ITV Ventures Business Opportunity

I am so excited about ITV Ventures that I am building a “Getting Started” training website.

Yes, indeed.

I heard back from my sponsor who attended the ITV Ventures convention earlier this month. He was amazed at how professional it was - lots of real substance and little of the “Rah-Rah” one would expect at a meeting of network marketing people.

It looks like 2007 will mark the emergence of one of the greatest network marketing programs ever…one that is backed by a successful multi-million dollar company, that does not require you to keep a bunch of inventory in stock nor deal with shipping, that develops leads for you via its nationally broadcast infomercials (so you don’t have to bother yoyr freinds and family), that helps you build your downline with the concept of ’spill’; and that introduces new products every month so you have an ever expanding market to go after.

This my first go at MLM or network marketing. There is just so much to the ITV Ventures opportunity I couldn’t resist. If you want to see how I’m doing, you can check out my blog on my website.

ITV Ventures is a MAJOR rip-off. It was started by a conman (Trudeau) and his protege (Donald Barrett)

For such a “New” company…I have NEVER seen so many complaints by consumers.

You MUST investigate this BEFORE you EVER think about it…if you do not…it is YOUR own fault.

FTC sues infomercial company; Lawsuit: Weight-loss claims in Beverly-made commercial not true

BEVERLY - An infomercial made in Beverly and now showing around the country claims people can shed pounds easily and then keep the weight off while “eating everything they want, anytime they want.”

The federal government says none of it is true and has gone to court to try to stop the infomercial.

The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit Friday against Direct Marketing Concepts Inc. and ITV Direct, which film their infomercials in a TV studio in their offices at Cherry Hill Park.

The FTC, which works to prevent consumer fraud, is targeting the companies’ marketing of a book called “The Weight Loss Cure ‘They’ Don’t Want You to Know About.”

The infomercial features an interview with the book’s author, Kevin Trudeau, by Donald Barrett, a Saugus native who co-owns ITV Direct with Robert Maihos of Beverly. Barrett and Maihos have both been named in the FTC’s lawsuit.

Barrett, the company’s founder and president, did not return a phone call seeking comment.

In the infomercial, Trudeau says the book’s diet is easy and can be done at home. But the FTC said the diet is actually a “complex, grueling plan that requires severe dieting (and) daily injections of a prescription drug that consumers cannot easily obtain.”

Trudeau also tells viewers that 85 percent of the people who have lost weight on the diet can eat “everything they want, anytime they want” and still keep the weight off.

“They have beer, they drink wine, they drink alcohol. They have cheese, they have omelettes, they have toast, they have butter, they have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. They have desserts. Not diet ice cream. I’m talking real ice cream,” Trudeau says in the infomercial, according to the FTC’s lawsuit.

The FTC says that, in fact, people who lose weight on the plan must continue to adhere to “lifelong dietary restrictions.”

The 30-minute infomercial has aired on national cable networks, such as the Beauty & Fashion network, since January. Viewers are encouraged to call a toll-free number to buy the book, which costs $29.95, plus shipping and handling.

The FTC filed the lawsuit in federal court in Boston. In its complaint, the agency says consumers have suffered “substantial monetary loss and possible injury to their health” due to the deceptive infomercial.

This is not the first time ITV Direct has come under scrutiny. The FTC sued the company three years ago for allegedly making deceptive advertising claims for two dietary supplements and for billing consumers’ credit cards without authorization. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction that prohibits the company from advertising the products pending the outcome of a trial.

ITV Direct has also been the subject of numerous complaints from customers, according to the Better Business Bureau. The complaints include failing to deliver products or honor refunds, making unauthorized credit charges, and using dishonest sales practices.

ITV Direct operates a call center in its office at Cherry Hill Park, where 200 employees take telephone calls from people who watch the company’s infomercials. The company opened a second call center last year in Biddeford, Maine.

The FTC has also filed a separate complaint against the book’s author, Trudeau, a Lynn native who has sold millions of alternative medicine books and has served time in prison for fraud and larceny.

TV vs. FTC

What the infomercial says: “According to the doctors, 85 percent of the people that have gone through the protocol, a year later don’t gain the weight back. Even though they’re eating everything they want, anytime they want, and they’re not on a diet.”

What the Federal Trade Commission says: People on the diet must eat “only 100 percent organic food … for the rest of your life.”

What the infomercial says: “You can do it out of your home.”

What the FTC says: The diet requires daily injections of a prescription drug called human chorionic gonadotropin (Pregnant Women’s Urine) for three to six weeks under the supervision of a licensed health care practitioner. The drug has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe and effective for weight loss. (It is also against the law in the U.S.A.)

Source: Complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Boston by Federal Trade Commission

Matthew Adams

Hey Matthew Adams,

Are you the same Matthew Adams who posted this just one month earlier on rip off report:

“It sounds to me that you are a frustrated ex employee who couldn’t meet the requirements of working for ITV. I have an affiliation with ITV and am completely satisfied with all my experiences with them. As I read several of these complaints with many looking to be from the same person or simply from the FDA in disguise to try and debunk Kevin Trudeau’s claims, there’s something you might want to keep in mind. ITV does not have anything to do with Kevin Trudeau and his Natural Cures claims especially if ordering from the ‘Natural Cures ‘ sight. Itv is a very reputable company and shouldn’t be scrutinized because of unfortunate experiences with another company or individual.
Matthew Adams”

What, did you get frustrated because you actually had to do some “work” to be successful in a home business? Is that why you changed your story after a month later?

ITV Ventures is a great company, and yes, it’s parent company, ITV Direct, did have some problems with the FTC and the FDA. The government is more than happy to oblige the pharma companies and approve drugs that kill thousands of people (Vioxx, Phen Phen, many more) but talk about anything natural, and you’re in big trouble.

ITV is the most legitimate home business I have ever seen. You tell me one other business out there that allows for you to co-op the media and get people calling you, at home, already sold on the products. Every other business out there relies on “talking to your friends, make a list of 100 people you know, blah blah blah.”

It’s a joke! 98% of home businesses never allow for you to make a dime because you are dependent on the “warm market” to make money. Also, they are scams because you can never make a living by retailing product. With ITV, you can make a great living just retailing product only!

Every good company out there has complaints, and if you notice, 99% of the complaints are centered around Kevin Trudeau. Kevin does not have ownership in the company. ITV was just a marketing company that sold his books.

Yeah ITV has crap products. If interested in health products go with a REAL company that has a better reputation. One that has actual research.

Nice language, Tracey. I’ll be sure to take my advice from you. I can speak from experience that ITV products work. Flex Protex has relieved all of my arthritis pain and Lipistat has lowered my cholesterol of 50 points in 1 year. I am on these 2 products for life. I am considering the business, saw this post, and thought it would be awful if someone could be helped by Flex Protex or Lipistat and didn’t try it because of you. Now go wash your mouth out with soap.

So what are the start up costs with this home business. I read somewhere that you had to pay 499 for some starter kit. I’m always very skeptical when they make the “partner” the customer and sell to them. Had a very bad experience with vector marketing and the knives all employees have to buy from them.
Also I heard they give your home phone number out and instead of getting calls from enthusiastic people to place orders…you get people calling to complain and asking for their money back. I think ITV may be better than some other companies, but all the ITV employees or paid posters can not deny the controversy regarding repeated unauthorized credit card charges people are complaining about. From my research it is almost impossible to stop receiving something that does not even work. That is extremely shady and the reason why I would never call ITV for a product even if they were selling oil for 20 dollars a barrel because it would probably be an empty barrel and I would be charged again and again

Please do not have anything to do with ITV. I worked directly under the owner of the company (Donald Barrett) for almost 2 years as an assistant/and media buyer. This is a dishonest person, who has no character and integrity. His main goal in life is to get rich and has nothing to do with helping people. I am not surprised to see the lawsuits against him. I knew it would happen one day. The sad thing is, I’m sure the lawsuits won’t stop him from continuing. He’ll stay open under another name I have no doubt.

Hey Christine….you are right on!! Do we know each other?? I was there til April 06′

Just a quick comment. I fell for this company, and as you may or may not know, Donald Barrett is now changing the entire company into a new company that cost alot more. There is no more ITV.

In my opinion, he got a bunch of people to join ITV ventures, then when he saw how much money he was making, he decided he wanted to charge more. He has shown a pattern of greed in all his business dealings. He is now showing his greed by putting all the hard working IBO’s in his company out of business, and either they join his new company, or they find something else.

For myself, I am looking for something new. I have not found anything out there yet. Seems that so many people are dishonest and greedy. This is why MLM gets such a bad rap and makes people avoid joining.

Liz