One Year Later, Zer01 Web Site Disappears 155
alphadogg writes "Zer01 Mobile — making promises of flat rate, no contract, unlimited cell phone service — made its grand entrance at the annual CTIA wireless convention about a year ago, but now the company's Web site has disappeared. The site recently began redirecting visitors to Google.com. Zer01, which was lauded for its plans in the mainstream press, aligned itself with a multilevel marketing company called Global Verge (whose founder had earlier been convicted of securities fraud), and the two companies began recruiting salespeople who paid a monthly fee to be part of a sales program. (Since then, Global Verge and Zer01 parted ways and Global Verge filed a lawsuit against its former partner.) But no mobile service from Zer01 ever materialized. Salespeople were promised payment based on how many other salespeople they signed up to the program, although few appear to have received payment. But as late as the fall CTIA show in October, Zer01's CEO was still promising to launch the mobile service."
Don't infer hostility from a lawsuit. (Score:5, Informative)
Post makes the point that Global Verge is suing Zer01.
Don't infer hostility!!!!!
Collusive (friendly) lawsuits are a fraudulent way one person can transfer money to another person (himself?), thereby dodging legitimate creditors.
Fyi.
Re:The human condition... (Score:3, Informative)
Cosmetics have been a part of human life for a lot longer than Estee Lauder. From the Ancient Egyptians [king-tut.org.uk] to the Greeks [fjkluth.com], to the Native Americans [ethnicpaintings.com] - the idea of applying colour to your face or other parts of your body for one reason or another has been prevalent for thousands of years. Typically it's done to influence others' view of you - to find you attractive, or scary, or powerful. You may not consider that utilitarian, but do you dress entirely in hessian sack cloth? No? Then are your clothes strictly utilitarian?
Re:People never learn (Score:4, Informative)
A simple adage - "If it's too good to be true, it probably is". People never seem to learn it. Always falling for scams. I'm not surprised.
it -probably- is. Even you hedged your wording, because even you know sometimes it just really is as good as the promise. Lots of stuff seems too good to be true, but delivers. Enough that its often hard for even a fairly intelligent and rational person to really know.
I mean, who'd believe linux, or bsd, or asterix, or postgresql, or apache, ... were all free. I've met people who were skeptical, who wanted to know what the catch was...
Re:MLM Scam strikes again? (Score:4, Informative)
"multi level, or network marketing is a legal scheme provided that there is a tangible product or service in the mix,"
Even if there is a tangible product, it's still a scam. See the Illinois rulings against Scentura Creations.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scentura [wikipedia.org]
In fact, most MLMs are violating one or more various laws in individual states.
The way MLMs are operated now is a violation of some state and some federal laws.
Re:MLM Scam strikes again? (Score:3, Informative)
Actually, for a MLM to be legal in the US, it has to sell more than 50% (iirc) of its products to non members. Currently the most successful MLM in the us only sells about 17% of its products to non members.
Too lazy to google, I looked it up a few days ago because someone tried to sucker me into going to a scamway meeting.