"National Companies", a MLM scam?

Fatfreek

I attended, with my wife, a meeting last night. The MLM company is called "National Companies", and sells two packages, each a two year agreement. I can't find any internet dialog, pro or con, about this company which is supposed to have started up mid 90's. That scares me. There should be all kinds of bragging and complaining.

http://www.bign.com

One is $795 and the other $2,195

Membership entitles special discounts on many kinds of items, cars, jewelry, eye care, furniture, etc. And, yes, they are pushing for dealers and displayed all kinds of bonuses, incentives, etc.

I am very leery but my wife is pushing me on this one.

Do you know anyone involved in this? Problems? Big advantages?

I am reading from their "benefits package agreement":
National Companies
4350 Oakes Road, Suite 512
Davie (Ft Lauderdale, Fl 33314
800-227-6030 etc, etc.

Fats

EvilForce

Tell you what. Why don't you give me $ 500 and I'll give you a kick in the dick... buy you a beer....and you'll still be further ahead.

All these things are scams. If you want extra money pick up a part time job at a bookstore, or car dealer, or coffee shop. You'll end up further ahead on a $ per hour basis.

William Penwell

If its an MLM sceme, the odds are you have more of a chance of winning the million dollar lottery then get rich with them. The percentage of those that make money in a MLM company are something like .01%. There are a number of web sites pro and con on MLM's. Most of them are about the bigger companies like Amway but they are all run basically the same way. If your wife still likes those odds then go for it...

Will

Toronto_Guy

You certainly do have to be careful...

I have done alot of research into MLM over the years and believe that it is not as bad as most people paint it out to be. Some good books include "Your first year in network marketing" by Mark and Rene Yarnell, and "Multiple streams of income" by Robert Allen (Allen has one chapter that focuses on MLM - he was skeptical at first too). There is no doubt that it is not easy. It takes hard work and there is alot of rejection. Here in Toronto I have met people who tried it and were turned off, but I have also met quite a few people who made a significant income doing it (and they proved it by showing me their cheques! hehe). Most of those people, by the way, were Chinese immigrants who didn't even speak good English.

toronto_guy

diamondblue1974

I have known a couple of people involved in MLM and one in particular has been very successful; if you are looking for a business opportunity you need to think commercially; can I sell what is being offered? Does what you are selling have mass appeal and Is there opportunity for repeat business? Is there enough profit margin to support the effort and cost in selling the product? How easy is it to duplicate my effort and teach others to do the same? Is the company that is offering the opportunity reputable and established..i.e 10 years accounts?

The guy I mentioned who is successful has worked at it for 7 years and earns £140k which is good money by anyones standards but its hard work and getting the right opportunity is essential; I am a natural sceptic as most MLM opportunities are a scam but occasionally a good reputable company comes along; they are usually quoted on one of the financial exchanges and public company with money behind them.

Be careful; personally I wouldnt touch the opportunity you have been given with a 10ft bargepole.

DB74

Satanus

Most of those people, by the way, were Chinese immigrants who didn't even speak good English.

They must have been ~~scamming~~ selling other chinese. A closed community to exploit would help.

S

Fatfreek

Firstly, if I were interested at all in this deal it's not to sell (I want to remain retired) but to buy at discount. There are no more than 30 products and services that this membership has under its umbrella.

I told wife this evening to tell XXXXX at their church tomorrow, get me a list of users (not sales people) and their phone numbers who've been members for more than 3 years. Chances are good he won't be able to get one, which will, in itself, throw up a red flag. If he does produce one, chances are they will truly be sellers. Either way, I would like to ask them some questions.

We're also thinking about one of those pricey TV's, flat panel. You see them at Sam's Club and they look great. I told her to see what price XXXXX would have to pay using his membership. Then, I can do some comparitive shopping of my own.

This all reminds me of the emu excitement several years back. Her nephew got into it, buying a male and female for some $20,000, hoping to one day produce a money crop of hatchlings. After some three years of feeding these things, vet costs, etc., he finally got $50 for the two of them.

Fats

horrible life

It's still a pyramid scheme. You need to check with the companies themselves to see if they honor the discounts. Chances are, they don't. I sat in on one of these meetings. Only 1 couple (very young) went for it. My husband and I got out to the car, and just shook our heads at each other. I saw the young couple after 1 year, they said they didn't save one red cent.

The only people who make money from the pyramid schemes, are the crooks who started them. HL

Amazing1914

Fatfreak,

By using such a generic business name like "National Companies" they make it very hard for consumers to use search engines to find complaints on them. I would write to the Florida Department of Consumer Affairs, or Florida Attorney General and ask if there are any complaints against this company. They are a Florida corporation, and must be registered as such with the State. I would also contact the Better Business Bureau in Davie, Florida to see if they have any information. I would never sign on to a company like this unless they check out squeaky clean.

Here is some of the links that I found interesting:

National Companies 4350 Oakes Road, Suite 512

Davie, FL 33314

Phone: 954.584.2151Year in Business:

Compensation Plan: BinaryProducts: Benefits Packages

National Companies Website is no longer active: Website: http://www/gign.com

MLM Directory: http://www.mlminsider.com/n.htm

MLMs May Be Identify Theft Ring: http://www.mlmlegal.com/identity_theft.html

Watchdog Group: http://www.mlmwatchdog.com/Report_CompanyWRONG.html

What to do if you are unsure: http://www.mlmwatch.org/00AboutMLMWatch/faq.html

freedom96

A MLM cannot make money solely off of sponsering someone. Front loading is also illegal, where they insist that you buy a bunch of product.

Check out the company very well, and just a hunch there is something amiss. Sounds like a very large start up fee, which I will bet goes to the sponser and upline. Which is illegal.

"National Companies", a MLM scam?

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