Job scam quick guide: it's a scam if...

  • they want you to collect and forward money in any way (a "money mule" job). You'll wind up engaged in money laundering, personally defrauded via expertly forged cheques, money orders, etc, or defrauding someone else who pays for goods that never arrive.
  • they want you to receive packages and reship them somewhere else. The goods will have been obtained fraudulently, and they're just using you to make the shipping address appear local. You will be aiding fraud.
  • they want up-front payment (either to them or someone else) of any sort for anything before you can get the job. This is advance fee fraud: there is no job -- it's just a big con to extract money from you.
  • they want you to buy any kind of "membership" or "kit" in order to start. Forget it -- it's not a real job at all: they're trying to sell you something, and they're probably making a bunch of other false claims about it if they're pitching it as a "job".
  • it's a job offer, and it's spam. There are LOTS of these scams about, as you can see.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

RIOY System

It's been ages since I posted a "Make Money Fast" (MMF) scam, but that's partly because they're not as popular as the criminally exploitative money mule jobs. So, for a change of pace, here's one of those twits who believes that there is an easy way to Make Money Fast, and would like you to join in his delusion. This load of blah is invariably shaped like a pyramid, and requires that you persuade others to join in the scam.

Note that the tinyurl link in this spam expands to http://rioysystem.com/members/jo934nt

   Domain Name: RIOYSYSTEM.COM
   Registrar: DIRECT INFORMATION PVT LTD D/B/A PUBLICDOMAINREGISTRY.COM
   Whois Server: whois.PublicDomainRegistry.com
   Referral URL: http://www.PublicDomainRegistry.com
   Name Server: NS1.YOURSOLUTIONS.NET
   Name Server: NS2.YOURSOLUTIONS.NET
   Updated Date: 14-sep-2007
   Creation Date: 14-jul-2007
   Expiration Date: 14-jul-2008

My bet is that this domain will be retired within one year of its creation, possibly less.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Guaranteed Income <[redacted]>
Subject: hi do YOU want to retire in one year with a guaranteed $4,000 monthly income
To: ideceive@gmail.com

congratulations! and yes that's right YOU are guaranteed too earn $4,000 every month for joining us. The RIOY System short for ( Retire In One Year ) is a system designed to generate and build YOU a $4,000 monthly income after only 12 months of remaining a loyal paying member FOREVER...or YOU can choose too promote and advertise and earn YOUR $4,000 monthly income sooner than a year if YOU like....but either way YOU will earn $4,000 every month guaranteed!

Now just imagine 12 months from joining TODAY YOU will Retire With A Guaranteed $4,000 Monthly Income...what more can YOU ask for...This is the home business we all have been looking for and waiting for. Honest, Simple and Affordable. Earning $4,000 a month is GUARANTEED because the RIOY System team does all the work and YOU simply collect and CASH or DEPOSIT your commission checks every month! YOU make NO phone calls, YOU do NO explaining or selling. RIOY will do it all the recruiting and sponsoring of new people for YOU.

Our goal is to average for YOU one new signup per person per month. Sometimes you will get more than one sign up, some months you will get none. Over the period of a year you will be rewarded for your patience with a $4,000 monthly guarateed income

So If YOU are really serious about making $4,000 every month guaranteed YOU need to take immediate action.... remember time is money...so what are you waiting for click my website link below and place your order right now......

http://tinyurl.com/2vnq6d

Please do not hesitate to call or email me if you have any questions.

p.s. remember ROIY will promote and advertise for YOU and guarantee you a $4,000 monthly income after 12 months if you join as a paying member and remain as a paying member forever.....so what are you waiting for click my website link above and join right now and get started forever!



Guaranteed Income Systems!

No spam disclaimer.......You are receiving this because you have requested information in the past about business opportunities, or a friend or colleague referred you, or you were on a double opt-in list we purchased,or you are/have posted to an ffa page. If you are no longer interested in working at home and earning more money please reply with unlist! Thank You Kindly, Joseph Hunt


26 comments:

Pericles said...

That's odd, because last I checked their advertising for me and I'm not even in their TrafficWave downline and referral tree.

I've already broke even so there's no money paid out of pocket for RIOY at all... after the 2nd month. And this month I've gotten 3 new downlines in TrafficWave without lifting a finger. So go ahead and laugh at the twits who've fallen for this scam... I'm laughing all the way to the bank.

Go check out http://www.squidoo.com/rioysystem and do encourage more suckers about this RIOY Scam. I'm sure it'll be a success like Agloco.

Pericles said...

Anyway, feast your eyes out on the RIOY "scam". In 7 days, I've gotten 6 referrals into TrafficWave and RIOY for, frankly, doing nothing. Their names are below:

Benjamin Salinas
David Smith
Gary Price
Nancy Brown
Said Ourti
Mark Chan

I think those in RIOY would be really happy even if this is a scam. They still get to keep those TrafficWave referrals that took them no effort to get. Happy Holidays!

P.S.: Looking for more information? Check out http://viralurl.com/drdollars/Retire-In-One-Year/

Anonymous said...

How can RIOY be a scam?

RIOY is just an advertising co-op.

The $35 a month paid to RIOY goes towards promoting TrafficWave.

I think the problem here is the spammer. Not the RIOY system.

Spotter said...

Anything that promises "retire in one year" (RIOY) is a "make money fast" (MMF) scam. Generally speaking, people who start such scams do make a lot of money. Sometimes they even get to keep it, if they can avoid arrest for running a scam. The money the early adopters make comes from the suckers who join later in the game -- the same as any other pyramid scam.

So if you want to be in on this scam, suit yourself. My advice is, "find a real job".

Steven said...

Retiring in one year may be an exaggeration but it still is earning for me. Anyways, your loss.

Unknown said...

RiOY is working for me as well.. been a part of the program for 2.5 months and have 1000 downline in one program and 9 in the other..

Its paying for itself so going forward should be all profit.

On a side note.. the system is a total of 8 programs to get you to 4k profit.. your downline follows you to the other programs once the the program admins deem its time..

So the first two programs are not the only ones to get you to 4k in a year..

Anonymous said...

Well I don't know if "scam" fits but RIOY definitely is not what was advertised. The 1000 downline members mentioned were not "real" downline members. It was in a program called Bigorilla run by Steve Sigman. Google his name and you will see all of his programs have or had problems. Brian (a member of the RIOY team) knew of Steve Sigman as early as April of last year. He had been scammed by one of Steve's other programs. Yet RIOY still decided to use BG as one of their programs.

Well the **** finally hit the fan and RIOY was forced to drop BG.

So the next idea was to add 3 different programs. All RIOY members were directed to sign up directly under RIOY owner Karl Green instead of their sponsors. So those RIOY members who worked very hard at recruiting were rewarded by having their downline poached by the owner of the program! Ouch!

Now RIOY is offering referral incentives to replentish the till since they have had so many cancellations. This one is definitely one to stay away from!

Spotter said...

RIOY is perhaps better described as a "sham" than a "scam". It's entirely possible that the people who are behind it honestly believe in it, unlike most of the scams here which are grounded in wilful deception. The whole thing is still a house of cards, however, as this latest episode has demonstrated.

Anonymous said...

Hello Spotter: Let me quote you: "I operate under a pseudonym because my goal is to expose wilful deception and fraud. Doing so exposes me to the risk of retaliation from those who conduct such criminal activity. I apologise that this forces me to be somewhat secretive about myself. Email correspondence is welcome".

What a crock! You hide behind a pseudonym because you can then take potshots at whoever you choose without fear of retaliation. Like most cowards you don't have the balls to do this out in the open where people who you defame without any real evidence except your own opinion can sue the pants off of you.

If you want to know what some program is all about why don't you put your money where your mouth is and join so you can find out first hand? There are many legitimate entities out there that do exactly that. Then they provide an objective report on what they find. You, on the other hand, sit back behind your pseudonym and hurl unresearched accusations.

Here's another quote from you: "Anything that promises "retire in one year" (RIOY) is a "make money fast" (MMF) scam. Generally speaking, people who start such scams do make a lot of money. Sometimes they even get to keep it, if they can avoid arrest for running a scam. The money the early adopters make comes from the suckers who join later in the game -- the same as any other pyramid scam."

Anyone who would write this has obviously never bothered to even look at the thing he is critizing. Did you even read what netguru said? RIOY it is an advertising co-op. It pays no money to anyone. You join a group of legitimate internet businesses and RIOY markets these businesses for you. Check your facts before you express unfounded opinions.

For your information I have been a member of RIOY for several months and am making a profit with my business. And I do it without crapping on other businesses that I know nothing about. Do you go on the street to ask the down and out there for financial or medical advice? No? Then why would you take the advice or opinions of the losers in internet businesses? You are an exact example of why there needs to be more policing of the internet, so cowards like you can be exposed and excluded.

Spotter said...

Meh -- whatever, Marketer. You're in no position to judge whether my reasons for anonymity are true or not, so if you think I've made a hasty judgement of RIOY, then you're the pot and I'm the kettle.

Your claim that I should join RIOY before judging it, however, misses the point entirely. I don't need to try RIOY to recognise how shonky it looks. Maybe if I tried it it would net me some cash, but I'm not going to knowingly invest in something that I believe to be a scam, am I? Like I've said, sometimes people make money out of such scams, and sometimes people even get to keep that money if it's too hard to trace and confiscate when law enforcement gets involved. In the international arena of Internet scams, such difficulty is the common case, which is one reason why Internet scams are so popular.

Ultimately all I'm saying is that this particular spam I have received looks and smells like every other MMF scam-spam I've seen. I don't need to go past "guaranteed to earn $4,000 every month for joining us" to recognise it as such. I don't even care to know much of its inner workings -- I've seen enough already at this point. It's possible that RIOY is not at all like the scam described in this email, but none of the pro-RIOY posters has raised that objection yet.

Look, folks, if you're trying to make a decision as to whether to join RIOY or not, my advice is don't. The advice of lots of other people here is do, but bear in mind that they seem to be selling it, or have some sort of financial incentive for other people to join. Me? I'm just a tired old scam-spotter with no vested interest unless what I'm doing counts as good karma. And, for future reference, I'll say the same thing about any other scheme that comes by promising a "guaranteed income" while demanding a monthly fee. Don't assume I'm singling out RIOY here -- they just had an affiliate who was silly enough to spam me.

Unknown said...

I feel sorry for you Spotter - seems like you've got a bone to pick with MLM?? I don't think you should be so opinionated though.. life is full of scams... online and off!!!.. we, as humans have our own brains to excercise, and you are doing just what the MLMs you detest so much are!! YOU ARE MESSING WITH MINDS!!
I agree that many MLMs are worthless, as they expect you to pay then do all the work yourself.. why pay?.. I have looked into RIOY and will give it a go. YOU CANT JUDGE ANYTHING LIKE THIS UNLESS YOU'VE TRIED IT!! Otherwise, you are guilty of slander.

Anonymous said...

Hey there Cheese FACE Nice Article....
Try And Get your Facts Straight Before you POST anything....The Only SCAM I see about the RIOY Program is the guy trying to BASH RIOY.....I've been a member now four three months and Am in a six hundred plus a month income Beat that with a stick Cheese FACE....It's your Loss.... Pal And Every RIOY Members Gain!!!!
Will All Be Glade to look down from the top at you Looser!!!!

Scott W Strickland said...

Hi,

I was in the early version of RIOY and was involved with Linda Acosta and Big Gorilla. I left after Steve Sigman decided to change the terms of service so you needed 2 personally sponsored people to qualify for full commissions.

I think that was a very bad way to do business after getting thousands of people to join, but then again if you read any programs TOS they always reserve the right to do that.

I asked Brian about BG and he said they were no longer going to use them anymore, yet they did.

If you lost money in Big Gorilla or just want to pay your way in RIOY take a look at this, grab a free gift and leave a comment on what you think.

And always do your own research before deciding on joining any program.

I wish you all the best of luck!

Scott

BZ said...

I originally joined RIOY After investigating it little bid. I thought it was a good company. However once I joined in, within two weeks I recieved an email from Karl Green that said that although marketing was not required, It will takes 3 to 5 years for those who do not market to achieve financial freedom.
I am not against Marketing, But, My thinking is if I am supposed to Market, I like it to be for a company that I actually like to promote.
So to me the Guarantee is just a selling point and in reality a lie.

Anonymous said...

I've posted an honest breakdown of the RIOY Program here: http://www.squidoo.com/rioysystem (RIOY: Retire in One Year System - Scam or Sham?)

Trust me, it's not what you're expecting. I caution anyone who's in it or considering joining it to PLEASE read it!

Don't make a big mistake!

Joe Flinn said...

Well folks I've been a member of RIOY since December of 2007 and I have yet to earn a penny. I've sent several emails to RIOY asking when the income starts and have not got a satisfied answer. At the end of one year I will hold Karl Green to his promise.

Anonymous said...

I'd like to believe
That money grows on eTrees
To forget my debt

A hasty haiku, as it were.

I remember once seeing Donald Trump on a late night talk show, maybe with Letterman or Carson, I forget. But he was asked an interesting question: If he suddenly lost everything, and was penniless on the street, what would he do? He said he'd do anything that made money, MLMs, Pyramids, and so on, then begin to use that money for other investments like buying real-estate, other businesses, etc. The audienced booed and scoffed at him. He got right up out of his chair and marched off the platform and waved his finger pointing at the audience in an accusatory way and said, "And that's why I am here, and you are there!"

It's an image that always stuck with me. Some people decide they want to make money fast and that there is no other purpose or point or objective. They choose to be takers rather than makers. They want to take money, but not create anything of any use to anyone in return. Some may call it unethical or immorral or irresponsible. Others call it pure business genius, savvy, and so on. There are as many shades of interpretation as there are people. As with everything in life, we choose which meanings to attach and then base them on reasons drawn from a belief system.

I'm not here to say do or do not, but merely to state my own personal opinions and ideas on the subject.

For me, it is inconceivable to request money from someone without me doing something of value for them in return, either by crafting a product (physical: computers, cars; or virtual: books/ software) or providing a service (counselling; mentoring; analysis; advising; troubleshoot; repair; admin) or some combination.

So when I see ANY program that promises to make me money without doing any work, then I am completely baffled, at a loss. Where does the money COME FROM? Follow the money. I'm not questioning or investigating whether or not a program puts money into my hands, because I am not primarily focussed on being a TAKER, but rather a MAKER.

Takers, in my opinion, do nothing for anyone, just scum that feed off the dim witted. If society fell tomorrow, all the makers would survive and all the takers would quickly be executed. Farmers, they make food necessary for our survival. Mechanics, they fix our vehicles for transportation. Construction workers, give us shelter necessary for survival. Tools makers, clothes makers. Even politicians and middle management, often derided as useless fools (and often are in today's world) could provide the valuable soft-services of organizing people to achieve a complex goal that no single person could possibly achieve, such as infrastructure maintenance (education, sewage, trade, etc).

But these programs online, where does the money come from? There is never a product or service mentioned, ever. At best, they say they "advertise". Advertise what, to whom? What are the businesses and what products or services do they advertise? Are they in fact just advertising themselves, and thus the products they sell, your membership fees, are the sole source of profits, your returns? So, while you make money, it comes from other subscribers, who then must wait to make money.

Or are they advertising other scams, like lottery and prize rewards if you answer some questions in surveys and then purchase a few products or services from other people (from the makers: cable or satelite TV service, computers or home theater systems, roofing or new cabinets, etc.) The other scams, they collect a kickback from MAKER advertisers, but then also use all the collected personal information to sell to anyone and everyone with a few hundred dollars, for the sole purpose of sending unsolicited bulk commercial emails (SPAM). They sell to foreign countris, lists of your email address, full name, phone number, street address.

What product or service do these people provide, really? If their website goes down, what skills have you learned from your experience as a result of your involvement in their programs? Would these skills help you provide products or services to people offline or online at any other time in life? If you've chosen for yourself that money in your pocket is the end-all, be-all goal, measure, and rule for life, then nothing anyone can say will ever change your mind, and I'm not concerned with you anyways. I'm just here stating my opinion for those who maybe haven't made up their mind, or simply hadn't thought of it this way before.

I just think there's more to life than collecting money. To learn things, experience, do, use our minds, our hands, and our hearts, to help others. And doing things can be quite profitable too, and has the added benefit of socializing, making friends, making a stronger community, and also returning riches to us that are not obtainable in the form of cash: experience, wisdom, compassion, courage, independence, strength, endurance, intellect, belonging, fulfilment. Things you can't get either by collecting large amounts of cash nor by spending large amounts of cash. An unrestrained or unbalanced focus on that as a lifestyle will likely result in an inability to feel happiness or contentment regardless of how much monetary gains are made.

I am wealthy by every other measure than money. I am in debt now due to life circumstances but am confident and hopeful that even that can be turned around by application of my mind to a sure and disciplined purpose, to be of indispensible use to others, in whatever ways I am best suited.

Anonymous said...

How was RIOY ever a scam??

RIOY is not an affiliate program, nor could they previously pay any members because RIOY promoted approximately 10 different programs, and those programs were the source of income for members in RIOY. RIOY merely had the goal of brining in members on top of members to build teams in these various other programs, which btw were reliable programs as well.

In any event, those things are now irrelevant since the program change in June.

RIOY is now new and much improved. I was a part of the old system and I remain a member of the new as well.

If you knew anything about the initial goal of RIOY, all members were to join the final program at that time, which is one of the best health and wellness companies in the business right now, namely; TriVita.

TV is also not an MLM program, and has been very strict about any marketing done over the years. After the June transition, RIOY's new system was accepted by TV, and a new and greater interest has begun.

Yes the system is much different now, as Karl Green the creator of RIOY, decided to make some quick changes, and definitely improved the program.

The word "scam" gets thrown around the net everywhere. When people have a problem with something, or feel like they didn't get something that was promised, the word scam comes out.

However, the Retire In One Year program is, nor ever was a scam. It's still moving ahead in full force.

The email you received was most likely spam, but no scam. And that member could also have been booted from the program for spamming if reported.

The RIOY program is definitely real, and spam like that is not tolerated.

Have a great night!

Anonymous said...

Keep Drinking the Kool-Aide

RIOY is an illegal Ponzi Scam. Looking at the History it looks like Karl is jumping from 1 program to another to take advantage of upfront bonus money. It seems everytime he joins a new program everyone has to sign up under him Directly. HMMM

This must be his Great Investment with those obsurd high returns.

He also claims to be an Enrolled Agent with the IRS but they have no record of him. Just another lie.

Anonymous said...

RIOY is nothing more than a downline builder. Funny thing is downline builder clubs are usually free and the members of the downline club promote it and target traffic to it, which RIOY members still attempt to do with not much success.

The only one who aims to retire in one year is Karl Greene. I really do not know many downline builders who charge their referrals money to join their programs. The fees are suppose to be for this expense and for that funding, give it a break Karl.

Those of us who have been online long enough know what this guy is about. Too bad there are plenty of fools online to fall for this guy's babble. So just keep feeding Karl, and he will eventually get what he desires. He loves you for it.

becca said...

Just a few months ago Karl was charging $2,500.00 to join and promising to triple that in 1 year. And people where excited that he would send them $430 a month towards their TV purchases and 4 customers. Soon after he changed those terms and added some other high priced program requireing another high depoist LDH or some silly program like that. Taking dividing the amount now available to TV out of their monthly checks etc....Some of the figures may be alittle off, but the main fact is fairly quiclky he changed terms, and he will do it again. People don't even know where they stand who bought into the 2nd program. And for the Laura chick running the TV team build..she knows nothing about team builds. She has been requested several times to produce a team list and never has.She will and cannot show who has what BA's under them. She doesn't assign them in the order of sign up. I know this for a fact because I have kept close tabs on her posts and what she has said a different times. If she produced a list folks, you will see that she has tons under her... Most of you should be 1 and 2 star BA's by now. Do you guys even now about the different earning tiers based on the # of BA's you have under you? But that A 1star, 2Star, 3Star have different requirments for the monthly TGV required for each level to earn down all the different tiers you quailfy for each level or you don't get it. ? ie: A 2 star BA has at least 2 BA's under them, orders $100 in product a month ON AUTOSHP and can earn down 5 tiers AND must have a monthly TGV of 2,500 (which is the amount of points earned for products you buy, your customers buy, and points for new BA's joining under you)
..So suppose your customers only bought 2,350 worthtgv. It might benefit you to purchace yourself an extra $20 or $25 in products so you can earn down all the tiers of the level you are on.

How about GOH (Gift of health)..how many know what that is? Not much discussion goes on anywhere in your bloggs or forum about how to run your TV business. Karl and Laura are just making money off of you.

You poor blind sheep.

lauralicata said...

I've never read this thread until today and feel compelled to comment to the last post.

It was not a team build originally. A moderator on MMG asked if I would do that so I said why not in order to give my downline a downline. The thing is that RIOY admin started to tell me that it was screwing up the way the matrix in TV should have been filled.

By the way Becca, I was not in top form since September because my mother who I was very close to passed away that month. I was not able to keep on top of things at all.

The team build idea was bad and I never should have done it. It was the idea of an MMG moderator who asked me to do it and I foolishly said yes.

RIOY is gone though now because Karl had most of his funds in a program that is delaying payments while they are making some major transitions.

Good luck Becca...whoever you are

lauralicata said...

I also want to add Becca that I gave several sign ups to my downline and I did not post them but I had a record of who was next in line.

I was doing my best during a very difficult time for me to make things happen for everyone.

Karl was paying us enough to purchase products and customers in TV so we all knew the payplan.

Obviously you are a TV member but it is so slow. Karl had to back out for reasons I won't state here.

Enough said.

Anonymous said...

So if it walks like a duck ...

I see this declaration from Karl Green:

December 16, 2008
Message from Karl Green:

Dear Members,

Unfortunately I have some not very pleasant news to pass along to you all.

We have certainly been hit by many challenges in the past few months, From PayPal shutting us down, problems with the merchant account, a company we invested in running off with some of our money, DRW collapsing, and probably the biggest is the current economic problems in the US.

Now I must tell you that our most dependable, and since the demise of DRW, our biggest cash provider has announced that I will not be receiving any funds from them until the end of February at the earliest. I have tried everything I can to work this out with them but I absolutely will not receive any cash outs from them until at least the end of February.

My hands are now effectively tied and there is nothing more I can do, Behind the scenes I have also been putting all of my available personal resources into RIOY, and I have nothing left to give. My worst fears have been realized and it is with much sadness that I am forced to close the doors on RIOY.

If this company does, in fact, come through in February you will all start receiving refund checks in March. I have already started the process of determining what each of you have sent in for the various programs such as MFM, LSO, TriVita Option, One Time Deposit, PostCard program, balance of RIOY dues paid a year in advance, etc. and hopefully I will be able to start paying everyone back depending on the amount over 36 months. In some cases if you paid in a very large amount more time may be necessary for me to pay you back.

If you wish to continue with LHN at any level and/or MAXeGEN, while I cannot provide payments for products, my upline and I will do what we can to help you promote the business(es) and continue to help build your income.

I hope that everyone knows and understands how badly I feel about the current situation. My goal has always been to try to help all of you build a substantial income. I have tried my best and have been met with challenges at every turn, some of which I just can not control. I am frustrated beyond belief and I regret that I have to shut down RIOY at this time.

There will be no further conference calls, and the website, message forum, and helpdesk will all be taken offline. I will be contacting each of you to let you know my plans for a repayment of your money paid in for MFM, LSO, One Time Deposit, etc.

Please be sure to cancel your monthly RIOY subscription in AlertPay or SolidTrustPay. Look for RIOY or Innovative Financial Services under subscriptions and cancel it.

I have enjoyed working with you over the last two years plus and wish you all the best.

Sincerely,

Karl Green
karlgreen@embarqmail.com
(940) 626-4806
202 Happy Trail
Rhome, TX 76078

PLEASE NOTE!

We have negotiated with Liberty Health Net and with MAXeGEN to provide special consideration to my team members. Prior to making a decision about your positions with either company, I strongly encourage you to contact the Liberty Health Net or MAXeGEN Corporate offices. Please ask the operator to connect you to the Field Support Department.

Anonymous said...

So maybe you can see now that it was not and never was intented to be a scam. Karl has posted his address and phone number...he has contacted people as to how he would pay them back. A scam is what Bernie Madoff did. Karl was trying to help and was not able to pull it off.

By the way Becca, are you even in profit with TV? Most people won't be for a very long time especially if they purchase 25 customers and have several BA's under them. It is a crap shoot and you know it.


Don't ever accuse me of taking advantage of people because that is so wrong and my downline knows it. If you were keeping such close monitoring of the forums then why didn't you ask me what was up. Very cowardly to resort to posting here.

I would have answered your question.

Laura

Andy said...

karl may have left his email, phone number, and address, but he didn't give me a refund.