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Zer01 Parent Strips Web Site Following Report
alphadogg writes "Two days after a report cast doubt on Zer01 Mobile's business, its parent company has stripped its Web site down to only basic information. New details have also come to light suggesting a past connection between two of the involved companies, despite claims to the contrary. Earlier this week IDG News Service reported that it's unlikely that Zer01 could be technically able to offer the unlimited mobile voice and data service that it is advertising. The service, originally targeted for a July 1 launch, does not appear to be available yet. In addition, it's being marketed through a multilevel marketing program run by a company called Global Verge whose founder, Mark Petschel, in 2005 pleaded guilty to securities fraud. Petschel is currently on probation."
Wasn't this just another pyramid scheme?
I own a retail cell phone accessory site. ( CellUp.com ) and I've been receiving at least an email a day regarding becoming an authorized distributor. They claim to have lots of cool new HTC phones. When I looked into it a little further and with my knowledge of the industry I knew that there was no way this could be anything other than a scam. I avoid anything that looks like an MLM. I'm not going to talk people I know or legitimate customers of mine into something that over promises and under delivers.
Earlier this week IDG News Service reported that it's unlikely that Zer01 could be technically able to offer the unlimited mobile voice and data service that it is advertising.
If you mean unlimited in the sense that they wouldn't cap your usage, sure they could do this. If you mean unlimited, usable voice and data, that's another thing entirely. They could call it "unlimited" but not have the bandwidth to deliver a decent, or even functional, user experience.
Sure we need consumer protections, but a healthy dose of caveat emptor is never a bad thing. If the service contract says "unlimited," and it ends up being unlimited 2400 baud data, that's still unlimited. Chickens**t, but still unlimited.
Make love, not reality television.
I am pretty sure I would strongly disagree with whatever goes through the minds of the implementers of MLMs. I have dealt with more than a couple in my time and they always leave a bad taste in my mouth so to speak. I can see what goes through the minds of the drones who participate in them -- greed. Some people are constantly searching for opportunities to get in on the first tier of MLMs as it is a pretty good way to get a lot of money without doing anything and also not being responsible for any wrong doing on the part of the implementers. (Makes me wonder how often tier one people are actually implementers from behind the scenes... probably a lot... it makes sense that they would try to protect themselves in that way.)
I don't know why the average person doesn't see it though -- MLMs are quite obviously scams most of the time.
Speaking of scams... anyone experience the latest in getting around the Do Not Call list? They now call and hang up after you answer only to have you confirm your willingness to care by calling back using the caller ID information. This is being used by telemarketers and collections people alike. I am not sure which is "after me" but so far, I have had three of these calls. I did not, of course, call the numbers back. Instead, I googled the phone numbers and found that there are already numerous complaints about the who, the what and the how. What are the odds that the same people behind the auto warranty scams are also behind or connected with this new one?
Providing unlimited calls and texts between cellphones is more than just a bandwidth issue, though. Carriers charge each other exorbitant fees when a text or call comes through from another network.* Zer01 would have to find that money somewhere.
*Naturally, every carrier charges every other carrier the same level of ridiculous fees, so it's a kind of de facto price fixing. Carrier A won't lower its call termination charges, and thus its rates, because it has to pay for Carrier B's call termination charges, while Carrier B won't lower its call termination charges, and thus its rates, because it has to pay for Carrier A's call termination charges. There are a few ways to force down prices: regulation is one option, or a daring loss-taking price-cutting end-run by one carrier may lead to the sort of insane price slashing that's happened in the UK. Three seems keen to issue a death blow to its rivals its free Skype: they want other carriers' customers to pick up Skype SIM cards, and call each other with those wherever possible, which cuts off their competitors' revenue from call termination charges. Three just has to pick up the tab with the bandwidth, which they have in spades.
No kidding!!! What do you say at this point?
Ok.......am I the only one who half-read the title as I scrolled down really fast and just imagined something quite different. I thought some hacker called Zer01 got stripped by his/her parent. Then I read the title properly. Oh yeah, to still be on topic......bad Zer01, very bad Zer01.
I've been hit with this callback spam, too. The thing is, the one that hit me doesn't call you back until after you say hello twice. Pretty sure it's not a timed delay. Just one more incentive to expect that much more out of people on the phone - if I say hello, and you're taking a sip of your soda or something and don't answer in a timely fashion, expect to get hung up on. I ain't saying it twice.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
Just because it looks like a huge Pump and Dump red flag doesn't mean we have to assume that Zer01 is just out to bilk out customers of their money with promises of service that just can't be delivered.
If the fact that the guy running the show is on probation for fraud doesn't make you run like hell, I don't know what would. I'm willing to give anyone the benefit of the doubt, but there's little doubt to give him the benefit of. He shouldn't even be in the business with his record.
Free Martian Whores!
about 7 years back I was laid off looking for another job, had my resume on Monster and a couple of other resume sites and got an email saying they were opening a new office in my area and were holding interviews for someone to help run their network.
What they didn't say is that it was an MLM selling insurance, and the network wasn't a computer network, but rather a network of people. I drove an hour and a half for an interview which was just these scumbags hawking their insurance MLM to a bunch of unemployed people (There were about 50 people in the room).
As soon as I realized it was a pyramid scheme I said so in as many words and walked out. About 10 others followed.
Pissed me off, wasted a tank of gas and 4 hours of time I could have been using with my family.
Do you Gentoo!?
If it looks like a scam, walks like a scam, and quacks like a scam--then it probably *is* a duck. In that case, you should probably shoot it and cook it with orange sauce.
SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
Wasn't this just another pyramid scheme?
It's a Sierpinski gasket which just looks like a pyramid, but requires less actual material...
Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities. - Voltaire