Another Pyramid Scam Alert: Tvi Express

muni · 11th October 2010, 11:32

Today, got a skype friend request and the message said.

"hello, this is ganesh from bangalore. we are looking for sharp and ambitious people who are interested for additional income options without disturbing their present profession, pls ask me more details. thank you."

Turns out that this is another flavour of the Pyramid scheme of making money by roping in more members by paying in membership fees.

Got suspicious, added the contact as friend for a chat with the guy and he seemed motivated and quite driven to get through with his ideology of making money.

Please watch this out just incase you are not aware.

The site

TVI Express

some links discussing about the modus operandi ( read the comments)

TVI Express Scam - Is TVI The Biggest Pyramid Scam Of 2010?

90 Recruits in 90 Days: TVI Express SCAM EXPOSED

chevelle · 11th October 2010, 12:24

There is a similar scam going on in USA. Its more or less similar but its related to a company which recently took control of Amway. I forgot the name but its something like Starxxx

And most of the people in that community targets students as they can be easily involved to form a part of pyramid.

I went to one of their conference and i was aghast to see that most of them were Asians (more particularly from India and neighboring countries)

ariesonu · 11th October 2010, 14:49

Oh I have also been contacted for something called as "HERBALIFE" & "FOREVER LIVING". A Mumbaite swimming instructer boasts of making 12L per month through FOREVER LIVING. The products are various food supplements based on just Aloe Vera, each costing closer to your entire one month budget.

HERBALIFE too has something similar but in dry powder-ish form.

Dont know how much to trust them?

Raab Rakha.

sammyboy · 11th October 2010, 17:21

Lol, I got a call from someone who said that he and his friends from the IITs and IIMs had started a company and would like to meet. Sounded exactly like the Network Marketing pitch i have heard a zillion times before so I asked him how he got my number. He started fumbling and said a common friend gave it to him and he couldnt reveal the name. I told him that if it had been a friend, he would have never done that without informing me.

Havent heard from them ever since.

vivekiny2k · 11th October 2010, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by chevelle

There is a similar scam going on in USA. Its more or less similar but its related to a company which recently took control of Amway. I forgot the name but its something like Starxxx

Quixtar. I have been contacted many times and refused. The extent to which they brainwash these people is amazing though.

chevelle · 11th October 2010, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by vivekiny2k

Quixtar. I have been contacted many times and refused. The extent to which they brainwash these people is amazing though.

Yes, thats the one. I remember it was related to stars at the end since they were mentioning it as a part of their brainwash session.

Would you believe it, when i arrived here in 2007, me and my friend met this guy who asked you directions and then told us to meet up for interesting proposition. Since we were new we decided to meet up and once he was done explaining we realized what it was about.

Still went to their conference to see what it is all about. I was amused to see over 1000 people from all over USA coming to this conference. After the conference i promptly told them no and got going. Never heard from them. But the guy who met us persuade my friend, who came with me, a lot and he was about to give them $300 when i stopped him. We still laugh over how close we were to digging our own grave.

ElantraGT · 11th October 2010, 19:23

Me and my friend had a close call with a Indian regarding this scam. We met this guys at a Indian restaurant and we obviously got in to a conversation with him. Since he was an Indian and he seemed to be a nice chap and I gave my email Id for contact and my friend had given his phone number ( I warned him though). This guy was calling my friend on every saturday and sunday for 4 weeks and then one fine weekend he stopped calling. Later I found that another common friend of us was conned in this manner to join a MLM kind of scam from this guy whom he met in walmart.

Samurai · 11th October 2010, 20:35

In US, Indians are rarely friendly to fellow Indians, except the MLM agents. If a fellow Indian comes to you smiling at a public place, you can be 99% sure he is about to reveal a terrific business plan that will make you rich by selling shampoo and soap.

11th October 2010, 11:32	#1
muni BHPian Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 607 Thanked: 216 Times View My Garage	Another Pyramid Scam Alert: Tvi Express Today, got a skype friend request and the message said. "hello, this is ganesh from bangalore. we are looking for sharp and ambitious people who are interested for additional income options without disturbing their present profession, pls ask me more details. thank you." Turns out that this is another flavour of the Pyramid scheme of making money by roping in more members by paying in membership fees. Got suspicious, added the contact as friend for a chat with the guy and he seemed motivated and quite driven to get through with his ideology of making money. Please watch this out just incase you are not aware. The site TVI Express some links discussing about the modus operandi ( read the comments) TVI Express Scam - Is TVI The Biggest Pyramid Scam Of 2010? 90 Recruits in 90 Days: TVI Express SCAM EXPOSED
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 12:24	#2
chevelle Senior - BHPian Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: sacto Posts: 1,299 Thanked: 553 Times View My Garage	There is a similar scam going on in USA. Its more or less similar but its related to a company which recently took control of Amway. I forgot the name but its something like Starxxx And most of the people in that community targets students as they can be easily involved to form a part of pyramid. I went to one of their conference and i was aghast to see that most of them were Asians (more particularly from India and neighboring countries)
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 14:49	#3
ariesonu Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,343 Thanked: 2,430 Times View My Garage	Oh I have also been contacted for something called as "HERBALIFE" & "FOREVER LIVING". A Mumbaite swimming instructer boasts of making 12L per month through FOREVER LIVING. The products are various food supplements based on just Aloe Vera, each costing closer to your entire one month budget. HERBALIFE too has something similar but in dry powder-ish form. Dont know how much to trust them? Raab Rakha. Last edited by ariesonu : 11th October 2010 at 14:50.
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 17:21	#4
sammyboy Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Ggn/Dehradun Posts: 1,842 Thanked: 523 Times View My Garage	Lol, I got a call from someone who said that he and his friends from the IITs and IIMs had started a company and would like to meet. Sounded exactly like the Network Marketing pitch i have heard a zillion times before so I asked him how he got my number. He started fumbling and said a common friend gave it to him and he couldnt reveal the name. I told him that if it had been a friend, he would have never done that without informing me. Havent heard from them ever since.
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 19:23	#7
ElantraGT BHPian Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 441 Thanked: 12 Times	Me and my friend had a close call with a Indian regarding this scam. We met this guys at a Indian restaurant and we obviously got in to a conversation with him. Since he was an Indian and he seemed to be a nice chap and I gave my email Id for contact and my friend had given his phone number ( I warned him though). This guy was calling my friend on every saturday and sunday for 4 weeks and then one fine weekend he stopped calling. Later I found that another common friend of us was conned in this manner to join a MLM kind of scam from this guy whom he met in walmart.
	() Thanks

11th October 2010, 20:35	#8
Samurai Team-BHP Support Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Bangalore/Udupi Posts: 25,978 Thanked: 47,785 Times View My Garage	In US, Indians are rarely friendly to fellow Indians, except the MLM agents. If a fellow Indian comes to you smiling at a public place, you can be 99% sure he is about to reveal a terrific business plan that will make you rich by selling shampoo and soap.
	() Thanks