An Own-Your-Own Website Business Opportunity where consumers would make money from links to major retailers was halted by the FTC.
An operation that lured consumers into spending thousands of dollars for Internet websites and advertising by misrepresenting that they could make lots of money by linking the sites to major retailers. The court ordered a stop to the defendants’ allegedly deceptive practices and froze their assets pending further litigation. The action is part of the FTC’s ongoing efforts to protect consumers in financial distress.
There are many of these ‘Business Opportunities’ on the Internet and only the most egregious (read “Greedy”) are ever brought to account. The rest go on taking millions of people’s hard earned money with dubious, immoral, illegal and downright criminal schemes. As soon as the current pool of suckers is exhausted and/or the law start sniffing around, they close up shop and reopen with a new name, domain name and logo and just carry on.
According to the FTC’s complaint against North America Marketing and Associates LLC, for fees ranging from $100 to $400, the defendants promised to build and host websites for consumers, who would earn commissions when Internet users clicked through the consumers’ websites to make purchases from “Fortune 500” retailers such as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, and Starbucks. The defendants also claimed consumers would get free, full-time marketing expertise to help them make substantial profits.
The defendants are charged with violating the FTC Act and the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) by
… misrepresenting that consumers who bought and used websites and advertising packages would earn substantial income, and that experts would help them operate their business
. Sheila Ann Lowry, Carl Edward Morris, Jr., and Marketing Strategies LLC are named as relief defendants for allegedly profiting from the illegal practices.
Full details here: http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2012/05/namarketing.shtm
10 responses to “FTC Kills “MAKE MONEY FROM WEBSITES” Scam”
I have received a number of calls over 2 years asking for more money for marketing purposes, while being told there was commission money on my account, to which I have no access anymore! I was assured, after I asked for that money to be sent out, they would indeed send that money, but nothing ever came! I have given up on this, though I did get some traffic to the site, but that could very well be my own advertising on a couple of shadow sites, which I have taken of the air some time ago. I have virtually blanked out all of my facebook page, which I actually tried to eleiminate all together, but that cannot be done, as they control that part !
I invested in DUYYU earlier on this year. I have invested several thousands of dollars. I suspected that something was wrong when no one would get back to me when I requested help. Eventually a man called Gary Thomas called me. He was very smooth and convinced me to invest yet more money. (I know – I am stupid). I have nearly $4,000 commission on my travel section of this company. Supposedly commission I have made from travel sales. I now want to withdraw this money. Has anyone any idea how I go about this/
I appreciate your ideas.
I am dealing with this now. I first spoke with a Freddie Diaz, he was so convincing I gave in to $195.00. Now I am being told I need to invest $1995.00 for first level directorship. I have spoken with Shawn Thompson, Gary Thomas, Ty Banks and Teresa they all state the are employees by DUYYU. In each conversation I am assured that I will have a 60 day guarantee if I do not receive the 5000 to 35000 targeted visitors to my website. Of course the travel portal is the money maker. I am so glad. I decided to check them out. Now when I speak with on. Monday I will request / demand my refund.
Yeh got burned too, their toll free number is disconnected. I cannot get hold of anyone to refund money so am changing banks completely.
just beware everyone of duyyu.com they are robbers and scammers big time.
I got a cold call from this company many months back asking me whether i was really interested in making real money i said i was……they then said for $us 195 i would have a web site promising 5000 people buying from 4 portals on this website…. paid $us 195 …not long after many phone calls from company saying if i want to make real money (again) for level 1 directer i would have to pay a further $us 2ooo with 25% commissions …$us 3000 for 40% commissions or the biggie $us 4000 for 80% commission in the travel portal one of 4 they set up for me… This smells of dog shit to me and i will be disputing with my credit company for a refund…………………if it smells like dog shit probably is
Mr James Peterson’s reply is a real marketing stunt. If only one knew about all of these investigations before one joined, it would have spared one all the agony.
I received a cold call from a certain Mr Grant telling me about all the advantages of joining them and the constant flow of commission that one will earn from these businesses linked to the website. One and a half years later and $3814 poorer, nothing has happened as yet. Their comments when I phoned them last week and asked if this is all a scam that needs to be reported to the authorities: We know more people at the FBI and other authorities as what you can mobilize to investigate us. Well, good luck to them.
For anyone who is unsatisfied with the services provided by duyyu.com please contact our toll free number to get a resolution to your complaint. This is not a scam or fraud. We provide excellent service and honor every client request with zest. We are delighted to work with you and apologise for any inconvenience you may have suffered. While no company or person is perfect we take our clients very seriously as you are the only reason we exist.
I have been with duyyu.com for many years and I can guarantee you that your issues and concerns will be addressed. Feel free to call our quality assurance department for help.
17/02/2015 Fraud from http://www.DUYYU.COM – contacted by Automated Busines Solution 001-602-626-7562 / 001-602-626-7024 / 001-602-314-5769 / 001-877-738-6050
Several people called in 3 days for the Offer and set up of 4wensite in one PORTAL http://www.DUYYU.COM – green Store and TRAVEL Portal . Names used: Gerry Thomas, Ance Taylor ancetaylor13@gmail.com, TY Banks (IT Manager gave me User name and Password for the website created under my name lucia.duyyu.com).They have asked for 1995.- Dollars for Portal and then other 3000.- Dollars for the VACATION Portal. Optimum Business Services (Merchant) has taken part of that money from our Mastercard. (thanks to the monthly limit).
It is a Fraud.
Hi, the same happened to me. A company from Arizona extracted 1500 from me for setting up a website that supposedly would make me 2000 Dollars a week in commissions for products sold, esp. by means of the Travel Portal which should generate commissions of 25%.
As I work in the travel trade where 25% commissions are standard practice, I did not recognize the scam. After a month I had not earned one dollar. Another sales rep from a supposedly different company in Phoenix, FGExpress, contacted me and extracted another 500 Dollars for sales for a health product, which was the installed on the same duyyu website, which finally made me realize that this second scam was from the same company in Phoenix. Of course I did not get his weekly telephone calls to discuss the progress of the website.
They promised 100,000 users per month to visit my website, but so far no traffic was sent to my website, so that nobody could buy anything. Well, I was so stupid to transfer these 2000 Dollars.
All the best,
Richard
I receive a phone call at home from a certain Raymond that offer me a websites to sell a product at 149.99us and they would take care of everything else a week after i receive the websites with some instruction to set it up and ask me to transfer some money into it then i put 20us in it 2 days after a Anthony called to coach me and there he ask me for 2000$ if i want to make money with it i dont have that kind of money so i let numerous message at the compagnie and nobody answer.