Complaint Review: WorldVentures

Recently, false and malicious rumors about WorldVentures have been presented as facts on the Internet and published elsewhere. The allegations below are addressed factually to clarify each misrepresentation as it appears in the false statements and blogs published to defame WorldVentures and its founders:  "You can sign up to get access to WorldVentures’ discounted trips, which are of arguable value, for a $199.99 sign-up fee on top of $26.99 a month. But wait—if you recruit just four people, your monthly fees are waived."

"But the easiest way to earn “mailbox money” is to recruit new reps."

Fact: You cannot have your fees waived for the membership by recruiting but rather by selling four product memberships. Customers are not required to become representatives. No commissions are paid on the recruitment of representatives.
"According to one ongoing lawsuit, the top three spots in the organization, which earn the most residual income, are owned by the two founders."

Fact: The top positions in the organization are owned by the company's founders. The earnings associated with those positions are not the highest of the organization.  Position in the sales structure does not guarantee top income. This is dependent on you and your team's sales. Further, virtually all of the income generated by those positions was deferred for the past 3 years until late 2011 and no salaries or any other distribution for management has been collected by the founders until early 2012.

"When reps fail to make money, they’re taught to blame themselves."

Fact: The Company would not be as successful as it is if it didn't provide a positive environment that celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit - we don't encourage blame of any sort.  "The reality is, it’s impossible for someone to realize the dreams that they’re pitching, the only people actually making money are the people the founders are manipulating the compensation plan for.”

Fact: This is entirely inaccurate and may be libelous. Commissions for just the past month show a half a dozen representatives reached the top earner status, while more than 600 earned a new BMW as part of a sales promotion program and another 1000 earned fee waivers. Additionally, more than 2800 pure membership customers (no status as representatives) have been added. None of this considers the tens of thousands of individual transactions for travel, all of which earn rewards redeemable for trips. "...(Members) stopped working and were dismissed by the company."

Fact: The Company has never terminated a member for discontinuing to work. The very notion is counter to network marketing philosophy and would imply that customers would as well be terminated for lack of productivity; that is
preposterous.  "Ninety-nine percent of WorldVentures reps lose money..."

Fact: I understand that the source of this bit of misinformation is a direct sales critic, but the facts do not bear out the unfounded assertion. This assumes that our customers who are reps receive no value from the membership or training. In truth, more than 85% of our members who have taken a single DreamTrip have maintained their membership without interruption. This average includes all customers since launch. Additionally, the training, culture, personal development
and value associated with the membership for customers and representatives extend far beyond the business opportunity.
"A federal database shows 25 bankruptcies in which an individual or couple was a WorldVentures rep."

Fact: These are tough economic times, with bankruptcy rates at historic highs. With over 300,000 members enrolled in the past 4 years, if 25 representatives filed for financial relief during that time it would amount to 0.008% of representativesBy
way of comparison, New York state has a percentage of nearly 0.4% for 2012 or more than 14 times the average of WorldVentures members.

“This Document shows that (Founders) Pleaded Guilty to Income Tax Evasion:”

Fact: Failure to file income tax returns on time is not tax evasion. This is a misdemeanor (personal, not business) offense. It should be noted that when filed, the taxes were grossly overpaid resulting in refunds issued to both founders.