How Can 1 Million People Be So DUMB??

[MJ DeMarco]

I know this topic is floating around here elsewhere, but it bears repeating.

1 MILLION.

Not 10,000, 100,000, but 1 FN million.

The answer seems to be a toxic combination of financial desperation, greed, sales-culture brainwashing, misplaced faith and the power of positive thinking.

How can 1 million people be this dumb? - Al Lewis - MarketWatch

To the indoctrinated, this online letter was not a red flag, but reassurance. The comments some affiliates posted beneath Burks’s letter provide an easy explanation of how an alleged $600 million online Ponzi scheme, involving 1 million victims, came together in less than 20 months. Here are some of those comments:

• “I have heard people who said things like zeekrewards is a money game. I did not see it that way otherwise, as they say, I would have not touched it with a nine foot pole. I am glad you allowed the lawyers to look it over. That speaks volumes to what kind of man you are.”

• “I have been in the legal industry for 12.5 years and I can say I think you have made a FANTASTIC decision to be proactive with these type of business issues.”

• “I live in Hickory, N.C. We are most fortunate to have this great company in our backyard. Many, many thanks!”

• “I’m a very honest PERSON! By you putting all this in place ... tells me you are a honest company that is here for the people!”

• “As one of your very grateful affiliates, have you made provisions that just in case (God forbids) anything happens to you that you cannot continue to function as our most able CEO...?”

• “Thank you so much Mr. Burks for putting most of our questions to rest. I wake up every morning with a big smile on my face because I am so grateful to be a part of this incredibly exciting company!”

• “Before i found this co i was struggling very bad now i have decided that no one can stop me but me. dream big dreams and they will come true.”

• “I really like your new ideas, and look forward to watching my money grow. ...Prior to connecting with your company, I had an unfortunate introduction to someone on the Internet, who was only out for the money he could steal. He managed to take me for $1,500, right at Christmas time; it’s my own fault, and I don’t blame anyone else, but it sure did teach me a huge lesson. Lord willing, I shall be able to make back what I lost. ...I will be getting married.. Neither my fiancee nor I have anything to start up housekeeping; but we have chosen to just take it one day at a time; depending on Father God to supply our needs, not our greeds.”

The most powerful marketing hook is laziness, anything, that can bypass process. (Actual, hard work.)

 

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[Anthony81]

1 million dumb people?

Are you serious? How can you even ask that question? I think if 1 million people are actually as dumb as you think they are, maybe it's because there ignorant, or maybe it's because of a larger conspiracy, maybe governments want them to be so they can easily be manipulated into doing what they want?
Who knows if the people that are dumb don't even know themselves?

 

[Rawr]

The most powerful marketing hook is laziness, anything, that can bypass process. (Actual, hard work.)

I am afraid it's going to get worse. We have reached something of a 'critical mass' with the "The answer seems to be a toxic combination of financial desperation, greed, sales-culture brainwashing, misplaced faith and the power of positive thinking."


You wrote it long ago that "it is a process, not an event" - one would be smart to realize that during the process the quality of life improves... with hard work life goes easier and better incrementally. There was a quote in a guitar practice book that hit home - "when you practice correctly, it should get easier with every practice as you increase your skill'

so it must be the initial pain of change, or the fear of sustaining whatever success comes?

 

[Vigilante]

I am surprised that only 1m people were involved. When you consider the direction the United States is heading in, this # could have swelled to half the population of the United States.

 

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[BrucetonGuy]

• “I’m a very honest PERSON! By you putting all this in place ... tells me you are a honest company that is here for the people!”

Here for the people, to deceive the people, to take people's money.

 

[Kak]

The majority of people are stupid... I truly believe this. At least a good 60%.

 

[Luke12321]

I had never heard of this until it came on our local news. This company was located like 30 minutes or so from my house. I have heard of some of my other old high school friends promoting some sort of Ponzi shit....I mean, not even a product. I can half away understand selling over priced MLM products, but the schemes they call me about don'[t even have a product!

So many people want to be rich, want to get out of the rat race but don't want to put forth the effort of providing value with a real business, real solution. Oh, and invest money into a real business? NEVER! That is risky. Invest $299 in a ponzi scheme, sure...they will go for that.

 

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[458]

People are lazy before they are dumb. Something as simple as reading a book makes the ordinary person cringe, not because its hard but because there lazy.

With 10 minutes of google research anyone could of come to the conclusion that this was not a good place to invest money.

 

[Amail]

PT Barnum knew exactly what he was talking about. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

 

[JEdwards]

The majority of people are stupid... I truly believe this. At least a good 60%.

They are not stupid, well some are, they just have different interests than most of the people on this forum.

I look at it like this, 90% of people have no idea about money.. Nothing.. Not a thing.. Like they do not understand compounding interest.

They work there 40 hours and want a better life, they are sad about their position, they are invited to some meeting, the guy walks in, shows his gold rolex and talks about how last week he was in Hawaii, next week London, how he just bought a brand new Porsche it sounds really great, and they can dream of themselves like that. Like this guy. If only they sign up for 499.95.

Just like car sales, once you see yourself in the car, driving it home, showing it to friends, you are a gonner. and the salespeople know that.

 

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[Jonleehacker]

There are hundreds or thousands of lotteries happening every week, basically the same thing, just that they are government sponsored ponzi schemes.

 

[Kak]

The Government itself is a ponzi scheme, not just the lotto. The people who made it this way, the majority of Americans are in my opinion, stupid.

 

[Rain]

There was money in Zeek Rewards if you got in at the right time.

A close friend of mine had a couple of business associates he's known for 25+ years who pulled out $40,000, and the other pulled out around $200,000 before it collapsed. Not bad for a $500-1000 "investment."

But yeah, in general, no one should count on "opportunities" like this to earn their money. That is being stupid.

It's just gambling. Plain and simple.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

and the other pulled out around $200,000 before it collapsed

He better hope there is no "clawback" -- ill gotten gains from illegal schemes can be reclaimed by the trustee. For example, if Zeek donated $100,000 to XYZ Charity, the trustee will go after XYZ Charity for return of the funds.

 

[Rain]

He better hope there is no "clawback" -- ill gotten gains from illegal schemes can be reclaimed by the trustee. For example, if Zeek donated $100,000 to XYZ Charity, the trustee will go after XYZ Charity for return of the funds.

Hahaha yeah.... if that happens, then there is no winning.

 

[JEdwards]

There was money in Zeek Rewards if you got in at the right time.

A close friend of mine had a couple of business associates he's known for 25+ years who pulled out $40,000, and the other pulled out around $200,000 before it collapsed. Not bad for a $500-1000 "investment.".

Yea Stolen Money..

Does not matter, your friends, friends are probably on to the next deal.. They will say it does not matter, the stupid govt closed that down. it was not illegal. Had the govt not shut it down I right now would be making 100,000 a month.

Now let me tell you about the new deal, Get in early, Let's go.

Sad, because on the other side of your friends making a ton of cash. There are 1,000's who lost a ton of money.. Some lost friends. some right now have family members who hate them. Sure the majority put in 500-1000, money anyone can afford to lose, but trust me on this.. some people took out there life savings and put it into this deal..

Now I am all for people doing what they want and have to. But when you take stupid people and you sell them on something that isn't real.. You are just scamming people. Plain and simple.

 

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[theDarkness]

I hate hearing about people putting their life savings in things like this. I vicariously feel completely gross. A sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach. Where was their BS detector? How in the hell??

Also, "dream big dreams and they will come true." Are angels going to swoop down from heaven and carry him off to the lifestyle he wants?

 

[Rawr]

Yea Stolen Money..

Does not matter, your friends, friends are probably on to the next deal.. They will say it does not matter, the stupid govt closed that down. it was not illegal. Had the govt not shut it down I right now would be making 100,000 a month.

Now let me tell you about the new deal, Get in early, Let's go.

Sad, because on the other side of your friends making a ton of cash. There are 1,000's who lost a ton of money.. Some lost friends. some right now have family members who hate them. Sure the majority put in 500-1000, money anyone can afford to lose, but trust me on this.. some people took out there life savings and put it into this deal..

Now I am all for people doing what they want and have to. But when you take stupid people and you sell them on something that isn't real.. You are just scamming people. Plain and simple.

Yes Jack, very nice summary of the stock market.

 

[jaywolf]

• “I really like your new ideas, and look forward to watching my money grow. ...Prior to connecting with your company, I had an unfortunate introduction to someone on the Internet, who was only out for the money he could steal. He managed to take me for $1,500, right at Christmas time; it’s my own fault, and I don’t blame anyone else, but it sure did teach me a huge lesson. Lord willing, I shall be able to make back what I lost. ...I will be getting married.. Neither my fiancee nor I have anything to start up housekeeping; but we have chosen to just take it one day at a time; depending on Father God to supply our needs, not our greeds.”

LOL hahahah I guess the lord giveth and the lord taketh away, twice!

 

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[Darkside]

An old guy approached me at the gym to tell me about this company and how if I just put in 1,000 that I'll have 100,000 by the end of the year, etc. It sounded like a scam to me as soon as he started talking but I just nodded my head and let him finish his pitch so that I could get back to my workout.

He used to come to the gym a lot but I haven't seen him in months. Hopefully he hasn't lost a ton of money and decided to commit suicide or something. No amount of money is worth a person's life. There are more important things than pieces of paper.

Generally the rule that people should follow which will prevent them from falling for scams is, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". If someone promises you unreasonably huge returns that even the biggest investment banks with all of their Harvard MBAs can't come close to, then it's a guaranteed scam.

 

[Rawr]

Generally the rule that people should follow which will prevent them from falling for scams is, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is". If someone promises you unreasonably huge returns that even the biggest investment banks with all of their Harvard MBAs can't come close to, then it's a guaranteed scam.

Pfft... I don't know about you guys but I got my meal ticket in the mail today - 500k here I come! :groove:








Four more give aways: Anyone can do it. (then..um..nevermind)

"Unlimited potential" - Makes me want to call them and ask how prepared are they for the billion dollar check I'd intend to receive.


"Work from home, blah blah" - yes, best JOBS are clearly ones where people with no experience manage themselves.

50k-500k - Helluva range.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

One-time enrollment fee

Snicker snicker... :nonod:

 

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[Entourage]

MJ, just stop for a second and think of how dumb the average person is.

Then realize that 50 percent is even dumber.

 

[Lgallion]

I always remember my fellow high school students. Raised in poor, rural Missouri they often aspired to a 'good job' like truck driver or bulldozer operator. And just like most dreamers, most ended up somewhere less than that. If they would have targeted being a doctor or a lawyer most would have ended up accountants or pharmacists. Instead they work menial jobs, not having obtained even their 'lofty' truck driving role.

The problem is both ignorance and denial. Ignorance in that they don't understand leverage in business (i.e. not trading hours for dollars) and denial in that popular culture 'teaches' that success often strikes suddenly and with little effort. The denial part often leads to 'money chasing', trying to get wealth without offering value - a fleeting success strategy at best. Deep down they probably know that people like Donald Trump worked their rear-end off to build a fortune, but they skip the decades of work, stress & financial tight-rope walking message for glamorous stories of 'the big kill' he puts in his books (assuming they even read those). Ever time I think back on those days, it makes me even more determine not to follow in their footsteps.

 

[elclandestino]

make them dumb, make them poor and create some social resentment so you and your buddies in power can go for a long happy ride

 

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[RogueInnovation]

Cool

 

[Capital]

Wow, if the world will be run by this stupidity, we're F*cked.

 

[MooreMillions]

The majority of people are stupid... I truly believe this. At least a good 60%.

Try 75%.

Stupid is a tough word. Unaware or unintelligent or ignorant are better, IMHO.

Yea Stolen Money..

Does not matter, your friends, friends are probably on to the next deal.. They will say it does not matter, the stupid govt closed that down. it was not illegal. Had the govt not shut it down I right now would be making 100,000 a month.

Now let me tell you about the new deal, Get in early, Let's go.

Sad, because on the other side of your friends making a ton of cash. There are 1,000's who lost a ton of money.. Some lost friends. some right now have family members who hate them. Sure the majority put in 500-1000, money anyone can afford to lose, but trust me on this.. some people took out there life savings and put it into this deal..

Now I am all for people doing what they want and have to. But when you take stupid people and you sell them on something that isn't real.. You are just scamming people. Plain and simple.

Are you referring to Wall Street?

It really and truly is hard for me to tell the difference.

 

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[CommonCents]

The most powerful marketing hook is laziness, anything, that can bypass process. (Actual, hard work.)

I like this. Make it easy for people to give you their money by making things easy for them. (ethically of course).

Apple banked billions on it, making things real easy.

Making things easy for customers should be a core tenet weaved in any business.

 

[Nadia]

The majority of people are stupid... I truly believe this. At least a good 60%.

60% ? That's being kind.