sequence

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  1. Why I don't like Shop To Earn and similar MLM programs

    7/15/08 7:37pm by sequence
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    • Sparkle (
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    Online shopping multi-level marketing companies (MLMs) aren’t new. My Power Mall (MPM) has been around for a while, Team National has been in the mix too, and now Shop to Earn has popped up and is being aggressively marketed by its members. My bottom line on all of these companies: Don’t waste your time or money. You can find better deals on your purchases outside their systems. And the systems are really nothing more than typical MLM recruiting schemes. Shopping is not the objective, recruiting is. Let me explain these programs to you…  Read more >

  2. Can you really avoid an IRS audit? (Or at least reduce your chances?)

    10/15/07 9:39pm by sequence
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    Yes and no. Great accountant answer, huh? The truth is that the Internal Revenue Service has some special red flags in place that help flag your tax return for an audit. Those super-secret red flags are revealed to no one. Apparently the IRS system takes your tax return data, runs its super-secret algorithm, and decides if your tax return is a high risk for problems.  Read more >

  3. Bank of America cheating 80-year-old woman out of her money

    10/3/07 3:22pm by sequence
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    When I first saw headlines about this case, I was sure there must be a whole lot to the story and that the bank would have laws and documentation on their side. Wrong! The story of the fraud is recounted by Greg Miller, the son of Bette Miller, the woman being fleeced. He wrote the narrative for Consumerist.com, the site giving this story a lot of publicity. Here is a summary of the main facts:  Read more >

  4. Credit monitoring services doing more harm than good?

    9/29/07 10:09am by sequence
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    With stories of identity theft surfacing daily, it's no wonder that consumers want to be able to keep an eye on their credit reports from Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax. But there can be a hidden problem with these credit monitoring services. Each time your credit is checked by a third party, it lowers your credit score a little. If you personally check your credit, there is no impact.  Read more >

  5. Lowe's tries to shut down Lowes-sucks.com

    9/27/07 3:24pm by sequence
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    This was reported on Ars Technica, and the writer is pointing out the misuse of intellectual property laws in attempting to shut down Lowes-sucks.com.  Read more >

  6. Apple warning consumers about iPhone hacks

    9/24/07 9:53pm by sequence
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    There was jubilation amongst current and future iPhone users when it was announced that techies had created hacks to get around some security features. One of the more popular hacks was one to help iPhone users be able to use wireless networks other than AT&T (the only “authorized” provider of iPhone service right now). Well, Apple is saying that this hack can damage the iPhone. The “unlocking” programs run the risk of damaging the software in the phones, and making them permanently inoperable once new software updates from Apple are downloaded to the phone.  Read more >

  7. A Follow-Up on the WSJ story about the Hutterites and cell phones

    9/19/07 6:40pm by sequence
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    A couple of weeks ago, I did a post on a story in the Wall Street Journal about the Hutterite community and the use of cell phones and text messaging. I wrote the post not because it has anything to do with fraud, but because I was just interested in the story. It's never a bad thing to learn about other cultures and communities.  Read more >

  8. Okay, I did it. I watched Kid Nation.

    9/19/07 6:37pm by sequence
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    A month ago, I did a post on the new reality television show called Kid Nation. I was basically horrified as I learned that the children on this show were exploited by their parents, who signed lengthy contracts allowing their children to participate. The kids were given little supervision, and the parents agreed to not hold the show’s producers responsible if the children got sick or injured. The show may have violated labor and safety laws. Yikes.  Read more >

  9. Arbonne: Just another cosmetics MLM

    9/8/07 8:11am by sequence
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    Arbonne International is another skin care and cosmetics multi-level marketing company (MLM). They are nowhere close in size to the big two, Avon and Mary Kay, but they have been experiencing pretty rapid growth in the sales force. In 2005, they had around 350,000 independent consultants. Like other MLMs, Arbonne has a bona fide product offered, but the “big money” comes via recruiting. However, the money doesn’t seem so big. The average commissions earned by the majority of the sales force are well under $1,000 per quarter per person.  Read more >

  10. Working with Pyramid Scheme Alert

    9/5/07 6:18pm by sequence
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    Late last year, I became a member of the Board of Advisors of Pyramid Scheme Alert (PSA). PSA is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating consumers about multi-level marketing companies and pyramid schemes.  Read more >

Tracy Coenen

Full Name
Tracy Coenen
Member Since
August 2007
About Me: 
Fraud investigator blogging about financial investigations, fraud examination, business opportunity scams, and consumer protection issues.
About Me Tags: 
sequence inc. forensic accounting,sequence inc.
 

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