Sunday, October 5, 2014

A Tragic Amway Story

This is the tragic story of someone who bit the Amway scam hook, like and sinker. This is the story of my sponsor. He joined around 1994 and he went (Gold) direct distributor after about a year. Being a close friend of mine, he was able to sponsor me despite me having a skeptical view of Amway. He went "direct" after all and he was going to show me how to do it. He said it wasn't that difficult. Trusting a friend, I figured I could follow his direction and accomplish the same thing. I remember him telling me that since he was direct, he was nearly assured of making at least $2000 a month for the rest of his life. I was interested and I also wanted that so I signed up and got started.

I managed to sponsor people fairly quickly and I was excited as I was on track to be the "next one". I had gotten the interest of the upline diamond and was invited to accompany him to some home board plans and "special" meetings for the movers and shakers. I honestly thought I was headed for direct and more. My group kept growing and soon enough I was out showing the plan 5 nights a week for myself and my downline. I had learned quite well and I was very excited. Until that one fateful night. My sponsor (my doctor friend) met with me to "counsel" me on my business. I was growing and he told me that I should ditch my fiance'. He said I would be better off single and could focus on going diamond. (My fiance' was supportive on Amway) I felt sick. I was shocked, but my sponsor said he would divorce his wife if his upline told him to. After some soul searching and thinking, I decided that money wasn't important enough to ditch someone I was committed to. (I have now been happily married for 18 years).

After I decided to leave the business, I told my downline about why I made the decision and most of them quit immediately. My sponsor had killed his own golden goose. I was on track to go platinum but he had killed off his best leg. His business immediately fell below 7500. He didn't quit and kept pressing on. I believe that at that point, he started to lose serious money because he had serious tools flow that he was paying for. I was an eagle at the time and he was now eating the cost of all my group's standing orders (WWDB says you can't cancel them). I went my merry way and was actually relieved I had gotten out. While I was a 4000 pin, I really made nothing because of the tools and functions. Being from Hawaii, functions are really expensive because we needed to fly to the mainland US for major functions 3-4 times a year.

After I quit, a few years later, (I had suspected) I was able to confirm the tools scam. Out upline diamonds swore on stage that nobody made money on tools and functions. I suspected as an IBO but some information on Newsweek (the magazine) and some other sources exposed the scam. Eventually Dateline exposed more in 2004. By then I had discovered more of the Amway scam via the internet and learned more of the sordid details. I started blogging in 2006 to help spread the word about the Amway scam and the tools. My blog has literally provided information to thousands of people who could now make informed decisions about joining Amway or not.

The tragedy of the whole thing is that my sponsor (the physician) never quit. I knew some of his employees and occasionally asked if he was still active and they confirmed it. I was able to confirm that he is still active. He is still dreaming of diamond and still showing the plan and attending functions after nearly 20 years. His kids are now in high school and he is farther away from diamond than when I was in the business. It's such a waste of life if you ask me. I was hoping he would see through the scam and quit but he is completely and hopelessly brainwashed. I see this as tragic. I physician could have owned a nice home and could have saved enough to retire very nicely. instead, he is still chasing an Amway dream that will not materialize. Sadly, he does not see this. With my slightly above average corporate job, I will be retired living off a pension and investments (residual income) before my former sponsor. If you ask me, that is a tragedy and I hope and pray he will snap out of it. But I have my doubts. I wish him well.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you know if your sponsor still wear his old direct distributorship pin at meetings and functions? I still see past ambots on facebook from 15+ yrs ago still involved. So your story isn't so diff than from others. Maybe when a person makes it to platinum status its harder to ever leave. Now I see even some wwdb diamonds and their adult children addicted to the stage. They post many pics and comments about wanting to make it big like their parents. With not much of a career outside of being a ibo

Joecool said...

I'm pretty sure he still wears the pin. He sought the recognition and enjoyed the opportunity to be on the stage speaking. He really ate it up when we had group meetings and he was the one everybody was seeking advice from.

Anonymous said...

You know even people who go into acting school. Have better chances of success and recognition than Amway. Can always get bit parts,work on sets, security,extras etc. Even if they don't become a famous star on stage. With Amway most people wake up realizing they are worshipping a hero with a bs lifestyle. That these incomes are exaggerated

Joecool said...

Thanks for the comment. You are right. I have a friend who works a full time job but has some acting gigs part time and receives resdiual checks every so often for some roles played in some sitcoms and dramas.

Sagar D said...

hey , i agree your friend gets regulat paychecks , but do u? , do u have any other similar opportunity? , i agree to ur whole story but why blame a system for mistake of one guy? i am just curious

Joecool said...

Where am I blaming anyone? Just pointing out that Amway sucks that why my friend has spent 20 years of his life chasing a lie. Why do I need to show another opportunity just because I point out that Amway sucks?

Anonymous said...

Joe, even in the 90s I heard same comments. Do you have a better business opportunity for me to get involved in? Or a replacement business to get involved in? Its part of the Mlm Amway brainwashing. Its part of the negative critic or dream stealer to show us a better opportunity or shut up.

Joecool said...

Yeah, I remember the comments. Technically, doing nothing or working part time for minimum wage are better options than Amway. So is panhandling for that matter. LOL