Commentary on fraud, scams, scandals, and court cases.
 

Are Herbalife and FHTM Similar?

With yesterday’s shutdown of Fortune Hi Tech Marketing, consumers have been asking if Herbalife is a similar operation. Last year Herbalife’s business model was called into question by David Einhorn, and then the company was accused of being a pyramid scheme by Bill Ackman. Naturally, Herbalife denied being a pyramid …

Who is Making Money in Fortune Hi Tech Marketing (FHTM)?

Are people really making money from all this recruiting of FHTM Independent Representatives? The vast majority aren’t. An income disclosure statement for Fortune Hi Tech Marketing from January 2010 shows exactly how dismal the financial results are for its representatives: 54% of representatives who qualified for commissions got an average …

Is MLM a Legitimate Business Method?

Defenders of multi-level marketing (MLM) are often heard saying that it’s a legitimate business method! Even government regulators say MLM is legitimate. And it is true that state and federal governments in the United States generally allow multi-level marketing companies to operate with little oversight. This is despite the fact …

Herbalife is Not Like Vemma, Unless It Is

In light of the recent shutdown of multi-level marketing company Vemma (following allegations that it is a pyramid scheme),there has been much discussion of Herbalife. Is it a more legitimate MLM, or is it a pyramid scheme like Vemma and others that have been shut down before it (BurnLounge, Fortune …

Is Usana Running an Illegal Pyramid Scheme?

All good multi-level marketing companies have one thing in common: They fail to disclose enough information to allow consumers and regulators to determine if they are in the business of recruiting or selling products. They disclose just enough facts and figures to make it appear that they are being transparent. …

Is Multi-Level Marketing a Legitimate Business Method?

Defenders of multi-level marketing (MLM) are often heard saying that it’s a legitimate business method! Even government regulators say MLM is legitimate. And it is true that state and federal governments in the United States generally allow multi-level marketing companies to operate with little oversight. This is despite the fact …

Fortune Hi Tech Marketing Pyramid Scheme Shut Down

Fortune Hi Tech Marketing (FHTM), a multi-level marketing company I’ve reported on previously (and was interviewed about) was shut down today by the Federal Trade Commission. It is being reported that federal agents raided the company’s Lexington, Kentucky office. Law enforcement says that 100,000 people across the country were recruited …

Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing Income Disclosure Statements

Fortune Hi Tech Marketing offers a variety of products and services to independent distributors, including health products, Dish Network, wireless services, and more. A number of companies have taken steps to distance themselves from FHTM’s multi-level marketing scheme, and several states have taken legal action against FHTM. FHTM Income Disclosure …

Fortune Hi Tech Marketing Settlement with Texas Attorney General

I’ve written previously about Fortune Hi Tech Marketing (FHTM), a multi-level marketing company that is all about recruiting more people into your pyramid, rather than actually selling products. Fortune Hi-Tech Marketing has previously been the target of legal action by the Attorney General of North Dakota, and has been a …

Fox News Los Angeles Exposé on Fortune Hi Tech Marketing

Fox News in Los Angeles did an exposé on multi-level marketing company Fortune Hi Tech Marketing. This video exposes the truth behind the company: operating like a pyramid scheme, dismal failure rates, false earnings representations, few making any money, broken promises, FHTM lying about its relationship with big name companies. …