YTB NEWS

TV News broadcast about California going after YTB for being a scam.

2008-08-10T12:02:00.002-06:00

Illinois Attorney General Opens Investigation of YTB

2008-08-07T12:03:00.002-06:00

The Illinois Atttorney General announced today that they have openned an investigation into YTB, and that they are cooperating with the California Attorney Generals investigation and lawsuit.

YTB sued by California Atty General for being Pyramid Scheme

2008-08-05T03:54:00.001-06:00

Embargoed Until 10:00 p.m. Pacific Time on August 4, 2008
Contact: California Attorney General's Press Office 916-324-5500

Ca. Atty. Gen. Brown Sues To Topple Online Pyramid Scheme

LOS ANGELES--California Attorney General Edmund G. Brown Jr. today sued YourTravelBiz.com for operating a gigantic pyramid scheme that recruited tens of thousands of members with deceptive claims that members could earn huge sums of money through its online travel agencies.

“YourTravelBiz.com operates a gigantic pyramid scheme that is immensely profitable to a few individuals on top and a complete rip-off for most everyone else,” Attorney General Brown said. “Today’s lawsuit seeks to shut down the company’s unlawful operation before more people are exploited by the scam.”

YourTravelBiz.com and its affiliates operate an illegal pyramid scheme that only benefits members if and when they find enough new members to join the scam. Once enrolled, members who join the pyramid scheme earn compensation for each new person they enlist, regardless of whether they sell any travel. The company lures new members by offering huge income opportunities through online travel agencies yet the typical person actually makes nothing selling travel.

According to company records there were over 200,000 members in 2007 who typically pay more than $1,000 per year--$449.95 to set up an “online travel agency” with a monthly fee of $49.95. In 2007, only 38 percent of the company’s members made any travel commissions. For the minority of members who made any travel commission in 2007, the median income was $39.00--less than one month’s cost to keep the Website. There are at least 139,000 of the company’s travel Websites, all virtually identical, on the Internet.

YourTravelBiz’s extensive marketing materials include videos of people driving Porsches and other luxury cars, holding ten-thousand dollar checks, and claiming to be raking in millions of dollars in profits. The company advertises through its Website www.ytb.com, and at conventions, workshops and nationwide sales meetings which have been held in California locations such as Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco and San Diego.

Brown charges the company, its affiliates, and the company’s founders J. Lloyd Tomer, J. Scott Tomer, J. Kim Sorensen and Andrew Cauthen with operating an “endless chain scheme,” an unlawful pyramid in which a person pays money for the chance to receive money by recruiting new members to join the pyramid. Brown also charges the company with unfair business practices and false advertising practices including:

* Deceptive claims that members can earn millions of dollars with the company
* Operating without filing legally mandated documents with the attorney general and the Department of Corporations
* Selling an illegal travel discount program

Under California’s unfair business practices statute, the company is liable for $2,500 per violation of law. Attorney General Brown is suing YourTravelBiz.com to get a court order that:

* Bars the company from making false or misleading statements
* Assesses a civil penalty of at least $15,000,000 and at least $10,000,000 in restitution for Californians who were ripped off by the company.

From August 6 through 10, thousands of members are preparing to travel to St. Louis for a national convention to learn new techniques to recruit more victims into the illegal pyramid scheme. Last year at least 10,000 people attended a similar national conference. For more details on the company’s plan to perpetuate its scheme visit:
http://www.yourtravelbiz.com/bizRep/BizReports/BIZREPORT_07-18-08.htm

For more information on pyramid schemes visit:
http://ag.ca.gov/consumers/general/pyramid_schemes.php

Any consumers who believe they have been bilked by YTB should send a written complaint with copies of any supporting documentation to:

Office of the Attorney General
Public Inquiry Unit, P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550

Or through an on-line complaint form:
http://ag.ca.gov/contact/complaint_form.php?cmplt=CL.

Today’s lawsuit against YourTravelBiz.com, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court today, is attached. The lawsuit also names affiliates which include YTB Travel Network, Inc., YTB Travel Network of Illinois,Inc., as well as the company’s founders J. Lloyd Tomer, J. Scott Tomer, J. Kim Sorensen and Andrew Cauthen.

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2008-02-03T09:48:00.000-07:00

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Is YTB a good thing to join? Is YTB still a good business?

2007-12-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

I thought that you'd like to see these graphs (below) that shows ytb's travel booking website and business website traffic for the last couple of years and their stock performance (or lack there of). This information is from www.Alexa.com and from the ytbi.com website.

Notice, that even though they say that they have grown over 200% this year (both in RTA's and travel sales) that the web traffic continues to plunge. The company clearly peaked in January of 2007. If things are "exploding" at YTB.... where is the traffic? Why doesn't anything support that claim?

How many of the 130,000 RTA's are still active in YTB?

(just click on the graphs to enlarge)

Graph of YTB's stock performance

2007-12-17T12:33:00.000-07:00

(click on graph to enlarge)

Consumer Alert: Is YTB a scam? Your Travel Biz

2007-12-05T15:03:00.001-07:00

What is YTB all about? Are they a scam? Do people really make money with YTB? Is YTB a good company? Should I join YTB?

IATA terminates YTB Travel Credentials IATAN Your Travel Biz

2007-12-05T14:59:00.001-07:00

Why did IATA terminate YTB's travel credentials? Why is YTB being called a "card mill"? Is YTB loosing their travel credentials with IATA serious? And what about IATAN? What about the travel agent discounts? Is YTB in trouble?

Royal Caribbean terminates relationship with YTB

2007-12-05T14:54:00.001-07:00

Why did Royal Caribbean terminate YTB? Will they change their mind? What about YTB vs. RCCL?

YTB Stock issues: Why is the price so low?

2007-12-05T14:53:00.001-07:00

YTBLA stock commentary on YTB stock.

Consumer Alert: Is YTB a scam? Your Travel Biz

2007-12-05T14:52:00.001-07:00

Is YTB a scam? What is YTB all about? Is YTB for real?