The Voice - Consumer's Voice

Dear Consumer’s Voice #1

In my quest to find ways on how I can make a living through the internet, I came across these two online companies; Empower Network and Big Idea Mastermind. The two companies work hand in hand actually, it seems Big Idea Mastermind basically assist one make money through Empower Network. Empower Network is the main company that one needs to join and sell their products to other people so that they can also join in. That way one will be making 100% commissions from the sales made. Big Idea Mastermind as stated is just a wheel that teaches and help you sell Empower Network and make commissions.

I am tempted into joining them and I therefore would very much appreciate it if you can look into it and advice me. Are these legit, and are they ways they say one can make money through them legit? Please assist me!

I’m sorry, Empower Network is yet another Get Rich Quick scheme. I think we all know that the only people who really get rich from these schemes are the people that create them, particularly when there aren't actually any real products at the heart of the scheme. None of this stops the people in Empower Network doing their best to recruit more and more victims. Their sales pitch suggests that using their scheme, which you have to pay to join of course, will allow you to make a fortune from blogging. Quite how isn’t made clear.

With any scheme that promises to give you the secret to making vast amounts of money you have to ask yourself this: Why are they sharing this with me instead of just making lots of money themselves? Is it because the only way to make money is by recruiting other people?

They have a link on their web site entitled "Products" but all they do is talk in very general terms about "a blog system that sucks up cash for me 24 hours a day in ANY program I'm involved with". It doesn't get any more specific than that. Yet another clue that this is no more than another pyramid scheme?

One other clue is that the physical addresses Empower Network offer in the USA and the UK are both no more than accommodation addresses used by a range of other companies needing a base to make themselves look legitimate.

Please don't waste your time and money in these schemes.

Dear Consumer’s Voice #2

I would like your assistance on one issue I have with a dry clean. I took my navy Paul Smith jacket to them for cleaning on the 21-08-13 and to my surprise when they presented it back to me it was in a very bad state. I refused to take it and made them aware of the defects on the jacket which they accepted. The issue was then forwarded to the dry clean owner who promised to get it fixed since then all I hear is one story after the other. My jacket was worth P750 and that's what I want from the store owner.

I met with the business owner last week Friday and he apologized for all the inconvenience they caused and agreed he will meet his staff and get back to me with proper feedback by end of business same day and up until now I still haven't heard from him. I had given him the receipt for the jacket value and I told him I need compensation so I could get a new jacket.

I’ve tried contacting the dry cleaners on your behalf but they don’t seem to want to talk. I suggest that you tell him that my advice is to go to the Small Claims Court and seek an order for compensation from them. The process is that you write them a letter listing your grievances and giving them 14 days to pay up. After 14 days (if they haven't paid) you go to the court and present your case. Your case sounds perfectly simple to me, particularly as they previously admitted that they damaged your jacket.

Let me know how they react!