Oceancity Network Inc.

This company reportedly sells fuel mileage improvement apparatus. The company markets the disk shaped product for $148 through a network marketing system. The product is advertised as being capable of changing the molecular structure of fuel, resulting in improved gas milage, and more environmentally friendly EPA readings. The company holds recruitment meeting by telephone. Respondents are considered independent contractors, and are encouraged to each recruit five friends to invest $1400 on inventory. This would make the original respondent a Platinum associate, and thus, eligible for the highest sales commissions.

We believe this company's advertising is deceptive and misleading. We urge caution. Complaints for similar offers typically allege that earnings claims are exaggerated at best, affiliates are not paid as agreed, and the company fails to disclose total costs involved for website development, or purchasing up-line positions. Generally, our experience has been that affiliates do not receive refunds or full commission for their sales efforts, and in some cases, are left with useless unsold inventory which they are unable to return.To help you determine the real differences between a pyramid and a multi-level sales plan, consider the following. A legitimate multi level plan encourages successful distributors to recruit and train a sales force, but the distributor must also assume ongoing wholesaleing and managing responsibilities as well as, selling to their own retail customers. Emphasis should be placed on selling the product or services offered as a means to earn money, not recruiting others. In an illegal pyramid, the recruits on the bottom level pay money to a few people at the top. They hold recruitment meetings where they create a frenzied and enthusiastic atmosophere where group pressure and promises of easy money prey on people's greed and fear of missing out on a good deal. Some pyramids are easily recognizable and are as simple as a chain letter. Others are very sophisticated, and disguised to look like legitimate multi-level marketing companies to fool investors and law enforcement. As their disguise, they may take on a line of products or a service and claim to be in the business of selling to consumers. When in realtity, the real money comes from recruiting and not from marketing the products. Recruits themselves run a significant risk of arrest and fines by authorities for participation in the offer.