More TVI Express Myths Busted: redeem tviexpress.com eWallet has fees, trip certificate redemption has fees too

It is amazing to see how many other myths are out there about TVI Express, and how many TVI Express distributors are just flat out lying (or being willfully ignorant) about the truth. Here's a couple other things you think you know about TVI Express, but do not. Keep in mind that I am not trying to recruit you into anything.

This is part 2 in a series of 3 hubs about "TVI Express Myths Busted". If you got here directly, you should also check out Part 1 and Part 3. Also, you should read my other series about "TVI Express Truths" that they don't want you to know.

FOne of the big draws of TVI Express is that it offers "7-day 6-night accommodations at a 5-star hotel for two with return flight ticket" upon your joining. In fact, many TVI Express members, even fellow hub-ers, have outright claimed that TVI Express is really a travel club and this is a joining bonus (which is a myth previous busted).

FACT: On TVI Express's own website, the offer has been downgraded to "3-5 star" instead of just "5-star", and there is no mention of this "downgrade" on their website at all. Repeated questions to TVI Express about this have been ignored.

FACT: TVI Express's own announcement on their own website states that "hundreds" have enjoyed the 5-star properties. However, all the listed properties are in India (See TVIExpress.com , go under Announcements, then 01-FEB-2010 update)

FACT: You get a e-certificate, which you have to redeem through TVI Express's redemption system. It is not any hotel you can book, but only hotels that specifically approved by TVI Express for this offer. And you are still subject to approval which can take up to 2 weeks.

FACT: The e-certificate is only good for 1 year, and they had so much problem redeeming they are giving everybody extra 6-months to redeem it (from TVI Express announcements)

FACT: TVI Express has so much problem with people redeeming these trips, they admitted in their own announcement that "thousands" have gone on such trips. As this announcement was made in February, their membership is about 600000. Even if we take thousands to be 9000, that's about 1.5% of the people who had gone on such trips!

FACT: TVI Express keep revamping the redemption engine, and it was supposed to be launched on March 1st, 2010, based on the annoucement. However, it did NOT launch. Instead, on March 5th, another announcement was made pleading for a few more days. THEN this announcement disappeared from the TVI Express website! However, it was archived elsewhere on various TVI Express member websites.

TVI Express has two "boards", a travelers board, and express board, each has 15 members. You start in the travelers board, at the bottom, and your recruits bump you up. When you fill the board, you "cycle out" and get $250 in your eWallet, and $250 eVoucher. You also move over to the express board, where the process repeats. When you cycle out of the express board, you get $15000, and start at the bottom of express board again for another chance at the "board payout".

FACT: TVI Express FAQ now states that the payout for cycling out express board is $10000, not $15000

UNCONFIRMED REPORT: Apparently, the other $5000 are eVouchers, in the form of 20 $250 eVouchers, which you can sell to other recruits for joining TVI Express. There is no explanation why this was removed from the TVI Express website. It is as if it never existed in the first place, but plenty of TVI Express member blogs, websites, and "reviews" still mentions the $15000 figure.

FACT: TVI Express pays all your payout into your eWallet, not cash or check. Convert your eWallet money into cash... that will cost you additional $$$.

FACT: TVI Express allows you to convert your eWallet amounts into additional $250 eVouchers, which you can sell to new recruits. Therefore, your $10000 is NOT paid by TVI Express, but by new recruits, which makes this a money transfer pyramid scheme.

SPECULATION: This was probably the reason the $5000 eVoucher bonus is not mentioned any more: it's illegal.

More than a few TVI Express distributors have taken up the defense that because TVI Express actually lets you book some travel stuff, it must be legit. Here's a fellow hub-er's own words:

"If a company is supplying people with a product or service, it is more than likely not a scam."
--(Hub-id withheld to protect his identity)

FACT: Amway ran into this very same problem with the FTC early in its life. FTC's rule is that there must be substantially more emphasis on selling an actual product or service than on recruiting for the whole thing to be NOT a pyramid scheme. Amway was forced to reform its practices substantially.

FACT: TVI Express's own FAQ states that "you don't need to sell anything." "You need to recruit two people, and teach each how to recruit two more people" (slightly paraphrased). Thus, TVI Express emphasizes recruiting over selling.

FACT: Selling stuff can simply be the front-end for the illegal backend. That's why we have the expression "back room deals".

A lot of TVI Express distributors, including fellow hub-ers, use the defense that "if TVI Express pays, it must be legit". In fact, here's a quote from a fellow hub-er:

"So what qualifies an opportunity as a scam? Here is my very simple answer. When the owners of the opportunity promise that you can make a certain amount of money when they know full well that the average network marketer has no chance of ever doing so."
--(hub ID not listed to protect his identity)

Or in other words, because TVI Express is not "promising the moon", and scam is "promising the moon", TVI Express is not scam.

LOGICAL FALLACY EXPLANATION: The above premise is a logical fallacy. Do you see the logic problem? You don't? Substitute "TVI Express" with "chicken". Substitute "promising the moon" with "flying". Substitute "scam" with "bird". And you get:

TVI Express Chicken is not "promising the moon" flying, and scam bird is "promising the moon" flying, Therefore TVI Express chicken is not scam bird.

Or "Chicken is not flying, and bird is flying, therefore chicken is not bird."

Not exactly logical, is it?

The support statement, that "scam is promising the moon", is only partially true, as there are various forms of fraud. (Same with "bird is flying" being only partially true: not all birds fly) Thus, the conclusion is faulty as well. The proof given doesn't support the premise.

FACT: The fact that a company has delivered its promise to OTHERS, does NOT mean it will continue to do so. Any Ponzi or Pyramid scheme relies on the early birds getting their payout and be the "testimonials", in order to attract newcomers to sustain the growth. The later you join, the more likely you'll be left out in the cold.

FACT: Bernie Madoff paid his "investors" (i.e. victims) for 20+ years. He's a fraud and a scammer.

TVI Express distributors seem to fall into two camps: the official line, used by the company itself, is that it is a direct selling company, using network marketing to reach a wide audience. Some distributors, however, claim that TVI Express is really a huge travel club that you are buying membership in. We've already discussed the myth about TVI Express is a travel club. So, is TVI Express a direct selling company?

FACT: TVI Express FAQ states that "You don't need to sell anything." (#2 under FAQ)

How can you be a "direct selling company" if its distributors don't sell anything?

Here are five more myths about TVI Express busted. I hope you found this hub useful, and may you be successful in your ventures (but hopefully, NOT with TVI Express, as that is a sinkhole, IMHO of course.)

Be sure to explore the other two hubs in the series, Part 1, and Part 3.

You should also explore the hub series "TVI Express Truths" that they don't want you to know. And I promise they are NOT stupid marketing tricks.