Is WA a scam?

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432 followers

Over the past few days, there have been several posts regarding comments on our (the WA community) sites stating that Wealthy Affiliate is a scam, or at best simply taking people's money while offering no value.

Is it true? Is WA a scam?

Being new to WA, I have only my few weeks experience here so far with the wonderful and extremely helpful and supportive community to draw a conclusion, so I decided to venture out to see what was happening elsewhere in the online world.

Sure enough, I found some amazing websites that were inspiring and helpful. I suspect some may be designed by members of WA because there was some mention of this community on them. And . . . sure enough . . . I did find a few negative comments about WA being a scam or a pyramid scheme. They seemed quite adamant about it actually.

My thoughts on these comments come from my 25 years as a retail manager and marketer, and having seen so many true pyramid schemes that I can't even remember half of them. Please understand that I have nothing against a good pyramid scheme except that the last person in gets nothing or scraps at best, so I avoid such businesses.

But . . . the question remains now . . . is Wealthy Affiliate a scam or a pyramid scheme?

Let's break it into pieces. What does Wealthy Affiliate offer? In general, as I understand it, Wealthy Affiliate offers a community of helpful members who are each working to create wealth through online websites that may become businesses (forms of streams of income) and specialized training for the success of just such a venture. Wealthy Affiliate offers a free program as well as a paid monthly membership where there is absolute freedom to choose how much or little a member chooses to participate. Does Wealthy Affiliate deliver on that promise? The answer is a resounding "YES!!!", and so, the answer to the question of whether or not Wealthy Affiliate is a scam or not is a resounding "NO!!".

However, is Wealthy Affiliate a "pyramid scheme"? If you think, "yes", then you obviously have absolutely no idea of what a pyramid scheme is.

Again, all I have to draw from is my 25 years of experience in the corporate business world, but, as I understand it, Wealthy Affiliate offers a platform in which a community of people engaged in learning to develop an online business may discuss their failures and successes all the while having the opportunity to take advantage of a truly awesome and extremely comprehensive training program. People may go at their own pace, and the individual also chooses how much or how little they participate. Members aren't even locked into paying the monthly fee. How is this in anyone's mind even close to resembling a pyramid scheme?

Ahhhh . . . one person claimed that members have to pay for the training and that commissions are paid when signing up new members. That was their premise for their erroneous accusation.

Ok . . . it is true that "premium members" pay a monthly amount, and it is true that members receive commissions for attracting new members if the newbies become "premium members".

But does that constitute a "pyramid scheme"?

No.

What it does mean is that Wealthy Affiliate runs an honest business that offers the choice between the use of an incredibly valuable platform where someone can create a business and make money or they can take advantage of an even more comprehensive program with access to a massive wealth of knowledge, support and inspiration for a nominal fee. And, by the way, should you share this little secret (Wealthy Affiliate) with others and they also decide to join the community with a monthly membership . . . Kyle and Carson pay a commission so that we may share in the wealth. Hmmm . . . this is more like a health and fitness club than a pyramid scheme.

To sum up, I've heard it said that "People are often down on things that they are not up on." In other words, people often criticize things that they know little or nothing about. Don't worry about them. The time we waste on the "stinky thinkers", is time we could be using to help the next person who is trying to better their lives.

My experience here at WA has been refreshing and inspiring. You people give me hope!!

Thank you for taking your time to read this, and thank you for all of the support you freely give to anyone who is looking for a hand up. You are all wealthy, and I love you!!


Peace,

William

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Recent Comments

30

Great point of view William. Cheers to being members of a healthy community and program called "Wealthy Affiliate" :)

Thank you Reina. You are one of the people here that I am talking about!

Absolutely loving your blogs :) @ WHearn

Hi William
Very well said. I love your term 'stinky thinkers'. WA really is a great place to be. Anyone who doesn't believe so has probably not grasped the full potential of what we have here. I'm here for the long haul, just as I'm sure most of the WA community are.
Ange

Thank you Ange. I was a bit bleary eyed when I wrote it. It was 4 in the morning and had been a really long day, but when I read the negative comments, I just had to investigate further. The more I read, the more I thought that whoever wrote these ignorant comments must have never been to WA. Even if one participates only a little they earn big results!!

I haven't seen the comments you wrote about, but I have heard or read of a few people who have been receiving them or something similar on their sites. It's lucky that for those of us who actually have been with WA for a while, can see the truth in what WA offers and we all know wholeheartedly that it is most definitely NOT a scam.

William,
I am new here. Your assessment of WA is honest and well written. Your background gives you great insight and the ability to determine the business structure of Wealthy Affiliate as a company. Wealthy Affiliate is an educational platform with referral incentives and monthly membership fees. Membership includes hosted websites, online support, 24 hour live chat, a thriving helpful community, and actively engaged founders. Members want to succeed, and put time and effort into developing marketing techniques in order to gain an income. Many members have very low income, lost their jobs, need extra income during retirement, or simply want a way to replace their income with a new startup business.
More importantly, the community exists to encourage, support, and help each other. It is a community of good, hard-working individuals, who lift each other up and truly care. Everyone is ready to listen and work together to find a common solution. A new person knows that their question will be answered and they will make new friends in the process. The simplest question is as important as the most complex. Members make a difference by contributing to the success of another person.
Wealthy Affiliate is a good place. Everyone feels at home from the moment they choose to join and be part of a wonderful community.

Hi William

Thanks for an extremely well crafted and informative post. I think this content should dispel any doubts anyone might have had about whether WA is legit and delivers all that it promises.

The wonderful training on here, not only by Kyle and Carson. but other WA members, is quite frankly, awesome.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. I have been offline for a few weeks due to a family bereavement and all that goes with that, so it's great to come back to such positive thinking

Terry

Good morning Terry. I'm sorry for your loss. Welcome back. I look forward to reading what you have to say.

Thanks so much William. Hope to talk soon

Terry

So well written and said! There will always be those who choose not to reach for the light. Glad we are ready for the light.thank you.ariel

Definitely Not a Scam! I love WA! I would even pay few years in advance if there was a possibility to do so:)

Hahahaha . . . giving Kyle and Carson ideas? I love it!

Nice, William. Thanks for sharing your vast experience and thoughts on this. Really liked your comparison to a 'health and fitness club', something about that rings true!

And soooo well said about not wasting time on the 'stinky thinkers'

People also tend to forget they are getting high end hosting for their membership fee which actually makes the whole training and everything else free! And many of us are in here for free, as two referrals cover the cost...

Definitely not a scam here William! WA rocks! :-)

As long as people like you are here john, WA will always be an awesome place to learn and earn!

Cheers William :-)

If WA were one, the single-level commission structure would constitute a very short "pyramid". :=)

It would always be at "ground level" - the best time to join in!

William, I totally agree with you and thank you for putting in such an easy way to understand.

Thank you Carol. Together, we are a force to be reckoned with!

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