Site Visitor E-Mail Jul 2007

I tried e-mailing you before but I don't remember if the e-mail reached you or bounced.

Anyway, I love your site. I was once recruited to Amway when I was a naive 21-year-old fresh from college , but I did not join because I thought that even if the business works, the amount of time you have to invest in it is simply not worth it.

Nevertheless, I wanted to keep an open mind and believed that maybe the business might work. But even then, I had misgivings about it. For instance, I did
not like their "hard sell" approach and how they never told things straight. When you ask them how much time you have to spend in the business, they give you pep
talks instead of an actual break-down of how much hours a week you would have to devote to Amway. This approach does not work with me. I'd rather be given a
transparent assessment of the pros and cons of the business, and then be allowed to decide on my own. I would have respected them better if they were honest
enough to tell me of the trade-offs. I also did not like the way they insisted that their business is not just about selling soap; pray tell, what's so dishonorable about selling soap? In fact I would probably be more attracted to the business if it were just about selling soap, and not about buying people. I also got turned off by their money=happiness mentality.

Thanks to your site, I realized that while there's a remote chance of the Amway business being successful, the chances of it working depends on a lot of "ifs".
I also realized that a lot of the things they were saying to appeal to my values -- such as Amway being ethical and them having rules about not showing the
plan to a married person without his/her spouse being present -- are actually misleading as Amway has ruined a lot of families and some unethical practices are
being done.

Please keep up the good work!

Just curious who the person was who has made a life out of trying to smash something to cover up thier failure in life. Who are you to explain anything about business, what have you done to earn any credibility? What kind of livestyle do you live and does any one want it? if so, can you teach them how to accomplish it? Im sorry for the failure you have had, but I am even more sorry for all of the people that you have influenced the wrong way and will have to answer for in the judgement seat of Christ. I will pray for you that God may grant you repentance.

I hate to burst your bubble, but I have not had anyone find your site. I actually found it and was quite amused with it because of how unproffessional it looks and how obvious it is that someone just got mad that they didnt have what it takes to be successful in life and wants to drag people down with them. I doubt there are very many people that take your site as a credible source because, once again, what have to done to create any credibility and who wants to listen to your opinion? And if they do make a decision based off of your website, they havent done enough research and probably dont have what it takes to become a successful
business owner. I will continue to pray that God may grant you repentace and understanding.

Dear Scott, excellent website, your effort & dedication is most appreciated.

I should point out I don't have a huge problem with Amway business or products per-se. My beef is with the business as distorted by the AMO's, who I view as blood-sucking parasites attached to the soft underbelly of Amway. Of course now it's become a symbiotic relationship, and one is no longer identifiable from the other.

My wife and I were in Network 21 (founded by Jim & Nancy Dornan) a few years back, and we too were duped by the cheap glamour and promise of a better life. We were in for about 3 years, and on all the required education materials from the get-go -- tapes, books, meetings, as per usual -- to the tune of $3,500 per year. But in all that time we signed up, count them, 2 people. "2 people?! That pathetic!" And yes it is... but my problem was from day-1 was this nagging little voice
in my head -- the one telling me I can't commit to lying to my friends and perfect strangers:

"It's not Amway"
"10-15 hours per week tops"
"$200 is all it'll ever cost"
"A sure-fire vehicle to financial security & freedom"

Even then I realised it was all a load of bollocks. I think it's called your "conscience". But sadly I had no problem lying to myself for 3 years; I guess that makes me the worst kind of sucker. In the end it became grossly obvious we were never going to make a success of this thing, and I grew tired of subsidising Jim Dornan's luxurious lifestyle, so we got out.

(Although we are still signed up on Amway; my wife likes the products and even sells a few to friends (at Wholesale mind you), and I can't argue with that.)

And what did the $3,500 "education system" amount to? Hearing a bunch of touch-feely stories and general rah-rah. Every bloody seminar sitting through some woman on stage whining about her pitiful life before Network-21. Having your eardrums burst by a hall full of people cheering and hooting for 10 minutes, while some Diamond stands there like he's King Shit of Turd Island. Watching a slideshow of some kingpin's Rodeo Drive shopping spree and a tour of their 12,000 sqft
mansion. Watching a slideshow of Dornans' new granddaughter. Listening to some guy praise Jesus for the business. 80-page books of nebulous, repetitive drivel written by a kingpin for a captive audience. Tapes that bleat the same tired message over and over and over.

It was all just embarrassing. Is this supposed to be a serious business or some wishy-washy naval-gazing club? I don't mind paying good money for tools & training, but...

Again you ask, why did I stay in for 3 years if it was that bad? Well that's the insidious nature of the Business. Through the education system it knows all the right buttons to push, and preys on the worst fears and woes of the average clock-puncher out there. And because I'm an idiot.

(At least I can laugh at that old Simpsons episode: "This is not one of those Pyramid scams. Our model is the Trapezoid.")

Anyway enough about me... Scott after reading the feedback I noticed a common phrase used by every Amquix pollyanna who makes a comment on
this website:

>>>> GET A LIFE <<<<

I say to them, maybe Scott Larsen's idea of a "life" is donating his time, free of charge, to warn people off this financially and emotionally ruinous business. What a noble gesture, when your "life" involves trying to save perfect strangers from this loathsome caper called Amquix.

On the other hand if you're idea of a "life" revolves around the following:

- Making more and more and more and more $$$
- Taking advantage of family & friend relationships just to sign them up
- Lying to your fellow human being just to sign them up
- Spending your weekends crammed in a function room
- Bowing and scraping to kingpins like they're all Jesus incarnate
- Wallpapering your home with cutouts of Rolex, Porche, Amarni, Peter
Island, and other crass desires
- Lying to yourself that it's all good

then the magic of Amquix is for you!

Cheers,
JQ

Dear Great Scott,

Thanks for putting this wonderful website.

I heard you are a PIMP now and a great advocate of PIMP business.

I am sure it is a kind of business that well suite like minded critics like you and I heard no Pimps reports loss in thier (schedule C)for thier Pimp business.

Great man.. Keep doing this pimp business, keep promoting.. I have a better job to do.

Sivabalan Periasamy

Hi Scott,

I was just reading through the site visitor feedback for January thru April 2007 and I saw this posting:

"Our Pastor has become an IBO with Quixtar. Do you have any references that would be helpful to me? Quixtar has invaded our church in a big way and it is causing major division. Our Pastor has been confronted many times about this but is so deceived he refuses to listen. He honestly believes that all of the information on the internet is false! I am looking for information looking at Quixtar from a Christian perspective. I have seen the document MLM and The Church but have never seen anything about leaders or Pastors doing it.

Thanks for your help."

If you still have this person's email address, a good starting point would be to refer them to Birdie Yeager's "New book of Acts", that she claims suddenly appeared in her Bible. Then they should go read Revelations 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book

They can also look at Matthew 6:19-21
19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Psalms 1:2 is an excellent example of how a righteous man should be, and is considered by some to be a reason why deacons were appointed in the church:
But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

They should also look at Matthew 6:24
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

And Luke 6:13
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Lastly, they should look at Titus 1: 6-9 and I Timothy 3:1-7, as these are the requirements set for for a pastor (bishop)
Titus 1:6-9
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly. 7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre; 8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate; 9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

I Timothy 3:1-7
1. This is a true saying, if a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. 2. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach; 3. Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; 4. One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; 5. (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 6. Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

If he is a pastor, then he is to under the requirements that were set for in the scripture. The things that are in bold print are the items in the Word that are in direct conflict with what is taught in the business. If a pastor believes all that is being taught in the scripture, then he cannot possibly believe what is being taught from stage and on tape and in books, for the following reasons:

1) Quixtar/Amway teaches to build up wealth ( treasures) on earth. Direct conflict with Matthew 6:19-21. A pastor who does this no longer has his heart in the right place. This applies to all Christians, not just pastors.

2) Quixtar/Amway wants you to put the business first in everything that you do. In Matthew and Luke it is clearly stated that no one can serve 2 masters.....That you cannot serve both God and mammon. KJV 1611 dictionary defines mammon as "Riches; wealth; or the god of riches". This applies to all Christians.

2) Pastor must be blameless - he should not bring shame to the Church. Quixtar/Amway teaches you to deceive people by either telling half-truths, or by flat out lying.

3) Quixtar/Amway teaches that you should want to be RICH and want LOTS of expensive material stuff. This is in direct conflict with the requirements for a pastor "not greedy of filthy lucre", and "not given to filthy lucre". the King James 1611 dictionary defines Lucre as "Gain in money or goods; profit; usually in an ill sense, or with the sense of something base or unworthy." A pastor is also not supposed to be covetous, which according to the King James 1611 dictionary means "Inordinately desirous; excessively eager to obtain and possess; directed to money or goods, avaricious.

4) A Pastor is to study the Word and be in prayer so that he can teach the Word to the flock. How can he study and pray if he is out night after night showing plans, going to meetings, going to weekend seminars, listening to tapes, and reading the books that are stipulated by the business. He is supposed to teach sound doctrine. Chances are, if he believes everything that is being taught to him by his upline, from the stages and on the tapes and in the books, his doctrine that he is teaching is no longer sound.
Titus 6:9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

5) A Pastor is supposed to be "given to hospitality". Quixtar/Amway teaches that you are supposed to isolate yourself from those that don't believe in the business like you do. Those that don't jump on the band wagon or that leave the business are looked down upon, labelled as losers, etc. Does that sound like someone who is given to hospitality? Pastors must have a heart to help the hurting, feed the hungry, clothe the needy, and visit the shut-ins. By nature, a Pastor desires to help where there is a need. In the Quixtar/Amway world, these people would all be labelled as losers and no further contact would be made with them.

6) A Pastor is supposed to have a "good report of them which are without". That means that he is supposed to be of good repute to those outside the church. If he is discourteous, rude, labelling people as losers, etc., what does that say about his reputation with those outside the church?

7) If he truly believes that Birdie Yeager has "discovered" a new chapter in the book of Acts, then he no longer believes what the scripture teaches about adding things to the Book, as stated in Revelations 22.
This person can email me directly if they want to. I spent 8 years in the business, and part of the reason that I left was because of the twisting of the scriptures that were being done and taught.

J

Hi Scott,

I have visited your site time to time since my wife and I stopped activily building the business in 2002. We are still members but just to buy the few products that we like. We joined while in college in 1990. Fired up for freedom of course. I spent my last couple years in college just wanting to get out because I just knew all my income and future was with Amway.

I'm sure you've read thousands of personal accounts and mine probably isn't much different than most. Spending hundreds a month on tapes, books and functions. Gas, time, reading and such. I think back and laugh at all the Amvox messages of the ridiculous stuff people ate up.

"Ooohhhh! Listen to Ron Puryear's jet take off! The sound of freedom." Or "Wow - Guess where I'm calling you from? I'm sitting in the front seat of Brad Duncan's new red Lamborgini. Pump the pump and you'll have one too". And I can't count how many ridiculous post cards and amvoxes we got from Go Diamond Weekend. I can remember thinking "Wow, David and Debbie Shores signed this post card!!!) The corny amvoxes with the Disneyland theme song. "Wish you were here...blah blah blah)

I sold out for the whole thing. I cut the cord off my TV and cancelled the cable. A few years later when I was tired of not being able to watch the Seahawks and Mariner games, I bought a new TV (through the Quixtar catalog of course - paying hundreds more than I would have at Fred Meyer - but I got 3 PV!! But I can say I bought it through my business!!!)

I'll never forget getting a call from my upline Direct freaking out because we now have an evil TV! It was 3 weeks later we went to their house for a nuts and bolts teaching session and what do they have in their living room???? A 72 inch big screen TV. Hundreds of cable channels!!! I guess I didn't delay my gratification long enough!!

What really opened the door for questioning is when they teach waiting to have kids. "Build the business first, then you'll have the lifestyle". The priorities are all about the business. After our 2nd child, I finally realised it was a drain on our time and money. As all the other testimonies on your web site, we were no different. Debt from functions, gas and all. In Jan 2002, I looked at it and told my wife I think we should step back and just take a break. She supported me 100%.

Once I actually put my heart fully into my job instead of trying to brainwash myself that my job sucked and was a dead end (I'm a mortgage broker), my life became much less stressful. There was a gigantic weight lifted off. I'll never forget the feeling.

Over the next 6 months or so after deciding to step away, I made more money in my job than most emeralds do on a monthly basis. I was home every night, every weekend with my family. I didn't have to worry about staring at the same 3 year old prospect list. (should I or shouldn't I call that night manager of Burger King to set up an apt to STP). I don't have to worry about leaving my family to go "prospect" in Safeway, pretending to shop while looking for a victim.

If I did take anything from Amway its more confidence in myself. The books and tapes did give me confidence in who I am. It brought me closer in my relationship to my savior Jesus. Ironicly, ultimately, showing me that I was putting Amway before Him! It showed me that life is not material things and my pictures on the fridge should not be of cars, boats, big screen TV's and money. My focus is to always be my God and family. God will bless me as He sees fit, not how I demand it.

Who am I to tell God that I'm going Diamond and since I've claimed it and made the decision, He better get busy putting people in my business so I can have a lake cabin. I've grown up a lot and can look back and take the positive things and laugh about the fun and ridiculous times.

My immediate sponsors and upline are great people. I don't fault them or hold anything against them. They are true people. But the sytem is flawed and corrupt and needs to continually be exposed. People do need to know that even if you "work it" as they say, once you actually figure out how it "really" works, you might as well have just stayed with your career. It will save you time , money and grief.

Put your faith in God, not Amway. Love your wife and family, not the "system". Put your money in an IRA, not tapes and books. Give your job, business or career your best as God commands and Trust in the Lord with all your might, lean not on your own understanding but in ALL ways acknowledge HIM and HE will make your paths strait. HE will set you free, give you peace and joy in life. NOTHING else can do that. Not sports, drugs, sex, TV, money and no, not Amway.

Keep up the good work with this site. Thank you.

Marc

Hey Scott,

I love your site. It is very informative. As an IBO, who believed every word that came from stage (at conferences) the following information is blowing my mind!

This is our line of sponsorship. It was drilled into our heads that our upline is perfect. We should spend as much time with them as possible so that one day we could be where they are and have what they have. I truly wanted to be a Diamond one day. Although, in my gut I hated showing the plan and contacting people. I never even told my close friends we were in Quixtar. Something did not feel right. Today, I am thankful we did not spend more time around these people. I am so glad we are not wasing our mental energy and financial resources chasing the materialism that was continulally paraded in front of us. Now we know that all those cars and houses are not the most important things in life. Thankfully, we did not lose as much money in Quixtar as so many that came and went before us did. We are debt free and we do have money in the bank but it is not because of Quixtar. Lord willing, one day we will become millionaires (legally) but it is because of sound investments, time and compound interest - not the false hope of Amway/Quixtar! Thanks to you Scott the truth has set me free!

It seems as if the top of this pyramid could come toppling down. I have never been so glad that I am not a Diamond. What a sham!

Thank you again.

My name is Wendy and I live in Mesa, Arizona. My husband Russell and I are former IBO’s of Amway/Quixtar. We were in the business from 1998 to 2000, and looking back now, we are so glad to have washed our hands of it. We were in Lennon and Suzanne Ledbetter’s organization, which is part of Dexter Yager’s organization. We never really achieved much of anything while in the business, and are thankful that we haven’t.

I have had the great pleasure of reading Eric Scheibeler’s wonderful book Merchants of Deception and am subscribed to his mailing list. I have communicated with him occasionally, thanking him for being so brave in doing what he did and for the valuable information he provided.

On your web site, I was wondering if you can add another former Emerald to your list—Dean and Diane Hale. They were personally sponsored by Lennon and seemed to be so enthusiastic and successful in the business whenever I saw them at the functions. However, in 2002, Russell ran into Dean at a grocery store and Dean told him about how he had decided to sell his business to Lennon and become a car dealer at one of the dealerships in Tempe. He said the main reason for doing that was because he felt that he wasn’t spending enough time with his family. If I’m not mistaken, I believe that one of the things the business teaches you is how you can be able to spend more time with your family if you’re successful. In this case, it was the opposite, and it really made me and Russell wonder.

Also, I have attached a PDF file of a case that I think you may be interested in reading. There is an Emerald IBO named Jim Robson (who is another part of Lennon’s downline) who, along with a few others, has filed a lawsuit against Quixtar last August in federal court in Phoenix. I had first heard about the Robsons severing ties with Quixtar through a good friend of mine who is an inactive IBO but he received a voice mail from his former upline informing him of their leaving Quixtar. So I took it upon myself to do some research online, and found these court documents. I found the whole matter to be intriguing and incredibly fascinating, since the Robsons seemed to have been so loyal and dedicated to the business. And in case you’re wondering, yes, I did forward the PDF file to Eric Scheibeler. J

Anyway, I do hope you don’t mind my forwarding you this information. Please let me know if you find it useful. I will be more than happy to keep you informed of any new developments as they arise. Thanks for your great web site, too—I really like it!!

Scott,

My name is Jake. Recently, I was at a gas station filling my truck with gas, there was a man in a nice suit standing close by. Being the nice person that I am I asked him “How he was doing?” He said he was fine and we started talking. He asked me a couple of questions about myself and then asked me if I would be interested in making some extra money. He claimed that he had started his own company and that I could do the same if I wished. I told him I had a job, but if what he was offering, was a part time job that I might be interested. He gave me a business card and said that he would give me a call. This happened about three weeks ago. Well, time went by and I did not think much about it. This past Monday, however, he called me and asked me if I was still interested. I told him sure, that I would not mind finding out more about it. Then he told me that there was a meeting at the Marriot hotel (this is in Nashville, TN), and that it would inform me about everything that I needed to know, and that he would call “them” and inform “them” that I was coming. He told me to tell the people at the front desk that I was there for the BWW meeting. Now, at the time I had not read your website or done any research on BWW. Therefore, this past Tuesday I went to the meeting. Everyone was very friendly, but I was extremely skeptical going in. I listened to the information that the man speaking presented, and to be honest with you I thought it sounded great. He exclaimed how everything worked and did a great job presenting the information, so good in fact that he about sold me on it. The man that had called me told me that he would call me back about 9:30 after it was over to talk more if I was further interested. He did in fact call and I screened his call because I wanted to think about it some more and I was tired from a long day of work. I thought about it, and decide that this was an opportunity I could not pass up. I mean after all, who doesn’t want to make some extra money on the side. Well, a few days went by and the man called me back tonight, luckily I was in the shower. I was still a little skeptical but had decided to go against my gut feeling and tell him I was interested. Literally, right before I picked up the phone, one last hesitation came over me. So, I typed in BWW on the goggle search engine and started reading. That’s when I came across your website. To say the least I was shocked and amazed at the same time. I read one testimony after another, at first I was not sure if what I was reading was describing the same BWW that I had encountered. After reading a little more I knew it was the same company. The meeting that I had attended was exactly like the ones that I was reading about. In many of the testimonies that I read, they were like the meeting that I went to, to a T. I wanted to write you to tell you that you are a good man and that I really appreciate you making this information available to the public. If it were not for you, I would probably be going to bed tonight with high hopes of making a substantial amount of money through BWW.

I guess the old saying is right, “If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.”

Jake

Hi Scott,

I'm a regular visitor. I was an IBO back in 2001 for about 3 months. I never showed the plan, just did my 100 PV a couple months and decided it wasn't right for me. I was in college at the time. Anyway, I'm curious about the iTeam. If it's proven that people won't pay to be regular customers because the prices are too high, then how do they make money? It seems if you are going to be a door-to-door salesman then there are certainly better and cheaper items to sale. So if nobody makes money from retailing and this iTeam only retails, then how do they guarantee profit and if so, how much profit? It just contradicts pretty much everything you've been saying. Oh well.

David

I listened to the hour long message from their Diamond and the thing he neglects to say is that keeping these people buying month after month after month is probably going to be near impossible. For an extra $300, you'd do better working at Home Depot on the weekends. At least there you'd get insurance and other benefits. I don't see how Amway is a good money maker for anyone. For that extra $300, you'll spend at least $100 in taxes. And then you pay for the website.

And yes, you might can get your mom, dad, sister, brother, college roommate, etc. to buy from you a time or two because they are being nice, but to go ahead and consider them your residual income is insane. Your chances of winning the lottery are better. Amway isn't Wal-Mart.

Whatever happened to working for a living? Why is that so shameful? The Bible says that if I man doesn't work he shouldn't eat. It doesn't say that if I man isn't "free from a J.O.B. then he is a loser." My 2 cents.

Cheers!

Hi Scott

The house of cards that is Amway / Quixtar continues to tumble.

Just read in The Vancouver Sun WWDB Emeralds Rick & Dianne Yakome ( Brad Duncan / Shores Group ) have filed for bankruptcy . Their emerald rally tape is RP-533

They were part of a group of emeralds that came out of Vancouver in the mid 90's

Roland Mah, Paul Beach, Rod Jao, Martin Gover, Peirre Lapointe, Stroymers, Jack Gova,
Same Time as Rod Alcott went Diamond ( now emerald) and Dan Yuen went Diamond ( now EDC)

Rick was ( is an engineer) I think he was sponsored by Roland & Lily Mah who are personals of David Shores

NEW AD - Legal Notices (09/11/07)
NOTICE OF BANKRUPTCY AND FIRST MEETING OF CREDITORS IN LOCAL NEWSPAPER (SEC. 102(4)) IN THE MATTER OF THE BANKRUPTCY OF REX YOKOME, A.K.A. RICK YOKOME Notice is hereby given that the bankruptcy of Rex Yokome, a.k.a. Rick Yokome, of 2330 Rogerson Drive, Coquitlam, BC occurred on the 5th day of September, 2007, and that the first meeting of creditors will be held on the 20th day of September, 2007, at 11:00 o'clock in the forenoon at The Office of the Trustee, located at #216 - 3030 Lincoln Avenue, in the City of Coquitlam, in the Province of British Columbia. Dated at Coquitlam, British Columbia, this 5th day of September, 2007. EVANCIC PERRAULT ROBERTSON LTD. TRUSTEE IN BANKRUPTCY Suite 216 - 3030 Lincoln Avenue Coquitlam, BC V3B 6B4 604-941-7739

Hi Scott,

It's been a while since the last communication with you, and I have to congratulate you on the recent entriees (and admissions by the golden boys) It definitely does vindicate you.

I wanted to let you know that after reading the latest entries, I called my former sponsor. He answered many questions, but was also very guarded in some of his repsonses, and went as far as saying "i'm not going to get into this with you". Evidently, my major lines of sponsorship moved under the Winter's marketing team, and they continue to do the 4 funcitons per year as well as selling their (tapes) for $7.50, but are now downloads and MP3. When I asked him again about recording at the functions and not having to purchase, he stated "The quality is better, and some things may be included in the tapes that you did not get at the functions" ????? Interesting reply. Also, I asked if he wanted to buy back all of my accumulated materials for $300 (this includes at least 500 tapes), and he declined, citing the buyback policy of 6 months.

More interesting though was the explanation pertaining to Britt and Miller, basically the line of sponsorship broke away bwecause Britt was unwilling to kick Miller out of his line, after Britt boasted for sevearl years, how he kicked a double diamond out of his organization in England for doing the same thing. the Winter's group does not associate with Britt, or even acknowledge him in the business. So much for integrity.

He did acknowledge the company is changing its policy, and is working on a cheaper line of products to make retailing possible.

The system seems alive and well, and the current IBO's evidently don't want the blinders off.

Continue your good work

George

That's my favorite part of your site!! I look forward to seeing those
people who damned you come back and (sometimes) apologize. Hope everything
is ok.

Joanne

Hello Scott,

First off I would like to remain anonymous if you would like to use any of this on your site. Secondly, I appreciate what you have put together on this website, It has been a great help.

I joined Quixtar in April of 2002. We are recognized as Silvers at events and seminars even though we only went Silver once (that's right one whole month at 25%!!) Basically our Platinum upline pressured us into buying a few cases of coffee and a set of Icook wear and an E-spring all in one month so we would hit "the top of the charts" and be brand new silvers! At the time we were both still actually believing that InterBiz and Casey Combden was going to be our future.

We have never been higher than 6000pv since then,(not even at Christmas!) and usually sit around 3000-4000 pv and that includes our own 300pv of Amway crap. We spend $200-250/month on system, events, extra tools as urged on to do so by all our upline. "Load your trunk with tools if you want to Succeed" we were preached to by Tom, Randy, Jim, Bill, Casey, Rod, Terry etc. (I can provide exact names and pin levels if needed.)

We are now in dept $15,000 in credit card dept, and are behind in all our bills and other payments. I have been pleading with my wife to quit for four years, and last week she finally agreed with me. After everything going on lately, combined with my disgust at the whole crooked Amway/quixtar scam, she finally too has had enough.

I feel so relieved, I can't put it into words. Some people might ask why we didn't quit earlier. Well for those of you that don't know the business I will tell you.

I love my wife very dearly. My wife got very emotionally attached to the business. After everyone telling her that the only way she could have a great life and live out her real dreams and goals was through Interbiz, that is what she really believed. You basically get brainwashed into believing that you can be successful if you are persistent, focus on your dream, and Ignore the financial numbers! After reading your article from another IBO I realized that I too had not been doing things that made common sense and was real ignoring the facts. http://www.amquix.info/quixtar_visitor_thanks.html

All though I was against the business for so long, my wife wasn't. I really felt like we were going to end up divorced because of the business and I saw a lot of other people in the same or worse scenario. Then, just this morning we found out our upline,Bill and Barb Johnston (who hasn't returned our calls for 6 weeks since we missed the last seminar.) has old their Business. Yep, the same couple who told us "never quit, we'll always be here, and hoe one day we too won't have to work" is quitting and selling everything to both go out and get jobs!! Ha ha ha!! I don't even know how to feel.

Anyone thinking of even drinking an XS. DON"T DO IT! Get away from anyone who even knows an Amway rep and run for your life. All this cult/scam will ever get you is broke, and alienated from all your friends. If I took the money from 5 years of system/seminars/books, cd's/Hotels,gas, and all the useless products you buy - I would have $45000 in my bank account. And that is an honest answer, actually rounded down from just under $50000.

I would be willing to list everything to give you a better idea if anyone wanted.

Anyway Scott, sorry to ramble on. I know it is very scattered and rushed but I'm feeling very anxious right now and hoped it would help me to get this all off my chest.

Take care and thanks again for what you've done with the site. It is what I truly believed help my wife realize what I was trying to tell her for years. I asked her to check the site out before, and she wouldn't, and even told my upline I was getting her to read negative on the internet! I could go on and on and on, but won't to spare you the agony!

hi,

i used to be with quixtar,,,,well actually technically i still am, and im going to fight them in every way possible, but I thought I'd write you and ask for some suggestions on how to fight them.

Can you believe those c.s's told me one time "Its important to get your 100 pts, buy the energy bars and drinks, and if that means you have to live on pbj sandwiches, then so be it."

I damn near broke his face for that (my sponsor)

But anyway, I noticed one inaccuracy on your site. That IBO wrote

"You see one of the very best things about the Quxitar or Amway business is that anyone with $100 can get started. This is also one of the worst things, because with such a small unqualified startup price there is little or no motivated accountability to ever do anything with the business." IBO site visitor

it costs 250 to get started in this scam...not to mention all the.....um nevermind you already know about all the other crap.

but anyway what are some of your suggestions on how to fight them? besides spreading the news by word of mouth.

Hello,

Scott?, I have seen and read your "Amway Cheats Inventor" page on and off for a couple of years. I wanted to say thank you for speaking and posting the truth of Amway ripping off James Dyson, a small time, hard working inventor. I thought I would pass along and let you know that I have seen other inventors and vacuum buffs link and talk of your page. I am a vacuum cleaner inventor myself and actually purchased this Amway rip-off. Why? So when my young son grows up I can teach him the concept, if you will - "This is the face of a thief.”

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Rob P.

Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Sir,
I find your "research" to be more than amazing. You have managed to take a small number of facts and wrap a large number of misrepresentations around those facts. I am trying to figure out if you are a disgruntled former IBO, or if you just get your information from disgruntled former IBO's.
What baffles me is why you would choose to spend the time building a website for the purpose of doing damage to a proven, viable, and completely ethical business model. Yes, there are IBO's who have given Amway/Quixtar a bad name, most mature IBO's are willing to admit that. But, that is absolutely NO reflection on the corporation, business opportunity, or IBO's in general. In fact, the largest percentage of that 50% (your figure, not mine) who quit, have done so without ever
sharing the business with another human being. The greatest critics ofthe business generally have spent little or no time around the IBO's as a whole. If they had, they would recognize them for the higher level of values and character they possess.

I have been an IBO for over 10 years. While not building the business to any appreciable level (yet), I find no other person to blame for my lack of success, than myself. If any of the ones who express so much disdain for the business would do an honest and sincere look inward, I believe they would have to come to the same conclusion.

While I could address each and every point you have attempted to make with a strong and compelling counterpoint, I do not believe it will accomplish any positive result. As I mentioned in the beginning, there is really no good reason for someone to make a destructive website such as yours. My experience tells me that you belong to one of these categories:

1. Former IBO who failed due to a lack of real effort, therefore, you feel the need to tear down the business opportunity.
2. Uhhh, gee...I can't really think of any other logical reason to do what you've done!

Please stop spreading partial truths (or lies) about something you either know little about or something which has obviously made you bitter. Don't spend so much time and effort searching for people who will bolster your efforts...believe me, you will find them. Unfortunately, most of them are just looking for someone to blame for their personal failures.

Remember, a few people who have done wrong things as IBO's, in no way justifies your conclusions on the website. If that line of logic were correct, Germans would all be bad because of Hitler/Nazis, Russians would all be bad because of Stalin, all food would be bad because someone became sick on tainted meat, well...if you don't get the analogy, it's hopeless anyway.

I'm hoping you will come to the conclusion that your efforts are only going to hurt those who are weak of mind and choose not to discover the real facts for themselves. But, that's the way of the world today. Find something uplifting to do and you will be a better person for it.
Wishing you well.

Rod Williams LTC (OCAR-G3)
happy and fulfilled IBO.
Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE

Scott:

I'm a former IBO, and I just wanted to send you a quick email in regards to the post that you did of the recent article that Chuck Goetschel wrote. As I sat and read the article this evening, I realized how duped I had been. The state of disharmony between the corporation and the Diamonds in general is a sad sad thing. It is very interesting how at least in my experience, that the one thinks the other can't live without them, when the truth is they both need each other. The corporation needs the Diamond and above leadership to move the overpriced productt to the masses. And the Diamond and above leadership need the corporation to make their tools business the cash cow that it is for the lucky few who are deemed to be in right alignment with the head of whatever tool system they participate in. It is a bad comment on a business that is supposedly built on the grounds of being ethical and honest, and in reality is full of deceit and treachery. Many times I saw good honest people, who would pose a question about something somone in their upline said, be it a platinum or above, and these people who were just wanting clarification were treated like lepers. Also in my line of sponsorship I was witness to a constant game of smoke and mirrors. This didn't become entirely evdident with me until I was around my upline platinum. I would catch little comments, and then slowly I put things together that alot of the stuff I heard either in counseling session with people in my upline, and things I heard from the stage were if not totally untrue at least half truths, which I guess you could say are lies anyway. The one example I will give without giving any names or places, is an income claim I heard from stage. This comment was made by a qualified platinum. In the context of promoting how much money could be made, this platinum stated that he had a income of $15,000 plus for the previous month. Now that claim would have been accurate if this Platinum mentioned that only $2000-2500 of that income actually came from that particular platinums Quixtar business, with the other $13000-13500 coming from tools business. I just wanted to say thank you Scott for your tirless efforts in helping to combat these leaders of this cult of personality. You have my full permission to post this email on your site, I would just ask that you do not publish my email address.

Sincerely: A Concerned former IBO

Scott...

I've been reading and enjoying your site and info for several years now...Always love to read whats new and disgusting with that evil business

Just so you know, I got involved in Amway with my wife, back in '89 under Double Diamond Helen Huebner, and got to the level of Silver.... We worked our buits off, always doing whatever we were asked to do, spent whatever was advised, to achieve what the people "with the fruit on the tree" already had...When Helen started running her own functions under Dexter Yager, I was heavily involved behind the scenes, running the technical side of the events, and got to know all the high pins and Diamond speakers, up to and including Dexter and Birdie Yager and their sons. mI pretty much saw and heard all the dirty stuf going on backstage, etc... I've been cheated out of my money on tools that I never ordered but was told to pay for, , stiffed on work done on Helen's homes, both in Winnipeg and Carlsbad, CA, , accusd of corrslining when called at all hours by people who needed help - leaking water tanks, roof and basement leaks, etc....(I'm a building conmtractor
and repairer..)

I finally "saw the light" and walked away about 5 years ago, and my wife finally followed early this year, when I found another reputable MLM that has been a joy to work with...

I had previously sent you an email with some info on MIA pins, etc... but have yet to see any of that posted... If you want to contact me and verify who I am, and what I know, I would be pleased to contribute and help expose some of the lies and ripoffs and other despicable stuff that has gone on behind the scenes...

Keep up the good work...
regards,

J.A.

First off I would like to say thank you for your website, the time and dedication you took to create it, and actually caring if people are getting ripped off or not.
I personally am an IT and I understand what it takes to make a website and maintain it, and I am indebted to you for taking this time out of your life to make this.

I would like to also advise you to expand your website to cover 'Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing', a business almost identical to Amway and Quixtar. I'm sure you've heard of it, but I think you should include FHTM so people know they're the same thing. Alot of people are dumb (like myself sadly) and fall for FHTM, and need it spelled out for them in very big letters that it is a huge scam.

Anyway... That is my advice. Thank you very much again. I actually paid the $300 to join FHTM last night and I have every intention of going tomorrow and getting my money back. I also plan on getting as many people out as I can, and like you helping to spread the word that it is a fake. I know I've said it a lot, but thank you very much. Good day and I wish you luck in your life and everything you do.

Hi Scott,

Have a brief update for you....

Following the events of August 9th and the Class Action suit filed in Los Angeles, it's rumored that well over 100 complaints have been filed at the Michigan Attorney General's office as of late by IBO's trying to protect themselves and/or get clarification on Alticor/Quixtar/Amway's status (legal or illegal).

Some are saying it might prompt the Michigan Attorney General to do further investigation if enough people call to complaint.

I've heard of several of people who've called the Attorney General's office in MI, stating something like, "I've read the Class Action Lawsuit filed against Quixtar in Los Angeles. It looks like I'm not the only IBO who can't retail any of their products. I'm curious about the legality of this business. I need to protect my family". Or something like that in their own words...

Thought this might be something other IBO's anywhere would like to check on for themselves.

Scott, for the last 1+ year, I've been reading your updates, and coming to terms with having been a distributor during the early 90's… When I quit, it was due to me finding out that my upline made money on the tapes, books & seminars, even at the Profit Sharing Direct level… and the irony is, I specifically asked when I was recruited "does anyone make money on the tapes, books and seminars?" - "No!" I was told…

After being sold the bill of goods on being "plugged in" - I made the mistake of buying in big… Likely lost well over $35k in 4 years, and when you're making less than $30,000 per year, it's not surprising I was nearly bankrupt… I left in disgrace, still telling myself, "maybe I should go back… How else will I make a big income?" - and for almost 10 years, I buried my feelings of failure deep within… In reading about the cult-aspects of the business, I feel that I was only able to quit after I stopped listening to tapes in my final year… It gave me an external perspective that helped me disengage from the propaganda...

The epiphany for me last year was reading Eric's book, Merchants of Deception, and I couldn't stop reading it… [being a slow reader, a book of 300 pages normally takes me a few months, but Eric's book I read in a little over 2 - 3 days]… Shocking as it was, I felt vindicated… I was mortified to find out the extent to which the king-pin distributors would perpetrate their deception… My upline Emerald thought Harteis was epitome of what he wanted to be as a business and family man, and I was sickened to read Eric's story, but I had to come to terms with it...

Past feelings of deep seeded guilt and shame disappeared, and I can take pride in knowing that when I drew the line in the sand, I know I was ethical in how I went about the business. I even bought back tapes and seminar tickets because I felt bad for my downline that "couldn't afford it" - not that I could either…

I guess my ethics stopped me from "succeeding"... My friends that I wrote off when they said "No!" fortunately stayed as my friends, and many are glad to hear me today talk about Amway being the scam that it was (and still is today)…

I've been impressed that you've used a facts-based approach to your opinions, and have made such an impact on so many people… I pity the poor souls still in the business… And I would correlate it to a sort of an addiction like drugs or alcohol, because if they stop and think "What if it isn't true? What if I can't do it? What have I been doing for the last X years? It has to be true, look at these people on stage..." - breaks my heart to think about it...

hi.
scott is it? i have a few things to say.
yes the amway business is very hard but if you stick with it and go about saving in the right ways then it is possible to actually make a living out of it.
have you ever actually been in the business? i'd like to know just what your progress was and how long you stuck with it.
people can get down on themselves but that is because they believe they will get rich quick and it is clearly stated if you listen, that ''it is not a get rich quick scheme.'' the harder you work the faster you grow.
thats all there is to it.
After looking at your website come to the conclusion that yes amway is more expensive.
But where else is a regular store going to give you an opportunity to grow and build a business
that will eventually give something back?? Thats right. no woolwortyhs will do that,
or target or k-mart or anything.

there is my 2 cents worth of feedback from your pitiful site.

I'm right with ya, guy, as to the lies from AmQuix. It's funny, many years ago a local physician came into my place of business looking to recruit people for this new internet business he'd just become involved with and my boss, knowing I'm a computer geek, got his card and set me up to meet with him the next day. (I wasn't in at the time, and mentioning "internet" or "computer" always made her think of me.) He gave me a miniCD business card and described the business. My initial
response was, "That sounds just like Amway on the internet!" He quickly became defensive and said, "It's nothing like Amway!" I brushed him off by telling him I'd think about it. Imagine my surprise that, despite his vocal denials, Quixar was not "like Amway on the internet," it literally WAS Amway on the internet! Anyway, I had to brush him off several times but I never got involved.

I wish you'd use someone besides WalMart for comparison, though. WalMart is as bad, or worse that AmQuix; just in different ways. There are even more WalMart Sucks sites than Amway Sucks sites, and with good reason. Even the "Target Sucks" site admits WalMart is FAR FAR worse. In fact, they all seem to be started by people who had one marginally bad experience. One had Target refuse to accept a phone for a refund and another had a Target employee "dicipline" his children from 25 feet away. Really, seriously, Amway hurts those who get recruited, WalMart hurts us all, whether they shop or work there or not.

Please, I beg you, don't hold WalMart up as your good example!

Dear Scott,

We all want to have more financial 'freedom', but the very basics of economics states that money going out is a LIABILITY and money coming in is an ASSET. One of the posters on your site stated that they told their up-line that if the books and tapes were so important, they would borrow and copy them, which the up-line was unwilling to do.

I got in for about 2 years and liked the people well enough. I was working for a prominent jewelry store in Los Angeles and making very good money, drove a nice car, had my own condo, vacations, beautiful clothes, etc. The up-line kept insisting that I had to go to seminars that lasted way past midnight, and then for late hour night- owls. I went to a few but left when I felt it was reasonable. At one seminar, I left, went to my hotel, took a nap and then showed up for the 'night-owl' session. Difference? I was refreshed and alert, the others (about 75 who were 'serious' about 'building the dream') were slap-happy and asleep on their feet. When they opened the session to questions from our up-line diamond, I asked, 'Is it possible, do-able, to build the biz to diamond level without the repetitive tapes and books?' O-h-h-h-h-h! There could not have been a more deafening silence in the room if I had defecated on the glass table of the Diamond's supposed suite! But they were totally positive and told me of course it was possible, it just might take longer because of not keeping my downline motivated.

I felt kind of bad for putting them on the spot so the next morning at 7 am, I took coffee and rolls to their suite. Surprise! No answer to the door. I found a housekeeper and asked if she would put the coffee and rolls in their room and she informed me that it was only the hospitality suite for that floor, that there wasn't a bed in the suite and no one was staying in it. I asked where the Diamonds were staying and was amazed to discover that they were in a room just like mine. I went to deliver the apology gift and the wife was VERY embarrassed to have been found NOT in the 'suite'. She smoothly explained that another diamond had come in late and their reservation was missing, so she and her hubby generously gave up THEIR suite to the other diamonds. I smiled and told her I had just come from the
suite and that there was no one in it and no bed. I turned and left, but my surprises for the weekend were not over.

We were instructed to stay in certain hotels and to reserve under our up-line diamond or emerald's names. When I had tried to reserve my room using those names (2 months in advance) I was told that the only thing they had left was a mini-suite for $188 per night. I called the hotel directly and reserved a mini-suite with a balcony AND whirlpool for $110 per night! Guess where the other dinero went? I heard rumors about such shenanigans, but bought into the premise that
the diamonds were bringing so much business into the hotel that they deserved a little kick-back.... We were also to write our diamond's name on our guest check at the restaurants---I've always paid cash at hotels for meals, sundries, magazines, etc. My friend claimed that the diamond name gave the buyer a discount on meals. So I asked the cashier if a certain name on the check gave us a discount? Oh, it's just a way to see how much revenue they've brought into the hotel. THEY get bonus points to qualify for free rooms, etc.

The last straw came when I decided to leave yet another rah-rah seminar session at 12:30 AM. I realized I needed to exit on the other side of the arena. Rather than walking on the cement floor of the arena, I opted to go through the outside aisles of carpet. I would have to cut behind the stage. Usually, there were so many
handlers there to prevent the acolytes from pestering the lofty upper echelons, but that night, there was no one. I slipped through the curtains and walked through the backstage area. There was the main speaker and another diamond stuffing cash into a gym bag! They did not see me and I slipped behind the curtains and watched as they emptied the cardboard collection boxes (from the entrance fees, I guess, & sales of tapes and other useless krapoola) into the 2 gym bags and put them into the limo that was parked behind the stage. They both exited and went back out to the speaker's table down in front of the stage. If I had had more guts, and conviction that this thing is such a scam, I should have taken those 2 bags and laughed all the way home. They were collecting that night for poor orphans
in Africa---wonder if any of the money ever got to the orphans?

I had decided not to renew when my sponsor invited me to an exclusive Christmas party at the Crown Ambassador's home. It was a cold night, so I wore one of my mink wraps. I have worked in the jewelry biz for years and have some very lovely pieces. I wore some of them as well. When I got to the party, my up-line diamond was in a polyester pants suit with huge rhinestones all over it and a huge fake fur collar. She quickly told me to put my fur in the first bedroom so the other down-line people wouldn't be jealous.

The party was just another rah-rah session, nasty amway watered down punch, crackers and the like. Awful. I called some friends and arranged to meet them for dinner at a nice restaurant. Made my goodbyes but couldn't find hostess or other up-line ladies. When I went to get my wrap, they were all in the bedroom trying on my fur! I told them I had dinner with a client and had to leave, thanked them for 'the punch and crackers' and left. Never went back. Just sold my overpriced amway tank of a vacum (cost over $500 in 1997) and bought a Dyson that is as light as a feather and works 10x better, and needless to say, for half the price.

Hey! I think I'll dupe the old amway tapes I have and sell them on eBay for 25 cents plus 1.75 s/h. I should be able to recoup my expenditures within a week or so....

Dee