Illegal multi-level marketing schemes are spreading throughout rural areas of Nghe An province.
(Baonghean.vn) - In many rural areas of Nghe An, multi-level marketing (MLM) groups go door-to-door to approach and entice people to join their systems. In addition, these illegal MLM schemes also heavily advertise on social media.
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Recently, in Thanh My commune (Thanh Chuong district), a group of about four people have been sneaking into people's homes to entice them to join a system called "Bitney." The group targets elderly women.
“Initially, this group came to our house under the pretext of taking ID photos. However, after a while, they started introducing their products and trying to lure us into a path to wealth. They even instructed the women to join Zalo groups, boasting about the products' supposed ability to cure all kinds of ailments. I don't know how they convinced her, but my mother trusted them completely,” a man from Thanh My commune recounted.
Bitney's Zalo account. Photo: NDCC
The Zalo groups that this man photographed, because his mother had joined them, all seem to be related to the "Bitney Group." Some groups have hundreds of members, named "Bitney Nghe An Billionaire 1199 Global Development," while others are called "Results of Using Bitney Products." In these groups, the content mainly consists of members exaggerating the effectiveness of Bitney products, promoting them as a cure-all. Furthermore, members boast about their wealth and success after joining this system.
Similarly in Thanh Chuong, many other rural areas in Nghe An province are seeing groups of people going door-to-door to entice residents to join this multi-level marketing scheme. Furthermore, the products are heavily advertised on social media. According to our investigation, the "Bitney Group" has two main products: Multi Juice mixed fruit juice and Lucenta deer placenta extract. Despite warnings about operating an unlicensed multi-level marketing scheme, they continue to openly sell and recruit customers.
Currently, when contacting the company to purchase products, consumers are easily approached by consultants who boast about the product's benefits, guide them on how to earn commissions, and entice them to join the system. The more products purchased and the more customers recruited, the higher the commission. Each box of Multi Juice costs 1.4 million VND, while deer placenta costs nearly 8 million VND. These products are advertised with exaggerated claims such as: supporting uric acid reduction (gout), maintaining heart health, balancing the nervous system, being good for the liver, lungs, and kidneys, supporting hair loss, baldness, and osteoporosis; preventing tumors, stimulating and strengthening the immune system, and supporting cancer treatment...
The product is still being sold online. Photo: TH
Besides the exaggerated claims about the effectiveness of these two products, many individuals also introduce participants to recruit more members, developing a system to earn commissions and benefits according to a multi-level marketing model. However, as of now, the National Competition Commission has not granted a certificate of registration for multi-level marketing activities to any business or organization named Bitney mentioned above. Therefore, these organizations and individuals show signs of conducting multi-level marketing business without a certificate of registration and may face criminal prosecution with fines of up to 5 billion VND or 5 years imprisonment.
Mr. Pham Xuan Luc, Secretary of the Thanh My Commune Party Committee, said that after receiving information about a group of people acting suspiciously in the area, the commune sent officials to secretly monitor them. “However, perhaps sensing danger, the group quickly left the area. Currently, we are reviewing the local residents who may have been involved with this group. In addition, the commune has reported the matter to the district to issue a warning to other localities in order to prevent similar incidents,” Mr. Luc said.
People need to be vigilant.
Similarly, recently, there has been a group aggressively promoting an online application called Limbic Arc or InfoBoosts. These individuals present the application as a new era of quantum energy and proactive healthcare technology with numerous therapeutic benefits. Beyond these supposed healing properties, they encourage participants to recruit new members to earn commissions and benefits through a multi-level marketing scheme.
According to this group's presentation, this treatment method requires no examination, no medication… only that the patient provides some personal information to purchase a package. After agreeing to purchase the package, the patient does not receive any medication or supplements, but instead is given a software program. This software records their voice. In just 10 seconds, the software detects what components the body is lacking and what diseases the body is suffering from. After the disease is detected, the patient simply sits in front of their phone to receive "quantum energy," and the disease will automatically be cured.
The National Competition Commission stated that the aforementioned organizations and individuals show signs of engaging in multi-level marketing (MLM) activities. Currently, the Commission has not issued any registration certificates for MLMbi Arc or Infoboost. Therefore, the National Competition Commission warns the public against participating in or encouraging others to use products and applications based on word-of-mouth claims for treating illnesses without clear scientific basis, to avoid health damage and missed opportunities for proper treatment. It is advisable to avoid participating in any of the aforementioned illegal MLM activities to minimize material and legal risks and damages.
Furthermore, on social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube, there are frequent posts and videos urging people to join a system with a rather unusual name: "RF3 World." This group often organizes online programs to introduce and recruit more members with the goal of developing the system to earn commissions and economic benefits according to a multi-level marketing model. Not only do they promote and attract participants on social media, but this system also goes to rural areas to organize seminars to persuade people to join. The target customers of this group are usually elderly people.
According to our investigation, RF3 World is an e-commerce company established in June 2013 in Malaysia, specializing in research and development of beauty and health care products, while also providing a simple business platform for everyone. Currently, RF3 WORLD Vietnam distributes 8 product lines, with two flagship products being Firmax3 and 02max3. On its website, the company claims to "share business opportunities with everyone who loves the company's products – so that with a small investment, you can earn a better income and improve your quality of life." Furthermore, the company's website introduces its products and provides information on commission payments to investors and agents who join the RF3WORLD system. On YouTube, it's also easy to find numerous videos introducing and inviting people to join the multi-level marketing system.
Meanwhile, according to the National Competition Commission, recent reviews have revealed that some individuals and organizations are soliciting investment and conducting business activities with signs of operating a multi-level marketing scheme without a legal license in Vietnam, under the name RF3WORLD, through websites such as www.Rf3worldvietnam.com, www.Rf3vietnam.com, or www.Firmax3vn.com.vn. To date, the National Competition Commission has not issued any multi-level marketing registration certificate to any enterprise or organization named RF3WORLD. The National Competition Commission warns the public not to participate in activities with signs of illegal multi-level marketing schemes to minimize material and legal risks and losses.