Another Board Member Feels The Heat

Burt Saunders, one of the latest additions to the YTB Board of Directors is feeling some heat. As he mounts a campaign for US Congress, the question about his affiliation with an alleged pyramid scheme is becoming an issue.

Now I wonder what Burt will decide. What is the better gamble, becoming one of the Coach's Millionaires (at 48 cents a share)? Or partaking of the cushy pension and benefits of a US Congressman?

The story has created quite a flury of news in the Naples Florida area. You can read about it here, here, here, and here.  But Burt is keeping pretty mum on any of his dealings with YTB. Stay tuned!

Naples is no stranger to YTB. Remember, Rick Ricketts lives in  the area and he was investigated by the Attorney General and agreed to "settle" for $400K--do innocent people settle for nearly a half million dollars?. And we cannot forget the YTB Director and convicted gambling kingpin Chris Paraldi.

So, Does YTB Really Want To Sell Travel?

The Attorney General has claimed that YTB does not sell travel.

So I was doing a little bit of research on-line when I came across the most interesting question that was posed by none other than a YTB member named Angelo. I copied and pasted the question directly from the message board in order to avoid any sort of misrepresentation.

“OK, here is a tough question. Please give me a straight answer, not the company line. I trust you guys.Our leaders are our directors right? So why is it that in a "Travel Company" you do not have to sell travel to become a Director?Let me explain. I can sell $1 million in travel in a year. And sell no travel stores. So I am a master at selling travel, yet am nowhere near being a director of a travel company.So why not have two sets of directors? One set for the Travel side of things and One Set for the Marketing side?There is no one I could go to, that is top tier to let’s say, discuss sending 100 people to China for the Olympics. Or a Director that is plugged into the major vendors we work for. Like Carnival or NCL or Princess.”

Now, we’ve all heard YTBers say things like “Oh, we sell travel. Why I’ve sold $100,000 this year myself.” Or, “I book groups all the time.” Or, “look at my cocaine white Bentley I bought with all the money I made selling travel.” But if YTB is really a travel company, and didn’t deserve to get the boot from IATA, Royal Caribbean, and others, then why is it this company in no way rewards their members for selling travel? Have you ever heard of a travel agency that doesn’t reward its staff for selling travel? Am I the only one here that is confused by this? Maybe one of the suppliers could help me understand this better.

P.S. Angelo, if you’re reading this, please go to ASTA or OSSN and find a real host agency!

Jesus Is My Homeboy!

You don’t have to look very far to find a false earning claim made by an MLM company. They are everywhere. With catchy website names like “20dollarmillionaire.com and “6monthsto6figures” it’s easy to see how people get sucked in.

A lot of companies use celebrity endorsements to as a way to give their product credibility. Jessica Simpson is pushing Proactive. Tiger Woods is selling razors. But what I want to know is, when did God agree to endorse YTB?

I understand that times are hard, and that to recruit people into your downline, you have to make it sound awfully good. The Cruise to Cash people go completely over the top with videos of giant piles of money plastered all over You Tube. Some guy was giving away a free LARGE pizza on Craig’s List to get people to come to his recruiting meeting. But since when did it become ok to claim that God is somehow endorsing your product as a means to recruit?

Recently, Regina Osei posted on her blog that Coach claimed that YTB had been anointed by God. I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, but according to Wikipedia it means “It means to be in the presence of God. People and things are anointed to symbolize the introduction of a sacramental or divine influence, a holy emanation, spirit or power.” What??? God anointed YTB? Gee that sounds serious.

So then I did a bit more digging, and discovered lots of people in YTB were claiming that not only was the attorney general in their downline, but apparently the good Lord himself has signed up to! Let me show you some examples:

• Travel-with-God is a YTB site. Really? Will he be on the plane next to me? Will we have adjoining cabins on Princess?
• My-God-Space, also a great YTB site that explains how God offers a unique opportunity with YTB.
• In God’s Control, A place for freedom, takes you to a YTB site where you can watch a video.
• Tammy & Chris Head have a full blown Jesus loves YTB site that includes scriptures when you do a Google search.
• God & YTB is another newcomer to the Christian YTB. God is guiding this guy's passion for YTB.
  

Now I know that YTB likes to believe that they are number 1 in everything, but in the “let’s use God to endorse our MLM” pole, I believe the Cruise To Cash people may have you beat. Yes they have captured Jesus in a video to get you to join! That’s right! You can Glorify the Lord right now just by joining Cruise To Cash!

Now I understand that Jesus is wildly popular right now, and I like him just as much as the next guy. But would I use God as a means to try to sell a product or recruit someone into my MLM? Hell no I wouldn’t! It’s one thing to say that “lots of people have had great success with this” or, “only 80% of the people who join make no money. The rest are doing great!” But to claim that the big man upstairs somehow wants you to join a downline, is sleazy recruiting at its very best! WWJD?? I’ll bet he wouldn’t participate in your pyramid scheme!

By the way...I won't be here to reply as I am on a cruise this week escorting a group. -KH

Eye Am Rilly A Vary Goode Travell Agent.

For months travel agents have been making the argument that these untrained RTA’s are ruining the credibility of our industry. And each and every time this comes up someone starts spouting off about how YTB has Marc Mancini and CLIA and the RTA’s are getting training, blah, blah, blah.

What no one seems to get is that these untrained, uneducated are destroying the reputations of agents everywhere. The consumers and the press don’t know the difference between an RTA and a TTA, so when these stories are reported in the press it makes all of us look bad.

The “agent” who abused the trust of over 60 high school seniors couldn’t even spell the destinations that the cruise was stopping at!

If I were in YTB, I would be embarrassed beyond belief at this point. Do you really believe that you can be successful in the long run with a company that is doing nothing to prevent things like this from happening? And please don’t tell us that YTB is going to make it right by settling up with the students. As long as they allow anyone, “from Yale or Jail” you will continue to have these problems, and it will continue to have a negative impact on your ability to get people to join your downline as well.

Another vendor, APlus Tours, has dropped YTB due to this incident. Are you going to claim that you don't need them either?

Attorney General Michael B. Mukasey Joins YTB

Although his official biography does not reflect his latest business venture as a Referring Travel Agent, I have it on "unimpeachable" authority that he is indeed with YTB! Congratulations on scoring such a good recruit. I am sure he is up there with Dr. Seligman, Chris Paraldi (maybe they can chat gambling sometime), Phil Piccolo, the mythical Florida Senator, and the Director from Florida that was investigated and slapped down by the Florida Attorney General.

Folks, it has been proven all weekend that no one in YTB ever tell anything but the truth and that they are the bastions of integrity and honesty, so this news must be true. And just to make sure I properly identify my source, I am posting the proof!

Everyone please check back to AG Michael Mukasey's page in a day or so and I an sure the omission will be added. No doubt there will be a press release from YTB on this latest "acquisition" as well

from marchinek@xxxxxxxxx.net
to frenaye
date Sun, Apr 27, 2008 at 5:35 PM
subject YTB
signed-by xxxxxxxxx.net

hide details 5:35 PM (20 minutes ago)

Interesting information you claim about YTB! Have you seen the year end reports and the income reports that have the low,average and high income earned last year? I've been in YTB for a few months and the checks are coming in and it has already paid for my investment. The company has incredible training provided online, live and phone training. If YTB was a scam we would not be publicaly traded? YTB is also a member of the Direct Selling Association that prohibits pyramid schemes, and to my knowledge the Attorney General has joined YTB! Keep your comments coming, its people like yourself that will motivate YTB to prevail. Best of luck to you and your travel business.

Crystal Marchinek