Infomercial Info -
Business Opps
Division

Please be sure to read my DISCLAIMER

NOTE: All external links on this page open a new window.

Claims

These infomercials claim they will sell you (at a "greatly reduced price") their packages or services, which all you have to do is implement, without much work, and the money will start "rolling in".

Bull-Hocky! Folks, there are only a few ways to make money:

have a rich relative die and leave you enough to cover the inheritance taxes and still have a bunch left over
win a "real" lottery or sweepstakes (state, iWon.com, Publisher's Clearing House, etc.)
have enough money to invest and a good investment counselor
put in a lot of hard work, energy and time

Only the first three will "truly" be "easy":

if you count losing a relative "easy"
if you actually spend the money and/or the time to enter those lotteries/sweepstakes
if you have a lot of money you MIGHT lose, a REALLY good investment counselor, and you understand, yourself, how to invest in stocks and bonds.

That leaves hard work, lots of time and energy.

Some people are lucky and find that "niche" product or service at the right time in their town, their state, the US, and/or the WORLD, that everyone needs. Think of Bill Gates, here - even those of you who revile Microsoft. He created a product that businesses, college students and a few individuals needed a few years back. He (and his company) continually work to make it better than before, adding services, functionality and features. He "saw" the internet exploding where others didn't. Guess what? He was right. He provided to businesses and individuals ways they could get on to the internet, do most, if not all of their work (no matter what some will say), and made it affordable for the "common man". Now, he's the richest man on the planet and has started giving away his fortune to charities. He is such an astute businessman, the second richest man on the planet (Warren Buffet) has signed over HIS fortune to Gates to disseminate to charities (06/2006).

Meanwhile, others successfully found their own niches in the world, many in "cyber-space" (the internet and computing) - among them, Google, eBay, Amazon and Simon (malls). The internet companies had such momentum at the right times, that even when the ".COM Boom" went bust, they weathered the storm, and have continued to add services.

Niches. Find one.

But many of the companies in this Shams/Infomercial Info Division have found that people are gullible. Some of them have repackaged their old and outdated seminars/lectures and "tips" into (sometimes) flashy new packages, sometimes with a few updates, and are selling them cheap. Now even old tips and information is not "something to sneeze" at. If you are new to whatever business they are selling, you MIGHT be able to glean some information. By the same token, you could probably find most of the information on the internet, for free by searching and reading a lot. You'd also find that many of the ideas in these packages were good back in the '70s and '80s, but now...? It's a whole new world.

The other thing is you might think that $40 is not that much to spend for information. What you need to understand is that, as is quoted elsewhere on this site: "[They] will attempt to contact every new client who buys this program and ... offer that client an amazing one on one coaching program that sells for over $5000." They will also offer other packages, services and seminars. Some will even ask you to literally max out your credit cards (this is how at least one determines how much to charge you!), convincing you that you will recoup those charges "a thousand times over" by the purchase of the extras. Besides, in most cases they will also have your personal information, and, as stated elsewhere: Since you actually purchased the program(s), the "DO NOT CALL" Off Site New Window list means nothing

From the FTC Consumer Alert: Q&A The National Do Not Call Registry, Question #29 Off Site New Window

If I register my number on the National Do Not Call Registry, will it stop all telemarketing calls?

No. Placing your number on the National Do Not Call Registry will stop most telemarketing calls, but not all. Because of limitations in the jurisdiction of the FTC and FCC, calls from or on behalf of political organizations, charities, and telephone surveyors would still be permitted, as would calls from companies with which you have an existing business relationship, or those to whom you’ve provided express agreement in writing to receive their calls.

[and]

My number is on the National Do Not Call Registry. After I bought something from a company, a telemarketer representing that organization called me. Is this a violation?

No. By purchasing something from the company, you established a business relationship with the company. As a result, even if you put your number on the National Do Not Call Registry, that company may call you for up to 18 months after your last purchase or delivery from it, or your last payment to it, unless you ask the company not to call again. In that case, the company must honor your request not to call. If they subsequently call you again, they may be subject to a fine of up to $11,000.

An established business relationship with a company also will be created if you make an inquiry to the company, or submit an application to it. This kind of established business relationship exists for three months after the inquiry or application. During this time, the company can call you.

If you make a specific request to that company not to call you, however, then the company may not call you, even if you have an established business relationship with that company.

[MY highlight - BS]

They would technically be making a "customer service" call.

By the way, this category has more reviews with the terms "sham", "scam", "scams", "flim-flam", "complain", "complaints", "rip", "rip-off", "fraud", "warning", similar words, and maybe just "review" than any other on this site. Be sure to read everything I give you ... good and bad ... and do even more research, before making ANY decision about whether to purchase.

General Links, some with Warnings

ReadersDigest - Get-Rich-Quick Schemes and Scams - "Get Rich? Get Real"
eMarketing View topic - Warranty of Service

Business Opportunity Infomercial Links

UPDATE September 30, 2007

In his latest infomercial (for his own business opportunity), Donald Barrett said what many of us believe:

I mean you see things on television like buying real estate with no money down, or the stocks ge... you know... "get in the stock business," or buying and selling notes. All these guys that are selling these money-making vehicles on television? Chloe, they're all making making money in the television infomercial business.

Donald Barrett from his infomercial for ITV Ventures. Hear it here: Donald Barrett quote. (280KB WMA File)

... And this is true of Donald, himself. He makes no bones about it. By the same token, he was in the business of MAKING infomercials and selling products for others... That is until ITV Ventures.

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Infomercial Info - Business Opps Division

Claims

General Links, some with Warnings

Business Opportunity Infomercial Links

UPDATE September 30, 2007

Infomercial Info -
Business Opps
Division