During 2006 Julie Wilson placed a number of classified adverts in the business opportunity sections of the Sunday papers.
The adverts pointed to a website – passivemoneyplan.com.
She was attempting to promote what American officials called an “ongoing pyramid-scheme fraud” – a 1-Up system called the Prosperity Automated System (PAS).
In September 2006 the Securities and Exchange Commission worked to close PAS, instantly stopping Julie from introducing anyone else into the scheme.
In short, the pyramid scheme collapsed and thousands of people lost their money.
Fast forward a couple of years and this week I received an (unsolicited) email advertising Julie’s latest promotional effort – a “Cash Gifting” scheme which she calls “passivemoneyplan.info”.
Intrigued, I tuned in to listen to one of Julie’s promotional teleseminars.
“We don’t make sales. There are no sales. We don’t have any products so we don’t make any sales,” she told those listening in via the internet or by dialling up a special number. “How much have I received? Well what I will tell you is there are members that are making over £5000 per week and I am one of those.”
Julie, along with a partner, point people to a site with the address passivemoneyplan.info where they promise to share more information about this magical “program” they are using to allegedly make £5,000 per week with “no sales”.
Details are sketchy on the site but the way it has been setup means that the pages are stored on another site with the address “ukmentor.net”.
Until recently, this website was registered to Paul Stevenson of Brighton but earlier this month this was changed to “Whois Privacy Protection Service, Inc”
If you read their site and decide you want to know more you must go back to your “inviter”.
So, I went back to the person who emailed me and asked for the website and password, as instructed by Julie during the teleseminar.
I was provided with a link to the “Number One Success System” at noss123.com. You can reach this directly, no need for a password by going to:
noss123.com/main/
(Just copy and paste into the Address Bar on your internet browser. I have purposely not linked directly to the site.)
Go to that site and there is a link which reads “Guidelines”. You will see that participants in this scheme must be very careful what language they use to promote their cash gifting program.
Probably because they do not want to attract the attention of the authorities.
Yep, they have to try and stay under the radar because this is very, very similar to the Prosperity Automated System. Money is being passed around but there is no product.
On top of that, participants must pass the first money they receive to the person who introduced them – making this a 1-Up program, just like PAS.
I’m very concerned that this is an illegal chain-gifting scheme. And I am looking further into it with the correct authorities.
If you were looking to signup with Julie Wilson, Paul Stevenson or the Number One Success System I would hold back until you can determine your legal position. Don’t just take their word for it, check whether it is legal or not.
More to follow…
As always, comments are welcome below and if I have made any errors I am happy to correct them. Just let me know by leaving a comment below.
Just after I sent my £250 gift to Julie Wilson she went on holiday and is no longer in touch , I have been told she has been removed from the gifting programme , any info?
Comment by John Hally — 15th July 2008 @ 2:56 pm
To Whom It May Concern,
You must have a lot of time on your hands! Did you actually check into the legality of these gifting programs or are you just ASSUMING they are illegal? Because NOSS is ABSOLUTELY LEGAL, period. This is a private activity that is conducted by very intelligent and like minded individuals. This system is legal, moral, and ethical. Like I have always said “Vast majority of people won’t get it and don’t understand the true meaning of gifting but the one’s that do get it will greatly enrich your life and they in turn greatly enrich the lives of others. Remember, “The Greatest Exercise of the Human Heart is to reach down and lift another up”. And this is what this program is all about. People helping People!!!!
There is not a darn thing wrong with that. So if you want to continue to live your life working the 40 40 40 Plan (that is work 40 hours a week for 40 YEARS and expect to live on 40% of what wasn’t enough to begin with) that is your choice! So don’t knock the gifting programs, they are a GOD SENT!!!!!!!
Comment by C-Ann — 23rd July 2008 @ 12:44 am
In the UK it is illegal to promote a chain-gifting scheme, as NOSS clearly is.
In fact, the exact words used when I enquired were “under the Gambling Act 2005 it is unlawful to promote a chain-gift scheme“.
I have no idea about the legality in the US – Pennsylvania in your case – but I am sure that a quick call to the DA’s office in your area would set you straight.
As for “People helping People” – what a load of crap. It’s a pyramid scheme.
More here: http://www.bizoppsuk.com/chain_gifting.php
Comment by Ben — 23rd July 2008 @ 8:45 am
Everyone should know that:
Governments tell lies – all the time!
They really don’t like to be left out of the equation, just like the MAFIA.
If you asked any government employee (read:thief) how many people have been prosecuted successfully for giving people money they may become strangely silent.
Laws do not use english like you and I do – laws are written to create fear and they are not straight and you are only meant to do what you are told. Look up the definition of ‘person’ in Blacks law dictionary ver.6 and you may be surprised. I notice that the nay-sayers are just un-educated slaves – my invitation to them is to educate yourselves and stop being a sheep and a slave. have a good day. Sart with typing ‘bond birt registration’ into google. The first entry that caught my eye was [Edit by Ben: URL removed – this isn’t a free advertisement blog]
That’s just the start – you’ve all been ‘had’ friends!!
So be the solution and not the problem.
Comment by Peter, UK — 2nd August 2008 @ 11:52 am
Peter, please make your point in English – no rambling, just make your point so we can get an idea of what you are trying to say.
Comment by Ben — 2nd August 2008 @ 8:55 pm
Ben
You are crashing your domains I’m afraid. The historical equivalent of the witch hunt with pitch fork and flaming torch fuelled by ignorance…let me explain…
Firstly, I metaphorically stand by your side with everything you have said about Julie Wilson and friends, period. I also stand by your side in the same manner when you refer to the illegality of what you describe as chain gifting schemes and illegal pyramid (or ‘ponzi’) schemes…however your argument is so all encompassing as to be in danger of including in your attack, fully legally tested, ethical and long standing (try 1959 in one case) legitimate business and or private activities (call it what you may). I fully support your right to dislike gifting, MLMs etc etc but to paint perfectly honourable legal organisations and businesses with the same brush as the illegal criminal activities of various scam artists is tantamount to slander.
Here’s is an example of the type of misconception that your flawed logic can lead to;
(From Monty Python)
1. All witches are things that can burn.
2. All things that can burn are made of wood.
3. Therefore, all witches are made of wood.
1/ALL MLMs are pyramid schemes
2/Pyramid schemes have been ruled to be illegal
3/Therefore all MLMs are illegal pyramid schemes..WRONG!
Here’s another;
1/Chain gifting is illegal
2/Any activity, scheme, club etc on the internet that promotes anything with the word “gifting” in it is chain gifting WRONG!
3/ All gifting activity is therefore illegal. WRONG!
It is clear to me at least that your intensions are honourable Ben, but it is also clear that your chronic lack of research, knowledge and a basic understanding of the concepts, rules and law of the land renders your whole argument to be mute. Perhaps a little more research into the history and definitions of things like ‘chain gifting’, which it is indeed illegal to promote in the UK, might help you see the difference between what is a scam and what is not. It might also stop you looking like a complete internet and business ‘noobie’.
Comment by Kevin — 17th September 2008 @ 12:44 pm
Thanks for the comment.
“perfectly honourable legal organisations and businesses”
Which ones?
[Addition: Obviously, if I have painted the wrong picture about a legal and ethical business then you will receive a grovelling apology from me and a full retraction. So, please do let us all know which of your gifting schemes is legal and honourable. Thanks, Ben]
Comment by Ben — 17th September 2008 @ 7:26 pm
Over two weeks and no reply ‘Kevin’?
Your rant attempted to discredit me but your silence since that post speaks volumes. I don’t mind being proved wrong in the slightest but I take exception to silly rants with no proof that I am in the wrong.
The question again; What is this magical gifting business that you are promoting that is honourable and legal?
I’m giving you an open forum here to prove me wrong – if you are so sure, why the hesitation?
Comment by Ben — 3rd October 2008 @ 11:44 pm
I think this woman if this is the same woman is a [censored].
I read a post last night on a advert site here is what she had to say quote:
After reading this I thought geeze that sounds good I might do it so I sent her a email saying I was interested and this is what she said in replying to me quote:
After getting this email I woke up to myself and thought no way she is trying to get access to my bank info and then reported her and sent her a email trying to get every bit of info off her as I could so I can get her arrested that’s if it a her. Just thought would let you know about this scam I came across thanks Nathan.
[Addition by Ben: Thanks for the warning Nathan. Not sure it is the same person but I think you are correct in assuming that the above ‘proposal’ is very dubious and best avoided!]
Comment by Nathan — 29th October 2008 @ 6:25 am
“Over two weeks and no reply ‘Kevin’?”
Sorry Ben, it was not my intention to appear to be hiding, it was my intention however to have a life. I originally stumbled over your little page whilst randomly surfing and I have just done the same again months later only to find a cheap shot by you at my last post. Your “Your rant attempted to discredit me but your silence since that post speaks volumes” is both slightly neurotic in that I did not attempt to discredit you, I criticised the specific broad nature of you post it was not and is not a personal attack. Also my silence simply meant I made a passing comment on a little web page that I came across that didn’t interest me enough to bookmark it.
So….Firstly, my post was not a ‘rant’ as you called it…That’s just a silly thing to say as my post was both light hearted (see the Monty python quote) and also was never passionate or abusive as in a ‘Rant’. Also you wrote ” YOUR gifting schemes “…what do you mean by that? I have no cash gifting schemes? This is a debate is it not? Is it not possible in your world to have a debate without personal involvement in the subject?
Secondly an example of a legitimate MLM is Kleeneze. If you don’t know it, look it up and before you ask or assume no, I am not a Kleeneze agent.
Thirdly, Let me ask you a question before further answering your ‘challenge’ about the Cash gifting programs and I would request you be very clear in your answer please. Are you stating that ALL ‘Cash Gifting’ programs are de facto ‘Chain Gifting’ programs and are therefore ALL universally illgal in your eyes?
You see whilst fraud, deception, theft and similar obviously universally deplorable activities are almost universally illegal across the world (notice I said almost – there are some really radical countries out there) it must be remembered that as the most used part of the internet is now the ‘WORLD WIDE Web’, it stands to reason that a program’s legal status can vary from country to country. A more universal measure of a programs ‘legitimacy’ is probably the real nature of the intent behind the scheme – and that, in most cases, also by definition, is open to debate in all but the obviously fraudulent ones like the ones you highlighted by Julie Wilson and her Pals.
My whole point in this Ben is to point out that your brush is too broad. Your point in the sited cases is well made but it is stated in a way that paints all with the same brush and it is that and only that point that I disagree with you on. I salute you for highlighting the scum of the earth like that woman, I don’t agree with your ignorant(ignorant as in Unknowledgeable or uneducated)generalisations.
I’ll ‘see you’ in a few months no doubt. Please don’t read anything into that other than I have better things to do with my time although this is fun I have to admit 😉
Best regards to you
Kevin
Comment by Kevin — 4th November 2008 @ 5:34 pm
#1 Kleeneze? KLEENEZE? What on earth does that have to do with cash gifting?
#2 Read the top of this blog, it says UK Biz Opps Blog so it mainly deals with UK-related opportunities. Julie Wilson is in Scotland, part of the UK last time I checked. Cash gifting in the UK is illegal. Full stop. Just because you say it is or isn’t doesn’t make it so, the Government makes it so.
#3 Your post would’ve showed up immediately had you used the same email address as last time but for some reason you are using a different email address although the same IP address. It was stuck in moderation until I approved it.
#4 In you first post your language became more attacking as it went along, finishing with a comment meant to be insulting: “It might also stop you looking like a complete internet and business ‘noobie’.” That’s how it read – whether you meant it to be that way or not, that’s how it came across. You sound like a cash gifter who feels he has been wronged by my comments on my blog.
#5 What does “you are crashing your domains I’m afraid” mean?
#6 Where have you got this idea that I am including MLMs in this post? That seems to be what you are driving at as I can’t understand why you are going on about Kleeneze when I am talking about cash gifting schemes.
#7 Humour doesn’t come across well in writing unless you are a gifted writer. If your original comment was supposed to be funny, it failed and sounded, especially towards the end, like a rant by an annoyed cash-gifter. Still, you’re anonymous on this blog so you can look as foolish as you like and no one will know it’s you!
Comment by Ben — 5th November 2008 @ 11:02 am
Ok Ben you win…clearly your intellect dwarfs mine and I must bow to your superior debating skills. Obviously the folks reading this will understand in a second that you have addressed my silly, one and only criticism of your UK Biz Opps Bog…(oops, sorry I dropped an ‘l’ there)…in that, to extend my metaphor, you definitely have not used a bigger brush than you should have and your insight, facts and incisive writing skills betray a razor sharp business mind. I bow to you sir, you are obviously the bearer of an amazing intelligence and it is equally evident that you are an expert and are extremely well educated especially in all areas on online commerce.
May you make lots of money in any way you see fit and I hope you and your family live a lovely life filled with fluffy kittens and all things cuddly.
Comment by Kevin — 5th November 2008 @ 2:55 pm
Sarcasm and insults aside, I still have no idea why you brought Kleeneze up as an example.
And I still don’t know what you mean by “crashing your domains”.
Comment by Ben — 5th November 2008 @ 5:51 pm
I have been reading through all these comments and felt that I must have my say……
Although I don’t know this woman so can’t make a comment on her personally, I DO know somebody who has had a lot of negative postings made about him on sites similar to this one. But what people should realise is that the Internet is a ‘free for all’ and anybody can say anything they like about anyone they like, whether there is any truth in it or not. Nobody needs proof or evidence to back up what they write on the Internet.
A person or persons can make multiple postings using different names or even no name as in one of the postings above and the crazy thing is that others come along, read them and just assume them to be genuine and true.
Kevin, although you disagree with a lot of what Ben says, you are just as guilty of joining in the ‘witch hunt’ as you clearly don’t know this person or anything about her, yet you call her the ‘scum of the earth’!
Then there is the anonymous poster above who talks about the Ebay scam as if this may well be the same woman… and Ben’s reply of ‘not sure if this is the same woman but….’ implies that it could well be the same woman. How ridiculous is that?
My point here is that people read something on the Internet about somebody they have never heard of and know nothing about and then jump on the bandwagon in trying to tear that person apart.
As I said, I don’t know this woman and maybe she IS the ‘scum of the earth’and deserves to be burned at the stake (because that’s REAL entertainment), but unless there is actually some proper evidence to back up anonymous (even those with first names are anonymous)postings in cyberspace, then why would anyone simply assume them to be correct.
Ben clearly has an ulterior motive and he is using the tactics of playing the ‘knight in shining armour’ in order to try and pursuade people that he’s somebody they can trust…. he’s promoting a dozen or more opportunities on this site. But to be honest, anyone who resorts to being detrimental about other people or opportunities in order to try and sell their own, is definately not somebody I would want to do business with!
Alexi Browne
Comment by Alexi — 18th March 2009 @ 11:34 pm
Alexi,
Fair points, well made. I do recommend some products (although fewer and fewer as time has gone on) and I do take a cut – a commission – by doing so.
Might I suggest that your friend is receiving bad press for a reason?
I see you are from the Birmingham area and I know of at least two prominent marketers from that area who seem determined to be labelled as scumbags. Also, both of these marketers have served time at HM’s pleasure following convictions for fraud. I wonder if your friend is one of those people?
As for ‘knight in shining armour’ – yes, I’d agree.
I’ve had many emails thanking me for publishing warnings about certain products and “programs”. I always figured that if I saved just one person from being taken in by a cash-gifting scam it was worth the time taken to write these reports. As it happens I have saved many people from many different scams and it makes me happy. If I make a little money from recommending good products is that really so bad?
As for wanting to do business with me I don’t remember ever offering that opportunity to you! I prefer to do business with people I have met offline, face-to-face and spoke with. Not just anybody with a BT broadband account.
Ben
Comment by Ben — 19th March 2009 @ 9:14 am
Ben, I am NOT from the Birmingham area, in fact nowhere near it! And even if I was, why would you assume that the person I referred to in my first post, was one of the two people you happen to know of…. Birmingham is a pretty big place!
My friend could definately not be classed as a ‘well known marketer’, although he IS very successful in his field.. successful people always attract one or two of these bitter, envious types who seem to gain some sort of satisfaction by making postings on the Internet. You can hardly call this ‘press’ Unknown individuals writing comments on two-bit websites is hardly classed as press!
And as far as ‘doing business’with you.. What I meant was purchasing something from your site. I would have thought that was obvious!
Alexi Browne
Comment by Alexi — 20th March 2009 @ 9:53 pm
“Ben, I am NOT from the Birmingham area”
I don’t believe you. Your footprint (the information you leave when posting/visiting sites like this) tells a completely different story.
“You can hardly call this ‘press’ Unknown individuals writing comments on two-bit websites is hardly classed as press”
Fair enough, you’re right on that. I shouldn’t have used the word ‘press’ so I’m sorry about that. The point was that your friend is receiving bad feedback and there is usually a good reason.
Yes I am unknown and yes I guess you could call this a ‘two-bit’ website but if that’s the case why are you bothering acknowledging its existence by posting on it? If it is ‘two-bit’ and doesn’t matter then why bother taking the time to write on it? You may as well just leave me be in my ‘bitter, envious’ world to post away and ‘gain some sort of satisfaction’.
As for buying from my website that is a shame and I’m sorry you feel that you couldn’t buy from me because I posted some warnings about one particular woman and a man who are promoting an illegal cash gifting scheme. The fact remains that they were promoting an illegal scheme and I was trying to prevent people from being drawn into that scheme.
I’m hoping that I did prevent people from joining the scheme and I am also hoping that Julie Wilson will change her ways and stop promoting illegal pyramid schemes.
Of course you are entitled to your opinion and as long as you keep it nice and free from petty insults, your posts on here will remain unedited.
Comment by Ben — 21st March 2009 @ 12:31 pm
I have just read this info and cannot believe what I am reading. Julie Wilson works under the radar she no longer operates from Scotland. When you talk with her she will be most charming and want you to join her new program which by the way will make you a lot of money. She moves from such programs very quickly. Just beware she is out to get you….. why the deceit.
Comment by Jackie Green — 3rd July 2010 @ 4:39 pm
hi has anyone heard of my abundant living ive done a little research and it sounds like cash gifting but if anyone can give me more info id be really grateful
Comment by rob mead — 21st September 2010 @ 7:07 pm