While I've received a dozen or so e-mails from pastors wanting more information on how to introduce the multi-level scheme into their churches (seriously!) the best reply is the following:
From: [email protected]
Subject: MESSAGE FROM INT'L LAW ENFORCEMENT & CONSUMER GROUPS
Your site, located at http://www.indwes.edu/tuesday/multi.htm has been brought to the attention of international law enforcement and consumer groups. (If you are a host and not the actual operator of this site, please forward this message to the appropriate person.) This site promises that consumers will make significant amounts of money in a short period of time or otherwise appears to make exaggerated claims about income potential. A copy of your Internet promotion has been preserved for future reference.
>From February 28, 2000 to March 10, 2000, law enforcement agencies and consumer protection organizations in 28 countries participated in a global surf project sponsored by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission. Staff at each organization surfed the Internet for questionable business opportunities and investment schemes. As part of this international effort, we are sending you this message based on a review of your web site.
The use of deceptive earnings claims is prohibited by the laws of the countries listed below. If you are doing business with consumers in any of these countries, you may be subject to their laws relating to deceptive earnings claims. Although we have not yet determined that your website violates any consumer protection laws, we are sending this e-mail to remind you that earnings claims must be truthful and non-deceptive. For more information from law enforcement and consumer organizations about doing business online, go to http://www.consumer.gov/bizonline .
For more guidance on fair business practices on the Internet, please see the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines on Consumer Protection in the Context of Electronic Commerce at http://www.oecd.org/dsti/sti/it/consumer/prod/guidelines.htm. These Guidelines are not binding on any government; nevertheless, they provide guidance for the private sector on "best practices" for online commerce.
This e-mail is being sent to you by the following international group:
Australia
Office of Consumer and Business Affairs (South Australia)
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (http://www.accc.gov.au)
Austria
Verein fur Konsumenteninformation (http://www.konsument.at)
Belgium
Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs, Federal Administration for
Economic Inspection (http://www.mineco.fgov.be)
Canada
Fair Business Practices Branch, Competition Bureau, Industry Canada (http://competition.ic.gc.ca)
Ministry of Att