Saturday, August 18, 2012

Is ACN really a scam?


Is ACN a Scam?



I was once an IBO for ACN. They make out to be this great company and state, "You Will Earn Money". Personally, I never made a dime from ACN, but I do know others who have. I'm writing to share my experiences with ACN and also to share what they don't tell you in those meetings they have.

What is ACN?

ACN is the world's largest direct marketing telecommunications company. is a company where you sell services such as cable, energy, phones, etc.. When you sign up you can sell their services to yourself or other companies and make profit off their bill they pay each month. It sounds very good since everybody pays their bills. The only problem is that you have to convince someone to switch over to a different company or cancel their existing companies just to sign up. 

The company works in stages. You won't make money unless you get people under you. You have to sell 7 services and have at least 2 people under you in order to make money. Now what if you sell 10 services and have 1 person under you. You won't make any income off until you get your second person. 

Is it a scam?

Well I would have to say no its not a scam, it is a real company. It is extremely difficult to make money though. I don't care what anybody argues, it is a MLM (Multi-Level Marketing) company. 
  • A big indicator here is the $499 sign up fee. Now you pay that and think your done. Well actually that's just the first of many things you'll be buying into the company. When you sign up your sponsor is going to tell you that you must get the back office for an additional $30 a month.


  • They don't tell you this up front but when you sign up they schedule you to do a meeting at your place. At first you think why? Well because it is a MLM (multi-level marketing) company. They focus more to get you to sell the items you thought you would be selling AFTER you get people under you. The worst part of it all is that they talk you through how you are supposed to call people, because ACN has a flawless plan on how to talk to people over the phone. That was sarcastic. They tell you to make up a list of people 100 people to call. 


My Experience and Struggles. 

Here's how my first meeting went. I called about 25 people (all I could think of), 14 said they would come, only 9 actually did come. So 9 were sitting there talking and having snacks and then the regional vice president comes in and does his thing. Right after he was done he went straight to being a used car salesmen like he was before he signed up. No one signed up and then they started to leave. Now the big regional vice president comes over and tries to get me to make another house meeting appointment. Like I called everyone I knew already I have no one else to call. I told him to wait till next week and I'll give him an answer. He litterally called me 3 times a day for 10 days straight.  

See the hardest part of this company is that you must fill 2 spots under you and sell 7 services to get qualified. Once you run out of people to call, then what? I gave up on the company and didn't bother ruining my relationships with my friends. I have read to many stories about people conning their friends into it so that they can make money. Friends can turn on you in an instant.  
  1. I could not sell one product to save my life. I already cancelled my $30 a month back office they forced me into signing up for. Why would I pay for something when I have nobody to view in it and no products sold to view.
  2. They say it takes time to become successful in this business. Yeah, right. Your own team leaders sell you business cards, flyers, everything you can think of they try and get you to use to sell those products. Because remember they're not making money if your not making money. 
  3. You have to depend on people. I hate to say it. I hate to depend on people, it seems like they always seem to let you down. There is one or two people that will stick through but most of the time nope. You must depend on them to not only sell products but to get people under them as well. The only way to move up the ladder is to get people to sign up other people as well as get qualified. 
  4. If you get two people under you one that gives up and doesn't bother getting qualified and then the other person gets qualified but can't get anyone under them. You have to look to get a 3rd person under you. Once again on the recruitment process. If they fail and don't do anything, where do you go from there?
  5. Don't buy anything from the company for yourself unless you are absolutely certain you will get qualified and those two people under you. Otherwise, you wasted your money because you have to sign these big two year contracts.  
  6. Also, the thing that I always see are debates about ACN. I mean it is for some people and for others its not. Of course people that strive to become this super rich ACN Rep will comment saying that it is the best company in the world, they don't want people to go to the site and say scam, I won't join it, and tell them they won't join their team. Like I said before, they depend on people. 
  7. Is ACN a scam?  I would have to say no. If you are persistent and you work very hard at selling your products as well as recruiting people under you then you will very well make a little money. 

Those are just my opinion's and statements on the experiences I have had with ACN. I know most people will have different experiences some will have the same. Leave some comments on what you think. Remember number 6 when you read these comments. 

10 comments:

  1. Thank you for your article, I believe your being honest in your assessment. I'm sorry to hear you had a bad experience and feel you were deceived a little. I'm an ACN rep and I do believe in the business, but also have problems with the way some do it. There is a different way, you can be in this business and not have to try and deceive people. Just visit my blog - ACNIBO.Blogspot - and read for yourself, there is no opt-in email, all the information on ACN is open and free, the way it should be.

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  2. Thanks Greg. This was sincere and helpful. I am just amazed that this company still functions. Their profit margins are so low with the actual service. It is really the sign up fee for $499 and the annual fee of $149 and the $30/mo for the back end office. At one time I was making an internet company and $30/mo for each participant would run my whole company. I'm not saying our venture was small. I'm saying $30/mo is a bunch of money to work with if you have a large group paying you. So that is really how ACN makes their money.

    In that way, it is a classic pyramid scheme. The $499 is paid and then you go find two more to do the same. And on it goes. Anybody remember Airplane? You paid $2K to get into that one.

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  3. haha here's mine: I moved back to australia and was sort of dating this guy I had met before. He picked me up at the airport (14 hour flight) and I told him I need a phone, right away. Like, a real phone. He kept insisting that I buy a prepaid optus sim card and borrow his old phone- I had never heard of ACN, now he was going to try to sell me a phone and services. He went at it so hard we almost had row outside the phone shop and I was crying. I was about to buy a smartphone but he talked me out of it until I could look at his products. Where were they? On a stupid, static, difficult to navigate website. Mail order a phone?? I said aw hell no. So of course now that I had his ancient phone I had to buy a gps, right away, so now I have two paperweights. I was at his house using his (turtle slow) internet and there on his desk was their wonderful video phone. WOW!! My dad had that very same phone in his office in 1999!! absolutely seriously. I was starting to think this guy was dumb as a brick but then when I didn't want sex or acn, well I quit hearing from him. hahaha

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  4. You quit after 1 meeting? I'm sorry you got into the business thinking it would be as easy just getting 2 people signed up to do the business for you. The fact is MLM is a skill and leadership based business. First, learn the skills. The 3 basic general skills are Invite, present, and train. After you learn the skills use them. This is called leading. The goal is to achieve leverage through duplication. People don't do what they are told, they do what they see. An organization that duplicates doing only 1 meeting per IBO is doomed. 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, and sometimes even 1 year is not enough time to learn the skills and build a big residual income. I'm not in ACN but have an uncle who has been involved with them for 2 years and earned $100,000+ plus in his first year. He has had great results, but he has also busted his ass putting in between 4-10 hours a day 5-7 days a week. I'm not involved with ACN because I choose to promote health products (its more fulfilling to me). I would highly sugest you take another serious look at MLM (ACN or any other company) as a reall business oportunity. The fact is MLM has grown 19 out of the 20 years and I predict at least %80 of people will be involved in the next 5 years. Either as a business owner or at least a customer. Think about it. If someone you know is in MLM and they have a product that has quality and is at a competitive price, and you are in that market... why wouldn't you buy from them? Retail is on the decline. MLM and online is on the rise.

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  5. Here's my thoughts on ACN. I had a dear friend call and ask for a "favor". I immediately said yes, even though I was cooking dinner. She then said she had a business meeting, some important people from the company would be there and some participants dropped out, could I please come. I said yes and went to the meeting as a "favor". Four people and two ACN people are there. After the presentation, while talking to her, I said I came because she said she needed a "favor". It then spills out that was purposely said to get me there. So not only do they have scam artist Donald Trump shilling for them, they have my dear friend deceiving me on purpose. Since she has called asking for the video and brochure back because I am not joining and asking for my business. I checked and I will not be getting better rates on my electric, so another deception. Perhaps I need to rethink my idea of a dear friend.

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  6. I think ACN is a scam very well made. On the outside it doesn't actually look like it is a pyramid scheme, but when you look at it closer it's obvious something shady is going on... I'm not trying to convince anyone, but at least look into it a little bit before trusting anyone promising you quick money.

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    Replies
    1. Check out http://acnpyramidscheme.com for a more in-depth analysis

      Delete
  7. Your website is very amazing! This blog post is nicely written, thanks for sharing this very valuable information. wealth generators, i'm sure it's going to help me create wealth much easier since I can implement it what I read today on this to my daily life and my business.

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    John Wealth
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    ReplyDelete
  8. Your website is very amazing! This blog post is nicely written, thanks for sharing this very valuable information. wealth generators, i'm sure it's going to help me create wealth much easier since I can implement it what I read today on this to my daily life and my business.

    Warm regards,
    John Wealth
    wealth generators wealth generators compensation plan wealth generators

    ReplyDelete
  9. At the moment ACN is causing some serious problems in my relationship. My partner is totally brainwashed by all of the motivational stories and is adamant he can make it work. He tried to force me to join and when I refused he said I did trust him etc....He attends 3 meeting a week, spends all day trying to recruit people and get services. It's painful to watch and if I say anything I'm being negative and sceptical. The only thing I can do is wait this out because he won't listen to reason :(

    ReplyDelete