| The internet is a large place, and there are many | | | | fee, up to the amount of a member's estimated |
| people who wish it were a great deal smaller, at least | | | | payouts, something that could easily wipe out any |
| when it comes to getting basic functions like web | | | | good profits. |
| service, mail and general browsing met. There have | | | | There started being some mutterings about Going |
| been many so-called internet malls out there, sites | | | | Platinum when it was revealed that the grand |
| that would, for a small price, offer to take a lot of | | | | opening, which some subscribers had been waiting |
| the complexity out of the internet while retaining its | | | | quite some time to see, was delayed and then |
| great usability. Going Platinum was one of these malls, | | | | delayed again. This made many of the people who |
| but under an onslaught of various legal suits and | | | | had signed up justifiably nervous and it made other |
| issues, it has proved as problematic as any other | | | | people reject the opportunity entirely. Another |
| such organization. There are still many mentions of | | | | warning sign that warded many people off was the |
| Going Platinum on the internet, and it is important to | | | | fact that the company had broken off its relationship |
| look at this opportunity in terms of what it | | | | with CompuBank, an online bank with a good |
| represents to the industry as a whole. | | | | reputation that was based in Texas. The bank closed |
| The setup of Going Platinum was a fairly simple one. | | | | its relationship with this company shortly after the |
| Essentially, in order to get involved and take the | | | | company was due to open, making many people |
| advantage of the opportunities that were offered, | | | | nervous about what was going on at the time. |
| the people involved had to pay a sign up fee of | | | | Although there has been no settlement at this time, |
| twenty five dollars. Then, ideally, the person would | | | | Going Platinum had a complaint filed against it at the |
| go and recruit others, gaining a substantial amount of | | | | district court of Pennsylvania on the basis of it being |
| their signup fee as a recruiting bonus. To prevent the | | | | a pyramid scheme. The complaint states that over |
| allegations of the system being a pyramid scheme, it | | | | the course of three years, the company made 2.4 |
| was basically said that the pay was simply a bonus, | | | | million dollars in the sale of investments, and that |
| but many people didn't see it that way. | | | | about 1 million of that money went to pay the |
| One of the issues that Going Platinum faced was the | | | | people who were investing in it at the beginning. This |
| fact that the enlistment bonuses were graduated in a | | | | closely matches the operation of a pyramid scheme, |
| certain way. The initial proposal, that people who | | | | though there has been no new information as of yet. |
| enrolled 39 other people received about a 40 percent | | | | There were many issues with the Going Platinum, but |
| profit from the signup money did sound good. Then | | | | with a little bit of research, you can see some of the |
| they were introduced to the Membership Fees, which | | | | warning signs that you should look out for when it |
| stated that the company would subtract a monthly | | | | comes to a company like this. |