Skybiz

[the middle road]

Ok here it goes, everything on the line.
When I read a Clubfreedom post on this forum, somebody said something about Skybiz. It rang a bell so hard in my mind, I couldn't hear myself think. I have done enough searches on this name that would make a grown man cry, but still can't get the information I'm looking for. I definately wasn't a member, but I even cringe harder when I see the name Skybiz2000. Please don't tell me owners were based on the Gold Coast, Australia because I think I will be sick.

I am saying this because I think I was their technical advisor in my last year of Uni to them as part of my work experience. I just can't clearly remember the name, because as a lot of uni students, I was smoking too much pot at the time.

I still have the technical documentation at my house, but am currently staying at my mothers, so an answer to this can't wait until I return home.
I never liked the CEO. I thought he was a slimy arsehole.

This is a loose/loose situation for me, because:

1. I may have finally lost my mind.
2. I may have innocently created a monster.

Please tell me what you know ASAP before I throw up.

[the middle road]

By the way, I think he was a Newzealander if my memory serves me correct

[Webwatch]

Hi Middle Road- Hold onto your marbles I think this may help:

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2001/06/sky.htm
Court Appoints Temporary Receiver over International Pyramid Operation

Illegal Scheme Claims It Is Operating in 200 Countries World Wide

The Federal Trade Commission has asked a U. S. District Court Judge to halt the unlawful operations of SkyBiz.com, charging that the operation that purports to sell online tutorials on Web-based products is actually a massive illegal pyramid scheme which may have conned consumers around the world out of approximately $175,000,000. At the request of the FTC, Chief Judge Terry C. Kern has temporarily halted all unlawful activities of the SkyBiz operation, frozen the defendants' assets to preserve them for consumer redress, and appointed a receiver, pending the preliminary injunction hearing scheduled for June 26, 2001.

The FTC suit was filed in U. S. District Court in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The corporate and individual defendants are based in Tulsa. The corporate entities named in the suit include: SkyBiz.com, Inc; World Service Corporation; Nanci Corporation International; and WorldWide Service Corporation. Several individual defendants were also named, including: James S. Brown; Stephen D. McCullough; Elias F. Masso; Nanci H. Masso; Kier E. Masso; and Ronald E. Blanton.

In papers filed with the court, the FTC alleges that since late 1998, the defendants have promoted a work-at-home business opportunity with claims of quick riches. One SkyBiz presentation claimed, "This system was put together by a gentleman named Eric Rasmussen who basically joined SkyBiz and six months later was able to retire with an income of about 400,000 a month. Currently, [he] lives in the Gold Coast of Australia and he's making 76,000 a week and growing." In in-person sales presentations, seminars, teleconferences, Web site presentations and in other marketing material, the defendants touted the opportunity to earn thousands of dollars a week by recruiting new "Associates" into the program. They provided CD-Roms, computer disks, videos and books promoting the SkyBiz programs and they provide a PowerPoint presentation on their website that can be downloaded to aid in recruiting new members. The cost to join the SkyBiz Program is $125, ostensibly used to buy an "e-Commerce Web Pak," but in reality was to purchase the right to receive compensation for recruiting additional participants. Participants were urged to invest in more than one "Web Pak," to maximize their earning potential.

The FTC charged that the claims that consumers who invested in SkyBiz would make substantial income were false; that failure to disclose that most people in pyramid schemes lose money is deceptive; that defendant provided the means and instrumentalities for others to deceive consumers by providing speakers and promotional materials that made the false and misleading claims; and that SkyBiz was actually an illegal pyramid scheme. All four violate the FTC Act.

The complaint was filed by the FTC in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma on May 30, 2001, under seal. The seal was lifted June 8, 2001.
Or make things worse ??

[surfer]

Skybiz was technically based in Tulsa, OK.

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/03/skybiz.htm

There were multiple defendants charged. Not
sure where they were from.

Edited to add:

I see Webwatch beat me to the post. :D

[weirdid]

Skybiz2000 was closed down a few years ago by the FTC, it was a pyramid scam.


Skybiz.com, Inc. (also known as Skybiz 2000) has settled a two
-year-long suit brought by the Federal Trade Commission. In
May, 2001, the FTC charged that Skybiz, based in Tulsa, OK,
was operating as an illegal pyramid scheme. The company
recruited participants into an "internet mall" type MLM
scheme.
Full storey here; _http://tinyurl.com/y7r3km


_weird

[the middle road]

Thankyou very much for those quick repies. I think I am going to be sick. The Gold Coast, Australia was mentioned. The CEO said he was a CEO because that's what they like to hear in America. I don't actually know where they were technically based, but I was working at the Gold Coast office. Oh God, it's not looking good, but at least I am not crazy.

When I get home I will check the technical documents, and that is not going to be soon enough. I did write a powerpoint presantation on how it worked. If I think about it hard enough, I was wondering how they were going sell this product. They siad they were going to sell it for a huge amount, around $10000 but obviously they decided on a differnet approach. I had a feeling they were lying to me the whole time.

I still may not be correct, but it's not looking good. Dam pot and memory loss.

[the middle road]

Looking at the sites above, I did design an E-commerce web pack. Can I ever post on this forum again. I think I'm going to cry.:(

[Webwatch]

Middle Road-I'm sure your welcome to post anytime you like.

As far as CEO/COO and other Business names go-they tend to look impressive but its all relative to the size & reputation of company i.e.sole trader's could consider themselves CEO, Chairman, President, Proprietor and Master of all they survey etc.

[sisco50]

Middle Road-I'm sure your welcome to post anytime you like.

As far as CEO/COO and other Business names go-they tend to look impressive but its all relative to the size & reputation of company i.e.sole trader's could consider themselves CEO, Chairman, President, Proprietor and Master of all they survey etc.

How true. I just call myself "Owner" when I talk to clients and they ask the question of title. Never had a bad reaction. :)

[coralal]

Ok here it goes, everything on the line.
When I read a Clubfreedom post on this forum, somebody said something about Skybiz. It rang a bell so hard in my mind, I couldn't hear myself think. I have done enough searches on this name that would make a grown man cry, but still can't get the information I'm looking for. I definately wasn't a member, but I even cringe harder when I see the name Skybiz2000. Please don't tell me owners were based on the Gold Coast, Australia because I think I will be sick.

I am saying this because I think I was their technical advisor in my last year of Uni to them as part of my work experience. I just can't clearly remember the name, because as a lot of uni students, I was smoking too much pot at the time.

I still have the technical documentation at my house, but am currently staying at my mothers, so an answer to this can't wait until I return home.
I never liked the CEO. I thought he was a slimy arsehole.

This is a loose/loose situation for me, because:

1. I may have finally lost my mind.
2. I may have innocently created a monster.

Please tell me what you know ASAP before I throw up.

By the way the owner was American ( formerly Canadian ), the lead distributor was from the Gold Coast. I was at the Skybiz trial in my home City in Canda for every single day and Skybiz was deemed a Illegal Ponzi Scheme by way of multiple Positions. I was never involved with Skybiz, because I knew the owners and talked to him many times of licensing his company properly, but he did not listen and eventually members were charged ( not the owners ) of running an Illegal Pyramid. Skybiz was ordered to shut down.

So as you can see as a member you are liable for any pozi scheme you enter as well as the people u put in it.

So that is why I do all my homework before I join or consult to any company.

[the middle road]

I gotten home now and we called the program broadbiz. I have googled it but cant find any information except the web hosters in UK.
It is strange how all those things were flying through my mind. I still don't know how I know of skybiz. We also finished our web package around the same time they were offering it. I didn't bother checking the history of these people because our assignment was given to us by our University.
It was a fantastic package and was proud to be on the team, but where is that program now, after 4 of us working on it for over 6 months. It was an extremely saleable product. Where did it go? I may have heard of Skybiz while living on the GoldCoast, and now mixed it up in my mind, into the same story. But why did everything I say make sense last night, we did create an E-commerce package, the CEO, which is what he called himself, went to America often. Not only me but his head salesman was going to quit because he said was the CEO was shonky, and wanted me to come with him to start another business, because we were the only 2 there with our heads screwed on striaght (except when i was stoned, lol). This all happened in offices of another company which is still around today, and now that I think about it, we weren't creating this package for the company, but actually for the CEO himself, so I won't mention the company.

I have seen so many so called business people, pretend to be something their not, and this just might be the case here.The only way I will ever find out if our program was given to skybiz, is if another programmer actually finds this thread and says "no, I was on the team that programmed it".

All in all though, those feelings of shame I have for maybe being part of a massive scam, and my friend feeling sick in stomach to another scheme I signed him up for makes me think very hard of my involvment in a current matrix scam.

I carry on about all the people I know making money over long periods of time from so called legitamate pyramid schemes, that I forget this is a different world now. We live in an online world, with matrix scams a plenty and maybe, just maybe, I am yet involved in another one. It's hard to believe from what I personally know about Clubfreedom that they are out to get us, but obviously the founders are going to make a bucket load of money. Good business for them, or nasty scam for us?

Only time will tell, and lying in bed last night, I thought I shouldn't post on this site again, but I will. Who knows, you might not have a fence sitter in the future, I may be joining the matrixwatch site on the side of the argument

[mercinary]

the middle road:

It is good to hear that you are opening your mind to hear our side of the arguement....and even better that you are considering joining our side of the argument! :D Matrixwatch exists to put the facts out there for everyone to see....and to let them judge for themselves. You'll always be welcome to post here no matter which side you agree with....or in your case...if you're on the fence. :)

-Merc