"Fake it till you make it"?

"Do not go into debt because of this company. You [may] never get your money back"

February 2000
By a Equinox Participant

Like so many others, my friend and I answered an ad for an "interview," which turned out to be Equinox. Although we were surprised that the "interview" was actually a briefing with about 50 other people, we liked the products we tried, and our "sponsor" said she would help us and that we were her "main project." She had a new car and flashed a copy of a $5,000 check that she had made in one month (I noticed she only had one). My friend and I were ready to approach the business honestly, by buying a few products and selling them, and eventually moving up the ladder.

A few days later that all changed. They hit us up for $5,000, encouraging my friend to take out a loan and lie to the bank about how much she was making with the company (she was unemployed at the time and hadn't made one red cent). I am so embarrassed now--of course the bank saw right through it and denied the loan. I was supposed to be my friend's recruit since she had invited me to sign up, but now she couldn't buy her way into being a manager because she couldn't get the cash. Then I was secretly approached by another higher-up person, saying if I would put up the $5,000, they would make me a "supervisor" instead of her. They were trying to pit us against each other. I also learned that she had received the same "deal" from them secretly, until they realized she had no way of getting the money. Luckily I was unwilling to take out a loan--and everything changed.

Our sponsor turned from a helpful, supportive person into an accusing, angry woman. She acted like we had wasted her time, even though we were selling a few products and inviting people to the meetings, as we were supposed to do.

She told us she only wanted to work with "motivated" people (meaning, ones who would put up the $5,000 cash and put it up NOW!) and she basically dropped us like a hot rock.

I did attend one training session (I used money I had made by selling a water filter) and it was unbelievable. Bill Gouldd showed up, and what a sickening person he was. Everyone stood up on their chairs to get to see him better (all hype). He made cruel comments to the people in the audience, and after I listened for a while, I realized that the center of the business was not selling products, but finding better ways to manipulate people into giving you their $5,000. The bulk of the time was spent on what to tell people, and how to get around their questions. I was told over and over again what to say, and "don't say THAT!" and "if they ask this question, tell them this . . ."

Finally I walked out. At least we didn't lose any money to speak of. The company is a fake. It is all about deception. Deceive people so they will come to "interviews." Deceive them about how much you're making. Their favorite expression is "fake it 'till you make it." They encourage people to go deeper and deeper into debt, in order to try to fool other people into joining with you because you're obviously making SOOOO much money. Later I found out that my sponsor had to take out a $5,000 loan herself, just to by. Why did she have to do that, if things were going SOOOO well? Do not go into debt because of this company. You [may] never get your money back. I am convinced that there is no way to do this honestly, because if you don't put out the $5,000, you are less than nothing to them. The uplines will do and say anything to get your money. They will tell you that their biggest earners started out in debt. They will "teach" you how to use "other people's money" to get rich yourself. They [may] make "deals" with you so that you can be a manager or supervisor at a "reduced rate." ($3,000 instead of $5,000, etc.) They'll tell you that the current 9-5 job system is failing, and MLM is the wave of the future. I'm convinced that most of them are in debt themselves.

Copyright © Rick Ross