http://www.cocs.com/amway/detect.html
How to Spot an Amway Distributor
Below is a list of behaviors and characteristics that Amway
distributors commonly exhibit. If someone you know exhibits a few of
these characteristics, there may be cause to worry. But if the
person exhibits ALL (or most) of the characteristics, they are very
probably approaching you to look at the Amway business.
Whatever you do, NEVER, EVER give your telephone number or home
address to someone you suspect is a distributor. You might be able
to get that distributor to stop calling you, but chances are, he has
given your telephone number to everyone in his upline. Without
knowing (and without your permission), any number of people will
call you offering to "answer any questions you may have." Also keep
in mind that some distributors are so desperate to build their
business, that (having only your address) they will go to the
trouble of hunting down your home telephone number using the phone
book or the Internet.
These behaviors have been donated by a number of contributors.
Here are some general questions that can "give away" an Amway
distributor:
Has an old friend from high school called you recently and asked to
meet with you for no particular reason or for a "vague" reason?
Does someone want to just have lunch with you about a "business
opportunity?"
Does someone in your church that you never had lunch with before
all of a sudden wants to take you to lunch?
Is there a group of people in your church who all sit together,
dress the same way, and after church stand together talking, but
every once in a while their group seems to grow?
Is there an "exclusive" group of people in your company that always
goes to lunch together, yet is growing?
Are you tempted to call a number that is on a "tear-off notice" on
a public bulletin board at the post office, grocery store, or
restaurant?
Does a fellow employee that you never talk to suddenly want to meet
with you?
Have you been invited to a meeting to look at "a business
opportunity" but the details have not been explained to your
satisfaction?
Does an acquaintence strongly want to get you involved with a
business that is "really going places, but you have to get it in on
it now or you'll miss out?"
At church, here are some "warning signs":
If someone talks about being "free" so you can "make contributions
to the church" and "the Lord's work".
If someone talks about how they or someone "in the business" came
"to the Lord" through "the business" or "this business".
If someone keeps "rebuking" you to "talk positively", "think
positively", or "be positive".
If someone keeps telling you that you are a "winner" and "God's
gift to all mankind".
If someone is into "positive confession", "speak things into
existence", "name it and claim it", "Positive Thinking",
"Possibility Thinking", or is into the following authors:
Charles Capps
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Hagin
E.W. Kenyon
Edwin Cole
Jerry Saville,
John Avanzini
Paul (or David) Yongi Cho
Paul Crouch
Pat Robertson
Steve Covey
Napoleon Hill
W. Clement Stone
Robert Schuller
Robert Tilton
Paul Crouch
Norman Vincent Peale
If you are new to a church and someone befriends you, calls you
"brother" or "sister", smiles and acts like they are glad to see
you, and always asks you how things are going, they may be a true
Christian or they may be a distributor.
If any Christian you know tends to be into the charismatic or
superficial evangelical movements, and/or they are into "Bible
Churches".
If any Christian or other person tries to tell you about a buying
service where customers can save "30%" (or more) of goods and
services, or that they can offer goods and services from over (fill
in large number) companies.
If you are offered tapes to listen to, books to read, or videos to
watch that cover any of the above topics, persons, "theologies",
teachings, etc.
If anyone approaches you in the church to discuss "business" or a
"business opportunity" of any kind.
If anyone in church asks for your help on a project such as helping
them put their computer system together, or to "fellowship in the
Lord", and when you get to their home they start in about "looking
over a business opportunity", joining a "Christian business", or
"wouldn't you like to make extra money to give to the Lord's work",
etc.
If anyone says it is "God's will" for you to prosper, be
successful, be rich, etc.
You might be approached by a distributor if the following phrases
are brought up with little or no introduction:
"the business"
"a business opportunity"
"God has blessed me though the business he has given me"
"the lord has given me a ministry in my business"
"don't you want your wife to come home from work and be there for
your children?"
"shouldn't you be the provider for your household?"
"don't you want your husband to be the spiritual leader of your
household?"
"aren't you tired of working on a time clock?"
"don't you want to be your own boss?"
"you need to let the free enterprise system work for you"
Here are some common lines used by distributors. If you hear any of
these, you should get away as quickly as possible.
Lines used for contacting/ approaching:
"Do you ever look at other ways of making money?"
"Maybe you can help me, I'm in the process of expanding a business
in the area and I'm looking for a.. um... a go-getter type. Do you
KNOW anybody like that?"
"Do you know anyone who might be interested in making a couple-
extra of thousand dollars a month working 8 to 10 hours a week?"
"I was wondering if you could give me your opinion on a business
I'm looking at. I really value your opinion and could use your
input."
"Hi, this is John. I was telling you about the business I am in the
process of expanding and you ASKED me to give you a call."
Lines used to deflect/ disguise the business is Amway:
"We work with (Diamond's full name), who owns (Diamond's last name) Enterprises, out of (Diamond's town). He owns his own consumer
distribution company. Maybe you've heard of them?"
"Well, sure, we do sell Amway products, but that's only about 20%
of what we sell. Everything else comes from over 2,000 other
companies, most of which are 'Fortune 500'."
"Naw, it's not Amway, it's (InterNet Services or WWDB or INA). We
only use Amway to move products."
"Amway?! No, this is Quixtar- it's entirely different."
"No, it's not Amway." (An out-right lie that some distributors may
use to get people to sign up.)
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