Court Halts Deceptive Envelope-Stuffing Operation

Jeff Paul’s Shortcuts to Internet Millions was recently part of the FTC’s Operation ShortChange Crackdown on companies the FTC claimed were Trying to Take Advantage of the Economic DownTurn.

While Jeff Paul’s ShortCuts to Internet Millions makes some pretty astounding claims about how quickly and easily customers can earn money, the FTC apparently had a different take on things. According to the FTC complaint against Jeff Paul, LLC – also d/b/a/Shortcuts to Millions, LLC:

“64. Since at least Januar 2006, Defendants have aired at least two versions of the “Jeff Paul’s Shortcuts to Internet Millions” infomercial.

65. The infomercials represent that consumers who purchase the Jeff Paul system will receive proven, turnkey Internet businesses. The infomercials 25 represent that consumers are likely to quickly and easily earn substantial amounts of money through these businesses. The Jeff Paul infomercial represents that the system is so simple that consumers do not need any prior experience with Internet businesses to make it work.”

The FTC complaint then gives details from a couple of Jeff Paul Infomercials (in items 66., 67., & 68. ) including the allegation that  ”The Jeff Paul infomercials also contain numerous claims about the potential earnings consumers can expect if they purchase and use the Jeff Paul system” and then continues:

“69. The Jeff Paul infomercials also represent that consumers who 5 purchase the Jeff Paul system will receive a free 30-day membership to Jeff Paul’s “Big League,” also known as Jeff Paul’s “Internet Millionaires Club.” This is a service that includes seminars and access to advisors who can answer consumers’ questions. The Jeff Paul infomercials never disclose that the Big League is actually a continuity plan and that, once the 30-day free membership expires, consumers will be charged $39.95 per month unless they contact Defendants to cancel their memberships.

70. When consumers call the toll-free number in the infomercials to order the Jeff Paul system, they are guided through an automated ordering system in 14 which they provide billing and shipment information in response to pre-recorded 15 prompts. At no point before consumers provide their payment information as part 16 of the automated ordering process do Defendants disclose that the Big League is 17 actually a continuity plan, and that once the 30-day free membership expires, 18 consumers will be charged $39.95 per month unless they contact Defendants to cancel their memberships. At no point prior to providing their payment information do consumers give their consent to be charged for their “Big League” (aka “Internet Millionaires Club) memberships once the 30-day free memberships expire.

71. After consumers’ 30-day free memberships expire, unless consumers have taken affirmative steps to cancel, Defendants automatically charge 25 consumers’ credit cards $39.95 per month. In numerous instances, consumers are
unaware they have been charged for the Big League/Internet Millionaires Club membership until they notice the $39.95 charges on their credit card statements.

72. Consumers who purchase the Jeff Paul system receive a kit 24 containing a DVD and several informational booklets in written and/or electronic format. The Jeff Paul materials do not contain step-by-step instructions for 3 accessing or using a proven, turnkey Internet business. Instead, the materials tell 4 consumers to create their own informational products from scratch, and then 5 market those products on the Internet.

73. Consumers also discover that the “three clicks” or “instant” websites they receive with the Jeff Paul system are not the “proven” Internet businesses that are promised in the infomerciaL. Rather, the websites are simplistic, basic websites, and consumers must do extensive work to enhance them, which involves learing how to edit and modify websites. In addition, consumers discover that,
after activating their “three clicks” websites, they must do all of their own marketing to potentially attract customers. Therefore, the representation that consumers who purchase the Jeff Paul system are likely to quickly and easily earn substantial amounts of money through the proven, turnkey Internet businesses they receive is false.

74. The consumer endorsers shown in the Jeff Paul infomercial are not 17 representative of consumers who purchase and use the Jeff shown in the Jeff Paul infomercial are not 17 representative of consumers who purchase and use the Jeff Paul system because, even if they earned money, they did not do it in the way the infomercial describes. Few, if any, of the consumer endorsers earned money through Jeff Paul’s “proven” 20 Internet businesses. At least one consumer endorser displays checks that are completely unrelated to the Jeff Paul system. In addition, many of the consumer endorsers were personally coached by Inventor Defendant Jeff
Paul, or were Jeff Paul’s personal friends. Therefore, the consumer endorsers fail to substantiate the infomercial’s claims.

75. Few, if any, consumers who purchase and use the Jeff Paul system quickly and easily earn substantial amounts of
money. Therefore, Defendants’ representation that consumers who purchase the Jeff Paul system will quickly and easily earn substantial amounts of money from proven, turney Internet businesses is false and unsubstantiated.”

You can read the entire FTC complaint here: