Complaint Review: ACN World Headquarters - Concord, NC 28025-2449 Internet

Thank-you for reading and responding to my complaint. Since my withdrawal from ACN, and filing the above, I have done some studies on MLM's generally. I am not an expert, but many people have come to me to advise them on involvement. Let me share what I learned.

1- ACN is not the only system that inflates the potential of return.
2- ACN is not the only system that baits and switch.
3- ACN is not the only system that allows greed to prevail.
4- ACN is not the only system that crushes inexperienced or uninformed clients/prospects

Given these truths, ACN still does not rise above any other system, but to not acknowledge or address the shortcomings listed above is unconscionable. Yes, a good experience could be had when you utilize the services and get paid for sharing. Not everyone is presented with just the steady work/result income plan. Instead they are given, learn how to use and market the video phone!!! and there is the bait and switch.

There is the hook. Your experience previous to ACN helped you to avoid the pitfall. I and many others made that investment. Every single videophone account purchased led to hundreds being spent each year. When trying to sell it, Skype is free!!!???? No sales. Ok, What could I get on Craig's List,.. Not salable. Doesn't work without the account. And that is what it is.

Here it is another fake complaint, by someone claiming to be an ACN rep, that doesn't even know anything about the company.

First I can't even imagine what services you signed up for that are $1,000 a month. You only need 5 customer points to qualify and that is 2 or 3 services, that couldn't possibly cost more that $200 a month. Also you don't get a $1,000 bonus for doing nothing. 

Here is an example of the current bonus for new IBO's

5 Preferred customers in 30 days = $50

10 Preferred customers in 30 days + $100

20 Preferred customers in 30 days + $150

Earn ETT with 2 QTT's under you in first 30 days +$400

Total $700

You don't get bonuses for ordering an imaginary $1,000 worth of personal services, you get bonuses for acquiring customers. If you going to file a complaint at least learn enough to make it plausible.

I have written so many long and detailed responses to all of these baseless claims by ANONYMOUS sources, that It's nauseating, so I'll just keep them simple.

If you want to know the truth about this just go to - ACNIBO: Read The Facts - and read the article. It will only take a few minutes and you will understand the facts, not just opinions of 100s of ANONYMOUS complainers, who claim to know the truth, but wont reveal who they actually are.

There is no point in defending ACN from people who just want to believe how bad it is, they will seek what they want to believe, if you're one of them, dont bother reading the article you might have to change your mind.

R. Michael - ACN IBO #02637585

Read the complete article explaining the FACTS not ANONYMOUS opinions

Or browse through the rest of my blog for all the facts on ACN

Hey Mr. Lawyer, you need to step back from the ACN Kool Aid!

First of all, ACN is presented to potential recruits as a business opportunity. So, would you buy into a business without looking at the books, and/or checking out your prospective "partner?

For a lawyer, you are pretty dumb if you think this is unreasonable.

Second, MOST people that get into these programs are not well off, nor do they have a flexible job, or even any expendable income. That is the whole reason they are looking for something else.

Again, just common sense in the real world, but you college boys usuually don't have any common sense.

You need a reality check. Your statements just don't cut it in the real world, which is where most people live. I'm talking about long hours at a dead end job with little or no free time at all. That is reality for most nowadays.

My background is as attorney and acn rep for 2 years. In the previous note, the gentleman indicates he has been a member of multiple prior MLMs and has seen the acn presentation multiple times, and uses this basis among other things to judge the opportunity unfavorably. I did not see a presentation, my introduction was to help a friend I cared about by being their customer. In researching the company, I decided to become an agent. I have never been involved in a prior MLM. I am a team coordinator in acn, and it has been nothing but a positive experience for me. I have actually aid many of my downlines membership fees, and I view this company as a chance to help others. It truly is a personal development course attached to a comoensation plan. It has helped me become a nicer, more outgoing and friendlier boss. My staff don't quit as frequently. And I feel it is important to set the record straight. The reason we do not usually disclose income is because it could open the company to clomplaints of "income claims". Some disgruntled MLM agent might state so and so said he made x dollars. Even if true, this could be used against the company. Additionally, I would not disclose my law practice income to someone. Most people would not tell a stranger their income either. Why would this be any different. I can tell you that I do very well. But it has taken work. And as for the claim that this is close to a pyramid scheme, allow me to clarify that nothing could be further from the truth. One can join acn. One can acquire 25 personal customers in electricity cell phone, or satellite tv, even their own services. One could save every single one of these customers money on a service they would be paying every day anyway, often with the same cell phone company. 25 services allows as to make 10 percent return on the bill of 40 dollars. Assuming 25 customers, each with a 40 dollar bill, that would be a billing volume of 1000 (25x 40=1000). 10 % of 1000 would be an income for that rep of 100 dollars per month. That would be 1200 dollars per year. Considering the cost to join and purchase the franchise is 500 dollars, that would be a 240 % annual return on investment without signing up or recruiting a single person. So much for then pyramid scheme argument which is false. No recruitment whatsoever is necessary to succeed. What is required is work ethic and a no quit attitude, something a person who has been joining and quitting many network marketing companies may not possess.

The previous compliant is hard to believe. I am an attorney, and I have been an acn rep for two years. To pay 1000 dollars per month for products and services is not consistent with my experience with hundreds of reps. Buying magazines or CDs on auto ship is at most 200 bucks. I suppose the complainant entered into perhaps a cell phone and/or satellite tv 2 year agreement (which is with the parent company not usually acn) and blames acn for signing the contract. How would that the fault of acn? And as an attorney and consumer, neither direct tv nor dish "automatically" renew svia bank draft for another 2 year agreement. I don't believe any of the major cell phone carriers acn brokers with does that either. Could the complainant provide details to support the 1000 dollars per month, and also details on what contract was automatically renewed for 2 years? Without this, I would find the story " hard to believe".

I have seen the ACN pitch several times.

When you challenge the "cult leader" on the viability of the program he/she gets very hostile. I actually got thrown out of a presentation on ACN in Las Vegas! I laughed so hard at these fools.

I asked them questions they simply could not answer. I made statements regarding their "math" as it simply did not make sense in the real world. I told them the REAL "stats" on MLM.

For anyone who doesn't know, the standard operating procedure in any MLM is to "fake it til you make it". They all do it. I have been involved with many, and they are all the same.

Here is how you separate the men from the boys in an MLM presentation.

Challenge their claims of income, and personal wealth they claim to have aquired from the "opportunity" they are pitching.

I start small, and then escalate. I first ask them for weekly/monthly/annual sales and commission reports. Normally thay cannot produce them, so they will create some BS diversion like "thats against policy", or "I have them at home" or some other nonsense. This means they are full of crap, hence the motto "fake it til you make it". Confirmed. This is the part where you RUN FAST!!

Think about it using a little common sense. If someone is actually excited about an opportunity that they have actually made money with, they would be more than glad to show you the proof. Again, just common sense.

I challenge them regarding the fancy cars they drive to these meetings. Normally the key speakers and top recruiters will rent a very nice, exotic car to bring to the meeting. Then I bust them, as soon as they spout how successful they are and reference the nice car, that is when i challenge them in front of everyone to show me the registration! This was the final straw that got me thrown out of the Las vegas meeting! The jerk off there rented an exotic car from the Las vegas Exotics car rental on Tropicana and Swenson. My first tip off was the little bar coded sticker on the back window, and my second was the license plate fram that said "Las Vegas Exotics".

Various state and federal authorities are still hot on the heels of ACN as it is so close to a pyramid scheme it keeps their attention.

Do they still charge that ridiculous $500 fee to join? My question on that was "what do I get, EXACTLY, for my $500 enrollment fee". Never did get a straight answer on that one.

The real answer is it goes to your upline for recruitment bonuses and commissions.

This is what makes this a pyramid scheme is that more emphasis is placed on recruitment of new members than on the sale of legitimate products and services.

ACN is not only a CULT, but is a PYRAMID SCHEME, and a scam.

RUN FAST if approached by an ACN cult member.