WorldVentures Scam- A Glamorous Way To Make A Living?

Name: WorldVentures
Website: http://www.worldventures.com
Price: $199.95+ $26.99/month or more
Owners: Wayne Nugent and Mike Azcue
Overall Rank: 1 out of 5 Stars

WorldVentures™ has made a commitment to being the most-trusted name in the direct-selling industry through our transparent business processes and open management philosophy. WorldVentures is dedicated to helping our Independent Representatives live richer lives: to enjoy unique travel and leisure experiences; to earn extra income doing something they love; and to help others improve their lives.” – http://www.worldventures.com/opportunity

WorldVentures, An Overview

Based out of Plano Texas and founded in early December 2005, WorldVentures is one of the fastest growing multi-million dollar direct selling companies of curated group travel with a sales force more than 110,000 representatives in 24 countries. WorldVentures is allegedly a travel club in which members have access to hugely discounted vacations. Sounds like a great product, so why are their sales reps spending most of their energy recruiting others into WorldVentures?

They mention luxurious trips in all their promotional materials featuring a sales associates in places like Cancun holding signs that say “You should be here!”

They tempt people with the promise of a stress-free and a glamorous way to make a living while you’re living. In a world where many people dream of firing their boss, this seems like the perfect business opportunity just like Herbalife and Amway.

Pros

• Learn about networking and decent training on building a home based business.
• Go on trips and meet new like-minded individuals.

Cons

• This is not a sustainable business. Most of the money is made on memberships for training aids and events, materials, and monthly membership fees more than anything. The training events are as low as $29 up to as much as hundreds of dollars.
• $100 startup cost and an $11 monthly membership fee just to be able to sell this product to others
• Many of the packages offered by other free sites such as Expedia, Priceline, and Kayak are several hundred dollars cheaper. The only reason the World Venture package will come out lower is because of the points that you pay for that give you a slight discount from the total costs.
• All your fees are saved and converted into points, but there’s a lot of terms and conditions including that not all you points are available immediately, expire after a year, there’s a restriction in the amount of points you can redeem at a time, and are only good for DreamTrips Rewards. You can’t use them towards DreamTrips and airfare.
• According to their 2009 disclosure, 72.3% of their associates did not earn a commission, about 7.5% earned an average of $553, and less than one percent received more than that. The average income of all associates was a measly $100 and that doesn’t even include all of the other expenses. By 2013 the numbers got even more dreadful where 77.51% didn’t earn nothing at all and the median income was $203.59.

• Confusing compensation plan with a 65% Payout cap rule.
• 43 complaints filed against this business in the last three years with the Better Business Bureau.
• The company is being investigated in Norway and believed to be a pyramid scheme.
• This is known to be a shady company so be very cautious if you’re planning to give them your credit card information because you may need to cancel it and get a new one.
• WorldVentures is taking legal action against bloggers that express their concerns with them.
• According to The Observer, another suit will be added to the two most critical lawsuits from former reps. Former seven month World Venture representative, Jeffrey Ostrove prepared a class action lawsuit along with 200 people that signed on.

This is really ethically wrong, it’s morally wrong,” he told The Observer. “It’s taking advantage financially of people without them knowing about it. They tend to sue ex-reps who leave them for other MLMs or say anything pessimistic about the company, squashing public dissent.”

• They have a list of very complex rules and regulations including the fact that reps don’t earn their commissions until they recruit 30 customers or downline members, consequently, very few people get paid.
• It’s very hard to get a refund and you have to get it within 14 days. Their customer service is very poor.
• With a struggling economy, it will be very hard to sell this product. Not everyone can afford to take vacations adding to the fact that your flight is not even included. For those that are paying, they can’t take a vacation every month.
• If you manage to receive a free BMW, you have to make the payments if you don’t meet your status quo.
• Senior Reps only earn $200-$500 a month.
• It’s just another MLM. Unless you have internet marketing skills, than you have to be very good at persuading your friends, family, neighbors and strangers to join under year which can be very challenging. Unless you’re actively recruiting other people, you will not be able to make money.

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World Ventures Complaints

World Ventures Posted: La Verite

Pyramid Scheme with a twist

Complaint Rating: 62 % with 354 votes

While NOT ILLEGAL, World Ventures does work off the old “Pyramid Scheme” setup. You PAY CASH to recruit people and make it back from the cash of your recruits. Logically, someone has to lose money for you to get paid.

However, as they do offer actual vacations and travel services, this is not a crime. One could argue that your money also paid for your access to their exclusive vacation deals, (which are consistently higher than Travelocity, Expedia, or even face-value hotel expenses.) The packages are a rip off, as is the recruitment, but its legal. And realistically, if you can sucker in enough of your fellow saps, you actually can profit. So long as the there is a lower rung on the ladder to pay for your mistake.

They don’t lie to you. They just hide the truth in pretty words and motivational hotel “pep rallies.” Most of the attendees are still buying into it themselves, so they come across as very sincere and enthused. But if you notice, none of them are really making money. Hmms.
Dont be fooled, most of these people are faking smiles to make their money back, even hoping your money will recoup their losses. My advice- don’t get up in arms, this thing is huge and there’s nothing you can do. Just look out for yourself and your loved ones and keep your wallet closed.”

Submitted: Sun, May 20, 2012
Updated: Mon, January 14, 2013
Reported By: Sorely Frustrated — Anytown Nationwide United States of America

I attended multiple events for this company as was led to believe that the so-called leaders of the company were achieving a significant financial gain by following their trainings and work ethic. It would appear on the face value that is someone has achieved a certain rank in the company such as a regional marketing director that that person would be making a significant amount of money due to the fact that you would only achieve that rank based on the qualifiers.

As it turns out, many, if not all, of the top ranks were promoted a certain ranks falsely by the company at company events to gain more representatives into the company, benefiting only these top ranks and company owners.

I spent over 3 years and over $17,000 of my hard earned money on company events, trainings and other things like traveling to these events and I made a whopping $4,769.00 in 36 months.

The company gives specific directions on how to build a home-based business, but it seems very few can earn enough money to have any ability to just work from home and not have a job too.

This company is a rip off in so many ways and are only taking people’s money for the gain of no one but themselves. Most people may only lose a few hundred dollars if they only join the company and do nothing, but if they follow the company’s advice, including their own trainers and so-called leadership, you will lose much, much more.”

World Ventures Tools & Training

The training is pretty decent and will teach you how to make money in network marketing, but some people emphasize that it consists of the few people that got in early and rant about how much money they made off all the new reps joining the company.

As a representative, you will have access to social media tools and other technology to help you work on your business from anywhere in the world.

How Much Does World Ventures Cost?

DreamTrips- one-time fee of $199.95 and $26.99 per month
DreamTrips Life= one-time fee of $199.95 and $54.99 per month
Luxury DreamTrips- one-time fee of $999.99 and $99.99 per month

To be a representative- $99 one-time $10.99 per month

DreamTrips package and become a representative- $360

My Final Opinion of World Ventures

Unfortunately, there’s no mystic way to travel the world and acquire fortunes while doing it. This could work for someone who knows a lot of people, but the statistics do not lie. You could put all your effort into this and still not make a dime while the company is taking your money. The truth is multilevel marketing is too hard and just requires too high of a risk. The only things that’s going to happen is that you’re going to be left in an even worse situation and face destroyed relationships. WorldVentures is just another multi-level marketing scheme where the money is made primary by recruiting others and the selling of training aids and events. There’s just too many red flags revolving the company including the 43 complaints filed against them with the Better Business Bureau, the lawsuits, and that they take legal action against bloggers who say anything negative one. My advice is to steer clear of this company and learn how to turn your passion into a full-time business.

World Ventures at a Glance…

Name: WorldVentures
Website: http://www.worldventures.com
Price: $199.95+ $26.99/month or more
Owners: Wayne Nugent and Mike Azcue
Overall Rank: 1 out of 5 Stars

VERDICT:
If you’re a member or have been a member of WorldVentures, please share your experience below.

Summary

• Reviewer: Jennifer
• Review Date: 2014-10-10
• Reviewed Item: WorldVentures
• Author Rating: