TVI Express operating ILLEGALLY in Indonesia

Indonesia's Detik news reported that TVI Express is busy signing up people in Indonesia. However, it is NOT registered with Government's Direct Selling Bureau, and thus far, it will NEVER be registered because it is all recruiting, no product! Here's Google Translate Link:


http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fus.detiknews.com%2Fread%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2F164536%2F1344319%2F159%2Fsambil-berlibur-kantongi-imbalan-ribuan-dolar&sl=id&tl=en

Here's an excerpt:

"... every MLM company in Indonesia must have direct trade business license... if you do not have [license], it [business] is considered illegal... Indonesia TVI Express leader admit they are not registered [to have license]...  only do business over Internet, thus no sales took place..."

Can you say "weasel"?

TVI Express: even their "member list" is a fake!

If you go on the TVI Express website, you will notice a "scroller" that supposedly lists the members online because it's labeled "Today's Members".

It is a Flash object, called "today.swf". Out of curiosity, I decompiled it using the 15-day trial version Flash Decompiler Gold, and opened up the object. (You can download it off CNet's download.com).

And here's the shocker: it is NOT connected to a database! The only code that refers to an outside file is this line in Today.swf:Scripts:MainMovie:

pxml.load("data.php?c=" + getTimer());

So what DOES getTimer() do in Flash? It returns the number of milliseconds since the flash player loaded and initialized. It has NOTHING to do with a date at all. It's just a number. In fact, it is a random number. It is usually used to seed random number generators.

Why would a database display need to read in a random number?


So I tried entering the following URL, try to get access to the data directly:

http://www.tviexpress.com/data.php?c=1

And I got an XML file back. Okay.

I tried some OTHER number for c, and I got back the exact same file!

I tried it the next day, different numbers, and I still got back the exact same file, no matter when I try, or what number I put in for c!

The file is STATIC! It is NOT DYNAMIC that they want you to believe! IT IS A FAKE!

Oh, I know you'll probably say "it could just be a static file updated nightly!"  Then I ask you, if it's only updated NIGHTLY, why would it need a random number generator? And if it's updated nightly, then it would be YESTERDAY'S MEMBERS, right? But it says TODAY'S MEMBERS. So that is STILL a LIE!

WHY WOULD A LEGITIMATE COMPANY FAKE ITS OWN MEMBER ROLL ON ITS OWN WEBSITE?!?!

Looks like someone got LAZY in writing the PHP routine that is supposed to randomly pull names out of a table, generate a fake XML file, for the member display!

Here's a simple test for TVI Express members: login as yourself. Do you see YOUR name in the list? I seriously doubt it.

Another MLM veteran calls TVI Express scam

Read the article here: http://www.obtainer-online.com/where_money_goes_down_the_pan_3_315_EN.html

"With that it seems to be clear that TVI Express is a large-scale international fraud.  Many thousands of networkers and people believed in the promises by TVI Express. In America, Europe, Arabia, Asia and Australia people invested in this company. Many networkers cheered in the light of the high commission amounts the online back office showed them. Many a person saw themselves as a millionaire already. But now the bubble seems to have burst."

TVI Express: 16 questions to ask your recruiter/upline

Another hubpage, for all TVI Express members, or prospective members... Will your upline answer ANY of these 16 questions? I'll just name the first three:

1)  Is TVI Express a travel club or a business opportunity? The website says business opportunity, but a lot of TVI Express distributors are claiming “travel club”. If you say both, please explain.
FOLLOW-UP 1: If it is a business opportunity, why does the FAQ say "You are not required to sell any product"?
FOLLOW-UP 2: If it is a travel club, why does the FAQ say "You need to recruit two people, and teach them each to recruit two more people"?

2)  TVI Express claims to have “strategic alliances with some of the biggest names in the Travel world”. Can you name some of them? Can you also explain why a Spanish newspaper is reporting that Lufthansa, Avis, and Marriott have initiated legal action against TVI Express for falsely representing them as “partners”?

If they want to see the article, print this out:

New Pyramid Scheme in Mallorca: Wealth to all

FOLLOW-UP: The same article also said that Lufthansa have repeatedly sent letters to TVI Express, but the letters came back as undeliverable. Does that mean that the address given on the TVI Express website is fake?

3) Can you explain WHY when I plug in the Cyprus address into Google, I get at least three other businesses at that EXACT SAME address, no suite number difference, no room number difference, but the EXACT same address?

FOLLOW-UP: If TVI Express is NOT really in Cyprus, then where is it? Where are its employees? Corporate officers? Where is their REAL OFFICE?

Read the whole thing at http://hubpages.com/hub/TVI-Express-16-question-you-should-ask-your-upline

TVI Express = scam

Hubpage has a new hub that summarizes all the various problems about TVI Express, including TVI Express lies, member lies, and disreputable practices, and came up with the inescapable conclusion: TVI Express is a scam.

"TVI Express claims to be an international conglomerate. However, with some simple investigation, you will find that TVI Express is an international scam that is founded on lies and vagueness. Furthermore, it has continued to lie, and allow members to lie for them. They have even deleted their own announcements that made themselves look bad. Their business practice is a pyramid scheme cloaked in buzzwords, disguised by a product you are NOT required to sell, and gives benefits that are available free elsewhere. It is a scam of international proportions."

 You can read it at http://hubpages.com/hub/TVI-Express-is-an-international-scam

TVI Express, the obfuscation of money trail

TVI Express has actually reorganized multiple times, but that's one of this things they don't tell you.

When they claim to March Arch Tower (January thorugh late 2009), their disclaimer in their own website actually says your info is used NOT by TVI Express, NOT by Travel Venture International, but by "TVI Services". This had since been modified, but a clone of the original, TVIExpress.vn, has saved the original and can be presented here: http://www.tviexpress.vn/terms-of-use_intro--143.html

There was a "TVI Services" in UK, but it's in Surrey, and its address goes to a company registrar.

BrokerJones was able to trace the money funnel to Cyprus, to a "TVI Services LTD" registered in Cyprus.
In fact, this name appeared on some TVI Express instruction sites. I have to give you the Google Cache, because the original site is down (the original owner went on to some other stuff).  But the info given is:

Do not forget to email the scanned copy of the bank receipt as soon as possible after processing the wire. Please keep in mind that usually wire transfer payments take a couple of days to process and that is why you should email them the receipt immediately. That will expedite the process.
Phone: +44-2032899918

Account Name: TVI Services Limited

Account Number: 179-32-227028
Bank: Marfin Laiki Bank
Swift Code: LIKICY2N
IBAN No.: CY45003001790000017932227028
Bank Address: P.O. Box No. 22032, Postal Code 1598, Nicosia, Cyprus

So you are indeed NOT wiring money to TVI Express, but to TVI Services. So who owns TVI Services, or TVI Express, or whatever? According to a TVI Express fan website, it is...

Director: Rahul Khurana
Company Secretary: Michael Thomas Gordon
Shareholder: Anita Khurana

There is a report of another TVI Services, this time in India. headed by Rahul and Anita Khurana. No idea of they are the same people, but it's getting mighty suspicious. The TVI fan site above would like you to believe it's the same company.  Even gave link to both UK and India government website for you to look it up. However, the UK site does NOT list the owners. Indian site listed Rahul and Anita Khurana.

If you search for Rahul and Anita Khurana, you will find them in Danville, CA, operating an outfit called VisionTech Camps for children. It teaches kids about computers and technology. It even has their pictures. And yes, they were from India. Is it a coincidence? Could be, so the jury is still out on this topic.

Furthermore, BrokerJones has a strange encounter on Yahoo! Messenger... with rkhurana1991. This Y!M user claims Rahul and Anita Khurana to be NOT affiliated with TVI Services. However, he cannot provide proof.

Here's one more piece of the puzzle... Rahul Khurana *was* a member of TVI Express advisory board, documented by yet another website. However, his name does NOT appear on the official TVI Express website, not now, at least. Due to the way these clone websites "copy" the official one, they are basically time-lapsed mirrors, and proves that at one time, there was a Rahul Khurana involved in TVI Express. Whether is this the same Rahul Khurana in Danville, CA, remains in question. 

If they are the owners, why can't they just say so?

TVI Express owner: Tarun Trikha?

With my investigation of TVI Express, one name that keeps coming up is Tarun Trikha, resident of New Delhi, India.

If you look on TVIexpress.com, under "Advisory Board", you'll see his name under "India". At least one TVI Express "fan" site called him "Asia Pacific Head, TVI Express".

Further digging revealed he used to run an outfit called V2 Global. According to his own profile on MoneyMaker Group website, he specializes in Internet Marketing, and that is what V2 Global does. He had a website called CashYourPassion.com but that expired a while back.

On ConsumerComplaints of India he was named as one of the co-owners of TVI Express. While this is not exactly proof, it is one of the first real NAMES we have that is attached to the company. This item was repeated at an ex-TVI member memorial site. A "letter to editor" in India pointed to him as close to the top, if not THE top of TVI Express.

Then BrokerJones dropped a bombshell... he traced the money of TVI Express to a company called VisionTech in California. And Tarun Trikha, according to BrokerJones, is the head, and had previously ran a similar scheme and made off with a huge amount of dollars. Not quite Madoff, but maybe mini-Madoff. (100K or so).

So what does Mr. Trikha look like? Here's a photo of him: (he's on the right)
http://vishalbudhwar.blogspot.com/2009/12/tvi-express-tarun-trikha-vishal-budhwar.html

And here's another picture, from a TVI Express "fansite" (It's in Thai) -->> It's the same picture as the blog.

And here is the same guy in China, pushing TVI Express and posing with friendly locals:

Definitely the same guy. So what does the blog entry actually say?

六月十號來自全國各地的120余名TVI鑽石會員，齊聚深圳，與代表公司的印度領導人Tarun Trikha共商TVI發展事宜。
June 10th (2009), 120 or so TVI "Diamond Associates" of TVI Express, from all over the country, gather in ShenZheng (Guandong, China), and met with India Leader Tarun Trikha, representing the company, to discuss further developements. 

據悉，自公司1月開始全球運作開始，全球共誕生6位皇冠會員。中國自3月份開始運作，就占了5位皇冠會員。另外一位就是Tarun Trikha。
TVI Express started operating globally in January 2009, and there was a total of six crown associates in the whole world.  TVI Express started operating in China in March 2009, and China has produced 5 of the crown associates. Mr. Trikha is the 6th.


The blog also says that Mr. Trikha already has 36000 downlines.(blog entry was dated June 2009)

Well, isn't that interesting. Based on this information, the only logical conclusion is that Mr. Trikha is the FIRST EVER member of TVI Express! He is "member zero"! Why else would he be "representing TVI Express"? A member don't get to do that, not even one on the advisory board!

So it is logical to assume that he either founded the company, or is very close to the founders. How else would he get to join TVI Express so early,and thus, reap all the benefits?

Now that you've seen "face of the enemy", what is your reaction?

Another TVI Express cheerleader cites bull**** as support

Recently, a comment was left on one of my articles on Hubpages. It was so ridiculous, I decided to publish it, and pick it apart, to show you how TVI Express cheerleaders ignore reality, use logical fallacies for their material, and in general behaving like morons. It is another symptom of TVI Express madness!

ucantstoptvi 

hey Hubs,
you are full of it. all i know is tvi express is booming and you can't stop it. i have people that are making $10's of thousands of dollars following the simplest steps. Hubs, i think you should join in too. you asked what is tvi express selling? the idea is to eliminate any selling which causes many of those home-base business to end up down the drain. do u think people want to put up with the hassle of stocking/selling things? tvi express members only helps the company expends it's market sharing, and we get unbelievable commissions for doing just that. do u think companies like disney world, hertz, marriot, klm, sheraton, and many many more would have partnered with this company if it wasn't a legitimate company? c'mon dude!

First of all, the name's URL goes to "Meet Plan B", which just teaches you how to market to people, and make them join your MLM or whatever. It's basically what's taught by various "marketing coaches", and goes under the name "attraction marketing" or others.  It can be useful for recruiting others to join your TVI Express downline, but only if you want dozens of people coming after you.

What is even more interesting is... the IP address used to post the comment (which I am NOT revealing) is from Comcast.net in Florida. I had previously rejected a comment for posting in Spanish. Well, same subnet. Hmmm... 

Then the writer starts off with an insult, but that's all right. That's his summary and purpose: to prove me wrong. So what arguments did he use? Unfortunately, it's the same old arguments as always: 1) it pays (implying it's legit), 2) selling "membership" is legal, and 3) "real" companies "support" TVI Express, therefore it's legit. We've disproved each of those before, and we will do so again.

TVI Express in Vietnam? Yeah, right...

"Breaking" news in Vietnam investigated TVI Express, found tviexpress.vn and tviexpress.com.vn are both operated locally by Vietnamese distributors of TVIexpress.com, and copied verbatim from the main tviexpress website.

Both local sites represent themselves as travel companies, and even "offer tours". However, they are NOT registered travel agencies. Thus, they are suspected of operating illegally!

Furthermore, there are questions whether it is even LEGAL to use multi-level marketing to promote intangible products, such as travel, in Vietnam.

Wonder what will they say when they read the news I've collected?

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=vi&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww6.vnmedia.vn%2Fnewsdetail.asp%3FNewsId%3D190399%26CatId%3D26

TVI Express deletes own annoucement to cover up its own problem

TVI Express decided to rewrite history, by removing one of their own announcements from their website.

In February 2010, TVI Express put up an announcement that they are implementing a new booking engine, and it should go online March 1st, 2010. Here's an excerpt:

Monday, February 01 2010

Dear Members,

We are pleased to announce the launch date of our much awaited standalone booking portal on 1st March, 2010. The initial booking system we launched couldn't support booking requests of masses and hence, laid the foundation for the development of a fully online booking system to ensure speedy processing...

cited from http://www.tviexpressreviewblog.com/free-vacation-booking-status-update/

Then in March 2010, they released another message that says the rollout isn't working.

Friday, March 05, 2010


Dear Members, 

This is to inform you that our product fulfilment booking engine due to be launched on 1st March 2010 will take a few more days to go live as the integration of inventory for some of our Channel Partners has taken longer than expected...

Cited from http://www.tviexpressreviewblog.com/tvi-express-booking-engine-update/

However, if you now look on the TVI Express website, under announcements, the March 05, 2010 message is NO LONGER THERE. However, that message has been cloned by various TVI Express clone sites, by helpful TVI Express members.  

If you do an analysis of the announcement page, you realize that the REAL announcement page is is actually

http://www.tviexpress.com/announcement1.php?id=XX

Where XX is the announcement ID. For example, here's the link to the announcement that the booking engine will be up on March 1st, 2010.

http://www.tviexpress.com/announcement1.php?id=52

Yet the next announcement, about TVI Express India, dated March 22, 2010, is id 62!

http://www.tviexpress.com/announcement1.php?id=62

What happened to announcements 53-61? If you punch in those ID's, you'll get "announcement expired".

So, TVI Express can "expire" announcements that makes itself look bad, and leave only those announcements that make itself look good. Is that what a reputable company would do?

Also makes you wonder, what are in the announcements 53-61 that we don't know about?

Keep in mind that there is no specific announcement that the booking engine is functional. Yet by deleting the announcement dated March 5th, 2010, which did NOT specify a time when the engine will be up and running, TVI Express gave the impression that the engine was functional since March 1st, 2010!

Folks, no matter how you spin this, this is NOT what a reputable company would do. If they made a mistake in announcing the March 5th, 2010 outage, just put up another announcement "sorry, it's never really broken". By actually DELETING the announcement, they made it appear as if they have SOMETHING TO HIDE!