persistent DDoS attack when it published a TVI Express expose. So this demonstrated (albeit unprovable) capability of such hacking.
Why spam? Two reasons. 1) It props up search engine and Alexa ratings. 2) it drowns out critics voice, such as this little blog.