I have received this e-mail from Russel Brunson:
-----------------------------------------------------
Hey ....

Yes, I paid him $1,000 for a 1 hour phone call.

That one hour call resulted in over $50,000 in revenue within 7
days, and is now responsible for almost $100k a WEEK (yes, a week)
consistently in revenues...

Would you like to hear that call? I actually recorded it for my
own personal uses, but am willing to give you a copy...

On one condition -

That same marketer is retiring and GIVING away his famous seminar
for only $1.00.
If you signup for his seminar, I'll send you a copy of the mp3 from
my call.

Just follow these 2 simple steps:

1st - signup for his workshop for $1 here:

hxxp://m219.infusio*nsoft.com/go/mattretires/rb/

2nd - in 30 days I'll get Matt to export a list of everyone who
bought through my link and I'll send you a copy of the mp3!

Yup - it's that easy.

Here's the link again:
hxxp://m219.infusio*nsoft.com/go/mattretires/rb/

Thanks,
Russell Brunson
----------------------------------------------------


I did my own research and found that, Matt Bacak is considered to be an expert in leads generation area. So, I've decided to spend a $1 and give him a try. I carefully declined ALL his upsell offers and got this "nice" email as a result of subscribing to "his famous seminar".

-----------------------------------------------------
SAVE THIS EMAIL FOR YOUR RECORDS

Hi ...

Thank you for ordering Matt Bacak Retires!

What you may not realize is you just got your hands on one of the most valuable training programs in existence anywhere -- and at any price.

You can login to your account at:
hxxp://www.promoting*tips.com/retires/

Username: take
Password: action

==============================
IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING DIRT
==============================

As part of the $1 Matt Bacak Retires Package you will receive a free issue of Matt's offline print newsletter, INTERNET MARKETING DIRT!

Your first free issue will be in your mailbox soon.

We know you'll find the information valuable because we make it easy!

Each month on the 12th you will be billed $29.97 just before the issue ships. If you wish to stop receiving Matt's most powerful strategies that he's using to make millions in 2008 or need to change your mailing address or billing info, just email thedirt@powerfulpromoter.com.

TO MASSIVE PROFITS!

Matt Bacak, Founder
Frontier Marketing Int'l

PS: You can also profit immediately by promoting this hot-selling offer as an affiliate...

See the full details below and take action:
=> hxxp://www.promoting*tips.com/retires/

Username: take
Password: action
-------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------

Personally, I found this (to subscribe me to something without my explicit consent) DISGUSTING!!!

Please BE WARNED!

Advertise

wtf???????

Hey Blackwarrior, you are right (that is disgusting)

Joel Comm did the same thing (auto subscription for $29.95 a month
to some crap) when you bought his Adsense guide 4th edition, and
apparently people have been pretty pissed off about it..

is there any chance we could hear that Russel Brunson interview?

To boomboomer: bother to read?
if not - what is the point to post?

Hi TheStickiest,

sure, I'll PM the interview to you, if I'll get it in 30 days, as promised...

And good luck trying to cancel the offer at that email address.. Let us know how that works out for you..

anyone capable of making over 100k a week has better shit (id assume, i know i would) to do then sell voice recording for $1. sorry, epic fail.

Hey blackhatwarrior,

I should have been more explicit to indicate what the 'wtf' was directed at!
It wasn't directed at your post but at the email that you received.

Thnx Blackwarrior. I always hear about Russel Brunson but i dont think i have never seen or heard any of his stuff

Beware of all $1 to try programs. Usually these end very soon in a recurring billing. Adult sites use this trick since G*d knows how many years. The secret of this trick is an almost irresistible offer, with unnoticeable small print about the recurring billing part of the offer. Many of the enrolled clients forget to cancel the recurring billing subscriptions before it happens to see their card charged a few times. Hence this is the essence of the method, suppliers don't even bother to add valuable content to the subscription, but they add some quantity of crap just to say they delivered something.

__________________

I was also pissed off about Matt Bacak's content, just I didn't ordered, but I found his link through search engine. And there are so many others selling sh*t, that BHW's shit list wouldn't be enough to post about all of them, but eventually you could make a full portal site about all the sh*t sold for naive people who don't recognize the scam.

I recommend to search first for information through search engines before stuffing self-declared guru's valet. In many cases you can get your desired information for free.

Thats the oldest trick in the book.

Did you read the sales page before you ordered?

It says right where you order you will be billed for his monthly program. There is nothing tricky about this. Just open your eyes and read next time.

I've got response from Matt Bacak and it says that my subscription was canceled.

Well, I think you are right on this -> This is my fault, I HAVE FAILED to read the small print.

Now, I've analyzed and summarized what happen and why I was REALLY pissed off by the guy, and as I just have found I am not alone: hxxp://www.search*tempoblog.com/index.php/beware-the-matt-bacak-retires-internet-scam-its-not-1-its-us2797-per-month/
So, I guess I am not a complete loss

Anyway, there are a lot of $hit around, but certain things I hate with passion. I do not have anything against Matt Bacak, I think he is not a bad guy but I do have a problem with the sales tactics he used. What he actually did, I call: "trust manipulation". Let see steps on the setup:
1. He got recommended
2. Nothing in e-mail says about any subscriptions
3. First think on the page: He convincing you that it is not about money but about going after "bad students" that ripped him off (poor Matt gets sympathy here)
4. It is not even about $1 dollar you pay, Matt will donate it to charity! (WOW, what a great guy!)
5. The radars are off... World is such a wonderful place and I donating $1 dollar to the charity with the Matt's help and getting his wonderful seminar...
6. And at the last, I finding out, that it is about money (We knew it from the beginning, right?)...

THAT kind of setups is what I hate with the passion!

Yes this is for Matt Bacak retirement not yours ! :-)

Russell Brunson is the master of signing up people for stuff that is
billed monthly.

Then it is next to impossible to get him to quit billing you, I will
NEVER EVER again have anything to do with any thing he is selling
or "giving" away for only a $1...

tomren

.

I was one of the guy paying him $1 for charity....

Anyway, did anyone get the Matt Bacak video link to work? Every single one of them failed on me

All Links but last one work, though I did not have time watch videos, just checked and downloaded stuff

I will post direct links tohight

Blackwarrior,

I can understand why you would be frustrated at his marketing tactics. I guess you can call them "Blackhat".

Personally, I see nothing wrong with them. Yes, hes a smart marketer.

I don't believe his sales letter mentioned the monthly subscription, but when you went to pay for his products it clearly states you are signing up to his monthly subscription and its not in small print. Just cancel the subscription, its that easy. Or cancel your card to be 100% sure.

Donating to charity is a slick tactic many marketers use to get the sale and thats a great method to use.

For $1 you are getting way more then your moneys worth and its a great deal. You even get 1 month of his newsletter absolutely free!

Its funny how people call it a "scam" when they are just being ignorant.
I guess people just did an "impulse buy" since it was only 1$ and didn't bother to read the sales page or examine it and thats their fault. Its sad how much people complain about everything.

If a newsletter doesn't bring me any profit, but it steals my time only, then how much is it's worth?

How will you know what information will only steal your time before you even read it?

Is it a wise decesion not to do your research before you buy something or invest in something? Do you actually expect by reading a newsletter it will automatically fill your bank account with money? That would be faulty logic.

There are many people that benefit from newsletters and you may or may not be one of them.

Don't let fear hold you back from doing a little bit of reading.

And whats the point of your one liner?

Originally his sales page did not say anything about the monthly billing. He changed it afterwards because so many people were pissed.

I have insider contacts and he personally called Matt and told him he was running an illegal auto bill (or whatever you call it)...

That's when Matt updated the sales page and added the information.

Please, read my posts in regards to Matt Bacak carefully and IF you will find word "scam" at least once we will discuss it.

Yes, most people are ignorant and usually not pay much attention to what they are doing or talking about.

No, I am not perfect by any mean - but there is a thin line between manipulating systems and people, the first case I call blackhat, the second case I call evil.

Thanks a lot, for clarification, I thought I did NOT see the subscription clause, but decided do not mention that because was not sure...


And the direct links to Matt Bacak retires video, I promised:

hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd1.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd2.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd3.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd4.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd5.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd6.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd7.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd8.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd9.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd10.flv
hxxp://s3.amazo*naws.com:80/mbflv/cd11.flv

blackwarrior,

I agree with you, you didn't call it a scam and I didn't mean to direct that statment towards you. Other people were calling it a scam (not on this forum).

If he didnt put it on to decieve people then I don't agree with that at all.

But if someone is going to complain and call it a scam because they fail to read what they are recieving then they are ignorant and deserved to be charged.

Most people don't read legal documents before they sign let a lone a sales page.

I too find this appalling.

I thought the $1 was too good to be true. That's why I tried emailing Matt about it before I tried it out.

Never got a response.

That's when I asked the affiliate (Reed Floren) who told me about this irresistible offer. Luckily enough, Reed was actually honest with me from gate, and told me about the recurring billing of 29.97 per month. I respect Reed for that, at least...plus he gave me some helpful tips to help me get JV partners for my own affiliate programs.

Anyway, at least somebody online had a conscience to tell the truth, instead of hiding the fact that you would be billed later on for a paperback magazine.

It was just funny how the day after, Matt put up the disclaimer about the recurring billing. Most of these guys are frauds. You just have to align yourself with the honest ones...and there are very few.

I've tried to be honest with all my subscribers and members. I don't sell them junk, but rather ask them what do they want. I figure, instead of trying to sell them on a dream, I'll let them tell me what they want, so I can give it to them...whether or not I have to create a product for that purpose, or grab an affiliate link to a product that's already been created for their requests.


Anyway, Matt's a crook...no wonder he's retiring.

And to be honest, how is he retiring, when he's putting out a monthly publication? Doesn't that require WORK?! I thought when you retire, you stop WORKING.

I dunno...all I know is I didn't give him a dollar, period. I don't care if it goes to charity. I took that dollar and gave it to the greatest charity in the world...MY KIDS.


Enjoy yourself,
lordsirrah

Did anyone check the videos out?
After scanning through the videos I just deleted them. Not only was the video quality shitty, but it just felt out dated. The worse part was there was allot of fluff, and very noob stuff being given throughout . I would not even bother to watch all these videos in the hope of finding a morsel of good info.

hmm, seems like another guru type of program, on the works. No good info and pure fluff, thanks for the warning.

The info is OLD... no ANCIENT... as far as the Internet is concerned. It's just a way for a stale "guru" marketer who's sales have gone downhill (the story about how somebody was selling his *secrets* without approval is laughable) to get a new list, extract more money from newbies, and upsell his stuff. In this case it's his DIRT snail mail newsletter.

It's a waste of your time if you've been in the game for a few months.

I like money, though.

Frank

It didn't seem to matter that I canceled right away, got billed anyway. Also doesn't seem that you get a response when you send them email showing you canceled and ask for a refund. I've sent 3 emails so far over a 5 day period. Haven't heard back from them so far. Has anyone else had this problem?

Norman

ibnorm I think you got scammed. If you paid with cc you should make a chargeback claim.

I just checked my CC online - so far no any charges from them. Actually I've sent them "nice" letter, where I explained politely but very straight what do I think about this kind of practices and what would I do if they would charge my CC. They have answered it twice(!), assuring me that "it is cancelled" and, as I see, it is.

If they charged you, call your CC to start dispute right away and call their number on CC transaction as well.

What about the mp3?

Anyone get that?

Please post a link... Thanks!

At least in the adult industry its VERY EASY TO UNSUBSCRIBE AND CANCEL.
And mailing your "cancellation" to an email address is not legal as they can say they have not received your email!

Update, got refunded.

Everybody's favorite buddy, Matt, is still peddling his retirement. How long can this take I wonder?
Sadly, I bought into the $1 deal (forgive me, I'm a genuine newbie) and didn't see the $29 monthly charge until too late. So I'm going to try canceling using the link above, thanks for that, and see what happens. I don't give a rat's a-- about the $1, since it was supposed to go to Habitat anyway.
Might be interesting if we could find out just how much Mr. Generosity actually gave to Habitat. Anyone know how we might do this?

OK, I got an email for Habitat in New Orleans and asked them the question.
Also sent my cancellation request in, I'll let you know what happens.

Received an email from Habitat in New Orleans. Matt gave a cheque for over $30,000 to Habitat last year. I trust he will continue to donate the money he is still receiving.
No response to request for cancellation yet.

Thanks for the links. Is this the same "system" as his "Traffic Explosion System"? I just got an email from the wanna-be IM guru "Michael Jones" telling me that Matt Bacak was "giving away 500 copies of his Brand new CD called "Traffic Explosion
System." Wait a minute, wasn't he giving this same "brand new" system away for free back in 2007??

He does say on the next order page that if you order you'll be automatically billed $97 per month for some subscription. What a total pos bs confidence man!

Quote:

With this FREE CD, you are automatically enrolled in Matt Bacak's 'Internet Marketing Gold Membership' which includes Matt's monthly Dirt News combined with 4 Killer content CDs and access to live calls where you can get YOUR questions answered by Matt personally every week. It's only $97 a month

What you are looking at is called "Forced Continuity"

The problem is that he apparently failed to clearly state that you would be enrolled in the program and that is what people are pissed off about.

Funny thing is that very concept of CLEARLY stating your automatic billing is covered in the Forced Continuity course.

I would opt for CLEARLY stating that you will be automatically billed, rather than put it in small print. By hiding it, you are inviting trouble and destroying any kind of trust with the customer.

Doesn't seem worth it to lose all of those potential customers that you will lose when more and more posts come out about the "hidden charges"

I just got that same email from Michael Jones, or perhaps the next generation of it, this time being pitched as the "little known traffic secret".

Has anyone seen this, and does anyone know what the "little known secret" actually is?

Chesh

I saw the video. It sounds like it's PPV to me.

I can't believe all the haters out there about Matt Bacak. I've personally known him for over 8 years now and he's legit.

He's had massive growth with his company and had a few bumps in the road.

If you look at the marketing he does and applied it to what you do you'll have great success too.

For those of you that have an issue with the $1 offer read the fine print. It's always up front you just don't read what you're buying.

Matt has great stuff. I know he puts a lot of pressure on himself to deliver great content.

Chalk up the $1 and monthly billing to learning how his marketing funnel works and put it to work in your business.

Matt rocks and has helped a lot of people make great money over the last 8+ years.

I have bought lots of products and the single worst experience I had was Matt Bacak - he did hide the monthly subscription and he gave no way to easily cancel. I had to use my bank statement and the phone number on there and make numerous calls - I would say stay far away.

I've had mixed thoughts about Matt Bacak and his stuff. I didn't take anything new away from it that you can't get in basic tutorials and common sense thinking on your own. He offers the same rehashed crap that the rest of them do.

As for his offline mag promotion and subscription, that is a tactic that the stompernet boys tried with the stompernet 2.0 relaunch campaign. A free issue of the magazine and the first stomping the search engines series for something like $9 shipping, only to drop a $49.99/monthly bill coming at you for their 80 page mag.

It is the rage of the last year or two.

As for the product itself, I haven't made a dime from anything he teaches. Not to mention that he has been promoting the same " I'm retiring so buy my stuff " campaign since he faked claiming bankruptcy in ' 02 - ' 03 and first made his big, modern guru sales presentation. I'm sure some of you will remember it, where he walked out of the ' secret office ' behind his basement entertainment room.

Private home projection system but claimed he had to sell his system to save himself due to filing bankruptcy. It never added up for me and he always seemed like a flake. Nothing personal towards him, just what I think about all of the guru that sell that way.

Just promote what you want to promote and don't try to trick me into buying it because your crap isn't really what you claim it to be.

Bacak, Brunson, Filsaime - Just three of the many "Gurus" who use the same deceptive practices to sell the same old tired, rehashed shit. I got suckered into each of their forced continuity systems back when I was getting started. It was my own fault, but I will plead ignorance, as I was really a typical, naive, trusting newb. The monthly magazines/newsletters that these guys promote are absolute garbage. They usually consist of a few pages of very basic information and are rife with grammatical errors and misspellings - They read like someone put together some PLR articles written by a writer who is still learning English as a second language. And, of course, it is a pain in the ass to cancel. The forced continuity marketing premise that is used here is to deliberately obfuscate the cancellation process and hope you can get a few months of subscription payments before the subscriber cancels. Sad, but the math works well. They get a few hundred (or thousand) people to pay $39/month for a couple of months for a magazine that only takes a few bucks to produce, they know that everyone will eventually cancel, but they rake in some good cash in the meantime. Almost seems like blackhat marketing!

I recently had a similar experience when i ordered for Acai Products online(not from BHW customer).....i dint even know i was paying them money every week till i got the statement.....such people should be jailed!!