Complaint Review: YTB - Nationwide

I am not, nor have I ever been part of YTB. I am, however, involved in Multi-Level Marketing. A friend presented me with information on this company inquiring if it would be good for her to join, so she could supplement her income. I have researched it, and all the information I found has to do with the travel industry. Now, to set everyone straight who doesn't succeed when involved within an MLM and their verdict is to assume the role of the victim and cry "Pyramid Scheme/Pyramid Scam," you sound quite ignorant. Pyramids are ILLEGAL. What a pyramid does is take your money and pay someone else higher above you. You are offered no products or services in return. Very similar to the model of a chain letter; which is also illegal. What MLMs (Mulit-Level Marketing Companies) do is, offer you a way to supplement or replace your existing income by offering products and services projected to be in high demand by the public. Now, it's up to you to actually decide if this path offered by the company is something you feel is valid and in demand. If you get into a company based solely around the travel industry, and you can see the economy is in the toilet, you have yourself to blame. Now, I own a business within the MLM industry. I'm doing great at it. I've worked about 1 month, got it set up to the business model and it's starting to take off. The great thing about my business/company is that the team members do not have to sell anything. We get paid for bringing brand awareness to everyone. We also have our hands in everything from travel to department stores (Saks, Walmart, Best Buy, etc) to all the national restaurant chains to automotive stores to pretty much you name it, we represent it. This company was founded by the #1 MLM earner who had made over $1,000,000.00 a month. No not in a year, but in a month. While researching YTB, I found the enrollment fee to be quite hefty. Yes, it's true, MLMs will require an enrollment fee. From what I found, to become part of YTB you need to pay around $500.00 up front. That does seem a bit high, however the company also seemed to boast of it's top earners making around $80,000.00 per year, not a month, but a year. Now that seems really low. With my MLM, many team members I spoken with are making around $1,000-a few thousand dollars 3-4 months into their business. Our top money earners are making around $1,000,000.00 per year. That's around $80,000.00 per month. I know many people are happy just making an extra $4,000.00 per month. It is very easy to obtain this level within my MLM, because our compensation plan is one of the most lucrative. WE DON'T SELL ANYTHING. In closing, you can't join an MLM and just sit on the couch eating bon-bons. It goes along with, "What do you get from nothing?" "Nothing" is the answer. You get nothing from nothing, but with some effort you can enable yourself to create a residual income. After a short time your business will run itself and you will position yourself to get paid for doing nothing. The majority of MLMs are not pyramid scams as long as you're being offered/able to offer products, services or both. You just need to be smart with which ones you decide to enroll yourself. MLMs are not for everyone, but if you would like more information on the phenominal opportunity which has afforded me and many others financial peace of mind, feel free to email me at [email protected]

I just saw a news report of YTB and it is a RIPOFF. Very suspicious behavior. One woman who was talking to reporters outside a YTB conference was PULLED away by another MEMBER; it was just SAD. No one ws talking to reporters. One MEMBER even told a REPORTER to SHUT UP, oh yeah that real professional and mature. People who fall for this of MLM SCAM deserves it. Do your homework before joining any group, especially companies like YTB. YTB IS A SCAM!!! STAY AWAY!!

I have a unique situation where I happen to get to interact with about 5 YTB members a week. YTB is a total scam. First off 1) YTB Does not have an IATAN That means they are not travel agents. 2) The Florida Attorney General's office is investigating them (and some of their reps) for deceptive business practices. 3) It's an MLM. If you don't believe it, just consider the fact that you get paid for signing people up to also sell travel. ? They are part of your "Downline" 4) Which travel site are you going to visit. "Travelocity" or "Sallystravelhouse.com" 5) Part of YTB's terms of service is YOU CAN'T USE YTB in your domain name. ? What? They don't want you actually advertising them? 6) It's $500 to sign up, and $50 a month to host a website. All the website is, is an affiliate page. Per YTB's earning report, they have 305,055 "reps" That means 152,527,500 in signup revenue, and 183,033,000 in annual revenue for the $50 a month "maintenance" Have you actually looked at a YTB site? Do you think it costs anywhere near almost $200 MILLION DOLLARS to keep their servers running? http://ytb.com/downloads/YTB_IncomeDisclosure_2-8-08.pdf By their own admission, 80% of the reps make NOTHING. and 14.7 % of their reps make between $8.50 and $19,000 with the average annual revenue being $90.32 Considering it costs $600 a year to maintain, based on the averages, only 13292 people in the entire organization fall into a category that AVERAGES more than the fee to join. [That would be the people above "reps"] So.. Out of 300,000 people...13292 are actually making money, Using averages as the guideline So.. 95% of YTB members lose money. Not a scam.. no way.

I have been involved with YTB, June 12th will be 4 months now. Within that four months I have made the money back that I first invested plus some. I don't have to pay $49.50 for my web site, the others I got involved are right behind me. Also where else can you get a room at Luxor in Las Vegas for $46.00 a night, or MGM for $109.00 for 2 nights, Circus-Circus for $36.00 a night? I have searched the web and checked out all the travel sights and YTB is comparable, plus once you know what you are doing and get certified as a CRTA, that is when you get the cheap rates. If you start a business, you have to dedicate time to it, People who knock YTB that joined and feel they were RIPED-OFF! did not do what they needed to do to start their own business or to get the cheap rates for travel. Maybe the person that got you involved did not know what they were doing? Right now, China, Summer Olympic package, $899.00, total, for members of YTB, 9-days including flight+taxes, hotel accommodation's, two Olympic events, plus a tour of parts of China. Show me where else you can get that deal! People that want everything to fall into there laps, or are waiting for the doorbell to ring with opportunity, need to stay away from YTB. YTB is like any other company you may own, you have to be determined, dedicated, believe in what you are doing and work hard. I have to go now I have a trip, 7days/6nights in Orlando, in a two bed room condo, plus a 2day/2person pass to Disney, airfare included for $775.00 total for 2 people, from California, Now! isn't that to much? Thank You YTB.

The original poser is correct, this is in fact a pyramid scam. Saldy, a good friend of mine got caught up in this scam a few months back and lost some good money. He tried to recruit me but after some research I declined. At first he was mad that I would not sign up into his "team" but now he understands why. The whole sceme is obvious to anyone with an ounce of intelligence and common sense. Anytime you have to "buy" into a company, and you then can make more money by recruiting people then you can by actually selling product or services.....it's a pyramid scam! Some useful info... California Penal Code 327 "defining a Pyramid": Every person who contrives, prepares, sets up, proposes, operates any endless chain is guilty of a misdemeanor. As used in this section, an 'endless chain' means any scheme for the disposal or distribution of property whereby a participant pays a valuable consideration for the chance to receive compensation for introducing one or more additional persons into participation in the scheme or for the chance to receive compensation when a person introduced by the participant introduces a new participant. Compensation, as used in this section, does not mean or include payment based upon sales made to persons who are not participants in the scheme and who are not purchasing in order to participate in the scheme. Also the Canadian version.... From the Canadian "Competition Act" defining an illegal pyramid scheme: Definition of "scheme of pyramid selling" 55.1 (1) For the purposes of this section, scheme of pyramid selling means a multi-level marketing plan whereby (a) a participant in the plan gives consideration (i.e. pays money) for the right to receive compensation by reason of the recruitment into the plan of another participant in the plan who gives consideration (pays money) for the same right;" Sift through the financials at the SEC website, all the info in public. http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?company=ytb+international&CIK=&filenum=&State=&SIC=&owner=include&action=getcompany For those too lazy to click the link and read the reports here you go. NET REVENUES AS OF Dec. 31, 2007 Online travel stores sales and monthly fees $ 103,656,435 73.4 % of total rev. Travel commissions and services $ 20,495,954 14.5 % of total rev. Training programs and marketing materials $ 14,014,632 9.9% of total rev. Other $ 3,118,453 2.2% of total rev. Total net revenues $ 141,285,474 So to all those blind YTB supporters, answer this. If the comany is not a pyramid scam...Why is a "travel agency" making 73.4% of its total net revenues off of store sales and monthly fees and only 14.5% off of actual travel sales and commission? The answer is because it is a scam and you will only make money by recruiting more people into the scam once they pay $500 to start up and another $50/month after that. Will only be a matter of time before they get cracked down on.

C.c. Columbia, South Carolina Wrote: "Do not waste your money. Keep purchasing your travel the same way you always have...." This person bought a travel company through a YTB rep. Unless someone misrepresented the company, C.c. should be rolling in the dough right now. I have bought into this company and from all I see it is the most honorable and dependable network marketing company in the world. They grew by 250% last year. A level one director's average income was $85,389.04 for 2007. You can see the YTB Income Disclosure Statement at: http://www.ytb.com/downloads/YTB_IncomeDisclosure_2-8-08.pdf It is actually very impressive. I squeak when I walk I am so tight. I am the most conservative person in the world when it comes to spending money on anything. Just ask my ten year old son. When I saw this company for the first time I was very reserved. A company this successful must have it's problems also right? The next time I saw a presentation I had my questions ready. I was completely satisfied with every answer. I signed up. Yes, it costs under $500 to get started but what C.c. failed to mention was that after you sign up 6 people the $49.95 monthly fee goes away forever. So, for under $500 I have purchased my very own travel sight. It is very comparable to "Travelocity", "Orbitz", "Expedia" and "Hotwire" I am not going to tell you what I am making on this but it is enough to close my business of 25 years down and do this full time. (Actually I set my own hours.) C.c. was quick to judge. He/she obviously hasn't put any effort into her business. With a small amount of effort YTB can make you rich beyond your dreams. Very Satisfied YTB RTA (Reffering Travel Agent)