The Ashmax Scam:

Ashmax is an interesting concept, similar to Monitium, where the goal is to get you to enroll in Ashmax for free, then in two questionable MLM opportunities within seven days for a fee of $10, and $15 initially. Then, you refer 5 "Deserving People" within 20 days to get paid...

What the Ashmax.com page doesn't tell you up front:

The two businesses Ashmax funnels you into are Global Domains International ( monthly membership $10 ) and Freeway to Success ( $15 ).

Global Domains International is an MLM company that sells domains under the ".WS" category instead of ".com".  Have you ever typed in a domain name ending in ".ws" as a destination? Me neither. The goal of company founders Alan Ezeir and Michael Reed was to get people to use the .ws as a short nickname for "web site". Not so much.  You can register domains at Namesecure or GoDaddy on the cheap, without having to pay additional fees that go into an MLM type comp plan just to get a '.ws' domain. That's like paying Ferrari prices for a Volkswagon Jetta.

Freeway to Success is an MLM selling ebooks for building your home based business. Do the ebooks teach you how to build your Freeway to Success business selling more ebooks to build your Freeway to Success business to sell more ebooks...and so on. ( This is similar to many of the attraction marketing programs that started out as downline builders, but have taken on a life of their own and really only teach you how to resell the branded  downline builders...)  The basic Freeway to Success plan is $5.00. There are many reviews of the Freeway to Success scam online that say "Freeway To Success is a company approved by the FTC ( Federal Trade Commissions ) of the United States". This is a load of crap - the FTC doesn't "approve" ANY companies. They just shut you down if you turn out to be a pyramid, and selling and eBook is a great way to at least look like you are selling a product. Via a 5 x 5 matrix. And so on.

Ashmax is a downline builder.

Just like CarbonCopyPro was originally a downline builder for Wealth Masters International, Ashmax is a downline builder for GDI and Freeway to Success. You just might not want to build a downline with these companies.

I consider Ashmax to be a scam because its just a pretty wrapping to conceal two otherwise stinky fish.

Hello Jango,

Thank you for a pretty well rounded post, I was considering getting involved with AshMax for a few projects I have in the works and just the web site domain issues alone, seem a bit fishy. I am a bit let down I suppose, although I wouldn't exactly think there is an AshMax scam. I was really hoping this would work out but on the other hand, there are enough opportunities that will suit my needs. When I began thinking about getting involved with this type of thing, the first thing I did was go over the CEOs of the 3 companies I thought might be good choices, and that alone really revealed alot about what I feel can be expected.

In this case, the CEO was visible, which I found in my research wasn't always the case. Some companies had so little information it was difficult to tell if they were even legit, or just thrown together web sites hoping to collect on memberships before folding. AshMax was founded by Ash Mufareh who recruited for another company known as Global Domains International, so I at least felt pretty secure that there was an actual opportunity, even if it wasn't the greatest. I searched Google for AshMax Review, AshMax Company, and AshMax Scam, and only the usual stuff popped up.

I wasn't aware that I can virtually get the same web packages for a quarter of the price, and not be tied into something that didn't have much to offer in comparison. AshMax is free, but they get you $20 a month for a membership. I really didn't feel confident to get 5 people in 20 days, especially since I spend most of my time in school, or home studying while my fiance is at work. Neither of us would have much time, and I think we would end up losing $25 and being booted, but for awhile it did seem like a possible avenue. I think if you have a large network of friends, or a medium by which to get your information across, you could make a pretty good go of this, in the end though, I found it just wasn't for me.

Thank you for your post.

Jangoman, you might want to do your DD before you go spouting off whether a company is a scam or not. I joined FTS a year and a half ago and have been making money from day one, and the only out of pocket expense I ever paid was 15 bucks..And if it was a scam, which is illegal. it would have been shut down a long time ago. Had you have done your DD  you would know that the ebooks aren't the only products. There is also a free pharmacy card one can use to save up to 65% on prescription meds at just about any pharmacy, and then there's the restaurant  gift certificates you can purchase for as little as $2 for a $25 gift certificate or card which will save you up to 40% on your meal at over 18000 restaurants nation wide. There are more benefits as you upgrade. I will agree with you on the Ashmax fiasco which I dropped out of. The good thing is Ash Mufareh has been kicked out of FTS by the founder Doc Lett for unethical practices, and, you are right on the FTC. Where that came from I have no idea. But just because there are those who tell lies about FTS to get a more favorable response from promoting. doesn't make the company a bad one. Hate the player, not the game! Anyone I see that does so I will report to FTS and they will probably lose their position and never be allowed to join FTS again.

This business helps a lot of people such as myself who really got hurt by the housing bubble bursting and the bad economy being a carpenter all my life so I would appreciate it if you wouldn't spout off about a company you know nothing about because you've never given it a try. FTS is a great opportunity that got scammed by Ash Mufareh, he's the one you should be writing bad reviews about, not FTS.

Hey.

Ashmax made it to my list of interesting prospects as well, but the more I research the less interested I become. Just their adds alone don't appear to be legal in the sense that they violate the things that can and can't be said when promoting anything. They do very little to oversee what their representatives say and do, and that doesn't appear to be anything that's going to change anytime soon.

I don't know anyone involved with Ashmax, but that says something because I know hundreds of contacts involved with many of the companies you find in the MLM world, and Ashmax doesn't seem to be in the same league as the rest. That isn't to say it never will be, but it doesn't look as though this company is going to be able to pull off the blanket of obscurity and take off.

My motto is: if you've never heard of it, it's probably not a wise investment of your time and effort. We aren't talking about stock buying, we're talking about finding reputable, marketable companies selling legit products and offering solid compensation plans that you can actually work with, companies that will actually be around for awhile.

Thanks for your reply.

I guess I'm trying to understand if you are saying that AshMax IS a scam, and that Freeway to Success is legit?

Did Freeway to Success completely sever ties with AshMax and did they publicize kicking out ( terminating? ) Ash Mufareh?

I think I may have bundled Freeway to Success in my overall rant about AshMax, and I stand by my original assessment ( and the post title ) that AshMax itself is a scam. The relationship between AshMax and Freeway to Success was not very clear other than AshMax was promoting the deal.

Good for Freeway to Success if they have severed ties as you say above, and hopefully their expanded product line will make them an attractive ongoing business opportunity.

JangoMan, thanks for you response! Yes it is common knowledge that Ash is out and we, (FTS) have no ties to him or his Ashmax what so ever. I got out of Ashmax a long time ago because I was kind of skeptical about Ash from day one,  the way it was run, and it was way to complicated.

I did stick with FTS because of the inexpensive start up fee and it's so easy. I run my business on a more personal level. Four of my top five are local and one is spill over from my sponsor. For those local I hold 2 meetings a week that my down line can invite their prospects to and then I share the opportunity for my people. I do very little promoting on the internet. This way is much more fun, honest, and I get to meet a lot of new people.

One of the biggest downfalls about MLM is lack of help from above. That always kills a down line quicker than anything I know, and it gives MLM a bed rap. It doesn't make sense at all. I can't make money if I don't help those in my group make money.

I do agree there are a lot of scams out there, but FTS isn't one of them. Many people get into opportunities similar to ours, don't make a ton of money in the first couple of weeks or months, and they get frustrated then label it as a scam. One is only gonna get out of FTS what they're willing to put into it plain and simple

Also I have been confronting people who use the FTC to promote our business, and I've also brought this to the attention to the powers that be.