The Cheerful TVI Express Denial-ist

Recently a certain "Bilyonaryo" started posting comments on my TVI Express expose hubs. His IP address traces back to a Korean ISP. He's all nice and positive, "you write good stuff", he goes, but it's clear he didn't read any of them, because he posted this:

Mind you, I already gave him links to my "News Your TVI Express Upline will never tell you", where TVI Express members were arrested, TVI Express denounced as pyramid scheme, and so on and so forth.

Yet he says that only individual members of TVI Express was prosecuted as criminals, not TVI Express itself.

For a moment, I was going to retort "What is the difference?!"  Then I realized he's trying to use the "few bad apples" argument, that a few individuals can abuse the system, but the system itself, he will claim, is innocent. Fortunately, I do have references pointing the other way:

The Australia Federal Court says TVI Express is a pyramid scheme:

...But Justice Nicholas found there was "no evidence" that any member had "obtained the ... vacation or a companion flight". In his judgment he said: "I am satisfied that the TVI Express System was a pyramid-selling scheme".

It's amazing what sort of contrived excuses will TVI Express supporters come up with to "debate" whether TVI Express is a scam... However, this is one of the 13 tricks I've identified earlier: "It's the individual's fault, because it cannot be the system's fault". Seen it before, albeit not to this extent. Usually it's used as post-facto justification, like: blame all my downlines for the failure. However, this one use it to DENY that TVI Express was a scam at all. Hah!

If it's not a scam, then it wouldn't have been banned in China, Namibia, Lesotho, USA, and so on.

NEWSFLASH: Namibia is aware of TVI Express still operating in the country

New Era newspaper reports:  ( http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=40124&title=BoN%20warns%20against%20TVI )

BoN warns against TVI Express

WINDHOEK – Bank of Namibia maintains its position that the popular Travel Venture International (TVI) Express is a pyramid scheme, and would be forced to go after those engaged in the scheme, since it contravenes Namibian banking laws.

However, the Namibian chapter of TVI Express continues operations and the members say changes have been made to conform to “African laws”. These changes should satisfy the concerns expressed by the central bank. 

South Africa’s central bank has also launched an investigation into the activities of TVI Express, but according to Namibia’s head of TVI Express, Magnus Nangombe, the investigation appears to be “an agenda, and issue driven by consumer watch [bodies]”, who are not in favour of the TVI Express business model.  

The South Africa Reserve Bank says Nangombe had never had a problem with TVI Express before until the renewed agenda from consumer watch bodies.  

Ironically, the Bank of Namibia is under the impression that TVI Express is no longer active in the country since the bank issued statements last year, for people to desist from engaging in TVI Express activities. 
It now warns that the Act sets clear procedures on how to take the TVI case further, referring to legal action, if the persons involved failed to repay the monies taken from the public.  

“Should the bank find that TVI Express failed to adhere to the directives given to them earlier; this will leave the bank with little option but to invoke the provisions of the law and institute legal action,” said Bank of Namibia in response to questions from New Era.  

Nangombe says they have “restructured TVI activities to operate according to the continent, with director for TVI Africa sitting in Johannesburg”.  

“There are many changes made and we in Namibia would also check what changes are needed,” he said adding that they are “not afraid” of the agendas that would meet them in a bid to stop TVI Express operations, neither does he foresee any problem once the changes are announced.  

According to information obtained by New Era, the changes made revolve around redefinition of terms involving the taking of money from the public.  

The South African Reserve Bank is conducting investigations into TVI Express activities, and media reports suggest that an estimated 100 000 South Africans have invested in TVI Express, and more than N$144 million in cash transactions and investments have been identified thus far.  

TVI Express members in Namibia are estimated at about 3 000 people. TVI Express is banned in China, USA, Britain, Australia, while Swaziland has also issued a warning asking the company not to operate in their country.

Typical scam excuse: they don't understand us, we're so new, so they're afraid of us, and they want to ban us.

Related articles

• Archive revealed sad signs of denial in Africa (kschang.blogspot.com)
• Botswana Consumer Watchdog reminds authorities TVI Express still NOT outlawed in that country (kschang.blogspot.com)
• South African Police admit some members were tricked into joining (kschang.blogspot.com)
• NEWSFLASH: South African News Named Tarun Trikha as head of TVI Express Scam (kschang.blogspot.com)
• NEWSFLASH: Botswana TVI Express recruiter/victim admits guilt of recruiting others (kschang.blogspot.com)

Consumer Watch Botswana Did Radio Show on TVI Express, still no proof of legitimacy

http://consumerwatchdogbw.blogspot.com/2011/08/on-air-with-tvi-express.html

I had a very amusing experience on radio this morning. After last week's coverage of the TVI Express pyramid scheme, when I reported on it being illegal in Namibia, Georgia, Indonesia and under aggressive investigation in South Africa and Australia, some of the local TVI Express people were very cross indeed and demanded a right of reply.

So they got one this morning. However given that what I'd said was entirely true, their right of reply wasn't unconditional. I was there this morning to respond to some of their comments. 

They genuinely seemed confused about what they wanted to say. They described themselves at various points as "investors"and then "not investors", "employees", "directors", "distributors" and "members" of TVI Express. 

At one point one fo them said that the Bank of Namibia was considering changing their ban in Namibia but changed the subject quickly when two of us pointed out that we'd contacted the Bank who had denied any such thing...

Related articles

• Botswana Consumer Watchdog reminds authorities TVI Express still NOT outlawed in that country (kschang.blogspot.com)
• TVI Express Indonesia members still in denial about BKPM ruling (kschang.blogspot.com)
• NEWSFLASH: Botswana TVI Express recruiter/victim admits guilt of recruiting others (kschang.blogspot.com)
• Archive revealed sad signs of denial in Africa (kschang.blogspot.com)
• NEWSFLASH: South African News Named Tarun Trikha as head of TVI Express Scam (kschang.blogspot.com)

Botswana Consumer Watchdog reminds authorities TVI Express still NOT outlawed in that country

Consumer Watchdog of Botswana reminds the public that despite investigations in various nearby countries, including South Africa where arrests have been made, and Namibia declared TVI Express illegal, Botswana authorities have yet to do anything substantial against TVI Express inside the borders of Botswana.

http://consumerwatchdogbw.blogspot.com/2011/07/tvi-express-illegal-elsewhere-but-still.html

Archive revealed sad signs of denial in Africa

Back in October 2010, when Bank of Namibia declared TVI Express a pyramid scheme, reaction was swift among the locals. Excerpts here are some of the reaction to local newspapers, and my comments (in blue)

http://www.namibian.com.na/index.php?id=28&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=74192&no_cache=1

IS it not better to allow us the 52 per cent unemployed to continue make a living honourably through network marketing rather than to legalise prostitution?

But what proof is there that TVI Express is actually network marketing? Or for that matter, Holiday and Cash? They CLAIM to be, but are they really? 

What does it market besides itself? I don't know anything about Holiday and Cash, but it sounds like exactly the same thing. 

HELLO BoN Mr (Ipumbu) Shiimi and Mr (Ndangi) Katoma do you know than Donald Trump, together with Dolf de Rose, are the board members of Holidays and Cash? Are you also aware that Holidays and Cash is operating in 105 countries?

No proof of such link can be found any where on Google. Even alleged Holiday and Cash websites no longer has anything related to Donald Trump. This is likely a lie, or misunderstanding, similar to the one perpetrated by TVI Express about Warren Buffett and Sir Richard Branson. 


As for number of countries, that in no way proves any sort of legitimacy. Illegal drugs are in every country of the world. So? 

(TRADE) Minister Hage (Geingob) please help us TVI is not a pyramid scheme. Ask TVI people to present it to you. Help us. The BoN wants us to suffer while they are getting richer. Please help.

Ask those in the scam to prove it's not a scam? That's really funny. This basically gets into "us vs them" and "conspiracy" tactics of the cults. 

BANK of Namibia as a member of H & C I am expecting you to withdraw your press release as soon as possible. I want to work for my child’s varsity fees for next year. You are wasting my time and pushing me back into poverty. BoN stole my financial freedom; I want it back big-time. BoN was sleeping only to wake up now just to jump on the wrong side. BoN are you going to give my child a bursary and take care of everything?

So it is the authorities fault for wanting to stamp out fraud, because you do not want to be saved. 

BON or Mr Ndangi Katoma be reasonable and think twice before you take TVI to the newspapers. Why don’t you meet this big giant and hear the best-ever concept in business that every Namibian needs to block the poverty and help themselves. This is not a pyramid scheme as you claim. In Namibia we need this kind of of business that benefits everyone, even a poor person can become a wealthy person. So do good research and apologise to the whole nation.

Clearly, these folks never heard about the cases in China, where perps of TVI Express were arrested and JAILED for running a pyramid scheme, back in 2009. A year later, they still don't believe TVI Express is a scam. 





As you can see, mass denial runs deep. It is a symptom of cognitive dissonance.

Related articles

• Consumer New Namibia explains why TVI Express is a pyramid scheme (kschang.blogspot.com)
• NEWSFLASH: South African Authorities Hire Forensic Accountants to Trace TVI Express Scam Money (kschang.blogspot.com)
• You think pyramid scheme only harms a few people? Think again. (kschang.blogspot.com)

Consumer New Namibia explains why TVI Express is a pyramid scheme

Image via WikipediaConsumer News of Namibia made its own inquiries and interviewed Bank of Namibia's spokesperson regarding the TVI Express issue. Here's their opinion:

After days of investigating, we have found that TVI Express is indeed a pyramid scheme. A pyramid scheme is an illegal practice characterised by a few individuals at the top of the structure who entice others to participate in the scheme by paying a stipulated fee. In turn, these participants recruit others who all pay a fee to join. The primary distinction of a pyramid scheme is that there are no physical products or real services being made. The only sales are when new members pay the said fee. Given that the only real sales of TVI are the recruitment fees we found this to be a classic pyramid scheme. 

It was very nice of them to cite one of my articles. Thank you, Consumer News.

http://www.consumernewsnamibia.com/index.php?

option=com_content&view=article&id=482:investigating-pyramid-schemes&catid=1:latest-news&Itemid=18