Thread: A Humble Request (Merged)

craig,

Will you please keep us updated if there is a follow up?

Originally Posted by cigarman

The regulations change so quickly in the US, half the companies here probably wouldn't pass if you want the truth. Don't believe me just pull up any states c&d page and it will shock you.
ANYWAY, LET'S GET BACK TO THE STORY OF PIPS.

I am sure the C&D legislation was the same before 5YP's interception.

Hi guys.
Let me stay with mid/late/2004 for a little while.
Thanks Mia, Mike and others I need a jog too you know :)
That year was so exciting for PIPs members.
The forum was always full of welcome for new members, posts from Bryan with company updates, individual lifechanging plans and good comarada for each other.
We had not reached a point where withdrawals were at any significant level.
New staff were introduced to us all and received a warm welcome.
Members from the different countries formed their own clubs, the Americans Canadians, UK and others with local meets and a board of members to oversee that clubs activities.
It was also a hazy time with some issues unresolved as the year progressed.
Bryan was travelling most times. Either chasing banks down or attending some mini convention somewhere. The deal with Speedwallet fell a little short of the details that Bryan spelt out regarding their fees. My email tells me my Card was activated on 2nd Sept 2004 and the last withdrawal that failed to go thro 18th June 2005. By this time all Debit Card withdrawals were on hold whilst the wires and check member withdrawals were allowed to catch up.
Here I think a head was reached regarding Speedwallet and the monthly fees levied at account holders. With no activity these fees were building up, and either PIPs ignored the banks request for payment or Speedwallet shelved the whole platform untill an agreement could be reach. An agreement was attempted by PIPs later in 2005 but by this time Speedywallet were not willing to negotiate new terms and the deal was never finalised.
There is no doubt the bank PIPs used was terribly slow and was never geared to the volume of business that PIPs produced. One problem compounded another, speedwallet, and we know Bryan travelled far and wide to find another bank. Factor in another problem just as important, and damaging, the amount of fraud perpetrated with Credit Cards and you will understand PIPs didnt have to wave a red flag, it was already flying.
Late 2004 saw fractures in the PIPs forum.
It would appear that the General Manager Gary was passing privy information
only to select groups whilst the rest of the membership were ignored. This created a lot of bad feeling at the time, and I suppose also that Gary was at the helm of PIPs whilst Bryan was away on business otherwise I cannot see Bryan condoning such actions if he was about. The only way most of us got to hear any news at this time was for some club member to leak it out to the general membership.
Another issue is Picpay, a department that somehow seemed very lacking in business issues and proceedures. If we look at the merchant accounts, (and here let me say how excited we all were to learn that these would be implimented into Picpay with those dollars buying the merchandise), the terms and conditions seemed very fluid and most merchants found themselves having to resubmit documents time and time again to became a validated entity. Here is some correspondence I had with one merchant on this subject :

"" Hi Paul,

There have been much talk about a "merchant only" forum but there
is the risk that some will misuse it and send out information to other
forums.

There is a feeling to wait for some official information on what the
"new requirements for merchants" will be.
I know we are "expected" to apply again and send in the company
information once more. There is also mentioned the need to send in
company bank account statements for the last three months and a sort
of reference letter.
But again there have been no official "set of rules" or "terms and condition"

that describes this in detail. This should have been in place when they first
released the merchant option.

Personally I feel that they are not handling this in a professional way.

If we look at other companies offering merchant and payment solutions
they require that one have a legally registered company, that the services
and products are legal and that the company is using an International recognized
bank connection. Some require an introduction letter from the used bank.
This to confirm that the company has the receiving accounts in the stated bank.

Account statements are often confidential and can have information that can be
used by competing companies and witch clients do not want to be "made public"

As for my own company it have several different divisions and each of these have
separate client accounts to handle each divisions client funds.
This both for security and accounting purposes.

If we look at how Picpay is handling this its like no one is to know anything about how they are handling client funds, but they are to know whatever they want about other companies.

This doesn’t make sense to me.
Some company information is public .... and some are not.

At the moment Picpay seems to set there own set of rules and by not given the merchants
a "clear set of rules" it`s hard to guess what they are up to.

So the bottom line is some frustration and confusion among merchants at the moment.

We where promised an update this week but I have not seen one yet.
Then we have the growing problem regarding login to the PIPS member site.
More and more members can’t get in and have to phone PIPS to get a new PIN in order to log in and look for updates or news.

I will try to inform everyone as soon as new information is received.

Kind regards ""


What we are seeing, developing quietly in the background, but taken as a whole, a quite serious problem on several fronts. As we march into spring of 2005 even more problems arise.....to be continued

paddy

The momentum with the past was almost forgotten, thanks to Arc, it is relived and is indeed refreshing minds that needed steering and shoulders reassured and I particularly welcome Mia's return and contribution to recap lost trails for many but is now proving, in raising hopes among the divided & uncertain masses we have come to hear in the last 12 months.

Mia is an asset as always as I came to know her and her undaunting support & trust she holds for all that Bryan and Sharon stood for.... and as for Style's remark on Sharon, she is his pillar and mentor too and she deserves to travel wherever he goes....

I have no qualms to that when Bryan occasionally tries to spotlight her even though, she prefers NOT TO... but how does one hide a shadow of enlightment & support standing literally next to him...?


Very encouraging this thread is becoming for history to be proven as a worthy lane for memory far from gone or lost... most enthralling as it gears up.... keep it up for I myself could pick up some notes I may have overlooked too

YB.

Yes, these were all good things that were accomplished by PIPS, but at what expense?..........maybe robbing Peter to pay Paul? A Robin Hood type scenario maybe?

Originally Posted by azmia

Back to 2004. Without pointing fingers.

Las Vegas convention was fantastic and as said there were a lot of friendships built there. As large as it was, Bryan was standing there in the middle of the auditorium speaking with members as they went up to him to introduce themselves. A lot of us who were friendly on the forum, got to actually meet each other in person, and these are friends who came from all over the world just to be there with Bryan.

The forum began growing as more and more as people heard from a friend of a friend about PIPS.

We found that there was a need for a charity drive started by some of the older Pioneer members. We have had in the charity donations, a woman who needed medication to keep her from dying of cancer, there was a family without funds at Christmas time and several children, others who were involved in domestic violence situations who needed help financially to get out of the situation, the list goes on. Point being, that when someone says that PIPS didn't help charities they are dead wrong, because the #1 point that those who want to point fingers at Bryan are missing, is that me, you anyone with a PIPS account was PIPS. The joining of PIPS was not so I could make an easy million. It was for the ideals and the beliefs. The other was the perks to the program which I joined. I think it is called a different mindset than most, 'out of the box' thinking. We how were involved in these were involved to make a difference, and we did.

We also saw the classrooms being built in the Philippines, with the name PIPS on the building, we saw the pictures of the computers donated to the school. Charity was being accomplished but inside the forum and out in the real world. Pips was making a difference in the world.

After the convention in Las Veges, there were quite a few other ones in the USA and then I think Canada as well.

Good Paddy, keep it coming.

I second that motion Yogi and a pint to all fellow PIPsters no matter what campfire keeps you warm :)

I would give anything if all PIPS members, especially the last ones in, could have the feeling that we had during the Vegas event.

Originally Posted by paddyfield

I second that motion Yogi and a pint to all fellow PIPsters no matter what campfire keeps you warm :)

Cheers mate... here's a well deserving chiller that Bryan is surrounded with... great beers on fire...!!!

Don't worry PIPSBeliever, the last ones in will get their day when Bryan comes back.