Is Roger Hamilton’s XL Results Foundation A Scam?

I have read from a friend’s blog that a campaign has been going on to inform people that Roger Hamilton’s XL Results Foundation is a scam.

It seem like the main source that everyone quoted are from:

ripoffreport.com and

perth.norg.com.au

If you read carefully, many of the so called complains are “alleged”. There are also reports that after investigations, authorities did not find any wrong doing.

So how do we know whether XL Results Foundation is a scam or not?

Before we make any conclusion, we must always base on facts or evidence. Apparently, the “source” of the “facts” is someone who had a conversation with Roger when Roger was a drunk in a bar.

In the links above and many other blog posts, many bloggers quoted more or less the same info but none actually proved that they are members of XL Results Foundation and showed any evidence of police reports or copies of correspondence between the “victim” and the authorities.

As a blogger, we must be responsible in our blogging. We must find evidence before we say something, if not, then we are just spread rumours or “alleged” news. This will hurt the blogging community.

ripoffreport.com should gather police reports and documents to back what they claim instead of posting blogs and spreading it virally. With evidence, they can show that they are right and will be more productive in helping people to be careful of the company.

Members who have really been “cheated” should file police reports and show the people they really were cheated and are taking action against the company. They can show the lawyer’s correspondence that they are taking civil action for fraud or cheating.

USD10,000 is a lot of money. To some people, it is half a year’s pay, to others it can be a year or more. If they really want to help people, show the evidence or else its just talk. Talk can be dangerous because it’s borderline rumour.

This lesson should be applied to all our blogging. Are we just giving our opinions or are we really reporting something? Both of which we need to back up what we say. When you back up your claim, whether your opinion or reporting with evidence, then people can understand your reasoning.

Remember talk is cheap, if you are only talking, then your opinions are cheap.

So is XL Results Foundation a scam? Unless I see some real evidence, I wouldn’t be so hasty in making such conclusion. Search for evidence and decide. The Truth Is Out There…

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22 Responses to “Is Roger Hamilton’s XL Results Foundation A Scam?”

  1. Alfred on July 2nd, 2008 2:02 pm

    You can read about Roger Hamilton and the XL Results Foundation in the New Zealand and Australian newspaper.

    Under the heading: Suspect Business Network

    http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/articles/2007/05/30/1180205312469.html

    http://www.stuff.co.nz/print/4287069a6442.html

  2. hailiang on July 2nd, 2008 2:51 pm

    Hi Alfred,

    Thank you for the supplied links.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  3. John Littlemore on July 2nd, 2008 3:36 pm

    Hai Ling

    Pyramid schemes have the same pattern. They lie, cheat, steal, bully, defame, threaten and use other people’s money to keep them out the courts. Scams use legal loopholes to protect themselves while they go from one country to the next selling thin air and robbing people of their hard earned money.

    However, as with all pyramid schemes they are exposed when the media and community fight back as a collective group and the authorities are alerted.

    XL Results Foundation is a classic example of a scam on the brink of exposure.

    http://xlresultsfoundationscam.blogspot.com
    http://blog.datamanagementsolutions.biz/2008/06/shonky-operator.html
    http://mingtiandi.com/?p=58
    http://www.bizop.ca/blog2/pyramid-schemes/wealth-guru-hits-nz—sunday-s.html#comment-228155

  4. hailiang on July 2nd, 2008 3:40 pm

    Hi John,

    Thank you for your comments, I do agree on scams being exposed collectively. That is why I was wondering why the authorities didn’t do anything or prove that the company is scamming, unless it’s something untrue?

    Thanks for sharing the links, appreciate it.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  5. Singapore on July 2nd, 2008 3:43 pm

    Nov 25, 2006 - The Straits Times, Singapore

    Unhappy with business network club, These members demand their money back. 40 out of 69 vexed members gather outside club premises

    By Tanya Fong

    DISGRUNTLED MEMBERS: More than 40 life members of XL Results Foundation outside its Cecil Street office yesterday, including a 13-year-old Singapore boy (second from left in the foreground) representing his doctor father. — MUGILAN RAJASEGERAN

    THEY saw it as a no-risk investment - a way to expand their business contacts and perhaps make some money.

    Instead, 40 individuals who bought life membership in an exclusive business networking club gathered outside the office of XL Results Foundation yesterday to demand their money back.

    They are part of a group of 69 disgruntled members who claim they were duped by the company’s director, millionaire consultant and author Roger Hamilton, who they said promised them the company would buy back their membership at the same price, or at market value.

    Instead, members who had bought into the club in order to sell their membership for a profit claimed they were unable to do so. The company, they said, also did not come through on its promise to help them resell their membership.

    Although prices increased from US$3,200 in 2003 to about US$8,000 (S$12,400) today, 36-year-old Mr Lai Kum Loon, managing director of a car parts company, said: ‘When I wanted to transfer my membership, I was told I had to find my own buyer.’

    What is more, members also said they did not get access to the large network of business connections the company promised them.

    Among the crowd outside the XL Results office yesterday were five Britons, a Malaysian who came all the way from Malacca and a 13-year-old Singapore boy representing his doctor father, who was at work.

    They all wanted to withdraw their membership from the four-year-old operation, which was known formerly Competitive Edge.

    The total value of these memberships is about $460,000, more than twice XL Results’ reported net profit of $207,612 for the 2005-2006 financial year.

    One Singaporean member, Miss Sarah Kong, complained: ‘They simply did not provide the contacts of the other members, or those from other countries.’

    The club currently has more than 300 life members in Singapore, and about 900 others in 15 other countries.

    Membership includes access to the company’s training and mentoring workshops in South-east Asia, subscription to its monthly XL Magazine, as well as use of its worldwide networking website.

    The complaining members may be on sticky ground, however. Copies of the life membership contracts seen by The Straits Times do not state that the company will buy back life memberships or help find buyers.

    Nor is there any clause that says life members have to find their own buyers.

    Mr Hamilton, 38, a Briton who is a Singapore permanent resident, is currently in New Zealand on a business trip.

    The millionaire, wealth consultant and author of local bestseller Wink And Grow Rich, told The Straits Times on the telephone: ‘Today’s visit was a press stunt by a group, many are not our members.

    ‘We are looking into this matter. Any member who has concerns can come directly to us and we will look into their request for a transfer and facilitate it.’

  6. hailiang on July 2nd, 2008 7:25 pm

    Hi Singapore,

    Thanks for the extract. Has the S’pore government took action and close the company down since 2006? Pyramid scheme in S’pore is illegal, isn’t it?

    If you have access to follow up news since 2006 would be appreciated.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  7. ex member on July 4th, 2008 7:19 pm

    Blogger

    You could contact the co-ordinator of the Singapore complaints against XL Results Foundation on email: anph@rvmediaworld.com

    Ann Phua was mentioned in the newspaper assisting 100 Singaporean’s get their money back who had been waiting two years for a refund.

  8. jeff lee on July 4th, 2008 7:55 pm

    Hai Ling

    XL Results Foundations revenue source is the recruitment of individuals into the life membership scheme. It also offers a commission to recruited members.

    This is a pyramid scheme.

  9. David on July 4th, 2008 8:35 pm

    Non disclosure to XL Results Foundation Members - Fraudulent Business Partner

    XL Results Foundation is promoted by Mr Daniel Priestley of Triumphant Events in the United Kingdom, St John’s House, St John’s Square London.

    http://www.triumphantevents.com

    http://www.triumphantevents.com.au/images/annexure-a-document.pdf?PHPSESSID=c3bcdd5455dc3b2148b047b8fa22a502

    In June 2007 the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) commenced legal action against The Triumphant Group Pty Ltd (trading as Triumphant Events) for alleged contraventions of the Trade Practices Act 1974.

    The Federal Court of Australia has declared by consent that Triumphant, by engaging in the above conduct, contravened the Act. The Court also made orders by consent restraining Triumphant from engaging in the offending conduct in the future.

  10. hailiang on July 5th, 2008 5:53 pm

    Dear Blogger,

    Thank you for sharing this useful resource.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  11. hailiang on July 5th, 2008 5:57 pm

    Dear Jeff,

    Sometimes company with products can also be operating pyramid scheme.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  12. WL on July 5th, 2008 11:09 pm

    Wow…this blog post and discussion is really interesting.

    I am surprised that Success Resources, Asia’s biggest event organizer, has been inviting Roger Hamilton for their annual event, National Achievers Congress for the past 2 consecutive years.

    I believe that Success Resources got to do better job to screen its invited speakers more carefully in future.

  13. hailiang on July 7th, 2008 3:35 pm

    Dear David,

    Thanks for the info on The Triumphant Group Pty Ltd.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  14. hailiang on July 7th, 2008 3:38 pm

    Hi WL,

    I was impressed with Roger’s presentation during the National Achievers’ Congress, especially how XL Results Foundation is all about helping the needy directly.

    In all things, we just have to research and evaluate ourselves whether it is a good venture or not. Just like options trading :-).

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  15. Eddie Tan on July 8th, 2008 5:52 pm

    What proof is there Roger Hamilton gives to the needy? He pockets the money promised to charity.

    http://rogerhamilton-xl.blogspot.com/2006/12/roger-hamilton-xl-members-demand.html

    Radio 93.8 Live, Singapore English News 2/12/06

    Roger Hamilton, XL Results Foundation & XL Members

    About 30 members of the business network club, XL Results Foundation, met uptoday to discuss plans on getting their money back.

    They had paid thousands to be life members but said they weren’t getting thevalue for their money. A meeting with the club’s owner, British national Roger Hamilton has beenscheduled for Wednesday.

    Wu Shang Yuan with this report.

    =========================================
    Close to 70 local and international members have voiced concerns about theFoundation, after paying between 3,200 and 5,400 US dollars for themembership. They want a total refund of close to half a million US dollars from RogerHamilton, a wealth consultant from the UK.

    The life members had wanted out, after realizing that training and mentoringworkshops, organized for them by the Foundation, weren’t useful and they were unable to get the business contacts they’d expected. However, the members were told they had to find buyers of their memberships, on their own.

    One of the life members Adelaide Chong received a call just a few days ago fromthe Foundation. I already informed Roger that I wanted to transfer my membership and leave because I think someone else can take advantage of it. So they say well, the options is the first one, you find your own. The second one is they have agents but they’ll charge some commission - I say I’m not going to pay anycommission.

    Members like Ray Bigger also had doubts about the Foundation’s promise ofdonating part of the money they received to charity.

    In the last two years, there’s been no photographs, no press releases, no announcements of any money made to charity. And I’m saying why?!

    Mr Hamilton had said in previous reports that his Foundation is looking intothis matter and that it’ll look into requests for transfer of memberships. With a meeting scheduled with him on Wednesday, life members are hoping thatthe matter will be resolved by mid-December.

    ends/…

  16. hailiang on July 9th, 2008 5:47 pm

    Dear Eddie,

    Got your info…thanks for sharing.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  17. hailiang on July 15th, 2008 10:28 am

    This weekend, in an Internet Marketing course, I met a life member of XL Results Foundation. This guy was all praises for XL Results because when he joined XL Results a few years ago, the networking helped him to form a JV venture with another partner.

    Together they started a new company with nothing and build the business from scratch. A few years later, the business was so good that they sold the company to a larger company for RM10 million which was approximately USD4 million. Now he is starting another new company within the same industry and is on the verge of signing a contract with a manufacturing company.

    So, is XL Results Foundation a scam? Well, members seem to genuinely benefit from the membership.

  18. Winnie on July 16th, 2008 6:20 pm

    You can get the same contacts for free from linkedin instead of paying the membership fee to join XL Results Foundation or join a chamber of commerce for a few hundred dollars.

  19. hailiang on July 16th, 2008 9:33 pm

    Hi Winnie,

    Thanks for stopping by and giving your comments, appreciate it.

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

  20. Winnie on July 19th, 2008 9:38 pm

    This week on ‘The Connections Show’, you can hear Dylan Conroy, a young TV Producer & Development Consultant in Hollywood, talk about how he’s successfully used LinkedIn to help develop Reality TV projects and find Board Members & Venture Capital Investors.

    You can hear this at: http://connections.thepodcastnetwork.com/2008/07/12/connections-035-linkedin-goes-to-hollywood/

    OR

    http://tinyurl.com/Dylan-Conroy

  21. Marcel on July 30th, 2008 7:14 pm

    Hi, just thought I’d add a comment here …

    I am *extremely* suspicious of pyramid/ponzi schemes … in fact, some would say I’m almost obsessed with _avoiding_ them. My work (without going into details) is all about perceptions, sales & persuasion, so I have some experience in this.

    Ok, so as an XL Life Member, here’s my honest opinions:

    - Life Memberships & Circle Memberships are NOT cheap. Life is ‘forever’, Circle is for 3 years. So if you’re nervous, go for a Circle Membership & try it out.

    - You get what you put in. If you complain that you’re not getting enough value, you’re almost certainly not giving enough value.

    - Not everything runs as smoothly as promised; but then, what does? Our new group is made up of locals, & we’re getting value from each other. Ok, so the question is “Did we need XL to form our group?”: NO. But we didn’t have this dynamic group BEFORE XL either … so now we stick together because of XL.

    - Do you get your $$$ worth? Kinda … considering we have a “free” seminar on average once per month that is about equal to what the monthly membership fee is, I think so. Then again, would you attend a seminar once per month? But then you get a whole bunch of other things that have “value”; it depends on your perception of “value”. Could be worth a lot to you, might not. Depends really.

    - Roger may have personal issues - legal or otherwise - but he is incredibly smart & business savvy. In a 45-minute personal meeting with him, he gave me an idea that has generate about 3 months membership fee AND will keep on generating income for me. Could ANYONE have given me this idea? Of course! But Roger did … and he made it worth it for me.

    - XL’s goals, irrespective of how the global company is run, are honourable & good. So maybe we should just work towards those ideals, regardless of whether XL ‘folds’ or not? I have NO IDEA if it will, but I’m now invested in the ideals & I personally agree with them. So now they’re my personal goals too - to GIVE more to the WORLD.

    - By paying a high monthly fee, my new friends & I have agreed to be accountable to each other. This is one MAJOR difference to any other business network I know. That pricey monthly fee binds you, because we all know how much this group is worth to us.

    - Personally, I think Roger & the other speaker’s presentation is a bit too much ’sell, sell, sell’. It’s easy to see how this could me a scam, considering the pitch is very pushy. But look through that to consider how valuable the idea is to you. Imagine this did all fall through (I really hope it doesn’t but who knows?) - would it *still* be valuable to you?

    - Some days I think I’m wasting my money, other days it’s the best thing I’ve done. The networking has been fantastic! But there’s a lot of things I’m disappointed about. If you see the value, join. If not, don’t: or maybe just keep your ear to the ground & see what happens.

    FINALLY :

    Regardless of XL’s reputation (good or bad, depending how you look at it), Roger’s reputation, the law suits, the in’s & outs, the value you get, WHATEVER …

    Roger’s Wealth Dynamics system is AMAZING & that ALONE is worthwhile - you have NO IDEA how different you see business once you’ve done research into the profiling. I’ve changed the whole approach of my business in the last 6 months & it has WORKED dramatically …

    But here’s the bottom line:

    You don’t NEED XL, the group, the systems, the profiling or anything related to them. If you’ve learnt a system somewhere or joined a business group & it works for you, then keep it. If it doesn’t, leave. NO ONE is going to generate income for you except you - it is YOUR responsibility to ‘mind your own business’.

    XL has worked for me so far - I raise problems with my City Manager, and there have been a few - and it does not come cheap. I may keep my membership forever, I may leave next week. But ultimately, I generate the value I want out of it. And so far, I haven’t made a profit or a loss. But I have learnt so valuable insights & it’s been fun!

    Finally -

    Is XL a scam? I think …….. no. There may be problems, weaknesses, issues, problems, lack of delivery, lack of service - but ultimately, I’ve meet too many other members who have invested themselves in XL & I think they all have something to lose if XL fell flat. There are too many honest-to-goodness, intelligent & successful people I’ve met in & through XL for it to be a scam.

    But ask me again in 6 months. Only time will tell.

    Kind regards,
    A Happy-So-Far-But-Constantly-Vigilant XL Member

  22. hailiang on July 30th, 2008 7:19 pm

    Hi Marcel,

    Thank you for such a detailed insight on your experience as an XL member. I have personally met another life member who was very happy with his membership. He did emphasize that the business profiling was the best and it helped him started a very successful business.

    I hope you continue to prosper to help the needy and best wishes to you!

    Rgds,
    Hai Liang

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