Inquiry regarding ClickIncome Program

[Downsized5150]

You're very welcome!

You could also ask Mr. Pitt about Utah's Business Opportunity Disclosure Act:
http://le.utah.gov/~code/TITLE13/13_15.htm

And whether Clickincome / Empwronline put the info required to be filed by the seller at the bottom of the contract you signed with them?

"CAUTION

No guarantee of earnings or ranges of earnings can be made. The number of purchasers who have earned through this business an amount in excess of the amount of their initial payment is at least _____ which represents _____% of the total number of purchasers of this business opportunity."

RogerB, long time no chat. I worked as a technical coach at Clickincome for a few years, and you were actually my mentor. I should have listened to you years ago and got out of there before the company imploded. They laid off pretty much all of the old team, Phil, Candice, Summer, Me, Eryn, Jenn, Jennifer, Jordan, and those who didn't get laid off have quit, like JD and Stephanie, the old CS/Clickclub manager. I love customer service, and teaching about the internet, but when the sales team was belligerently lying to our customers,over booking the coaches, and then expecting my service team to continue the illusion of smoke and mirrors and lead people to believe they would be successful with Clickincome products was the last straw for a lot of people.

The website Clickincome charged $5k for, you can get for free, or pretty close to it. The merchant account Aria financial sells for 2k, you can get for 100 dollars at charge.com, or you can use Google checkout or Paypal even cheaper. When I recommended to development to include a Paypal option in our shopping cart, I was told that would "decrease the sales of our Merchant Accounts" The mentoring info that they charge thousands for, you can find at ezinearticles.com or by smart use of google or browsing forums and blogs. Sickens me to my stomach that even after they get fined and ruin so many peoples life they are doing it again over seas. As if the rest of the world needed any help in developing their dislike for American business.


There were many times refund requests would sit on managements desk and they would pick and choose which ones to refund or not because if they put too many through it would cause problems with bank accounts since they already paid out commission on the sales, they also had so many charge backs they almost lost the ability to have a merchant account. We were featured on the local Fox Utah news for shady business practices and the "free website affiliate program" in the 3 years I worked there never heard one click rep call a lead generated by that for a potential upgrade/commision, and people have almost lost their eBay accounts by following the advice of Mike Symes. People who did not sign up for a big package, or only bought the "$99.00 package" had their info sent to the out-bound aggressive sales team to convince them to max credit cards if necessary to upgrade the package, purchase mentoring, buy Mike Symes ebay kit, etc.

They put up a huge ad that says "ebay, ebay, ebay, and get a free camera!" to target people who don't know much about the internet, and once they are baited by the eBay promises they quickly switch and make you believe eBay will not work without spending thousands to Click. I don't know how many phone calls I took from people who never even got the "free digital camera". The 2 double A batteries that came with that camera were the most valuable thing in the package, and anything you need to do with eBay you can do on Ebay.com, IMO the Clickincome eBay method actually made listing items more complicated than using the interface Ebay has spent millions developing, and out of the thousands of Clickincome websites out there, Clickclub would be lucky to get more than 5 orders a month total, and half of those never showed up on time, ruining peoples eBay reputation.

Would highly recommend doing some research and finding alternate solutions for learning about ebay, building a website, or buying a merchant account.

-51/50

[Downsized5150]

We would like to also address that there is currently a common misconception that has been put out there by a former disgruntled employee Clickincome is affiliated with the company EmPwrOnline. While both companies do both offer similar services and operate out of Utah, they are actually different companies.

Nice choice of words, Aria financial and Clickincome were also different companies no? yet they were both in the same building, had the same address, and the paychecks were signed by the same person.

I find it funny how you try to disassociate from this company, yet if you look at the testimonials page on the EmPwr website, http://empwronline.com/EmPwrOnline_Testimonials.php

You will see a testimonial from MR Miller, I talked to him many times as a Clickincome customer, even met him in a Vegas Symposium if I am not mistaken.

Also is a testimonial from a Mrs Masters, she was a well known client of Clickincome's, she called in often and anyone who used to work there would know she was a Clickincome Customer.

The templates they use were created by Marc and Diego, the Click designers.

Mr Gallegos gives EmPwr a testimonial, I personally coached George on his 4 tech sessions.

Take a look at EmPwr's portfolio. Here is a picture of a project they built called "Podstrike.net"

http://forums.smallbusinesscomputing.../2009/02/1.jpg

I helped beta test that service when it was controlled by Clickincome, If you look at the contact address of Podstrike.com,

* World Net Services, Inc.
* 9543 South 700 East, Suite 200
* Sandy, UT 84070
The exact address of Clickincome. How did a picture of a project developed at Clickincome end up on a portfolio for EnPwr if they are not associated?

Also both Clickincome and EmPwr claim to be based out of Sandy, Utah. So either all the old Clickincome customers all the sudden switched to Empwr and Empwr is borrowing Clickincome's testimonials and portfolio projects, or they are in fact the same company, with a different name. Pretty clever, or deceptive some might say.

[sogent01]

I could not believe it but about two weeks ago someone named John B. called me wanting to know how my new ClickIncome Business was coming along and I had a few words with him. He did all possible to convince me that I was wrong about my opinion and he was here to help me. After about 3 phone calls I was starting to believe him and that is when he hit me for additional $3,000.00 dollars so I could really start to see the benefits. I just hung up the phone. I guess the $4,995.00 I paid is money lost.

[KathyWo]

Looks like they are at it again. This time they are calling themselves Live Auction Workshop. These people are unreal and shameless. How many times do they think they can pull the same stunt again. I was going through my newspaper and there was a picture of that same goofy guy that sits there and stutters if you ask him a question that he doesn't seem to want to answer. Mike Syme what lies are you going to tell this time. About how you make all this money on the internet but yet if you go to eBay and look up Mr Syme all you see is how he's a sham and lies to people. I went to a seminar of his a couple years ago and he is pretty convincing with his I'm dummie and if I can make it, so can you routine. I have two friends that invested in his program and they did EXACTLY what he told them to do and they got their accounts suspended and deleted by eBay. Mr Symes and his people don't know what they's talking about. So avoid these seminars in Florida this month and spread the word. Mike Syme is conn artist and all he wants is your money and won't help you or talk to you again. Maybe if my husband and I get up and stutter a lot we can get you to spend lots of money with us too.

Here's the site [Live link removed]

Don't fall for Mr Syme's tricks and lies!

[LAtisses11]

I am glad people continue posting comments about Micheal James or Symes and Emporw/Clickincome (they are definitly the same company). In the U.K, they are now being investigated by the Office of Fair Trading and hopefully they won't be scamming people here or elsewhere....Any body from U.K, having been scammed by them?????????????

[KathyWo]

So I called the number they had for the seminar to register for it and it was a different company. So maybe Mr Syme has moved on to a different company. One of my friends tried to email Mr Syme this week and it came back saying the email doesn't exist anymore . So seems Mr Syme is trying to cut and run and pull a new conn scheme. I can't post the number for the seminar but look for Live Auction Workshop and that's the site. Go to these seminars and ask michael symes how he can sleep at night taking people's money and lying to people. He's a dishonest person that makes promises that the company he represents can't keep. I feel bad for people that have to answer for the lies he spews out of his mouth.

Michael Syme is a horrible person and I hope he gets what's coming to him. I'd love to see the police show up and arrest him for what he does to people. One can only pray it will happen.

[Downsized5150]

Here is a WhoIs lookup on the domain http://empwronline.com/

http://who.godaddy.com/WhoIs.aspx?do...rog_id=godaddy

Registered to World Net Services, aka Clickincome, and the address listed is the same as Clickincome.

I believe the old VP of Click, Troy Stevens, and Mike Symes may have left Click/World net and started their own business, which most likely is this "live auction workshop" or "Thrive Learning Institute".

[KathyWo]

I wish I knew how to shut down this whole show. It's just dispicable to me that this Troy Stevens and Mike Syme are allowed to run around stealing peoples money and lying to them. Looks like it's a new company then that they've started and I wish they could be shut down. They are nothing but crooks. So look out troy stevens and mike syme we're watching you and we are going to tell everyone about you and your new thrive business.

[sogent01]

I too would like to see them stopped. I would really like to find a way to get my money back too. As you see from my last post 6 or more months later and they have someone else from Clickincome call me to try to get another $3,000. I too appreciate folks keeping us updated here.

[KathyWo]

So Mr Mike Syme and this Troy Stevens person have made a company called Thrive. If you google Live Auction Workshop it gives you the option of logging into ThriveReseller website. You have to have a password and username. It makes me wonder what is going on behind there. What are they trying to hide now?

If you go to the Thrive Learning Institute website they look pretty legit but I'm sure they have this smoke and mirrors thing down pretty good. Mike Syme and Troy Stevens your Thrive business isn't going to work just because you open a new business it doesn't mean what you have done to others in the past won't catch up with you. Haven't you both hurt enough people? Why don't you go learn to do something more honorable and actually help people? Why don't you give back to all the people that you stole from and have hurt? How do you two look at yourselves in the mirror and sleep at night? It must take a special kind of person to be able to do this. I find it shocking that you aren't in jail for what you've done. I hope you both get what's coming to you.

[JEccles]

FYI - you can find Troy Stevens on Linkedin (a networking website). His profile still says that he is the VP at Clickincome. In fact, it appears that he has more than one listing on that site (4 to be exact).

[KathyWo]

My friends and I called Clickincome today and both Troy Stevens and Mike Syme haven't worked for the company since the first of December. I asked where their next seminar is and they said they don't do them anymore. Interesting that Mr Stevens and Mr Syme seem to have a need to go out on the road to steal more money with a new company. Sounds like the root of the problem might have taken on a new form.

[KathyWo]

Look out Bend and Portland Oregon, Mike Syme and his Thrive Learning company are coming your way. Or is it Michael Jame? I get so confused with all the names you go by, you probably have a new name now. I think this borderes on some sort of illegal business representation when you have to change your name because you lie to people so much. You steal their money and don't do anything that you say you will. Mike Syme you snake, stop hurting people you and your partner Troy Stevens lie to people and don't have any intention of doing what you say you will. So avoid Thrive Learning, LiveAuctionWorkshop, Mike Syme, Troy Stevens and company. They will all be liars and steal your hard earned money. I hope that you get arrested and go to jail for a very long time for what you do to people all over this country, they will probably run up to Canada and back to the UK if they get enough heat here.

If you have bought from them, demand your money back! Don't give Mike Symes another dime make him go out and find real jobs like the rest of us. If you're going to his Portland or Bend, Oregon classes. Ask him to show you his eBay, Amazon and Craigslist ads. Tell him you want to see his websites and how he does business. Make him write things out on paper and give you his word in writing that you'll be successful. He won't and he can't. He'll get mad and ask that you be taken out of the room or he'll start stuttering. Tell them you want a 6 month money back in writing promise from him! He won't do it! He's a horrible person that needs to be stopped so spread the word to stay away from Thrive and Mike Syme.

[seachelle]

2-19-2009- I attended a 2 hour meeting today about ebay. Richard Hofmann was the speaker. I had to pay $20. to be able to attend a 4 hour meeting tomorrow with Michael Symes. I was planning on attending, then I went online to get the "free book", which turned out is actually an ebook, not what I wanted or was expecting. I told my husband then, well it has already started, they did not tell us it was an ebook, assumed it was a regular book. Decided to go online and look these people up, am I glad I found this website with all this info. They are now using the name Thrive Learning Institute to prey on people. I wish I knew how to get ahold of the people that are planning on attending tomorrow so I could warn them. I wonder if the police are looking for them. Is this illegal? If anyone knows it is, they are in Rogers Arkansas the next couple of days at the Embassy Suites. Hope they are arrested if it is. Let me know if you call the police on them.
Edit by admin: no contact info permitted on the forum, thank you

[The Old Sarge]

I doubt it's illegal since it's been going on so long and so many people have already complained. Caveat emptor ...

Thanks for the warning. You (Kathy Wo and Seachelle) have any links to share?