5 ms·

People are gonna have to learn to play by the rules. They are obviously paying attention.

exo762 13y ago
Their scale of operations was too low. Rookie mistake. Should have learned from HSBC management.
shiftpgdn 13y ago
Sorry but that's rubbish. Even if you play by the rules they'll just change them via some obscure FTC policy or congressional rider. Look at what happened to all the "Work from home" companies a few years ago. All the owners had their assets seized in full for breaking a new FTC policies that had been published for only a matter of days.[1] The reality is if you're doing something the government doesn't like you NEED to leave the country. They'll just keep moving the goal posts until you're in prison. [1]http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/11/ftc-expands-fight-against-deceptive-business-opportunity-schemes http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/11/ftc-ex...
- objclxt 13y ago
  The rules in this case are "don't enter into a drug based money laundering business", which is allegedly what went on here. It's certainly not new or obscure.
  - BlackDeath3 13y ago
    >drug based money laundering business No ambiguity there!
- judk 13y ago
  http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus79-selling-work-home-or-other-business-opportunity%20 http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus79-selling-work-home-or... FTC makes rules, not laws. That is a important distinction, and the Courts determine where the rules are consistent with the pre-existing laws.
- poopsintub 13y ago
  If you're trying to avoid taxes and do shady stuff with your money, eyeah. You're going to have a bad time.
- hashmap 13y ago
  "The US government is cracking down on companies that scam millions of dollars out of people looking for jobs, WHERE'S THE FREEDOM??" Come on, man.
- notahacker 13y ago
  I can't think of many people less deserving of sympathy than the people in the linked article (even the Bitcoin money-launderer deserves more), and the world is unequivocally a better place for the FTC moving the goalposts to catch them. Frankly, you shouldn't need to read FTC guidelines to understand that peddling lies and then not honouring promised refunds might get you into trouble, and conmen whose businesses get suspended by court 12 months after the FTC introduces explicit guidelines banning their business practices are not victims, unlike their paying customers.
- imroot 13y ago
  These rules were publicized in November of 2011,[1] and implemented March 1, 2012. Press release November 15, 2012. I don't think 6+ months qualifies as "a matter of days." 1: http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2011/11/ftc-adds-new-protections-consumers-seeking-work-home http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2011/11/ftc-ad...

Their scale of operations was too low. Rookie mistake. Should have learned from HSBC management.

Sorry but that's rubbish. Even if you play by the rules they'll just change them via some obscure FTC policy or congressional rider. Look at what happened to all the "Work from home" companies a few years ago. All the owners had their assets seized in full for breaking a new FTC policies that had been published for only a matter of days.[1] The reality is if you're doing something the government doesn't like you NEED to leave the country. They'll just keep moving the goal posts until you're in prison. [1]http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/11/ftc-expands-fight-against-deceptive-business-opportunity-schemes http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2012/11/ftc-ex...

objclxt 13y ago
The rules in this case are "don't enter into a drug based money laundering business", which is allegedly what went on here. It's certainly not new or obscure.
- BlackDeath3 13y ago
  >drug based money laundering business No ambiguity there!
judk 13y ago
http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus79-selling-work-home-or-other-business-opportunity%20 http://business.ftc.gov/documents/bus79-selling-work-home-or... FTC makes rules, not laws. That is a important distinction, and the Courts determine where the rules are consistent with the pre-existing laws.
poopsintub 13y ago
If you're trying to avoid taxes and do shady stuff with your money, eyeah. You're going to have a bad time.
hashmap 13y ago
"The US government is cracking down on companies that scam millions of dollars out of people looking for jobs, WHERE'S THE FREEDOM??" Come on, man.
notahacker 13y ago
I can't think of many people less deserving of sympathy than the people in the linked article (even the Bitcoin money-launderer deserves more), and the world is unequivocally a better place for the FTC moving the goalposts to catch them. Frankly, you shouldn't need to read FTC guidelines to understand that peddling lies and then not honouring promised refunds might get you into trouble, and conmen whose businesses get suspended by court 12 months after the FTC introduces explicit guidelines banning their business practices are not victims, unlike their paying customers.
imroot 13y ago
These rules were publicized in November of 2011,[1] and implemented March 1, 2012. Press release November 15, 2012. I don't think 6+ months qualifies as "a matter of days." 1: http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2011/11/ftc-adds-new-protections-consumers-seeking-work-home http://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2011/11/ftc-ad...