THE EDITOR, Sir:
I AM WRITING this letter to make your readers aware of another money-making scheme that is being introduced to Jamaica. This is nothing more than another pyramid scheme designed to relieve Jamaicans of their hard-earned money. I got an e-mail from someone in England inviting me to attend a meeting at a popular hotel that will change my life forever. No details or even the name of the company is given via this medium.
The first time I went I was told there was a $500 entrance fee. I left. I subsequently received a free invitation to attend at another popular hotel - 3 p.m. Sunday. I attended out of curiosity and was more than amused to find that all the trappings for a pyramid were in place: no product, sell membership to two persons which will earn you US$200 each, those two will sell to two others for which you earn US$550, each new person recruits two other persons, in ten months if you recruit one person per month you'll earn US$63,500 providing each person below in your group recruits two persons each.
The question we then began to ask was where was this payout going to come from. And here is the simple answer. You are required to pay a US$1200 plus tax membership fee. You are allegedly buying membership into an exclusive discount club. In reading the agreement on the application form one clause states that there is no guarantee that an item might not be available at a lower price elsewhere after their discount. And I have not seen any company in Jamaica offering any discount to this club, nor was there any list of providers given by them.
The presenters even encouraged the participants to borrow the money if necessary (as it will be the last time they will ever be borrowing money). At the end I went ahead and signed the application form that entitled me to an interview by the marketing manager. The big question was how soon could she get the money, as it had to be paid in one instalment. When I told her I would have to get back to her she wanted to know if I didn't even have a deposit (quite desperate I thought!).
I went out and did a search of the company name online 'Infinity Concierge & Igennex (a name displayed in the pesentation). I was not really surprised when included in the result was a report from a Scam Watch website (all the way in New Zealand) and an undercover report from Birmingham, England. Basically they were shut down by local authorities or under investigation.
These reports can be viewed at:
http://www.rickross.com/reference/general/general425.html
http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/BU0207/S00125.htm
As I said to one of the participants 'A fool and his money are soon parted'. There were three ladies in the room over 60 years. I hope they can see this before they are swindled out of their old age pensions!
I am etc.,
L. G.
little_lawless@hotmail.com
Via Go-Jamaica
