Complaint Review: AmeriPlan USA - San Diego California

My name is Jud Morris I have been an Ace IBO enroller for three years is a row. Back in July and August of 2005 I was AmeriPlan's #1 IBO enroller nation wide. This can be verified by looking up the September 2005 spotlight magazine in your IBO support back office. When I became the top enroller in the company I wa on advanced commissions. I was building my business on the internet and had alot of chargebacks. In fact so many charge backs that I did not see a check for a year. It would have been two years but I made the switch to paid as earned and had all my chargebacks and liabilities lumped together so that they took all of it from my residuals at once and I then started recieving pay checks again. During all this I continued to build my business and when all was said and done my residual check was more that I had ever imagined. Now I naver have to worry about charge backs again and soon i will be at $100 K per year. I know its hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel now but once its over its over. do not lose sight of your dreams. Stay in the game and soon you will not recognise your business or your life. If you would like to talk, Call Amber Elmore or Connie Summit in Dallas and they will give you my phone number. Jud Morris AmeriPlan USA Senior Regional Sales Director Tacoma, Washington

Hi Kristen, I'm an IBO and have been for a little over a year now. I am sorry to hear that you have incurred such a debt. First of all, when I enrolled as an Ameriplan IBO, I was told that the websites would cost me an extra $15.00 a month after the 90 day free trial that all new IBO's get. I kept mine, yes, my overhead went from $35.00 to $50.00. This was not a problem as my residuals take care of this. (most businesses anyone enters into cannot even break even in the first 90 days) I was also referred to another lady by my upline to help me with internet marketing. My team does warm market and so she was willing to train my in internet. I am not part of her team, but she hasn't any problem in teaching me or mentoring me even though she does not make any money off of what I do. She referred me to some lead sources that offered free leads initially (these are not in the list that you find in the back office in your broker tools.) You can get at least 60 free leads to start and these should get anyone going without having to by autoresponders. And these are decent leads. Most new IBO's choose to be paid advances. I started this way also. But, I took part of those advances to invest back into my business. (I did not spend all of my advances on my bills that needed paying. I portioned it off. I paid some on my bills and re-invested) I would by more leads. There are some very good lead sources that will not cost an arm and a leg to get 25 to 30 good leads for $30 to $40. If you have a good sponsor, the sponsor will make calls with you to begin with and any business written will go under you. The lady I was referred to, did this with me (again not making any money off of me at all) I again invested back into my business. (what business do you not have to invest back into?) I too started experiencing charge backs. (but this is to be expected if you are taking your pay as advances. Ameriplan is basically giving you a loan to get you going and your business going. What loan is there that you don't have to pay back whether or not you are successful in your business) So I got to the point to switch to being paid "as earned". It is taking time to pay back my chargebacks but being paid "as earned" makes my residual grow faster. Ameriplan does not make you pay it back all at once, it is spaced out over many months. When my residuals grew to the point that is was more than what was owed for that month, I started getting checks again. In 3 more months, all my chargebacks will be paid and I will be receiving bigger checks because #1 my chargebacks are over and #2 I have been building my business to boot. The lady that helps me and my team tells a story that in the beginning she pounded the phones 12 hours a day and was signing 3 brokers a day. (she is disabled and has to work from home) She had a lot of brokers drop off and she incurred over 4,000 dollars in chargebacks in a very short time. She openly stated that she would receive a check sometimes for only $1. But she worked her business....did not give up and in a few months the chargebacks were paid for. She is an NSD and is going on her 3rd year. (I have not pounded phones for 12 hours a day.....sometime due to life circumstances, I was lucky to get in 4 hours a week and I even had gotten to the point that I could not work my business at all for a few months during this last year....but I got back into the game as soon as possible.) The first thing we all learn in training it the 80/20 rule. Out of 100 people that are signed on 80 will drop...20 will work the business. Anyway, you still can come out ahead if you have the patience and continue to work your business and choose to be paid "as earned". You have already done it and now you know how to be a better sponsor. Treat your team the way you would have been treated. Teach them the right way and break the cycle of bad sponsorship. You can be confident in enrolling new brokers and you can build your business and succeed, because you have been there and know what to do now. As for the $35.00 monthly fee. Again "Never" was I told this pays for my websites. The $35.00 give you the right to market the product. Gives you access to your IBO support (your virtual business office......cheaper than a physical business office...don't you agree?) This office is maintained by the Ameriplan USA employees that update it all, do the training classes it offers, check the computer to see if we are owed any money and write our checks, answer the phones for customer service and more.....we get it all for $35.00 bucks a month. What would you pay to have people do this for you in another business? What would your overhead be then? What business can bring you to profit and a substantial income in as little as little as a few months to 4 working only part time? Most business I know of only see a profit after 5 year of being in business and that is if they make it five years and it is more than full time that one has to put into another business. And.....You do get the dental package for your entire household. And...you don't have by a phenominal amount of inventory nor do you have to buy or try to resell anything. To me....this is not a bad deal. Now for the $15.00 for the websites. It is your choice to keep them after the 90 day free trial. You don't need them to continue in your business but it sure helps. If you work warm market, businesses and the people around you, it doesn't have to cost much at all. If you are working internet, you do have to get leads and these websites are the greatest tool to show people the opportunity as well as the product. But if you do not keep the websites you still have the free personalized website that your team is supplied with and this has all the info on it. I do what my "adopted sponsor" does. If a broker prooves to me that they will work their business, I do give them leads until they are able to get their own. But.....I am not going to waste my money on someone who is not going to work the business and expect me to build their business for them. I will give them a horse, a saddle and a leg up but I cannot ride the horse for them. And I cannot keep them from falling off. Hopefully they want to be a good rider and will get back on. If not.....well I have done everything I can. My new brokers are alway aware of the benefits and drawbacks of getting paid in advance. They are loans from Ameriplan to help you get going fast. A lot of what I went through before being referred to my "Adopted sponsor" was by trial and error. It has only made me a better sponsor for it. I now know what not to do and I have learned what to do....thanks to the help I have received. In a year, my overhead is about $200.00 to run my business the way I want to run it. My residuals not only cover this cost but cover my chargebacks and I get a check for whatever is left over. Again, in 3 months......my checks are going to double, triple or quadruple, depending on how much business I write, members or brokers. Again, I am paid "as earned" and will never have a chargeback again. Plus, I for once and looking forward to filing taxes. Don't forget the tax benefits of owning a home business. Before you hang up the towel, check into your write-offs. You may get your investments back. Just an example: that $35 buck a month is a write-off. And your home office expenses: electric, telephone, "leads", "autoresponders", your gas, and more! Don't forget.....this is a business! Don't become so blind by what has happened that you miss what is now and before you!

Kristin, I'm not trying to argue with you. I am a successful R.S.D. and I never worked ANY leads. One of our competiters is by the name (((REDACTED))) . WHY DON'T YOU CHECK THEM OUT TO SEE WHAT THEY OFFER. They charge almost triple what Ameriplan offers. Go ahead check out their website. Just put there name and add .com And you will see what I mean. They provide the same service as we do. But we blow them out of the water. I'm not blowing steam up my #$%. sorry, allowing you to give a competitors name would instigate others to just file against their competition, to only come back later to suggest their company your comments on this policy are welcome! CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Did that lunatic Jud Morris enroll you?I cancelled this service. I too wish I had never gotten involved. You can view Juds file on ripoffreport soon. Don't drive while blind. Order Eds book. I did. I can't believe how effective its information is. The man is a genius!

I have read some of your other rebuttals, and you contradicted yourself several times. You get prospects by getting out there and talking to people and canvasing. If that was the sole case, we would not have websites. Go back to one of your rebuttals this evening. You very much contradicted yourself. I am offended that you state that you have honor, courage and commitment. I am a former Marine. I served honorably and you are not following the core values. Tell people the truth that it is $50 a month for their broker fee and for four out of the six websites they receive. Tell me C, what is the $35 going towards if you have to pay an additional $15 for the other four websites you were originally issued? My business has failed because the company has failed on their end of the health plan. I can sign up members all day, which I did. I can assure you that I have more members than you by the way. The problem is if there are problems with the discount plan, then everyone is going to cancel. I am not able to control the problems with the plans at the corporate level, and you would not either. Ask yourself this C. How would you like it if you lost all your members right now? How would you feel if you lost them because of no due fault of your own? How would you feel if you receive calls throughout the week of members upset because corporate did not do anything to resolve the issue regarding the discount plan? Mind you the entire time, you can not do anything about it. Think about that for just one second. Again, if anyone is interested in starting this venture simply research what you are getting into. Why invest your time and effort for it to be thrown down the drain by no due fault of your own.

I have read some of your other rebuttals, and you contradicted yourself several times. You get prospects by getting out there and talking to people and canvasing. If that was the sole case, we would not have websites. Go back to one of your rebuttals this evening. You very much contradicted yourself. I am offended that you state that you have honor, courage and commitment. I am a former Marine. I served honorably and you are not following the core values. Tell people the truth that it is $50 a month for their broker fee and for four out of the six websites they receive. Tell me C, what is the $35 going towards if you have to pay an additional $15 for the other four websites you were originally issued? My business has failed because the company has failed on their end of the health plan. I can sign up members all day, which I did. I can assure you that I have more members than you by the way. The problem is if there are problems with the discount plan, then everyone is going to cancel. I am not able to control the problems with the plans at the corporate level, and you would not either. Ask yourself this C. How would you like it if you lost all your members right now? How would you feel if you lost them because of no due fault of your own? How would you feel if you receive calls throughout the week of members upset because corporate did not do anything to resolve the issue regarding the discount plan? Mind you the entire time, you can not do anything about it. Think about that for just one second. Again, if anyone is interested in starting this venture simply research what you are getting into. Why invest your time and effort for it to be thrown down the drain by no due fault of your own.

I have read some of your other rebuttals, and you contradicted yourself several times. You get prospects by getting out there and talking to people and canvasing. If that was the sole case, we would not have websites. Go back to one of your rebuttals this evening. You very much contradicted yourself. I am offended that you state that you have honor, courage and commitment. I am a former Marine. I served honorably and you are not following the core values. Tell people the truth that it is $50 a month for their broker fee and for four out of the six websites they receive. Tell me C, what is the $35 going towards if you have to pay an additional $15 for the other four websites you were originally issued? My business has failed because the company has failed on their end of the health plan. I can sign up members all day, which I did. I can assure you that I have more members than you by the way. The problem is if there are problems with the discount plan, then everyone is going to cancel. I am not able to control the problems with the plans at the corporate level, and you would not either. Ask yourself this C. How would you like it if you lost all your members right now? How would you feel if you lost them because of no due fault of your own? How would you feel if you receive calls throughout the week of members upset because corporate did not do anything to resolve the issue regarding the discount plan? Mind you the entire time, you can not do anything about it. Think about that for just one second. Again, if anyone is interested in starting this venture simply research what you are getting into. Why invest your time and effort for it to be thrown down the drain by no due fault of your own.

I have read some of your other rebuttals, and you contradicted yourself several times. You get prospects by getting out there and talking to people and canvasing. If that was the sole case, we would not have websites. Go back to one of your rebuttals this evening. You very much contradicted yourself. I am offended that you state that you have honor, courage and commitment. I am a former Marine. I served honorably and you are not following the core values. Tell people the truth that it is $50 a month for their broker fee and for four out of the six websites they receive. Tell me C, what is the $35 going towards if you have to pay an additional $15 for the other four websites you were originally issued? My business has failed because the company has failed on their end of the health plan. I can sign up members all day, which I did. I can assure you that I have more members than you by the way. The problem is if there are problems with the discount plan, then everyone is going to cancel. I am not able to control the problems with the plans at the corporate level, and you would not either. Ask yourself this C. How would you like it if you lost all your members right now? How would you feel if you lost them because of no due fault of your own? How would you feel if you receive calls throughout the week of members upset because corporate did not do anything to resolve the issue regarding the discount plan? Mind you the entire time, you can not do anything about it. Think about that for just one second. Again, if anyone is interested in starting this venture simply research what you are getting into. Why invest your time and effort for it to be thrown down the drain by no due fault of your own.

To C, I find it funny that you state it is my fault when I did as I was told. I followed the "business plan". Wow, I am also envious that you did not have to purchase leads. Maybe the team you are on within the company provided them for you? Lucky you, lucky you and hats off to your stellar people skills. I purchased over 2,000 AmeriPlan brochures and posted them throughout San Diego and North County. In four months, I did not receive one call. I did pass out brochures, go to seminars, job fairs, and nothing. Not everyone that starts this venture fully understands how much they will have to invest. I am not blaming anyone regarding my loss. I am advising others to research and think before entering this venture. By the way, I did know this was a business not a job. Reread my original statement. I clearly stated that. You are obviously clouded by the smoke that the company blows up your $#% about financial freedom that you are willing to defend it at the cost of showing your own %^$! I also find it funny that after I spoke to several former IBO's recently, that they experienced the same thing. Investing money in leads, conducting area canvasing, passing out brouchures and all the people they did sign up kept falling off. The problem is a lack of a quality plan to offer people. You can sign up brokers all day long with AmeriPlan, but if the plan, the actual service offered is not of quality, you will be enrolling brokers for what? The discount plans being offered have to many holes, problems with the providers, and customer service is well of the lowest quality personally. It is very discouraging to have members contact me personally stating their discrepancies with the company, and the lack of resolution. (By the way, alot of the former IBO's I have talked were former ESD's and SESD's. Just thought you would like to know, they quit because of the numbers of members they had falling off by no due fault of their own as well.) Now, to think about it is my fault that I followed the "business plan" of so many IBO's before me. I guess when I spoke to my direct upline, two being NSDs, I should just not have listened and went with the leads sources. It is my fault that I took their gracious advice, and continued to follow the plan that they said would work for me as it did them. Again, I followed the plan. Let me ask you a question C if I may? When you receive the monthly newsletter, how many RSDs do you see? How many SRSDs do you see, so on and so on? The number gets smaller and smaller. Why is that do you think? Maybe they are not stellar performers such as you. I maybe should have had you as my upline to guide me to the journey of financial freedom. On a basic note to anyone that enrolls... Do your research and understand what you are getting into.

To C, I find it funny that you state it is my fault when I did as I was told. I followed the "business plan". Wow, I am also envious that you did not have to purchase leads. Maybe the team you are on within the company provided them for you? Lucky you, lucky you and hats off to your stellar people skills. I purchased over 2,000 AmeriPlan brochures and posted them throughout San Diego and North County. In four months, I did not receive one call. I did pass out brochures, go to seminars, job fairs, and nothing. Not everyone that starts this venture fully understands how much they will have to invest. I am not blaming anyone regarding my loss. I am advising others to research and think before entering this venture. By the way, I did know this was a business not a job. Reread my original statement. I clearly stated that. You are obviously clouded by the smoke that the company blows up your $#% about financial freedom that you are willing to defend it at the cost of showing your own %^$! I also find it funny that after I spoke to several former IBO's recently, that they experienced the same thing. Investing money in leads, conducting area canvasing, passing out brouchures and all the people they did sign up kept falling off. The problem is a lack of a quality plan to offer people. You can sign up brokers all day long with AmeriPlan, but if the plan, the actual service offered is not of quality, you will be enrolling brokers for what? The discount plans being offered have to many holes, problems with the providers, and customer service is well of the lowest quality personally. It is very discouraging to have members contact me personally stating their discrepancies with the company, and the lack of resolution. (By the way, alot of the former IBO's I have talked were former ESD's and SESD's. Just thought you would like to know, they quit because of the numbers of members they had falling off by no due fault of their own as well.) Now, to think about it is my fault that I followed the "business plan" of so many IBO's before me. I guess when I spoke to my direct upline, two being NSDs, I should just not have listened and went with the leads sources. It is my fault that I took their gracious advice, and continued to follow the plan that they said would work for me as it did them. Again, I followed the plan. Let me ask you a question C if I may? When you receive the monthly newsletter, how many RSDs do you see? How many SRSDs do you see, so on and so on? The number gets smaller and smaller. Why is that do you think? Maybe they are not stellar performers such as you. I maybe should have had you as my upline to guide me to the journey of financial freedom. On a basic note to anyone that enrolls... Do your research and understand what you are getting into.

To C, I find it funny that you state it is my fault when I did as I was told. I followed the "business plan". Wow, I am also envious that you did not have to purchase leads. Maybe the team you are on within the company provided them for you? Lucky you, lucky you and hats off to your stellar people skills. I purchased over 2,000 AmeriPlan brochures and posted them throughout San Diego and North County. In four months, I did not receive one call. I did pass out brochures, go to seminars, job fairs, and nothing. Not everyone that starts this venture fully understands how much they will have to invest. I am not blaming anyone regarding my loss. I am advising others to research and think before entering this venture. By the way, I did know this was a business not a job. Reread my original statement. I clearly stated that. You are obviously clouded by the smoke that the company blows up your $#% about financial freedom that you are willing to defend it at the cost of showing your own %^$! I also find it funny that after I spoke to several former IBO's recently, that they experienced the same thing. Investing money in leads, conducting area canvasing, passing out brouchures and all the people they did sign up kept falling off. The problem is a lack of a quality plan to offer people. You can sign up brokers all day long with AmeriPlan, but if the plan, the actual service offered is not of quality, you will be enrolling brokers for what? The discount plans being offered have to many holes, problems with the providers, and customer service is well of the lowest quality personally. It is very discouraging to have members contact me personally stating their discrepancies with the company, and the lack of resolution. (By the way, alot of the former IBO's I have talked were former ESD's and SESD's. Just thought you would like to know, they quit because of the numbers of members they had falling off by no due fault of their own as well.) Now, to think about it is my fault that I followed the "business plan" of so many IBO's before me. I guess when I spoke to my direct upline, two being NSDs, I should just not have listened and went with the leads sources. It is my fault that I took their gracious advice, and continued to follow the plan that they said would work for me as it did them. Again, I followed the plan. Let me ask you a question C if I may? When you receive the monthly newsletter, how many RSDs do you see? How many SRSDs do you see, so on and so on? The number gets smaller and smaller. Why is that do you think? Maybe they are not stellar performers such as you. I maybe should have had you as my upline to guide me to the journey of financial freedom. On a basic note to anyone that enrolls... Do your research and understand what you are getting into.

To C, I find it funny that you state it is my fault when I did as I was told. I followed the "business plan". Wow, I am also envious that you did not have to purchase leads. Maybe the team you are on within the company provided them for you? Lucky you, lucky you and hats off to your stellar people skills. I purchased over 2,000 AmeriPlan brochures and posted them throughout San Diego and North County. In four months, I did not receive one call. I did pass out brochures, go to seminars, job fairs, and nothing. Not everyone that starts this venture fully understands how much they will have to invest. I am not blaming anyone regarding my loss. I am advising others to research and think before entering this venture. By the way, I did know this was a business not a job. Reread my original statement. I clearly stated that. You are obviously clouded by the smoke that the company blows up your $#% about financial freedom that you are willing to defend it at the cost of showing your own %^$! I also find it funny that after I spoke to several former IBO's recently, that they experienced the same thing. Investing money in leads, conducting area canvasing, passing out brouchures and all the people they did sign up kept falling off. The problem is a lack of a quality plan to offer people. You can sign up brokers all day long with AmeriPlan, but if the plan, the actual service offered is not of quality, you will be enrolling brokers for what? The discount plans being offered have to many holes, problems with the providers, and customer service is well of the lowest quality personally. It is very discouraging to have members contact me personally stating their discrepancies with the company, and the lack of resolution. (By the way, alot of the former IBO's I have talked were former ESD's and SESD's. Just thought you would like to know, they quit because of the numbers of members they had falling off by no due fault of their own as well.) Now, to think about it is my fault that I followed the "business plan" of so many IBO's before me. I guess when I spoke to my direct upline, two being NSDs, I should just not have listened and went with the leads sources. It is my fault that I took their gracious advice, and continued to follow the plan that they said would work for me as it did them. Again, I followed the plan. Let me ask you a question C if I may? When you receive the monthly newsletter, how many RSDs do you see? How many SRSDs do you see, so on and so on? The number gets smaller and smaller. Why is that do you think? Maybe they are not stellar performers such as you. I maybe should have had you as my upline to guide me to the journey of financial freedom. On a basic note to anyone that enrolls... Do your research and understand what you are getting into.

Kristin, I'm also an IBO {R.S.D. knocking on S.R.S.D. very soon} Nobody made you purchase leads. Nobody told you, you have to purchase leads. You said you were in telemarketing before. WELL YOU SHOULD OF KNOWN BETTER!! Doing this business is not ONLY about purchasing leads and Autoresponders that is YOUR DECISION!!! I've made R.S.D. WITHOUT purchasing EXPENSIVE LEADS & without purchasing autoresponders. Not once did I ever purchase any leads and go into debt. Doing this business is about SMART Marketing { it does not mean to waste your money} I got to R.S.D. by setting appointments, meeting people in person, presenting them the facts, asking for referrals... MY POINT HERE IS: YOU WILL be MORE successful if you interact and meet people in person, then purchase expensive leads and hide behind the phone. People respond better if you meet with them in person. They like to see the information you present to them. {this is coming from MY experience!!!} By you choosing to purchase leads and autoresponders, THAT'S YOUR CHOICE! You getting into debt, is YOUR decision. {You were never told you have to purchase leads} PURCHASING LEADS WAS AN OPTION. You wanted to go that route. As you know, AMERIPLAN USA is a good company, it provides great services. As an IBO you know being SUCCESSFUL depends on YOU. And ONLY YOU!!! My last point I want to make is, DON'T BLAME YOUR FAILURES ON SOMEONE ELSE. You purchased the leads on your own, you did your business your way. YOU GOT YOUR SELF IN DEBT... My advice to you is LEARN how to market your business without wasting money, and going into debt. I DID IT!!! Many other IBO'S are doing it. It's all about HOW you work your BUSINESS!!! Also tell the whole truth. As you mentioned if some one quits, We as IBO's lose money!!! So why would we waste our time doing this business just to go broke!!! Your FAILURE is not the result of this company, YOU made the decision. Running this business does not require purchasing leads......