Earlier today I reported that I had been threatened by Gerald Nehra, attorney for multi-level marketing company ShopToEarn for writing about my opinions on the company here. I am not the first blogger that he and Shop To Earn have threatened, and the threats continue.

The blogger writing Everyday Finance has been threatened more than once by Gerry Nehra because he posted his personal review of Shop To Earn and the ShopToEarth program. He had some concerns about the program, the Shop To Earth products, how commissions are paid out, and the MLM structure. I quoted from his analysis here. He found some positives and negatives with the program.

More threats have been issued to this blogger, so he now has this posted on his blog:

As expected, Gerald Nehra, the attorney for ShopToEarn sent me an email intended to bully me into not writing about Shop To Earn. Here’s his letter:

I represent ShopToEarn and advise them on direct selling legal matters.

You are on notice to CEASE & DESIST your disparaging and potential libelous references to ShopToEarn and the unapproved use of the ShopToEarn logo on your website.

The ShopToEarn program is legally and economically sound, and the company will take all steps necessary to protect its’ rights.

Gerald Nehra
Attroney for ShopToEarn

And here is the response I sent him today:

Bloggers have rights, and it’s important for them to know about them. It’s becoming more common for companies to issue cease and desist letters to bloggers who print negative reviews of their products or services. But bloggers don’t have to be bullied! There is a right of free speech in America, and that gives bloggers the right to state their opinions on anything.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is an organization that helps bloggers know their legal rights so they’re not abused by companies that just don’t want others to know that you think their programs, products, or services suck.

Below is some helpful information put out by EFF, and I recommend that you visit their site for more information on your rights. Don’t let a company bully you into keeping your opinions quiet!

Somehow I got on some spam lists that public relations firms use to promote their clients. Apparently, blogging about scams and ripoffs means that they think I want a zillion emails about their clients who are most definitely not peddling ripoffs and scams. [/snark]

So on a daily basis, my inbox is littered with press releases and emails telling me how so-and-so is available for commentary on issue X, which they just know my readers are concerned about. Or there was a fabulous new non-scammy service available for consumers who want to avoid scams…

Even better than unwanted press releases and email solicitations? Two or three from the same PR firm about the same topic, but from different employees there. As if that’s not annoying. I’ve tried asking nicely for them to stop emailing me. Now I’m not so nice anymore, and it still doesn’t help. What does it take to get these PR freaks to back off?

Question: What happens if skip an IRS audit?

Answer: The IRS will pick a number and tax you based upon that. The number they pick is designed to be painful, in the hope that you will be “encouraged” to cooperate. It’s never a good idea to skip an audit. You look uncooperative and that doesn’t help you at all. See my article Surviving a Tax Audit.

Question: multi-level marketing, Dave Ramsey

Answer: Dave Ramsey is generally against multi-level marketing companies when they encourage you to stock inventory. He says that’s a waste of money.. money which you could use to pay down debts. If you want to get involved in MLM, Dave recommends that you stock only very minimal products and then order as you sell.

Question: prepaid legal MLM scam

Answer: Yes, Prepaid legal is generally a scam. You get very little for your money, and all the services they brag about for members are sketchy at best. See this video for more information, and also check out www.prepaidillegal.com.

Today I got an email from a marketing firm that specializes in helping CPA firms market their services. The sender of the email was inquiring about whether I charge hourly or fixed fees, and what my hourly rates are. He said his client, a CPA firm didn’t want him to mention their name.

I thought this a bit odd. After all, why would I give this kind of confidential information to a marketing firm for use by their CPA firm client? The sender replied that the CPA firm had a potential fraud case to refer out and “… they want to size the fees.” And that he would go “elsewhere” if I wasn’t interested.

Recently I’ve had a bunch of conversations about fixed fees (also called flat fees) in the context of providing professional services: lawyers, auditors, accountants, fraud investigators…

And I get a lot of pushback on the idea. Professional service providers have been billing by the hour forever. So when you talk about almost ignoring hours and billing instead for value, it causes a lot of heartburn.

I just got a call from a headhunter. Yahoo. But here’s the best part: The number was blocked so it came up private and they were using an auto-dialer. You know… the things telemarketers use to dial, dial, dial, and then connect the call to a person after you’ve said hello? The things you know they’re using because there’s that little pause/click after you say hello and before someone says something back to you?

Yep, a headhunter using an autodialer in Portland. So of course he asks if he’s reached Sequence, and I ask him who’s calling. He tells me he’s a headhunter and wants to “…network with the senior accountant there about some positions we’re looking to fill.”

This whole thing just screams “success,” doesn’t it? I am really tired of random phone calls, emails, and letters from headhunters….

By Barb Bartlein, CSP

People are getting old. Not just in the US but all over the world. The elder population, 65 and older, is the largest growing sector in all developed countries. According to Census Bureau projections, the US elderly population will more than double between now and the year 2050, to 80 million.

As far back as 1960, the American economy has benefited from the huge bubble of ‘baby boomers,’ those born between 1946 and 1964, as a primary source of labor. However, starting around 2010, an enormous demographic shift will begin, resulting in a large increase in the 65 and over age group and a decline in the 20-64 age group. This means starting in 2010 the labor force will begin growing at the same or a slower rate than the overall population.