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31/08/2013

Mobile users: get our App!




We have been receiving some complaints from people having trouble to view our Blog on their mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets. Therefore, we have made an effort to compile an App featuring the news-feed and twitter-feed from our Blog, as well as the news-feed from the excellent Blog of Mr David Brear (http://mlmtheamericandreammadenightmare.blogspot.com).


So, for the latest news on Lyoness and the rest of the world of 'MLM' racketeering, our free App can be downloaded here:

http://myapp.is/ComplaintCentreLyoness

Follow the instructions on the screen of your mobile device to install our App. Make sure that your browser accepts cookies and that private browsing functions are switched off before and while installing (they can switched back on afterwards; proxies and VPNs should pose no problem for the installation process).

Do note that our App is a web-based application (meaning it has to be installed from the web and its conten ts have to be downloaded from the web too), and that thus, an internet connection is at all times required for the App to be updated and synchronised with the latest developments on the two Blogs it features. Depending on the type of mobile device that is used, the webpages featured within the App, may be opened in the browser of your mobile device.

People who wish to access our Blogs on mobile devices without installing our free App, can try to access our Blogs through the following links (and bookmark the links or save the links to the home screen of the mobile device):

http://mlmtheamericandreammadenightmare.blogspot.com/?m=1

http://cc-lyoness.blogspot.com/?m=1

Our twitter account can be found here:

http://twitter.com/AntiLyoness


German consumer union warns against Lyoness




As we reported earlier, Lyoness is facing scrutiny in Germany, both in newspapers and on television. What we pointed out in our first article on this topic, was that the authorities and organisations concerned with such matters in Germany, seemed to have completely missed all relevant developments revolving around the Lyoness racket in Austria and Switzerland (where their local counterparts speak the same language). That seems to have changed now.

The German newspaper Nordkurier reports that the national Consumer Union of Germany (Verbraucherzentrale des Landes) has examined the General Terms and Conditions of Lyoness (of which its Austrian counterpart challenges 61 clauses, and which it has started a class action lawsuit against) and has come to the conclusion that the Lyoness 'business model' is everything but transparent and that consumers should be extremely cautious in doing 'business' with this 'company'. Additionally, Joachim Geburtig of the Consumer Union says that particularly the Lyoness Premium membership (and the contracts signed to become a Premium member) is inexplicable.

We sincerely hope that everyone will take this warning seriously.


Lyoness featured on German television too



Regular contributor to the KTipp forum topic on Lyoness, 'PonziCharles', and Plattform Lyoness, inform the public that after being featured on Austrian television multiple times, appearing in a Canadian television show and being thoroughly discussed on Danish public television, Lyoness has now made an appearance on German television too.

Earlier, this Blog reported that German media (particularly in the North of Germany) had picked up on the Lyoness racket, and had started reporting on them. Now, the local German television channel RBB (from the Berlin region), has featured Lyoness in an episode of its show 'WAS!'. So far it is only available in German, but for sure, someone is working on supplying it with English subtitles.



30/08/2013

Lyoness' finest, or: why we moderate the comments we receive




Over time, many people have tried to post comments on the articles published on this Blog. While many of them are either privately intended (as a way of contacting the Complaint Centre), or generally constructive to the discussion of Lyoness, we have been receiving quite some obviously biased comments as well.

We wish to stress that we welcome pretty much any type of comment from our readers. However, we have chosen to moderate the comments that get send to us (mainly because we wish to keep people's privately intended comments private). Therefore, we have the possibility to prevent Lyoness promoters, no matter in which disguise they appear, from publishing their Lyoness propaganda on this Blog.

We have been receiving several comments from Lyoness adherents who accuse us of 'censorship' and 'totalitarianism' (whatever that latter one is supposed to mean in this context). We acknowledge that we are in a way censoring the information that gets published here, but again, this we do mainly to protect the privacy of the Lyoness victims who try to get in touch with us (which is the main reason our Complaint Centre was founded). Additionally, there are plenty of forums for Lyoness adherents and critics to engage in largely uncensored, open debates - we do not feel the need to provide another one. Moreover, we want to stress that this is our Blog, and that we should pretty much get to decide what we post here. At least, we do not attempt to get information removed from other parts of the internet.

To show our readers that they have not been missing out on anything good with the comments we have filtered and to provide our readers with an insight in the devious ways in which the Lyoness promoters try to hide and challenge the truth about Lyoness, we have decided to publish a selection of the comments we have blocked earlier - with our comments and qualifications of the material these comments contain. Note that most links in the comments were added by us, now, as a form of commentary.

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Comment #1:

Commentator: Anonymous

"Dear postmaster, I hope that in the name of democracy you will leave my post on this site. I am a member of Lyoness since 2009. And i am successful with it. The problem with network marketing in general is that it is based on word by mouth marketing and sometimes intentionally or unintentionally not everything is told to a new member by his or her recommender. This is a dangerous game especially when it comes to Lyoness which has a complicated compensation plan. First of all: Lyoness is free. No obligation. You use your membership card you save money in terms of cashback. If you don`t use it, nothing happens. No membership fee, no minimum order, no autoship. Similar to AirMiles, although in Lyoness, your cashback never expires. When you saved 10 dollars, it is transferred to your bank account. You also receive 0.5 - 0.5 % when your directs and when your indirects save money (only two layer of people down) on Lyoness: the paradox of an exclusive pyramid scheme"

Our response: 

First of all, we are not trying to govern a country here. Therefore, 'democracy' is not really any of our concern. Also, we do not have a 'postmaster'.

We congratulate this anonymous commentator for being one of the very few Lyoness members that is successful in Lyoness. We truly hope that the money you stole from your friends will bring you a lot of happiness. We also thank the commentator for admitting that Lyoness is a 'dangerous game'.

We would like to point out that Lyoness is not free. Obligations are almost never present in similar schemes, instead, psychological pressure and devious techniques of persuasion are used to make prospects transfer thousands of dollars into the pockets of the Lyoness racketeers. Remember, it was Lyoness 'founder' Hubert Freidl himself who stated that Lyoness is about 'positions, positions, positions, positions' (i.e. investments, investments, investments, investments).

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Comment #2:

Commentator: Anonymous

"Your complaints are garbage just like you...not successful in lyoness means you didn't move your ass....sitting on your ass to write all this info means that you can not do anything else but review a powerful and growing company...put on your sun glasses because it looks like a bright future for LYONESS."

Our response: 

Not sure we should dignify this with any response. Once again, we have never been enrolled in Lyoness. Also, the 'company' (which it is not), is in no way powerful or growing. What we have got to admit is that it looks like a bright future for the ones who instigated Lyoness (if they will not be locked up for the remainder of their lives), not for the rest of you.

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Comment #3:

Commentator: Richard Breedlove

"Oh my. Thank God for David Grear. I mean, those poor little businesses facing hard times are getting taken. Thank God Mr Grear could see its a scam. Its amazing he was able t figure out what the lawyers for Wallmart, Sears, Kmart, Wallgreens, etc. could not. Oh David your so smart.......seriously lmfao on David Brear on Lyoness"

Our response: 

Thanks for making our point, Mr Breedlove. If you do not have the decency to spell even a name correctly and leave such comments on our Blog, probably you should not be that surprised your comment does not get published.

And folks, by now, we hope everyone has realised that there is not a single lawyer over at these major corporations who has actually taken the time to have look at the Lyoness business model. In fact, most of these companies have not got the faintest idea that they are listed as a Lyoness partner, and when informed, they cannot get away fast enough.

Exhibit A, Exhibit B, Exhibit C, Exhibit D.

And indeed, Mr Brear has been seeing and saying, what most others have failed to see (let alone say) for decades.

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Of course, we mostly just get beautiful one liners that make us think 'yeah, maybe we were wrong about Lyoness...':


Notwithstanding all these highly-persuasive, quality arguments to alter our attitude towards Lyoness, we - stubborn as we are - persist in our beliefs.

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The only not-anonymous commentator featured in our quote-box, Mr Dogra, apparently felt that the did not make himself sufficiently clear in his well-structured one liner.

Comment #4:

Commentator: Marcus Dogra

"This is a Bull Shit propaganda against about Lyoness by someone who has no knowledge and clue about Lyoness. It's someone's Anonymous view without any real factual proof .... There is a big difference between Facts and Clueless Views .... If you really wanna know about Lyoness you can either come to our meeting or meet me one to one ... There is no point to sit in front of computer and start typing baseless statements ... Thanks on No more 'sensation' for Lyoness?"

Our response:

Yet another Lyoness adherent, severely deluded by the constant stream of lies and manipulation he has faced. We feel for you, Mr Dogra. The reason we do not post such comments, though, is that Mr Dogra tried to use our Blog as a portal to recruit new victims, and because Mr Dogra does not list a single argument in his petty response here, other than that we do not know what were are talking about (without indicating what we may have gotten wrong in our articles).

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Along the same line, many other commentators have tried to convince us that we do not have a clue about what Lyoness (or its spin-off FlexKom) is. Why discuss them separately, if they are identical, right?

Comment #5:

Commentator: Geoffrey King

"You obviously have no knowledge of what you are talking about or you have such a narrow mind set you just don't see it! You are probably one of the people who joined as a Premium member and expected to sit back and receive money through Lyoness. Lyoness is a legitimate business and you work for your money like you do in any business. Wake up!" == We are wide awake, Mr King.

Comment #6:

Commentator: Anonymous

"You have no idea about lyoness, only what you think you know. If you truly understood the company, then perhaps your view would be different. Instead of trying to recruit haters who obviously did not understand the system correctly. Try understanding the system and see the real truth to it."

Comment #7:

Commentator: Anonymous

"I think in general it's not very clever to write info regarding a company you don't know, or their concept. I know Lyoness... it will never work (at least we agree on something). What I know about Flexkom is the following : I went to their presentation once and nothing is what it seems, I mean, it's not a real MLM company, they "use" the compensation plan only temporary and their technology behind the whole concept is really unique, it has nothing to do with Lyoness, trust me... because I know both concepts. I'm still not a member of Flexkom (and I was never for Lyoness) but Flexkom can become very big next year : the shop owners in Europe are really positive about their concept and advertisement possibilities. And I don't see anything wrong in trying 1 basic idea twice if it didn't really work the first time : I'm having the impression that they took out all the negative points in Lyoness and solved them in Flexkom... at least that's what I've understood after that presentation..."

Comment #8:

Commentator: Anonymous

"Mister, Lyoness is not collapsing as we speak but GROWING. If you cant make it in Lyoness, it is because you are inadequate. Don't knock the system. There are many of us making good money from Lyoness. For those who don't want to make Lyoness a business, well they enjoy the discount. How much discount are you getting without Lyoness, oh what did you say.....yes Zero. How much are we getting because of Lyoness, minimum is 2% which is much more than you. so stop trying to discredit an organisation because you can't cut it."

Our response:

So, the just of it is that we do not know what we are talking about. Unfortunately for these hopeful propagators/victims of the Lyoness lie, everything we have thus-far claimed, has been properly sourced (and else we have clearly stated that we are not sure, and are talking about assumptions, suspicions, etc., or are merely reporting what other sources report).

About FlexKom, indeed, we know much less, compared to Lyoness, as there is considerably less information available (the scam has not been around as long). However, we do know that the whole thing does not add up, and that the same people seem to have been instigating it, as the ones that instigated the Lyoness racket.

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Comment #9:

Commentator: Steven Papadakis

"I am a Lyoness member currently researching the legitimacy of Lyoness because of all the negativity on the internet. Here is what my research has found. I hope my findings don't disappear from this site (well, they did not). I would love some clarification according to my findings... THANKS! Zurich is 92sq. kilometers and has approximately 400,00 residents. On the Lyoness website, as of today August 27th, 2013, within a 92 kilometer radius of Zurich there are 802 businesses that accept the Lyoness Cashback card. In the search criteria I didn't add online shops, mobile vouchers, or large chains that only accept gift cards. on Lyoness' unlimited growth potential"

Our response:

Here is your desired clarification, Mr Papadakis. We assume your comment concerns our following phrase (which, for the record, was clearly attributed to our listed source):

"In Zurich, Switzerland's largest city with 400,000 inhabitants and 38,000 registered companies, 40 merchants are part of the Lyoness network (roughly 0.1%)."

We have had a look, and indeed, Zurich has a total land area of about 92 square kilometers. We also agree on Zurich having about 400,000 inhabitants.

However, Zurich having a total land area of about 92 square kilometers, has of course nothing to do with using a 'search radius of 92 kilometers' on the Lyoness website. Perhaps you have picked this up in math class at some point - and if not, this may be a nice refresher - but the area of a circle is determined by squaring the radius (i.e. radius*radius), and multiplying the result by Pi (approximately 3.14).

In other words, the area you have examined covers in fact 92*92*Pi= 26,590.44 square kilometers (or: 289 times the total land area of the city of Zurich, or: 26,590.44/41,285= 64.4% of the total land area of Switzerland). Some of the many cities within a radius of 92 kilometers from Zurich are: Basel, Bern, Freiburg, Friedrichshafen, Memmingen, Konstanz, St. Gallen, Luzern and Mullhouse. And 802/289= 2.77 businesses, so that should even out quite nicely.

If you have used similar calculations to determine whether Lyoness provides a solid business opportunity, we understand why you joined.

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Comment #10:

Commentator: Nash Blogs

"Lyoness is here to stay folks. The reason why Lyoness members in Austria, all 500,00 of them, would vote out any government coming down on Lyoness is because it is serving them and they are happy with the state of affairs. Even the Austrian Open is now the Lyoness Open which shows how much Lyoness has entered into daily life in Lyoness. People out to get Lyoness seem to have a lot of time and resources to do their bashing. They would be better off spending their time joining Lyoness as a free member, sharing it with friends, and getting something back from the merchants for a change."

Our response:

This comment basically underlines our point of how much influence an unoriginal racket like Lyoness has managed to gather in a short while, and how many people have been ignorant, and allowed this to happen. It also underlines that Lyoness has used the money it stole from its members to enroll new victims (by sponsoring events, publicly supporting charities, etc.).

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Comment #11:

Commentator: Marvin Wilson

"I've never seen a blog post so full of biased, spiteful and total, complete BULLSHIT! I don't know where you get your documentation, or what your anti-"pyramid scam" phobia is, or why you have such a completely foolhardy and unfounded vendetta against, Lyoness, but I'm a shopping member, and I get cash back on my normal everyday/weekly/monthly expenses, turn my normal household expenses into financial assets now, whereas shopping used to be money gone forever, now I get a percentage back to invest or do whatever I want with. Sorry for you, seems you have a rather large stick up your ass ... must be painful. Me? I'm very glad I was introduced to Lyoness, and will recommend it to all my friends (the friends of Mr Wilson are, hereby, warned) (the sane ones, with reasoning and critical thinking skills - unlike you) so they can take advantage of all the benefits of membership, too."

Our response:

"or what your anti-"pyramid scam" phobia is"

Well, apparently unlike you, Mr Wilson, we like to protect our friends from becoming a victim of pyramid scams, rather than doing all we can to enroll them, in the desperate hope to make a few of our own invested bucks back.

"I don't know where you get your documentation"

Well, we do list our sources in all our articles, complete with accompanying links were you can read it for yourself. Where do you get your documentation, Mr Wilson? Lyoness?

"but I'm a shopping member,"

Such a coincidence, because you are one of the very few. Also, how can you assess whether the down-payments, etc. are scams, if you are merely a 'shopping member'? If Lyoness is so great, why not take the leap?

Nevertheless, we wish you and your friends (all possessing excellent reasoning and critical thinking skills, we hope), a lot of luck in Lyoness.

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26/08/2013

Pyramid Scheme Alert warns against Lyoness in US



In more and more countries, Lyoness is facing negative publicity. Several US-based Blogs have reported on the Lyoness racket, but so far, the American media have not picked up on the Lyoness racket. This is quite surprising, considering the continuous public controversy surrounding several MLM rackets, such as Herbalife - which is the subject of a large dispute between several hedge fund giants, and the recent closure of Fortune High-Tech Marketing (FHTM) - a racket that strongly resembles Lyoness - by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Additionally, the managing director of Lyoness Americas, Mario Hoffmann, is a highly controversial person.


The ignorance of the American media in identifying Lyoness for the racket that it is, may near its end, though. The best known anti pyramid scheme organisation in the world, Pyramid Scheme Alert, and its president, Mr Robert FitzPatrick, an absolute authority in the field of MLM and pyramid scams, have now explicitly warned against Lyoness in their periodical newsletters, as well as on their website.

In general, more and more sources of information on Lyoness pop up. Most notably, a 'PissedConsumer' page has been created about the 'company', a Danish television show exposed the Lyoness racket in their region, a Croatian Blogger explicitly warns his fellow countrymen against doing 'business' with Lyoness and German and South African media have reported on Lyoness.


South African media identify the Lyoness racket




All over the world, Lyoness seems to be losing grip on their once glorious monopoly of information. After their counterparts in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and Denmark, the media in South Africa have now also noticed the Lyoness racket (which has been active in their country since 2011) and describe the problems the 'company' faces in Europe, particularly in their home countries Austria and Switzerland.

The South African Sunday Times wrote that Lyoness is under intense scrutiny in Austria (with at least 300 members demanding their money back, investigations by government authorities, and the losing of a considerable number of court cases against dissatisfied members), yet also described the situation of Lyoness in South Africa.

Like everywhere, the major retailers that are paraded around by Lyoness to persuade people to join in and make down payments on future purchases (based on the severely flawed logic that these retailers have 'big legal departments' that must have 'thoroughly examined Lyoness' business model before agreeing to become a partner of Lyoness', and therefore Lyoness must be a 'legitimate business opportunity'), when confronted with reality, state that they have not examined Lyoness, are not a partner of Lyoness, and most certainly do not endorse its business model. In South Africa, the most relevant cases of such companies are the four large retailers Woolworth's (like in Australia), Foschini Group, Pick n Pay and Dis-Chem, which state they have only sold large amounts of discount vouchers/gift cards to Lyoness, and furthermore have no idea of how the 'company' operates. After being informed about that, these companies indicate that they will stop selling their gift cards at bulk, and will not do business with Lyoness again.


When confronted, Lyoness' managing director of South Africa, Gerhard Buckholz, lies through his teeth and claims that any negative information available about the 'company' must have been derived from the information spread by its members (who possibly did not understand how the 'company' works), and that the vast majority (96.5%) of Lyoness' 30,000 members in South Africa are 'normal shoppers', with only 3.5% being premium members - according to Lyoness, this matches the pattern that is seen in the 'company's' global operations; Lyoness claims that worldwide, less than 5% of its members have purchased a unit in the 'company's' position system.


As regular followers know, Lyoness has tried to seem legitimate in many ways, for instance by pretending affinity with South African hero Nelson Mandela (by donation some of Lyoness' stolen capital to charities tied to Mandela).

Megan Power, consumer rights journalist for the South African Sunday Times, tells CNBC South Africa/ABN Digital that based on her investigations and her knowledge of the matter, she is convinced that the Lyoness 'shopping community', has a 'secondary purpose' - most likely meaning it to be a pyramid scheme in disguise.

South African medium Rapport also reported on Lyoness, comparing it to notable earlier pyramid scams that have been operated in South Africa like 'Masterbond' and 'Sharemax'. The article addresses nicely how Lyoness is presented as a mutually beneficent shopping community, but that the true nature of the company revolves around the payments of its members into the position system of Lyoness, in which people should buy themselves in for RS20,000 (or any other equivalent of 2000 euros), for the expected reward of RS200,000 (which according to attorney Eric Breiteneder, no-one so far has received). Luckily, the main character in the article, Mr Bredenkamp, and his wife, decide (after some searching on the internet) not to join Lyoness.




25/08/2013

The Witness Statements #4: 'I subscribed with my father for a business package, since I was only 17' (total loss: 9,730.65 euros)




Plattform Lyoness Witness Statement #4:

"I was introduced to Lyoness by my father in 2010. He told me that I could get cash back with every purchase, for free. Since this sounded like a great idea to me, I registered myself in 2010, and at the same time purchased 3 units (for 150 euros) in accounting category I (then called 'economy class').

Shortly afterwards, my father's upline (and his son) showed me the Lyoness system, and said that if I would down pay 2,000 euros on future purchases now, I would receive 16,572 euros over the next few years, and even more!!! On the condition that I would have four directs under the me, with at least one unit in accounting category I, either through payment or purchases.

He also said the company had been around since 2009 and has been approved by the Chamber of Commerce.

He also told immediately afterwards that it was now possible to purchase units to benefit from the consumption in the American market, again with a minimum of 2,000 euros in down-payments on future purchases. In one to two years, I would benefit from my investments, without doing anything - it would go automatically. And if at some point, I would no longer be interested, I would get my down-payments back in vouchers, thus: zero risk.

This sounded unbelievable to me and like a big chance to earn money, even though I had not yet understood how it was supposed to work.

Thereupon, I subscribed with my father for a business package, since I was only 17 years young and therefore still a minor.

And because I thought that this was the chance of my life to earn from the American market, I down paid immediately another 2,000 euros on future purchases.

Thereupon I tried to understand how the system worked and learned that the Lyoness system  is not exactly true, but just somehow logical. I then also used the so-called Unit Calculator and the outcome surprised me a lot. According to the calculator, one 50 euro unit in AC1, after having been put through all accounting categories, is worth 19,458 euros.

I went to an info meeting at Graz airport and had a good look, since I had not understood everything the first time. Then I received from my father's referrer sponsor films by Gerry Seebacher, to enhance my understanding of the system.

The only thing that actually became clear to me was that I will not be given my down-payments in vouchers back, if I do not first pay the full value myself. Moreover, I would be so stupid if I would pay the value of my down-payments myself, because then I would not get more for my units and also my personal billing system would not fill up. Because indeed, down-payments always render huge profits.

My father's upline took me to a huge event of Lyoness (Sensation) on 29.05.2010, where I agreed to go, because I wanted to see it for myself.

I was amazed by the mood of the more than 3,000 or 5,000 people there and them and me felt awesome.

All I thought to understand after half to three quarters of a year was: WOW, amazing, there is no better way to make money, so easy and sooo logical.

On 18/09/2010, on the next Lyoness Sensation (entrance price €99) in Bratislava and I, as an enthusiastic Lyonesse, immediately went out to find an amazing beautiful experience and motivating day. They had not promised too much, when they said 8,000 people from all over the world, already active in Lyoness worldwide, traveled all the way to be present at this event.

To make sure they would not only provide the people with information, they also had Groove Coverage there to play live on stage. At this day, they also announced the TÜV and ISO certifications.

I do not remember it exactly, but Mr. Freidl said something like this: "Other companies must subject themselves to such tests - we have done it voluntarily. We are proud that we have obtained and kept them."

Late 2010, my father's upline said, one must make a deposit in America in the Accounting Category IV, because else one loses bookings, if the other open units (in the other categories) are all filled. Therefore, I down paid another 1,200 euros. I did not know why, but I believed him.

I told others what all is possible with Lyoness, but only a very few believed me, and the others warned me, but I could not imagine that's a bad thing.

I was told that you should leave these people alone - they are wrong for this business. A little later, the Indian, Middle East and Africa (IMEA) markets were opened. It was called gigantic market, huge purchasing volume, millions of people who shop there you just have to go along, and earn from this potential.

I then down paid the next 2,000 euros for IMEA.

In the meantime, I went to seminars and other meetings of Lyoness. As time went by, the next Lyoness Sensation was due. I, as a sworn-in Lyonesse, understood it was how they described it. I went on 17.09.2011 to the Papp Laszlo Budapest Sports Arena in Budapest/Hungary (ticket price €199), to be there live and as a present for coming, we received a unit in the continental Asia Accounting Programme. It was booked on 19/09/2011 - the official opening of Asia was at the end of July 2012.

Budapest was the absolute max - 11,000 people from all over the world had traveled there. To beat the other sensations, Shaggy was also invited. Top speaker Karl Pilsl was also there. Something he has said, I will never forget saying: "We live in a time of pioneers, we live in a time of visionaries, we live in a time where people are willing to do things other people are not willing to do."

The idea of Lyoness grew bigger and bigger, nothing could take me down anymore, I neglected and forgot all the negative and sunk, so to say, in the world of Lyoness.

A month later, Spain was opened and again I down paid 2,000 euros for Lyoness units.

The business is so awesome and simple, it must simply function.

It did not take long before the next country opened: BRAZIL! There were the same reasons as to why everyone should participate: huge purchasing volume, etc ...........

It was also made possible for people with little money to join in. When many, small contributions count too.
One should until 1,999 euros, order 200 euro shopping vouchers and from 2,000 euros order 500 euro shopping vouchers.

Since I was running out of money, and nevertheless I wanted to join in (coming anyway umpteen times as much back), I down paid 350 euros (in 150 euro and 200 euro vouchers in AC1) into Lyoness.

One month later came Asia. Asia, the largest market in the world, billions of people shopping and earn on this continent, by doing nothing! Just down pay. The thought of that ............ simply unimaginable.

Therefore, I decided again to put a deposit into the continental Asia accounting programme, worth 700 euros. It was possible to deposit 3 times 7200 euros. Our executive called those deposits the three wishes, the bigger the wish, the more one should deposit. If you wish for little, you should deposit little. Everyone must decide for themselves.

Another successful year had passed and to celebrate, there was the next sensation on 15.9.2012 in Vienna. One had to have the premium status in order to be entitled to be present at this event. As a gift for coming, everyone received a unit in the National Action booking in India. At the end of this event, Mr. Freidl also told us that the people who register online from today on the website would get Lyoness Premium Members. Customers I still did not get today.

As I was low on money again, I thought twice before buying myself a new computer. Instead, I down paid in Asia, so that I could soon buy myself 20 new computers.

So I put down my second deposit in Asia (of 650 euros).

I did not like the broadcast of ORF Report on Lyoness. I thought it were all lies, and that is what all true leaders said too - the ones who criticise this company must not have understood it. I also thought Lyoness could not possibly be ILLEGAL, because Lyoness exists far too long, and has also received awards.

Approximately two weeks later, there was another ORF Report episode on Lyoness. Then, I believed everything would be forgotten again in about a week (which was not the case).

In late 2012 or early 2013, there was another seminar at Hotel Nova Park, conducted by Mr. Psaridis, with over 500 participants. The atmosphere was excellent and all the negative was forgotten again. Purely by chance, at the end of the seminar, he showed a slide about India and how the economy looks like there, and that everyone would work there mostly being (partly) self-employed, and that there were billions of such people there. Closing remarks by the President: "I think we all know that we have the hottest business and what is coming towards all of us sitting here. We will all be a president someday - there is no 'if', only 'when', it cannot be avoided." Therefore, I decided to make a deposit into India again.

Immersed in the world of Lyoness, I gathered all the money that I had left to join in one more time. I down paid 2,000 euros into the National Indian market. According to the Unit Calculator, my down-payments were now worth the incredible, overwhelming amount of 1,787,956 euros (if put through all accounting categories). Naively, I thought that now I would never have to worry about money again. I knew that I would not get this amount of money right away, but in the next few years.

This spring, someone wrote to me on the Internet and said that everything Lyoness told us is incorrect. I got a number that I should call and from that day, the Lyoness world collapsed for me.

These sums were paid to Lyoness (in red); the blue numbers represent the returns.

3 units in AC 1 3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.03.2010 132,- xx07.2012
Premium Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.03.2010 420,- xx.10.2012
America Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.03.2010 56,- xx.06.2013
America AC 4  0/0/0/1/0 1.200,- xx.12.2010 0,-
IMEA Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.05.2011 0,-
Spain Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.10.2011 328,- xx.11.2011
Brazil  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.06.2012 76,- xx.01.2013
Asia  3/1/1/0/0 700,- xx.07.2012 288,- xx.04.2013
Asia  7/2/0/0/0 650,- xx.10.2012 0,-
India Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.01.2013 244,- xx.04.2013
Gift Unit Asia 132,- xx.09.2012
Gift Unit India 132,- xx.04.2013
Volume bonus 401.25 xx.02.2013
Friendship bonus xx.08.2013 234.83
Cashback xx.08.2013 138.77
Partner bonus bis xx.08.2013 536.50

Total: 12.850 3.119.35 (loss of 9,730.65 euros or 75.7% of total investment)

Family member:
3 units in AC 1 3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.08.2010 0,-
Premium Package  4/3/3/0/0 1.850,- xx.11.2011 0,-
America Package  7/3/3/1/1 7.200,- xx.12.2011 0,-
Asia  3/1/1/0/0 700,- xx.07.2012 0,-
Gift unit India 0,-
Cashback 8.27,- xx.01.2012

Total: 9.900 8.27 (loss of 9,891.73 euros or 99.9% of total investment)

Next family member:
3 units in AC 1 3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.03.2010
Premium Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.10.2012
Brazil  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.12.2012
Volume bonus 15,- xx.02.2013
Loyalty bonus 72,- xx.03.2013
Friendship bonus xx.08.2013 23.34,-
Cashback xx.08.2013 43.92,-

Total: 2.300 154.26 (loss of 2,145.74 euros or 93.3% of total investment)

Next family member:
Premium Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- 1486,- 2012
America 7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.03.2010 368,- 2011
America  0/0/0/1/0 1.200,- xx.03.2010 0,-
America  8/4/4/0/0 2.600,- xx.12.2010 0,-
IMEA 7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.05.2011 0,-
Spain  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- xx.10.2011 776,- 2013-xx
Brazil  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.08.2012 0,-
Asia  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.08.2012 0,-
India  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.02.2013 0,-
Gift unit Asia 132,- 2012-xx
Gift unit India 132,- 2013-xx
Career account 497.50,-
Loyalty bonus 2.894,-
Cashback 51.51,-
Friendship bonus 211.36,-
Partner bonus 651.50,-

Total: 12.250 4.305.87 (loss of 7,944.13 euros or 64.9% of total investment)

Next family member:
Premium Package  7/3/3/0/0 2.000,- 20,- 2008-xx
Brazil  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.06.2012 148,- 2012-xx
Asia  3/1/1/0/0 700,- xx.07.2012 260,- 2012-xx
India  3/0/0/0/0 150,- xx.01.2013 20,- 2013-xx
Gift unit India 132,-
Career account 5,-
Cashback 17.06
Friendship bonus 6.82
Loyalty bonus 580,-
Partner bonus 48,-

Total: 2.300 656.80 (loss of 1643.20 euros or 71.4% of total investment)

This is how Lyoness, the world's biggest shopping community (so they say), operates. But this is not a shopping community, now is it?!"

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Disclaimer: The Complaint Centre Lyoness does not accept responsibility for (the consequences of) errors that may have occurred while translating this testimony from its original source (link on top of article). In case of doubt or uncertainty, the original statement is leading.